People call my deaf side my "bad ear", but when I wear my hearing aid, I have access to a range of features that some other deaf people don't. In cinemas, for example, with one click of a button I can enjoy a whole film as though it were whispered to me from the mouths of the actors.

　　　Owning a hearing aid hasn't always felt good, however. On the first day I got my aid, when I was eight, I took it to school for show-and-tell. As I explained how it worked to my classmates, a boy yelled out, "Aren't those for old men?" At that moment, I felt different. It took me a long time to get over that sense of being so unlike my peers.

　　　But it's not just school kids who can make us deaf and hard-of-hearing people feel like burdens. Every video on social media that lacks subtitles（字幕）, for example, means an entire community of deaf people is unable to enjoy it. Completely deaf people are excluded from enjoying many movies too, as subtitles in cinemas are almost impossible to find.

　　　And with hearing aids costing around $2,500 each, it can be hard for many people to afford to be able to listen to the things that others take for granted. As for me, I can listen to music, enjoy films, and catch conversations - I'm lucky. I'm deaf, but I can still hear everything. I've been blessed with wonderful life experiences, and I am human. And when it comes to sleeping, I'm even superhuman.

　　　4．How does the author view his hearing difficulty?

　　　A．It's a disaster and causes him a lot of trouble.

　　　B．It gave him a chance to experience something special.

　　　C．It made him feel embarrassed in front of his classmates.

　　　D．It helped him to live in his own world without being interrupted.

　　　5．What can be inferred from the passage about the author?

　　　A．He was born deaf.

　　　B．He is optimistic and helpful.

　　　C．The hearing aid brings convenience to his daily life.

　　　D．His family and classmates have supported him a lot.

　　　6．What is the author's attitude toward his life？

　　　A．Excited.

　　　B．Anxious.

　　　C．Grateful.

　　　D．Disappointed.

　　　7．What is the author's main purpose in writing the article?

　　　A．To give advice on life to disabled people.

　　　B．To show how difficult life is for disabled people.

　　　C．To show the convenience a hearing aid could bring.

　　　D．To share his experience of treating a disadvantage with gratitude.

　　　 When was the last time you used plastic plates? Next time, why not try some edible ones? You'll help the environment and your guests won't go hungry.

　　　"I used to work in school catering and saw a lot of money being thrown away. I thought that was criminal, so I decided to do something about it," said Italian school chef Tiziano Vicentini.

　　　Now, Vicentini has an amazing range of edible plates for schools. The plates are made out of bread dough, so you can eat them afterwards. "These dishes cost a few pennies each and are either eaten by the kids, or go into recycling bins for animal food," explained Vicentini, 50, of Milan.

　　　But now other companies are developing edible plates, too. The Edible Plate Company offers edible plates, bowls, trays and cups. Their products are environmentally-friendly, 100% biodegradable and can be used for all types of catering and home use. And they're made from a natural plant. After use, they can be fed to animals or left to degrade naturally. They also have a range of cutlery (餐具）made from corn and potato starch (淀粉).

　　　These plates will also help reduce the amount of plastic we create. Waste from plastic causes damage to the environment, costing governments millions in waste management. Plastic bags often end up in landfill sites. And the burning of plastic waste causes toxic gases that pollute the air.

　　　In response to this, governments around the world are introducing tough recycling regulations. And many shops are offering biodegradable plastic bags and eco-safe packaging on their products. To help matters, the International Organization for Standardization (the ISO) has also developed a system to evaluate the biodegradability of products, with a certification and logo scheme. Meanwhile, how about a nice plate for lunch?

　　　8．Which of the following is not the advantage of edible plates?

　　　A．They are expensive. B．They can degrade naturally.

　　　C．They are environmentally-friendly. D．They are made from natural plant.

　　　9．Which of the following statements is true?

　　　A．Tiziano is from Germany.

　　　B．Edible plates are only used for school catering,

　　　C．Corn and potato starch can be used to make cutlery.

D．The Edible Plate Company doesn't produce edible bowls.