A huge 3D printer is now building new homes in the countryside in Southern Mexico. It is the world’s first 3D-printed village. Could this be part of the global housing solution?
The 500-square-foot houses are finished with roofs, windows and the inside parts. A nonprofit organization called New Story leading the project believes that the new construction could be part of the solution for affordable housing in some of the places in the world. The organization hopes to build 50 new houses by the end of 2020, replacing the ones that residents built themselves out of wood, metal and whatever materials they could afford.
The families live in a seismic zone that usually suffer from flooding. Building something that will stand up to an earthquake and keep them dry during heavy rains is a key consideration when it comes to the design.
New Story has been helping families in need of shelter. It has built more than 2,700 homes in South America and Mexico since it was founded in 2014. This is the first home-building project that it’s done with 3D printing.
Each house takes 24 hours, which is about two times faster than it takes to build a home with regular construction. The house has two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room and a kitchen. And the houses can resist powerful earthquakes.
The technology is there and the application to building homes for those in need brings a lot of hope for the future. Experts say 3D printing is not science fiction. We have moved beyond science fiction into reality.3D printers build homes faster, better and less expensively. In the future, this will be humanity’s perfect housing solution that matches our highest values and ideals.
1.What do we know about New Story?
A.It must be a famous company. B.It values 3D printing technology.
C.It earns a lot by building houses. D.It takes the lead in 3D printing technology.
2.What's the focus for people living in the earthquake zone to build houses?
A.Predicting floods. B.Resisting earthquakes.
C.Saving building costs. D.Using expensive materials.
3.What does the author think of 3D printing?
A.It is hard to apply. B.It is science fiction.
C.It has a bright future. D.It has perfectly solved housing problems.
4.What’s the best title for the text?
A.A Huge 3D Printer B.New Story, a Great Nonprofit
C.The World’s First 3D-printed Village D.3D-printed Houses, Popular Worldwide
Teens and younger children are reading a lot less for fun, according to a Common Sense Media report published on Monday.
While the decline(下降) over the past decade is steep for teen readers, some data in the report shows that reading remains a big part of many children’s lives,and indicates how parents might help encourage more reading.
According to the report’s key findings, “the proportion(比例) who say they ‘hardly ever’ read for fun has gone from 8 percent of 13-year-olds and 9 percent of 17-year-olds in 1984 to 22 percent and 27 percent respectively(分别地) today.”
The report data shows that pleasure reading levels for younger children, ages 2-8, remain largely the same. But the amount of time spent in reading each passage has declined, from closer to an hour or more to closer to a half hour per passage.
When it comes to technology and reading, the report does little to suggest parents looking for data about the effect of e-readers and tablets on reading. It does point out that many parents still limit electronic reading, mainly due to concerns about increased screen time.
The most hopeful data shared in the report shows clear evidence of parents serving as examples and important guides for their kids when it comes to reading. Data shows that kids and teens who do read frequently, compared to infrequent readers, have more books in the home,more books purchased for them, parents who read more often,and parents who set aside time for them to read.
As the end of school approaches, and school vacation reading lists loom(逼近) ahead, parents might take this chance to step in and make their own summer reading lists and plan a family trip to the library or bookstore.
1.What’s the proportion of 17-year-olds who rarely read for fun today?
A.8%. B.9%. C.22%. D.27%.
2.Why do many parents limit electronic reading?
A.Buying e-books costs too much. B.Children are addicted to e-books.
C.It is a waste of time to read e-books. D.It may be harmful to children’s health.
3.The key role in helping children to read lies in_____________.
A.Parents B.teachers C.interests D.environment
4.In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?
A.Health. B.Education. C.Science. D.Entertainment.
Shortly after graduating in 2012, Dutch fashion designer Bas Timmer heard some upsetting news. While he had been busy drawing designs for his new brand, a friend’s father, who was homeless, had died of hypothermia（体温过低）just meters away from his studio. The young man set aside his personal ambitions and instead used his design skills to create Sheltersuit—a jacket that doubles as a sleeping bag to protect the world's homeless against extreme weather.
To transform the coat into a sleeping bag, the wearer simply zips（用拉链拉上）on a second piece to the bottom. The suit’s large hood（兜帽）helps protect against bright street lights at night, while a built-in scarf adds warmth and protection. When not in use,the “portable shelter” can be tucked away in the accompanying backpack.
The designer had originally intended to create a limited number of Sheltersuits and then go back to develop his clothing brand. “I thought, OK, I'm going to make 100,” he says. However, demand for the product, which was an instant hit, has never stopped. Over the past four years, Timmer and his team have distributed 6,000 Sheltersuits to the homeless in Europe.
To help pay for the production cost, Timmer set up the Sheltersuit Foundation, which accepts donations from both groups and individuals. Since March 2019, the team has also been using its factory to create clothing, bag and other things for paying customers.
Though Timmer’s efforts are deserving to be praised，the special clothing is not the solution(解 决）to this serious social issue，which is largely the result of income loss and the rising house prices in US cities like San Francisco and New York. Hopefully, governments, groups and individuals will come together to find a way to help the people that are down on their luck.
1.What did Timmer do after knowing a friend’s father’s death?
A.He took aim at the poor.
B.He went to comfort his friend.
C.He closed his studio at once to design a new brand.
D.He created a kind of jacket against coldness for the homeless.
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “tucked away” in paragraph 2?
A.Raised. B.Removed.
C.Put away. D.Given back.
3.What made Timmer keep producing Sheltersuits?
A.Great demand. B.Huge profits.
C.Unique styles. D.Personal ambition.
4.Why did Timmer found the Sheltersuit Foundation?
A.He found it hard to make money.
B.He hoped to raise money for production.
C.He was unwilling to make clothes with his own money.
D.He expected more people to participate in the creation.
Christmas Glow, RHS Wisley, Surrey
The garden is flowing with large lighted flowers. Some of the trees are brilliant, too. The glasshouse is decorated like a gingerbread house, and displays (展览) seasonal plants. There are lanterns around the lake. The cafe serves hot chocolate and apple juice.
●£9.90, adult £3.60, child
●20 Dec. to 2 Jan.
Festival of Light, Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire
Longleat is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Large lanterns take the shape of some of the park’s animals, and there are also lots of characters in Beatrix Potter’s book, such as Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck, Squirrel Nutkin, to mark the 150th anniversary of the author’s birth. There is also a 20-metre-high birthday cake.
●£27.85, adult £20.65, child under-threes, free
●15 Dec. to 2 Jan.
Festival of Light, Enchanted Park, Gateshead
Enchanted Park is an interactive walk through Saltwell Park, just south of the town centre, along a trail of light with performances and sculptures. “The story being told is Midwinter Night’s Tale, inspired by the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death.” Visitors can join stories and songs with Santa, and attend decorating workshops.
●£8, adult £2, child under-fours, free
●11-27 Dec.
Christmas at Kew Gardens or London
Kew is a special place to visit at any time of the day or year, but the festive light show gives it a magical twist, as the mile-long trail through the garden is decorated with 60,000 lights. Some of the garden’s oldest and tallest trees are also beautifully lit along the way.
●£16, adult £10, child under-fours, free
●24 Dec. to 2 Jan.
1.Which of the following events last the longest?
A.Christmas Glow, RHS Wisley, Surrey.
B.Festival of Light, Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire.
C.Festival of Light, Enchanted Park, Gateshead.
D.Christmas at Kew Gardens or London.
2.What can people do in Enchanted Park?
A.Learn to write stories. B.Play with wild animals.
C.Pay a visit to glasshouses. D.Sing songs with Santa.
3.How much should a woman and her 4-year-old twin children pay to visit Kew Gardens?
A.£16. B.£26. C.£36. D.£48.
假定你叫李华，是遵义市某高中高一年级学生。近期遵义大剧院将举办一场由全国知名钢琴家带来的钢琴演奏会。请你写信邀请你的朋友Mike去听演奏会。内容包括：1.时间:7月14日晚8：00—10：002地点:长征路人民公园对面3其他:乘坐公交车302C，穿正装，提前半小时到达
注意：1.词数100左右;2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连;3.参考词汇：遵义大剧院Zunyi Grand Theater
假如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（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
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。
Bollywood, that is the name of the film industry in Mumbai, India, make almost 1,000 films a year. Since 1913, Bollywood has been made over 29,000 films. This is a much high number than Hollywood in the USA and means it is biggest film industry in the world. Most Indians enjoy watching films better than any other free-time activities like traveling or do sports. Ten millions people go to the cinema every day. Indian films are also warm welcomed outside India. Last year, Bollywood made over $500 million with selling its films to other countries. Indian actors make more films each year than American actors in Hollywood, and they are not paid so much.
