In my memory, my mother was a small delicate woman, who even in high-heeled shoes was barely one and a half meters tall. Her hair was fine and black and always put up in a knot. She would always be standing at the top of the stairs, smiling down at me when I raced breathlessly home for lunch after a ten-minute walk from the primary school.
One day I was picked out to perform Alice of the play Alice in Wonderland, and ford weeks my mother had rehearsed(排练)my lines so hard with me. But no matter how easily I acted at home, every time I stepped on stage, every word disappeared from my head. Finally my teacher took me aside and explained that she had written a narrator(旁白)part for the play, and asked me to change roles. How upset and embarrassed I was!
I didn’t tell my mother what had happened that day. But she sensed my pain. Instead of suggesting we practice my lines, she asked if I wanted to walk in the yard.
It was a lovely spring day and the rose vine was turning green. Under the huge trees, we could see yellow daisies(雏菊)in the grass in bunches, as if a painter had touched our landscape with dots of gold. I watched my mother casually bend down by one daisy. “I think I’m going to dig up all these weeds, ”she said, pulling up by its roots. “From now on, we’ll have only roses in this garden.”
“But I like daisies,” I protested. “All flowers are beautiful-even daisies.”
My mother looked at me seriously. “Yes, every flower gives pleasure in its own way, doesn’t it?” she asked thoughtfully. I nodded, pleased that I had won her over. “And that is true of people too,” she added. “Not everyone can be the rose, but there is no shame in that.” Relieved that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry as I told her what had happened. She listened and smiled encouragingly.
“You will be a wonderful narrator,” she said, handing me a yellow daisy.
The day finally came and my mother sat among the audience.
One afternoon after school, Mary and her brother, Keith, were eating at a cafe near their home. That afternoon, they had to share their table with another person. That person was a young lady in her twenties. After eating, she went to the restroom. Without realizing, she had left her cellphone on the table. Five minutes later, she came out and walked out of the cafe without looking back.
Mary saw the cellphone on the table. She quickly told Keith, “Keith, the girl left behind her cellphone.”Keith looked at the cellphone. It took his breath away. It was one of the latest models on the market. Keith had always wanted a cellphone. But his parents had told him, “You don’t need one. You can always use the house phone.” He stared at it for some minutes. Then, he said slowly, pausing on every word, “I want to take the cellphone.” Mary could not believe her ears. She only stared at her brother, “You can’t! What if the owner comes to look for it?”
After making the decision, Keith quickly got the cellphone and put it in his schoolbag. Then, he took Mary’s hand and led her out of the cafe quickly.
Once back home, Keith locked his room door with trembling (颤抖的) hands. Inside his room, he took out the piece of beauty. Oh, he liked it so much. He had his own cellphone. Soon, he was polishing it happily. But Mary told him, “Keith, you cannot keep the cellphone. What will you tell our father about this? He will ask you how you got the cellphone.” Keith said quickly, “I will say a friend lent it to me.” Mary said, “Now you are lying too. Oh dear! When had Keith turned so dishonest?”
Then, Mary saw a house phone number on the cover of the cellphone. “This is the girl’s phone number. Why don’t we just call this number? We will talk to her and ask her to come and take back her cellphone,” she was trying to talk some sense into him.
That night, Keith turned over in bed from time to time.
Mary was very happy to hear that.
Who is a genius? This question has greatly interested humankind for centuries.
Let’s state clearly: Einstein was a genius. His face is almost the international symbol for genius. But we want to go beyond one man and explore the nature of genius itself. Why is it that some people are so much more intelligent or creative than the rest of us? And who are they?
In the sciences and arts, those praised as geniuses were most often white men, of European origin. Perhaps this is not a surprise. It’s said that history is written by the victors, and those victors set the standards for admission to the genius club. When contributions were made by geniuses outside the club—women, or people of a different color or belief—they were unacknowledged and rejected by others.
A study recently published by Science found that as young as age six, girls are less likely than boys to say that members of their gender(性别)are “really, really smart.” Even worse, the study found that girls act on that belief: Around age six they start to avoid activities said to be for children who are “really, really smart.” Can our planet afford to have any great thinkers become discouraged and give up? It doesn’t take a genius to know the answer: absolutely not.
Here’s the good news. In a wired world with constant global communication, we’re all positioned to see flashes of genius wherever they appear. And the more we look, the more we will see that social factors(因素)like gender, race, and class do not determine the appearance of genius. As a writer says, future geniuses come from those with “intelligence, creativity, perseverance(毅力), and simple good fortune, who are able to change the world.”
1．What does the author think of victors’ standards for joining the genius club?| A．They’re unfair. | B．They’re conservative. |
| C．They’re objective. | D．They’re strict. |
| A．They think themselves smart. |
| B．They look up to great thinkers. |
| C．They see gender differences earlier than boys. |
| D．They are likely to be influenced by social beliefs |
| A．Improved global communication. |
| B．Less discrimination against women. |
| C．Acceptance of victors’ concepts. |
| D．Changes in people’s social positions. |
| A．Geniuses Think Alike | B．Genius Takes Many Forms |
| C．Genius and Intelligence | D．Genius and Luck |
People are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Purchasing property that is environmentally responsible is a good investment for those who are
If everything goes according to plan, Dockside Green will be a
Energy efficiency is one of the
Planners of eco-communities such as Dockside Green must take the
Dockside residents will be encouraged to take advantage of a mini transport system and buy into the community’s car share program. Finally, plans are underway for a high-tech heating system that will use
Dockside residents will
| A．ashamed of | B．concerned about | C．connected with | D．proud of |
| A．scene | B．memory | C．focus | D．diet |
| A．harmonious | B．digital | C．crowded | D．self-sufficient |
| A．put aside | B．belong to | C．consist of | D．make up |
| A．natural | B．mixed | C．historic | D．fancy |
| A．animals | B．pesticides | C．consumers | D．conferences |
| A．top | B．embarrassing | C．global | D．questionable |
| A．convenience | B．advantage | C．protection | D．impact |
| A．for fear that | B．so that | C．because | D．although |
| A．However | B．In particular | C．Therefore | D．In addition |
| A．image | B．future | C．label | D．decoration |
| A．emissions | B．accidents | C．unemployment | D．crime |
| A．traditional | B．man-made | C．renewable | D．enough |
| A．result from | B．refer to | C．contribute to | D．benefit from |
| A．desirable | B．reliable | C．recyclable | D．imaginary |
| A．raised | B．rose | C．aroused | D．arose |
| A．has been；since | B．had been；until |
| C．was；after | D．would be；before |
Wildlife populations around the world are facing dramatic declines, according to new figures that have led environmental campaigners to call for urgent action to rescue the natural world. The 2022 Living Planet Index (LPI), produced by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), reveals that studied populations of mammals, birds, reptiles (爬行动物) and fish have seen an average decline of 69 per cent since 1970, faster than previous predictions. The LPI tracked global biodiversity between 1970 and 2018, based on the monitoring of 31,821 populations of 5230 vertebrate (脊椎动物) species. Mark Wright of WWF says the degree of decline is destructive and continues to worsen. “We are not seeing any really positive signs that we are beginning to bend the curve of nature,” he says.
Freshwater vertebrates have been among the hardest-hit populations, with monitored populations showing an average decline of 83 per cent since 1970. The Amazon pink river dolphin, for example, has experienced a 65 per cent decline in its population between 1994 and 2016. Meanwhile, some of the most biodiverse regions of the world are seeing the steepest falls in wildlife, with the Caribbean and central and south America seeing average wildlife population declined by 94 per cent since 1970. Habitat loss and reduction is the largest driver of wildlife loss in all regions around the world, followed by species overexploitation by hunting, fishing or poaching (偷猎).
In December, governments from around the world will gather in Montreal, Canada, for the COP15 Biodiversity Framework, a much-delayed summit that aims to agree on a set of new targets intended to prevent the loss of animals, plants and habitats globally by 2030. “This is a once-in-a-decade opportunity that’s coming up,” says Robin Freeman of ZSL. He says it is vital that governments use the summit to agree on “meaningful, well measurable targets and goals”. “We need governments to take action to ensure that those goals deal with the complicated combined threats of climate change and biodiversity, in order for us to see a meaningful action,” says Freeman. But some researchers are critical of the LPI’s use of a headline figure of decline, warning it is easy to be misunderstood.
The findings don’t mean all species or populations worldwide are in decline. In fact, approximately half the populations show a stable or increasing trend, and half show a declining trend. “I think a more appropriate and useful way to look at it is to focus on specific species or populations,” says Hannah Ritchie at Our World in Data. But Wright says the LPI is a useful tool that reflects the findings of other biodiversity indicators. “All of those show they all scream there is something going really very badly wrong,” says Wright.
1．What does the underlined phrase in the first paragraph mean?| A．Loving and protecting nature. | B．Preserving the diversity of nature. |
| C．Underestimating the benefits of nature. | D．Destroying and changing nature. |
| A．the number of Amazon dolphins is on the rise |
| B．freshwater vertebrates are at risk of extinction |
| C．there are no positive measures to protect nature |
| D．some of the world’s wild animals are in decline |
| A．It makes sense to focus on a particular species. |
| B．Preventing the loss of habitats by 2030 is certain to happen. |
| C．New agreement on the prevention of habitat loss will be in vain. |
| D．The Caribbean wildlife has been well protected in recent decades. |
| A．The COP15 Biodiversity Framework |
| B．Wildlife Population Declining Sharply |
| C．Urgent Action to Save the Earth |
| D．Correct Interpretation of LPI |
Feel exhausted after a party? Rather see one close friend than a group of acquaintances? Enjoy your own company? In our world, that makes you an introvert (内向的人). However, there’s another possible explanation — vertical attachment. If you are closer to your parents and family members than to your peers, you are vertically attached, which means you rely more on family for comfort.
If you are closer to your peers, then you are peer attached. We live in a peer-oriented world. We believe that having lots of friends means that we are well-adjusted. We put our kids in playgroups and daycare for peer interaction. We expect teenagers to want to hang out with their friends, thinking it is the natural way of things.
Result? Generations often feel worlds apart. We use different language, dress, and technology apps. Even if multiple generations are invited to the same party, the kids go to the basement playroom while the parents stay upstairs.
Vertically-attached individuals can feel out of place in this context, demonstrating the traces of introversion. Will they be exhausted after a party with same-aged acquaintances? Absolutely. Would they rather spend time with one close friend? Sure. Do they enjoy alone time? Yes, more than they enjoy time fitting in with peers.
It’s normal that many people need alone time to recharge. However, vertically-attached people often label themselves as introverted. They feel insecure that others have more friends and live richer lives. They claim that their family attachments arise from their loved ones being stuck with them.
If you feel these insecurities, know that there is nothing wrong with you, and you are not missing out on anything. Your attachment style is just different from the culture where you live. Have confidence in the strength of the relationships you have, whether it is with a mom who feels more like a best friend, or a grandmother with whom you can share anything. They are meaningful, enriching relationships, even if they look different from the cultural norm.
1．Who is vertically attached according to the text?| A．Mike, who feels at ease with his teachers. |
| B．Maggie, who enjoys film time alone at weekends. |
| C．Tom, who feels burnt out after a family get-together. |
| D．Lisa, who often turns to her dad when things are hard. |
| A．Younger generations should be self-disciplined. |
| B．Being sociable is a desired quality for their children. |
| C．Their children need more friends than they themselves do. |
| D．Different generations should have different circles of acquaintances. |
| A．Be that as it may, just leave it as it is. |
| B．Never underestimate your inner power. |
| C．Hang out more with friends and adjust to it. |
| D．Treat others the way you want to be treated. |
| A．Biased. | B．Objective. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Critical. |
I had always prided myself on my sharp tongue and brilliant response whether in class debates or casual arguments. Thus, when I was selected to represent the school in the national debate series, I was naturally extremely confident of myself.
All the members in my team were good speakers. We had an experienced teacher who trained us well. But I was undoubtedly the most outstanding speaker. In each of the rounds that I debated in, all the judges selected me as the best one. This meant that my confidence was the highest by the time we found ourselves with one week to train before the finals. I had every reason to believe that I would be voted the best speaker for the debate series.
I began to be self-important about the whole business and started behaving that way with my team-mates. I would laugh at Eton’s poor debating style. I would complain of Vivian’s slow response. I saw myself as the natural debater who would be disappointed by their bad performance.
As the finals drew near, I became more and more dissatisfied with my team. I began missing practices. My teacher was worried. My teammates were panicked. However, they had no choice but to rely on me to win the finals. Even if they would love to remove me from the team they could not because there was no replacement good enough.
The day of the finals finally came. I was very excited that I was able to finally show off my debating skills. Everyone was expecting my performance.They knew that I was praised to be the one most likely to win the best speaker for the debate series.
But the reality was not something that I had ever imagined.
Suddenly,a comforting hand from behind held mine.
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