For some people, walking or running outdoors is a great way to exercise. What may not be so great is seeing rubbish all over the ground. Well, some people are doing something about it. 1. “Plogging” began in Sweden. The name connects the Swedish word “plocka,” which means to pick up, and the word “jogging,” which means to run slowly.
A Swedish man named Erik Ahlström, started the movement in 2016. He moved to Stockholm from a small community (社区) in northern Sweden. Each day he would ride his bike to work. He became worried about the amount of rubbish and litter he saw each day on his way to work. So, he took matters into his own hands. He began picking up the rubbish. 2.
Today, plogging is an official activity, which is becoming more and more popular. People of all ages are welcome to plog. Exercise while helping your community. 3. It can also build closer social connections in a community. When the street looks bad and it’s dirty, you're going to feel bad about the community. You may even feel less safe because of that. So if we’re all doing our part and picking it up, it’s very easy to help beautify it, and help build those social connection. 4. You get to feel some social duty when you do this.
Along with cleaning up the environment, there may be another reason to choose plogging instead of just jogging. You may get a better workout. One fitness app, Lifesum, records one hour of plogging as burning 288 calories. 5.
As can be seen, cities around the world now hold plogging events. The goal is to spread the idea that littering is not acceptable. People would think twice before dropping a garbage on the ground.
A. Plogging is equal parts of exercise and community service.
B. And that is how plogging was born!
C. And plogging does good to your health.
D. Usual jogging burns about 235 calories.
E. They are plogging!
F. There are people all around the world doing this.
G. You get to know your neighbors.
New Zealand’s chief conservation (环保) officer, Lou Sanson, caused an argument in October by suggesting that it should be time to start charging tourists for entering national parks. New Zealanders are keen fans of these parks. Many would be annoyed at having to pay. But many also worry about the incoming foreign tourists who have been seeking the same fun.
In 2016 New Zealand hosted 3.5m tourists from overseas; by 2022 more than 4.5m are expected every year — about the same as the country’s population. Tourism has become the biggest export. The national parks, which make up about one-third of the country, are a huge draw. About half of the foreign tourists visit one. They are keen to experience the natural beauty promised by the country’s “100% Pure New Zealand” advertising campaign (and shown off in the film adaptations of “The Lord of the Rings”
and “The Hobbit”, which were shot in New Zealand’s breath-taking wilderness).
But for every happy foreign couple posting for a selfie next to a tuatara (楔齿蜥) there is a New
Zealander who remembers the way things used to be — when you could walk the tracks without running into crowds at every clearing. Many locals now wonder why their taxes, as they see it, are paying for someone else’s holiday. Mr. Sanson would seem to agree. Entry fees could be used to upgrade facilities such as car parks and trails. A charge could also help reduce numbers at some of the popular locations by making it cheaper to use lesser-known, but no less beautiful, trails far away from home.
Some are not so sure it would work. Hugh Logan, a former chief of conservation for the government who now runs a mountain climbing club, worries it would cost too much to employ staff to take money from hikers at entrances. It would also be difficult to prevent tourists from entering the parks without paying.
Some argue that it would be easier to charge visitors a “conservation tax” when they enter the country. The Green Party, the third-largest in parliament (议会), says that adding around NZ$18 ($12.50) is still acceptable to foreign tourists. But some travel companies don’t quite agree with the idea. They note that tourists already contribute around NZ$1.1bn through the country’s 15% sales tax. Better, such firms say, to use foreign tourists’ contribution to this tax for the protection of the parks.
Among the fiercest critics of a charge are those who point out that free access to wilderness areas is an important principle for New Zealanders. It is documented in a National Parks Act (法案) which inspires almost constitution-like devotion among the country’s nature-lovers. Mr. Sanson has a rocky path ahead.
1.Why do some people support charging tourists visiting national parks?
A. Breath-taking wilderness deserves higher charge.
B. Locations become more popular because of movies.
C. Tourists have disturbed the peace of the locals.
D. The government needs more money to upgrade facilities.
2.What does the underlined word “draw” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. Shelter. B. Attraction
C. Business D. Puzzle.
3.Which of the following may Hugh Logan agree with?
A. It may not be easy to collect the entry fee in some cases.
B. It would be more practical to charge at the border of the country.
C. It would be more acceptable if only foreign visitors are charged.
D. It may not be reasonable to charge as tourists have already paid taxes.
4.What type of writing is this passage?
A. social documentary. B. A news report.
C. A scientific paper. D. A travel leaflet.
Wolves travel shorter distances and move slower during snowfall events, according to new research by University of Alberta biologists. The effects were most pronounced at night, when wolves hunt, and behaviour returned to normal within a day. Wolf tracks across snow in northeastern Alberta.
“Our findings suggest that there is something about actively falling snow that causes wolves to slow down,” said Amanda Droghini, a former MSc student in the Department of Biological Science and lead author on the study. “We don’t know the exact mechanism behind that. It’s unlikely that they were staying still because they were feasting on a recent kill. Instead, active precipitation（降雪量）might affect wolves’ hunting abilities. Like rain, snow clears the air column of scent molecules. So, maybe falling snow makes it harder for wolves to detect the smell of prey.”
Over the course of two winters, the researchers used remote cameras to disclose snowfall events and estimate snow depth. To study wolf movement, they collected telemetry（测距仪） data from 17 wolves to calculate travel speed and duration, as well as resting periods. It is the first study to examine how large flesh-eating animals respond to snowfall events.
With the effects of climate change on precipitation in the north forest region uncertain, it is difficult to predict the implications for wolf populations. Studies such as these increase our understanding of how large mammals react to normal snowfall events, but the type and amount of winter precipitation will likely have an impact on animal behavior and the energetic cost of movement.
“Winter is already challenging for many wildlife species because moving through snow requires more energy. Snow can also make it harder for animals to access food resources,” said Droghini, who conducted the research under the supervision of Professor Stan Boutin, Alberta Biodiversity Conservation Chair.
“Anything that increases those costs, such as increased rain-on-snow events, could lead to lacking in nutrition, poor body condition, and even starvation as animals are unable to make up for those additional costs. That is one of the worst-case scenarios（设想）but, in truth, we know very little about potential changes to precipitation patterns and how wildlife will respond to those changes.”
1.Which one is the closest to the underlined word “disclose” in paragraph 3?
A. identify B. overlook
C. overcome D. disturb
2.Increased precipitation might have the following effects on animals except _______.
A. poor health B. nutritional shortage
C. hunting ability D. losing appetite(食欲)
3.It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
A. researchers find it difficult to predict the implications for wolves
B. researchers have found the mechanism behind the phenomenon
C. researchers have collected data by using modern technologies
D. researchers will most probably go on studying the phenomenon
4.Where can we probably find this article?
A. tourist leaflets. B. sports newspapers.
C. science magazines. D. advertising posters.
Chinese people are, quite rightly, proud of their food. However, when foreigners like Britons and Americans think of Chinese food, their impression of it is different to what you might think.
Growing up in the UK, the Chinese food I was used to eating was food I now recognize as being from Guangdong. For example, a typical dish I would order would be pork in sweet and sour sauce, probably with some rice and spring rolls on the side. This is the type of food we generally eat because most Chinese immigrants(移民) to the UK have come from Guangdong. You can tell, because when most British people try to copy the sound of Chinese, they actually copy the sound of Guangdong people—hearing the real Putonghua is sometimes a shock to British people who have grown up thinking it sounds completely different!
British attitudes to Chinese food may be changing, though. Chinese-American chef Ken Hom has been on British TV for 30 years, and he told BBC Food: “Chinese food at the beginning of the 80s (in the UK) was sweet and sour pork, mainly. Most Brits had the unchangeable view of Chinese food. Now you are seeing more local Chinese food from Sichuan, Hunan and other areas of China. It is no longer just Guangdong food.” Similarly, to most Americans, Chinese food doesn’t go too far past orange chicken and fortune cookies, but more Chinese local dishes are becoming successful, especially in big cities like New York.
Attitudes have not quite changed completely, though. Many foreigners who live in China will be familiar with this question from a relative back at home: “Have they given you dog yet?” Yes, perhaps because people still know too little about Chinese culture, many people believe that Chinese people love to eat dog meat. And of course, some people do eat dogs, which to Americans is like “eating a member of one’s family” according to Vision Times. Also, Chinese people eat many other things people in the West do not—chicken claws, duck heads and some animals’ organs.
But what do foreigners think when they come to China and taste real Chinese food? You’ll be glad to know that in my experience, the impressions have been very good.
1.Why are some British people surprised when they hear the real Putonghua?
A. Because it sounds too funny to believe.
B. Because it’s different from what they hear.
C. Because they all find it hard to learn.
D. Because nobody has been to China before.
2.What does chef Ken Hom think of the present Chinese food?
A. Popular. B. Tastier.
C. Richer D. Best.
3.How does Paragraph 3 develop?
A. By giving examples. B. By making inferences.
C. By analyzing. D. By reasoning.
4.What can we infer from “Have they given you dog yet?”?
A. Foreigners don’t like eating dog meat at all.
B. Chinese hate dogs so they often eat them.
C. Chinese eat everything including dog meat.
D. There are differences between cultures.
You can use your smartphone to get pretty much anything delivered directly to your door almost immediately. The hardest part is the process of trying to work out if you should tip and if so, doing the quick math before you get to the door. And, you know well that you should tip about 15-20% at restaurants, but do the same rules apply to delivery drivers?
The co-founder of Grubhub, Matt Maloney, pretty much set the standard for tipping delivery people in a Facebook post. He’s a strong supporter of tipping, and Grubhub’s website suggests a $5 or a 20% tip. Maloney also said this number should go up if you order during, say, a snowstorm.
However, most other delivery services say on their websites that tipping is not required. Some services, like Door Dash, do suggest no tip on their checkout window. Many, like Amazon Prime Now, allow customers to change their tip amount after their delivery has been received to reflect the quality of service. These companies help customers save money but delivery drivers are upset. They deal with bad weather, heavy traffic, extreme tiredness, and more, all for a $1 tip. Many feel that if you’d tip your pizza boy or girl, you should tip your delivery driver.
The Emily Post Institute (EPI)’s official suggestion falls in line with Maloney’s: “10-15% of the bill, or $2-5 for pizza delivery depending on the size of the order and difficulty of delivery.”
Just like servers in a restaurant, delivery drivers almost always rely on your tips for their income. Tipping is a long-standing cultural tradition in America. So, until drones (无人机) can deliver hot dogs straight to your door, it’s best to tip the people riding through the city at all hours to bring you hot fresh food.
1.What do we know about tipping delivery drivers?
A. It is not widely accepted.
B. It upsets many delivery services
C. It can’t reflect the quality of service
D. It is a deeply rooted tradition in America.
2.Which of the following suggests the highest tips in the passage?
A. The EPI. B. DoorDash.
C. Grubhub. D. Amazon Prime Now.
3.What is the author’s attitude to tipping delivery drivers?
A. Doubtful. B. Unconcerned
C. Disapproving. D. Supportive.
假定你是李华，你校英文报举办征文活动，话题是对即将来你校任教的英语老师的建议和期望。请你给报社写一篇征文。内容包括:
1.欢迎新老师，期待取得进步；
2.讲课语速建议；
3.英语为主，必要时说汉语。
注意:
1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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