More Than a Ride to School
The National Education Association claims, "The school bus is a mirror of the community. " They further add that, unfortunately, what appears on the exterior (外部) does not always reflect the reality of a chosen community. They are tight, and sometimes it reflects more! Just ask Liesl Denson riding the school bus has been more than a tide to school for Liesl. Bruce Hardy, school bus driver for Althouse Bus Company has been Liesl's bus driver since kindergarten. Last year when Liesl's family moved to Parkesburg, knowing her bus went by her new residence, she requested to ride the same bus.
This year Liesl is a senior and will enjoy her last year tiding the bus. She says, "It's been a great tide so far! My bus driver is so cool and has always been a good friend and a good listener. Sometimes when you're a child, adults do not think that what you have to say is important. Mr. Hardy always listens to what you have to say and makes you feel important. " Her friends Ashley Batista and Amanda Wolfe agree.
Bruce Hardy has been making Octorara students feel special since 1975.This year he will celebrate 30 .years working for Althouse Bus Transportation. Company President, Larry Althouse acknowledges Bruce Hardy's outstanding record. "Yon do not come by employees like Bruce these days; he has never missed a day of work and has a perfect driving record. Recognized in 2000 by the Pennsylvania School Bus Association for driving 350,000 accident free miles, Hardy's reputation is made further evident through the relationships he has made with the students that ride his bus. "
Althouse further added, "Althouse Bus Transportation was established 70 years ago and has been providing quality transportation ever since. My grandfather started the business with one bus. Althouse Bus Transportation is delighted to have the opportunity to bring distinctive and safe service to our local school and community and looks forward to continuing to provide quality service for many more years to come. " Three generations of business is not all the company has enjoyed. Thanks to drivers like Bruce Hardy, they have been building relationships through generations. Liesl's mother Carol also enjoys fond memories of riding Bruce Hardy's bus to the Octorara School District.
The word "mirror" in the first line could be best replaced by ______.
A. vehicle
B. device
C. company
D. reflection
How a Terrible Battle Helped to Change Europe
Ninety years ago on a sunny morning in Northern France, something happened that changed Britain and Europe for ever. At half past seven on the morning of July 1, 1916, whistles(哨子) blew and thousands of British soldiers left their positions to attack their German enemies. By the end of the day, 20,000 of them were dead, and another 30,000 wounded or missing. The Battle of the Somme,【51】 it is called, lasted for six months. When it ended, 125,000 British soldiers were dead. They had gained five kilometers of ground.
This was one of a series of great battles during WWI. The attack on the Somme was staged to relieve【52】 on the French, who were engaged in a great battle of their own at a place called Verdun. By the time the battle ended, over a million French and German troops had been killed.
About 17 million people were killed in WWI. There have been wars with greater numbers of dead. But there has never been one in【53】 most of the dead were concentrated in such a small area. On the Somme battlefield, two men died for every meter of space.
Local farmers working in the land still【54】 the bodies of those who died in that battle. The dead of all nations were buried in a series of giant graveyards along the line of the border
【55】 France and Belgium. Relatives and descendants(子孙) of those who died still visit these graveyards today. What the French call the "tourism of death"【56】 an important contribution to the local economy.
It took a second great conflict before Europe was to turn【57】 war itself. Twenty-eight years after the Somme battle, a liberating army of British, American and Canadian troops took back【58】 from another German invasion. More than 500,000 people were killed. New【59】 were built.
Two great conflicts across two generations helped to change the European mind about war. Germany, once the most warlike country in Europe, is now probably more in【60】 of peace than any other. One major cause of war in Europe was rivalry(竞争) between France and Germany. The European Union was specifically formed to end that【61】.
According to US commentator William Pfaff, "Europeans are interested in a slow development of civilized and tolerant international relations,【62】 on problems while avoiding catastrophes(灾难) along the way. They have themselves only recently【63】 from the catastrophes of WW Ⅰ and WW Ⅱ , when tens of millions of people were destroyed. They don't want【64】."
The last British veteran of the Somme battle died in 2005, aged 108.And WWI is passing out of memory and into history. But for anyone who wants to understand how Europeans【65】, it is still important to know a little about the terrible events of July 1, 1916.
(51)
A. since
B. because
C. as
D. for