We would like to wish all our readers a wonderful winter break. Our January magazine is now in the shops and available digitally. We're looking forward to sharing more adventures and discoveries with you in 2014, including :

At a crossroads in the Atlantic

As the population of Ascension Island rises up to mark the 200th anniversary of British rule, Fred Pearce wonders what the future might have in store for this strange part of land.

Photo story : On the road again

A selection of images from an exhibition opening this month at the Royal Geographical Society go hand in hand with !VI Aurel Stein's early 20th-century photographs of the Silk Road.

Dossier : Going underground

Mark Rowe discusses the role that carbon storage can play in the global effort to reduce carbon dioxide emission (排放)-

Net loss

Kit Gillet reports from the Gulf of Thailand, whose fisheries (渔场)have been almost destroyed by the commercialization of the Thai fishing industry.

And don't forget'..

―a round-up of the latest geographical and climate science news; a hot spot focus on Turkey; advice on taking photographs in Antarctica; an interview with Lucien Castaing-Taylor, professor of visual arts at Harvard; plus lots, lots more--

Buy your copy now , click here and save up to 35 % or call+44 (0)1635 588 496. Our magazine is also available in WHSmith and many independent newsagents.

5.    Who took photos of the Silk Road?

A.    M Aurel Stein.

B.    Fred Pearce.

C.    Mark Rowe.

D.    Lucien Castaing-Taylor.

6.    If   you   want   to   read   something   about global warming, you can read .

A.    At a crossroads in the Atlantic

B.    Photo story: On the road again

C.    Dossier: Going underground

D.    Net loss

7.    Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A.    Ascension Island has a bright future with more population.

B.    Commercialization contributes to the loss of fisheries in Thailand.

C.    The January edition of 2016 is to come out in the winter break.

D.    The topics of this magazine focus on geography and interviews.

8.  The passage is written to .

A.    share adventures and discoveries

B.    give advice on taking photos

C.    attract readers to buy the magazine

D.    introduce the content of the magazine

Millions of families around the world have been giv?en a helping hand out of poverty by micro-credits. These very small loans, usually less than US $ 200, have ena?bled the very poorest people to set up or expand busines?ses and become self-sufficient.

The micro-credit movement started with Professor Muhammad Yunus, who founded the Grarneen Bank in Bangladesh. Professor Yunus, who won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, used his own money to set up a bank to benefit the poorest people in Bangladesh―families living on less than US $ 1 a day. There are now hundreds of organizations around the world following his blueprint to help people escape from poverty.

So how does the system work? Local Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) make contact with families and offer loans, usually to women, to enable them to start or expand a business. These are very poor people who would not normally be able to get credit, but as no col?lateral (抵押品)is required they can get micro-credits. They pay back the loan on a weekly basis, over six months to a year.

A crucial aspect to the success of the micro-credit system is that receivers get local support. The MFIs educate local communities about ways to improve their

lives, and offer practical support as well as collecting weekly loans payments. They encourage people to help each other, so that the whole community can pull itself out of poverty. MFIs may also help with literacy and health problems.

Micro-credits are mainly given to women. Experi?ence has shown that women are more motivated to improve their children's lives and will spend the money they make on better nutrition and schooling for their children. This may be the first chance they've had to contribute financially to the family, and their status in the home and the local community is raised.

The micro-credit system is not charity. The payments are fixed-term loans and interest is charged. The costs of making such small loans, collecting them and giving personal support are high. This is reflected in the interest rates, which range from 15 to 35 per cent. Despite this, the repayment rate is very high, between 95 and 98 per cent, showing that micro-credit clients re?ally value this opportunity to leave poverty behind.

5.    Micro-credits are offered to the poorest people around the world in order to A.    make profits out of the poor

B.    support poor people out of poverty

C.    establish more micro-credit institutions

D.    promote the development of world economy

6.    Why are bank loans mainly made to women?

A.    Because they make more financial contribution to the family.

B.    Because they hold higher status in the home and community.

C.    Because they are more reliable and likely to repay the loan.

D.    Because they are more likely to spend the profits on their children.

7.    The high repayment rate of the loan suggests that

A.    people do hope to take advantage of the loan to get out of poverty

B.    it is easy to make money with the aid of micro?credits

C.    micro-credits are very popular with poor families

D.    most micro-credit clients keep their promises well

8.    The passage is most probably taken from the      

section of a magazine.

A. Health       B. Business

C. Finance      D. Education

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Unforgettable ,

 My family and I decided to try to help the less for?tunate at Easter. It was last March and my brother, sister and I stayed home after yet another snowstorm. We dressed warmly and ran out of the house to collect money and canned goods.

 Some people slammed their doors in our faces and others told us they already donated at their churches. We still continued, though. To our surprise, the peo?ple who we expected to be the most generous weren't. The "well-to-do" gave little or nothing at all, while the poorest gave everything they could afford. In the first couple of hours, we raised $ 60 and during the follow?ing three days of going door to door, we collected about $ 1,000.

    We then went to the grocery store and bought rice, potatoes, macaroni (通心粉)and juice. After?wards we arranged the food and put it into 25 coloured laundry baskets, each also containing a three-pound ham.

 Finally, right before the holiday, my family and I made the deliveries(递送).As the people opened their doors and saw what we had brought? they were very happy. Big smiles on the once-sad faces were symbolic of how happy they truly were. Most of them replied, "Now we can have an Easter dinner."

 This event was very meaningful for my family and me. We learned to appreciate all we once took for granted. We also learned that to achieve a goal, hard work and patience are necessary. I strongly advocate that all get involved in some aspects of community service. It is surely an unforgettable experience !

1. Why did the writer run out to collect money and food?

    A.    To get more food for the family.

B.    To prepare for the next snowstorm.

C.    To buy warmer clothes and shoes.

D.    To try to help people in need at Easter.

2.What does the underlined expression "well-to-do" in the second paragraph mean?

A. Rich.                     B. Simple.

C. Poor.                     D. Good.

3.  What are necessary to achieve a goal?

   A.  Honesty and bravery.

B.   Hard work and patience,

C.  Courage and hard work.

D.  Confidence and honesty.

4. Which words best describe the author's feelings to?wards the experience?

   A.  Important and unforgettable.

B.  Different and meaningful.

C.  Careful and helpful

D.  Positive and important.

5. How many kinds of goods were contained in the baskets?

A. Four.                           B. Five.

C. Six.                           D. Seven.

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