Every fouryears on November 8,the American people will vote for the next U. S. president. Before election day,people following the presidential campaign will seemany polls(民调). Apoll isa public opinion study. Research organizations ask people questions about the candidates to findoutwho they support.

For example, one of the poll is run by a professor at a university in the U.S. state of Connecticut. People who work for the polling service call likely voters on the telephone.

How can one poll be so different from others? Here are some things to remember when you are looking at polls:

Not all polling groups are the same

Some pollstargetspecific groups of people. Many polls make sure they collect many different opinions. Sometimes, however, polling organizations receive money from groups that support a specific political issue. It is important to look at which group carried out the poll along with the results.

A poll's methodis important

Some polls are using new technology. Traditionally, polls are done over the phone. But that is slowly changing. Many polls are now done online. While online polls can produce good information, it is sometimes hard to reach as many different types of people over the Internet.

Also important the size of the poll. Try to find out how many people were polled before believing its results.

Polls are not predictions(预测)

Polls only show how people feel at one moment in time. They do not show what will happen in the future. Public opinion may change before the general election on November 8. Some things that could change the opinions of voters include:the debates on television, the release of the candidates’ tax or medical records, and unexpected illnesses.

Today I went to Berkeley, near our old neighborhood. I was a bit surprised by the increased number of homeless (alternatively housed) people walking around. I remember there are more in certain areas. So the first man who asked me for money got all my single bills. So when the second man asked me two minutes later, I said I was out because I gave all I had to the previous person.

I was headed to the grocery store for a coffee and after I left the store I walked out to find him as he had asked me for something because he was hungry and I invited him to go into the grocery store with me.

When I asked him what he wanted to eat, he just asked for vegetable and rice. He talked about how much better the vegetables were as we waited for our number to be called. While we waited he told me that he had slept outside last night on the sidewalk, that it was not good, and that he had come from Rwanda and was alone.

He was a gentleman. When I asked if he wanted more he said, this bowl of food would last him the whole day.

I don’t know what his circumstances were before he came to California, and wandering and begging on the streets could somehow be better because you just never know what had happened to him. He seemed like a kind soul who just needed some help like we all do. I am grateful I did a little to help him today.

In France, a man walks on what can only be described as a human-sized hamster wheel. The wheel moves around and around, as the man keeps walking. What is he doing? He is lifting a heavy object to the top of a tower the same way workers moved such objects 800 years ago.

In the 13th century, workers did not have the 100-meter tall cranes they now use to build tall buildings. So they had to be creative and come up with simple machines to get their work done.

The man on the large wheel is walking at a reasonable speed. The wheel turns and pulls a rope connected to a pulley(滑轮)at the top of the tower. Another rope tied to the pulley lifts supplies from the ground.

This is just one way skilled craftsmen are building a 13th-century castle without using modern tools. Crew have been working on the castle since 1997. It is being built in the Burgundy area of central France. Organizers expect the work to last another 10 to 15 years. That means it will take close to 30 years to finish the project.

The crew are making progress at about half the speed of the workers from 800 years ago. That is because many of them are accustomed to using modern tools. When the crew use heavy chisels(凿子）and hammers to break rock, as they did hundreds of years ago, they are learning as they go. The goal of the project is to learn more about old building techniques in case they might be of use today.

Clement Guerard, 44,is a stonemason; he cuts and builds with stone. He has been working on the tower for 17 years. He said one way he is able to work on something like this for so long is by forgetting “some of the pace of modern life", he is able to adapt to working by hand.

A new American weather satellite could save more lives by better predicting extreme weather conditions. It will be in orbit(轨道）some 36,000 kilometers above Earth’s surface. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also known as NOAA, has been working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the project.

NOAA officials are calling the new satellite GOES-R. That is short for a much longer name—the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R Series. NOAA said GOES-R could improve the nation's ability to observe weather conditions and make weather predictions. It said the satellite's operation would lead to more exact and timely weather forecasts watches and warnings.

The government agency said the satellite will require testing of its six instruments and will be ready to work “within a year."

"The next generation of weather satellites is finally here." said NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan. She described GOES-R as one of the most complicated Earth-observing machines ever created. Sullivan said its instruments will be able to study Earth five times faster and with four times more detail than any other NOAA satellite currently in operation. She believes this will make the United States an even stronger, more “Weather-Ready" nation.

A NOAA statement said the greater detail will help improve the agency’s study of ocean storms, as well as “the prediction and warnings of severe weather. "In addition, GOES-R will be able to provide improved rainfall estimates (预计), which will lead to more timely and detailed flood warning. The statement also said that GOES-R will give better estimates of wind strength, as well as better measurement of fog, ice or lightning strikes.

Craig Fugate serves as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He says that the GOES-R satellite will improve the ability of people and organizations across America to prepare for, and react to, weather-related disasters.

Every time we get behind the wheel of a car, we put our lives and the lives of others at risk. Self-driving cars are designed to reduce those risks by letting technology control our vehicles.

Accident rates for self-driving cars have been much lower than the rate, for human-driven cars.     16    

As humans, we can make moral choices in avoiding accidents. To avoid hitting a child, for example, human drivers might sharply turn a car away from the child even if others may be injured.     17     Researchers studied this issue. They have developed the Moral Machine website to help explore the choices self-driving cars should make.

    18    . You are shown two possible traffic situations and you choose between them. An accident will take place. You choose how many living beings would be hurt or killed.

In one situation there may be a female doctor, a child, two dogs and a homeless person who would be killed. In the other situation, you might have two babies and a cat who would be killed.     19    

The Moral Machine website has many situations and many possible outcomes. When you click on the situation of your choice, it will be highlighted.     20     At the end of the situation, you are shown the results, based on the choices you made. The results show which character you were most likely to save and which character you were most likely to have die.

Recently, my family and I attended a neighborhood oyster(牡蛎)roast. While standing at the large tables ___ and eating oysters, I noticed a school aged boy across the table from us. He was being __ oysters and by a man having a great deal of __ and displeasure trying to swallow them down.

At first, I thought the man wanted the boy to __ the oysters and it would stop.  But __ we stood there, it continued. And with __ oyster the suffering of this boy becoming more and more __ as he fought back tears and struggled to swallow them. I __ learned that the man felt the boy had been impolite and this was his __ .

I couldn’t watch. I hesitated whether to get involved or __ . Then I had an idea. I grabbed my daughter and our frisbee(飞盘) __ walked our way next to the man and the boy, attracting their attention __. Then we introduced ourselves as not to knowing many __ there, we invited the boy to come and play frisbee with us.

The man allowed it and __ the boy’s situation changed. He became friendly and __. He ran up and down happily to __ the flying dish. We pulled another child into our __ and played frisbee for a good 30 minutes together. I was so relaxed to __ the suffering I was witnessing in that moment. And it made me feel __ that trying to help in that or any situation where you __ suffering is the best thing to do.

Most American businesses are open five days a week. American school children attend school five days a week as well. American families     41     (usual) have a two-day weekend. The weekend is Saturday     42     Sunday.

Over the weekend, people spend their time     43     (do) various things. Many families enjoy weekend together. They may go shopping, go for a drive, or visit friends. They may also send     44     (invite) to friends and have a party at home. Weekends are also good chances to take trips,     45     are usually short ones. They will go to the nearby mountains, parks, lakes or other     46     (interest）places to relax them. Some even go camping and picnicking there.

Many families participate     47     sports during the weekend. Running, biking, playing volleyball and swimming are popular in the summer. Skiing and skating are the favorite winter     48     (sport).

Weekends are also a time for American families     49     (work) on something in their yards or on their houses. Many families plant flowers and have vegetable gardens. So weekends     50     (use) to paint or repair their houses. For most Americans, weekends are very busy.

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I had an amazing experience last Spring Festival.On the second day of the holiday,it was snowing heavily but we had a very importance relative to visit,that lived in a distant mountain village.We have to take risks to drive on our journey.Though the road was bad,but we arrived safe.

The family welcomed us warmly or we said “Happy new year” to them.We were treated a good dinner.Later in the afternoon,we said goodbye and started back home.

Sadly,our car was sticking in the snow halfway and wouldn't move. Just then, the villager walked by, offering to push his car.It was this stranger who helped us out!

When talking about travel, we may immediately think of its advantages.