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. |
2 . School starting times in America vary from an average of 7:48 am in go-getting Mississippi to 8:31 am in late-rising Connecticut. According to a survey, only in two states — Alaska and Connecticut — do schools tend to start after 8.30 am, the earliest recommended by many medical organizations. That may soon change. On October 13th California’s governor signed a law which cuts 2.7 million of the state’s schoolchildren some slack, setting a limit on starting times of half past eight for high-schoolers and eight o'clock for middle schoolers, in the hope that pupils will benefit from the extra time in bed.
There is plenty of reason to think they will. During puberty (发育期), adolescents are more alert in the afternoon and require more sleep in the morning. A research finds that later school starting times are in line with improved attendance, less tardiness (迟延), less falling asleep in class, better grades. It is estimated that moving to a half-past eight start across the country would boost the economy by more than $80 billion within a decade.
In response to the evidence, school districts across the country have begun to move start times back, but California is the first state to take the leap. Parents and unions are often bitterly opposed. The California Teachers Association fiercely resisted the change, citing the financial burden on schools as they adjust to the new hours, as well as the burden on parents who work as laborers or in the service industry. Last year the former governor, Jerry Brown, refused similar legislation (立法), saying the decision should be left to school destricts.
Supporters argue that it is appropriate for the state to set a minimum health-and-welfare standard. Anthony Portanino, who introduced the legislation, believes evidence of the change’s benefits will soon win over opponents in rural areas. “There really is no significant reason not to do this,” he says, “other than an overwhelming resistance to change from adults.” Which is an attitude many teenagers will be wearily familiar with.
1. What is the purpose of the law California’s governor signed On October 13th?| A．To make sure students get enough sleep. |
| B．To reduce the financial burden on schools. |
| C．To ensure that parents go to work on time. |
| D．To relieve traffic pressure during rush hours. |
| A．Many medical organizations recommend school should start before 8:30am. |
| B．Moving start times forward benefits the country greatly in the long run. |
| C．Teachers are optimistic about the change which can relieve their burden. |
| D．Later school starting times make a difference to students’ performance. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Opposed. |
3 . Too many deaths and injuries occur while mobile phones are being held. Tougher new laws will come into force in a further severe action on using a mobile phone behind the wheel from next year.
It is already illegal to text or make a phone call, other than in an emergency, using a hand-held device while driving. From 2022, laws will go further to ban drivers from using their phones to take photos or videos, or play games. This will mean anyone caught using their hand-held device while driving will face a 
fixed penalty notice and six points on their license. Drivers will still be able to continue using a device “hands-free” while driving, if it’s secured in a cradle (支架).
The government will also revise The Highway Code to explain the new measures. It will also be more precise about some facts, making it clear that hand-held mobile phone use at traffic lights or in motorway jams is illegal except in very limited circumstances.
There will be an exemption (豁免) to the new law for drivers making a contactless payment using their mobile phone. This will cover, for example, places like a drive-through restaurant or a road toll, and will only apply when payment is being made with a card reader. Anyway, it will not allow drivers to make general online payments while driving.
Mary Williams, chief executive of Brake — the road safety charity, said, “If drivers take their attention away from driving, this can be deadly. Using a hand-held phone at the wheel is never worth the risk. This important road safety decision by government, along with Road Safety Week, is very welcomed. The theme for Road Safety Week is road safety heroes — we can all be road safety heroes by giving driving our full attention.”
1. The purpose of the passage is mainly to ________.| A．present some new findings about using a mobile phone behind the wheel |
| B．describe the relationship between road safety and driving with full attention |
| C．report new problems caused by drivers who use mobile phones while driving |
| D．introduce new laws that will go further to ban drivers from using mobile phones |
| A．Hand-held mobile phone use at traffic lights is always illegal. |
| B．Those using their hand-held devices while driving will be fined. |
| C．Younger drivers are more likely to use hand-held devices at the wheel. |
| D．Using phones to take photos or videos while driving will not be allowed. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Uninterested. | D．Objective. |
4 . Parents usually teach their children how to cross the street safely by looking both ways for cars. But do they also teach them to put away their cell phones?
Texting while crossing the street will soon be forbidden in the city of Honolulu, Hawaii. Beginning on October 24, you could be fined from $15 to $99 if you step into a Honolulu street while looking at your phone. Honolulu is the first major U.S. city to forbid what is called "distracted (分心的) walking." It recently passed a law in a seven to two vote. The law says: "No pedestrian (行人) shall cross a street or highway while viewing a mobile electronic device (设备)." In other words, do not look at a screen when you cross the street or you could be fined.
The law’s creators hope it will lower the number of people hit and killed by cars in the city. Mayor Kirk Caldwell told Reuters news agency, "We hold the unfortunate distinction (区分) of being a major city with more pedestrians being hit in crosswalks, particularly our seniors (老年人), than almost any other city in the country."
The law includes all electronic devices with screens: cell phones, tablets, gaming devices, digital cameras and laptop computers. The law does permit an exception. Pedestrians may use such devices in the street to call emergency services and rescue workers, such as firefighters and police officers.
Pedestrian deaths have been increasing as the use of cell phones rises. The Governors Highway Safety Association says pedestrian deaths in the United States increased 25 percent between 2010 and 2015. That trend (趋势) continued in 2016 with the number of pedestrian deaths rising to almost 6000, 11% higher than in 2015.
If you still want to text while walking, you could avoid being fined in Honolulu (and be safer, in general) by using a voice-controlled digital assistant such as Siri or Google Assistant. Or you could just wait until you are again, safely, off the street.
1. What is the new law about in Honolulu, Hawaii?| A．Pedestrians must follow traffic rules while on the street. |
| B．Texting is not allowed while crossing the street. |
| C．Cell phones cannot be used for the sake of safety. |
| D．Ways to reduce deaths caused by traffic accidents. |
| A．He will be grounded. | B．His electronic device will be taken away. |
| C．He will receive a fine. | D．His identity will be made public online. |
| A．Only voice-controlled digital assistants can be used while walking. |
| B．Only police officers can use such devices when emergency arises. |
| C．Only one such device can be allowed to use when crossing the street. |
| D．Only in case of emergency can a pedestrian be allowed to use a cell phone . |
| A．To cut down on accidents caused by "distracted walking". |
| B．To make sure electronic devices will be properly used. |
| C．To make the city as safe as the other ones while walking. |
| D．To force parents to teach their children to walk with care . |
5 . For many kids, the Internet is at their fingertips. From computers to smart phones, a web of information is open to them. According to a new report from the Pew Research Center, about three out of four kids aged 12 to 13 connect the Internet using a mobile device (移动设备) from time to time. Many younger kids are online, too.
Julian Zeitlinger, 9, from New Jersey, uses his computer to watch videos and play games. To keep him safe online, his parents monitor (监视) his web use and discuss Internet safety with him. “I ask my parents if something is wrong,” Julian says.
Mobile devices offer more ways than ever to share personal information. The information can be dangerous in the wrong hands. A study found that 62% of children aged 8 to 17 have had an unpleasant online experience.
Have you ever had to enter a parent’s email address when signing up for a website? That safety net is there because of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law says sites for kids under 13 cannot collect personal information, such as a phone number or full name, without a parent’s permission (允许).
This July, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will update (更新) COPPA for the first time since the law was created, in 1198—when there were no smart phones. “The nature of the way kids get online has changed,” FTC lawyer Phyllis Marcus said.
When the changes take effect, COPPA will apply to mobile device (移动设备) and newer forms of adverising. “There is a misunderstanding that if a site is following COPPA, it is totally safe,” says privacy expert Shai Samet. He runs kidSAFE, which checks whether a site meets kidSAFE standards and is safe. “It is important that kids know how useful the Internet is but that is also can be dangerous if you are not careful.” he adds.
1. Julian’s parents check his web use to make sure ________.| A．he doesn’t watch too many videos. |
| B．he doesn’t play computer games. |
| C．he stays safe on the Internet. |
| D．he controls his online time. |
| A．By describing his own experiences. |
| B．By presenting scientific research. |
| C．By showing differences. |
| D．By using examples. |
| A．normal websites are always safe. |
| B．the Internet is becoming safer and safer. |
| C．COPPA can ensure their complete safety. |
| D．daily checks prevent future online problems. |
6 . Thirty-two cases of illegal hunting or trading wild animals have been uncovered involving 33 suspects since a crackdown against illegal wildlife trade was launched on April 10.
Beijing police seized 74 wild animals grouped in China into the first-grade and second-grade state protected animals, including African grey parrots and cockatoos, as well as nearly 50 wild birds and 21 pangolin scales.
On April 16, police in the capital city’s Chaoyang district caught two suspects, who were respectively identified as Liu and Wang, for buying wild animals, and recovered more than 40 wild birds, including one cockatoo and one African grey parrot, at their homes, the statement said, adding the two suspects have been detained (拘留).
In another case, a 35-year-old man surnamed Hu was also sentenced to imprisonment in Daxing district after he was found selling wild animals through QQ, a popular instant messaging tool in the country. He was caught on April 14.
The bureau highlighted the importance of protecting the wildlife, noting Chinese laws and a new decision adopted by the nation’s top legislature (立法机关) have also shown the country’s determination against illegal trade of wild animals.
The Chinese Criminal Law clarifies that those illegally hunting, buying, selling or transporting wild animals on the state protection list, endangered animals or the wildlife-related products will face an imprisonment of more than 10 years and fines if their behaviors are identified as “extremely serious”.
On Feb 24, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislative body, also passed the decision that clearly states all wildlife on the protection list of the existing Wild Animal Protect Law or other laws, and all wild animals, including those artificially bred and farmed, are not permitted to be hunted or traded.
With the strict crackdown campaign against illegal trade of wild animals on the go in Beijing, the whole nation is attaching great importance to wild life protection.
1. The author mentions the cases at the very beginning of the passage to ______ .| A．explain the new laws on wildlife protection |
| B．show the present situation of wildlife extinction |
| C．highlight the problem of illegal trade of wild animals |
| D．introduce Beijing’s campaign against illegal wildlife trade |
| A．The number of wild animals is decreasing sharply. |
| B．Hunting and trading wildlife has become a nationwide concern. |
| C．Effective actions have been taken to prevent wildlife from illegal trade. |
| D．The strong action to stop trading illegal wild animals has a long way to go. |
| A．serious actions of trading wild animals will face fierce punishment |
| B．people risk heavy fines but no imprisonment for trade of wildlife |
| C．the trade of wildlife-related products will receive no punishment |
| D．those who hunt illegally may face 10 years of imprisonment |
| A．Determined. | B．Hopeful. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Doubtful. |
