In her 17 years, Shreya Venkat has done more to help the planet and the people living on it than many adults. The non-profit organization she founded, NEST4US, has helped tens of thousands of ______ people in the United States.
Venkat’s passion for ______ others started as soon as she could walk, as her parents, ______volunteers themselves, brought her along on their various projects. By fifth grade, she’d ______ such enthusiasm for it that she could start her own ______ projects.
NEST4US was ______ when she happened to meet a man seeking for food. “There was a homeless man and he was ______ a sign that said ‘Hungry Need Food’,” she remembers. “So I gave him my lunch-it was just a banana, a granola bar, and a water-and his whole face just______. I found out he hadn’t eaten in a week! It was so ______. It only took me 30 seconds, and it really helped him.” Then, she decided to just ______.
She emails, calls, and talks, which is quite ______ her age, to business owners in-person to ask for donations. From there, volunteers pick up the donated food and ______ it to local shelters. As much as she has helped others, they’ve helped her too, she says. Not only does she get a lot of ______ and personal satisfaction from her volunteer work but she says running NEST4US has taught her important life ______ like time management, public speaking, writing, and leadership. “What it’s really given me is this view, of ______ other people first,” she says.
1.A.disabled B.homeless C.dangerous D.elder
2.A.helping B.watching C.teaching D.finding
3.A.related B.brave C.active D.sharp
4.A.asked B.struggled C.searched D.developed
5.A.service B.invention C.environment D.protection
6.A.lost B.changed C.born D.brought
7.A.holding B.sending C.looking D.reading
8.A.gave up B.lit up C.put up D.made up
9.A.embarrassing B.easy C.particular D.challenging
10.A.talk B.show C.act D.dream
11.A.equal B.under C.between D.beyond
12.A.deliver B.refer C.sell D.share
13.A.talent B.salary C.joy D.trouble
14.A.ideas B.skills C.ways D.types
15.A.putting B.wanting C.giving D.having
1. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses（球场）in good condition. 2. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
3. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. 4. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements（代替物）for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. 5. And best of all, it’s free.
A.It will cost you a lot.
B.This causes major environmental effects.
C.There are many environment-friendly sports.
D.Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature.
E.If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones.
F.There is no special requirement for you to start your membership.
G.More and more people are concerned about environmental protection.
Don’t know how to take care of your plants? A little spider-like robot will chase the sunlight, run to shade, dance when it’s doing well and stomp (跺脚) when it needs to be watered.
It’s called the HEXA Plant, a six-legged machine created by Vincross, a robotics company in Beijing, China.
The robot plant will crawl toward the sunlight when it needs it, then will rotate (转动) when it enjoys the sun in order to absorb its rays on all sides. When it needs to cool off, it will look for shade. It also plays with humans and dances when it is happy, moving its legs up and down. But it gets “angry” when it’s thirsty by stomping its legs.
With six legs, the HEXA Plant can move anywhere-in any direction and around any objects in its path. It’s even nimble enough to navigate (导航) unexpected drops, like if it had to suddenly step over a gap between two tabletops. It has a variety of “eyes”, including an infrared sensor (红外线感应器), a distance sensor, and a 720p camera with night vision, which could be very handy if you want it to send it out like a guard dog at night, to go check on any sudden noises. It has a built-in Wifi as well as various ports (USB) to expand its many talents.
So sure, it’ s not as cute as a garden gnome (守护精灵), but it can do a lot more than just stand there and look cute.
The inventor of the cute robot, Sun Tiangi, was inspired by a dead sunflower. He had idea why it died-whether it was because of the lack of sunshine or water. That’s when he had the idea for the walking plant. He says plants are passive. He wants to allow plants to experience movement.
1.What can’t the HEXA Plant do?
A.Find a cool place when it feels hot.
B.Play with people.
C.Drink water when it’s thirsty.
D.Move in any direction.
2.What does the underlined word “nimble” in the forth paragraph mean?
A.Happy. B.Clever. C.Angry. D.Passive.
3.What inspired Sun Tianqi to invent the HEXA Plant?
A.A walking plant. B.A dead sunflower.
C.Sunshine and water. D.A strange animal.
4.Where can we most probably read the passage?
A.In an advertisement. B.In a novel.
C.In a science magazine. D.In a storybook.
The idea of turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing is not new. During the past five years, a large number of clothing companies, businesses and environmental organizations have started turning plastics into fabric to deal with plastic pollution. But there’s a problem with this method. Research now shows that microfibers (微纤维) could be the biggest source of plastic in the sea.
Dr. Mark Browne in Santa Barbara, California, has been studying plastic pollution and microfibers for 10 years. He explains that every time synthetic (合成的) clothes go into a washing machine, a large number of plastic fibers fall off. Most washing machines can’t collect these microfibers. So every time the water gets out of a washing machine, microfibers enter the sewer and finally end up in the sea.
In 2011, Browne wrote a paper stating that a single piece of synthetic clothing can produce more than 1,900 fibers per wash. Browne collected samples (样本) from seawater and freshwater sites around the world, and used a special way to examine each sample. He discovered that every single water sample contained microfibers.
This is bad news for a number of reasons. Plastic can cause harm to sea life when eaten. Studies have also shown that plastic can absorb (吸收) other pollutants.
Based on this evidence, it may seem surprising that companies and organizations have chosen to turn plastic waste into clothing as an environmental “solution”. Even though the science has been around for a while, Browne explains that he’s had a difficult time getting companies to listen. When he asked well-known clothing companies to support Benign by Design, his research project that seeks to get clothes that have a bad effect on humans and the environment out of the market, Browne didn’t get a satisfying answer. Only one women’s clothing company, Eileen Fisher, offered Browne funding.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A.The use of plastic bottle has been reduced in the past five years.
B.Turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing hasn’t been put into practice.
C.New microfibers have been discovered.
D.Making clothes from plastic bottles can’t reduce the pollution.
2.What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?
A.The relationship between plastic pollution and microfibers.
B.How microfibers end up in the sea.
C.How to wash synthetic clothes.
D.How to prevent plastic pollution.
3.How does Browne’s Benign by Design research project run?
A.It has achieved great success. B.It is facing some difficulties.
C.It is known to very few people. D.It hasn’t got anything done.
4.What’s the best title for the text?
A.Microfibers, the biggest source of plastic in the sea
B.Recycled plastic clothing: solution or pollution?
C.Environmental protection : moving forward or backward?
D.Turning recycled plastic bottles into clothing, a new step in environmental protection
Thomas Panek has completed 20 marathons, however, he made history on Sunday at the New York City Half Marathon.
While visually impaired（视觉障碍）runners usually use human guides, Mr Panek became the first person to complete the race supported by guide dogs. A trio of Labradors - Westley, Waffle and Gus - each accompanied (陪伴) him for a third of the race. The team finished in two hours and 21 minutes.
Mr Panek, who lost his sight in his early 20s, showed that while he appreciated the support of human volunteers, he missed the feeling of independence. In 2015, Mr Panek established the Running Guides programme which trains dogs to support runners.
When selecting his companions for the race, Mr Panek chose siblings Waffle and Westley to join Gus, who is his full-time guide dog. “The relationship is really important. You can’t just pick up the harness (挽带) and go for a run with these dogs,” Mr Panek said. “You’re training with a team no matter what kind of athlete you are, and you want to spend time together in that training camp.”
Each dogs sets its own pace — Westley runs an eight minute mile, while his sister Waffle can cover the same distance in six minutes—and helps Mr Panek avoid obstacles such as kerbs（路缘）and cones (椎体). Each dog wears a special harness and set of running boots, to protect their paws.
Gus was chosen to run the final leg of the race and cross the finish line with Mr Panek. He retired from his duties as a guide dog at the end of the race.
According to Mr Panek, guide dogs give visually impaired people the freedom to “do whatever it is a sighted person does, and sometimes, even run a little faster than them”.
1.In which way did Thomas Panek make history?
A.He set a new record of time in running the half marathon.
B.He is the first blind person who take part in the marathon.
C.He finished the competition with help of human volunteers.
D.He is the first blind person finishing half marathon with guide dogs.
2.What can we learn about Thomas Panek?
A.He stopped running after he lost sight.
B.He enjoyed running with human volunteers.
C.He is the founder of the Running Guides programme.
D.He got the gold medal at the New York City Half Marathon.
3.What do you know about the three dogs?
A.They didn’t get training before the race.
B.Westley runs faster than Waffle.
C.Gus is Panek’s full-time guide dog.
D.Westley retired after the race.
4.The passage is ______.
A.an essay B.a news report C.a biography D.a review
The Summer Acting＆Musical Theater program, which starts on Friday, July 3 and ends on Thursday, July 23, is created for talented students who have been inspired by musical theater.
The program develops the abilities of experienced performers who are serious about the field and eager to work hard. Our goal is to help you grow creatively through full-time, college-level theater training under the direction of popular professional performers and teachers.
The students can improve their performance skills and can get the knowledge about the history of theater, the style of theater and so on. Students will complete the program with improved audition（试演）skills.
Classes aim to improve your command of body, mind and voice. Students will take a trip to see at least one professional production with program teachers.
An exhibition of the students’ class work will be presented at the conclusion of the program to family, friends, students from other Summer College programs, and the University community.
Program Costs: Accommodation: $3, 359; Traffic: $2, 234.
Audition requirements
Auditions should include the following video materials:
Two different songs;
One age-suitable monologue（独白）;
One short dance part;
A personal statement regarding your background and training, experience in performances, and personal goals in theater;
Each part of the audition should be about one minute in length;
You should be the only person shown in the audition;
The audition is given online with your application.
Typical day
9:00 am to noon classes focus on musical theater, including acting, voice, movement, dance and scene study.
1:00 to 4:00 pm classes involve additional work in acting, movement, and voice, along with rehearsals（排练）for public performances.
1.What can we learn about the program?
A.It lasts for a month.
B.It is intended for anyone who is interested in theater.
C.It offers students chance to act together with program teachers.
D.It aims to improve students’ performance skills as well as knowledge of theatre.
2.If you want to take part in the program, you should _______.
A.have experience in theater performance
B.make an audition with other students
C.have a face-to -face interview
D.take part in an examination
3.What’s the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A.To tell us how to hold a musical theater program successfully.
B.To call on more students to pay attention to theater.
C.To explain how to make an audition.
D.To introduce the Summer Acting program.
