In the early hours of the morning, Gary Miller was in his truck, traveling down the road alone to deliver. Everything seemed calm. But with the sound of a fire siren (警笛) cutting through the wind, he became alarmed. Miller, a trucker by trade, has been a volunteer firefighter for 40 years. That loud, sharp siren assured him that help was on the way.
Most people never realize that this help is often a crew of volunteer firefighters. They make up 70 percent of the country’s nearly 1.2 million firefighters. “When I was a teenager there would be many who responded. About 20 people were coming into the voluntary fire station at one siren.” Miller laughed. But now, at his 54, that memory is almost ironic (讽刺的)to him. When a call comes in, his station might get only three or four people responding. He said: “People don’t want to, or rather, they don’t have time to volunteer.” Adults’ burdens have become greater. There isn’t as much time left for volunteering when most people rely on a two-income household now more than ever.
Firefighters face far more than what we imagine. The emotional stress on a firefighter stands out. “We’re asked to help someone at their most vulnerable (易受伤的) time. But we can’t always save the day like we hope to.” Miller reflected on the case years ago. “A mother’s car was hit hard, and she had two children in the backseat." By the time he arrived on the scene, there wasn’t much to be done. “One child died in my arms and I felt so defeated.”
Along with the emotional stress, the physical danger is just as great. Even with the progress of equipment and new training, that’s still not always enough to save a firefighter’s life. In 2016, 60 firefighters died in the line of the duty. “When you respond, you never know if it is to be your last,” Miller said. “And that’s just a risk we take.” Miller continued. "It's dangerous. But it's also the most rewarding thing I've ever done."
1.What was Gary Miller doing when the fire siren sounded that morning?
A. He was off duty. B. He was doing the daily routine.
C. He was on the way to rescue. D. He was driving to the fire station.
2.Why is the memory of the early time ironic to Miller?
A. Because many of his crew lost their lives.
B. Because he no longer serves the fire station.
C. Because firefighter is not an appealing job any more.
D. Because fewer people want to be volunteer firefighters.
3.What mainly causes the number of volunteer firefighters to drop?
A. The challenging task. B. The emotional stress.
C. The increasing burden. D. The possible danger.
4.What does being a volunteer firefighter mean to Miller?
A. A worthwhile experience. B. A way to make a living.
C. An ironic memory . D. A risky adventure.
You've heard the predictions from some of the brightest minds about AI’s influence. Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk worries that AI is far more dangerous than nuclear weapons. The late scientist Stephen Hawking warned AI could serve as the “worst event in the history of our civilization” unless humanity is prepared for its possible risks.
But many experts, even those who are aware of such risks, have a more positive attitude, especially in health-care and possibly in education. That is one of the results from a new AI study released Monday by the Pew Research Center.
Pew canvassed the opinions of 979 experts over the summer, a group that included famous technologists, developers, innovators and business and policy leaders. The interviewed experts, some of whom chose to remain anonymous, were asked to join in the discussion of a serious and important question: "By 2030, do you think it is most likely that advancing AI and related technology systems will improve human capacities and control them?"
Nearly two-thirds experts predicted most of us will be mostly better off. But a third thought otherwise, and a majority of the experts expressed at least some concerns over the long-term impact of AI on the "essential elements(要素) of being human." Among those concerns were data abuse, loss of jobs and loss of control brought by autonomous weapons and cybercrime(网络犯罪). Above all, by taking data in and spitting answers out, those "black box" tools make decisions in digital systems. It is an erosion(侵蚀) in our ability to think for ourselves.
1.What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?
A. To stop human developing AI. B. To inform readers how AI develops.
C. To tell readers the result of a study. D. To encourage a public discussion.
2.What does the underlined word “canvass” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A. Ask. B. Adopt.
C. Weigh. D. Analyse.
3.What are experts most concerned about?
A. AI will beat humans in abilities and qualities.
B. Humans will suffer a decrease of thinking ability.
C. Humans will develop autonomous weapons.
D. AI will come to power in human societies.
4.What do we know about AI from the text?
A. Elon Musk holds a positive attitude towards AI.
B. Stephen Hawking warned people not to develop AI.
C. Few interviewed experts expressed their concerns about AI.
D. Most interviewed experts believed AI makes human life better.
The European Parliament has approved a law banning a wide-range of single-use plastic items, such as straws and cotton buds by 2021. “Europe is setting new standards, paving the way(铺路) for the rest of the world,” the European Commission's vice-president Frans Timmermans, who is responsible for sustainable development, said in a statement.
The new plans come after the EC found that plastics make up more than 80% of marine litter, which has disastrous effects on wildlife and habitats. The EU parliament notes that because of its slow rate of breaking down, plastic residue(残余) has been found in marine species as well as fish and shellfish - and therefore also makes its way into the human food chain.
Under the new European law, tobacco companies will be required to cover the costs for the collection of cigarette butts. Manufacturers of fishing tools will also have to pay for the retrieval(找回) of any plastic nets that have been left at sea. There's also a new focus on further raising public awareness, where producers of items such as tobacco filters(滤嘴), plastic cups, and wet wipes will be required to clearly explain to users how to appropriately dispose of them.
The European Commission first suggested the ban in May, which was approved by member states in October. China last year banned the import of 24 varieties of solid waste, including types of plastic and unsorted paper, putting pressure on Europe to deal with its own waste.
The World Economic Forum estimates that there are about 150 million tons of plastic in the world's seas. A study published in Science in 2015 suggested that between 5 and 13 million tons more are flowing into them every year. Research shows there will be more plastic than fish by weight in the world's oceans by 2050, which has encouraged policymakers, individuals and companies into action.
1.What is the best title for the passage?
A. Plastic drives fish out of seas. B. EU paves the way for the world.
C. EU bans single-use plastic items. D. Plastic threatens marine life and human.
2.Under what circumstances has EU passed the new law?
A. Plastic pollution has reached a disastrous degree.
B. EU bears the responsibility for sustainable development.
C. Plastic residue has been found in human bodies.
D. Manufactures are prepared to collect used products.
3.Under the new EU law, what result will be unavoidable for plastic producers?
A. Production will be reduced. B. Products will be more expensive.
C. The staff will be larger. D. Factories will be moved out of EU.
4.What message is implied in Paragraph 4?
A. China once urged EU to control plastic pollution.
B. China’s ban on solid waste inspired EU.
C. EU and China has signed relevant agreements.
D. EU once exported plastic waste to China.
If you’re looking at diving for the first time in Papua New Guinea, believe everything you have read about our world-class waters.
Called the “underwater photographer’s paradise”, we’ve got many international awards for underwater photography taken here. In our oceans you'll see up to twice as many marine species as the waters of the Red Sea and up to five times as many as the Caribbean. Our waters enjoy a huge diversity of dive sites, including reefs, coral walls, seagrass beds, and wreck dive sites (ships, aircraft and submarines!).
Must see
Dive down to a fully complete Japanese fighter plane in Kimbe Bay, known also for soft coral and unusual creatures.
Experience "Muck Diving", which puts Papua New Guinea on the map, in Milne Bay.
Explore our surfing destinations from October to April. Relatively new to international surf enthusiasts, our breaks at Vanimo, Wewak, Madang and Kavieng are quickly becoming known for being uncrowded, challenging and entertaining for days!
Want to book a "Muck Diving"? Call 00675-374.
Want to dive to see fighter plane? Call 00675-325.
Where to stay
Papua New Guinea has accommodation to suit every budget and need. From privacy-protected hideaways to family-friendly escapes, book your business package or luxury resort knowing you’ll be well looked after.
Want to find a suitable hotel? Call 00677-366.
Further information
Dive coaches offer both land-based (one day, three dives) and live-aboard dive tours (7-10 days, up to five dives a day).
The average water temperature varies from 25ºC along the edge of the Coral Sea to 29ºC in the Bismarck Sea.
You can dive in Papua New Guinea all year round, with the high season generally from May to November.
Want to get yourself a professional dive coach? Call 00652-392.
1.Which of the following is the best destination for an underwater photographer?
A. The Read Sea. B. The Caribbean.
C. The Japanese Sea. D. The Papua New Guinea waters.
2.What makes Papua New Guinea famous in terms of diving?
A. “Muck Diving”. B. Wreck dive sites.
C. Marine species. D. Medical services.
3.If you want to have a 7-day dive live-aboard tour, contact _____________.
A. 00675-374. B. 00675-325.
C. 00677-366. D. 00652-392.
假设你是红星中学高三学生李华，你的英国朋友Jim在给你的邮件中提到他对中国文化感兴趣，计划明年来北京上大学。他向你咨询相关信息。请给他回邮件，内容包括：
1.表示欢迎；
2.推荐他上哪所大学；
3.建议他做哪些准备工作。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.开头和结尾已给出，不计人总词数。
Dear Jim,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。作文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（Ʌ），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
All of we students want to grow up healthily and happily. Here are my tips to you to achieve this goal.
First of all, we should have the positive attitude to life. As we all know, there is not only sunshine but also hard times in our life. So when face with difficulties, we should fight against them bravely. Moreover, working hard is essential that it will contribute to realizing our goal. The reason is because knowledge is power. Only by working hard we get the power to make contribution to our motherland. Final, taking exercise regularly and having balanced diets is also of great importance.
The healthier we are, the happier we will be.
