Heimaey, an island in Iceland, is home to just about 4,200 people. But each spring, more than1.5million puffins (海鹦) visit Heimaey and its neighboring islands. They go there to breed(繁殖). Around August, puffin chicks head for the ocean.That’s when the trouble begins.

Puffin chicks usually follow the light of the moon to the sea. But Heimaey’s bright lights make them unable to think and act right.Each year,a large number of them end up lost—-or worse. Often,some are hit by cars or eaten by cats.

Luckily, there is the Puffling Patrol.Each breeding season,the children of Heimaey work together to form search groups. At night they go to the streets carrying flashlights and cardboard boxes. “When you see a bird, you try to corner it and get it into the box,” Eldur Hansen said. The 14-year-old boy has caught several puffins this way. No one knows exactly when or how the Puffling Patrol got its start.But each year, it saves thousands of puffin chicks.

Puffins are now listed as a vulnerable species(易危物种).The main reason is that the number of small fish in the ocean is dropping. This is because of overfishing, pollution and rising ocean temperatures. Puffins need the fish for food.

Scientists worry puffins will die out if ocean temperatures continue to rise.But the Puffling Patrol inspires them a lot. “The message is that people can make a difference,” says Dr. Stephen W.Kress,an expert in seabird protection.

1.The puffin chicks’ trouble begin________ .

A.in spring B.around August

C.when they are born D.when they arrive at the ocean

2.What does the underlined word“them”in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A.Cars. B.Cats. C.Puffin chicks. D.Bright lights.

3.What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A.What puffins feed on. B.How puffins catch fish.

C.Why puffins are a vulnerable species. D.Why puffins are important to the ocean.

4.What does Dr.Stephen W.Kress probably agree with?

A.The Puffling Patrol does a good job. B.Puffins will die out in the near future.

C.Haimaey has less pollution than before. D.Ocean temperatures will continue to rise.

School backpacks have been a hot topic in China recently. Some Chinese parents buy hardcover school backpacks from Japan, although they can be as expensive as 5,000 yuan, according to Chinese newspaper Urban Express. These backpacks are popular because the hard cover helps hold books in place. This can help kids keep their balance and protect their spines(脊柱). But it turns out that the bags can barely fit in the students’ desks.

A good backpack is important for children’s health. “It can relieve(减轻) pressure from the shoulders.” says Dr Rob Danoff from the US. He also says students need a backpack that’s made for the child’s size. Cushioned(加垫的)backs and shoulders straps(带子) will help them avoid pain.

However, the biggest problem for school backpacks is that they are too heavy, noted Hou Weiguang, a doctor in Chengdu. In China, students have too many textbooks and exercise books. The weight makes many kids suffer from side-bending(侧弯的) spines, Hou said. He suggests that a backpack should be no more than 15 percent of a child’s body weight to avoid pain or injury. That means if a student weighs 50 kg, the backpack should be less than 7.5kg.

Parents need to make sure their kids only carry what they need. Schools and governments need to help too, added Zheng Yongshun, an education official from Hong Kong. He said schools should offer lockers(储物柜) space and shared books so kids can carry fewer books.

1.Why are hardcover school backpacks popular?

A.Because they are made in Japan. B.Because they are quite expensive.

C.Because they help protect kids’ spines. D.Because they can perfectly fit into desks.

2.According to Paragraph2, good backpacks should ________ .

A.have cushioned backs B.put pressure on shoulders

C.be smarter than children D.have shorter shoulder straps.

3.According to Hou, how heavy should a backpack be?

A.Less than 15 percent of a child’s body weight.

B.No more than 50 percent of a child’s body weight

C.No more than 50 kg.

D.Less than 7.5kg

4.The last paragraph is written to offer tips on ________ .

A.how to choose good backpacks B.how to reduce the weight of backpacks

C.how to encourage students to share books D.how to design lockers for students

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