Student loan (贷款) debt has become a worldwide problem. In America, the country's overall student debt reached a record of $1.6 trillion in 2019. The average person with student loan debt owed between $20,000 and $25,000. A recent Japanese government report says it has been lending over $9 billion yearly to students since 2010. Similar conditions exist in Africa and South America.
Several factors account for high student loan debt. One is that employers everywhere have increased their demands for skilled workers, making higher education a requirement for many jobs. The students, however, after graduation, often find that their country's economy is not strong enough to support their financial needs, so their ability to pay back the loan becomes a problem.
To solve the problem, many countries are seeking their ways. Australia has developed a system where students do not have to pay anything back until they are earning at least $40,000 a year. In America, several candidates running for president in the 2020 election have offered more extreme solutions that all or at least some of these loans will be forgiven.
Some professors in several universities recently studied what the effects of debt forgiveness might be. They found that, overall, sudden debt relief greatly improved the borrowers' lives. Not only did they have more money, but they were more likely to move to a new area and seek better paying work.
Yet the professors' research doesn't include what might happen to financial institutions or the overall economy if debt were totally forgiven. It only looks at how debt forgiveness would help the borrowers. They warn of some other possible negative effects. If a borrower knew that if he ran into any trouble he would be saved because he could get the debt relief, then he might actually become more reckless (轻率的) with his borrowing in the future.
No matter what, the professors agree that if countries do decide to approve some student debt relief the neediest students should be helped first.
1.How does the author introduce the problem of student loan?
A.By making a comparison. B.By making classifications.
C.By presenting some statistics. D.By setting down general rules.
2.What can we learn about student loan debt relief?
A.It will surely provide some benefits to borrowers.
B.It has already been carried out in the United States.
C.It aims to encourage more students to borrow money.
D.It will prevent a person from landing a well-paying job.
3.What is the professors' attitude to debt forgiveness?
A.Uncaring. B.Positive.
C.Disapproving. D.Cautious.
4.What's the main idea of the text?
A.Student loan debt is the most serious problem worldwide.
B.Growing global student debt fuels search for solutions.
C.Student loan debt tends to pull the needy out of trouble.
D.People hold different opinions on debt forgiveness.
I'm not much of a gardener. I love having beautiful flowers-but I don't have a good track record when it comes to making them grow.
A few months after our son left for the Middle East, my friend gifted me a box of tulip bulbs (郁金香球茎). She explained that these bulbs were put into the ground in the fall and lay sleeping all winter. They had all the nutrients they needed inside the bulb and would come out in the spring. ''When you see the leaves of the tiny flowers pushing toward the sun, you'll know that it's almost time for your son to come home. They'll give you what you need most.'' She walked me through the process of planting them. I thanked her — trying to show my gratitude for her gift.
It was a long winter — cold and dark. I endured both the weather and the loneliness and fear I felt with my son away. Dead leaves, frost and finally a heavy snow covered the area where I'd planted those flowers, and I soon forgot they were there.
Finally the weather began to warm. One day, as I walked down my front steps, I noticed an area of green. I bent down to inspect the situation more clearly and saw that those tulips had begun to grow, their tiny leaves forcing their way to the sun.
Day after day I noted the flowers' progress. And day after day, the time approached when my son would finally be home. Now with spring just around the corner, nothing could keep either of us from marching toward the light. Almost all of those bulbs bloomed. And with each brightly colored flower, I marked off one day closer to getting to hold my son in my arms again.
1.What can we know about the author?
A.She is a professional gardener.
B.She is not good at growing flowers.
C.She never plants flowers at home.
D.She often sends friends flowers as gifts.
2.Why did the writer forget the tulip bulbs soon?
A.The bitter winter reminded her of her son far away.
B.She was discouraged from making another attempt.
C.They failed to live through the cold and long winter.
D.She had no hope for beautiful flowers indeed.
3.What were those flowers mentioned in the last paragraph referred to?
A.A physical representation of the hope.
B.Things deep inside her heart and soul.
C.A lesson she will never forget completely.
D.The trouble she had in making them come out.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.A dark winter with hope. B.Planting hope in winter.
C.An area of green in spring. D.Living a changeable life.
For underwater photographer Brian Skerry, there are good days. The sun shines, the water's clear. But most days aren't like that. The whales don't show up, or there are particles (颗粒)in the water, or wind brings the waves, or the sun dips behind a cloud at the worst moment.
A National Geographic photography fellow and the 2017, Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year, Skerry free dives — which means no scuba tanks, no equipment except his fins, mask, and camera. Over the past two years he's spent nine weeks off the eastern Caribbean island of Dominica in a 30-Foot boat running after sperm whales around their warm-water habitat.
Sperm whales are intelligent, and mad, escaping to ocean depths when pursued. Still, their ranks have been thinned by whaling, overfishing, and other contact with humans, to the point that the world's conservationists assess them as either vulnerable or endangered. Skerry wants his photos to inform the scientific research and education efforts that will bring whales more attention and potentially some relief. “I feel a sense of responsibility and urgency to make people care about the marine giants,” he says. “I want to give them, for lack of a better word, some humanity.”
Scientists know sperm whales as the ocean's largest toothed animals that kills other animals. They have the biggest brains of any known animal, can weigh up to 45 tons, and have been observed displaying humanlike qualities, such as curiosity and playfulness. But despite their size and their expressiveness, sperm whales remain one of the ocean's biggest mysteries. Do they share complex ideas?
1.What is "free dives"?
A.Diving without charge. B.Diving without sponsors.
C.Diving with little equipment. D.Diving with few regulations.
2.What does the underlined word "vulnerable" probably mean?
A.Easily attacked. B.Strongly built.
C.Desperately driven. D.Distantly removed.
3.What can we learn about the sperm whales from the text?
A.Sperm whales are the largest fish in the sea.
B.Sperm whales are as clever as the human being.
C.Sperm whales enjoy being photographed by photographers.
D.Sperm whales' population has declined due to illegal fishing.
4.Where is the text probably taken from?
A.Technology magazine. B.Tourism advertisement.
C.National geography. D.Entertainment report.
Camp Odayin provides fun, safe and supportive camp experiences and community building opportunities for young people and their families this year.
Winter Camp February 15 - February 17
It is hosted in Amery, a two-hour drive from the Twin Cities and free round trip transportation is provided from Minneapolis and Madison. This camp is for children who have attended Residential Camp or Day Camp before. Campers can experience snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding. Registrations are processed during December & January.
Moms Retreat May 16 - May 17
Scheduled in downtown Stillwater, Moms Retreat will seek to improve the quality of caregivers' life. It will include meals, boarding and yoga activities.
Registration will open in April for moms that receive the email invitation from Camp Odayin. If the limit is reached, we will start a wait list.
Residential Camp July 13 - July 18
Campers will have a chance to communicate with other young people sharing the same grade. Hosted in Lutherdale, it will include swimming, horseback riding and talent show. The approval by the Camp Odayin Director is necessary.
Registration will open in early March and is due May 1st.
Family Camp October 26 - November 1
Hosted in Camp Lake, the camp is a two-night commitment for families with children suffering from heart diseases, who will benefit from connecting with other families who have similar health, emotional and social concerns. Activities will include drawing, fancy dress balls and movies.
Families who have a child in 12th grade or younger (no minimum age) can attend. Camper registration is available online in late August.
1.Which camp is intended for previous campers only?
A.Moms Retreat. B.Winter Camp.
C.Residential Camp. D.Family Camp.
2.Where can you go if you choose to register on August 28?
A.To Amery. B.To Stillwater.
C.To Camp Lake. D.To Lutherdale.
3.What is special about Residential Camp?
A.It offers a variety of activities.
B.It provides access to shopping.
C.It allows sick children to participate.
D.It requires the camp leader's approval.
假定你是晨光中学的李华，你校英国交换生Tom想利用假期到中国各地旅游，发邮件向你询问如何购买火车票。请你回复邮件，内容包括：
1. 所需证件（护照）；
2. 购票方式（售票窗口、网上）；
3. 车站取票。
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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短文改错
Last year, Jack and his classmates made a trip to London. On his arrival at the airport, it was raining heavy. So they took a bus to the hotel, where was not far from the airport. The next day, they can’t wait to see the wonderful place of interest in London. They first went to the Elizabeth Tower, symbol of the United Kingdom. The guide told them the tower had been appeared in many films. Then they visited the British Museum. To their great surprise, they found much Chinese artworks displayed there. Felt very proud, they took a lot of photos but they really had great fun.
