An educator with a passion for getting children emotionally invested in saving the ice caps gave a lesson to students as a polar bear stayed on his shoulder. The bear seemed to say “hi” to them about climate change.
Gavin McCormack is trying to bring the “amazing natural phenomena” to the fingertips of children in an attempt to get them to help stop rising sea levels and become passionate about climate change, which is threatening the home of polar bears.
The primary school teacher decided to jump headfirst into his teachings and spent ten days on an icebreaker heading towards the North Pole. On the first day at sea, a polar bear climbed out of the water right in front of him and onto an island where it was attacked by a group of Arctic terns (北极燕鸥).
“Each day is different but so interesting,” McCormack said. “This week, my dream to teach children about the wonder of a polar bear with one right over my shoulder came true.”
The most memorable moment for him while in the Arctic was when his ship reached the pack ice. The ship crunched (嘎吱地响) through the ice as they reached 82 degrees north and the noise was deafening. Earlier this week he launched his new course “Be the Change”, which is free to all schools nationwide. “Be the Change” is designed to empower children, families and communities around the world to bring about changes and make global impacts. “It takes a course-related approach to improve the world in meaningful ways,” Mr. McCormack said.
McCormack hopes to teach the “leaders of tomorrow” to include nature and the climate in every decision they make. He is planning another course named “It Starts With You”, with the hopes of bringing purposeful education to as many children as possible.
“Working alongside teachers, schools and students, we believe that when children are empowered to make real choices about the future, the skills for life are developed not through listening to what others tell them, but through experience,” McCormack said.
1. Why did McCormack head to the North Pole?| A．To observe an amazing natural sight. |
| B．To measure the rate of sea level rise. |
| C．To save polar bears from extinction. |
| D．To educate children in a real situation. |
| A．They are friendly towards human beings. |
| B．Climate change causes the loss of their habitats. |
| C．Arctic terns are their natural enemies. |
| D．Hunger drives them out of water for food. |
| A．To make a difference in improving the world. |
| B．To change people’s decision-making methods. |
| C．To teach students to think twice before making choices. |
| D．To develop students’ life skills through experience. |
| A．Climate Change — A Worldwide Concern |
| B．New Ways of Teaching About Climate Change |
| C．Join Hands and Say No to Global Warming |
| D．An Interesting Trip to the North Pole |
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【推荐1】Elite Summer School Program for High School Students
Harvard’s Elite Program for high school students is an intensive two-week summer program designed to give you a glimpse of college life. You will live on the Harvard campus during your two-week session while taking a college-level course with other Elite Program students.
The application for Summer 2024 is now open.Cost: $5,550+$75 application fee
2024 Session Ⅰ: June 23-July 5, 2024
2024 Session Ⅱ: July 7-19, 2024
2024 Session Ⅲ: July 21-August 2, 2024
Who Can Participate in the Elite Program?Harvard’s Elite Program is designed for mature, academically motivated students who are interested in exploring a potential major or simply finding out what college is really like.
Our Elite Program is open to rising juniors and seniors. To be qualified for Summer 2024, you must meet both of the following criteria:
●Will graduate from high school and enter college in 2025 or 2026.
●Are at least 16 years old by June 22, 2024, and will not turn 19 years old before July 31, 2024.
Important Deadlines:●Early Application and Priority Financial Aid Deadline — January 10, 2024
●Regular Application and Financial Aid Deadline — February 14, 2024
●Late Application Deadline — April 10, 2024
See the Elite Program Calendar for all important dates and deadlines.1. Who can be the applicant for the Elite Program 2024?
| A．Lucy, 14, with excellent academic performance. |
| B．Jerry, 16, expected to enter college in 2025. |
| C．Tina, 17, a college student with broad interests. |
| D．Tim, 19, an office worker with motivation to learn. |
| A．April 10, 2024. | B．February 14, 2024. |
| C．January 9, 2024. | D．July23, 2024. |
| A．A news report. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．An academic paper. | D．A college website. |
【推荐2】Great Books Summer Program delivers excellent preparation for seminar-style college classes and the SAT critical thinking section. We are thrilled to announce Summer 2022 On-Campus programs are returning. Enrollment (注册) is open. Make your plans today!
Program 1: Great Books & Writer’s Workshop at Pepperdine University Malibu, CA For Rising Grades 6-8 and Grades 9 — 12 One and Two-Week Programs Choose the one-week Seminar and Discussion program. Select Writer’s Workshop for students eager to explore the art of creative writing. Or, stay for both! One-week Tuition: $2695 Two-week Tuition: $5390 |
Program 2: Great Books & Writer’s Workshop at Amherst College Amherst, MA For Rising Grades 6-8 and Grades 9 — 12 One and Two-Week Programs We will be offering Seminar and Discussion programs and a Writer’s Workshop for students eager to explore the art of writing in all forms. One-week Tuition: $2495 Two-week Tuition: $4990 |
Program 3: Great Books at Stanford University Stanford, CA For Rising Grades 6-8 and Grades 9 — 12 One and Two-Week Programs Young people gather to experience reading and life at Stanford University. Join us for one week or two of Great Books Seminar and Discussion programs! One-week Tuition: $2995 Two-week Tuition: $5990 |
Program 4: A Tall Ship Adventure For Rising Grades 9 — 12 Sail from Bangor to Portland, ME One Week Program Great Books is excited to announce the second year of Tales of the Sea: a Tall Ship Adventure. This program for high school students marries the study of maritime literature with living and learning to sail. Time will be split between seminar and discussion and sailing education with visits to coastal islands. One-week Tuition: $2995 |
All on-campus programs have Materials & Events fees of $225 for one week and $475 for two.
1. How much does an applicant pay in total for a one-week program at Stanford University?
| A．$2995. | B．$3220. | C．$3470. | D．$3945. |
| A．Program 1. | B．Program 2. | C．Program 3. | D．Program 4. |
| A．They offer seminar-style classes. |
| B．They prepare students for the SAT test. |
| C．They are designed for junior high students. |
| D．They aim to promote students’ writing skills. |
| Timetable | |
| Sunday 8:30---11:30 Personal Inventions Mr. Johnson You can see many inventions by the students; you may also bring your own inventions. | Monday 19:00---21:00 Space and Man Dr. Thomas West If you want to know more about the universe (宇宙). |
| Wednesday 19:30---21:00 Modern Medicine Mrs. Lucy Green Would you like to know medical science? | Friday 18:30---21:00 Computer Science Mr. Harry Morison from Harvard University, USA. Learn to use Windows XP. |
1. You may have a chance to introduce your inventions on ______.
| A．Sunday | B．Monday | C．Wednesday | D．Friday |
| A．Canada | B．Japan | C．Australia | D．America |
| A．Dr. West | B．Mr. Morison |
| C．Mrs. Green | D．Mr. Thomas |
【推荐1】It’s been more than 60 years since Jane Goodall started her pioneering work. In 1960, she was chosen to go to what is now Tanzania and study the little-known world of chimpanzees. Since then, Goodall has received many awards and honorary degrees as a world-famous conservationist (自然环境保护主义者). Now, Goodall has received an unusual honor. She is becoming a toy — a Barbie doll.
Goodall may not have expected to become a Barbie at 88 years old — but it’s not just any doll, it’s made out of recycled plastic. And Barbie is partnering with the Jane Goodall Foundation and its Roots & Shoots program which inspires young people to protect animals and the environment.
“You know, the main message is that every day you live, you make an influence on the planet and you get to choose what sort of influence you make,” Goodall said.
“There was a little boy of 7 in Burundi, and I had given a talk to the school and he came up to me and said, ‘If I pick out a piece of trash every day, it will make a difference, won’t it?’ And I said, ‘Yes it will. And suppose you persuade (劝说) 10 of your friends to pick up a piece of rubbish every day.’ He said, ‘Oh, that would really make a difference and then they could all get 10 of their friends, couldn’t they?’ Goodall said, “So, that’s it. The cumulative (积累的) effect of small actions can lead to big change.”
She’s been inspiring young people for decades, but now, newer generations will get to know Jane Goodall. “I sincerely hope that it will help to create more interest in the natural world,” she said about the Barbie. “Because hopefully, you know, they’ll learn more about me through the doll. And that will get them interested. It doesn’t really matter if they have a career in conservation, as long as they pay attention to conservation in their daily lives.”
1. What is the intention of Barbie’s making a doll of Jane Goodall?| A．To give Jane Goodall a surprise. |
| B．To test the quality of recycled plastic. |
| C．To encourage environmental protection. |
| D．To start a cooperative research program. |
| A．Everyone can make an impact on the planet. |
| B．Children will make the future world a better place. |
| C．Every child should pick up a piece of rubbish every day. |
| D．The accumulation of tiny actions makes a great difference. |
| A．Critical. | B．Supportive. |
| C．Disapproving. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Jane Goodall’s Good Expectation of Nature Conservation |
| B．Young People’s Strong Interest in Nature Conservation |
| C．Great Popularity of a New Barbie Doll of Jane Goodall |
| D．Inspire Newer Generations to Care About Conservation Through a Doll |
【推荐2】A small car around the size of a Mini Cooper, the Seagull is a fast-charging electric vehicle (车辆) (EV) produced by BYD. It’s hardly a luxury car but it’s well-equipped, with a power driver’s seat and cruise control. The best part? Its base model costs about $10,700 in China. That’s about a third of the cost of the cheapest EV you can buy in the US. In 2018, Trump put, and Biden has since continued, a special 25 percent tax on Chinese-made cars, on top of the ordinary 2.5 percent tax on foreign-made cars, which perfectly shows that however motivated the Biden government might be by climate concerns, it is much more motivated by a desire to help American carmakers.
The basic environmental argument for electric cars is simple: Burning petrol in internal combustion enginest (内燃机) produces CO2. Electric cars emit (排放) less per mile traveled both because some electricity is generated through clean sources like wind, solar, and because electric motors are far more efficient than petrol engines. EVs are slightly more carbon-intensive (密集) to produce in the first place, but most estimates suggest the lower per-mile emissions of EVs quickly make up for the extra emissions involved in their creation.
But is this still true for Chinese EVs? China still gets more than 60 percent of its electricity from coal, compared to less than 20 percent in the US. So, does this mean that BYD’s cheap EVs are bad for the environment? Hardly. Close to 90 percent of the emissions of a fossil fuel vehicle (化石燃料汽车) are from the combustion of the fuel. Besides, EVs of whatever origin are getting cleaner over time as the electrical grid (电网) gets cleaner. That means EVs will do even more for the environment as the years go on.
The biggest factor for China is that they control all the upstream material supply chain for lithium batteries (锂电池). Even if your EV’s battery is made by a plant of Panasonic in the US, the raw materials for that are processed in China first. “Part of why they’re so successful is they’ve been thinking outside the box on cost reduction for a long time,” an expert says.
1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?| A．Chinese EVs are a threat to American electric cars. |
| B．American government has placed a ban on Chinese EVs. |
| C．The seagull provides luxury experience at a reasonable price. |
| D．Climate concerns are the only driver of EV development in the US. |
| A．They are no better than typical gas vehicles. |
| B．Their power is generated in green ways. |
| C．They are eco-friendly in the long run. |
| D．Their production causes no pollution. |
| A．Lower carbon emission. | B．The advanced technology. |
| C．The low budget marketing. | D．The control of raw materials for batteries. |
| A．EVs: opportunity and challenge. | B．Chinese EVs: powering ahead. |
| C．Green cars: a long way to go. | D．Petrol vehicles: faded glory. |
【推荐3】Bicycle riding has taken the world by storm. Bicycles are typically made of steel or aluminum but now there is a unique company that is growing bikes on trees, literally. These bicycles are made of British grown ash trees by Welsh maker Andy Dix. His Hay-on-Wye company, Twmpa Frames, is making bikes that are of high performance and environmentally sustainable.
Going from furniture to bicycles came about after a conversation with author Rob Penn. Penn was looking for craftsmen to make things from an ash tree that fell for his book: The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees.
“We talked about what I might build, and I suggested a bike,” said Dix. “It seemed like a good fit, but actually I had no experience in bike building, and Rob had a publishing deadline. In the end, I built him a writing desk instead.” But the idea interested Dix, who decided that he had to make it happen just to see if he could.
It took two years to build the prototype (雏形) that was made from ash wood. Dix tested the wooden bike on the roughest roads he could find and discovered that it was comfortable, durable, and excellent at absorbing shakes. He put more than 3, 000 miles on the bike. Dix explained, “I was running along battered roads that would have shaken me to bits on a aluminum bike. The penny dropped. Not only could I make a bike out of wood, but it had inherent advantages over other materials.”
Though cutting down trees can add to more carbon in the atmosphere, sustainable tree farming is possible. Dix said that manufacturing a British tonne of aluminum results in carbon emissions of 4, 532 kg while producing a tonne of wood only emits 457 kg. Currently, the cost of a new Twmpa Cycle is out-of-reach for many bicycle riders; but the idea of using sustainable materials like ash trees could start a new cycling revolution that puts the environment first. Helping the environment could be just a pedal away.
1. Why is Rob Penn mentioned?| A．To tell us he was a great author. | B．To praise him for his contribution. |
| C．To explain why Dix made the bikes. | D．To promote his new book to readers. |
| A．The truth came out. | B．Money was missing. |
| C．The bike broke down. | D．The efforts were in vain. |
| A．Logging trees is a wrong practice. |
| B．Developing sustainable forestry is a must. |
| C．Carbon emission calls for urgent attention. |
| D．The wooden bike does more good than harm. |
| A．Less Carbon, More Sustainable | B．Amazing? Bikes Grow on Trees |
| C．No Innovation, No Development | D．Amusing? Bike Riding Is Taking off |
【推荐1】Pioneering research from the University of Portsmouth that aims to find a solution to the global plastic pollution crisis is to share in £15. 9 million of investment from the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
The Solent LEP will use the Government's“Getting Building Fund" allocation to finance the expansion of the University's Centre for Enzyme Innovation (CEI),which takes enzymes(酶） from the natural environment and adapts them in the laboratory to recycle and reuse some of our most polluting plastics. The CEI will receive £1 millon investment from the Solent LEP.
The CEI is one of several projects that have been funded by the Solent LEP,which plays a leading role in determining economic priorities in the region. The projects will benefit the region's economic recovery in the present environment.
The CEI Expansion-Industrial Engagement Hub project will almost double the current size of the CEI and create three new specialist laboratories, to bridge the gap between the current research capabilities and what this technology needs to develop into in order to be adopted by industry.
In addition, the Industrial Engagement Hub will be a space for interaction between researchers and industry collaborators and become a testbed for growing local and national partnerships.
Professor Graham Galbraith,Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, said:“The CEI is a unique environment for industry and academia to work together to shape, refine,develop and test the new technologies emerging from this ground-breaking research.”
“The funding from the Solent LEP to support the development of the CEI will deliver significant economic and societal benefits and clearly delivers our ambitions for research with impact and sustainability(持续性） as set out in our vision for 2030.”
1. What's CEI' s experiment?| A．Collecting enzymes. | B．Making building material. |
| C．Removing waste land. | D．Recycling materials. |
| A．To get investment for the national program. |
| B．To help the Solent LEP manage its production. |
| C．To determine economic priorities in the region. |
| D．To get a chemical for the reduction of plastic pollution. |
| A．It is hard to reduce polluting plastics. |
| B．The LEP funding has short-term benefits. |
| C．The CEI has connected research and industry. |
| D．Scientific research must need industries' support. |
| A．University Receives Funding for Plastics Recycling |
| B．What's the Best Way to Get Rid of Polluting Plastics |
| C．Local and National Partnerships Strengthen the Research |
| D．Industries' Support is the Key to Reducing Polluting Plastics |
【推荐2】On November 8th, a tornado, the most powerful in the past 70 years, hit Jersey, causing great damages to the area and leaving the residents in great panic.
“Suddenly, the windows of the waiting room exploded in and dragged everything inside. My cars have been completely destroyed by branches and fences, and my garden is completely gone. There’s no furniture, no fence; everything has been thrown everywhere. At first there was lightning but then a strange noise and strange darkness came over the whole house. It was like being in a scary scene in the movie The Wizard of Oz,” Ashleigh Quail-Charleston, a Jersey resident, told the Bailiwick Express after the tornado that struck overnight on November 1—2 during Storm Ciaran.
The consequence looked like a bomb had gone off: cars hit, roofs with holes, windows broken. “A huge tree leans drunkenly against a block of flats. Piles of branches are piled optionally and pavements are covered with pieces,” said Chris Stone at BBC Radio Jersey. The tornado was powerful and exceptionally rare, caused by a severe thunderstorm that had sent out intense lightning and huge hailstones described as “ice bombs”. The Tornado and Storm Research Organization (Torro) and Jersey Met Office revealed the tornado left a trail of damages 8 km long across the island, and rated its intensity as T6 on an international scale of tornado power.
According to Torro records, this was the most powerful tornado to strike anywhere in the British Isles or Channel Islands since December 7th, 1954 when a tornado struck west London, leaving tremendous devastation, with Gunnersbury railway station torn apart, roofs torn off houses and one car even thrown through the air.
Tornados during Storm Ciaran also hit Sompting in West Sussex and Loders in Dorset. One resident in Loders, Sophie van Hensbergen, described the moment, saying, “The tornado struck with a very, very powerful whistling sound and the windows looked as though we were in a car wash.”
1. Why is The Wizard of Oz mentioned in paragraph 2?| A．To summarize the consequence. | B．To introduce the topic. |
| C．To enrich the readers’ knowledge. | D．To help describe the tornado. |
| A．How tornado was rated. |
| B．What caused the tornado. |
| C．How severe the tornado was. |
| D．What should be done to prevent the tornado. |
| A．Marks. | B．Damages. | C．Memory. | D．Impression. |
| A．A news item. | B．A science report. |
| C．A movie reviewer. | D．A weather forcast. |
【推荐3】When British musician Paul Barton performs in central Thailand lately, the listeners react wildly. Some pull his hair or jump on his piano. Others steal his music. The behavior is normal, however, because these crowds are truly wild—wild monkeys to be exact.
Barton plays often to the animals in Lopburi, an area known for its populations of wild monkeys. The pianist hopes the music shows bring calm to the animals during the corona virus(COVID-19) crisis.
The disease has caused problems for the monkeys, too. They are hungry. The restrictions on tourism mean fewer people come to see the monkeys and feed them.
The monkeys quickly surround Barton when he plays Greensleeves, Beethoven's Fur Elise and Michael Nyman's Diary of Love. Some of the creatures sit on his chair, while others climb up his body and touch his head. But, Barton keeps his attention on his performance, even as a small monkey runs over his hands on the instrument. Other monkeys take control of his music papers. “I was glad and surprised to find that they were actually eating the music as I was playing it.”
The monkeys are Barton's latest animal fans. Past wildlife audience included elephants living in special protected areas. Barton hopes to raise people's awareness of the monkeys' hunger. At the same time, he hopes to study their behavior as they react to classical music.
“Come together and don't let the pandemic stop the wild monkeys getting good nutritious food. We need to make an effort to make sure that they eat properly. And when they eat properly they will be calmer,” said 59 -year-old Barton.
1. Why does the musician play to the wild monkeys?| A．To see the wild animals just being themselves. | B．To study their behavior as they react to pop music. |
| C．To raise money for the wild monkeys' hunger. | D．To help calm them during COVID -19 crisis. |
| A．Contemporary music. | B．Classical music. |
| C．Country music. | D．Popular music. |
| A．Stealing his music papers. | B．Eating his music papers. |
| C．Disturbing his performance. | D．Enjoying his playing |
| A．Wild monkeys like to play with the musician. | B．People will start to protect the wild monkeys. |
| C．The COVID-19 has damaged much to the world. | D．Music can make the wild animals more active. |
