1 . Surfer Dudes to the Rescue!
About 50 feet from shore of the Northern California’s Trinidad State Beach, two brothers were fighting for their lives. They had been swept out to sea in a rip current (激流), their mouths barely able to stay above the water. Thick fog made it difficult for beachgoers to see the guys, but the screams were unmistakable. And every second counted. The brothers, ages 15 and 20, were wearing shorts and T-shirts, unsuitable for a November day, let alone the freezing water. Keven Harder, a supervising ranger (巡查员), told the North Coast Journal in nearby Eureka that swimming in such a temperature “takes the fight right out of you.”
Luckily, four surfers in wet suits were nearby. Narayan Weibel, Spenser Stratton, and Adrian York, all 16, along with Taj Ortiz-Beck, 15, were on their surfboards riding up and down the coast on five-foot waves when they heard the cries. They turned and saw two bobbing heads and four struggling arms. “We looked at each other and knew these guys were about to drown,” Weibel told the Washington Post.
Weibel, Stratton, and Ortiz-Beck paddled toward the distressed swimmers while York headed to shore to warn someone to call 911. He then dived back in to help his friends.
As the surfers drew close, the brothers were still fighting hard for their lives. “It was pretty stressful, but there wasn’t any time to think about it, and that helped me keep my cool,” Ortiz-Beck says.
Ortiz-Beck pulled up alongside the younger brother. Grabbing him under his arms, he raised him up onto his board. Stratton and Weibel, meanwhile, hurried to help the older brother. He was large, 250 to 300 pounds, and he was panicked.
“I told them, ‘Calm down—we got you!’” says Weibel. “They thought they were going to die.”
York arrived in time to help get the older brother atop the second board. The surfers then paddled several minutes through choppy water to the medical help waiting onshore. The brothers were scared but fine.
“When we get a call like this one, it’s usually too late by the time we get there,” says Dillon Cleavenger, a first responder. “I can’t say enough about what these boys did. They were willing and prepared to risk their lives.”
1. What can we know from the first paragraph?| A．Two brothers were almost drowned in the sea. |
| B．Beachgoers happened to meet the two brothers. |
| C．The supervising ranger warned them not to swim then. |
| D．Surfers barely wore T-shirts and shorts in such weather. |
| A．Swimming in a rip current. | B．Surfing on high waves. |
| C．Struggling with their arms to shore. | D．Practising diving in the sea. |
| A．Andrian York dived back to call the police |
| B．Keven Harder played the most important role |
| C．Narayan Weibel tried to calm down the brothers |
| D．Ortiz-Beck saved the larger and panicked brother |
| A．Hardworking and friendly. | B．Kind and humorous. |
| C．Devoted and talented. | D．Brave and determined. |
2 . The Best Children's Books
From mysteries to classics, these books can make a kid smile- and teach them a life lesson or two. Read on for People editors' picks.
She’ S Got This by Laurie Hemandez
The American gymnast's picture book takes pages out of her own life: She's Got This follows Zoe, a young girl, as she discovers her love for gymnastics. It's a colorful reminder that you must fall to fly — the perfect message for any little one- Morgan Smith, Editorial Assistant.
What Do You Say, Dear? by Sesyle Joslin
This book is a throwback, but it still feels fresh today! It's a guide to manners that makes even adults laugh—invaluable when it comes to books for young readers, which you tend to read again and again.— Alex Apatoff, Lifestyle Director
City Spies by James Ponti
In his Dead City and Framed! trilogies (三部曲)，James Ponti created amazingly entertaining escapades (恶作剧) through which his tween characters marched with mischievous (淘气的) attitude and clever smarts. He is at it again with his newest, which finds Sara Maria Martinez, a 12-year-old Brooklyn kid and computer hacker, secretly recruited by a man known as Mother into a British network of spies.— Jeff Truesdell, Writer
A World of Opposites by Gray Malin
The photographer repurposes some of his most excellent shots into a kids "book. Using photos from all over the globe and including some of kids' favorite animals, he illustrates the concept of “opposites”.— Alex Apatoff , Lifestyle Director
1. Whose book inspires readers to never give up?| A．Gray Malin’s. | B．James Pohti’s. | C．Laurie Hernandez’s. | D．Sesyle Joslin’s. |
| A．Opposite things. | B．How kids should behave. |
| C．Teen spies' stories. | D．How a gymnast realizes her dream. |
| A．It has a follow-up. | B．It is for detective fans. |
| C．It features wonderful photos. | D．It is picked by Jeff Truesdell. |
3 . A Japanese company has created a "smart" mask that aims to improve communication for people wearing face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The use of face masks has become normal in parts of the world still struggling to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. However, it can affect the quality of communication between wearers.
The wearable electronic device is designed to help improve speech communication in such conditions. The Japanese company Donut Robotics calls its invention the "e-mask." The device is meant to fit over other kinds of face masks commonly worn by the public.
Made of soft plastic material, it contains a built-in microphone and has holes in the front to let air in. When turned on, the mask uses Bluetooth technology to connect to a mobile device. An app then helps users perform several actions, including turning speech into text, completing telephone calls and making the user's voice louder. The device can also translate a person's voice from Japanese into eight other languages.
Taisuke, the head of Donut Robotics, told the Reuters, "We worked hard for years to develop a robot and we have used that technology to create a product that responds to how the coronavirus has reshaped society." He noted that the company raised $265,000 in just the first 37 minutes to develop the smart mask through a campaign on the Japanese crowdfunding service Fundinno. "It would usually take three or four months to get that kind of money," Taisuke said.
The company produced a working model of the mask within a month by using software developed for its other robot products. The mask design was similar to one created years ago by one of the company's engineers that mapped facial muscles to interpret speech.
Taisuke said the company plans to sell its first 5,000 e-masks starting in September, at about $40 per mask, in an effort to enter a global market that appeared a few months ago.
1. What's the purpose of the new "smart" mask?| A．To help protect people from being struck by COVID-19. |
| B．To help COVID-19 patients communicate with the doctors. |
| C．To make it convenient to communicate when wearing face masks. |
| D．To translate human thoughts into words for communication. |
| A．Greatly encouraged. | B．Somewhat regretful. |
| C．A bit dissatisfied. | D．Terribly disappointed. |
| A．By connecting to an application on the mobile device. |
| B．By using Bluetooth to make the user's voice clear, |
| C．By turning the wearer's dialect into standard language. |
| D．By being fitted into other face masks that people wear. |
| A．Expensive. | B．Competitive. |
| C．Profitless. | D．Environmentally friendly. |
4 . I never thought about bringing home a dog since my previous dog Calhoun died, but my 7-year-old daughter Emily had other plans. So on a hot August day, I found myself with Emily and my wife Betsy driving to the animal shelter to look at puppies
Betsy and Emily picked out a small, shy white mix, which Emily called Sophie. Emily gave us the speech every parent has heard concerning a dog: "I'll keep it in my room and take care of it and walk it every day.” But that turned out to be my job from the first day. I slept downstairs on the couch, letting Sophie sleep with me or pet her until she slept. Soon, it seemed she had always been a part of our family. I realized I had honored Calhoun's memory by giving a good home to another dog.
Two months after she came to live with us, my mother died, and I felt shattered. In the mornings, after Betsy and Emily had left for work and school, instead of getting to my writing, all I could do was stare into space. Sophie, however, wasn't interested in watching me stare into space. She would push me to take her out. Once we were at the park, she would annoy me until I played with her. She led me down forest paths I'd never explored. Some days, we'd spend two hours out exploring the hiking trails around the village. When we came home, she'd sit by my chair and put her head on my foot or rest it against my leg. I learned from her that life goes on, no matter what kind of tragedy knocks you down.
I learned that lesson multiple times through many different events. When any sorrow or uncertainty came my way, Sophie was always there with her bright eyes, wagging her tail and telling me it was time to get up, go out and see what life had to offer. Emily grew up with Sophie, and so did Betsy and I in our own way.
1. What did the author think about after his dog died?| A．Adopting another dog to replace it. |
| B．Looking after dogs at animal shelter. |
| C．Giving up the idea of keeping dogs. |
| D．Training his daughter to love animals. |
| A．It became adventurous. |
| B．It fitted in well with the family. |
| C．Emily slept with it by her bed. |
| D．It made friends with Calhoun. |
| A．Grown. | B．Absorbed. | C．Suspected. | D．Crashed. |
| A．Life will go on despite difficulties. |
| B．Where there's a will, there's a way. |
| C．Everyone has a chance to stand out. |
| D．One today is worth two tomorrows. |
5 . The Museum of Ice Cream
Nothing is sweeter in summer than an ice cream. But for those who are searching for both an activity and a dessert, here's the chance: The Museum of Ice Cream is hosting virtual ice cream making classes for those 7 and up September 27-29, at 4:30 pm. For $25, up to two people can follow step-by-step instructions from a scoop master, fun games and riddles and other creamy goodness.
The Museum of Natural History
One of our favorite family attractions is getting ready to open its doors for the first time since March! The Museum took to Instagram to share its forthcoming plans. With approval from New York State, members will be able to visit beginning September 2 and the general public will be able to visit beginning September 9. It temporarily lasts two weeks. Obviously, we're heading for T-rex when we get there.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Kinney is promoting his summer release during a socially-distanced event online Young readers and their parents are welcome to Word Up, where Kinney is hosting a book pickup on August 3 from 4-6 pm. For $16, a parent and child can attend the timed event and get a copy of the book. All books will be pre-signed masks are required for those 2 and up.
The Annual Brooklyn Book Festival
The week-long festival is scheduled from Sept 28 -Oct 5. It's going digital for the first time. Although it seems like a strange way to ring in the event's 15th anniversary, the author lineup and programming, particularly for young readers, is certainly worth celebrating—even from your laptop.
1. Which event will provide real-life communication?| A．Diary of a Wimpy Kid. |
| B．The Museum of Ice Cream. |
| C．The Museum of Natural History. |
| D．The Annual Brooklyn Book Festival. |
| A．A place teaching making ice cream. |
| B．A top attraction in a natural museum. |
| C．A way to begin of an annual book fair. |
| D．A virtual place for selling online books. |
| A．Visit a book fair and buy a book online. |
| B．Buy a book written and signed by Kinney. |
| C．Visit the museum and learn about dinosaurs. |
| D．Learn to make an ice cream and creamy food. |
6 . Thirty years ago, Switzerland-based artist Klaus Littman came across a profound drawing titled The Unending Attraction of Nature. The drawing, by Austrian artist and architect Max Peintner, displays a scene in which nature is so detached from the environment that it becomes just a patch(块), preserved for entertainment.
“When I first saw the pencil drawing, I was fascinated. I knew that one day this work would be the starting point for a major art project in public space,” says Littmann.
Now, decades later, Littmann has fulfilled the vision with the installation(艺术装置) of FOR FOREST: The Unending Attraction of Nature. Making the lines between art, architecture and nature unclear, the installation sets a native central European forest in the midst of 30, 000 person Worthersee football Stadium in Klagenfurt. With nearly 300 trees planted, some weighing up to six tons each, it's Austria's largest public art installation to date.
In the face of climate crisis and deforestation, FOR FOREST comes with a more pressing urgency. As explained in a statement about the installation, “In support of today s most pressing issues on climate change and deforestation, FOR FOREST aims to challenge our view of nature and question its future. It seeks to become a memorial, reminding us that nature, which we so often take for granted, may someday only be found in special space, as is already the case with animals in zoos.”
The actual creation of the manmade forest was overseen by landscape architect Enzo Enea and his company, Enea Landscape Architecture, which includes a range of species in it. It was opened on September 8 and one can imagine it already attracting surprised and happy creatures to the field.
However, the installation will close on October 27. In a short video about the work, Littman says his objective is never to make something that will last forever; rather, he says, “My objective is for this picture to remain in people's head for a lifetime.”
1. Why is the painting The Unending Attraction of Nature mentioned?| A．To tell the source of Littmann's inspiration. | B．To list an example of the nature- themed art, |
| C．To describe Littmann's impression of nature, | D．To show Littmann's fine taste in modern art. |
| A．It has greatly promoted local tourism. | B．It is Austria's greenest artistic work. |
| C．It has preserved various rare plants. | D．It warns us of environmental issues. |
| A．It is a waste of time. | B．It is temporary. | C．It is of little popularity. | D．It is unrealistic. |
| A．A living artwork in a large stadium. | B．An environment-friendly painting. |
| C．A permanent private art installation. | D．An artificial forest for entertainment. |
7 . Perhaps the most common climatic effect of global warming is rapid extension of ice melt. Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and the Himalayas will very likely lose most of their glacial ice within the next two decades, affecting local water resources. NASA scientists determined Greenland’s ice sheet is thinning by about 1m per year. The additional melt water, especially from continental ice masses and glaciers, is adding to a rise in sea level worldwide. Satellite remote sensing is monitoring global sea level, sea ice, and continental ice. Worldwide measurements confirm that sea level rose during the last century.
Okay, so how much is melting of Greenland contributing to sea level rise? Estimates are about 270 gigatons of water per year. The melting of an ice sheet can occur from the surface as air temperatures and sunlight warm the upper layer of ice. It can also occur from the edges as ice shelves collapse and fall into the oceans in large pieces. The bedrock underneath the ice sheet is not also flat. There are undulations that rise and fall and change the water-ice-ground connection, which can make it easier for ice to melt and can increase the rate of ice shelf collapse. So scientists have a real interest in learning about the land underneath ice sheets so that they can better predict ice collapse and sea level rise.
Greenland ice has its feature, meaning it acts slowly but once it gets going, it’s hard to stop. So predicting how fast this melt will take is interesting from a scientific advantage point but there are also enormous social and economic consequences. Right now, 150 million people live within 3 feet of today’s sea level. If you live near the coast, the question of “when” is really important. This suggests that “when” may be sooner than we hoped.
1. What does Paragraph 1 mainly talk about?| A．A rapid extension of ice melt. | B．Himalayan ice. |
| C．Greenland’s ice sheet. | D．A big rise of sea level. |
| A．The rise of sea level. | B．The undulant bedrock. |
| C．The temperature and sunlight. | D．The shape of ice sheet. |
| A．Greenland ice is sure to melt as fast as before. |
| B．Scientist are indifferent to the melt of Greenland ice. |
| C．Greenland ice is a potential danger to people living near the coast. |
| D．People living within 3 feet of today’s sea level will have to move next year. |
| A．Historical Legend. | B．Planet Earth. |
| C．Bear Grylls: Mission Survive. | D．Beyond the Red Carpet. |
8 . Jane Goodall is known today as a great researcher who has spent much of her life studying chimpanzees(黑猩猩). But before her success she was just a girl who wished she could be“ as close to animals as I could.” It wasn’t long before her dream came true. She began her research in the 1960s in Tanzania. Her teacher was researcher Louis Leakey. He employed her although she lacked academic experience. She was 26 and too poor to attend a university.
The documentary “Jane” brings Goodall’ s story to vivid life. The film mainly came about because of the 2014 discovery of more than 140 hours of previously unseen footage( 片段) from the 1960s. It was filmed mostly by her then-husband Hugo van Lawick. We see the beginning of her explorations. It’s as if we have stepped into a time machine. We are up close not only to Goodall but to the chimpanzees, as they slowly learn to accept her presence in the wild. But at first, they saw her as an outsider. She was a “strange white ape(猿)”to them, Goodall says. Because of that, she felt that “I wasn’t really learning anything much.”
Goodall’s big breakthrough came when she observed, David Greybeard, a senior male chimpanzee, making a twig（细枝) into a tool for rooting out termites ( small white insects). Until then, it was thought that only humans made tools. Her findings were made fun of at first by the almost entirely male scientific community. Gradually, though, they were accepted.
However, after her beloved chimpanzee community got into a war with other chimpanzees, she makes it clear that she no longer had any belief that the animal world was perfect or peaceful. She said that “I had no idea of the cruelty that they could show.” This, too, is what links us with the apes, and it’ s clear that this is something she feels sad to admit.
Goodall remains a champion of African apes through the Jane Goodall Institute, which protects them from being hunted. Who could have predicted that the 26 - year- old woman that we first see in “Jane” would end up leading the word’s research of chimpanzees? Well, as this film shows, Jane Goodall could have predicted it.
1. What can we learn from “Jane”?| A．Goodall’ s family life. | B．Goodall’ s wildlife protection efforts. |
| C．Goodall’ s college life. | D．Goodall’ s early explorations. |
| A．She found chimpanzees were able to make tools. |
| B．She realized the animal world was not peaceful. |
| C．She learned how to communicate with apes. |
| D．She discovered a new type of chimpanzee. |
| A．Positive. | B．Critical. | C．Defensive. | D．Neutral. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．He who laughs last laughs best. |
| C．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| D．One swallow doesn’t make a summer. |
9 . Brent is a full-time designer who has been working for a company since 2002. He has come up with a way to inspire his son during his lunchtime break at school. The devoted dad does a special thing — drawing different cartoon characters alongside some words of wisdom for John each day.
Brent, who runs a blog called Designer Daddy, packs his son’s lunchbox a note every day, along with his sandwiches and snacks. His artistic behavior has quickly garnered thousands of people, which makes Brent very popular in his hometown.
Brent’s creations require nothing more than cartoon characters and inspiring messages. The characters come from various cartoons and movies, all of whom Brent has relied on to help deliver his meaningful messages. “My son started preschool last year. For the first day of school, I drew a soldier on a note and wrote ‘Be brave like him, John’. And then, I kept putting in notes for the first week. He really liked it. So I just kept doing it after that. It gives him comfort and happiness as well as me, which makes me know I’m with him in a way. We watch a lot of cartoons and movies together. There are so many different ways to introduce kids to characters, but my rules are that I never use one that he isn’t familiar with,” Brent said.
Besides, Brent also tries to keep up-to-date with new characters and does his own research to ensure he will know when it comes to popular culture and what characters his son might like to see. Brent had intended to stick with superheroes. However, as John was also attracted by other cartoons, he decided to broaden his idea and began to include Star Wars figures and Disney characters into the mix.
According to Brent, each drawing takes about half an hour to complete. Brent likes to keep the drawings topical (热门的) and often marks milestones including birthdays and holidays, with special artistic creations. He will also adjust the characters depending on the time of year. Brent says John loves to receive the notes, and the boy often shares them with teachers and classmates at school. But despite the attention his creative notes are receiving, he says he never loses sight of who they are for.
1. Why does Brent do the special thing?| A．To have his son encouraged. | B．To draw his son’s attention. |
| C．To design a blog for his son. | D．To accompany his son. |
| A．Brent’ s behavior was inspired by a blog. |
| B．Completing every drawing is a complex process. |
| C．The special creations benefit both John and Brent. |
| D．Brent prefers to create new cartoon characters for John. |
| A．Influenced. | B．Inspired. |
| C．Urged. | D．Gathered. |
| A．A Popular Designer | B．A Loving Father |
| C．A Precious Lunch Box | D．An Impressive Note |
10 . For many travelers, this holiday season includes a visit to New York City. Here are some more unusual things we’ll do during New York holiday visits:
Coney Island Polar Bear Club
It’s insanity(疯狂) in the near - freezing winter surf, as people in swimsuits walk out from the beach into the Atlantic Ocean. Every Sunday from November through April, club members do their dip at 1pm. The Coney Island Polar Bear Club was founded in 1903. Last year, 1 ,500 swimmers went into the surf, while more than 7 ,500 came out to watch.
Polarbearclub. org
Central Park historic walking tour
Take a trip back in time with a walking tour offering views from the past. The Central Park Conservancy is offering a free “Views from the Past Tour” . Walk through the park on an hour – long tour and imagine the land as it existed in the 19th century before the park was developed. The walk is easy and the group meets at 2:30 pm outside the Dairy Gift Shop at 65th Street on Saturday, December 24.
Centralparknye. org
Bronx Zoo Clydesdale horse carriage rides
Go for a trot(慢跑) around the zoo grounds with a team of Clydesdales, the biggest horses in the world. The cost is $3 for zoo members, $5 for non - members and the rides are available every day, from 11:30 am to 3 pm. There will be other fun activities at the zoo for families, including watching polar bears, gorillas and other animals, Local sculptors will compete in carving animal figures from blocks of ice.
Bronxzoo. com
1. Why does the author use “insanity” to describe the winter surf ?| A．The surfers walk a very long way. |
| B．The surfers don’t fear cold sea water. |
| C．The surfers neglect the great danger. |
| D．The surfers are watched by many people. |
| A．People can have the walking tour every Saturday. |
| B．People can see the area that hasn’t been developed. |
| C．People end their street walking trip at four in the afternoon. |
| D．People will get views of the past while walking through the park. |
| A．3 dollars. | B．5 dollars. | C．6 dollars. | D．10 dollars. |
