Benin-born musician Angelique Kidjo has won a major human rights award, along with three African youth activist movements. The groups are Y’en a marre (Fed Up), le Balai Citoyen (The Citizen’s Broom), and Lutte pour Changement (LUCHA).
The organization Amnesty International announced the winners on Wednesday. It praised Kidjo and the groups for their work in Africa and around the world. Amnesty says the award honors those who have shown unusual courage in standing up to unfair. It says winners also influence others to act the same.
The Amnesty International honor is called the Ambassador of Conscience Award. Past winners include leaders Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi. Artists who have been honored including U2 band leader Bono and singer Joan Baez.
Angelique Kidjo fled Benin in the 1980s after being pressured to perform for the country’s repressive government. She has since gained worldwide fame both for her music and her activism(行动主义). She has worked to support free expression, education for young women and birth certificates for children. She has lived in New York City for many years. She has also won a Grammy award for her music. She said, “Music helps her spread her messages of freedom and human dignity. I can’t be in everyone’s home physically but my music will be there. And that’s the power of an artist, compared to a politician. Because no one can give a speech as brilliant as what we can put on a CD. I have hope that African nations struggling with corruption can solve their problems through democratic(民主的) methods.” Kidjo said the honor will help her stay active in human rights issues.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A.Angelique Kidjo belongs to the group Y’en a marre (Fed Up).
B.Angelique Kidjo is a singer born in Benin.
C.Angelique Kidjo is a natural musician.
D.Angelique Kidjo is the organizer of Lutte pour Changement (LUCHA).
2.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “repressive” in Paragraph 4 ?
A.Cruel. B.Humorous.
C.Peaceful. D.Uncontrolled.
3.What is mainly talked about in the passage?
A.The most world famous musician-Angelique Kidjo.
B.The only human rights fighter-Angelique Kidjo.
C.The winner of the Grammy award-Angelique Kidjo.
D.The winner of the Ambassador of Conscience Award-Angelique Kidjo.
It is easy to understand the difference between some homophones(同音异形异义词). But other homophones are difficult, even for native English speakers. One set of commonly confusing homophones are the words bear and bare.
Of course, as a noun, a bear is a large, heavy animal with thick hair and sharp claws. But the word bear can also be a verb. It can mean “to accept or get through something,” usually something difficult. The verb bear is often used with the modal verb can and a negation(否定). Using this structure, “cannot bear” sometimes means “strongly dislike.” If you travel to a very cold place in the middle of winter, you might say, “I cannot bear the cold weather.” Bear can also mean “to assume or accept something, such as a cost or responsibility.” For example, “The man must bear full responsibility for his actions.” Bear can also sometimes mean “to carry.” For example, Americans often talk about the “right to bear arms” or the right of citizens to possess a gun. Sometimes, people make jokes about this expression. They replace the meaning of bear in this example with its meaning as a noun. The phrase then means that people have a right to possess a bear’s arm.
Bare is mostly used as an adjective. It means “not having a covering” or “not covered by clothing, shoes or something else.” If you just moved to a new home, the walls could still be bare. And, if you take your shoes and socks off before entering a room, you will have bare feet. As a verb, bare is similar to its adjectival meaning. To bare means “to remove the covering from something.” It can also mean “to show or expose.” For example, an angry animal might bare its teeth. The past tense of bare is bared.
1.What’s the function of the first paragraph?
A.Introducing the homophones.
B.Analyzing the homophones.
C.Introducing the topic of the passage.
D.Telling the differences between bear and bare.
2.How many meanings does the word bear have when it is a verb?
A.3. B.4.
C.5. D.6.
3.What does he want to tell us if someone says he has the right to possess a bear’s arm?
A.He has the right to get an arm of a bear. B.He has the right to sell a bear’s arm.
C.He has the right to kill a bear. D.He has the right to have a gun.
4.What might the animal decide to do when it bares its teeth?
A.It might attack a person.
B.It might show his respect for people.
C.It might want to have a covering.
D.It might remove the covering from its body.
Mya Le Thai is a scientist studying at the University of California. She recently discovered a process that may result in batteries that last forever. Thai said she had been frustrated that the batteries for her wireless devices degrade(退化). Over time, they fail to charge fully. She decided to do something about that problem.
At first, she and her team thought about inventing a new battery. But as they experimented, Thai discovered something that might permit lithium-ion batteries(锂电池) to last forever. Lithium-ion batteries power most wireless devices. Over time, the batteries lose the ability to hold a charge. One of the reasons lithium-ion batteries degrade is their use of nanowires(纳米线) to carry electricity. Nanowires are extremely thin. Nanowires are extremely efficient carriers of electricity, which makes them useful in batteries. But Thai said their thinness also makes them weak. “Nanowires break over time,” she said. “That’s why they lose capacity.”
But, Thai had a theory: The nanowires might last longer if covered with a gel(凝胶). She and the team tested her theory. The team tried many coverings for the wires. PMMA was one of them. The PMMA coated nanowires showed no evidence of damage. The results suggest that batteries could last forever, without losing charging ability. Thai hopes to continue her research to understand why this gel works so well and to see if any other gel could create better results.
Mya Le Thai told VOA she is enjoying the publicity about her discovery. She said she never expected her research to get media coverage. “It’s kind of cool,” she said. “I’m really glad people are showing interest in my work and not just in the work itself, but also in technology and energy.”
1.Why did Mya Le Thai make up her mind to settle the problem about her wireless devices degrade?
A.Because her wireless devices couldn’t work at all.
B.Because she discovered a new kind of battery.
C.Because the batteries for her wireless devices couldn’t last long.
D.Because she wanted to show her new research.
2.What prevents lithium-ion batteries from lasting forever?
A.PMMA. B.Nanowires.
C.Electricity. D.Power.
3.How can the scientist make the nanowires last longer?
A.By using a gel to cover them. B.By cutting them shorter.
C.By making them longer. D.By using a gel to make wire.
4.What kind of person is Mya Le Thai?
A.Generous and wise. B.Honest and wise.
C.Honest and hard-working. D.Modest and creative.
With an improved economy，many travelers have been buying first or business class seats，leaving fewer for upgrades（升级）.Here are some strategies for getting a free upgrade.
1. Fly a lot.
This is the most common way to earn a free upgrade. Most airlines reserve some spaces for travelers who fly at least 5，000 miles per year. Five years ago，this meant half or more of domestic（国内的）first class travelers sat up front for free. But now，airlines are selling more high-price seats，so on popular routes it is not unusual for more than 20 travelers to compete for one or two upgrades. But on routes with fewer business class travelers，free upgrades remain more plentiful.
2. Use miles.
If you're not a frequent traveler but still have some miles to fly，you may be able to use them for an upgrade. Be careful，though，as many airlines now ask not just for miles but also a cash co-pay. One example: on flights to Europe，American Airlines charges 5，000 miles，plus $110，for a one-way upgrade from discounted economy class to business class. For most domestic upgrades，American Airlines wants 15，000 miles plus $ 75.
3. Get lucky.
Sometimes airlines overbook coach（经济舱），and a few travelers get no seats. Agents try to ensure the airline's most loyal travelers get the nod（被选中）. Agents usually have some flexibility to make sure the plane is full and takes off on time. So it's the easiest way for them to do it-they might upgrade someone else out of order.
4. Save a life.
Flight attendants don't usually upgrade passengers, even when empty seats remain. Doctors and nurses who answer an emergency call are sometimes an exception. If they comfort a passenger, flight attendants might allow them to sit in business or first class for the rest of the flight.
1.What might be the main topic of the passage?
A. The ways to get upgraded on a plane.
B. How to get on the flight safely and on time.
C. The best ways to get free flight tickets.
D. How to save a life on a plane quickly.
2.Who can have the chance to get a free upgrade?
A. The person who always obeys the rules on the flight.
B. The person who doesn't have to look after a patient.
C. The person who is a friend of the flight attendants.
D. The person who flies a lot and has a long flying distance.
3.Why might medical personnel be allowed to sit in business or first class sometimes?
A. Because they would like to talk with flight attendants kindly.
B. Because they want to have a better rest after a long journey.
C. Because they need to treat a passenger who is in emergent condition.
D. Because they are tired of staying with common passengers.
4.Where can we find the passage?
A. A life guide. B. A travel guide.
C. A shopping guide. D. A pilot guide.
阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。
If you're worried that too much “screen time ”could badly influence your child's intelligence， new research suggests you might be right. By analyzing the data gathered from over 4，500U. S. kids aged 8 to 11 between 2016 and 2017，Jeremy Walsh，a postdoctoral fellow with the CHEO Research Institute in Ottawa， found that too much “screen time” could be harming your child's intelligence.
Kids with the sharpest intellects spent less than two hours a day on their cellophanes， tablets and computers coupled with 9 to 11 hours of sleep and at least an hour of physical activity. Too much screen time could be affecting kids ability to focus， especially if they are switching between apps on a device or between different screens at the same time， Walsh suggested. “ One leading theory is that much time on screens is spent multitasking using multiple apps or devices at once，” he said. “This can interfere with a child's ability to focus and keep interest on a task. It can be damaging the building blocks for good cognition(认知).”
Sleep is important for brain development， since that's when the brain reorganizes itself and grows， Walsh added. Besides， exercise has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain and oxygenation of brain tissues， and increases the connectivity of networks in the brain. Too much screen time could lead to a“ cascade”(瀑布) effect where kids don't get enough sleep and then are less active during the day.“ You can see how this would have an impact on brain health，” Walsh said.
What should parents do? Walsh advised setting firm rules about the use of screens including how long children are using the screens， the kinds of apps they are using and how many screens they are using at once. Concerned parents also should preview games or apps before letting their child play， seek out more interactive(交互的)options that engage the child's mind， and use parental controls to block or filter content and limit screen time.
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假如你是李华。你已和英国朋友Eric约定于本周三下午去高铁站接他。但你临时有重要会议不能如约前往，将委托他人接站。请你用英语给Eric写一封致歉信，主要内容包括：
1. 表示歉意；
2. 解释原因；
3. 接站安排。
注意：
1. 词数80词左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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