1 . It seems that we just can’t get enough of roller coasters. Today we look at some top amusement parks and the roller coasters which have helped make them famous.

It is a family park that resists the exciting atmosphere of its competitors and instead offers a more relaxing and friendly experience. Rare in that it is privately owned and it has many features other parks can’t match. There is lots of entertainment for youngsters, and the park’s family-friendly policy offers free entry to the water park, reasonable food prices and unlimited soft drinks free of charge.

Lake Compounce, one of America’s more traditional parks, is a rare find indeed. As the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the US, it has been a popular family spot since 1846. Like many old-time parks, it witnessed the danger of being closed. Luckily, in 1977, a well-known company gave its revival with new rides appealing to many new fans.

As one of America’s favourite theme parks, Knott’s has something for everyone. For those seeking a breathtaking rush, try the roller coaster, GhostRider or the Xcelerator. GhostRider is the single largest attraction in amusement park history and one of the longest and tallest wooden roller coasters in the world. If you are after something less exciting, go visit the heart of Knott’s, Ghost Town, for a glance of life in the Wild West of the 1880s. With its cowboys, steam trains and historic buildings-many transported from mining towns-Ghost Town will let you relive a piece of the past.

In the style of Walt Disney World, Islands of Adventure is divided into themed “lands”. Unlike the sugar-coated Magic Kingdom, however, IOA features attractions promising to set the heart racing. While the Spiderman is fantastic, you haven’t truly lived until you’ve experienced The Incredible Hulk’s wild and unique uphill launch. The effect is like being trapped inside an airplane that’s flying out of control.

2 . It was a September day. Today was the first day of high school for a freshman, Kayla. Kayla had always been a bit of a shy kid, but she had always ______ her studies. She was determined to make full use of her high school years.

As she walked down the hallways, Kayla couldn’t help but feel ______. The older students seemed so confident, while she felt small and unimportant, But Kayla was determined to succeed, no matter what ______ came her way.

It wasn’t long before Kayla’s determination was put to the ______. In her first week of school, she was assigned (分派) a (n) ______ project that required a lot of research and planning. Kayla did her ______, but she soon realized that she was in over her head. As she struggled (努力) to complete the project, Kayla began to ______ herself. She wondered if she was cut out for high school. But then, something ______ happened.

Kayla’s classmates began to notice how ______ she was working, and they started to offer her help and ______. They gave her advice on how to ______ her time better, and they shared their tips for ______ assignments. With their help, Kayla was able to complete the project on time and with great ______.

From that day on, Kayla ______ that high school was not a challenge to be faced alone. With the help and support of her ______, she was able to deal with any difficulty that came her way.

5 . As a physically fit 89-year-old big band singer, Tony Bennett performed timeless ballads (民歌，情歌) perfectly. He was an exception to the belief of aging and decline.

However, the trouble with his _______ concerned Bennett, especially since it might impact his ability to put on his signature fine-tuned show. Eventually, Bennett was _______ with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017.

After receiving the diagnosis, Bennett insisted on continuing to perform. “Tony has always had a very _______ attitude,” his wife Benedetto says. “He was going to keep going straight ahead _______ he always has.”

As one of only a few artists to produce chart-topping records every decade since the 1950s — _______ more than 60 albums — Bennett is an American icon (偶像). His _______ “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” and “Rags to Riches”, among many others — have earned him 19 Grammy Awards.

_______ the disease, Bennett’s desire to help others connect through music remained strong. He felt it _______ to make people feel good.

In February 2021, Bennett _______ shared that he was living with Alzheimer’s in an interview. Shortly after the news, the ________ from the public was overwhelmingly supportive. In October, Bennett and Lady Gaga released ________ is billed as Bennett’s final studio album, “Love for Sale.” Upon its release, Bennett earned the Guinness World Records ________ for the oldest artist to release an album of new material.

As the disease ________, music has a renewed importance in Bennett’s life. Over seven decades, Bennett’s brave and ________ voice is helping people find joy among life’s hardships. “He gives people courage and hope. And he is ________.”

6 . Animals being extinct from the Earth is a serious issue. When this happens in order to use their fur or skin for fashion, it is even worse, since it’s not even for a matter of human survival. That’s why a London zoo decided to make a powerful statement at the Siamese crocodile enclosure (鳄鱼围栏).

When visitors come in expecting to see a crocodile, they’re greeted with the handbag instead, making a very effective and powerful point about illegal wildlife trade and the harm it takes on the species involved.

A sign by the enclosure reads, “This bag used to be found swimming in slow-moving rivers and streams across Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Over the last 75 years, more than 80% of Siamese crocodiles have disappeared. Many, like this one, were hunted for their skins as part of the illegal wildlife trade.”.

Native to parts of Southeast Asia, Siamese crocodiles are critically endangered and have become virtually extinct in the wild. Due to hunting as well as habitat loss, they are now absent from nearly 99% of their original range. A huge part of the decline of population is due to humans using their wetland habitat for rice farming, and things only took a turn for the worse when large-scale hunting for their skin for commercial purposes began in the 1950s.

The particular handbag that is on display at the zoo was confiscated at a UK airport, according to Benjamin Tapley, leader of reptiles and amphibians at ZSL London Zoo.

Tapley told The Huffington Post, “We made this exhibit, within ZSL London Zoo’s Reptile House, to draw visitors’ attention to the destructive impact the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) is having on species around the world. At ZSL, we are working globally with governments and local communities to protect wildlife, support law enforcement (执法) that targets illegal trade networks, empower local communities affected by IWT and reduce demand for threatened wildlife.”

7 . When Amelia Lisowe was told she was too young to volunteer, she decided to make a difference by herself. The Benton, Arkansas native launched her own non-profit, Lisowe’s Lights, in 2018, donating over 500 nightlights to kids in the Arkansas foster (寄养的) system that year alone.

Since, she has expanded to all 50 states (and 9 countries) and raised funds to distribute more than 15,000 nightlights — with no plans of slowing down.

“Kids in foster homes sometimes have to leave in the middle of the night without taking anything with them,” she says. “I wanted to help them feel less scared and more safe.” The 12-year-old hopes to give away at least 2,500 more lights in 2023.

Amelia grew up volunteering with her mom, Lauren, who encouraged her daughter to find something she was good at and use it to make the world a better place. “I’m so proud of her,” Lauren adds. “She’s involved in every decision we make. Every time we spend money, she helps decide if something is a good idea or will further our cause.”

Amelia also gets help from friends in the Royal International Miss Pageant system, who run their own nightlight drives in person and online. Amelia, a sixth grader who also volunteers at her local food bank and nursing home, says she feels the impact of her work most when she hears from organizations that have put her lights to use.

“I heard about one boy in Oklahoma who never turned off his hall light, not because he was scared, but because he wanted to make sure his little sister was always doing okay across the hall,” Amelia shares. “When they got their nightlight, he knew she wouldn’t be afraid anymore.”