The novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) has already made a number of people sick. Where did the virus come from? Scientists say it probably came from bats.

Bats can carry and transmit (传播) more than 60 viruses that can infect(传染) humans, Live Science noted. They include the world's deadliest viruses, such as Ebola and HIV. Because of their strong immune systems (免疫系统), bats are able to host these viruses and not get sick. At the same time, the viruses keep developing inside the bats to create new variants (变体). These variants can then infect new hosts, such as other wild animals.

Pangolins (穿山甲), for example, might be an intermediate host (中间宿主) for NCP, according to a recent study by Chinese scientists. This means that bats might have given the virus to pangolins, with pangolins then spreading it to humans.

Wild animals like snakes, hedgehogs (刺猬) and bamboo rats also carry different virus. But since they live in the wild, there should be little chance for humans to come into contact with them and get infected - unless the animals are eaten or used to make animal products. When people hunt, buy and eat wild animals, they can introduce viruses to the rest of the population.

But this doesn't mean that we should kill wild animals. Each species has a role in the ecosystem (生态系统) and all of them are important in keeping a natural ecological balance. The lesson we can learn from disease outbreaks is to protect animals and to live in harmony with them instead of hunting, killing, or eating them.

1.Why can bats host many viruses without getting sick?

A.Because these viruses are not deadly. B.Because they have strong immune systems.

C.Because the viruses are kept in balance. D.Because they can spread the viruses to other animals.

2.According to a recent study, humans might get infected with COVID-19 from _________.

A.pangolins B.snakes C.hedgehogs D.bamboo rats

3.What does the underlined word "harmony" in the last paragraph probably mean?

A.隔离 B.伤害 C.和谐 D.集中

4.According to the story, what lesson should humans learn?

A.Research more about wild animals. B.Exercise regularly to stay healthy.

C.Stop keeping animals as pets. D.Don't buy or eat wild animals.

Wang Xingyue, 14, Shnaghai: I don’t think we should set off firecrackers during holidays. It is really noisy. Some people set them off at midnight. People nearby can’t sleep well. It also creates air pollution and lots of rubbish. So I think there is no need to set them off anymore during holidays.

Liu Ran, I4, Shangdong: Setting off firecrackers is a tradition during Chinese festivals. People set them off to celebrate or wish a happy new year. This is very important in our lives. It reminds us of the invention of gunpowder in ancient China. We can’t give it up.

Lin Yisong, 15, Zhejiang: I think we should control firecrackers. During holidays, the government could tell people to gather in one place. They can set off firecrackers and others can watch. It is safer to do this and people can still enjoy their holiday tradition.

Li Qiang, 14, Jiangsu: I think we can improve firecrackers. The firecrackers we use now are dangerous. That’s why we can’t set them off freely. But if we can make them safer and better for the air. We wouldn’t have to give them up.

Zhang Qi, 14, Hubei: Firecrackers are dangerous and bad for the air. I think we can use something else to replace them. For example, we can use LED firework instead. They are beautiful and safe. Even kids can play with them.

1.How many provinces (cities) are these teenagers from?

A.Three. B.Two. C.Five. D.Four.

2.What are the teenagers discussing?

A.Whether we should set off firecrackers. B.Ways to set off firecrackers.

C.What traditions we have for holidays. D.How to improve firecrackers.

3.What problems does setting off firecrackers cause?

a. It is noisy. b. It creates air pollution.

c. It wastes electricity. d. It creates rubbish

A.abc B.abd C.acd D.bed

4.Who most strongly agreed that people should still set off firecrackers?

A.Wang Xingyue. B.Liu Ran. C.Li Qiang D.Zhang Qi.

Benefits of Reading Every Day

Reading printed books every day can make you a smarter, kinder and more relaxed person. And the positive effects can be felt at any age.

Reading can make you smarter. 1. That was the finding of a study published in 2014. Because reading ability is something that’s learned, some experts suggest that more effort should be put in teaching reading skills to young children.

2. Great literature (文学作品) forces readers to step outside themselves to understand the characters they’re reading about. According to a study published in 2013, people who love fiction have an easier time sensing and understanding other people’s feelings.

Reading can lower stress. Feel stressed at the end of a long day? 3. A 2009 study found that reading for just 30 minutes has similar stress-reducing effects to doing 30 minutes of yoga.

Reading helps you sleep well. 4. Research has shown that using smartphones at night makes it harder for people to fall asleep and leads to poor sleep quality, but reading books, on the other hand, can have relaxing effects, making it the ideal bedtime activity.

Reading brings a family closer. Reading doesn’t have to be a solitary (单独的) activity. When parents read out loud to their children, they can pass on the benefits of reading and encourage meaningful interactions (互动). A recent study found that printed books can make the connections between caretakers and children stronger.

A.Reading makes you a kinder person.

B.Reading helps you get more information about the characters.

C.Reading a nice book is a good way to wind down.

D.People who show strong reading skills early in life grow up to be cleverer.

E.If you’re too busy to read during the day, consider doing it at your bedtime.

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