1 . When it comes to being fit and healthy, we're often reminded to aim to walk 10,000 steps per day. This can be a frustrating target to achieve, especially when we're busy with work and other commitments.
The 10,000 steps a day target seems to have come about from a trade name pedometer sold in 1965 by Yamasa Clock in Japan. The device was called "Manpo---kei, which translates to "10,000 steps meter". This was a marketing tool for the device and has seemed to have stuck across the world as the daily step target. It's even included in daily activity targets by popular smart-watches, such as Fitbit.
In ancient Rome, distances were actually measured by counting steps. In fact, the word "mile" originated from the Latin phrase mila passum, which means about 2,000 steps. It's suggested the average person walks about 100 steps per minute---which would mean it would take a little under 20 minutes for the average person to walk a mile. So in order for someone to reach the 10,000---step goal, they would need to walk about five miles a day, nearly two hours of activity.
Researchers have investigated the 10,000 steps a day target. The fact that some studies have shown this step target improves heart health, mental health, and even lowers diabetes risk, may, to some extent, explain why we have stuck with this arbitrary number.
But while some research has shown health benefits at 10,000 steps, recent research from Harvard Medical School has shown that, on average, approximately 4,400 steps a day is enough to significantly lower the risk of death in women. This was when compared to only walking around 2,700 steps daily. The more steps people walked, the lower their risk of dying was, before leveling off at around 7,500 steps a day. No additional benefits were seen with more steps. Although it's uncertain whether similar results would be seen in men, it's one example of how moving a little bit more daily can improve health and lower risk of death.
1. From which does taking 10,000 steps for walkers initially come?| A．Ancient Rome. | B．Fitbit. |
| C．Mila passum. | D．Manpo-kei. |
| A．2000. | B．2700. |
| C．4000. | D．7500. |
| A．The more you walk daily, the healthier you will be. |
| B．7,500 steps or so a day is the ideal number for women. |
| C．To be healthy you'd better walk ten thousand steps. |
| D．The number of effective steps is the same for men and women. |
| A．Remaining steady. | B．Increasing greatly. |
| C．Decreasing sharply. | D．Disappearing suddenly. |
2 . Here are some music festivals that you can attend with your parents.
WOMADelaide
There’s a whole Kidzone available(可得到的) where the youngest world music fans can go and hang out during WOMADelaide. A group of artists will play some kind of music which is specifically suited for kids. This is also a very family-friendly event with baby carriages allowed, featuring full days of programmed entertainment.
Time: middle April, 2021
The West Coast Blues ＆Roots Festival
You can attend the West Coast Blues & Roots Festival, but anyone under 18 is not allowed to enter without the presence of their parents. The festival also makes a point of saying that older brothers and sisters do not count as guardians(监护人). Tickets for those under 18 are about half the cost of adult tickets and kids aged 4 and under don’t require a ticket at all.
Time: early April, 2021
Groovin The Moo
There’s nothing stopping you from bringing your parents to Groovin The Moo, but organizers aren’t convinced it’s the best idea. “We are expecting a big and excitable crowd, so it’s probably not the best place for small children,” a statement on their website says. So just be careful if you go there.
Time: middle May, 2021
The Caloundra Music Festival
There are many kids’ activities at the Caloundra Music Festival that will keep young ones going for hours. Face painting, jumping castles and even drumming classes are arranged and most of them are free. A ticket for people aged 18 and over is $100. Teens can pay $58 less and children under 12 only need to pay $30.
Time: late May, 2021
1. Who can attend the West Coast Blues & Roots Festival with a ticket?| A．A 10-year-old girl together with her parent. |
| B．A 17-year-old boy who isn’t together with his parent. |
| C．A 16-year-old boy only together with his older sister. |
| D．A 14-year-old girl only together with her older brother. |
| A．It’s held in middle April, 2021. |
| B．Children can learn drumming there. |
| C．People can enjoy face painting there. |
| D．It probably isn’t suitable for small kids. |
| A．$100. | B．$130 | C．$142. | D．$158. |
3 . Best Ski Resorts (胜地)
Stevens Pass—Washington
While American families have different choices when it comes to winter snow sports, many choose Stevens Pass. For some fun after the sun goes down, Stevens Pass offers night skiing under the lights until 10 p. m. If you need to get some work done, you can head to the Visitor Center where free Wii is offered for work from mountain experience.
Good to Know: Buy tickets 7+days earlier for the biggest savings.
Beaver Creek—Colombia
With full childcare choices and the best ski school for beginners, Beaver Creek is a perfect ski resort for families. For kids who aren't quite ready to ski, the Small World Play School is a good place to go to. Add in a Cookie Cabin, and you may never want to go down this mountain!
Good to Know: Every day at 3 p. m. enjoy Cookie Time—where cooks serve warm, delicious chocolate cookies!
Big Sky Resort-Montana
Big Sky is greatly designed for skiing lovers. The Lone Peak Playhouse offers childcare to kids aged six months to eight years old, so you can enjoy skiing while your kids play. Or, head to Chet's for board games and live music.
Good to Know: Kids aged six and under ski free.
Mt. Hood Meadows—Oregon
For beginners, start with Buttercup and Ballroom Carpet. Or, head to the Children's Learning Center, where kids as young as four can sign up for lessons. If you add in the healthy lunches, you can rest easy while your kids have a great full-day lesson.
Good to know： Kids can get a special two-hour beginner lesson for just $ 25, and equipment rental (设备租用)can be added for $10. Tickets can only be bought ahead of time.
1. What can visitors do at Stevens Pass?| A．Take skiing lessons. | B．Play indoor games. |
| C．Do voluntary work | D．Ski at night. |
| A．Both offer snacks. | B．Both offer childcare |
| C．Both offer live music. | D．Both offer board games. |
| A．$ 10. | B．$ 25. |
| C．$ 35 | D．$ 45. |
4 . The debate over washing dishes by hand vs.using a dishwasher has been on TreeHugger since it faced the world.In the earliest article I could find from 2005, the dishwasher came out the clear winner, with researchers from the University of Bonn saying it uses only half the energy and one-sixth the water.
Fifteen years later, we're still talking about it, and a new study published in the journal Environment Research Communications shows not much has changed.Dishwashers still take the prize for efficiency（效率）, both in terms of energy and water used.The findings are interesting because kitchen cleanup is something we do every day, so why not learn the best way?
Forty participants were required first to load and run a dishwasher and then to wash dishes by hand the way they would at home.They answered survey questions afterwards about their dish washing behaviors.Three other participants were then required to load a dishwasher and wash dishes by hand following best practices.This meant not pre-rinsing（预冲洗）dishes before loading them in the dishwasher and using the recommended normal cycle with heated dry, rinse-aid, and high-quality cleaner.For washing dishes by hand, this meant using the two-basin method "where dishes are soaked（浸泡）in hot water, rinsed in cold water, and are air-dried."
These "best practices" differ from typical dish washing behaviors.Most people pre-rinse their dishes before loading them into a dishwasher.They also run the tap while washing by hand, which wastes large amounts of water, and rinse with hot water.The researcher found that these typical practices produce "5,620 and 2,090 kg of greenhouse gas emissions（排放）based on washing 4 loads a week for 10 years."So the dishwasher was less than half as bad as hand-washing, even when improper techniques were used.
When it comes to water usage, the benefits of dishwashers continue.Over the course of ten years, a dishwasher will use 16,300 gallons of water, 99.8 percent of which comes from daily use; whereas, washing the same number of dishes by hand for ten years will use 34,200 gallons.
1. What did people think of the dishwasher fifteen years ago?| A．It was expensive. | B．It was effective. |
| C．It was of little use. | D．It was harmful. |
| A．To wash dishes as they usually do. |
| B．To wash all the dishes without soaking. |
| C．To use the two-basin method for a week. |
| D．To ask questions about doing housework. |
| A．Tuning of the water tap during the process. |
| B．Soaking the dishes in hot water first. |
| C．Washing dishes four times a week. |
| D．Rinsing the dishes before loading them. |
| A．About 5,500 gallons. | B．About 16,000 gallons. |
| C．About 18,000 gallons. | D．About 34,000 gallons. |
| Harvard University online courses found below can be free or students can choose to reeve a verified certificate for a small fee. Select a course to learn more. | |
| Principles of Biochemistry Length: 15 Weeks Effort: 5 hours per week Price: FREE(Add a Verified Certificate for CN ¥1,287) What you'll learn: The structure and function of the chemical building blocks of life; The central role of enzymes in catalyzing the reactions of life; The primary metabolic pathways that power cells. Meet your instructor: Rachelle Gaudet, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology | Masterpieces of World Literature Length: 12 Weeks Effort: 7 hours per week Price: FREE(Add a Verified Certificate for CN ¥1,260) What you'll learn: The history of World Literature; How literary works and books are transformed by cultural transmission; The significance of major technological advances in writing. Meet your instructor: David Damrosch, Professor of Literature |
| Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science(chemistry) Length: 18 Weeks Effort: 3 hours per week Price: FREE(Add a Verified Certificate for CN ¥ 1,093) What you'll learn: How to apply principles of physics, engineering, and chemistry to cooking; How to become an experimental scientist in your own kitchen; How to think like a chef AND a scientist. Meet your instructor: Michael Brenner, Professor of Applied Mathematics and Applied Physics | Child Protection: Children' s Rights in Theory and Practice Length: 16 Weeks Effort: 5 hours per week Price: FREE(Add a Verified Certificate for CN ¥ 640) What you'll learn: The origins of child protection in international human rights law; How to assess and strengthen a child protection system. Meet your instructor :Jacqueline Bhabha, Professor of the Practice of Health and Human Rights Harvard T.H.Chan School of social sciences |
1. How much should a student pay for a verified certificate about child protection?
| A．¥1,287. | B．¥1,260. | C．¥1,093. | D．¥640. |
| A．How to protect children globally. |
| B．How to make excellent Chinese dishes. |
| C．How to apply principles of chemistry to cooking. |
| D．How to fully appreciate the masterpieces of famous writers. |
| A．Principles of Biochemistry. |
| B．Masterpieces of World Literature. |
| C．Child Protection: Children's Rights in Theory and Practice. |
| D．Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science(chemistry) |
6 . If you’re not one of the 1. 9 million British holidaymakers who went on a cruise last year, don’t miss it this year! We’ve rounded up all of the best packages for you, as well as some of our top favourite deals.
US Transatlantic, £629 per —person: Sail 13 nights with stops including Boston, New York. Price is on a full-board basis and includes accommodation as well as on-board entertainment and activities.
Cuba, £400 per-person: Sail five nights on board Majesty of the Seas with stops in Havana, Cuba and Mexico. Price is on a full-board basis and includes accommodation as well as on-board entertainment and activities. Paying extra £177 per-person, you can enjoy upgrading to Ocean View based on an interior cabin（船舱）.
Portugal, Spain and Italy, £479 per-person: Sail seven nights with stops including Madeira and Malaga on a full-board basis. Price includes meals, late-night snacks, luxury en-suite(带浴室的)accommodation, all on-board activities and entertainment.
European cities, £579 per-person: Sail on board MSC Meraviglia from Barcelona to visit Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia, Palermo and Valetta, and make most of MSC’s all-inclusive drinks package including coffee, cocktails, wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks. Price is on a full-board basis with two people sharing a cabin.
While there are many great deals available to customers, the cruise industry often has some of its best deals months in advance. Cruise lines are looking to change the way the booking system works so the prices go up closer to the departure.
1. How much should a couple pay for Cuba with the Ocean View cabin?| A．£577. | B．£800. | C．£977. | D．£1154. |
| A．US Transatlantic. | B．Cuba. |
| C．Portugal, Spain and Italy. | D．European cities. |
| A．The booking system has improved greatly. |
| B．It’s better for customers to book a cruise ahead of time. |
| C．The cruise industry will reduce prices during holidays. |
| D．Customers can get the best bargains just before the departure. |
7 . Coolest Hotels in the World
Ariau Amazon Towers
The Ariau Amazon Towers hotel lets you sleep in a tree house. Eight towers make up this hotel that offers over 300 rooms. If you really want to get into the spirit, book the Tarzan Suite which is large enough for a big family. You'll be thirty feet up in the air and can travel between the towers through their wooden walkways.
Prices: starting at $300 one night for each person for a regular room and going all the way up to $3000 for the Tarzan Suite.
For more information, visit the website: http: //www. ariautowers. com.
The Ice Hotel
Every winter in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, a special kind of hotel called the Ice Hotel is built. Each year, world-famous artists are invited to design and produce works of art from the ice, many of which can be found in the rooms. You'll have your choice between hot or cold rooms but you will be well advised to stay at least one night in a cold room for a true experience.
Prices: starting at $318 one night for each person for either a cold room or a warm one.
For more information, visit the website: http: //www. icehotel, com.
Propeller Island
Propeller Island City Lodge is a very special hotel that was designed by a German artist. Each room provides you with the possibility of living in a work of art. Every single piece of furniture in the thirty rooms of the hotel has been hand-made and each room is completely different. You'll be able to choose a room based on your own personal tastes.
Prices: starting at just $91 a night, and an additional (另外)person for only 20 extra dollars. For more information, visit the website: http: //www. propeller-island, com.
For information about other cool hotels in the world, visit the website：
http: //www. bahamabeachclub. com.
For a full list of events, please see our website.
1. What is special about the Ariau Amazon Towers hotel?| A．Every room has a walkway | B．You can choose any of the towers |
| C．It is designed for big families | D．You can sleep in the tree house |
| A．$91 | B．$162 | C．$111 | D．$182 |
| A．http: //www. bahamabeachclub. com | B．http: //www. ariantowers. com |
| C．http: //www. Icehotel. com | D．http: //www. propeller-island. com |
8 . Our annual Spring Celebration is back! The Daffodil and Tulip Festival at Stockbridge returns for its 3rd year this April and May.
Stroll through the 8 acres of our world-famous gardens as we celebrate spring in the Berkshires. The heart of Stockbridge will come to life with the colors and spirit of spring with a variety of blooms, containers, displays and decorations. Throughout the festival we will have a variety of programs including horticultural(园艺的) tours and workshops, art classes, and fun activities for kids.
Bouquets(花束) are available for purchase online when you book your ticket. Food and refreshments(点心) will be for sale on-site at our outdoor snack shack.
Tickets now available for all!
Weekday: Adults: $ 9/Member $ 15/Nonmember
Children(2-12) : $ 3/Member $ 5/Nonmember
Children under 2: FREE
Weekend: Adults: $ 12/Member $ 20/Nonmember
Children(2-12) : $ 3/Member $ 5/Nonmember
Children under 2: FREE
Important information
Due to COVID-19 restrictions(限制) regarding capacity of guests allowed per hour, we will not be able to accept late/early arrivals. We ask that you please limit your stay to one hour in order to accommodate other guests.
Tickets are only refundable(退款的) if the request is made at least 7 days before your visit. In order to protect our gardens，dogs are not allowed on the property at any time. At this time, outside food and beverages(饮料) are not allowed except baby formula.
1. Which word can best describe the Daffodil and Tulip Festival?| A．Artistic. | B．Cultural. | C．Historic. | D．Traditional. |
| A．$ 43. | B．$ 40. | C．$ 27. | D．$ 21. |
| A．Staying there for over one hour will be punished. |
| B．Money for the tickets can be returned at any time. |
| C．Any outside food is strictly banned from taking in. |
| D．Visitors should enter the garden at the required time. |
START SOMETHING YOU WON't WANT TO STOP | |
The Cure Sandra Freeman www.authorhouse.co.uk Hardback | Paperback | E-book $35.90|$15.70|$4.90 Dany returns to France in an effort to heal (治愈) her heartbreak and discovers an exclusive (高级) hotel where love overtakes,consumes, and alters (改变) Dany to the depths of her soul. | Finding Your (Lost) Joy Laurel Khiabani www.xlibris.com Hardback | Paperback | E-book $22.90|$14.90|$3.90 If you suffer sadness, grief, anxiety, or depression, this workbook will lift your state of mind; you can add your joyful things and make it yours. |
The Locket Lisa Arnold www.xlibris. com Hardback | Paperback | E-book $31.90 | $17.90 | $3.90 This historical novel follows the lives of two women as they raise their children, who share a father, and make their ways in a difficult world. | Steerage And Amour! Edward L.Divita www. xlibris.com Hardback | Paperback | E-book $36. 90 |$20. 901$3. 90 This book narrates (讲述) the history of several generations of the Italian Divita family as related to the turbulent societal (动荡的社会) and political climate，especially in Italy and America during the early 1900s. |
| Members of the READERS club will have discount of 10% for hardback books and 20% for paperback, and for each purchase (购买) of any of the two hardback books, the E-books are available for free through your kindle account. | |
1. Which book might be a good choice for a student who wants to cheer up?
| A．The Cure. | B．Finding Your (Lost) Joy. |
| C．The Locket. | D．Steerage And Amour! |
| A．$46.63. | B．$53.80. | C．$41.27. | D．$47.60. |
| A．Family stories. | B．Love stories. |
| C．Funny stories. | D．Spirits-lifting stories. |
10 . When you are having dinner, do you eat up all the food on your plate or have some leftover（剩菜剩饭）? According to the UN, 1. 3 billion tons of food is wasted around the world every year. That’s about one - third of all food produced each year.
We make a survey in 34 countries to see how much food is wasted in different countries. For example, the UAE（阿联酋） wastes the most food, with each person wasting about 1, 000 kilos every year on average. However, some countries have worked hard to use their food resources wisely. France wastes the least amount of food, according to the survey.
France was the first country to pass laws that stop food waste. It’s not allowed to throw away fresh food. Another law forces French restaurants to provide bags for people’s leftovers.
China ranked 23rd for food waste in the survey. China’s food waste is around 18 million tons every year, enough to feed up to 50 million people for one year. Facing this situation, China has been working hard to reduce food waste. Since early 2013, a movement to prevent food waste called “empty plate” has begun. It has become popular among both government officials and general public.
1. How much food is produced every year around the world?| A．1, 000 kilograms. | B．More than 34, 000 kilograms. |
| C．About 1. 3 billion tons. | D．Nearly 4 billion tons. |
| A．China. | B．France. | C．The United States. | D．The UAE. |
| A．started a movement called “empty plate” |
| B．passed laws to ban food waste |
| C．buys more food from other countries |
| D．produces less food each year |
| A．UAE wastes the most food. |
| B．China has been working hard to reduce food waste. |
| C．You can throw away fresh food in France. |
| D．1.3 billion tons of food is wasted around the world every year. |
