Despite being used by 1.24 billion people each year, traveling on the Tube in London can actually be quite lonely.
One citizen, however, is trying to change this, “You get on the Tube and it’s completely silent and it’s weird,” says Jonathan Dunne, who has started a worldwide dialogue after giving out badges (徽章) with the words “Tube chat?” last month, encouraging passengers in London to get talking to one another, “I handed out 500 badges during rush hour in a city of 8 million, expecting most of them to be thrown away, but after about 24 hours it completely snowballed,” he says, Dunne and his “Tube chat” campaign have since been reported by media across the world, seeing TV interviews in Sweden, Brazil and the UK, as well as countless website, newspaper and magazine appearances.
Although Dunne says he’s received mostly positive feedback, not everyone agrees with his idea. Londoner Brian Wilson responded with a campaign of his own, handing out 500 badges with the words “Don’t even think about it” on them, Michael Robinson, 24, a student from London, agrees, “Being on the Tube is the only peace and quiet some people get on their journeys to and from work. It doesn’t need to be spoiled by people coming up and chatting to you,” he says.
“People assume that I just walk up and talk to strangers, which I don’t, but it’s been a great way to meet people you would never have normally spoken to,” Dunne says.
So if you ever end up using public transport in the West, why not say hello to the person next to you? Just make sure to check for a badge first.
1.How did Dunne encourage London passengers to talk with each other?
A. By putting up posters on the tube.
B. By advocating his idea on the media.
C. By offering passengers special badges.
D. By starting a dialogue with passengers.
2.How is Dunne’s campaign getting along?
A. It has caught international attention.
B. It has become a worldwide campaign.
C. Most passengers have refused to accept it.
D. Wilson has made great efforts to promote it.
3.According to Michael Robinson, what should tube passengers do?
A. Hand in their feedback in time.
B. Walk up and talk to strangers.
C. Stop using public transport.
D. Enjoy the peace quietly.
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A. Tube Chat or Not
B. Lonely Travel in London Tube
C. Silence on the Tube
D. Tube Passengers Wearing Badges
The fact that ants are fascinating insects has been known for some time. Now, scientists have discovered a large number of wood ants living in an abandoned underground storehouse in Templewo, Poland, despite having no obvious source of food.
Polish zoologist Wojciech Czechowski and his team began studying the underground colony in 2013. They found the ants built a 60-cm high nest in the soil directly over the storehouse vertical air pipe. As years passed, the metal covering on the pipe eroded, leaving behind a hole that thousands of worker ants accidentally slip into each day as they go about their daily chores. The scientists say that there are no sources of food in the storehouse. This means that the insects live in a state of near starvation.
In July 2015, the researchers disturbed part of the ant nest in search of larvae (幼虫), cocoons(茧), and queens. They found nothing, leading them to suspect that the lack of food and cold temperatures made reproduction impossible and that the group tending the nest is entirely made up of non-reproductive female workers. Their population is refilled every year, by a new rain of unfortunate ants that slide down the hole. The researchers say that when they returned in January 2016, the nest had been repaired. It appears that despite the terrible conditions, the worker ants do not stop constructing their nest.
Wood ants are known for their ability to adapt to bad living conditions. In this case, the millions of worker ants trapped in the storehouse have no choice. But instead of losing hope, they are making the best of the situation—a classic example of “when life gives you lesions make lemonade.”
1.How did the wood ants arrive in the storehouse?
A. They fell down there by accident.
B. The research team brought them there.
C. The storehouse builders left them there.
D. They were attracted by the environment.
2.What does the underlined word “eroded” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. Expanded. B. Rotted. C. Exploded. D. Melted.
3.What did the researchers find in the nest?
A. Larvae. B. Cocoons. C. A queen. D. Worker ants.
4.Why did the population of wood ants remain steady?
A. They had enough food.
B. They were able to reproduce.
C. They adapted to the conditions.
D. They had new comers to join them.
I had been following the yellowish-green markers for a “popular and easy” three-mile out-and-back hike. Immediately after the trailhead(山道的起点), the trail became very rocky and steep. But having read information about the hike, I knew within five minutes, I was supposed to reach the hike’s first overlook.
However, the overlook never arrived. Instead, I found myself lost in the woods. Pulling out my cellphone, I saw it read “no service”. I checked the last text message I’d sent to my mom. It read, “Conference ended…going for a small hike before my flight home this afternoon.” I put my phone away and kept moving and yelling, “Help! Is anybody out there?” Every so often, I’d stop to listen, but I never heard a reply.
I got out my phone again. The battery was running out fast as it searched for a signal. I struggled to find a place where I could get service. When I did, I called my mom. It went through! In a shaky voice, I said, “Mom?” And then the call dropped. More than 1,500 miles away, my mom instantly knew something was wrong. She called the Denver Police Department and was directed to the US Forest Service.
This was how I was introduced to John, an operator from the US Forest Service. Following John’s instruction on the phone, I finally escaped from the woods. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then my phone rang, and it was John, making sure I was still going in the right direction. “By the way,” he said, “we’ve had your mother on hold this whole time. We know once you get down the mountain, you will absolutely want to give her a call.”
1.What did the author do while finding the trail rocky and steep?
A. He yelled for help. B. He continued walking.
C. He returned to the start. D. He found the first overlook.
2.When did the author tell his mom about the hiking?
A. After he got lost. B. After John’s call.
C. After a conference. D. After the call dropped.
3.How did the author’s mom know he was in danger?
A. The author called and told her about it.
B. The author’s flight didn’t arrive on time.
C. She learned it from the US Forest Service.
D. She sensed something unusual on the phone.
4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. The author’s mom was on line waiting.
B. John came to the woods for the author.
C. John lost touch with the author’s mom.
D. The author went in the wrong direction.
Uber
Uber is available in over 70 cities throughout 40 countries worldwide.You can either choose a typical Uber unmarked car or a regular taxi.The app can show you where drivers are,so you know how long you’ll be waiting.You can also get fare quotes(报价) in advance.Your payment source is linked to the app and is automatically charged,so no physical money is ever needed.
Lyft
Lyft is a service that is also available in many large cities in the US.However,it offers something different,one of which is Lyft Line.With this service,you can find people that take the same route on a daily basis as you and split the fare with them.Lyft’s regular service lets you easily see where rides are,catch one,and easily pay right within the app.
Easy Taxi
Easy Taxi is available in 86 cities across 26 countries and lets you quickly scrub through maps and find locations you’d like to be picked up at.From there,just make sure there are taxis in your area.Confirm your ride and then pay for it within the Easy Taxi app.Once you book a ride,you should see the taxi’s plate number and phone number appear on the map,making it easy for you to pick out both the car and the driver.
Curb
Curb,formerly Taxi Magic,is currently available in around 60 cities across the United States as well as select cities in the United Kingdom,Canada,and Mexico.It ties in with taxi companies and their drivers.As your taxi makes its way to your location,you’ll be able to track its progress inside the app.You can link a payment account to Curb to pay your fare through the app.You can also pay in cash.
1.Which app is available in the most countries?
A. Uber. B. Lyft.
C. Easy Taxi. D. Curb.
2.What’s the special service of Lyft?
A. You can pay the fare in cash.
B. You can see where your ride is.
C. You can get fare quotes in advance.
D. You can find someone to share the fare.
3.What do the four apps have in common?
A. They are available worldwide. B. They are tied to taxi companies.
C. They allow users to pay via app. D. They can identify your location.
假如你是某校高二学生李华。你的英国笔友Helen最近写信向你倾诉她的烦恼。得知她最近因学习压力大开始失眠，学习效率也降低后，你决定给她一些建议加以鼓励。请你根据以下要点提示用英文回信：
·turn to your close friends for help…
·keep a positive attitude …
·take part in sports…
·listen to music…
注意：1.开头语和结束语已为你写好，不计入总词数；
2.可适当增加细节，使行文连贯；
3.词数100左右。
Dear Helen,
I was very glad to receive your letter._____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
With best wishes.
Yours,
Li Hua
One day, a mother horse told her son, “My child, will you 1.(happy) go and carry this bag of wheat to the mill(磨坊) to make it 2. flour?” The little horse agreed without hesitation and 3.(run) out of the house with the bag of wheat on his back.
After some time, the little horse came to a river, 4. blocked his path to the mill. He suddenly got 5.(confuse). Looking around, he saw a cow. So he asked, “Auntie Cow, can you tell me whether I can cross the river?” The cow answered, “Definitely you can. The water is very shallow.” When the little horse was about 6.(cross) the river, a squirrel shouted to him, “Don’t cross the river. You will drown.” Not 7.(know) what to do, the little horse decided to go back to ask his mother, who said, “My son, it’s not enough to only listen to others; you have to give it 8. try by yourself, and then you’ll know the answer.”
With those words, he walked carefully across the river. The water was neither shallow nor
9.(deeply). It was just fine for him. Finally the little horse crossed the river and completed his task. He also learned to overcome 10.(difficulty) by practicing instead of only listening to others.
