【推荐1】Machu Picchu is an unusual site in Peru and one of the most mysterious wonders of the world. Built at almost 10,000 feet on the top of an Andean mountain, the Incas built hundreds of structures made of stone. A large number of Machu Picchu’s surrounding structures date back to the early 13th century, but it was considered a chief sacred site far before then. The Inca people changed the large site into a very small but wonderful city, completely self-sufficient and hidden from below. Agricultural terraces (梯田) surrounded the entire city, fed by natural spring water, supporting the entire population.

Inca Trail

The trail is one of the most famous in the world and regarded as one of the best. It covers only 26 miles, combining cloud forest, green mountain scenery, forest, and plenty of tunnels, paving stones, and ruins. The four-day hike begins slowly but quickly changes into a difficult journey suitable for those in excellent shape. The trail winds through the Andes, leading alongside and through ruins. Though independent hiking was once permitted, now it must be done with a guide.

Funerary Rock

It is believed that the Funerary Rock at Machu Picchu was used as a place to prepare Inca nobles for preservation, or mummifying (做成木乃伊), a common habit among the tribe. Nobles would be laid out to be mummified by the hot sun and freezing cold nights after their organs were removed. The rock is also famous as a spot from which a view of the city is afforded.

Temple of the Sun

Within the city’s castle, deep within Machu Picchu, is the Temple of the Sun, accessed only by the Emperor and Inca priests. It means the Inca’s advanced knowledge of religion, weather, and nature, showing the great extent.

Incas went to adapt to and learn about nature. Still unbroken, the temple was built to honor the god Inti, who is exactly the sun. The temple was effectively protected. It was also a very important scientific center, built in half-moon shape with openings facing north and east. The windows’ shadows in the center of the temple helped see the start of winter solstice (至日), showing farming season.

1. What do we know about the Inca Trail?

A．The scene is very beautiful along the trail.

B．One person alone is permitted to hike on the trail.

C．Only healthy people can do the four-day hike trail.

D．The trail covers a distance of 80 miles in all.

2. Temple of the Sun suggests that            .

A．Incas had a good knowledge of math.

B．Incas are rich in farming experiences.

C．Inca had a desire to go to the moon.

D．Incas adapted and learned about nature.

3. What can be the best title for the passage?

A．Inca Trail	B．Funerary Rock
C．Machu Picchu	D．Temple of the Sun

【推荐2】Saving Our Oceans

●Your Mission

Teach oceanographers(海洋学者)with different specialties about other ocean specialties and thus create a better understanding of the ocean as a complete, diverse system.

● Briefing

You've been invited to lead the International Oceanographic Conference in Oslo, Norway. Over one hundred of your fellow oceanographers will attend it. The problem is, with so many different specialties in the field-from geological to biological oceanography-the oceanographers at the conference are finding it difficult to understand what their colleagues are studying, let alone to grasp the ocean as an entire, diverse system!

Your job will be to give the opening speech at the Conference outlining the general kinds of oceanography in a way that each type of oceanographers will understand. Then, you will assign different oceanographers to different projects and explain to them how best to work together.

● Family-x file

Younger Xpeditioners: Pick one project, and learn more about it through its photo gallery. Then, create a poster based on the animals and terrain(地形). Make sure to label each animal that you draw. Show your poster to your family and describe to them what you have drawn.

Older Xpeditioners: Learn more about each of the projects: Where in the ocean would oceanographers go to study them? What animals might oceanographers study in the project? Which types of oceanographers would you assign for each project and how would they work together?

Finally, think about the ways in which the different general kinds of oceanography might relate. Why is it important to look at the ocean as an entire system, rather than as distinct parts? How might looking at each separate part and the ocean as a whole impact conservation efforts? Practice your speech for the Conference in front of your family.

1. What is your mission according to the text?

A．To save the oceans all over the earth.

B．To attend the International Oceanographic Conference in Norway.

C．To enter for an activity with one hundred fellow oceanographers.

D．To help better understand the ocean as a complete, diverse system.

2. Where can you get the detailed instructions for you in advance?

A．From the leader of the conference.

B．From Younger Xpeditioners.

C．From the part of Briefing.

D．From Older Xpeditioners.

3. How should you prepare your speech according to the text?

A．Practice it at home with the family in front.

B．Ask a lot of questions about the oceans.

C．Create a poster to get informed.

D．Invite other oceanographers to take part.

【推荐3】Have you heard about Leap year? Leap year is a year that has 366 days instead of the usual 365. It normally occurs every four years, always on an even-numbered year. The extra day is added to our shortest month. That is the second month of the year, which in non-leap years has 28 days, two fewer than any other month.     1    

We also call Leap year the bissextile year (闰年).     2     In our calendar system there is a need for a leap year because the solar year (the time it takes the earth to go around the sun once）is actually slightly more than 365 days long. That extra day—Feb 29 every four years—helps correct the difference between our calendar and the solar calendar.

It is said that Leap year was first made part of the calendar by the ancient Roman leader Julius Caesar. His astronomers had calculated the length of the solar year to be 365 days and six hours. So Caesar declared that an extra day be added to the calendar.    3    

However, Caesar’s adjustment was not completely accurate because his astronomers’ year exceeded the true solar year by eleven minutes and fourteen seconds. By 1582, a difference of ten days had developed between the calendar year and the true solar year. To correct this error, Pope Gregory XIII ruled that every fourth year would continue to be a leap year except for century years that could not be divided evenly by 400. By this system, century years such as 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years, but the year 2000 was a leap year.     4    

People born on Feb 29 celebrate their growing up a little differently from the rest of us.

    5     But if they go strictly by the calendar, they have only one-fourth as many birthday celebrations as most people.

A．They acknowledge that they get older each year.

B．When you see Feb 29 on a calendar, you know that year is a leap year.

C．This is its formal, or scientific title.

D．This may seem complicated, but it works.

E．This is done every four years.

F．The leap year was introduced in the Julian calendar in 46 BC.

G．In a leap year, the extra day is added to the second month, giving it 29 instead of the usual 28 days.

【推荐2】Troubleshooting: Unable to install the supplied software on a computer

The software supplied with a camera, camcorder (a portable video camera) or personal audio device may not install for the following reasons:

※1. The software may not be compatible with the computer operating system.

※2. The computer does not meet the minimum system requirements for installing the software.

※3. Another application or utility is running in the background of the computer and interfering with the installation.

※4. Antivirus or spyware software is preventing installation.

Follow the steps below to troubleshoot this issue.

√1. Check the instruction manual to determine the minimum system requirements and operating system supported by the software. Instructions for your product are usually available online.

√2. Check the specifications of the computer to ensure it meets the minimum system requirements and operating system supported by the software.

√3. Download and install all available updates for the computer and software. Software and driver updates for your product are usually available online.

NOTE: An install utility is an application used to assist with the installation of other software. If an install utility is available, follow the online instructions to properly download and install it.

√4. Temporarily disable any antivirus or spyware software.

√5. Close any software applications or other unnecessary utilities that may be running on the computer.

√6. Attempt to install the software and follow the on-screen instructions.

NOTE: If the software was designed to use an older version of the Windows operating system than what is currently installed on the computer, you can try installing using the compatibility mode.

√7. If the software will still not be installed, try installing it using the Safe Mode of the computer as follows:

NOTE: Some bundled software requires the product to be connected to the computer during the installation process.

1. Which of the following may be a reason for the failure of the installation of the supplied software?

A．The maximum system requirements are not met for the software.

B．The computer is using the latest Windows operating system.

C．The software is incompatible with the computer operating system.

D．The antivirus software is not running in the background.

2. When you are installing software designed for an older version of the Window operating system, you can __________.

A．temporarily disable other applications	B．follow the on-screen instructions
C．try installing it using the Safe Mode	D．switch to the compatibility mode

3. As is listed in the passage, __________ seems to be the last step which may help troubleshoot the installation problem.

A．using the Safe Mode of the computer	B．turning off and restarting the computer
C．connecting the product to three computer	D．copying the software to a folder on the hard drive