英语中高考热点话题文章阅读 11页

Is paper money going away?‎ 纸币已经过时了吗?(词数450)‎ ‎ Within a few months, were going to have a new set of banknotes(纸币). The People' s Bank of China(PBOC), the central bank, has upgraded the fifth edition of the renminbi(RMB)and will issue them from Aug 30. These bills will have brighter colors and new security features(防伪特征), which will make printing fake(假的) money even harder. We've been using banknotes for around 1,000years. Back in the Northern Song Dynasty, Chinese people made the world’s earliest paper money to replace metal coins(金属硬币). These bank notes were called jiaozi. Obviously paper money is cheaper to make and easier to carry -these advantages made it more popular than other forms of money. But now, in the digital(数码的)age, paper money seems to be disappearing for the same reason-what's more convenient(方便的) than not having to carry any money at all?‎ China seems to be heading toward becoming a cashless society. From supermarkets to street stalls(小摊), people pay by using the WeChat Wallet and Alipay apps on their mobile phones. Sweden is even closer to a future without paper money. Many Swedish banks no longer even have cash on hand. But there are worries about creating cashless. Some say it is unfair to the poor and people without much education. It's not easy for them to open bank accounts(账户) or deal with mobile phones. And if all of your money is digital you may lose your money if your accounts are hacked(黑客攻击)Although paper money is in a losing battle with electronic payment in some countries, it's still a big thing in most parts of the world. It may take a little longer than you think to see it go away.‎ Listen to your books 耳朵“阅读”时代来了?（词数260，7分钟）‎ With the development of technology and the internet, there is a new trend in reading audio books. More people are choosing to listen to audio books these days, according to this years national reading report. ‎ The report was released by the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication(CAPP).It shows that audio books have become quite popular among most readers. One in three adult listen to audio books. They mainly use popular audio sharing platf0mmS(平台) like Ximalaya.‎ ‎ Kids have also been a main driver in the development of audio books. Ximalaya noted that the value of audio book purchases made by those aged 13 to 18 in 2018 increased by 330 percent over that of 2017, the Beijing Evening News reported. ‎ In addition, around 26.8 percent of children under 8 years old listen to audio books. Most of them listen at least once a week .Their favorite categories(分类)are “stories for kids” and "poetry reading” ‎ One of the reasons audio books have taken off is that people want to get more use out of their free time. China News Service reported. Whether they're at the gym, on a bus, or in bed, people can enjoy reading without a heavy paper book ore-reader. Faster internet speeds mean one can download a whole book in just seconds, according to Wei Yushan, director of CAPP. ‎ Audio app content designers have invited broadcasters(播音员) and production(制作) groups to join in content production. Both the quality and number of audio books being offered have greatly improved. More people can find the audio books they like the most, the report says.‎ Follow the subway rules 在地铁上吃喝将影响个人信用（词数270,7分钟）‎ Traveling by subway can sometimes be quite an adventure, especially during rush hour. You have to fight your way into the carriage(车厢)And there are the times when you have to avoid cups of coffee that could spill on you. The smells some passengers food are very strong, too.‎ Since April, the local government of Beijing has been collecting public opinions on the revised(修订的) Beijing Metro Passenger Rules The rules say that if passengers behave in an uncivilized(不文明的) manner while on the subway, they will end up with bad credit(信用)scores or even being banned(禁止) from the subway, Beijing Youth Daily reported. ‎ Four kinds of behaviors were added to the revised rules. They include stealing others' seats eating or drinking, riding without paying the fare(车票) and handing out advertisements. What's worth mentioning is that people have different opinions regarding eating and drinking on the subway, Guangming Daily reported. The rules state that all passengers except babies and people with certain health issues are not allowed to eat or drink on the subway. People have pointed out that the smell of food and drink can annoy other passengers.‎ ‎ However, others question this rule, saying that drinking water should be allowed, as people can get thirsty after long rides on the crowded subway. o They also think it is too harsh(严厉的)to lower some ones social credit score Just for eating or drinking."‎ What problems will it cause if I just quietly eat some food that doesn't have any smell and old on to the packaging(包装) when I'm done?”ha user named DONGCHENY wrote on Sina Weibo.‎ Hippos move silicon 河马——自然界硅元素的搬运工（词数280，7分钟）‎ Hippos look a little bit silly, don't you think? They have huge bodies, but small eyes and ears. This contrast(对比) always makes hippos look funny and cute. ‎ As it turns out, they play an important role in Africa' s ecosystem(生态系统) as well. Hippos have been keeping silicon, a nutrient for plants and animals, on the move throughout East Africa, Science News reported. ‎ Each day, a hippo eats about 36 kg of plants. Most of these plants are rich in silicon. The silicon cycles through their body and finally comes out in their poop. Their poop brings 0.4 tons of silicon into the Mara River, where hippos often poop, according to scientists from the University of Antwerp in Belgium. That's about 76 percent of the river's entire downstream silica(硅石)flow. ‎ Silicon is mostly found in sand. Its role in nature is important. The element feeds the growth of a plant called the diatom(硅藻),which lives in oceans. fresh water and other wet environments. Together, these plants take in carbon dioxide(二氧化碳) from the air and change it into oxygen(氧气. It is estimated that diatoms make at least 20 percent of the oxygen on Earth, according to Live Science.‎ Diatoms also form the base of the food chain. They are eaten by small animals like crabs and snails, which in turn feed bigger animals like otters(水獭), turtles, and even humans Without diatoms, many ecosystems would face a food shortage. ‎ But hippos are threatened(受到威胁)by hunting and habitat(栖息地)loss. Their population decreased by up to 20 percent from 1996 to 2004, Science News reported. If these animals disappear from the Mara River, the diatom population could decrease remarkably. ‎ Did you know? Silicon is the second-most abundant丰富的) element on Earth. Only oxygen beats it. It makes up slightly more than27 percent of the Earth’s crust(地壳)nature, silicon usually exists as either an oxide (氧化物) like sand or a silicate (硅酸盐)‎ Lightingup black holes 黑洞:探索一小步,人类一大步。（词数321,6分钟）‎ There are moments in our lives when we're just left in awe(敬畏地) For me, these moments include when I found out that Jupiter is 121.9 times bigger than Earth, and that Qomolangma, Earth's highest mountain if thrown into the ocean upside down-wouldn't be large enough to fill the Mariana trench(马里亚纳海沟), the deepest place on Earth. But none of these moments compares to this one: when scientists revealed(公布)the first-ever picture of a black hole on April 10What you see in the picture might be merely an orange ring a blurry(模糊的) bit of orange ring even but it is in fact a black hole and is 55 million light-years from Earth. And it's bigger than any thing we know of: The sun doesn't even begin to compare with it, since its mass(质量)is6.5 billion times that of our star. It got me wondering: How many more black holes are there? What lies another 100million, or 1,000 million, light-years away? And what does the size of the universe mean to us tiny beings on a tiny planet? But don’t get me wrong. The news isn't supposed to be discouraging at all: After all, it is in contrast(对比) to the size of the universe that human beings can see how much they've achieved Just think about it: We refresh-and-blood creatures, and yet we managed to extend(延伸)our sight by building telescopes hat“see” millions of light years away. These telescopes are located in eight places around the world. and scientists from 20countries worked together for two years to process all the data before finally bringing the image to us. It's true that we tend to feel awe in the face of forces that are much bigger than us.0But perhaps we should hold ourselves in awe as well, for all that we tiny human beings have learned about the universe. ‎ Japan is working hard to improve its English signs.‎ 日本致力于纠正“日式英语”,迎接东京 You've probably seen some pretty "interesting English translations. For example, it is common to see “Chinglish” on restaurant menus and on signs in public areas in China.Japan is now working to improve its English signs so that tourists will have an easier time getting around during the 2020 Olympics.‎ Improving public transportation signs is especially important, as tourists will take trains and buses to get around. The Japan Tourism Agency recently carried out a two-month investigation (at) into the websites of 85 train and bus companies around the country According to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. ‎ The agency found some rather odd(古怪的)translations. For example, one transportation company refers to children as“dwarfs(侏儒). Other translation errors include "Forgotten Center” for" lost and found”, and “release place” for “ticket machine”. ‎ But does Japan have enough time to correct its English? One expert thinks it's too late.Gregory Haley, a professor at Niigata University, thinks it can't be done. He pointed out that many companies simply won't be able to afford to hire translators and reprint the materials. In addition, the people who originally translated the materials probably won't want to lose face by admitting to translating them incorrectly, he added. ‎ Whether it can fix its signs or not, Japan is bracing for(为…做准备) a wave of tourism. About 30 million people visited the country last year and the number will hit 40 million next year, when the 2020 Olympics officially kick off.‎ Flowers and flames ‎2020年东京奥运会火炬样式揭晓 Japan turns into one of the most beautiful places in the world when spring comes It's the time for cherry blossoms (樱花) to bloom! Japan unveiled(公布)thet0rcb(火炬) for the2020 Tokyo Olympic Games this spring. It looks just like a cherry blossom, the Japan Times reported.‎ Japanese artist Tokujin Yoshioka designed the torch. It is 71 cm long and weighs 1.2 kilograms. It has a pinkish-gold color. The torch's “flower” has five “petals(花瓣)”. Yoshioka said the five“ petals” stand for the five Olympic rings.‎ To Japanese people, cherry blossoms represent(象征) a bright future. The theme of the2020 torch relay(传递)is “Hope lights our way”.‎ What do emojis say?‎ 关于表情包 You might often use smiley faces or hand gestures(手势). But did you know that people make many new emojis every year?This year, there are 230 new emojis.These new emojis can tell us things about the world around us.For example, emojis can tell us about different groups of people. Some of this years new emojis show disabled(残疾的) people.There are emojis of wheelchairs(轮椅)and guide dogs, as well as blind(盲的) people. Emojis also keep up with pop culture. This years new set has several animals, such as flamingos(火烈鸟) and sloths(树懒). These animals are not common. But they have become popular recently. We can see flamingos in many fashion designs. And many people like sloths becauseofhe2016 movie Zootopia(《疯狂动物城》)What do people care about and what do they like? You may find the answer with emojis. ‎ Elephants are endangered because of poaching. ‎ 象牙被砍掉还能再长出来吗?(词数280, 6分钟)‎ With their long tusks(象牙), elephants look strong. However, it is this feature that makes the animal endangered. Many of them are killed for their tusks. People make elephant tusks into crafts(工艺品) and jewelry and sell them to rich people. ‎ But can these priceless body parts grow back? The answer is no, Live Science said. The elephants' tusks are actually part of heir teeth. Nearly all African elephants and most male Asian elephants have these long teeth. about one-third of the tusk is in the animals’ skull (头骨) The tusk has a nerve(神经)running down its center. This makes it similar to your teeth. Once you lose a tooth, you will never grow a new one. ‎ Elephants use their tusks to protect themselves, lift things, dig water and gather food. But losing the tusk will not kill them. The way in which they lose the tusk is what matters elephants. Usually, people get tusks by culling(限量捕杀)which means killing old and weak elephants.They also take tusks from the elephants that have died naturally.However, these sources aren’t enough to keep up with the demand for ivory. Therefore, some poachers(偷猎者) kill healthy elephants and cut their faces open to remove the tusks. About 27,000 elephants are killed by poachers each year, according to National Geographic. As a result of poaching, some African elephants gradually evolved(进化) without tusks, which has allowed them to survive. In Mozambique, about 90 percent of African elephants were killed for their ivory and meat from 1975 to 1992, National Geographic reported Scientists found that about a third of younger females-the generation born after1992-never developed tusks.‎ Our moon is shaking 月球正在缩小,可能是因为热胀冷缩 You probably know what an earthquake is. But what about a moonquake? A recent study by NASA shows that the moons producing moonquakes because it is hrinking(缩小）.‎ Don’t panic. As planetary scientist Thomas Watters reassured us, "this isn’t anything to worry about The moon maybe shrinking, but not by much. It's not going anywhere.”So what exactly is going on? After examining thousands of high-resolution photographs taken by a NASA orbiter(轨道飞行器),US scientists discovered fault.(断层) on the moons surface that were formed by recent movement on the moon.‎ Formed out of pieces of rock with a hot core(核), the moon expanded(膨胀) when it was born. Later as it lost energy, it gradually cooled down and began to shrink. As it shrinks, it produces faults. These faults can be several meters long and dozens of meters tall. They are similar to the wrinkles in raisins(葡萄干). But unlike the soft skin of the raisin, the moons crust(外壳) is hard and stiff, and therefore causes moonquakes when it shrinks.‎ ‎ People believed for a long time that the moon had already stopped shrinking billions of years ago. However, these new findings prove that is not true.These faults are still active and likely producing moonquakes today as the moon continues to gradually cool and shrink," Watters said. ‎ Looking up at the night sky, you might feel a bit differently about the moon now. After all it is not a cold dead lump(团)but an active neighbor of Earth that is still changing now.‎ Prayers for beloved Paris icon It's not often sunny in Paris, but people still love to walk along the banks of the Seine(塞纳河).They love the view of the city's old buildings, especially Notre ‎ Dame Cathedral(巴黎圣母院), with its iconic spire(尖顶).‎ Unfortunately, that view has been forever changed.On April 16, a fire destroyed the spire of the 850-yearold cathedral, and two-thirds of the roof.The fire shocked and saddened Parisians. Citizens gathered around the giant church, singing hymns(圣诗) and praying for the hundreds of firefighters who fought the flames.‎ The significance of Notre Dame. not only to Catholics but to all Parisians. cannot be underestimated(低估),” wrote French author Bernard-Henri Levy.“ormany in France, it's more than a house of worship (1t2LFF) It's a symbol of French culture, architecture and history. ‎ It's no wonder that people felt sad. The church itself, after all, is a historical and artistic treasure. Built in 1163, it is one of the first Gothic cathedrals to have arched(拱形的) exterior(外部的) supports, known asying buttresses(飞扶壁)”. It also combined Gothic artwith Christian architecture. After Notre Dame, church-es throughout Europe were built taller and looked more awesome.‎ The church is also home to many religious artifacts(工艺品), paintings and sculptures(雕塑). Luckily, its world-famous stained glass rose windows survived the fire. These windows are made of many small panes(Ea13)and feature various Christian images. Also safe are most of the church's holy relics. The French Minister of Culture Frenck Riester said that the crown of thorns(荆棘王冠) and tunic(束腰) of Saint lou-is, who was King of France from 1226 until 1270, are safe in Paris City Hall.‎ Despite its long history and many treasures, the cathedral needed the help of a writer to become truly famous. Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, The Hunchback Notre-Dame, presented the building to a wide audience of readers. The book's ugly lead character, Quasimodo, serves as a symbol for Paris' forgotten Gothic architecture. Hugo wrote the book to remind people of it, with hope they would work to protect the beautiful old buildings of Paris. ‎ French President Emmanuel Macron has promised to reconstruct the historic building. " Notre Dame is our history, it's our literature, it's our imagery, he said in a public speech following the fire.‎