1 . Bioluminescence (生物荧光) is to California as the Aurora Borealis is to the Arctic. These events occur when single-celled organisms, known as dinoflagellates (甲藻), suddenly give off a kind of light after being disturbed. They’re most common in spring and into summer, especially during years with a combination of good rains and warm weather. Here are a few tips to help you witness bioluminescence:

Monitor Social Media

The first reports of a bioluminescence event are likely to show upon Instagram and Twitter, which are easily searchable. You can also setup a warning on Google that will round up news coverage.

Check With Aquariums

Such institutions as the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey might post updates on their websites or social media feeds, especially if bioluminescence is happening locally.

Find a Dark Location

If bioluminescence is ongoing, try to find a stretch of coast that’s as far away from light as possible. Get out before the moon rises for the best conditions and some experts also suggest that two hours after sunset is a good bet Give your eyes time to adjust and use your flashlight’s red light, which will keep your vision adjusted to the darkness.

Track Hotspots

The best displays can vary from night tonight, so check again on social media for updates. The environmental website Treehugger named San Diego one of the world’s eight best places to see bioluminescence. Meanwhile, north of San Francisco at Point Reyes National Seashore, To males Bay is a dependable spot for bioluminescence and you can go out on guided trips with Blue Waters Kayaking.

2 . Rachel had a healthy life both physically and mentally till one unfortunate winter evening. It was raining cats and dogs; everything was wet. Rachel’s cat went outside in this cold weather. She ________ him to bring him back inside. He hid near a utility pole (电线杆). Since it rained heavily the pole was charged and ________ to touch. Rachel, bent down to ________ her cat. She held the pole for support not ________ it was charged. The pole electrocuted her so badly that she was barely ________ seconds before her death. The electrocution resulted in ________ both her arms, which had to be cut off.

Rachel had to face such a (n) ________ accident. People get ________ about losing a finger. What would it be like if you lose both your arms? That’s what Rachel was trying to digest. It wasn’t easy at all. Rachel, slowly and gradually was accepting the ________ that she lost her arms and was ________ dependent on others for basic necessities that ________ the use of her arms. It upset her that she could not ________ her own duties herself.

Many people would lose hope. ________, that was not the case with Rachel. She did not want to ________ her dream. She didn’t let the slightest hopelessness bring her down and make her ________ her motivation. After recovery, Rachel ________ day and night to do most of her work with her feet. She emphasized mostly on ________ since she had no arms to do that with. She tried and tried. After many ________ and failures, she finally could write with her feet. She continued her school, ________ her examination and got a scholarship for law school.

Her optimism paved the way for a bright future. Her hard work ________ all because she never gave up.

4 . What a year, it’s been for music! Although the industry is still influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, so many talented artists were able to put out hit songs, and music videos this year. Here are some of the best ones!

“Kiss Me More (feat. SZA)”— Doja Cat

It has taken Doja Cat many years to become an artist capable of critical respect. Planet Her is one of her most breathtaking albums released, and among so many standout tracks (歌曲), “Kiss Me More (feat. SZA)” takes the lead. With a tasty hook, soft and comforting disco atmosphere, the song deserves all the recognition it has gotten.

“Easy On Me”—Adele

Adele made her long-awaited return this year. Her track “Easy On Me” broke the world record for the most streamed song in 24 hours, with 24 million streams. Adele is the queen of ballads, and we. love “Easy On Me” for its subtle soul sounds, daring vocals, and heartfelt message about asking for forgiveness from our loved ones.

“Happier Than Ever”—Billie Eilish

Talented artists like Billie Eilish only come once in a generation. We believe “Happier Than Ever” is to Eilish what “Bohemian Rhapsody” is to Queen. Sure, maybe the former song isn’t as rock-heavy or revolutionary as the latter, but it is similarly emotional, vocally impressive, and a song we think will remain as a “classic” in years to come.

“Butter”—BTS

If the Beatles brought the “British Invasion” to the U. S. in the 60s, BTS is bringing the Korean Wave in the 2020s. This year, the beloved K-pop group’s “Butter” broke so-many records, and it’s hard to keep track. What makes the song so tasty is its sweet and playful atmosphere, amusing lyrics, and ability to show each group member’s unique personality. Because of that, it easily became a smooth summer anthem, which gives us a reason to smile, dance, and sing for a change.

5 . How do you feel about bees? Do you get irritated when they buzz (嗡嗡地叫) around you and do you fear their mission is just to sting you? Love them or loathe them, these little insects are extremely important creatures, and without them we might starve.

Bees deserve some respect— they give us honey, and they play their part either in pollinating (给……授粉) the many vegetables and fruits we eat directly or pollinating the food for the animals that we then consume. In fact, they are the world’s most important pollinators. That’s not all— a study by the University of Reading in the UK, found bees and other pollinating insects have a global economic value of around & 120bn and contribute around & 690m to the UK economy every year.

So, bees are worth protecting, and although a small number of bee species are vital for crops such as oilseed rape (欧洲油菜) , apples and strawberries, experts say we should be taking care of all our bees. Researchers say conservation efforts should be aimed at a wide number of species— even those that currently contribute little to crop pollination— in order to maintain biodiversity and ensure future food security.

Unfortunately, in recent times, bee populations have been declining due to pesticides (杀虫剂), disease and habitat loss. It’s something we should be worried about because, as Gill Perkins, chief executive of the Bumblebee (大黄蜂) Conservation Trust, told BBC Future website: “They provide a whole ecosystem service.” The recent lockdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic seem to have given bee populations a little boost because they faced less human disturbance, traffic and polluting fumes.

Conservationists hope, going forward, people will appreciate bees more and encourage them to thrive as they reconnect with nature. Gill Perkins says, “They are beginning to realize how their mental health and well-being are supported by nature— particularly by bumblebees, which are so iconic, beautiful and buzzy.” So, it really seems time to give bees a second chance.

7 . Sandi Martin and her husband Mike foster (代养) cats through a cat adoption (收养) team in Sherwood, Oregon. The couple_______ Lilly, a 3-year-old cat, and felt a special connection to her. In December they made the_______to officially adopt her.

Sandi Martin said.“You’ve probably heard the term ‘foster fail’. Well, I call that a foster success.”

Solidifying (巩固) the foster success was Lilly’s_______act just months later that saved her family from a dangerous gas leak (泄露) in their home.

Sandi Martin said she was on the _______playing with Lilly when the cat kept getting distracted by a brass valve (黄铜阀) next to their fireplace. The cat had _______it in the past and Sandi Martin thought it was_______by the shiny material. But when she kept smelling it, Sandi Martin felt something was _______.

Sandi Martin said she then went over to smell the area and smelled _______ .

“It was very _______ ,” she said. “I wasn’t sure, so I asked my husband to have a smell and he smelled it too.”

Mike Martin ________ called the gas company and a technician ________ at their house in minutes. The technician quickly________a gas leak in the valve. He went outside and cut off the pipeline to the house. Sandi Martin said the ________could have been much worse without Lilly.

For Lilly’s heroic act, the Martins were sure to give her a ________ .

Sandi Martin said, “She ________ it.”