1第一篇 A Life with BirdsFor nearly 17 years David Cope has worked as one of the Tower of Londons yeoman warders(伦敦塔看守), _ better（更） known to tourists as beefeaters. David, 64, lives in a three-bedroomed flat right at the top（顶部） of the Byward Tower, one of the gatehouses. From（从） our bedroom we have a marvelous(a.奇妙的，不可思议的 ) view of Tower Bridge and the Thames, says David. The Tower of London is famous for（以.而著名）its ravens(n.乌鸦，黑色的鸟 ), the large black birds which have lived there for over three centuries. David was immediately fascinated(着迷，吸引) by the birds and when he was _ offered(提供)_ the post of Raven Master eight years ago he had no _ hesitation（犹豫）_ in accepting it. The birds have now become my life and Im always _ aware（意识到） of the fact that I am _ maintaining （保持） _ a tradition. The legend(传奇，传说 ) says that if the ravens leave the Tower, England will fall to enemies, and its my job to _ make（确保） sure this doesnt happen! David devotes（献身于） about four hours a day to the care of the ravens. He has grown to love them and the _ fact（事实） that he lives right next to them is ideal. I can keep（关注） a close eye on them all the time, and not just when Im working. At first（起初）, Davids wife Mo was not _keen（对.感兴趣） on the idea of life in the Tower, but she too will be sad to leave when he retires next year. When we look out of our windows, we see history all（所有）around us, and we are taking it in and storing it up for our future memories. 第二篇 A Lucky BreakActor Antonio Banderas is used to breaking bones, and it always seems to happen when hes doing(做) sport. In the film Play It to the Bone he plays（扮演一个） the part of a middleweight(n.中量级拳击手) boxer alongside Woody Harrelson. During（过程中） the making of the film Harrelson kept（连续） complaining that the fight scenes（场面） werent very convincing(a.有说服力的，令人信服的), so one day he suggested that he and Banderas should have a fight for real. The Spanish actor wasnt keen（对 热衷） on the idea at first, but he was eventually（最终） persuaded by his co-star to put on his gloves and climb into the boxing ring(拳赛场地 ). However, when he realized how seriously(认真地 ) his opponent（对手） was taking it all, he began to regret his decision to fight. And then in the third round, Harrelson hit Banderas so（太以至于.） hard in the face that he actually broke his nose. His wife, actress Melanie Griffith, was furious(a.暴怒的，强烈的) that he had been playing silly macho(a.雄壮的，男子气概的) games. She was right, confesses(v.承认，坦白) Banderas, and I was a fool to take（冒险） a risk like that in the middle of a movie.He was reminded（提醒） of the time he broke his leg during a football match in his native Malaga. He had always dreamed（梦想） of becoming a soccer star, of performing in front of a big crowd, but doctors told him his playing days were probably over. Thats when I decided to take up（开始） acting; I saw it as another（另外） way of performing, and achieving recognition. What happened to me on that football pitch（场） was, you might say, my first lucky break. 第三篇 Global Warming Few people now question the reality of global warming and its effects on the worlds climate(n.气候，风气). Many scientists put（把归咎于） the blame for recent natural disasters on the increase in（在） the worlds temperatures and are convinced that, more than ever(任何时候) before, the Earth is at risk(危险) from the forces(暴力 ) of the wind, rain and sun. According(据说) to them, global warming is making extreme(极端的 ) weather events, such(例如) as hurricanes(n. 飓风，暴风 ) and droughts(n.干旱，早灾), even more severe(严重) and causing sea levels all around the world to rise(上升) . Environmental groups are putting pressure(压力) on governments to take action to reduce the amount(数量) of carbon dioxide(n.二氧化碳 ) which is given off(排放) by factories and power plants, thus attacking(攻击) the problem at its source. They are in favour(赞成 ) of more money being spent on research into solar(a.太阳的 n.太阳能 ), wind and wave energy devices, which could then replace existing power stations(装置) .Some scientists, however(然而) believe that even if we stopped releasing carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere(n.大气) tomorrow, we would have to wait several(几) hundred years to notice the results. Global warming, it seems, is here to stay(停留).第四篇 A Success StoryAt 19, Ben Way is already a millionaire, and one of a growing number of teenagers who have made(制造) their fortune(财富) through the Internet. What(这) makes Bens story all the more remarkable(a.卓越的，值得注意的) is that he is dyslexic(a.诵读困难的 n.诵读困难者), and was told(告知) by teachers at his junior school that he would never be able to read or write properly(正确地 ) . I wanted to prove them wrong(错了) , says Ben, creator and director of Waysearch, a net search engine which can be used to find goods in online shopping malls.When he was eight, his local authorities(n.权威，权力，当权) provided(提供) him with a PC to help with school work. Although he was unable(不能) to read the manuals, he had a natural ability with the computer, an