Dad dipped his hand into my basket. “What’s that?” he asked. “Mew,”said the basket. “ Oh no,” he said. “ Not a cat. No way. ” I pulled Checkers from the basket. “ It’s not a cat. It’s a kitten. Can I keep him? Please?” Dad frowned for a minute, thinking. Then he rubbed Checkers under the chin. “You’ll have to take good care of him. ” I hugged Checkers. “I will,” I promised. “He won’t be any trouble at all. ”
And Checkers wasn’t—until he grew into a cat. Sometimes he tripped Dad. “That cat!” Dad complained. Checkers climbed onto our roof. He had no trouble getting down. Usually he aimed for Dad. “That cat！”Dad yelled. Checkers flushed（冲水）the toilet，watching the water circle away. “That cat!”Dad groaned.
Checkers hid in strange places. He liked to surprise people. One day he hid under the couch. Dad walked by with a glass of orange juice. Checkers jumped out. He curled（蜷缩）around Dad’s ankle and attacked Dad’s toes. Orange juice spilt all over the floor. “Get out, Cat!” Dad roared. And he slammed the door.
Dad washed the scratches and peeled open bandages and wrapped them around his big toe and his ankle. I watched from the window. Checkers looked frustrated as he walked down the road. “I’m sorry. ” I said. “He was just playing. He didn’t mean to hurt you. ” “Don’t worry,” said Dad. “He will be back. ”
After supper I called for Checkers. But Checkers didn’t come. Nighttime came. I called and called. But still no Checkers. I left the porch light on. But the next morning Checkers still wasn’t there. I carried a picture of Checkers to all the neighbors. But nobody found Checkers. Days went by. Life wasn’t the same without that cat.
I was angry with Dad. I didn’t think he missed Checkers at all.
Then one night the phone rang.
I looked at Dad “You put an ad in the paper? ”
In times of distress, a friend would always suggest going for a walk. “Are you overwhelmed by your work? Take a talk around the neighborhood.” Comments like this are often said with nothing but the best of intentions, but they used to make me angry as much as being told to drink more water. I did not understand how these things were going to help.
Three years ago, I hit a low point. Once I saw a pair of empty eyes looking at me through the mirror, I knew I was at my breaking point. So, I took the advice I fought so hard to ignore. I went for a walk—with the hope that it would somehow change my life.
I embraced the fresh air everyone seemed to be talking about. But it did nothing. I was just as sad as I was before. I went on a walk every single day for more than a month. Some days I could hardly make it outside, but I managed to push through. I took a picture every time I went. I think I wanted to document (记录) myself trying to make an effort.
One day, the unthinkable happened. I found myself smiling. I realized I had patiently waited all morning to go on this walk. What I once hated had become the best part of my day. I found myself longing to be outside. I never had a destination in mind. I just danced along the trails, stopped to look at the beautiful blue skies and listened to music.
I’m glad I took pictures because there was a noticeable difference in my face. I slowly started to look less tired and defeated. I don’t know why I refused to go on that walk for so long. I guess I didn’t want to believe that something small and seemingly meaningless could actually make an impact on my physical and mental well-being.
If you’re having a bad day, a bad month, a bad year or even a bad life, you should try going for a walk. Sometimes, all we need to do is try.
1．How did the author use to feel when people suggested she go for a walk?| A．Pleased. | B．Annoyed. | C．Interested. | D．Surprised. |
| A．Her friend encouraged her. |
| B．She wanted to challenge herself. |
| C．Her hopelessness drove her to try. |
| D．She was eager to get close to nature. |
| A．She felt cheered up after the first week. |
| B．She always set off with a destination in mind. |
| C．She stopped for a while due to lack of progress. |
| D．She was inspired by the pictures she took of herself. |
| A．Care about our mental well-being. | B．Go for a walk when feeling down. |
| C．Stay positive when bad things happen. | D．Take other people’s suggestions seriously. |
China is recognized as a world leader in the development of artificial intelligence and facial recognition systems. A Chinese company says it has created a new facial recognition system that can identify people even if they are wearing masks. Engineers at the Beijing-based company say their system is the first to be created to effectively identify people wearing face masks.
The company told a news agency that a team of 20 people built the system in about a month. The system is based on existing technologies developed over the past 10 years. The process involved adding a collection of about 6 million unmasked faces and a much smaller collection of masked faces, the company said.
The company is now selling two main kinds of products that use the new technology. One performs “single channel” recognition, which is designed to be used at the entrances to buildings.
The other product is a ”multi-channel! "recognition system that uses groups of surveillance(监视)cameras. It can identify individuals in a crowd of up to 30 people within a second.
“When people are wearing a mask that covers the mouth and the nose, the recognition rate can reach about 95%, which can ensure that most people can be identified,” said Huang, vice president of the company. He added that the system’s success rate for people not wearing a mask is about 99. 5%.
However, the new system struggles to identify people wearing both a mask and sunglasses. “In this situation, all of the key facial information is lost. In such cases recognition is tough.” Huang said.
People were reacting differently to the new technology. While some citizens have been against using such tools, the majority have accepted the technology as an elective way to decrease crime and catch criminals.
1．What did the company do to build the system?| A．They gathered many face images. | B．They employed hundreds of people. |
| C．They used the latest technology. | D．They spent about a decade building it. |
| A．The new system has already been used by the police. |
| B．The recognition rate of masked faces is about 99. 5%. |
| C．It’s hard to recognize people with masks and sunglasses. |
| D．The single channel product is as powerful as the multi-channel. |
| A．Physicians. | B．Clowns. | C．Policemen. | D．Lawyers. |
| A．To show conflicting attitudes toward the system. |
| B．To introduce a new facial recognition system. |
| C．To advertise two products of facial recognition. |
| D．To show the advantages of facial recognition. |
Campaigners have been promoting the idea of purchasing local food recently, with the argument that it can reduce “food miles,” referring to the distance food travels from the producer to the shop owner. The greater the food miles, the higher the carbon emissions. Therefore, buying local food results in a lower carbon footprint and is considered more environmentally friendly.
Nonetheless, the actual situation is more complex than it appears. Importantly, imported food often possesses a lower carbon footprint compared to locally grown alternatives. Consider apples, for instance. Local apples in Britain, bought during winter or spring, have usually been stored in refrigeration for months, consuming substantial energy. In contrast, importing apples from New Zealand during their natural season, in spring, is more energy-efficient. Similarly, producing tomatoes in heated greenhouses in the UK has a greater environmental impact than importing them from Spain, where the climate favors their growth.
Additionally, the mode of transportation plays a significant role. Food transported by air tends to generate higher emissions. However, only a limited selection of items are flown to consumer countries, usually high-value and perishable goods that cannot be locally produced. Even in these cases, the carbon footprint of these foods may not surpass that of locally grown alternatives. For example, beans flown in from Kenya are cultivated in sunny fields using natural fertilizers, in contrast to Britain’s reliance on oil-based fertilizers and machinery.
It is crucial to acknowledge that a product’s journey extends beyond the supermarket. Driving long distances to shop for food can offset any environmental benefits gained from buying locally grown produce. Moreover, opting for local over imported food can negatively impact people in developing countries who rely on selling their produce overseas for their livelihoods.
Some supermarkets have recently attempted to raise awareness about food miles by labeling products to indicate air transportation. However, this message oversimplifies a food’s carbon footprint, which is influenced by various factors. Even if we exclusively purchase locally grown, in-season food, ethical concerns remain, potentially limiting dietary choices and affecting us all.
1．Why might choosing imported apples in the UK during spring be a favorable option?| A．It supports local farmers. |
| B．It minimizes energy consumption. |
| C．It offers cost-efficiency and convenience. |
| D．It significantly reduces carbon emissions. |
| A．Purchasing tomatoes imported from Spain. |
| B．Providing assistance to farmers in impoverished nations. |
| C．Buying beans transported by air from Kenya. |
| D．Undertaking long journeys to buy locally sourced food. |
| A．It facilitates ethical shopping decisions. |
| B．It fails to provide a comprehensive and accurate portrayal. |
| C．It elevates awareness of environmental concerns. |
| D．It offers precise product information. |
| A．To resolve a particular issue. |
| B．To make a forward-looking projection. |
| C．To challenge a prevalent belief. |
| D．To interpret an observed phenomenon. |
Books are a great way to learn new things and explore interesting stories.
You’re not exposed to blue light.
We are exposed to blue light so often, which is harmful to the eyes and could create issues later in life.
You may sleep better.
Reading before bed can be helpful in increasing the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. Along with longer sleep duration, reading at bedtime could improve your sleep quality once you doze off(打盹儿). If you’ve chosen to read something particularly boring, it’s likely to put you to sleep even faster.
Enjoying a book means being focused on a single plot or topic for several hours, even if we are only reading for 10 to 20 minutes every night. As a result, we become better at concentrating, and we may find that we improve our attention spans in the rest of our daily activities.
Reading boosts your brain power.
Reading allows you to take in new information. The more you learn, the smarter you become. You don’t have to read something academic, or even non-fiction, for your brain to benefit.
| A．Reading reduces stress |
| B．It helps you concentrate better |
| C．Besides, they offer health benefits as well |
| D．However, try to choose a book that’s interesting to you |
| E．Even lighthearted fiction can work to exercise your brain |
| F．That light also tricks your brain into thinking it is daytime |
| G．Creating a relaxing environment allows your body to become sleepy |
Romero is an 84-year-old man. He owes his
On November 27, Romero left his home for a short trip, but he didn’t come back
The police with trained dogs were brought in to
According to one member of the search team, the brown dog
The
| A．promotion | B．survival | C．poverty | D．identity |
| A．rescuers | B．strangers | C．fighters | D．hunters |
| A．in turn | B．at times | C．in advance | D．as usual |
| A．inspired | B．concerned | C．satisfied | D．confused |
| A．committee | B．authorities | C．board | D．company |
| A．employ | B．seek | C．convince | D．assess |
| A．disappearance | B．competition | C．graduation | D．consumption |
| A．attack | B．attempt | C．suggestion | D．attract |
| A．spotted | B．dragged | C．pointed | D．guided |
| A．defeated | B．trapped | C．cheated | D．permitted |
| A．resulted from | B．made out | C．cared about | D．resulted in |
| A．apparently | B．strangely | C．suddenly | D．equally |
| A．hesitated | B．remained | C．shouted | D．whispered |
| A．responsibility | B．cooperation | C．recovery | D．arrival |
| A．compared | B．pleased | C．reunited | D．connected |
After 20 days of world-class sporting action, the 19th Asian Games concluded on October 8th in Hangzhou. As the biggest Asian Games in history
Two short films in the closing ceremony demonstrated the athletic highlights and touching moments during the Games, leaving audiences smiling
Some competitions also served
China’s
| domestic consume withdraw recognize legal demand academic |
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