1 . Don’t let Aurora’s small stature (身材) fool you — her spirit is strong. She is one of 140 chickens _______ from a farm. When we saved her, she was tiny and sick and it seemed _______ that she would survive. Having never got the right care, many of the chickens were sick and some sadly died.

At a young age, Aurora and her sisters and brothers were _______ by their mom. Luckily, another mother took on their care.Aurora seemed the last to _______ food and attention.She grew at a much slower rate than her brothers and sisters. Everything seemed _______ her.

At the young age of seven months, Aurora had lost two moms and was _______ to find a place with the other chickens.

Aurora _______ found comfort from an old chicken named Margaret, staying under her wings during the cold nights, _______ Margaret was so old that a few months later she died.Aurora, in her own way, thinks of Margaret. Every evening you will find her in the _______ spot where she kept Margaret company.________ when the other chickens try to ________ her away, Aurora comes back.

As Aurora grew, we became ________ at her love to simply live. Nothing ________ her.

So remember, when life seems so ________ that you can't take it, think of Aurora. She has lost two moms, watched her sisters and brothers die, and recovered from serious illness. Yet she enjoys the small, sweet ________ life has offered—safety, food, warmth and good friendships.

2 . On March 10, 2019, eight-year-old Tani defeated 73 young competitors to win the New York State Scholastic Chess Championship in his age group—kindergarten to third grade—with five wins and one draw. While the achievement is remarkable in itself, what is even more so is that the youngster, who was homeless at the time, began learning the game less than a year ago.

Tani and his family arrived in New York City from Nigeria in 2017, seeking religious protection. A church pastor (牧师) helped find the family of four space in a homeless shelter in Manhattan and, soon after, Tani entered the local elementary school. It was here that the young talent was first introduced to the basics of chess by a part-time teacher. Attracted by the game, then the seven-year-old begged his mother, Oluwatoyin, to allow him to join the school’s chess club. The family were concerned that they would be unable to afford the fees and expenses, which added up to thousands of dollars due to travel and chess competition admission. Oluwatoyin emailed chess instructor Russell, who ran the club. To her surprise and delight, Russell agreed to waive all costs for young Tani. The rest, as they say, is history. The young boy, who has got seven prizes in less than a year, currently ranks 27 in America in his age group.

Though the chess club certainly helps, Tani’s success can be largely owed to the efforts he has put into the game. The chess talent practices the game for several hours a day either on the floor with his board, or online, using his dad’s laptop. Every Saturday, Tani and his mother head to Harlem for a free 3-hour class to help further sharpen his game skills.

Not surprisingly, Tani’s incredible story, first reported by The New York Times, has resulted in an outpouring of support from the American public. Shortly after the young boy won the New York State Championship, Russell began a GoFundMe campaign for Tani and his family to “secure a home where he can continue with his journey”.

And the heart-warming story gets even better! Since they now have a home, the family have decided to “pay it forward” and donate the over $200,000 collected on GoFundMe to African immigrants in America who are struggling the way the family was.

3 . Before I turned 10, I lost my parents. I lived alone in a room that a family member allowed me to use rent-free. To support myself, I began to deliver newspapers.

I would be up every morning by 5 am and walk five kilometers to the newspaper office. By 6 am, I would collect 50 copies of Urdu Daily — the bundle must have weighed over 5 kilograms. My working area spanned 3 kilometers. After distributing the copies, I would rush home — another 3 kilometers — quickly eat and be off to high school.

One morning when I got home after my deliveries, I found a boy my age at my doorstep. He introduced himself as Afzal and said his father wanted to see me.

I was greeted at the door by Afzal’s mother, Naseem. She served tea and snacks as Afzal’s father, Mr Kader, joined us.

Later, as I was about to leave after thanking them, Mr Kader asked me to wait. Naseem asked me, “How many miles do you walk every day?”

“A little more than six,” I replied.

My reply shocked her. I saw Mr Kader emerge again, wheeling a new bicycle. It was a Hercules, quite expensive in pre-Independence India.

“This is for you!” he said.

It took a few seconds for the love to sink in. It felt warm, like home, as if my mother were there for me. I didn’t realize tears were rolling down my face.

Mr Kader said, “Your newspaper editor is a friend of mine. He gave me your address, so I knew you lived close by. Then Afzal told us more about you.”

Confused, I asked Afzal how he knew so much about me. His reply surprised me. “Everybody, not just in school but the whole of Kachiguda, does!” he said.

I bowed, gratefully, shook hands with Afzal and left. This time I did not have to walk — I had the bicycle.

The bicycle saved my life for many years thereafter and taught me a life-long lesson: Help should always be need-based. Never try to feed a person who is dying of thirst.

4 . Two weeks ago, a 5-year-old girl named Sunshine Oelfke emptied out her piggy bank (存钱罐) onto the living room floor and immediately started counting. Her grandmother, Jackie Oelfke, thought she was playing as she carefully lined up the coins, but then she saw the girl put the coins into a plastic bag and place it in her backpack.

“What are you doing with that money?” Jackie asked her granddaughter.

“I’m taking it to school,” Sunshine replied. “I’m going to take it for milk money. My friend Layla doesn’t get milk— her mom doesn’t have milk money and I do.”

Jackie’s heart melted at Sunshine’s words. Choked with strong feelings, Jackie held her sweet granddaughter tightly in her arms.

Last week, Jackie and Sunshine met with her teacher, Rita Hausher, and handed her the $30 the kindergartner had saved. There are 20 kids in Sunshine’s class and about half don’t get milk. It costs $ 0.45 a carton (纸盒). The total adds up to about $180 a month for every child in the class to have milk every day.

After dropping Sunshine off at school, Jackie posted a tearful video on Facebook to explain her granddaughter’s plan. To her surprise, many people offered to donate toward the cause. Within a week, Jackie raised more than $1,000. Now every student in Sunshine’s class can get free milk for the rest of the year.

Jackie said Sunshine doesn’t see her kind act as a big deal. She was just trying to look out for her friends. “She doesn’t understand the effect she’s brought about,” Jackie said. “But now she knows she can do whatever she puts her mind to.”

5 . There is nothing more important than the safety of our children. Did you know that unintentional injury(意外伤害) is the main cause of death in children under 14 years old and with a third of them happening in the home? One of the top reasons a child under the age of three will visit an emergency room is because of household injuries and sadly, 70% of children who die from unintentional injuries are under the age of four. Every room in the home will have its own set of child safety problems. Two of the main danger zones are the kitchen and the bathroom.

Before I became a young mother, I crawled(爬) around the house on my hands and knees to see things from a child’s perspective(视角). You would be amazed at what you can discover by doing something so simple. We didn’t have toilet covers. A child is top heavy because their heads are bigger than their bodies and can easily fall into the toilet.

You might be surprised with the number of children falling out of windows every year, especially during the summer months. Something as simple as a child leaning against a window screen can result in a serious injury. The best way to prevent this type of injury is by setting up a child safety window guard.

As parents, we do the best we can by providing as much protection as possible to make sure of the safety of children. And as there are so many products(产品) out there to help us do this, there is nothing like good old-fashioned supervision(监护). So, use common sense and products that help to keep your child safe, and you will have provided a safe environment for your children.

6 . By now, most people know they should be eating more vegetables. But are there ways to get more from the vegetables you already eat? A research shows that when it comes to vegetables, it’s not only how much we eat, but also how we prepare them, that decides the vitamins and other nutrients that enter our body.

Many studies show that people who eat lots of vegetables have less heart disease, and eye problems and even cancer. But raw vegetables are not always best. The researchers found that 198 Germans who eat raw food were short of lycopene, the matter found in tomatoes and other red vegetables. “There is an idea that raw foods are always going to be better,” says Steven K. Clinton, a professor at Ohi o State University. “For fruits and vegetables, sometimes a little bit of cooking can be helpful.”

A number of factors decide how the vegetables do good to people’s health before they reach the table, including where and how they were grown and stored before being bought. No single cooking way is best. Some nutrients are easily lost in cooking if they are cooked in different ways.

Vitamins C and B are often lost. In January, another report said that boiling was better for carrots than frying or serving them raw. Frying was the worst way to cook.

What cooked with the vegetables can also be important? When the vegetables were cooked with fat, the diners can get more nutrients. Fat can also make the taste of vegetables better, meaning that people will eat more of them. Putting on some other things that make it taste better—a little salt—can make the food taste better.

7 . For the first time, China’s South Pole researchers can eat fresh vegetables grown regularly, according to Wang Zheng, the grower, who came home last month after a 400­-day mission in Antarctica.

“Growing vegetables in Antarctica reminded me of The Martian, a sci­fi movie about an astronaut who survives alone on the Mars by eating potatoes he grows there,” Wang said on Friday. “I totally understand the main character of the movie. I understand how he feels when he watches a small green plant grow in a fragile man­made environment,” said the 40­-year­old doctor. But he admitted that the conditions he faced in the Antarctic were much better than those in the film.

Wang said the growth chamber (生长室) at the Zhongshan Station, had only a low yield when it was established in 2013. The amount was too small to make it possible for researchers to have vegetable dishes. To increase the yield, he reduced the number of vegetable varieties and focused on only some fast­growing ones, which makes the output stable. As a result, during much of his stay there, at least one vegetable dish, such as cucumbers, lettuce or cabbage, was served at every meal for a group of 18 researchers.

Wang, an orthopedist, said he knew nothing about botany or farming before he arrived at the station in December, 2014. “I was given this job probably because my office is next to the growth chamber, and as a doctor, I had more spare time than others,” Wang said. He considered many factors, such as light, temperature and humidity. Light music is played in the 16­-square­meter greenhouse around the clock. “Mild music is good for vegetable growth,” he said. “We also played Buddhist music, which has soft melody.”

“Growers before me did very good work. My job was to maintain the chamber and keep everything working.” Before the harvest, researchers had a very limited vegetable supply—mostly potatoes and cabbage, which taste awful after months of storage. “Because of our success in growing vegetables, we can have fresh vegetables every day,” he said. “The Russian station is no more than one kilometer away from ours. We even had enough vegetables to invite our Russian colleagues for dinner.”

8 . When people make travel decisions regarding destinations, recreation usually sits at the top of the most considered factors. But in recent years, with a rising awareness of health, travelers are beginning to upgrade their expectations. We have selected several places around China that have a perfect combination of recreation and health, in case that is what you have in mind for your next holiday.

Beijing Olympic Park

Located at the north end of the Beijing central axis line, Beijing Olympic Park witnessed the glory of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Apart from visiting the renowned Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, you can try some leisure and sports activities.

Wanlong Ski Resort, North China’s Hebei Province

Wanlong Ski Resort in Shijiazhuang City is nicknamed “heaven for ski lovers”. The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held here, which will boost ski development and tourism activities in Hebei Province. If you happen to be a skiing fan, try the professional trails here!

Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, East China’s Shandong Province

The Olympic sailing center has become a new landmark in Qingdao, a coastal city in East China’s Shandong Province. It was a host venue of the sailing games for the 29th Olympics in 2008 and the 13th Paralymic Games. You could visit the match venue and enjoy a cruise around Qingdao.

Shapotou, Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Shapotou scenic zone in Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is a transition zone between grassland and deserts. Apart from its unique natural landscape, Shapotou offers a sports program like sand skiing and rafting across the Yellow River.

Wulong Karst Region in Chongqing

Wulong is about 130 kilometers from downtown Chongqing. The 2, 900-square-kilometer district boasts karsts, caves, forests, springs and primitive wilderness. UNESCO named Wulong’s karsts as a World Natural Heritage in 2007. Sports options here include mountain climbing and hiking.

10 . The Young Scholars Program

The University of Maryland’s Young Scholars Program is a perfect summer camp for academically talented teenagers who want to earn college credits, pursue academic interests or discover college life at the University of Maryland. The program is challenging and rewarding. Students have the opportunity to show that they can be successful in a university environment.

The Activities

During three weeks of exploration, teens preview the university experience, study with students who share similar interests and communicate with the best teachers of the University of Maryland in a dynamic and challenging classroom environment. Students can have trips to nearby Washington, DC and enjoy movie nights and activities at the student union. Workshops and seminars featuring speakers in academic fields further enrich the learning experience.

The Courses

The Young Scholars Program offers college courses that are at the cutting edge of theory, thought and technology. Classes generally meet every day from Monday to Friday. The program is a great introduction to the University of Maryland. Participants can benefit from the University of Maryland’s vast resources, including libraries, computers and instructional labs.

The Rewards

Upon program completion, teens will go home with better preparations for the college experience-both academically and socially. In addition, students earn three college credits that post to the University of Maryland transcript (成绩单).

The Application

The application process includes submission (提交) of the application, high school transcript and a letter of recommendation.

Ages: 14 — 18

Mailing address: The University of Maryland College Park

For more information, call 3014057762.