Dessi Sieburth’s love of birds started about six years ago. Now，he has his own group called Protecting Our Birds. Recently，Dessi，11 years old，chatted with TFK about his work and goals for the future.
TFK: What is Protecting Our Birds?
DESSI: Birds are citizens of the world，so they need protection. I basically try to do conservation (保护)work to help birds get protected throughout the world. I recently wrote an article about a bird called the bar-tailed godwit(斑尾薄)，I interviewed a biologist(生物学家)named Nils Warnock，who had studied the bar tailed godwit. He expressed the concern about the threat that the bar-tailed godwit is facing. I wrote an article about his answers to the questions，which is published on the American Birding Association Website.
TFK: What impelled you to start this project?
DESSI: When I was eight years old，our class had to do a wood-working project，so I chose a bird feeder(喂食盒)，I didn’t like birds at the time. I made the feeder，filled it up with seed，put it in my backyard and then the birds started coming. I got really interested in birds as more came. I later got involved in my local Audubon Society，which is an association devoted to preserving natural ecosystems(生态系统).It really got me into birds and I realized bird populations were decreasing，and many are becoming endangered quite rapidly. I wanted to help them，so I started the project.
TFK: What are some future projects you plan to work on?
DESSI: I live in L.A. where there are a lot of parrots. Most of the parrots’ native range is in Mexico，but they’re really declining there because of habitat loss. I want to study the parrots and help them in their native range in Mexico, so they can start increasing again.
TFK: How can people learn more about Protecting Our Birds and the work you’ re doing?
DESSI: I have a website, It’s pretectingourbirds. my-free. website. There people can learn about what I do and how to help birds.
1. What’s Nils Warnock ‘s attitude to the bar tailed godwit?| A．worried | B．Changing | C．Uncertain | D．Optimistic |
| A．Forbade | B．Requested | C．Encouraged | D．Challenged |
| A．After he prepared a feeder for birds. |
| B．After he interviewed Nils Warnock |
| C．After he studied parrots in Mexico.· |
| D．After he joined a local association. |
| A．Write articles about birds in danger. |
| B．Help parrots losing the natural home. |
| C．Set up a website to teach how to help birds. |
| D．Recreate his own conservation organization. |
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【推荐1】Some 3,000 tern (燕鸥) eggs were given up at a Southern California island after a drone (无人机) dropped and drove off the birds, a newspaper reported in June.
In May, two drones were flown over the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, California. One of them went down in the wetlands. Fearing an attack from an enemy, several thousand terns gave up their ground-based nests (巢).
Usually during June, the white birds would be watching their eggs. But now, the sand is filled with eggshells.
Melissa Loebl is the manager of the protected area, which is about 160 km north of San Diego, California. Last year, the pandemic (疫情) brought more and more people to outdoor spaces. In 2020, about 100,000 visitors came to the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. That is up from about 60,000 in 2019, she told the newspaper.
That has led to an increase in human activities, including flying drones, walking dogs, and riding bicycles. All these activities are not permitted. There has been a great increase in dogs, particularly those permitted to run free. She explained that this is especially bad during the season when the birds lay eggs. “The dogs run after the birds, and the birds give up their eggs,” she said.
Another problem is the development of multimillion-dollar homes near the protected area. The owners feel they should he able to use the land as they like. Officials, however, are taking more action and fining people who break the rules.
The protected area is the largest saltwater wetland between Monterey Bay just south of San Francisco and the Tijuana River Estuary in Mexico. Some 800 kinds of plants and animals live at or travel to Bolsa Chica.
1. Why did the birds give up their eggs?| A．They thought their enemy was coming. |
| B．Their ground-based homes were unsafe. |
| C．They had planned to build new nests. |
| D．They hated the loud noise of the drone. |
| A．People needed more pets. | B．People loved nature more. |
| C．People valued their health more. | D．People preferred to stay outdoors. |
| A．They try to protect birds. | B．They care little about nature. |
| C．They build houses everywhere. | D．They are against the development. |
| A．Drone Flying Should Be Stopped | B．Broken Eggs Need to Be Saved |
| C．Human Activities Hurt Wildlife Greatly | D．3,000 Eggs Were Left After Drone Feared Birds |
【推荐2】Every April, I find myself troubled by the same concern—that spring might not occur this year. The landscape looks dull, with hills, sky and forest appearing gray. On May 3, 1 awoke to a green so amazing as to be almost electric, as if spring were simply a matter of pressing a switch. Hills, sky and forest revealed their purples, blues and green.
Then there was the old apple tree. It sits on an undeveloped lot in my neighborhood. It belongs to no one and therefore to everyone. The tree’s dark branches stretch out in unpruned(未经修剪的)abandon.
Until last year, I thought I was the only one aware of this tree. And then one day, in a bit of spring madness, I set out to prune(修剪)a few disorderly branches. No sooner had I arrived under the tree than neighbors opened their windows and stepped onto their porches(门廊).
These were people I barely knew, but it was as if I had come uninvited into their personal gardens. My mobile-home neighbor was the first to speak. “You’re not going to cut it down, are you?” she asked anxiously.
Soon, half the neighborhood joined me under the apple tree. It struck me that I had lived there for five years and only now was learning these people’s names, what they did for a living and how they passed the winter. It was as if the old apple tree was gathering us under its branches for the purpose of both acquaintanceship and shared wonder.
Just the other day, I saw one neighbor at the local store. He remarked how this recent winter had been especially long and complained of not having seen or spoken at length to anyone in our neighborhood. And then, he looked at me and said, “We need to prune that apple tree again.”
1. How did the author feel about the sudden change of the view?| A．Frightened. | B．Astonished. | C．Frustrated. | D．Annoyed. |
| A．They wondered what might happen to the tree. |
| B．They felt astonished to notice a stranger. |
| C．They meant to protect their personal gardens. |
| D．They intended to greet the author. |
| A．It stayed in a poor shape. | B．It was not attended. |
| C．It connected people. | D．It proved to be not attractive. |
| A．The arrival of spring. | B．Entertainment in the long winter. |
| C．The pruning of the apple tree. | D．The neighborhood gathering. |
【推荐3】How does an ecosystem work? What makes the population of different species the way they are? Why are there so many flies and so few wolves? To find an answer, scientists have built mathematical models of food webs, noting who eats whom and how much each one eats.
With such models, scientists have found out some key principles operating in food webs. Most food webs, for instance, consist of many weak links rather than a few strong ones. When a predator always eats huge numbers of a single prey, the two species are strongly linked; when a predator lives on various species, they are weakly linked. Food webs may be dominated by many weak links because that arrangement is more stable over the long term. If a predator can eat several species, it can survive the extinction of one of them. And if a predator can move on to another species that is easier to find when a prey species becomes rare, the switch allows the original prey to recover. The weak links may thus keep species from driving one another to extinction.
Mathematical models have also revealed that food webs maybe unstable, where small changes of top predators can lead to big effects throughout entire ecosystems. In the 1960s, scientists proposed that predators at the top of a food web had a surprising amount of control over the size of populations of other species—including species they did not directly attack.
And unplanned human activities have proved the idea of top-down control by top predators to be true. In the ocean, we fished for top predators such as cod on an industrial scale, while on land, we killed off large predators such as wolves. These actions have greatly affected the ecological balance.
Scientists have built an early-warning system based on mathematical models. Ideally, the system would tell us when to breakdown or would even allow us to pull an ecosystem back from the borderline. Prevention is key, scientists say, because once ecosystems pass their tipping point, it is remarkably difficult for them to return.
1. What have scientists discovered with the help of mathematical models of food webs?| A．The living habits of species in food webs. |
| B．The rules governing food webs of the ecosystems. |
| C．The approaches to studying the species in the ecosystems. |
| D．The differences between weak and strong links in food webs. |
| A．has a wide fond choice | B．can easily find new prey |
| C．sticks to one prey species | D．can quickly move to another place |
| A．The prey species they directly attack will die out. |
| B．The species they indirectly attack will turn into top predators. |
| C．The living environment of other species will remain unchanged. |
| D．The populations of other species will experience unexpected changes. |
| A．Uncontrolled human activities greatly upset ecosystems. |
| B．Rapid economic development threatens animal habitats. |
| C．Species of commercial value dominate other species. |
| D．Industrial activities help keep food webs stable. |
【推荐1】Little by little, Farmer Pak Sadiman has made it his task to raise awareness and do something about Central Java’s water shortage (短缺) problem.
He has changed his dry village into a groundwater heaven by planting trees on nearby land for the last 19 years, and he’s encouraging others to join in, too.
Sadiman realized that the land was in need of some water when the Gendol River — previously the source of water for villagers — was quickly drying up. Even rubber trees, the local people’s main source of income, were so dry that they could no longer produce rubber latex (胶乳). It was then that Sadiman took action so that generations to come could benefit from the planted trees.
“Banyan trees, unlike rubber trees, can keep groundwater. The more banyan trees are planted, the more clean water villages will get,” he thought. Although he would often find his seeds dug up by cattle, the farmer never became disappointed to achieve his goal — providing his village with a clean water source.
He’s planted at least 11,000 trees over the last 19 years, and his village seems to have escaped from the dry season. Villagers have joined in Sadiman’s efforts and given him free seeds or worked alongside him to plant the trees. “Pak Sadiman is our hero. This village used to fight with water shortage, but now we have enough water because of him,” the local chief said.
Sadiman said as long as he’s physically healthy and fit, he’ll continue to plant trees and finish his vision of avoiding drought and help provide clean water for his fellow villagers.
1. What problem did Pak Sadiman plan to solve?| A．Villagers’ low income. | B．The shortage of Water. |
| C．Villagers’ bad living conditions. | D．The shortage of natural resources. |
| A．It was the main source of water for locals. |
| B．It has enough water even in the dry season. |
| C．It has been polluted by many human activities. |
| D．It was the local people’s main source of income. |
| A．Unique and patient. | B．Honest and confident. |
| C．Curious and intelligent. | D．Generous and determined. |
| A．A Plan to let people Plant More Trees | B．A Farmer Preferring to Plant more Trees |
| C．A Farmer Saving His Village From Drought | D．A Village Saved by the Government’s Efforts |
【推荐2】When storms come rolling in across the ocean, they struck coastlines with tremendous force. Luckily, for thousands of miles of tropical coastlines, nature has provided a remarkable form of protection: coral reefs.
These colorful wonders are best known for their diversity of life, their plentiful seafood, and their draw to scuba-diving tourists. But they are also astonishingly durable and firm structures, built by tiny animals with calcium carbonate skeletons (碳酸钙骨架), which provide an important service to the coastlines standing behind them — they can absorb up to 97% of wave energy.
A new study estimates that reefs offer protection to up to 5.3 million people and $109 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) per decade. The maps in the study scientists generated are at a much finer resolution (分辨率) than previous analyses, which allows users to view coral reefs with more details and see where reefs provide the highest degree of protection for people, GDP and infrastructure (基础设施). “This level of detail means we can use this information in practical ways, like in the marine spacial planning we do to inform conservation strategies around the world,” says Dr. Spalding, the co-author of the study. More accurate data on where reefs protect people and infrastructure from destructive waves can help improve decision-making about which reefs to protect.
We have already lost half of the world’s reefs, and scientists predict we could lose up to 90% if actions are not taken to protect them. Effective management strategies are vital to supporting reef health and recovery.
Coral reefs are often selected for conservation based on their ecological significance, which may mean they are located in remote places, away from the more direct effects of human pressures like development and pollution. “We are failing ourselves as well as nature if we don’t also consider protecting the reefs that are located closer to humans,” says Spalding. “These are the reefs that protect us and provide for us in abundance. Let’s look after them.”
1. Which function of coral reefs is mainly discussed in the text?| A．Nurturing diverse living things. | B．Offering plentiful seafood. |
| C．Attracting scuba-diving tourists. | D．Reducing the forces of waves. |
| A．Eco-tourism. | B．Urban planning. |
| C．Reef recovery. | D．Deep-sea exploration. |
| A．Because they protect and provide for humans. |
| B．Because they are more beautiful than remote reefs. |
| C．Because they are of higher ecological significance. |
| D．Because they provide better habitats for marine life. |
| A．Coral Reefs as Coastal Defenders | B．The Secrets of Coral Reefs |
| C．New Ways of Coral Reef Conservation | D．Coastlines behind Coral Reefs |
【推荐3】Terribly hot weather, pouring downpours... Scientists have long suspected that global warming can cause extreme weather events. Now experts have numbers to support that idea.
The burning of fossil fuels has been leading to a buildup of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere. This CO2 is a greenhouse gas. That means it can trap heat in the air. As a result, our planet’s temperature has been rising. And this global wanning will account for a growing share of ever more frequent extreme weather events.
Many governments hope to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above temperatures that were typical before the Industrial Revolution. It will be hard for nations to achieve that. But even if they do, global warming still will be responsible for nearly all heat extremes. Global warming also will be to blame for about 2 out of every 5 extreme rains and snowfalls. “This is a considerable fraction of major weather events,” says climate scientist Peter Stott.
So far. Earth has warmed about 0.85 degree Celsius since 1750. That’s about when the Industrial Revolution got its start. That’s also when fossil fuel use took off, spewing(喷出) lots of CO2 into the air, MOverall, the new study shows that relatively small rises in global temperature translate into large increases in the likelihood of extremes. Stott says.
Erich Fischer and Reto Knutti analyzed 25 different computer models of global climate. These analyses looked at different climate periods, from preindustrial times to the present. The analyses also predicted what weather events were likely to be like in the future. This period was predicted to be warmer by 2 and 3 degrees Celsius.
The computer looked at when extreme heat and precipitation(冰雹) occurred during each climate period. It focused on events of unusual heat or heavy precipitation. Before the Industrial Revolution, such extremes typically would have occurred only once in every 1,000 days.
“But since the globe has been warming, such extremes are no longer nearly as rare. These new findings provide ‘a global statement’,” Fischer says. “You can still get the biggest heat that you have ever seen without any human changes.”
1. The second paragraph is mainly about| A．what damage the global wanning caused |
| B．how the global warming came into being |
| C．where the global warming is becoming serious |
| D．why fossil fuels have to be forbidden |
| A．it is reasonable for climate change to happen |
| B．there is no serious effect of the global warming now |
| C．the influence of the global warming is great |
| D．the extreme weather happens in small numbers |
| A．will happen more often than before | B．happens once in every 1,000 days |
| C．strikes every region without differences | D．has become a rare phenomenon across the planet |
| A．Extreme weather is becoming common now. | B．The role of global warming in extreme weather. |
| C．Earth has suffered from extreme weather. | D．Global warming makes Earth hotter and hotter. |
Location: Victoria Street. Windermere
Date: Saturday, 12th & Sunday, 13th December, 2020
Times: Saturday 10 a. m.-6 р. m., Sunday 10 a. m.-4 p. m.
Run entirely by a group of volunteers, the Windermere Christmas Market first took place in 2016. With around 50 stalls selling a range of goods produced both locally and from Europe, you will find live music and other street performers. There is a shuttle bus in operation from car parks, and plenty of stands selling hot food.
Ambleside Christmas Lights
Location: Market Cross market Place in Ambleside
Date: 2020, date to be decided Times: 10 a. m. -6 p. m.
This annual event combines a traditional shopping experience with a Christmas light show, cruises on the lake, a lantern parade, and a visit from Santa Claus. The day ends with a large fireworks display. There are family-friendly activities throughout the day, while the market sells range of tasty foods and other gifts.
Hawkshead Christmas Fair
Location: Hawkshead village Centre
Date: Saturday. 5th & Sunday. 6th December, 2020 Times: 10 a. m. -5 p. m.
A Christmas Fair takes over the ancient streets of the small village every December. You will find both indoor and outdoor markets with over 50 stalls selling food, crafts, and other gifts. There is also a lantern parade, live music, and street performance. Children can meet Santa, while grown-ups can enjoy the mini beer festival in village’s pubs.
Keswick Victorian Favre
Location: market Place & Packhorse Court, Keswick
Date: Sunday, 6th December, 2020 Times: 10. 30 a. m. -4 p. m.
This is a fantastic opportunity to combine Christmas shopping with support for local charities. Around 30 local and national charities have stalls where you can browse their goods that include homemade Christmas crafts and cakes. Traders and other workers will be dressed in Victorian costumes and visitors are invited to do the same.
1. When does the Windermere Christmas Market open on 12th December, 2020？| A．10 a. m. -6 p. m. | B．10 a. m. -5 p. m. |
| C．10 a. m. -4 p. m. | D．10. 30 a. m. -4 p. m. |
| A．Buy gifts for their friends. | B．Set off fireworks. |
| C．Watch street performance. | D．Celebrate the beer festival. |
| A．Keswick | B．Ambleside | C．Hawkshead | D．Windermere B |
Whether you want to stay in a converted beer factory, a luxury hotel on the harbour or an advanced loft-style room, Sydney has a huge range of top-quality hotels.
1. THE OLD CLARE HOTEL
Located in the heart of Sydney’s Central Park district, The Old Clare Hotel, providing luxurious (豪华的) rooms and facilities, takes up a historic Chippendale pub and the nearby former beer factory site. This hotel has been lovingly restored by Peng Loh, a Singaporean businessman with a passion for redecorating heritage properties.
2. HILTON SYDNEY
This is luxury accommodation right in the centre of Sydney, with world-class restaurants, one of the city’s best bars. Just upstairs sits Glass, the award-winning small restaurant by celebrity chef Luke Mangan. Downstairs lies The Marble Bar, a Sydney hotspot for decades and heritage listed due to its extensive use of marble, dating back to 1893. Rooms are simply fashionable.
3. THE LANGHAM
Grand harborside luxury can be expected at The Langham, located in the Sydney centre. The hotel makes the most of its impressive harbour views with a marble-decorated hall that takes your breath away. Don’t forget to check out the art, with a collection of Australia’s most famous painter. Try their famous high tea menu, and be sure to check out the incredible underground swimming pool available to guests only.
4. FOUR SEASONS HOTEL SYDNEY
Another luxury stay with amazing harbour views, the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney sits on the edge of Sydney’s historic Rocks district. A Deluxe Harbour Room will give you a breath-taking view, with dark wood and silk inside in calming colours. Downstairs is Grain, one of the best-known whisky bars in the city.
1. Which of the following hotels houses a restaurant by a famous chef?| A．The Langham. | B．Hilton Sydney. |
| C．The Old Clare Hotel. | D．The Four Seasons Hotel Sydney. |
| A．A taste of the famous high tea for free. |
| B．Access to the underground swimming pool. |
| C．A rest in the impressive marble-decorated hall. |
| D．A good look at the collection of famous paintings. |
| A．Famous bars. | B．Harbour views. |
| C．Heritage properties. | D．Luxurious facilities. |
【推荐3】What’s On?
Print Your Voice
We all know what our voice sounds like but what does it look like? How can the science of our voice be turned into art? Join us at the Print Your Voice workshop where your voice will be turned into personalized jewellery. Step into a special room to explore the soundwaves of your voice and create an individualized recording, saying whatever you like. Each visitor will then turn a blank silver pendant (饰坠) into a unique piece of art with the soundwaves of your recording.Suitable for ages 15+.
Date: Sunday 13 August,10:00 am-1:00 pm & 2:00 pm-5:00 pm.
Address: Powerhouse Museum,Harris Street,Ultimo
Tickets: Adults $50, Teens (ages 15-17) $45
Making Your Future
Discover Western Sydney University’s Maker Space and work through a 3D project in this hands-on workshop. See how 3D printing works and create your future just with the technology! Suitable for ages 16 and over.
Date: Thursday 17 August,2:30 pm-6:00 pm.
Address: Maker Space,Building Z,Western Sydney University
Tickets: Free with booking
Science of Cake
Join scientist Subha Nasir Ahmad in a chat about some of the science of baking and see a cake-decorating show using techniques drawn from science. Pick up tips and tricks to improve your baking game as you observe an expert in action make a Sunny Bakehouse Cake.Suitable for ages 16+.
Date: Saturday 19 August,9:00 am-12:00 pm.
Address: Thrive 360,706/2 Huntley St,Alexandria
Tickets: $50
1. What can you get if you visit Powerhouse Museum on 13 August?
| A．A small lovely robot. | B．A 3D printed recording. |
| C．A Sunny Bakehouse Cake. | D．A piece of personalized jewellery. |
| A．Play with robots. | B．Have a free lunch. |
| C．Experience 3D printing. | D．Meet Subha Nasir Ahmad. |
| A．All are teenagers-targeted. | B．All are science-related. |
| C．All charge for admission. | D．All take place on the weekend. |
