【推荐2】John Rosher can treat a jellyfish sting and ice skate backwards.He is good at playing chess and can confidently talk about nuclear science.The 17-year-old from Kansas,US has gained knowledge about many subjects,all because of the Boy Scouts(童子军）.

The Boy Scouts is a kind of club that teenagers can join to learn skills. Every time members master a new skill, they earn a merit badge(勋章）. Rosher has earned all 137 available badges.In the 105-year history of the Boy Scouts of America,fewer than 300 scouts have achieved that.

When Rosher joined the Boy Scouts at 10,his only goal was to earn more merit badges than his dad,who had earned 54 during his time in the Scouts.After beating his dad's record,Rosher realized he wanted to keep going.He enjoyed the challenge.

The badges are earned for subjects from safety to career skills.Rosher earned some of the badges during his family vacations.He went water rafting in Colorado.He practiced fishing in the Amazon jungle with alligators(鳄鱼）all around him.Not all the badges needed a vacation.For example,for his model design badge,he spent hours building a 3-D model of a spaceship at home.

Earning so many badges wasn't easy,especially since he's also dealing with band, soccer,and volunteer work.But Rosher is thankful for all his experiences."They have shaped me and taught me to be more adventurous,"he said."Everything I learned in Boy Scouts will stay with me forever."

1. What do we know about Rosher?

A．He has earned 54 badges so far.

B．He has achieved a lot in nuclear science.

C．He has been a Scout member for 10 years.

D．He has learned many skills after joining the Boy Scouts.

2. Rosher keeps earning more badges because he___

A．enjoys collecting badges.

B．likes meeting more challenges.

C．wants to prove himself to his friends.

D．hopes to win more badges than his father.

3. What does Rosher think of his experiences in the Scouts?

A．Common.

B．Painful.

C．Rewarding.

D．Boring.

【推荐3】After her own experience using a service dog, Tabitha Bell understands how helpful a service dog is. Having learnt from her doctor that many people were unable to afford a service dog, Tabitha decided to start the organization Pawsitive Pawsibilities (Paws), which raises money to help people buy service dogs.

Amazing Kids (AK)：What has been the most difficult part of managing Paws?

Tabitha Bell(TB) ：It is always a struggle ( 难事) to come up with new and creative ways to raise money.

AK：What are the different ways that Paws raises money?

TB ：We have done dress competitions in my middle school and then my high school. I have done a benefit concert( 慈善音乐会) in my high school which I hope to continue in college. I put on my first

Super Paws 5k run in Utah and we are organizing our second for October in California. So we would love to have as much participation (参与) as we can get!

AK：How do you choose a puppy­owner match?

TB：After we have a meeting with the person who needs a dog, we send them to a dog trainer and let the trainer make the final decision. The person will discuss with the trainer what jobs the dog has to do and then the trainer will find a dog that he thinks will suit the owner.

AK：What are your plans for the future?

TB：This fall I'm going to be attending the University of California, Berkeley. I am hoping to use my skills I get to encourage others and lead Paws to reach hopefully the whole nation.

1. What can we learn about Tabitha Bell?

A．She is good at training dogs.

B．She depends on a service dog to live.

C．She was studying at university when starting Paws.

D．She started Paws because of her doctor's suggestion.

2. What does Tabitha Bell find most difficult when working with Paws?

A．Matching a dog with an owner.

B．Finding experienced dog trainers.

C．Reaching out for more people in need.

D．Working out good ways to collect money.

3. Who has the final say（发言权）on which dog to choose for a person?

A．The person's doctor.

B．The dog trainer.

C．The dog owner.

D．The manager of Paws.

【推荐2】Paragliding(滑翔伞运动) is a kind of flying. but instead of the wing(机翼) being made of metal, wood or plastic, it is made of nylon or polyester. The wing is attached to a harness(安全) by lines where a pilot sits, similar to a parachute(降落伞).

Is it safe?

Paragliding is as safe as sailing and deep-sea diving. The big advantage is that it’s probably the slowest form of flying, so if you do crash, you’ll hit the ground quite gently! It’s a very relaxing sport as you’re mostly sitting down. Yet, you’ll probably experience pain in the parts of the body you didn’t know you had while learning, but many of those will be due to the walk up the training hill to start.

Where do I learn?

There are lots of schools, mainly based inland by suitable hills or mountains, and there are also schools on the coast near high mountains. These are very attractive, though the scenery of landing in the sea seems to discourage beginners! It takes seven days to get your basic license；then you’re free to fly independently at sites across the country.

What do I need?

Pilots normally wear warm clothes in case they get very high up, and a helmet in case they fall down on landing. In terms of equipment, schools provide basic training, canopies, harnesses, etc. However, you’ll probably want to buy your own more advanced equipment, which you’ll be able to choose much better once you’ve tried some out on your course.

Who can do it?

There’s no upper age limit if your instructor judges you are able, but the youngest is 14. Anybody with good eyesight and good balance is a good paraglider pilot.

Flying a paraglider is a great sport. We hope to see you in the air with us this season!

1. What do you know about paragliding?

A．It’s exciting but tiring.	B．It’s safe and relaxing.
C．It’s attractive but expensive.	D．It’s fast and challenging.

2. What basic requirement should you meet if you want to learn paragliding?

A．You keep your balance well.

B．You need to be 14 years old.

C．You need to have very good sight and nerve.

D．You should bring your own paragliding equipment.

3. Where can the text be found?

A．People.

B．Business Week.

C．Sports World.

D．Science.

【推荐3】Flying over a desert area in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour's flight one of the scientists wrote in his book, “Look here for probable metal.” Scientists in another airplane, flying over a mountain area, sent a message to other scientists on the ground, “Gold possible.” Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported, “This ground should be searched for metal.” From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word: “Uranium.”

None of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic power of looking down below the earth's surface. They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of locating minerals in the ground... trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie beneath the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.

This newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow in the surface.

At Watson Bar Greek, a brook (小溪) six thousand feet high in the mountains of British Columbia,Canada, a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxes were filled with small branches from the trees. Roots were dug and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested. Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.

Study of the roots, branches, and seeds showed no silver. But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunks had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.

1. Scientists were flying over a desert or a hilly wasteland or a mountain area in order to search for_____ in the ground.

A．gold

B．silver

C．minerals

D．metals

2. The scientists were searching for minerals by using_______.

A．X-ray	B．trained eyes
C．a special instrument	D．magic power

3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of a tree that can help find minerals?

A．Branches.

B．Roots.

C．Leaves.

D．Seeds.

4. Which is the best title suggested below?

A．Scientists Searching for Metals with Special Power

B．New Methods of Searching for Minerals

C．Gold Could Be Found by Trees and Plants

D．A New Method of Searching for Minerals-Using Trees and Plants