Do you want to make a difference in your community? The Verizon App Challenge can get you started. The first step is to think of a problem in your community. The next step is to create an app that can solve the problem.
Groups of five to seven students in middle school or high school, led by a teacher, can enter the contest. First,teams will compete on a local level. Teams that make it to the next round receive $5,000 for their schools. Finalists present their app ideas to judges in a live web conference. Next, the judges pick national winners. The top eight teams receive an additional $15,000 for their schools, and each team member receives a Samsung tablet. Plus, the winning teams get the chance to bring their app to life.
A group of six girls from Los Frenos, Texas won the second annual Verizon App Challenge. They came up with the Hello Navi app concept, short for “hello navigation”. The app was designed to help visually impaired (受损的) students navigate (导航) their school.
Do you have an app idea that could help solve a local issue? The deadline to register is November 24. Find more information and register your team at verizonfoundation.org/appchallenge.
Here are some tips from the Verizon Foundation to get you started：
• Get your team together for a brainstorm meeting. Write out all the ideas that come to mind.
• Don't ignore challenges. Accept the idea that you can solve a problem that exists in your community.
• Ask family, friends and people in your community to share their thoughts about problems that they want to see solved.
1. If you want to take part in the Verizon App Challenge, you must ___________.| A．design a problem-solving app |
| B．bring the app you created to life |
| C．work together with seven classmates |
| D．present convincing views on a local issue |
| A．It was first made public in Texas. |
| B．It won the second prize in the last Verizon App Challenge. |
| C．It mainly benefited those with poor sense of direction. |
| D．It aimed to help those with poor eyesight. |
| A．To promote a problem-solving app. |
| B．To call on more students to enter the contest. |
| C．To share some efficient ways of solving problems. |
| D．To introduce how to contribute to your community. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A professor from the University of Georgia is allowing students to choose their own grades to reduce their stress and to walk out of any class if they don’t like “the group dynamics.” If the professor were to write a book outlining this educational philosophy（教育理念）, what could it be titled? Would you like to write down your possible title and then send an email to us?
How to enter:
• Submissions should be emailed to contest@theweek.com.
• Please include your name, address, and daytime telephone number; this week, please type “No stress” in the subject line.
• Entries are due by noon, Eastern Time, Tuesday, Aug. 29.
• In the case of similar entries, the first one received gets credit. All entries become property of The Week.
• Winners will appear on the Puzzle Page on the Sept. 8 issue and at theweek. com/ puzzles on Friday, Sept. 1.
What to win:
• Winners will get a chance to discuss some topics they care about face to face with the professor. They will also be given a book from the professor.
• Winners will get a one-year subscription（订阅）to The Week. They will receive 4 free issues first. They’ll also get 46 more for a total of 50 in all for just $ 1. 39 per issue! They’ll receive instant access to the digital edition. If you’re not completely satisfied, just cancel it and any trial issues you receive are yours to keep.
1. How will participants know the result of the contest?| A．By browsing the Web of The Week. |
| B．By buying the professor’s book. |
| C．By telephoning the professor. |
| D．By sending a special email. |
| A．A digital edition of The Week at a discount. |
| B．A chance to donate some books to others. |
| C．A chance to talk with the professor. |
| D．50 free issues of The Week. |
| A．To call on students to help write a book. |
| B．To ask for some possible titles for a book. |
| C．To ask university students to reflect on their learning. |
| D．To introduce a writing contest about how to reduce stress. |
【推荐2】Many children are interested in dinosaurs (恐龙). If you have a child who loves dinosaurs, then here is some good news for you. There is an exhibition about dinosaurs at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum in Wembley, Alberta. You can plan a family road trip there. Give your child a surprise and you’ll, enjoy your time there as a family.
Sitting just 9 kilometers west of Grande Prairie, the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum opened in 2015 and has collections that include fossils (化石) of sea animals, art works from different dinosaurs, a large family theatre, as well as an outdoor discovery fossil walk, a large outdoor playground, and the onsite Dine-O-Saur restaurant. Experience the dinosaurs’ world unlike before at all as you watch dinosaurs come alive in movies. Learn about how these animals lived and breathed.
You can check out Dinosaurs Unearthed and all of the other exciting exhibitions at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum on the following days / time periods:
September 1st - May 31st:
Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Closed on Mondays
June 1st - August 31st:
Saturday - Monday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tuesday - Friday 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Admission (门票):
Adults: $14 each
Seniors (65+): $11 each
Students (with ID) and children (5-17): $7 each
Children under 5: free
Family (2 adults and up to 4 children): $40
If you want to see a National Geographic film or a full-length film during your visit, it is an extra $2-$4.
For more information, please visit the museum’s website at www.dinomuseum.ca.
1. What can people do at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum?| A．Have fun on a large outdoor playground. | B．Learn about dinosaurs’ disappearance. |
| C．Watch a foil-length film for free. | D．Buy some souvenirs of sea animals’ fossils. |
| A．$28 | B．$29 | C．$35 | D．$40 |
| A．To introduce a museum. | B．To advertise an exhibition. |
| C．To encourage family time. | D．To tell readers about dinosaurs. |
Duration: 15 days
The Balkans offers a mix of beautiful countryside, fast-developing cities and historic towns. Our first ride ends at the UNESCO town of Ohrid on the vast lake of the same name. There're a few stops along the way to visit or see places of interest.
Cycling the Italian and Swiss Lakes
Duration: 8 days
The Italian lakes of Como and Maggiore are famed for both their wonderful scenery and their wealthy residents (居民). This is a fascinating area to discover on two wheels with excellent roads that closely follow the winding shores. The Villa del Balbianello with its beautiful Italian gardens may look familiar, having been seen in international movies such as Bond's Casino Royale.
Self- Guided Cycling in the Douro Valley
Duration: 7 days
This cycling holiday in the Douro Valley will make you familiar with magical surroundings, delicious cuisine and some of the world's finest wines. The ride begins in Castelo Rodrigo, a village close to where Portugal borders Spain, and home to an ancient castle. You'll cycle through vineyards (葡萄园) and visit the famous Port wine estates (庄园).
Exploring Sri Lanka by Bike
Duration: 8 days
Being an island, Sri Lanka is incredibly diverse. Exploring on two wheels is the best way to see this rural country and to experience the way of life of its friendly people. We travel from ancient cities to the hill country towns of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya before ending the trip on the beaches of the beautiful south coast.
1. What's special about the Balkans tour?| A．It is hosted by the Ohrid goverment. | B．It's a continuous ride with no stops. |
| C．It has fantastic island scenery. | D．It combines history and the present. |
| A．Cycling the Balkans. | B．Cycling the Italian and Swiss Lakes. |
| C．Self Guided Cycling in the Douro Valley. | D．Exploring Sri Lanka by Bike. |
| A．Visit Spanish gardens. | B．Visit a national park. |
| C．Acquire knowledge of wines. | D．Pick grapes in the vineyards. |
【推荐1】Anyone watching the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China has seen lots of snow-man-made snow. Since the area gets little natural snow, this is the first time the Winter Olympics is taking place on almost 100% artificial(人造的)snow.
2022 Winter Olympics was held in Beijing, China, and in two areas northwest of Beijing, Yangqing and Zhangjiakou. The areas get cold in the winter, but they don’t get a lot of snow.
That’s because they’re not far from the Gobi Desert, and are generally very dry. That meant some serious changes were needed to hold the Winter Olympics there. China took water from a reservoir(水库)which helps supply Beijing’s drinking water. To carry the water to the mountains for making snow, the country ran miles and miles of pipes.
An Italian company called TechnoAlpin created the snow. TechnoAlpin created artificial snow at several earlier Winter Olympics. For the snow in 2022 Winter Olympics, TechnoAlpin laid over 40 miles of pipe and brought in hundreds of snow-making machines. Even with all of those machines, making the snow for 2022 Winter Games took seven weeks.
Still, the machines that make artificial snow are quite advanced and they can make several different kinds of snow depending on what’s needed for each sport. For example, the snow they make for downhill skiing is different from the snow made for cross-country skiing.
In recent years, it has become more and more common to use artificial snow at winter sports events. Some artificial snow was used in the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014 because of warm weather. In the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, roughly 90% of the snow was man-made.
As the world warms because of climate change, problems like this are expected to become far more common. Michael Mayr, who leads TechnoAlpin in Asia, says, “You could not have winter sports now without man-made snow.”
1. Why do the areas like Beijing fail to get much snow?”| A．They are far from the desert. | B．A reservoir was built there. |
| C．It’s usually too dry in winter. | D．Mountains surround the areas. |
| A．Materials used for snow making. | B．Efforts to create artificial snow. |
| C．An Italian machine producer. | D．The cost of laying pipes. |
| A．Games. | B．Machines. | C．Athletes. | D．Workers. |
| A．Artificial snow plays a key role in winter sports. |
| B．Climate change is getting worse due to artificial snow. |
| C．It’s far more difficult to fight against global warming. |
| D．Man-made snow makes winter sports more popular. |
【推荐2】Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on the simplicity and power of friendship. It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching vulnerable young people(ages 7-17) with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend.
Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life—married, single, with or without children. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are not replacement parents or social workers. They are tutors: someone to trust, to have fun with, to talk and go to when needed.
A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months. They enjoy simple activities such as a picnic at a park, cooking, playing sport or going to a football match. These activities improve the friendship and help the young person develop positive self-respect, confidence and life direction.
Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations exist throughout the world. It is the largest and most well-known provider of tutor services internationally and has been operating for 25 years.
Emily and Sarah have been matched since 2008. Emily is a 10-year-old girl who has experienced some difficulties being accepted by her schoolmates at school. “ I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me.”
Emily’s mum came across Big Brothers Big Sisters and thought it would be of benefit to Emily by “providing different feedback (反馈) about herself other than just relying on schoolmates to measure her self-worth.
Sarah wanted to get involved in a volunteer program. “I googled it and found out how to be a part of it. I thought it would be fun for me to get involved in making time to do something because sometimes it is all work and no play.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters has been of great benefit and enjoyment to both Emily and Sarah. They love and look forward to their time together and the partnership has certainly helped Emily be more comfortable in being the wonderful, happy and unique girl she is!
1. What is the aim of Big Brothers Big Sisters?| A．To offer students public services. |
| B．To help students improve their grades. |
| C．To organize sport activities for young people. |
| D．To provide partnership and fun for young people. |
| A．24 hours | B．36 hours | C．48 hours | D．72 hours |
| A．advice from her teachers |
| B．a new way to assess herself |
| C．a new way to judge her schoolmates |
| D．more comments from her schoolmates |
| A．She used to be a volunteer. |
| B．She needed a part-time job. |
| C．She felt a bit bored with her life. |
| D．She wanted to get a challenging job. |
| A．popular at school | B．rather weak physically |
| C．easily hurt emotionally | D．confident in themselves |
【推荐3】Does it ever seem like something is going on with our attention spans? Gloria Mark, an attention researcher at the university of California, says there is scientific evidence that attention spans have shrunk considerably. “We started studying attention span length over 20 years ago,” Mark said. “In 2003, we found that attention spans averaged about two-and-a-half minutes on any screen before people switched, In the past five, six years, they are averaging 47 seconds on the screen.”
Mark maintains that a shorter attention span has three downsides: The first is that people make more errors when they do attention shifting; second downside is that it takes longer to do something, because we have to adjust to every new task every time we shift; the third downside — maybe this is the worst of all — is that stress increases. When people are working on multiple tasks and they have to shift their attention, their blood pressure rises.
You don’t have to be a professor to guess at the cause of our great distract ability: It’s technology, of course-phones, social media, texting. It might be hard to think of the last time you even had a tech-free hour. So she offered a couple of tips for staying focused: First, when you feel the itch to change tasks, analyze why. If it’s just boredom or procrastination (拖延症), make a deal with yourself to work another 20 minutes, and then treat yourself to a reward.
Second, picture yourself at the end of the day. What do you want to have accomplished? What do you want to feel? “A concrete visualization of yourself sitting on the couch, you know, watching your favourite show is really good motivation,” she said.
The internet has this incredible resource available to us, so rather than be upset by it because it distracts us, how can we turn that around and instead find value from it? And how can we utilize our time best when we use the resources from the Internet without getting exhausted from it? These questions are what Gloria Mark will focus on in her subsequent research.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．Negative effects of short attention spans. | B．Benefits of long attention spans. |
| C．Causes of short attention spans. | D．Ways to deal with short attention spans. |
| A．Necessity. | B．Courage. | C．Desire | D．Choice |
| A．Imagining what you will accomplish at the end of the day is a waste of time. |
| B．Multitasking is a good way to extend our attention span. |
| C．It is necessary to think twice before shifting your tasks. |
| D．We’d better say no to the internet sometimes as it distracts us. |
| A．Are Our Attention Spans Getting Shorter? | B．How Do We Live with the Internet? |
| C．Is Multitasking Possible? | D．What Can We Do to Make Our Attention Spans Longer? |
【推荐1】Rakesh Shukla is a talented software engineer and CEO of a successful tech company.But among India's animal lovers he is known as "The Dog Father, an outstanding man who founded the country's most advanced dog rescue center and who personally takes care of 735 stray(流浪的) and abandoned dogs that nobody else wants.
12 years ago, Rakesh and his wife founded a tech company which quickly became successful, but he still didn’t feel happy and satisfied. It wasn’t until 2009, when Kavya,a beautiful dog, came into his life that he truly felt that his life had meaning. Three months later,he got a second dog, this time a stray called Lucky. Over the next few weeks, whenever Rakesh saw a stray or an abandoned dog, he just brought it home. The number grew quickly.
In 2011, he founded the Voice of Stray Dogs, a dog rescue organization working to support the strays of Bangalore. Today, it is the world's largest citywide dog rescue center.
He kept adopting stray and abandoned dogs. By 2015, he had spent over $ 1 million of his own money to rescue over 5,000 stray dogs in Bangalore, not to mention taking care of the hundreds that lived at his shelter permanently. Facing a series of problems, while providing the city a free service, he decided that people who need a dog rescued have to pay a 2, 500 rupee($37)fee.
Rakesh Shukla is viewed by many as a hero, and a human champion of stray and abandoned dogs in Bangalore.
1. We know from the first paragraph that Rakesh____________.| A．is well-known as a software engineer and CEO. |
| B．quit his job to take care of the abandoned dogs. |
| C．founded the most advanced dog rescue center in India. |
| D．looked for their owners for the strays or abandoned dogs. |
| A．In 2006 | B．In 2009 |
| C．In 2011. | D．In 2015 |
| A．was set up by Rakesh's wife |
| B．is making a study on the strays |
| C．collects information about the strays |
| D．is the worlds largest citywide dog rescue center |
| A．He faced lack of money | B．He doesn’t want to lose his dogs |
| C．He wants people to treat dogs better | D．He wants to make money by selling dogs |
【推荐2】The Walkmeter Walking & Hiking GPS has characteristics that are excellent for fitness walkers who want to improve their speed and distance. It uses your phone's GPS to measure the distance of your walks and hikes. It includes audio and voice integration（集成）so you can not only be informed of your workout statistics, but you can also listen to replies your friends send about your workout posts from Facebook and Twitter while you walk. Upgrading is less than $10 per year, far less than with some other apps, such as Endomondo.
Argus packs a lot into one lifestyle app. It functions as an all-day pedometer app. Your daily step count updates from your phone and includes active time, distance, calories, steps. and an hourly graph, It can also measure your heart rate at any time. You can easily take your heart rate during exercise and at rest. Besides, you can use the app’s food diary and sleep timer. A wide range of fitness and diet plans are also provided on it.
Charity Miles gives your walking a purpose, because it turns your exercise into donations to a certain cause. Open up this free app（iOS or Google Play）and choose a charity. Start a workout, choosing walking, running, or cycling. For each completed mile, you’ll have earned a donation for your chosen charity. The basic rate is 25 cents for walking and running miles and 10 cents for cycling miles, subject to a periodic cap. When you finish your walking, you must post to Facebook or Twitter to earn money for your charity.
1. What can users do with the Walkmeter Walking & Hiking GPS while exercising?| A．Upgrade the app for $10. | B．Check comments of friends. |
| C．Reply to friends’ posts online. | D．Make personalized fitness plans. |
| A．It is free of charge. | B．It can earn you money. |
| C．It offers a new way of donating. | D．It is connected to social software, |
| A．A website on app ratings. | B．An online fitness course. |
| C．A medical report. | D．An advertisement for phones. |
King's Art Centre
A day at the Centre could mean a visit to an exhibition of the work of one of the most interesting contemporary artists on show anywhere. This weekend tees the opening of an exhibition of four local artists.
You could attend a class teaching you how to 'learn from the masters' or get more creative with paint ---- free of charge.
The Centre also runs two life drawing classes for which there is a small fee.
The Botanic Garden
The Garden has over 8,000 plant species; it holds the research and teaching collection of living plants for Cambridge University.
The multi-branched Torch Aloe here is impressive. The African plant produces red flowers above blue-green leaves, and is not one to miss.
Get to the display house to see Dionaea muscipula, a plant more commonly known as the Venus Flytrap that feeds on insects and other small animals.
The Garden is also a place for wildlife-enthusiasts. Look for grass snakes in the lake. A snake called 'Hissing Sid' is regularly seen lying in the heat of the warm sun.
Byron's Pool
Many stories surround Lord Byron's time as a student of Cambridge University, Arriving in 1805, he wrote a letter complaining that it was a place of "mess and drunkenness". However, it seems as though Byron did manage to pass the time pleasantly enough. I'm not just talking about the pet bear he kept in his roans. He spent a great deal of time walking in the village.
It is also said that on occasion Byron swam naked by moonlight in the lake, which is now known as Byron's Pool. A couple of miles past Grantchester in the south Cambridgeshire countryside, the pool is surrounded by beautiful circular paths around the fields. The cries of invisible birds make the trip a lovely experience and on the way home you can drop into the village for afternoon tea. If you don't trust me, then perhaps you’ll take it from Virginia Woolf- ----over a century after Byron, she reportedly took a trip to swim in the same pool.
1. As mentioned in the passage, there is a small charge for_____.
| A．attending the masters' class | B．working with local artists |
| C．learning life drawing | D．seeing an exhibition |
| A．common insects | B．impressive plants |
| C．rarely-seen snakes | D．wildlife-enthusiasts |
| A．to fear pet bears | B．to like walking |
| C．to be a heavy drinker | D．to finish university in 1805 |
| A．surrounded by fields |
| B．owned by Lord Byron |
| C．located in Grantchester |
| D．discovered by Virginia Woolf |
| A．Some places for weekend break |
| B．A way to become creative in art. |
| C．The colourful life in the countryside. |
| D．Unknown stories of Cambridge University. |
【推荐1】Marvel at These Freaks of Nature
The world is filled with unique, breathtaking sites-from boiling craters to caves full of lightning bugs. While a global disease or natural disasters shock our soul, we might not appreciate nature. In fact, enjoying the wonder of nature can provide some breaks from too much time indoors. These sites are great for you when looking for hope in some of Mother Nature's greatest offerings.
01 Fly Geyser （Washoe County, Nevada）
This geyser in northern Nevada, found surrounded by fields of grass was created by accident when a geothermal power company drilled a test well（井)）where the geyser now sits in 1964. The combination of calcium carbonate deposits （碳酸钙沉淀物）and extremely hot water resulted in three nearly 6-foot-high, brightly colored red an« green hills that shoot hot water into the air.
02 The Marble Caves （Aysen, Chile）
These caves --accessible only by boat - sit in the heart of Patagonia and wen formed over 6.000 years as water continued to splash against the solid rock formations to create these unique blue marble formations.
03 Lake Sorvagsvatn （Vagar, The Faroe Islands）
This freshwater lake is famous for its appearance of " floating above the ocean. Though it's actually not even 100 feet above sea level, from various camera angles, the lake looks like it is hundreds of feet above the ocean because of its juxtaposition（并列） with a dramatic waterfall and the cliff to its side.
04 Krka National Park （Sibenik-knin, Croatia）
This national park in southern Croatia is famous for having not one, but seven, gorgeous waterfalls streaming with greenish-blue waters, including the attractive Skradinskibuk waterfall. The clear water in its basin is often filled with visitors taking a dip.
1. According to the text, the following are all false except that ________.| A．these sites all have something to do with waterfalls |
| B．you may see lightning bugs in the Marble Caves by boat |
| C．Lake Sorvagsvatn are floating hundreds of feet above the ocean |
| D．the Flyer Geyser has 6 colorful hills shooting hot water into air |
| A．the Flyer Geyser | B．Lake Sorvagsvatn |
| C．Krka National Park | D．the Marble Caves |
| A．To give basic facts about these freaks of nature. |
| B．To explain the reasons why these sites are great. |
| C．To call on people to appreciate these freaks of nature |
| D．To offer advice on how to visit these wonders of nature. |
【推荐2】A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders：Can I communicate with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask：What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences?
Certainly, there are some differences between British and American English. There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say “in hospital”and “Have you a pen？”,Americans say "in the hospital" and "Do you have a pen?. Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound the "r" in words like "bird" and "hurt". Speakers of British English do not sound the "r" in these words. There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, "colour" and "honour" are British."color" and " honor" are American.
These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are not important. however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language.
1. According to this passage, a student who is learning to speak American English might be afraid that .| A．the grammar is too hard for him |
| B．American people cannot understand him |
| C．British people cannot understand him |
| D．the spelling is too hard for him |
| A．How important the differences are. |
| B．Whether British English and American English are one language or two. |
| C．Whether there are differences between British English and American English. |
| D．How the differences between British English and American English came about. |
| A．Americans | B．British people |
| C．children | D．teachers |
【推荐3】King's College Summer School is an annual(每年的) training program for high school students at all levels who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King' s College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year's summer school will be from July 25 to August 15.
More information is as follows:
| Application date Students in New York should send their applications before July 18, 2011. Students of other cities should send their applications before July 16, 2011. Foreign students should send their applications before July 10, 2011. | Courses English Language Spoken English: 22 hours Reading and Writing: 10 hours American History: 16 hours American Culture: 16 hours |
| Steps A letter of self-introduction A letter of recommendation(推荐) * The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information. | Cost Daily lessons: $200 Sports and activities: $100 Travels: $200 Hotel service: $400 *You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city. |
| Please write to: Thompson, Sanders 1026 King' s Street New York, NY 10016, USA E-mail: KC-Summer-School@ yahoo.com | |
1. Which of the following is true about King' s College Summer School?
| A．Only top students can take part in the program |
| B．Visits to museums and culture centers are part of the program. |
| C．King' s College Summer School is run every other year |
| D．Only the teachers of King' s College give courses. |
| A．You can write to Thompson only in English. |
| B．The program will last two months. |
| C．As a Chinese student, you can send your application on July 14, 2011. |
| D．You can get in touch with the school by e-mail or by telephone. |
| A．a textbook | B．a travel guide |
| C．a newspaper | D．an encyclopedia(百科全书) |
