【推荐1】Studying abroad is complicated. Apart from academic matters that needed to be dealt with, you also need to maintain a great many personal relationships.     1     I spent most of the three and a half years in Canada with my host family. Their house is not far from my school. They are a local family of five: the parents, two sons at the age of eight or nine, and the grandmother.

In the first half year, we had no big conflicts.     2     Take food as an example. I had to bring my own lunch to school and my host family made cold sandwiches for me every day. Back in China, I always had warm meals, which maybe was why after having cold sandwiches for half a year I couldn’t stand it anymore.

    3     They lived in a villa, and offered me a room on the first floor, while their living room and activity room were all on the second floor. At night or on weekends when I was ready to read, do my homework or go to bed, their sons would play with a ball, jump up and down and horse around. It felt like the whole floor was shaking.

After enduring for half a year, I told my parents I wanted to change to a Chinese host family, so that there would be less incompatible living habits.     4     He thought living in a Chinese host family overseas was no different from studying in China.

In the end, I chose to stay with that family and I gradually realized that they were actually nice people.     5     Gradually, they also started to care for me, a stranger from China. Occasionally, they would steam rice and make some stir-fried dishes for me; when the kids were playing upstairs, the host mother would remind them not to make too much noise. Although I was still bothered by their noise sometimes, I knew that there was no perfection in life. We needed to understand each other.

【推荐2】April Fools' Day is supposed to be a day to play jokes on others in hopes of getting a good laugh and making one feel like a fool.However，the April Fools' Day of 2019 was quite different for my mom and me.

That day my friend Jimmy and I were playing a game.I had dropped down from a bar (横木) many times in the past without ever having a problem，but that day the simple act of dropping to the ground became a nightmare (噩梦)．I broke my arm.

Jimmy's dad heard my crying and rushed out to see what was going on.When he saw the problem，he quickly put me into his truck and went inside to telephone my mom and let her know he would take me to the hospital.As that day was April Fools' Day，Mom was not buying it and really thought all this was a big joke.Mom was finally convinced by Jimmy's mom.When she saw me，she broke down in tears because she felt so bad－she simply believed that was just a big trick.

I guess one could compare this to the story The Boy Who Cried Wolf.Since I had played bad tricks before，it was no wonder that my mom didn't believe it.I as well as my mom was made to look like a fool that day.We both learned a valuable lesson.

【推荐3】An old man lives with his little grandson.Every day the old man gets up early to read books.

One day the grandson asked,“Grandpa,I want to read books as you do.But I always forget what I read.What are the advantages of reading?”

The grandfather didn’t answer him,but said,“Take this little basket to the river and bring me back a basket of water.” The boy did as his grandpa said,but all the water leaked out before he got back home.The grandfather laughed and said,“You’ll have to walk faster next time.”

The next time the boy ran faster,but the basket was still empty before he returned home.The boy said,“See,Grandpa,it’s no use!”

“Is it no use?” the old man said.“Look at the basket.”

The boy looked at the basket and found that the basket was different.It was cleaner,inside and out.

“That’s what happens when you read books.You might not understand or remember everything,but when you read them,you will be changed,inside and out.”

【推荐2】A report has warned of a "destructive" decline(减少) in freshwater fish, with nearly a third in danger of extinction(灭绝). Conservation groups said 80 species were known to have gone extinct, 16 in the last year alone.

The report said, for example, populations of migratory fish have fallen by three-quarters in the last 50 years. Over the same time period, populations of larger species, known as "megafish", have crashed by 94%. In UK waters, the sturgeon and the burbot have disappeared, salmon are disappearing and the European eel remains extremely endangered.

According to the WWF(世界自然基金会), much of the freshwater fish decline is driven by the poor state of rivers, mostly as a result of pollution. Besides, dams and waste water are also the factors. It has called on the government to restore freshwater habitats to good health through proper carrying out of existing laws, strengthening protections in the Environment Bill and championing a strong set of global targets for the recovery of nature.

Dave Tickner, from WWF, said freshwater habitats are some of the most full of life on earth, but as this report shows they are in "destructive" decline around the world. "If we are to take this government's environmental promises seriously, it must get its act together, clean up our rivers and restore our freshwater habitats to good health," said the organization's chief adviser on freshwater.

Carmen Revenga of The Nature Conservancy said freshwater fish are a diverse and unique group of species that are not only important for the healthy functioning of our rivers, lakes and wetlands, but millions of people, particularly the poor, also depend on them for their food and income.

"It's now more urgent than ever that we find the collective political will and effective cooperation with private industries, governments, NGOs(Non-Governmental Organizations) and communities, to carry out nature-based solutions that protect freshwater species, while also ensuring human needs are met," she said.

【推荐3】Eco-Resort Management

Ecotourism is often regarded as a form of nature-based tourism and has become an important alternative source of tourists. In addition to providing the traditional resort-leisure product, it has been argued that ecotourism resort(度假村) management should have a particular focus on best-practice environmental management. Couran Cove Resort is such a tourist attraction located on South Stradbroke Island, Australia.

Sustainable(可持续的) Practices of Couran Cove Resort

South Stradbroke Island is separated from the mainland by the Broadwater, which is home to a wide range of plant communities. Located on the offshore island, the Resort is only accessible by means of water transportation. It provides hourly ferry service from the harbour on the mainland to and from the island. Within the Resort, transport modes include walking trails, bicycle tracks and the beach train. The reception area is the counter of the shop which has not changed in 8 years at least. The accommodation is an octagonal(八角形的) building. These are large rooms that are clean but the equipment is old and in some cases just working. The ceiling fan only works at high speed for example. Beds are hard but clean. There is a television, a radio, an old air conditioner and a small fridge in each room.

As an ecotourism-based resort, most of the planning and development of the attraction has been concentrated on the need to co-exist with the natural environment of South Stradbroke Island to achieve sustainable development.

Water and Energy Management

There is groundwater at the centre of the island, which has a maximum height of 3 metres above sea level. The water supply is recharged by rainfall and is commonly known as an freshwater aquifer(含水层). Couran Cove Island Resort obtains its water supply by tapping into this aquifer and collecting it through a pipe. In order to narrow the water uses, all laundry activities are carried out on the mainland. The Resort uses LPG power station rather than a fuel oil   station   for   its   energy   supply,   supplemented(补充)   by wind   power,   which   has   reduced greenhouse emissions by 70%. Hot water in the eco-cabins and for some of the Resort‟s vehicles is solar-powered. Water efficient fittings are also installed in showers and toilets. Visitors who stay at the Resort are encouraged to monitor their water and energy usage by an in-house television system, and are rewarded with prizes (such as a free return trip to the Resort) accordingly if their usage level is low.

Evaluation

In three years of operation, Couran Cove Island Resort has won 23 international and national awards. It has effectively implemented contemporary environmental management practices. However, the Resort‟s growth will eventually be limited by its carrying capacity, and quantity control should be incorporated in the management strategy of the Resort.

【推荐3】Four students in a class are having a chat about what they did last week.

Roger: Hi, there! It was my 15th birthday last Saturday. Some of my friends andAlan, my cousin, came to celebrate it. Everyone brought me a gift. We playedgames, sang songs and had a big birthday cake. It was really a wonderful day! Didyou do anything special last week?

Jessica: Yes, my class were on a school field trip last week. First, we went to theUniversity of North Carolina to learn about the history of its basketball team.Many basketball stars were students there. Then we visited a museum. We learnedabout how the plane was invented and took many pictures there.

Sara: Well, I was lucky enough to go to a conference (会议) on charity(慈善) lastWednesday. I was excited to meet a lot of kind people there. One of them was aboy named Richard. He spoke at the conference about the charity work that he haddone in the past few years.

Martin: It was a more different week than usual. Last Thursday, my school bandwent to Atlanta to perform in a competition. I played the violin and we won aprize! On Friday we went to the Georgia Aquarium and got to see different kindsof sea life from over the world. It was really cool!

【推荐1】Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let’s have a look.

People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are nervous have ants in their pants. Sometimes, people may get caught with their pants down. They are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say she wears the pants in the family.

Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can burn a hole in your pocket. Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you have less money than usual, you may have to tighten your belt.

I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really take my hat off to them. Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it at the drop of a hat, which means I instantly spend it.

Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are too big for their boots think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people.

My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie, and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too serious and never shows his feelings openly. But I know that my father wears his heart on his sleeve.

【推荐2】Europe’s most beautiful places

Europe is an amazingly varied place. The old continent's historic cities and its Mediterranean beaches draw many of its visitors, but the best destinations are sometimes its more remote corners, known mainly to locals and a few brave travelers.

Lake Inari, Finland

High above the Arctic Circle and close to Finland's border with Russia, Lake Inari is a year round paradise. Dark, snowy winters make it ideal for catching a glimpse of the aurora borealis. Its tree-lined banks glow a burnt orange during autumn and in summer, you can swim in its chilly shallows. The center of local Sami culture, it's as remote and traditional as Finland gets.

Unst, Shetland Isles, Scotland

The most northerly occupied island of the British Iles, Unst is a wild, rugged place where seas crash into the dramatic Muckle Flugga sea stacks.

The later are a harbor for gannets (塘鹅) during breeding season, with birdwatchers also treated to the sight of searching skuas (贼鸥).

Yorkshire Dales, England

Its narrow lanes lined with drystone walls cry out to cyclists seeking marvelous adventures while its moody hill continually attract walkers, no matter the weather Geological wonders such as the limestone spectacles of Malham Cove and Gordale Scar make it perhaps the most beautiful part of the British Isles

Loire Valley, France

Chateau de Chambord and Chateau de Chenonceau are the most famous, filled with classic viewing towers, formal gardens and boating lakes.

Throw in a tour of its graperies, where some of the world's finest wines are produced, and its glamour is impossible to ignore.

【推荐3】Pali Overnight Adventures offers children and teens exciting experiences this summer. From broadcasting to street art, these are just 4 of the 17 highly unique camps being offered.

Broadcasting Camp

Become the next star reporter news writer, director or producer. While running every aspect of our own news station, kids and their fellow campers will create and host a broadcast airing each night at dinner for the entire camp. Every night it goes on the web, keeping parents and the world informed of the happenings at Pali.

Secret Agent Camp

In the movie Mission Impossible, Tom Cruise made being a secret agent seem like the coolest job ever. Campers who sign up for the 2-week secret agent camp can get to know about the life of real secret agents by learning strategies and military skills on the paintball field.

Culinary Camp

If your child enjoys being in the kitchen, then the culinary camp is definitely the right fit. Campers learn technical skills of roasting, frying and cutting, as well as some recipes that they can take home and share with their families.

Street Art Camp

This camp takes creative license to an entirely new level. Campers will share their colorful ideas and imagination with each other and work together to visualize, sketch and paint with non-traditional techniques to create the coolest mural which will be displayed in public for all to see.