A new device (设备) called Orion is helping those who are blind to see. It does this in a new way by helping them experience the world around them.
Jason Esterhuizen lost his eyesight after a car accident. He never thought he would be able to see light or movement again. But now with the movement of a switch (开关), his world suddenly grew brighter.
He says, “I still can’t put it into words. I mean from being able to see absolutely nothing, it’s completely black, to all of a sudden seeing little flickers (闪烁) of light move around.” It is not full or normal sight, but Esterhuizen can move about in the world around him.
The new technology uses several parts. One is a small device placed in the brain. The other parts are a video camera on sunglasses and a processing device that can be carried in a person’s clothes. When the user points the camera, a signal goes to the processor (处理器) and then back to the glasses. The glasses then are in wireless communication with the device in the brain. The information causes a pattern to develop in the part of the brain. The pattern helps users sense or see movement and shapes of light. And it all happens in seconds.
Esterhuizen is one of just two people in the U.S. testing this technology. He says that “I can tell someone moving across the room, walking past me or walking away from me, or it’s a light against the wall. It is just amazing to have some form of functional vision again.” He adds that now he can do everyday activities around his home that he once could not. It is easier to walk outside.
The researchers believe that one day this technology could help people who have lost their vision because of illnesses like diabetes. It may also help those with poor vision or who were born blind.
1.Which of the following caused Esterhuizen to go blind ?
A.An illness. B.A car accident.
C.A brain damage. D.A genetic problem.
2.What can we know about sunglasses of the new technology?
A.They are put in the brain.
B.They are carried in the user’s clothes.
C.They are mainly used to protect a person’s eyes.
D.They communicate wirelessly with a small device.
3.What can we infer about Esterhuizen in paragraph 5?
A.He fully regains his sight.
B.He always do daily activities freely.
C.He feels delighted to see the world again.
D.He is the only one to test this technology.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A.Orion makes homes brighter.
B.Orion functions as normal eyes.
C.A new equipment helps the blind see.
D.A new technology happens in seconds.
Two little girls who are lovely in Britain are bringing thousands of people together to sign a petition (请愿书) demanding that Burger King and McDonald’s stop giving away free plastic toys.
With the help of their mother, nine-year-old Ella and seven-year-old Caitlin started an online petition in order to persuade the fast food giants (巨头) to do away with the wasteful toys that come with Happy Meals and Junior Meals.
Since starting the petition, the youngsters have got over 350,000 signatures of their 500,000 goal, and the call to action has already received further support from adults and children.
“We’ve been learning all about the environment at school and the problem of plastic. It made us very sad to see how plastic harms wildlife and pollutes the ocean, and we want to change this,” reads the petition. “That’s why we want Burger King and McDonald’s to think of the environment and stop giving away plastic toys with their kids meals.”
“We like to go to eat at Burger King and McDonald’s, but children only play with the plastic toys for a few minutes before they get thrown away and harm animals and pollute the sea. We want anything they give us to be environmentally friendly so we can protect the planet for ourselves and for future generations,” they continued.
In addition to the girls making a convincing argument, the amount of signatures on the petition almost doubled after reporters with the BBC’s War on Plastic followed the young activists to the McDonald’s headquarters in order to present the petition.
Since the little girls’ story started being picked up by international news outlets, Burger King and McDonald’s have emailed statements to CNBC detailing their plans for making their free toys more environmentally friendly.
1.How did the two girls begin their petition?
A.By BBC.
B.By CNBC.
C.By Internet.
D.By newspapers.
2.Why are the two little girls gathering many people together?
A.To gain people’s attention.
B.To get over 350,000 signatures.
C.To eat at Burger King and McDonald’s.
D.To stop two giants presenting free plastic toys.
3.What will Burger King and McDonald’s plan to do after the petition?
A.To email statements to BBC.
B.To make a convincing argument.
C.To sell more environmentally friendly toys.
D.To give away more environmentally friendly toys.
4.Which of the following best describes the two little girls’ story?
A.It’s about product promotion.
B.It’s about company introduction.
C.It’s about commercial advertising.
D.It’s about environmental protection.
“I had no intention to adopt a cat that day. I just liked being around animals. ” Miranda says. But when she saw Nala in her metal cage, “We made eye contact and I couldn’t resist (抗拒) her big blue eyes.” At that point, “Nala was so small. I asked the shelter if I could hold her. Once I had Nala in my arms, Nala looked up at me and licked (舔) my face.” And that was when she knew she had to take this kitty home.
Still, Miranda never imagined Nala would become an Insta-star. “I started Nala’s Instagram account in 2012 as a way to share photos with my close friends and family in Thailand,” she explained. The possibility of Nala gaining attention beyond that small group of people hadn’t occurred to her until it happened.
Miranda says, “Each time Nala’s photo was featured on Instagram’s popular page, her account would gain 1,000 new followers. ” From there, Nala’s popularity snowballed. Large nationwide brands messaged Miranda about hiring Nala to do ads. “This took us by surprise because we couldn’t believe that a big brand wanted to pay them to take photos with their products next to Nala”.
Nala started life out in a shelter, just waiting to be loved like many other animals that were abandoned. Today that dream has surely come true. Nala has over 4 million followers on Instagram, which earned her the title “Guinness World Records Most Popular Cat on Instagram.”
In addition to managing her Insta fame, Nala is being asked to test various cat food brands. More importantly, “Nala is our chance to share the love to help create a better life for other animals, so they can grow well and bring joy to the world like Nala has.”
1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A.Visits to a shelter. B.Love at first sight.
C.Power of blue eyes. D.Duty to adopt cats.
2.Why did Miranda open Nala’s Instagram account?
A.To meet Nala’s needs. B.To assist Nala be a star.
C.To share Nala’s pictures. D.To attract public attention.
3.How did Miranda feel about Nala’s popularity?
A.Satisfied. B.Amazed.
C.Upset. D.Disappointed.
4.What does the underlined phrase “that dream” in paragraph 4 refer to?
A.Being eager to be loved.
B.Starting life in the shelter.
C.Gaining chances to earn money.
D.Being raised by Instagram fans.
Caves (洞穴) have a primary appeal — they hold the secrets to our past and are mysterious in and of themselves.
● Mammoth Cave
Kentucky, USA
The longest cave system in the world lies beneath the Green River Valley in Kentucky and while over 400 miles of passageways have been mapped, it has yet to be fully discovered. The complex limestone labyrinth (石灰岩迷宫) was discovered by humans 4,000 years ago.
● Blue Grotto
Capri, Italy
Once used as the personal swimming hole for the Roman Emperor Tiberius, this extremely bright sea cave is almost 200 feet long and 82 feet wide. Its unique glow comes from the light entering the small opening to the outside.
● Avshalom Cave Nature Reserve
Beit Shemesh, Israel
Also known as the Soreq Cave Nature Reserve, Avshalom is considered to be the Rosetta Stone of climate history in the Eastern Mediterranean through the packed stalactites (钟乳石) found in the cave, some of which are over 13 feet long, and are as old as 300,000 years.
● Cave of the Crystals
Naica, Mexico
This unique cave system in Mexico contains some of the largest natural crystals (水晶) ever found—the longest of which is 39 feet long and 13 feet thick. However, it is rarely explored due to logistical difficulties: it is extremely hot due to its location above a volcanic vent, and the huge crystals block also block the passage.
1.Where does the longest cave lie in?
A.Kentucky, USA. B.Capri, Italy.
C.Beit Shemesh, Israel. D.Naica, Mexico.
2.Avshalom is famous as .
A.the most beautiful cave. B.the Soreq Cave Nature Reserve.
C.the Emperor’s swimming hole. D.over 400 miles of passageways.
3.Which cave includes the largest natural crystals?
A.Cave of the Crystals. B.Blue Grotto.
C.Mammoth Cave. D.Avshalom Cave Nature Reserve.
假定你是高中生李华，你市正在开展创建文明城市活动。请你用英文写一篇演讲稿，内容 包括：创建文明城市的意义：自己的做法；发岀呼吁・
注意：1.词数120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，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：civilized文明的.
Dear friends,
I am Li Hua.
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That's all. Thanks for listening!
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
When I was seven years old, I went into my parent’s bedroom and saw my mother sitting at her sewing machine making doll clothes. When I asked her who the doll clothes were for, she told me that they were for the poor people, so I never gave it another thought. On the Christmas morning when I opened my present, there were those beautiful doll clothes. I said to her, “I thought the doll clothes were for the poor people.” My mother just smiled and said, “They are for the poor people. We’re poor.”
When I was nine years old my greatest desire in life was to own a pogo stick(弹簧单高跷). I had recently learned to walk on a pair of sticks my dad had made for me, and I thought that if I had a pogo stick surely I would be proud of my unbelievable skills.
When Christmas season rolled around again, I told my mother that the only thing I wanted was a pogo stick. My mother told me they were too expensive and that we simply couldn’t afford one. On a Saturday afternoon a couple of weeks before Christmas, my mom and dad told me we needed to go to Sears to pay our credit bill. While my mother and I were at the counter paying the bill, my dad said, “I’ll be right back. I need to see something in the tool department.” After the bill was taken care of, my mother and I went ahead and got in the truck. Soon my dad came walking out with a long box. I remember wondering at that very moment if it was a pogo stick in that box.
When we arrived back at home, my dad put the box in the barn(谷仓). While my parents were busy with their things, I walked out to the barn and found the box. I was so excited and I knew that as soon as I opened that magical box my bright shiny pogo stick would appear.
No such luck! Inside the box was a silly old broom. And so Christmas morning was both great and disappointing. I got some nice gifts but I didn’t get the present that I really wanted.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 使用5个及以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段,每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
After all the wrapping(包装) paper was cleaned up, my dad said he needed to tend to something in the barn.
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Paragraph 2:
I couldn’t believe how they were able to get the money for it and how they tricked me with the broom.
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