Wearing a red nose for a day may seem like a strange way to raise money for charity. However, it seems to work in Britain. Red Nose Day (RND) is a well-known event in the UK. The aim of the day is to raise money for a charity called Comic Relief which helps people in need in Africa and in the UK.
Comic Relief was started in 1985 by Richard Curtis. He wrote the series “Blackadder” as well as the famous films “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Notting Hill’’. Richard’s idea to start Comic Relief was as a response to the severe lack of food in Ethiopia. It’s called Red Nose Day as on this day many people buy a plastic red nose to wear! The money made from selling red noses goes to the charity.
Red Nose Day takes place every two years in the spring and is now so well developed that many people consider it to be an unofficial national holiday. For example, many schools have non-uniform days.
The slogan for the last RND was “Do Something Funny for Money” and the money collected was used to help fund projects in the following areas: treating malaria, education, maternal health and mental health. The BBC Red Nose Day telethon raised £ 74.3 million! Money-raising events take place all over the country and many schools join in. People also donate money by post, in banks, by phone using a credit card and online.
Getting sponsored to do something is a common way to raise money on RND. If someone sponsors you it means that they agree to give you a certain amount of money for your actions. Here are some ways that people raise money: wear their pyjamas (睡衣) all day at work or in school, or grow a moustache or beard for a month.
So, if you are ever in the UK on Red Nose Day, now you know why you may find normal people wearing red noses and doing silly things! It is all for a good cause!
1.The purpose of Comic Relief is .
A. to celebrate Red Nose Day
B. to help those in need in Africa and Britain
C. to warn people against some diseases
D. to raise money for Mr. Curtis’s films
2.Red Nose Day got its name mainly from its .
A. creator B. birthplace
C. aid receivers D. products for sale
3.Which of the following is TRUE about Red Nose Day?
A. It is celebrated in the spring every other year.
B. People celebrate this day to bring happiness to others.
C. Richard Curtis, the famous writer, started Red Nose Day.
D. Some people raise money by growing a beard for a week.
4.Paragraph 4 is mainly to show that in Britain RND .
A. is considered an official holiday B. lasts for a long time
C. is popular with people D. is well designed for TV
Modern zoos are different from those built fifty years ago. At that time zoos were places where people could go to see animals from many parts of the world. The animals lived in cages with iron bars (栅栏). Although the zoo keepers took good care of them, many of the animals did not feel comfortable，and they often fell ill.
In modern zoos, people can see animals in more natural conditions. The animals are given more freedom in larger places so that they can live as they would in nature. Even the appearance of zoos has changed. Trees and grass grow in cages, and water flows through the places the animals live in. There are few bars; instead, there is often a deep ditch (沟), filled with water, which surrounds a space where several sorts of animals live together as they would naturally. In an American zoo, the visitors can walk through a special huge cage that is filled with trees, some small animals and many birds, and large enough for the birds to live naturally. In a zoo in New York, with the use of special nights, people can observe certain animals that are active only at night, when most zoos are closed. Some zoos have special places for visitors to watch animals that live in the desert or under water.
Modern zoos not only show animals to visitors, but also keep and save rare animals. For this reason, fifty years from now, the grandchildren of today's visitors will still be able to enjoy watching these animals.
1.In modern zoos ________.
A. different kinds of animals are kept separately
B. animals are no longer taken good care of
C. animals have more freedom
D. visitors can walk wherever they like
2.In a modern zoo_______ feel comfortable.
A. the animals, not the visitors B. the visitors, not the animals
C. neither visitors nor animals D. both visitors and animals
3.In some zoos people can _______.
A. walk through special huge cages to watch all sorts of animals
B. see animals which live in special conditions
C. during the day observe animals that are active at night
D. watch all rare animals that may not be seen in the future
4.The main idea of the passage is that _______.
A. zoos are now places where animals can live naturally
B. zoos are places where people can see animals from all over the world
C. there should be old and modern zoos alike
D. rare animals may soon die out
Are you interested in hi-tech products? Here are some that you might find at the market pretty soon.
CX-1
Tired of dragging your bag through busy airports? Then you might want to consider CX-1. The smart suitcase uses facial recognizing software to follow its owner as he / she is checking in or heading to the gate. Though CX-1 can only move at a speed of up to seven miles per hour, a tiny tool enables owners to keep track of the suitcase’s location. It is expected to be sold on the market by late 2018.
Aibo
Sony’s latest version of the Aibo robotic dog is almost as fun as the real thing—but much less work. The pet dog can recognize its owner, obey several commands, and even recall the behavior that pleases its master the most. Aibo can also learn new tricks, take photographs, and over time, develop its own unique personality.
Forpheus
Forpheus, an “athletic” robot developed by Japanese technology company Omron. It teaches users how to play ping-pong. The 10-feet-tall machine uses a camera and artificial intelligence to track the ball’s speed and can predict the ball’s direction correctly. The smart Forpheus can also quickly test its player’s abilities and adjust the playing level, making the game fun.
Black Box VR
Though many people determine to go to the gym once a week, few reach their goal. Black Box VR wants to change that by turning hard exercise into fun video games. Using it, gym users will find themselves fighting enemies, including big creatures—all while getting exercise.
1.What is the feature of CX-1?
A. It can be opened by facial expressions.
B. It can recognize and follow its owner.
C. It can move very fast in busy places.
D. It can sense the suitcase’s location.
2.Who would most probably want an Aibo?
A. People who want to walk a dog.
B. People who often play tricks on others.
C. People who want to take high-quality photographs.
D. People who want a dog but can’t look after a real one.
3.Which product can help people do physical exercise regularly?
A. CX-1. B. Aibo.
C. Forpheus. D. Black Box VR.
面对中国高中生“出国热”，社会对此有不同的看法。请你根据以下表格提供的信息写一篇文章并简要谈谈自己的看法。
支持 | 反对 |
良好的语言环境，更利于语言学习。 学习国外科学技术。 | 年纪小，自立能力差。 情感孤独，思乡。 生活学习费用高。 |
注意：1. 内容应包括以上要点，可以适当增加细节，以使内容连贯；
2. 词数100左右，开头已给出，不计入总词数；
3. 参考词汇： 技术 technology 视野 horizon 支出 expense
In recent years, studying abroad has been popular among Chinese high school students.
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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。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（∧），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. 每处错误及其修改仅限一词。
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Last week my parents and I took a two-day trip to Emei Mountain in Sichuan. Which is known to everyone, it’s the famous mountain with all kinds of plants and animals. It was about noon that we arrived at the foot of the mountain. The three of them were very exciting. As we climbed the mountain, we fed monkeys, visiting palaces and temples, and told stories. On the way I was busy taking picture since the scenery was so beautiful. The time passes quickly. Evening came before we knew it. We spent the night in a hotel at the top of the mountain. The food was expensive and the service was good. We all thought Emei Mountain was worth of visiting.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
Voyages of people from England play 1. important part in spreading English, 2. is frequently spoken as an official or common language in many countries. 3.(base) on British English, the English spoken in one of these countries can 4.(understand) well by other countries’ native English speakers. And 5.(actual) these Englishes have been gradually changing in accents, spellings, 6.(express) and the usages of vocabulary. Because 7. this fact, the differences can be made use of 8.(tell) which country the foreigners of your block are from. For example, if a boss fluently commands his driver, “Come up straight to my apartment by elevator and take some gas for my trucks”, instead of requesting, “Please come to my flat by lift and take some petrol for my lorries”, you can recognize 9.(he) American identity, while the 10.(late) suggests that he is British.
