1 .

These days a video from the Beijing Wildlife Zoo has been going viral (走红). It shows a dog playing with lions and tigers four to five times its size! Is the dog in danger? Of course not.     1     Animals make friends with members of a different species (物种).

A zookeeper said that they raised the dog together with the lions and tigers when they were very young.     2     If you think this is too amazing, just remember that people have made friends with animals for a long time.     3     Maybe you have a pet yourself.

There are some other stories of cross-species friends. At an animal center, a cat named Marina and a pig named Laura became friends after they came to the center.     4     They grew up in the wild (野外) without their mothers’ care. They were close to each other and played happily together when they first met.

Why can different species be friends? In the wild, animals are busy hunting for their food. They have to work hard to keep themselves safe and protect their families.     5     When they needn’t do these things, animals will not have much to do. So it’s possible for them to make friends with members of other species.

4 .

The Yellow River is known as the mother river of the Chinese people. However, flood (洪水) control and disaster forecasts (灾害预报) of the river have always been challenging for people. Now, scientists can better work on these issues by giving the river a digital twin.

The digital twin of the Yellow River uses different kinds of technologies, including big data, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things. Devices (设备) are set up along the river and collect and transmit (传送) information to the center. Based on the information, a 3D model of the river is showed on the computer screen. It’s like the Yellow River has a twin that reflects its real conditions.

One big thing in the digital governance (治理) of the river is “smart stones”. According to Wang Qin, a lead researcher at the Information Center of Yellow River Henan Bureau, a smart stone is a detector with chips, a battery, and a signal transmitter in it. They are put in important dike (堤坝) locations to record and report the movement of dike stones. “On feeling movement of the dike stones, the smart stone sends an alarm to the center for quick response,” Wang said.

“In the past, researchers had to learn the conditions of the dike on the spot by themselves, putting their lives at risk,” said Zhao Xiaoxiong from the bureau. “Now the smart stones can do this for us, more safely, quickly, and accurately (精确地).”

In the sky, there are flying drones. These drones are designed by engineers to look at the river, its dikes and flood prevention projects. Shen Lin, from the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, explains that the drones provide researchers at the command center with photos and information. The researchers use this information to update a 3D model, which helps them test floodwater release plans in case of emergencies.

Under the water and up in the sky, intelligent systems are helping to protect the Yellow River Basin on all fronts. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, in the future, we can expect to see the construction of an even more comprehensive digital system for this important river.

6 . Su Shi, also known as Su Dongpo, was an outstanding Chinese poet (政治家), who lived during the Song Dynasty from 1037 to 1101.

Su Shi was born into a well﹣known family in Meishan, Sichuan province. His father and brother were both great poets. Su Shi showed great talent from a young age and was known for his skills in handwriting and painting. At the age of 20, Su Shi successfully passed the imperial (科举), Su held a number of different government positions across China. However, his different opinions often got him into trouble because of disagreements at court, he was exiled (流放) three times. In 1079, Su Shi was even sent to prison. Although he got out of prison at last, Su Shi’s literary talent continued to shine, and he produced a great number of' poetic works during his lifetime. In 1080, he found peace in nature and produced some of his best works. The famous poem, “Red Cliff”, was one of them. Su Shi’s talent was beyond poetry, as he was also a great prose writer. His article “On the Love of the Lotus” shows his love for the beauty of the flower. In addition, his collection of short stories shows his humour and wisdom.

It was not only in the literary field that Su Shi was highly praised. As an official, he won the love and support of the people. During his services, he did a lot for the people. In 1077, he protected the city from a terrible flood. The people in Xuzhou were thankful to him and gave him some food as presents.

Although Su Shi’s life was filled with both achievements and troubles, he is remembered as one of the greatest people in Chinese history, and his creative genius and strong spirit continue to influence and guide people around China.

7 . Herbie could hardly stay in his seat. A jazz musician had come to speak to the class today, and Herbie had so many questions for him. The visitor was a short man with a wide-brimmed hat and a colorful suit. Herbie’s teacher introduced the visitor as Terrence Harris, a clarinet (单簧管) player. “I’m sure the students will enjoy hearing about your music, Mr.Haris.” she said.

“Please,” said the man, “call me Terry.”

Terry talked for a few minutes about music in general. Then he began talking about jazz, and his whole face lit up. He described what was unique (独特的) about jazz music, and be explained how he had become a professional (职业的) clarinet player. After a while, he asked the class if they had any questions. Herbie raised his hand.

“What’s the best way to become a jazz musician?” Herbie asked.

Terry laughed. “First, find a musical instrument that lets you breathe music through it. Next, practice that instrument every day for the rest of your life.”

Herbie’s eyes opened wide. “I want to start practicing right now!” he shouted, jumping out of his chair.

“That’s the spirit!” Terry said. “But why don’t you wait until after school? Jazz players need to get good grades, too. When I was a young man, I didn’t think much of school.”

“Really? What do you mean?” Herbie asked as he settled in his seat again.

“Yes, really,” Terry replied. “It all began when I was eleven years old…”

8 . I dream of being a fireman someday

Saving families from the flames

What a good job that will be

Fighting fires every day

Many people will thank me

For carrying them away from danger

Mothers and children, sons and uncles

Will always want to meet me

In a fire, they will need me

Happy to help with hands and hose

Climbing ladders to the windows

There I will be, to rescue

A．	B．
C．	D．

10 .

Goldfish are good pets. They are easy to care for. But they need the right home. Fish need more than a bowl. They are too small. Goldfish belong in tanks. A tank is better than a bowl. It holds more water. Your fish will have more room.

First, choose a place for the tank. Pick a safe spot. Put it where it will not fall. Do not put it near a window. The water will get too warm.

Next, add tiny rocks. Put in plants. You can add toy ships. These make good hiding places. Fish like hiding.

Finally, add water. Wait before adding your fish. Check that the water stays clean. Buy a pump. It cleans the water. Dirty water makes fish sick.

Now you can add your fish! You will bring it home in a bag. The bag will be filled with water. Let the bag float in the tank. The fish will get used to the tank. Then, open the bag. The fish will swim out!

Buy food for your fish. Do not feed it too much! Extra food makes the water dirty. It sinks to the bottom. Just give your fish what it can eat.

Put a cover on the tank. This keeps the fish safe. Nothing can fall into the tank. Your fish cannot jump out. If the cover has a light, you can watch your fish at night.

Each week the tank needs to be cleaned. Take out some old water. Add new water. Scrape the walls of the tank if they look dirty. But do not worry. It does not have to be spotless.

Just keep the water clean. Your fish will be happy!