1 . Are there any controversial blood sports in your country? In the UK, there’s fox hunting. Officially, it’s illegal but it’s still going on.
The goal of most fox hunts is simple: to track, catch up and, sometimes, kill a fox. A hunt begins when the hounds (猎犬) are “cast”. This is when the dogs are released and start searching in bushes for foxes. When the hounds pick up the smell, they track the fox. If they see it, the chase (追赶) is on and the dogs run after it. The hunt continues until either the fox escapes or is caught and then usually killed by the hounds.
Many people are against fox hunting. Animal rights activists argue that foxes suffer a cruel (残忍的) and violent death. They also say that fox hunting is an activity in which people seem to gain pleasure from cruelty. Others dislike it for being a mostly upper-class sport. Among them was Oscar Wilde, who once described it in 1893 as, “the unspeakable in full chase of the uneatable”.
Supporters of fox hunting say it’s a tradition that’s part of England’s cultural heritage. They also say it plays an important role in country life, and that many jobs depend on fox hunting. Finally, they point out that it’s an important form of pest control that protects the livelihood of farmers, and that the foxes are killed quickly and that it’s much less cruel than using traps or poisons.
But in 2005 everything changed. The Hunting Act came into force, and this effectively banned fox hunting. But it wasn’t easy passing the law. Thousands of people gathered outside the House of Parliament in protest. Now, it is officially illegal, but hunts still take place and more than 1804 hunt groups are still in existence. So, it seems that this England’s tradition just refuses to die.
1. What does the underlined word “controversial” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Large in quantity. | B．Divided in opinion. |
| C．Diverse in form. | D．Similar in nature. |
| A．It could bring a large number of jobs for farmers. |
| B．It was a blood sport where foxes were killed cruelly. |
| C．It could give people greater pleasure than expected. |
| D．It was a meaningless activity the upper class preferred. |
| A．The purpose in passing the law about fox hunting. |
| B．The difficulty in carrying out the ban on fox hunting. |
| C．The change of people’s attitudes towards fox hunting. |
| D．The importance of keeping the tradition of fox hunting. |
Rules help us live together in a community. At my local park, there is a sign that reads, “Keep off the grass.” Because our community has a need for a nice green space
3 . California will be the first state to ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products.
California’s fur law was one of several bills designed to prevent cruelty to animals. “California is a leader when it comes to animal protection and today that leadership includes banning the sale of fur, ” said Governor Newsom in a news report. “
Many retailers are also ending fur sales. In mid-October, Macy’s (American’s department store) announced it will stop fur from all its stores by the end of 2020. The stores will also close all fur vaults and salons. Other fashion brands such as Prada, Gucci, Michael Kors and Burberry have taken similar steps in recent years.
| A．But we are doing more than that. |
| B．California is taking the lead in protecting animals. |
| C．Similar laws have been carried out globally already. |
| D．And that in turn will leave many people unemployed. |
| E．Two other California cities had already banned fur sales. |
| F．Not surprisingly, the ban is welcomed by animal rights activists. |
| G．The ban applies to clothing, shoes, handbags and other things that contain fur. |
4 . He has been called France’s youngest leader since Napoleon Bonaparte. Emmanuel Macron, age 39, swept to victory in France’s second-round of presidential election which was held on May 7, 2017. He defeated Marine Le Pen by a large margin of 62% of votes. He was inaugurated (就职) as President.
Both of Macron’s parents were doctors, and he attended one of the most prestigious (有声望的) schools in France, Lycee Henri Ⅳ. From there, he became an investment banker and economy minister. Unlike the other presidential candidates, he has always worked outside of the government.
In April 2016, he created his own political movement, called En Marche! (On the Move!), recruiting (招募) more than 20,000 members. His party’s ideals were neither right-or left-winged, but more independent. As his party became more and more successful, Macron began to think about presidency, something he’d always been interested in. In November 2016, he announced his decision to run in the 2017 election.
Macron’s campaign relied on his political movement. He struggled to win votes from both parties in France, as well as from the working class. In addition, he was the only candidate that was pro-EU, or supportive of European Union.
While in office, Macron’s biggest focus will be on improving the economy. A total of €50 billion will be dedicated to job training and creating green and sustainable energy. Macron also plans to cut down on corporate taxes, improve the public education system, and lower the unemployment rate by 2.7%.
Following the election is the selection of the president’s cabinet (内阁). The Prime Minister position was given to Edouard Philippe, mayor of Northern Le Havre. However, Macrons cabinet is surprising—one France has never seen before: a gender-balanced cabinet. Out of the 22 seats available, 11 will be taken by women and 11 will be filled by men. This percentage is much higher than other European countries.
With each change of leadership come new ideals and changes to the country. Macron needs a parliament (议会) that will support his hopes and dreams for the future of France.
1. What did Macron work as before the election?| A．A manager. | B．A teacher. |
| C．A doctor. | D．A banker. |
| A．founded his party for presidency | B．had no interest in politics before election |
| C．was on behalf of the working class | D．was a supporter of EU |
| A．Economy. | B．Politics. |
| C．The private education system. | D．The gender discrimination. |
| A．Its members are all from his party. |
| B．It has more women members than other European countries. |
| C．Most of its members are men. |
| D．It has chosen a woman as the prime minister. |
