1 . On Christmas Eve, two little ducks were found frozen on a pond in Smithville, Ohio. They flapped their wings, fruitlessly struggling to free themselves on the ice until two locals spotted them and helped set the animals free. The two ducks were later named Olaf and Elsa, characters from Disney’s Frozen, and sent to an animal rescue organization.
“Every year in springtime, particularly at Easter, many people buy ducklings on impulse as gifts, often for their kids. People associate baby animals like ducklings, chicks, and bunnies with springtime,” says John Di Leonardo, an anthrozoologist. “But months later, animal rescuers routinely see a rise in abandoned ducks in local parks and ponds.”
Elsa and Olaf’s tough situation highlights the reason why domestic ducks always show up in local parks and ponds. Assuming they can live, their case is pretty similar to going to Yellowstone National Park and seeing a wolf and such like. “Oh, if this wolf can live well, my dog can do too,” says Adison Smith, president of Wasatch Wanderers Animal Rescue. “Those ducks lack hunting instincts, and many quickly starve to death or fall sick. A majority cannot fly because of small wings. They don’t migrate, so they can’t survive winter. They’re literally sitting ducks for predators (捕食者),” John Di Leonardo adds.
Since the issue is largely due to a lack of awareness, Adison Smith has started a campaign and hung more than 50 signs in a dozen cities to remind parkgoers that getting rid of pet ducks tends to be disastrous to them and can be illegal by the state law, “Our goal is to get the problem at its source,” Adison says. Most people tend to buy ducklings at stores for less than a dollar each, or kids take them home from school hatching projects.
“Though most abandoned ducks live short, miserable lives, Olaf and Elsa are an exception — they’ll spend their remaining days at Lasa Sanctuary in Wooster, Ohio, in a shelter with other ducks, clean hay, and protection against predators,” John Di Leonardo says.
1. Why did Olaf and Elsa appear on a frozen pond on Christmas Eve?| A．They starred in the film Frozen. | B．They practised their hunting skills. |
| C．They escaped from an animal shelter. | D．They were abandoned by their master. |
| A．Animals share a lot in living habits. | B．Pet ducks are less adaptable in the wild. |
| C．Yellowstone is a great place for wildlife. | D．Animals can get along well with each other. |
| A．Increasing the selling prices of ducks. |
| B．Reminding people to save our resources. |
| C．Educating people about the animal protection. |
| D．Appealing for the establishment of new animal laws. |
| A．Dangerous. | B．Easeful. | C．Restricted. | D．Exhausted. |
2 . When I set out to drop my dad at the airport, it was dark and dull. It started to rain on the way. When I left the airport, the visibility wasn’t clear because of the drops of rain. It was before 6 am.
Even though the road conditions were poor, I drove at my normal speed. I was angry with the more cautious drivers ahead of me that were delaying my drive. The exit ramp (坡道) to the highway was a tight spiral (急盘旋). It is a dangerous spot in good weather and totally scary when the weather is miserable or it is dark. But I didn’t want to slow down and arrive home any later than necessary. I drove down the ramp too fast. The road was wet and my car slid, landing face down on the ramp.
I didn’t like to drive by myself at the time and had insisted on taking my husband and son with me on the trip. Thankfully, I was alone in the car. My accident was slight. In fact, I was lucky enough not to have a single scratch. I started to shake when thinking the injuries my son would have suffered had he been in the backseat of that car with no seatbelt when it rolled. After the car rolled three times, I found my mobile phone was lost in a pile of small things that were all lying in the bottom of the car. A lady was kind enough to let me borrow her mobile phone, but without the numbers pre-programmed (预编的), who could I call? I was lucky enough to remember my father’s mobile phone number, and fortunate that he hadn’t yet got on his plane.
You never know when an accident will happen. As a driver, I will keep safety in mind by obeying all traffic laws and have safe-driving habits, especially in bad weather. Insist your children always wear their seatbelts. Life is a journey and everyone should value it and enjoy the ride.
1. What happened to the author’s car?| A．It crashed into another one. |
| B．It lay upside down after the slide |
| C．It slid and stopped in the middle or the highway. |
| D．It was out of control and struck a tree by the side of the ramp. |
| A．The author. | B．The author’s son. |
| C．The author’s husband. | D．The author’s father. |
| A．She knew her father hadn’t got on the plane. |
| B．Her husband was too busy to answer her phone. |
| C．Her husband’s mobile phone was out of service at that time. |
| D．She only brought her father’s phone number back to her mind. |
| A．To summarize her bad driving habits. |
| B．To analyze the cause of the accident. |
| C．To put forward some advice for others. |
| D．To make some comments on traffic laws. |
3 . Donna Edmonds certainly knows a thing or two about getting children outside of the classroom. Having been a teacher for 23 years, she’s now in charge of Farms For City Children, a program enabling children in cities to explore the farms in the British countryside. Visiting children can take part in the farm tasks: growing and harvesting in the gardens; caring for chickens and looking after the land; and cooking up a home-grown meal in the farmhouse kitchen.
Donna’s connection with the charity led to a life-changing experience. She explained, “In November 2000, my headteacher said we’d got this trip going to a farm. I didn’t want to do that. I’m from south London and had no interest in farming.” But the week at Farms For City Children changed Donna’s entire life.
Donna said, “Quite honestly, the nature connection gap in our society is embarrassing; there are so many children who haven’t been to the countryside. I remember asking them what cows drank and they replied “milk”. Seeing them fall in love with nature was incredible to my life.”
Donna believes there is a strong need for teachers to bring city children into close contact with nature. Farms for City Children was founded in 1976, and it has now embraced a new direction — more children from different backgrounds can get into the countryside and they may one day even make a career from it.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．It praises an excellent teacher. | B．It introduces a school program. |
| C．It tells the adventure of a field trip. | D．It shows the difficulty in education. |
| A．They badly need to connect with nature. | B．They felt embarrassed in the countryside. |
| C．They are unlikely to fall in love with nature. | D．They know nothing about biology knowledge. |
| A．Help with young people’s career plan. | B．The right direction of farming development. |
| C．Improvement of children’s school performance. | D．Better ways to improve farmers’ living conditions. |
4 . We are familiar with an old saying that “Clothes make the man”, which means good-looking outfits may possibly make a person better respected and look more like a true gentleman.
In summary,
| A．clothes do help in making an initial image, but do not make the man |
| B．As a result, all the people spare no money to buy expensive fine clothes |
| C．Clothes just make a man look better but will in no sense make a better person |
| D．But I have a different view on this issue |
| E．Thus, a man should be always dressed like a gentleman |
| F．for many people judge others only by the way they dress |
| G．If a man is well dressed, he will probably gain more confidence and dignity |
A Beijing “silent” coffee shop is a big hit lighting up the life of hearing impaired (障碍的) youth. The café
Customers
Citywalk is a new travel trend for youngsters to explore different cultural spots. Gather together a couple of good friends and take a walk through the streets — this is
In China, the Citywalk trend is spreading from the first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai
7 . Future Industries: Which Ones Will Rule?
As we move towards the future, it is important to consider which industries will have the greatest potential for growth and success. Here are a few of the most promising sectors:
Technology | The technology industry has been on an upward trend for years and shows no signs of slowing down. From artificial intelligence and virtual reality to blockchain and the Internet of Things, there are countless opportunities in this field. |
Healthcare | With an aging population and increasing demand for healthcare services, the healthcare industry is expected to see significant growth in the coming years. This includes everything from medical devices and medicines to telemedicine and home health care. |
Renewable energy | As concerns about climate change continue to mount, there is growing demand for clean and sustainable energy sources. Solar, wind, and hydropower are just a few of the renewable energy sectors that are ready for explosive growth. |
E-commerce | Online shopping has become increasingly popular over the past decade, and this trend shows no signs of stopping. As more people turn to e-commerce for their shopping needs, businesses in this space will continue to thrive. |
Education | With the rise of automation and artificial intelligence, there is a growing need for workers with specialized skills and knowledge. This has led to a large increase in demand for education and training programmes, making this sector a promising one for investment. |
These are just a few of the many industries that are expected to see significant growth in the coming years. By keeping an eye on these trends, investors can position themselves for success in the future.
1. Which industry has been promoted by the continuous aging society?| A．Technology. | B．Healthcare. | C．E-commerce. | D．Education. |
| A．Global climate change. |
| B．The improvement of technology. |
| C．The shortage of non-renewable resources. |
| D．The globalization and industrial competition. |
| A．An increase in population. |
| B．The demand for online shopping. |
| C．The development of economy. |
| D．Training for talents with particular skills. |
| A．He hit a bicycle. | B．He drove too fast. | C．He ran into a tree. |
Recently, residents in a youth apartment building in downtown Shenzhen have planted the seed, cultivating (形成)
Huang Suyun, the founder of the youth apartment building,
The rooftop heaven covers a total area of 450 square meters and consists
An increasing number of urban
10 . Yogita Dighe works as a salesperson at an electronics store in Aundh, an upmarket neighbourhood in Pune, India’s ninth-largest city.
Even though she has a comfortable job, Dighe used to be filled with uneasiness at the thought of having to use the store’s toilet. It is a unisex space shared by customers and staff, and is “constantly dirty” owing to overuse, being cleaned only once every day.
A year ago, Dighe discovered a “Ti bus” (“ti” means “her” in Marathi) —a restroom inside a decommissioned bus, parked about five minutes away from her workplace. Since then, she’s used it regularly. Cleaned after every use, the toilets within the bus “feel nice and fresh”.
Currently, 12 decommissioned city buses in Pune have been turned into restrooms by SaraPlast, a private sanitation (卫生设备) company. Each solar-powered bus toilet comes with a full-time female attendant and can be accessed either free of charge or for a fee of 5 rupees, affordable even for low-income women. Showers, breastfeeding and baby-changing stations, and drinking water are all included in the buses to meet the needs of every woman.
A kiosk (小摊棚) selling masks and juices has been set up on one side of the bus, making it a sustainable business. Ads on the bus also bring in profits, which go towards water supply, electricity, repairs and the salary of the attendant who cleans and maintains the restroom from 8 a. m. to 8 p. m.
“Every person, whether rich or poor, should have access to a good, clean toilet,” SaraPlast states, “A public bus goes out of service after 15 years in India. Transforming it into the restroom extends its life by up to two decades, aside from the social service it offers.” This concept was so well received that other cities are following in Pune’s footsteps.
1. Why does Dighe feel uneasy about her store’s toilet?| A．It is far from her present office. | B．It is designed for customers only. |
| C．It is never fully cleaned by staff. | D．It is continuously in a great mess. |
| A．Advanced. | B．Damaged. | C．Soiled. | D．Retired. |
| A．Car repairing service. | B．Dish washing products. |
| C．Baby caring facilities. | D．Phone charging stations. |
| A．The Restroom on Wheels for Females. | B．The Extra Function of New City Buses. |
| C．The Project of Defending Human Rights. | D．The Company Offering Cleaning Items. |
