1 . Nowadays, we know how to work with al old items. Many of them can be reused after being properly processed. Instead of sending them to the trashcan, we have new choices.
Participate in the Give the Gift of Sight Program. Run by Lions Club International, the program makes it easy for you to donate your old eyeglasses and sunglasses to needy people in developing countries. After you drop glasses off, they are cleaned, repaired, and grouped, then distributed.
Donate your used computer to computers for Kids, a non-profit organization.
Recycle sneakers (运动鞋) and athletic shoes. Since 1990, NIKE has sponsored the Reuse-A-Shoe program.
Never throw away books or magazines. Books and magazines are a great aid to help those who’ve been sent to prison. Some of them quit school at an early age.
| A．Recycle holiday and greeting cards. |
| B．Find one near you by searching online. |
| C．So don’t forget the “early reader” books. |
| D．Here are some ways to recycle worn - out items. |
| E．It aims to improve the computer skills of youth. |
| F．It takes in used sneakers and breaks them into pieces. |
| G．Over 1.5 million pairs of shoes are recycled and repaired. |
2 . One of the world’s most productive wildlife sound recordists (录音师) has released a large collection of his most treasured recordings of wild places to listen to for free on Soundcloud.
“Martyn Stewart has recorded nearly 100,000 pieces, consisting of 30,00o hours of materials. They have been spread across 40 countries and used in 150 films,” Krause, a friend of Martyn said. “Some of these include sounds that can’t be heard anymore, as they belong to extinct animals or disturbed habitats.”
Martyn is one of the key recordists who helped set the standards that gave the work standing in the world of sound. Few can match the quality of his life-long efforts. Throughout his life, since he recorded his first bird at the age of 11, it was easy to record the sounds of faraway places. But times are changing, and the growing presence of noise pollution has made his job a lot harder.
Among his “treasured” recordings include Hurricane Dorian on a remote beach, thunderstorms in Australia, Denali National Park and Arctic Wildlife Home in Alaska, dawn in Zimbabwe, and so much more. He’s also recorded sounds and calls of certain animals, some of which are extinct like the white rhino and the golden frog.
“I hope the free project, called Martyn Stewart’s Listening Planet, is meant to inspire people to try and protect a more delicate part of the world — the auditory (听觉的) part. They have the connection between sound and the animal making the sound,” said Martyn. “I think we have to become the voice of the voiceless. If we can get these beautiful sound recordings out and let people in the world listen to them, maybe we can start protecting what we’ve got left.”
1. What can be learned from Krause’s words?| A．Martyn’s work deserves praising. |
| B．Recording is a time - consuming job. |
| C．Martyn loves to record rare animals. |
| D．The recordings are intended for films. |
| A．The standard of recordings. |
| B．The loss of natural habitats. |
| C．The increase of noise pollution. |
| D．The extinction of certain animals. |
| A．To meet fans’ requests. |
| B．To make himself more famous. |
| C．To stress difficulty of his recordings. |
| D．To raise concern for sounds in nature. |
| A．Determined and humorous. |
| B．Generous and devoted. |
| C．Curious and friendly. |
| D．Creative and honest. |
3 . The following are some of the most recognizable names in art history.
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci, born in 1452 in Tuscany, Italy, was a genius. His one-of-a-kind gift was expressing human emotions, which earned him a name from an early age. He kept painting until his death in France in 1519. His Mona Lisa is a painting that was originally left incomplete but has become the world’s most famous picture.
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh, born in the Netherlands in 1853, is widely regarded as one of the finest post - impressionist painters of all time. He did not become an artist until he was in his late twenties. In 1886, he traveled to Paris, where he met Paul Gauguin, who encouraged Van Gogh to develop his own style. He died in 1890 after suffering from mental health problems. Van Gogh became famous after his death.
Claude Monet
Claude Monet, born in Paris in 1840, was a talented French artist who is widely considered as one of the most important painters. He was recognized for his talents when he was young and he was the first to employ oil and outdoor methods. The word “impressionism” was created after his picture Impression, Sunrise. Monet died at age 86.
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain, in late 1881. He began drawing at a young age and had gotten his first lessons in the use of oil paints from his father by the time he was seven. In 1900, he moved to Paris and sold his first painting there. He made significant contributions to the progress of modern art. He passed away in 1973.
1. Which of the following painters lives the longest?| A．Leonardo da Vinci. |
| B．Vincent van Gogh. |
| C．Claude Monet. |
| D．Pablo Picasso. |
| A．He inspired Van Gogh. |
| B．He was taught by his father. |
| C．He suffered mental health problems. |
| D．He led to the birth of impressionism. |
| A．They are all impressionists. |
| B．They liked painting outdoors. |
| C．They all had experiences in France. |
| D．They were recognized in their life time. |
4 . Self-improvement doesn’t have to be a terrifying task. It can be a fun and exciting adventure that takes you on a journey of discovery and growth. With some simple tricks, you can transform yourself into a better version of you.
First off, remember that self-improvement is a marathon, not a dash.
Start with small, achievable goals. Whether it’s reading a book a week, going for a daily walk, or learning a new skill, these little milestones will help you stay motivated and feel accomplished.
Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is part of the learning process. If you stumble or fall short of your goals, don’t beat yourself up.
And finally, don’t forget to celebrate your progress.
| A．Choose your circle wisely. |
| B．Seek support and inspiration. |
| C．Instead, dust yourself off, and start out again. |
| D．Make time for activities that will fuel your soul. |
| E．No one can expect to change everything overnight. |
| F．Remember, every step counts, however small it is! |
| G．Every little win is well worth acknowledging and rewarding. |
5 . Our old, artificial Christmas tree was in rough shape by the time we retired it. At least a decade had passed since my wife and I bought the tree, a medium-size fake tree with built-in lights, at a Target in Brooklyn and carried it on the subway to our tiny apartment. Over the years, we dragged that tree from apartment, jammed it onto a moving truck to Los Angeles and later packed the weathered box onto another moving truck, this time to Chicago and our current home. By the end, layers of duct tape (强力胶布) held the box together, the wear and tear of a decade of delivering holiday cheer.
Our little tree looked run down, but it was the only tree our family ever knew. It stands proud and glowing in the background of photos of me and my pregnant wife during our last Christmas in Brooklyn without children. Our oldest was born a month later during a January snowstorm. The tree shows up again in the next year’s photos, this time surrounded by holiday gifts for a boy about to turn 1. Then it appears in photos of our son and his 1-month-old brother, this time with California palm trees just outside the door. And in more recent photos, our tree lights up windows overlooking shining Chicago snow. This year, after much debate, we decided to retire our dear old tree, with its bent branches and the lights that had burned out years ago. Rather than feel depressed, we used the moment to launch a new family tradition: our first real Christmas tree.
So here’s a toast to all your family’s traditions—the old and the new. I hope you enjoy this issue, which we have filled with stories of seasonal joy and holiday cheer. Happy holidays!
1. Where is the author’s present home?| A．In Chicago. | B．In Brooklyn. | C．In California. | D．In Los Angeles. |
| A．His budget was tight. | B．He was attached to it. |
| C．It was in good condition. | D．It was environmentally-friendly. |
| A．An editor. | B．A salesman. | C．A delivery man. | D．A home designer. |
| A．The finest diamond must be cut. |
| B．Out with the old, in with the new. |
| C．Old friends and old wine are best. |
| D．All things in their being are good for something. |
6 . International Day of Education
24 January
Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed (宣布) 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. Today, 250 million children and youth are out of school, and 763 million adults are illiterate (文盲的). Their right to education is being violated (侵犯) and it is unacceptable. It’s time to transform education.
International Day of Clean Energy
26 January
The International Day of Clean Energy on 26 January was declared by the General Assembly as a call to raise awareness and mobilize action for a just and inclusive transition (过渡) to clean energy for the benefit of people and the planet. 26 January is also the founding date of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a global intergovernmental agency established in 2009 to support countries in their energy transitions.
World Health Day
7 April
It is celebrated annually and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The date of 7 April marks the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948.
The theme for World Health Day 2024 is “My health, my right”, which was chosen to champion the right of everyone, everywhere to have access to quality health services, education and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions.
World Environment Day
5 June
World Environment Day, held annually on 5 June, brings together millions of people from across the globe, engaging them in the effort to protect and restore the Earth. People from more than 150 countries participate in this United Nations international day, which celebrates environmental action and the power of governments, businesses and individuals to create a more sustainable world. The event has been led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since its start in 1973.
1. On what day is the event about world energy marked?| A．24 January. | B．26 January. | C．7 April. | D．5 June. |
| A．International Day of Education. |
| B．International Day of Clean Energy. |
| C．World Health Day. |
| D．World Environment Day. |
| A．They have a common goal. | B．They have a long history. |
| C．They’re international events. | D．They benefit world environment. |
7 . A young Irishman, Fionn, has come up with a method to solve the microplastic pollution problem, winning Google’s international science fair. He created a kind of liquid magnet (磁铁) by mixing magnetized iron oxide (Fe2O3) and vegetable oil. It can collect microplastics and remove them, leaving only water behind.
Since the age of 12, he has been looking to find a solution for the hard-to-clean microplastics. During childhood, he frequently went beaches where he saw a growing number of plastic garbage. Once, he saw a rock with oil remaining, and stuck to it were small plastic pieces. He then found out that the plastic pieces are what we call non-polar, and oil is non-polar too. In chemistry likes attract likes, which means non-polar things attract non-polar things. He heard of something that was a kind of magnetic water by combining vegetable oil with magnetized iron oxide (Fe2O3). He noticed oil could attract the microplastics and magnet finally cleaned the microplastics. Inspired by it, he made the liquid magnet.
Indeed after 5,000 experiments it was shown that his method could clean 87％ — 93% of microplastics from the water, despite the fact that the microplastics came from a variety of sources like car tires, plastic bottles, and washing water.
Larissa Kelly, Fionn’s science teacher commented,” The invention, based on very Simple components, makes a breakthrough. It has powerful potential to provide solutions that will contribute to the worldwide effort to remove microplastics from the environment,” Fionn showed his method at the 2019 Google Science Fair and won a $50,000 scholarship. After the Google Science Fair, scientists gave him credit for what he had done. Fionn is now trying to fit his method into a device that can be used in home waterpipes, or the pipes at a wastewater plant, allowing the liquid magnet to continuously clean water that moves through it. He also plans to make it used on boats.
1. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Magnet. | B．Rubbish. | C．Plastic. | D．Oil. |
| A．The effectiveness of the method. |
| B．The creation of the experiment. |
| C．The influences of microplastics. |
| D．The sources of plastic pollution. |
| A．Easy and creative. |
| B．Old and effective. |
| C．Costly and imaginative. |
| D．Reliable and traditional. |
| A．It will be widely used soon. |
| B．It is still at the experimental stage. |
| C．It mainly deals with the sea pollution. |
| D．It has successfully been used in household. |
8 . Knowledge is power, and the more you learn about mental health, the better the position you may be in to help those facing mental health battles. Consider doing the following things to support those closest to you.
Attend a training course
Listen
If someone approaches you in their time of need, it’s not always easy to know what you’re supposed to do, and it may be more beneficial for you to just listen.
While being a listening ear is sometimes all someone needs to feel better, you can also become an ongoing source of support. Check in with the person experiencing a mental health problem like depression so that they know you are always there for them. Make contact with them regularly to see how they are feeling. Just knowing someone cares can make a world of difference.
Call emergency services
Your support, guidance, and listening ear can be of great value to anyone going through a tough time.
| A．Check in with them |
| B．Suggest support services |
| C．However, it’s essential to know your limits |
| D．Such a course may just help you to prevent someone’s depression |
| E．They may not need you to offer solutions or even give them a hug |
| F．Sometimes, the best thing you can do is encourage them to seek professional help |
| G．You don’t have to be in a professional health role to attend depression prevention training |
9 . Accents in English
Accents are fascinating and usually come with kinds of information.
Thanks to the development of technology, various handy accesses are available for people to share and pick up accents. English actor and accent coach Sarah Valentine is an expert in teaching the tones which can change the English language.
Valentine has been working in TV since the 1990s. She appears to have found success coaching other actors to speak in a variety of dialects.
“
Everyone has an accent. A dialect coach like Valentine can help one learn to speak differently, for an acting job or for fun.
| A．In fact, all accents are worthy of pride |
| B．One’s birthplace can affect his accent |
| C．However, not all accents are worth learning |
| D．While much work with actors is done in one-on-one coaching |
| E．They can signal one’s living places, education and personality |
| F．On TikTok, she gives examples of simple phrases repeated in over 20 accents |
| G．A region’s location has a direct influence on the development of a local language |
10 . More than 4.85 billion people have access to the Internet. Online, they can find all the information available to humankind and form their own opinion about anything. This has completely changed society. But what disturbs most is the new technological ability of the large number of people to express themselves. It is not free access to information but access to self-expression that changes the world. We are living through an unexpected explosion of authorship.
Thе book Human as Media gives us a vivid picture of this explosion of authorship. Humankind had 300 million authors in 5,000 years of written civilization and, all of a sudden, this number has risen to 4.85 billion in the space of 40 years. Such authorship has given us opportunities to express ourselves freely, but it has also led to thoughtless self - expression.
Social media such as Facebook and Twitter are commonly blamed for creating cultural mess. People can express this or that opinion as they like. But what really matters is that social media provide chances for billions who can reach out to others beyond their physical and social limits. This itself has become an important factor to shape society, regardless of the content. In reality, social media are specifically taking advantage of our desire to “struggle for recognition”. We humans need to feel a sense of being together. So is our thirst for response. Social media provide, or at least offer, responses to even the smallest activities of a user such as likes, posts, and comments. I click, therefore I am.
But with this great service comes great risks. Those self-expressions are exposed to some extent unseen before. Unprepared and unhesitating judgments regarding someone’s personal matters or public affairs increase incredibly. Personal becomes public and public becomes personal.
1. Why does the author mention the book Human as Media in Paragraph 2?| A．To explain a rule. |
| B．To provide a proof. |
| C．To clarify a concept. |
| D．To make a prediction. |
| A．They blame humans’ desire for fame. |
| B．They offer a platform for self-expression. |
| C．They provide users with different activities. |
| D．They benefit users by judging them carefully. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Favorable. | C．Negative. | D．Hopeful. |
| A．The Internet encourages self-expression |
| B．Social media realize online users’ dreams |
| C．Network mixes personal with public affairs |
| D．Technologies promote network development |
