Sia was 13 when she noticed the barefoot children of workers at a construction site. "Their feet were bare. Hard. Dirty. Bleeding." reflects Sia. "They were just walking around just as it was an everyday practice." It was then that Sia realized their lives were so different from hers.
Sia went back home and saw shoes piled up high — many of which hadn't been worn for months. Then she rushed to distribute them to the children she saw at the building site. Later that year, with the help of her parents and community volunteers, Sia founded Sole Warriors, a charity committed to providing shoes to those in need, whose motto is: "Donate a sole(鞋), save a soul."
The idea quickly grew. After she spread the word with posters, enquiries from people who wanted to help came flooding in. Now in its fifth year, the organization collects used shoes, refurbishes(翻新) it and donates the finished products to people in need. That need is endless. In the world, an estimated 300 million people can't afford shoes. Of the nearly 24 billion shoes made every year, shockingly more than 90 percent end up in dustbins.
In its first distribution, Sole Warriors collected and gave out 700 pairs of shoes. Today that number rises to 28,000 across four countries. But the organization's growth met with many challenges. When it came to looking for a company that would do the refurbishments free of charge, Sia faced one barrier after another before finding a partner. "Being a 13-year-old, I did face a lot of prejudice because people were less willing to hear what I say." says Sia.
In recognition of her great influence, Sia was given the Diana Award in 2021. It's one of the most remarkable honors a young person can receive for social action. But her work isn't done. "Our goal has always been to touch a million feet," she says.
When it comes to popular symbols of marriage, one cannot look past the wedding ring. The wedding ring serves as a perfect symbol of everlasting love —a ring is a circle and thus has no beginning or end, representing the never-ending union of marriage.
Evidence suggests that wedding rings were used in ancient Egypt around 6,000 years ago. However, unlike the metals and jewels used today, they were crafted from materials such as leather or bone. In the centuries that followed, the wedding ring tradition was picked up in the West, where it spread first in ancient Rome and Greece, subsequently throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, and eventually to Eastern culture.
Throughout history, the round shape of the ring has continued, and so has the tradition of wearing it on the fourth finger of the left hand. The latter practice originated from an ancient belief that a vein (静脉) ran directly from this finger to the heart. Although this belief has since been considered wrong, the custom has continued.
Regarding customs surrounding wedding rings, there was a time when only the bride wore a wedding ring. It wasn't until the early 20th century that the practice of bridegrooms wearing rings gained popularity. This change was influenced by soldiers going off to war, who wore rings as reminders of their loved ones waiting for them at home. Today, the exchange of wedding rings remains an essential part of the wedding ceremony, symbolizing the commitment and love shared between two individuals who will begin a life together.
Wedding rings hold a symbolic significance that ties the two members of a married couple. In an ever-changing world, the wedding ring stands as an ancient tradition that is likely to continue for generations to come, reflecting the timeless and everlasting love celebrated through marriage.
At the Port of Los Angeles, a long gray ship is doing its part to fight against climate change. On the ship, which belongs to Captura, a Los Angeles-based company, is a system of pipes, pumps, and containers that pumps seawater and removes CO2, which can be used to make plastics and fuels or buried. Then the treated seawater is returned to the ocean, where it absorbs more CO2 from the atmosphere, in an effort to battle the rise of the greenhouse gas.
Capturing(捕获) CO2 from the ocean should be easier and cheaper than a seemingly more direct approach: capturing it directly from the air. Direct air capture, which relies on fans to sweep air past chemicals that can absorb CO2, currently costs between $600 to $1000 per ton of CO2 removed, largely because atmospheric CO2 only makes up less than
0.05% of the air by volume. Earth's oceans, in contrast, hold the gas at a concentration nearly 150 times higher, and absorb roughly 30% of all emitted (排放) CO2 each year.
Besides, ocean capture is developing faster than other ocean CO2 removal approaches. That's partly because the systems can usually be attached to desalination (脱盐) plants, wastewater treatment equipment, and other large water-processing systems.
However, one challenge for the approach is determining exactly how much CO2 the treated water absorbs and at what rate. Still, the absorption rates will vary based on where the water is released and how easily it mixes with surrounding water. That makes site selection a really important part of this process.
Even if the technology takes off, it will have to be promoted widely to make a difference in offsetting global emissions. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, by 2050 engineered carbon removal efforts will need to remove some 5 billion tons of CO2 every year to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5℃. At present, the ocean capture companies are removing only thousands of tons.
The importance of learning outside goes beyond fresh air and fun. Spending time outdoors can expose kids to the concept of climate change. Here are some tips.
●Keep a climate journal. You can explain to your children that climate is a pattern of weather. However, in recent years, extreme weather like storms and abnormal temperatures has occurred frequently. Have them keep a weather journal to get a sense of the climate.
● Kids can help take care of plants, like vegetables or plants in a garden. Growing and looking after plants helps children understand that people have a role to play in helping living things meet their needs. Make connections between climate change and the needs of plants.
●Play some games. Encourage your children to head outside for a few rounds of nature scavenger hunt (寻物游戏) , where you give them a list of items to find, like sticks, colorful leaves and rocks. It is also a good choice to play "I Spy", which gets them to associate words with the natural world.
●Build an outdoor tool set. Put together an outdoor tool set with a magnifying glass(放大镜),a telescope and a container. Then, try starting with something they are interested in, such as building a mini park or collecting natural items.
●Walk and talk. Go on walks with your kids frequently. Along the way observe and discuss how other members of the community are helping the environment. Over time, under the guidance of parents, kids will grow into adults who care about the environment.
A. Get in the dirt.
B. It used to be more stable.
C. Observe the plants around.
D. These tools allow kids to survive in the wild.
E. Language enables kids to better connect to their environment.
F. These tools can help kids find and collect natural samples and play freely.
G. Putting these conversations into daily life keeps kids aware of climate change.
As a kid, I often suffered from nosebleeds. My parents had some 1 of traditional Chinese medicine, and they said this was caused by my love for 2 fruits. Lychees, my 3 , had given me "too much heat." But it didn't stop me from eating them by the 4 . After we moved from China to Canada, lychees became harder to find. Whenever we drove to a Chinatown, I would 5 all the fruit markets for my red jewels.
As I grow older, trying new fruits widens my horizons. Just when I thought I had 6 every pleasant fruity smell in the world, the lulo(龙葵) appeared at my regular fruit shop. Its taste left me wide-eyed and 7 . The strong, sweet flavor filled my whole house for days. It was such a 8 smell that I'd rather believe it was picked from a food scientist's imagination.
"What lasted is what the soul ate," Jack Gilbert wrote in his poem The Spirit and the Soul, "The way a child knows the world by putting it into his 9 ." Each tasting is a chance to be 10 with my inner child. The experience is no less 11 than seeing the ocean for the first time, leaving me 12 what else this world has been hiding from us.
I try most fruits only several times because I always love newer things. But there is one I keep returning to: the soursop(刺果番荔枝). When it is ripe, it tastes wonderful. Wait just one more day, 13 , and it starts to brown, giving off a terrible smell. Yes, it goes bad fast, 14 that life is too short. So don't let our sweetest days 15 ."Taste" the joys around us as they come along.
On April 13, a seminar(研讨会) (hold) in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, discussing the historical importance and contemporary use of Yangshi Lei royal architecture.
The Yangshi Lei family became successful during the Qing Dynasty, with many members serving as chief (architect) for the Qing court, contributing to the design of buildings, most of are now recognized as world cultural heritage sites in China, such as the Summer Palace in Beijing.
(regard) as a vital component of human archival (档案的) heritage, Yangshi Lei architectural records offer a window into ancient Chinese architectural design. two-day event, hosted by the National Library of China, aimed to further uncover the cultural value of Yangshi Lei, using it to establish a globally (influence) symbol of Chinese culture.
The efforts made by the National Library showed (it) recognition of the historical and architectural significance of Yangshi Lei drawings. (current), there are more than 20,000 drawings and files left, the National Library is holding three-quarters of them.
Experts praised the seminar the first comprehensive research on Yangshi Lei at the national level. It also represents a pioneering exploration of strategies for protecting and utilizing (利用) world-class heritage.
1.表示歉意；
2.说明原因；
3.另约时间。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Daniel,
Yours,
Li Hua
The Secret of Growing Flowers
Amy helped her mother in their vegetable garden every day, so the vegetables would be healthy and ready for the market. Amy often pretended the plants she took care of were beautiful chrysants (菊花) , like Mrs. Taylor's prize flowers.
"Foolish girl!" her mother scolded. "No one in our poor village wastes money so foolishly on flowers. Take care of the vegetables. That's our living."
Amy knew her mother was right. The only person in the village who made money by selling flowers was Mrs. Taylor. Every year she won first prize at the Chrysant Festival. Other competitors whispered that Taylor used magic to grow her chrysants.
Amy envied Mrs. Taylor. But chrysants were expensive to start, and Amy could only dream about growing them.
One day, Amy visited Mrs. Taylor. Mrs. Taylor was inspecting her chrysants. "Spying on me again!" Taylor frowned. "But, Mrs. Taylor, I only come to see your flowers." Amy took a deep breath. "I wish I could grow beautiful chrysants and win a prize at the festival like you."
"You?" Mrs. Taylor laughed. "Child, do you know what's required to grow such flowers? The secret of growing chrysants has been passed down from my grandfather. Stick to vegetables. Leave flowers to those who know the secret." Taylor pulled up a weak plant and threw it away.
Suddenly Amy had an idea. She asked for Taylor's permission to have that plant, dashed back home, and grew it behind the cottage. She leaned close to the hanging leaves and whispered, "Grow, little flower. You don't have to win a prize. Just grow." She took care of her plant every morning and evening. "You are my beautiful plant," Amy would sing softly, as she weeded and watered it. "Someday, you will bloom (开花) prettier than any flower at the festival." Each time Amy visited her little plant, it looked greener and taller. Time seemed to fly by as the festival neared.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为 150左右;
2.请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
On the morning of the festival, when Amy visited her plant again, she screamed with delight.
Amy'schrysant won first prize as Mrs. Taylor had predicted.
