It's thought that around 5 trillion pieces of plastic are currently floating in our oceans.
Both mammals and fish benefit from clean oceans. It is reported that more than 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year, and nearly half of the plastic we produce is single-use only.
This shoe brand, however, is riding the wave of change and is on a mission to help clean up our waters and rid the sea of plastic bottles that can take up to 400 years to break down. Vivobarefoot's newest footwear uses recycled plastic materials and has created an education program that spreads awareness about how harmful plastic is for sea life.
Every pair of shoes is made up of 17 plastic water bottles taken from the ocean and turned into a sustainable, comfortable pair of shoes, which are also healthy for your feet. And while not everyone can take part in ocean cleanups, choosing little ways we can give back to our planet goes a long way.
Vivobarefoot's new products include a variety of high-performance styles such as casual sneakers, running shoes, and hiking boots. The brand hopes that its latest initiative（首创精神）will help lessen the indifference to pollution and how harmful it is for all living beings.
In the future, Vivobarefoot hopes to increase their production of shoes created from sustainable materials, and thankfully, they are now one of many brands that aim to increase environmentalism and educate communities on how global warming affects everyone.
This year, they'll add more recyclable and traceable materials into more than half of their production line, and they have plenty of creative developments in the works as well.
The shoes also have a health benefit. Based on the concept that wider, minimally designed shoes enable our foot to function at maximum potential, wearers also experience better balance and sensory input.
1.How does the author make his point convincing?
A. By listing figures. B. By telling a story.
C. By giving examples. D. By making comparisons.
2.What is Vivobarefoot doing to help with the marine creatures?
A. Donating money to buy food for them.
B. Keeping the oceans free from plastic bottles.
C. Producing more shoes from sustainable materials.
D. Raising public awareness of recycling and reuse.
3.What is probably Vivobarefoot's operation philosophy?
A. Customer-focused. B. Service-oriented
C. Money-saving. D. Environmentally-friendly.
4.Which of the following is True according to the text?
A. Vivobarefoot's new products haven't been released.
B. Vivobarefoot is the most popular shoe brand in the world.
C. Vivobarefoot cares about not only its business but also public services.
D. Vivobarefoot is the first company to find the new function of waste materials.
When I was three years old, I couldn't speak. It was a strange reality that none of the doctors I visited could understand.
One day, I was shadowing（跟随）my mother. She found herself looking in a mirror, and through it our eyes met. She began to speak to me through the reflection, and I slowly began to mimic（模仿）her mouth's movements until I formed a word.
It turned out I'm deaf in my left ear, and have a slight problem in my right. Being hard of hearing has been difficult, but I've never lived in a state of self-hating sorrow. Imagine being able to shut out all sound as you lay your head down to sleep by simply rolling over onto one side. That's my reality when I sleep on my "good ear", and it makes me feel like a superhero sometimes.
People call my deaf side my "bad ear", but when I wear my hearing aid, I have access to a range of features that some other deaf people don't. In cinemas, for example, with one click of a button I can enjoy a whole film as though it were whispered to me from the mouths of the actors.
Owning a hearing aid hasn't always felt good, however. On the first day I got my aid, when I was eight, I took it to school for show-and-tell. As I explained how it worked to my classmates, a boy yelled out, "Aren't those for old men?" At that moment, I felt different. It took a long time for me to get over that sense of being so unlike my peers.
But it's not just school kids who can make us deaf and hard-of-hearing people feel like burdens. Every video on social media that lacks subtitles（字幕）, for example, means an entire community of deaf people is unable to enjoy it. Completely deaf people are excluded from enjoying many movies too, as subtitles in cinemas are almost impossible to find.
And with hearing aids costing around $2,500 each, it can be hard for many people to afford to be able to listen to the things that others take for granted. As for me, I can listen to music, enjoy films, and catch conversations - I'm lucky. I'm deaf, but I can still hear everything. I've been blessed with wonderful life experiences, and I am human. And when it comes to sleeping, I'm even superhuman.
1.How does the author view his hearing difficulty?
A. It's a disaster and causes him a lot of trouble.
B. It gave him a chance to experience something special.
C. It made him feel embarrassed in front of his classmates.
D. It helped him to live in his own world without being interrupted.
2.What can be inferred from the passage about the author?
A. He was born deaf.
B. He is optimistic and helpful.
C. His family and classmates have supported him a lot.
D. The hearing aid brings much convenience to his daily life.
3.What is the author's attitude toward his life？
A. grateful. B. anxious.
C. excited. D. disappointed.
4.What is the author's main purpose in writing the article?
A. To give advice on life to disabled people.
B. To show how difficult life is for disabled people.
C. To share his experience of treating a disadvantage with gratitude.
D. To show the convenience a hearing aid could bring.
The cost of living in countries like the U.S., Britain, Australia or France has skyrocketed in recent years. However, if you're willing to leave your country and explore life in other areas, there are many countries boasting an extremely cheap and low cost of living. Check out the following countries when planning your next move.
Ecuador
Ecuador is similar to the United States in many ways, and as a result has become a popular American getaway. They even use the U.S. Dollar for their currency. In this country, it's cheaper to eat out every day than cook for yourself on a budget in the U.S. You can even buy a property for around $50000 and hire someone to tend to it while you're away
Mexico
Although the country is known for its poverty ridden streets, there are many wealthier areas that provide every facility you might need. You can live off a mere $700 to $800 a month in Mexico, and this includes rent for a nice place, facilities, food, and any sightseeing.
Argentina
Argentina has been a popular tourist destination for many years. It has great restaurants, a rich history, and many places to explore. Not to mention, it's not very expensive to live here. A decent sized home can cost around $139000, which is relatively cheap in relation to homes in the United States.
Vietnam
Vietnam has also become a popular tourist destination in recent years. There are many million dollar luxury homes by the beach, but you can find a modest fiat or small home for around $25000 to $50000 if you search in the right areas.
1.How much does it take at least to live in Mexico for a year?
A. About $7000 B. About $8000
C. About $8400 D. About $9800
2.What does Argentina and Vietnam have in common?
A. They both have great restaurants.
B. The cost of living in them is both expensive.
C. The middle-sized homes both cost around $ 139000.
D. People are all fond of travelling to the two countries.
3.In which country did the purchaser probably pay extra money after he left?
A. Ecuador B. Mexico
C. Argentina D. Vietnam
最近你校开展了中学生如何处理人际关系的讨论。假如你是小组长，请写一篇你们小组的讨论总结，发表在英语校报上：
（写作内容）
1.做好自己；
2.尊重他人；
3.学会沟通；
4. ……
注意：1.字数：100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总字数。
Recently, we held a heated discussion about how to live harmoniously in the school. Here are the opinions of our group.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We hope all of us can enjoy our school life.
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。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（
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。
Jim is a Australian boy who has been lived in our city for over two years. I still remember the morning when he came into our class, wear a cap and a pair of sunglasses. He waved to us with grace and introduce himself with a sweet smile, which made us to feel pleased. We gave him a warm welcome. And immediate Jim became our great friend.
Now Jim and we play together, chat with each other and go out picnics. Also, we ride bikes in the country or go hike in the mountains. Sometimes we play game on the playground. Jim likes it here and often says it is like being at home, but that is what we wish.
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。
Do you like trying different things? Are you afraid 1. things that you think you’re bad at?
Last year I started to learn Tai Chi (太极)in order to improve my health and reduce my stress. It was something new for me, and I found it to be quite difficult, very 2.(difference) from anything I’d ever learned before. Small 3.(move) are important in Tai Chi. I was used to being fast and active , 4. to learn Tai Chi I had to learn patience. Now I’ve found that I’m a much more patient person than before, and Tai Chi isn’t nearly as difficult as it 5.(be ) before.
We tend 6.(like) things we are good at —— that’s normal. For example, I’m naturally very good at badminton and tennis, but I’m very bad at anything 7. involves keeping balance, such as skating, skiing and gymnastics. Tai Chi has 8.(great) improved my balance which has been a very good thing for me.
My point is that you can keep 9.(do) the things you know you’re good at and live in your comfort zone, or you can try something new. If you don’t try new things, you’ll never know what it would be like to try something new to challenge 10.(you). It will definitely pay off in the end.
