BERLIN (Reuters)—Germany’s postal service has announced plans to explore improved service and help protect the environment by getting “fetch friends”—ordinary people traveling across cities—to deliver parcels on their way.
It is hoped that the move, which will be tested in the coming months, might lessen traffic in inner cities and reduce CO2 emissions(排放). This should help DHL, a division of the German postal service, reach its target of improving the company’s carbon efficiency by 30 percent before 2020.
“As the world’s biggest logistics(物流) provider, we recognize a special responsibility to reduce the impact on the environment as much as possible,” said Frank Appel, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Post DHL, in a statement referring to a variety of measures being considered.
The “fetch friends” find out online about parcels that need delivering to people who live or work along the way that they are planning to travel through the city. They then select the ones that they want to take.
Codes(编码) sent to their mobile phones tell the volunteers where to pick the packages up. Parcels can be taken part of the way or passed on to another volunteer but all volunteers need to have the right code on their mobile phone so the track and trace system can be updated.
Logistics companies will be responsible for looking after the operation to make sure that the privacy of post is respected.
It’s hoped that this could be done using mobile phones but DHL says it recognizes that some security issues remain to be worked out.
1.According to the passage, the “fetch friend” program ________.
A. has been tested for months
B. aims to reduce the cost of the service
C. employs environmentalists to help with deliveries
D. encourages ordinary people to help cut the carbon footprint
2.Which of the following statements is TRUE of DHL?
A. It belongs to the Germany’s postal service.
B. It has the most up-to-date tracking system in Germany.
C. It has succeeded in improving its carbon efficiency by 30%.
D. It has designed many measures to improve its service speed.
3.What may be a problem with the new service according to the article?
A. Volunteers’ not allowing to select parcels.
B. The wrong codes in the mobile phones.
C. The possibility that parcels could be opened on the way.
D. Parcels’ being taken to the destination by a single volunteer.
4.What might be the best Title for the best passage?
A. New Challenges for the Postal Service
B. A Greener Way to Deliver Parcels
C. Solutions for Global Warming
D. Statements from DHL
A culture’s values can be mirrored by its humor．Humor has been evaluated by many great minds such as Thomas Hobbes，who，in“On Nature”，disliked humor,“Laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from sudden thought of feeling far better than others．”He thought humor to be a negative quality of human narrow-mindedness．
However, Mordechai Gordon，Ph. D of Education，insists，“Humor allows us to view the
world from an angle that is amusing rather than serious．”1 agree with Gordon．Learning to look
at the world through humor is important．
In the United States，every four years an election occurs．Without humor as a way to express their feelings，how else would Americans keep from clawing their eyes out and going the
way of lemming? Television shows like“The Daily Show”have become important parts of American culture．They are mothering the masses by metaphorically(隐喻地) airplane-ing politics into our mouths．They make politics fun．
Of course, politics is only one type of humor．Social humor helps people through the twists
and turns of the human condition．American pop culture promotes an unhealthy self image．On the topic of self-image，Hari Kondabolu stands out．He has a joke about the popular musical group“The Pussycat Dolls”，describing their hit song“Don't Cha”as a negative representation of women．He points out an obvious offence in American culture．
A study from Loyola University of Maryland has shown that humor is one determining factor for selecting a mating partner．Amongst other things，mates look for an outstanding funny
bone in a potential partner．
Of course，humor is not always used for good purposes．Humor can be linked to vulgarity
(粗俗)and racism，but，like everything else，it has potential to unite human beings by allowing
us to laugh at ourselves，our failures and our connection with one another．
Though 1ife may seem tough and depressing at times，all I have to do is look in the mirror at my increased wrinkles(皱纹) to know that there is a comedy out there that even Chaplin wasn’t
aware of．
With that in mind，remember to laugh with humanity and sometimes at humanity．
1.Hobbes believes that humor__________．
A．was only a way to laugh at others to make oneself feel better
B．resulted in narrow-mindedness of human beings
C．had the power to mirror personal glory and national values
D．was for people to view the world from another angle
2.What is the author’s attitude towards political humor?
A．Worried B．Disappointed
C．Curious D．Appreciative
3.The fourth paragraph is developed mainly__________．
A．by example B．by process
C．by comparison D．by classification
4.What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A．Chaplin wasn’t aware of being laughed at
B．The author feels helpless and sad about getting older
C．Never be the one who laughs at other people
D．The author is determined to face life with a sense of humor．
Seoul
A dangerous new bird flu in South Korea has spread nationwide despite efforts to make on the virus．Authorities have killed 2.8 million household chickens and ducks since the outbreak began，and the flu has also killed dozens of Baikal teal and other migratory birds．As yet，there are no reports of human infections．Scientists are puzzling over where the H5N8 flu，never before seen in a highly pathogenic（病原的）form，originated．
Portland，Oregon
A tiny chub （鲦鱼)has bounced back from near extinction(灭绝) ．The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)says populations of the Oregon chub are healthy enough to remove the 9-cm-long fish from its list of threatened and endangered wildlife．Last week’s announcement marks the first time an endangered fish has recovered enough to be delisted
After the 1940s, the chub populations dropped sharply from habitat damage by pollution and dams．When the fish was listed by FWS in 1993，only nine remained．Predation(捕食)by large-mouth bass and other non-native fishes was the largest threat to the remaining chub．
Since then, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and other groups started 20 new populations of the chub in predator-free ponds Changes to dam management have lowered the threat to remaining habitat．
Mexico City
The axolotl salamander’s only known home in the wild，the Xochimilco canals of Mexico City，has become increasingly polluted，but recent reports of the salamander’s extinction have been overstated．
Two weeks after announcing that months of searching the canals hadn’t turned up any axolotls，scientists in Mexico City have some good news：two of the unique salamanders were spotted on 4 February “There’s been an alarming reduction in population．”says Luis Zambrano, a biologist at the National University of Mexico，“but I can guarantee that is not yet extinct in the wild．”
1.Which section of a magazine does the passage probably come from?
A．Around the World B．Health＆Diet
C．Endangered Species D．Energy＆Environment
2.which of the following titles would most probably fit the bank box?
A．Oregon Chub Swimming off Endangered Species List
B．Oregon Chub Put on the Endangered Species List
C．Pollution and Dam Management Threatening Oregon Chub
D．Predator-free Ponds Set to Be Built for Oregon Chub
3.we can learn from the passage that_________．
A．the population of salamanders is on the rise
B．measures have been taken to preserve Oregon chub
C．the Xochimilco canals are the only home to the salamander
D．scientists are sure about what caused nationwide New Bird F1u
It was a Saturday morning，a day I believed would end in victory．For weeks，I had been preparing for the match at the county fairgrounds，sponsored(赞助)by our local riding club．My horse，Tonka, and I could run faster than any kid in the county, and I hoped to bring home a blue ribbon．
My mother usually drove me to the riding events, but on this day, my father planned to drop us off at the fairgrounds with the horse trailer(马车) ．
Although we never discussed it, my father’s struggle with alcoholism had become the silent center of our family life．My mother was paralyzed with fear and indecision．Her salary as a part-time nurse couldn’t possibly support four children．No one talked about alcoholism in those days，and it was my family secret．
We climbed on the trailer and my father pulled out of our driveway and headed toward the fairgrounds，picking up speed once we hit the main road．It wasn’t until we felt a big bump that I realized the trailer was out of control．The dream of my riding winner disappeared．Tonka lay on the floor, completely still．No words were possible．I knew he was dead．
Suddenly a man appeared．“Are you all right?”he asked．“Yes．”I answered，although I knew that nothing was all right．“Sit here on the grass，”he said．He bent down to look into the trailer．Tonka remained still．He touched Tonka and then turned to face me．“He is going to be OK．He has just been knocked unconscious．” He rubbed Tonka’s cheeks and gently pulling his ears．Tonka rose to his feet．
Our father was talking to a police officer．He was upset and in pain and took little notice of me．I looked back；the man was gone．
I never forgot him．He gave me strength and a sense of hope in a dark and frightening moment．
1.The writer went to the fairgrounds because he wanted to ___________．
A．take part in a horse racing B．buy Mum a blue ribbon
C．join the local riding club D．train his horse there
2.We can learn from the third paragraph that ___________．
A．the family kept silent at home B．the family lived a secret life
C．Father was addicted to alcohol D．Mum was physically disabled
3.What does “he’’ in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A．Father B．The stranger
C．The horse D．The winner
4.What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
A．Once formed，bad habits are difficult to break
B．Unexpected kindness is a light that shines in the darkness
C．However mean your life is，meet it and live it
D．Family is a place of encouragement, a safe harbor in the storms
As a teacher．I often make it a rule that when we are on a field trip，there will be no talking as we enter a building．This rule to entering any place，whether it is a cinema，a church，a theatre, or any other place．
Once，in New York City，I took my class to see a(n) near Times Square．When we arrived at the theatre，there were about twenty other classes outside waiting to get in．The students from the other schools were not and there was pandemonium(乌烟瘴气)．I told my students to stay in a line and keep ．I told them that we would not carry ourselves like those other ．Soon we started to file into the theatre，and it was very disorganized．There was a lady trying to the groups and get them to their seats， students were everywhere and really knew where to go．My class，observing our rule，walked in in two single-file lines．We stood near the door behind everyone else，and we ．All of a sudden，the lady who was noticed us and she walked our direction．She asked the students the teacher was for our group, and I raised my ．She asked,“Very, very nice to meet you．Come this way．”We were led into the theatre， ，and we were given front-row seats．
Sometimes for others may not seem like it is going to have an effect，especially when you no one around who is taking manners into ．However，that is usually the time when such actions will be most appreciated and recognized．
1.A．leadsB．appliesC．turnsD．belongs
2.A．playB．ladyC．teacherD．exhibition
3.A．sorted outB．settled downC．turned awayD．lined up
4.A．behavingB．listeningC．concentrating D．watching
5.A．orderB．contactC．watchD．time
6.A．placesB．seatsC．classesD．teachers
7.A．scoldB．dismissC．attractD．organize
8.A．and B．butC．soD．while
9.A．anyoneB．nobodyC．everyoneD．somebody
10.A．anxiouslyB．immediatelyC．quietlyD．hurriedly
11.A．passed B．chattedC．rushedD．waited
12.A．in troubleB．on guardC．in chargeD．on business
13.A．in B．toC．forD．under
14.A．howB．whereC．whatD．whether
15.A．voiceB．armC．headD．hand
16.A．finallyB．somehowC．firstD．instead
17.A．respectB．loveC．concernD．support
18.A．receiveB．visitC．recognizeD．meet
19.A．practiceB．effectC．accountD．operation
20.A．urgentB．kindC．legalD．firm
一Do you think I should work in that company?
A．Is that so ? B．It depends．
C．I don’t think so． D．Why not ?
