The annual Canadian commercial seal hunt is the world's largest hunt of marine mammals. A few weeks old, the seal cubs are prized primarily for their skins and also for the omega-3-rich oil used in food supplements--products that are shipped around the world.
This month, the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland, is expected to announce whether products from commercial seal hunting can be marketed in Europe. At present, they cannot. Such products have been banned by the European Union (EU) since 2009 to protect ‘public morals’. Canada and Norway have asked the WTO to overturn the ban - the first of its kind -- and the trade body will soon deliver its final decision.
As an official observer, I have seen the hunt from the ice and from helicopters. The details are grisly. That is why the WTO originally agreed that the EU could act to limit trade on the grounds of public morals - the first time that such a restriction had been put in place.
When they are born, seal cubs have white fur. They are abandoned by their mothers at about 12 days of age. Stranded on the unstable ice, they remain alone and unfed for up to six weeks, and during this time their fur changes from white to grey --and the hunters arrive.
The cubs are either shot from boats, or clubbed with a wooden bat or an iron-tipped pole called a hakapik. Some shot and injured seals slide into the water and are lost. Many shot and injured animals could potentially suffer for several minutes while the hunters drive their boats close enough to club them unconscious. If the ice is too unstable for the hunters to cross, shot and injured but conscious and reactive seals can be dragged into the boats with long hooked gaffs (鱼叉) before being clubbed.
As a human and as a scientist I consider the hunt to present real and significant welfare concerns. The available scientific evidence supports that opinion. But science, of course, is only one of the factors at play. Perhaps the final word should go to a statement attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
1.Why is WTO’s ban introduced in the passage “the first of its kind”?
A.It is the first to take little notice of the economic results.
B.It is the first to take moral standards into account.
C.It is the first to have been overturned in history.
D.It is the first to put animals’ welfare in place.
2.The underlined word “grisly” most probably means .
A.accurate B.unpleasant C.vague D.available
3.The writer describes the process of seal hunting in detail in paragraph 5 in order to .
A.prove it requires much experience B.introduce what tools are needed
C.show readers how violent it is D.stress how helpless seals are
4.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A.WTO is going to lift the ban on seal hunting
B.Canada decreases its commercial seal hunting
C.The moral problem with commercial seal hunting
D.How animals are treated vary from country to country
You should see the photo. I’m sitting in red dirt, wearing an ugly purple T-shirt. My face is pink and my hair is wet with sweat. Flies buzz around my head. I’m in the Outback of Australia’s Northwest Territory, on a school trip with 20 parents and 20 kids.
It was an odd choice for a holiday. I like sitting by the pool with a cola, not flies and frogs. I like being alone and quiet, not a busload of kids. I like freshly washed sheets, not dirty-looking blankets.
But here’s the thing about that photo: I am smiling!
The trip sounded good when I signed up. Guides would take us into the heart of the place, and I would see a new part of Australia, learn about local culture and bond with my youngest daughter. I would also bond with 40 strangers. I just hoped there would be good coffee.
In Darwin, we were herded onto a bus. It quickly became tiresome. The kids were loud and I hate making small talk. But later, when I looked out at the vast, empty land, I was surprised at and moved by its beauty. Our guide told us about the land and his culture. I felt far from home.
At a national park, we enjoyed a natural swimming hole. Kids and parents had a great time.
Then we got to the outback. The cabin I shared with my daughter was a brick cell, full of geckos (壁虎) and crickets (蟋蟀), but too dark to see them.
It didn’t matter. The next nine days were packed: waterfalls, lakes, community visits and a trip around Katharine Gorge. We even saw giant crocodiles and baby wallabies.
On our last night, a water pipe broke. We awoke to a mess. Usually, I would have complained and asked for a refund, but it just seemed normal to be dirty.
Indeed, it was impossible to stay clean. We were hiking in red dirt, with temperatures of 35 degrees. Still, I felt a kind of energy I hadn’t experienced in years.
Yes, the coffee was bad, but I was too focused on keeping crickets off my face.
I love that photo of me in the dirt. I look messy, but also happy. Sometimes, it’s another way of traveling. There is beautiful scenery, there is dirt. There was always someone to talk to, someone to laugh with.
1.What were the author’s previous trips like, according to the article?
A.Cheap.
B.Adventurous.
C.Peaceful and comfortable.
D.Packed with outdoor activities.
2.What do we know about the author’s trip with her daughter?
A.Their journey was relaxing without too much sightseeing.
B.Their living conditions were fairly poor during the trip.
C.The scenery on the trip disappointed them.
D.The parents seemed to enjoy themselves more than the children.
3.How did the author feel during the later part of the trip?
A.Impatient. B.Positive.
C.Disappointed. D.Exhausted.
4.What is the author’s main purpose in writing this article?
A.To warn readers to choose their trips wisely.
B.To share the benefits of traveling with children.
C.To tell about her latest trip and explain what she learned from it.
D.To show the advantages of going to different places.
From the most talked about politicians to the most popular TV shows, the social media platform—Twitter has unveiled what its users have been most fixated (最关注的) with over the past year.
Most tweeted-about TV shows 2019
HBO’s “Game of Thrones” claimed the title of the most tweeted-about TV show of the year, despite many criticizing the series for an anti-climatic finale.
It was followed by streaming giant Netflix‟s “Stranger Things” and long-standing animated sitcom
“The Simpsons”.
Most tweeted-about films 2019
2019 American superhero film “Avengers: Endgame” became the highest-grossing film of all time when it was released earlier this year, grossing nearly $2.8 billion worldwide and its success was reflected on Twitter, making it the platform‟s most-talked about movie of the year. It was followed by “Toy Story 4” and American psychological thriller “Joker”.
Most tweeted-about hashtags 2019
The top news-related hashtags worldwide included NotreDame after France‟s landmark cathedral caught fire, causing irreversible damage to the building which dates back to 856 and is considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.
Other popular news hashtags included Brexit, Christ Church and Climate Strike, in line with the biggest stories that have been dominating the global news agenda.
Most tweeted-about politicians 2019
US politicians topped the list for the most tweeted-about politicians worldwide, with President Donald Trump weighing in first. Former US President Obama was next on the list, followed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Also in the top 10 is US Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, popularly known as AOC, who made waves on the US political stage this year and is a strong supporter of the Green New Deal. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and French President Emmanuel Macron were also in the top 10.
Most tweeted-about emoji 2019
The social media platform kept track emoji usage as well, finding that the laughing face with tears of joy was the most used, followed by the crying face and heart eyes emoji.
1.Which of the following can be WRONG from Most tweeted-about TV shows 2019 and Most tweeted-about films 2019?
A.No film has earned more money than “Avengers: Endgame” so far.
B.When you see “Joker”, there is possibility that you will feel thrilled.
C.“Toy Story 4” is second only to “Avengers: Endgame” in popularity.
D.“Game of Thrones” enjoys a great success without any criticism.
2.It can be inferred that “hashtags” mainly refers to .
A.topics that people show little interest in
B.particular subjects that arouse people‟s attention worldwide
C.events that have controversial endings
D.subjects that are prohibited from being talked about
3.According to Twitter, we can know that from the last two parts.
A.there is no Asian politician on the list of Most tweeted-about politicians 2019
B.crying face is used more frequently than the laughing face with tears
C.US politicians are relatively more influential than politicians from other countries in 2019
D.US Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is strongly against the Green New Deal
根据首字母提示，写出正确的单词：
1.Tom’s arrival upset their daily r _____.
2.Different from the old Olympics, the c _____ Olympics were first held in 1896, in Athens.
3.C _____ to people’s belief, evidence shows that sharks seldom attack humans.
4.U _____ for the bad guy, the police had been informed and were waiting outside.
5.Keep in m _____ some people may need your help and contribution.
6.Out of work for a long time, I accepted the job without h _____.
7.I’m firmly convinced that this book is based on h _____ events.
8.I’d like to make c _____ about the noise. I really can’t bear it any longer.
9.People were evacuated(撤离) from the coastal regions in a _____ of the hurricane.
10.The twins are so alike that I always have difficulty d _____ one from the other.
11.At the conference, the director made an o _____ statement that the company decided to fire some employees.
12.On realizing they had got lost, the team p _____. How they should have stayed calm!
13.The full name of our great motherland is the People's R _____ of China.
14.They took Socrates to court for c _____ the young people of Athens.
15.Many a student usually c _____ the teacher before making important decisions.
16.She is s _____ to me, as she joined the business before me.
17.He does excellent work and obviously he is a man of very high i _____.
18.The Great Wall is so well-known a tourist attraction that millions of people p _____ in every year.
19.O _____ with all kinds of housework, the middle-aged woman could hardly spare any time to get relaxed.
20.A _____ the message to its leg, he set the bird loose, which immediately flew into the air and disappeared in the dark.
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Pollution takes away all the beauty of the beaches of Hawaii. I hate to go to the beaches on 1. (sun) weekends and see rubbish bags lying on the sand, cigarette butts(烟头) 2. (bury) in the sand, and soda cans floating in the ocean.
One thing that really annoys me is that I see 3. (tour)who visit Hawaii leave their rubbish on the beaches. I was always taught after drinking soda to throw the can into the place 4. it should stay—the trash can. Another thing that annoys me is that some people walk right by rubbish 5. pretend that it’s not there.
The dogs or the fish are not to blame 6. it. It’s our fault and we must blame 7. (we). Everyone has to do his or her part 8. (solve) this problem. It can’t be difficult to do the job. There are a lot of things that we can do. First of all, we can help pick up rubbish along the beaches. We could also form organizations that help clean up our beaches. More 9. (important), we need to start now before the beaches 10. (damage) beyond repair.
Volunteering is a great way to support an organization and make a difference in your community. It can also be an opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills. 1. And what should we plan for? Here’s a guide for beginners.
Step 1: 2.
Do you want to help the world, or your community? Do you want to build your own skills, make new friends, and learn? Do you love what you do? Do you want to share your gifts with others or give something back? Think about these kinds of questions. That can help you to choose the right direction for your volunteer work.
Step 2: Choose an organization that is meaningful to you.
If you feel strongly about literacy (读写), for instance, volunteer at your local library or find out if there is an organization of volunteer tutors in your area. There are organizations doing all sorts of work. 3.
Step 3: Start small.
If you already have a busy school life, volunteer your time for an hour or two a week, or perhaps one day a month..4. Then, if you find you enjoy the work and have more time to do it, take on more time by time.
Step 4: Get training.
If there is a training course, attend it. If not, talk to the group leaders and other volunteers about their experiences. 5.
Step 5: Try not to give up.
Volunteer work sometimes involves unpleasant tasks, difficult fellow workers, busy days, or bad management. If you find your work difficult, however, try to work through it before you decide to quit.
A. Do you love to work with people?
B. But how do we go about volunteering?
C. Get to know others in the organization.
D. It is important that you choose something that you like.
E. Think about why you want to volunteer.
F. You’ll pick up some good tips to make your work there more productive.
G. You might be surprised by how much you can do in even a little bit of time.
