1 . A NASA-funded study used satellite to search for penguin poops (粪便) in Antarctica: funny at first sight though, it resulted in unique insights on the Adelie penguin’s diet and its future. The findings unlocked the secrets about the species that can provide an early-warning of threats to Antarctica’s delicate ecosystem.
Researchers used satellite images to see if the Adelie penguin’s diet has been changing in response to Antarctica’s changing climate. Adelie penguin population has dropped greatly in some areas even as the global population increases. The satellite images show their presence can be detected by the stain (污渍) left on the ice by their waste, called guano.
Male and female penguins take turns incubating (孵化) in the nest. The guano builds up in the same areas occupied by the nests. A global survey for Adelie penguins turned up 3.8 million breeding pairs. Also, the satellite data can detect the color of the penguin guano, ranging from white to pink to dark red. White guano is from eating mostly fish; pink and red would be from eating mostly krill (磷虾). The team found that while the Adelie penguin’s diet did show changes from year to year, no consistent pattern was obvious.
“This was a big surprise, since the abundance and distribution of Adelie penguins has changed dramatically over the last 40 years and scientists had assumed that a change in diet might have played a role,” said Casey Young. However, continuing changes in the physical environment and a growing krill fishery in the region are likely to have an influence on penguin prey (猎物) and penguin population itself. “They will be important for the management of the Antarctic ecosystem, ” said Young.
1. What concerned scientists most according to paragraph 1?| A．The Antarctica’s ecosystem. | B．The Adelie penguin’s diet. |
| C．The climate change. | D．The secret of penguin poops. |
| A．The Adelie penguin population was 3.8 million worldwide. |
| B．Guano colors reflected the health condition of the penguin. |
| C．The Adelie penguin’s diet stayed the same most of the time. |
| D．Adelie penguin waste helped estimate the penguin population. |
| A．Changes of penguin’s diet without a definite pattern. |
| B．The wide range of the color of the penguin guano. |
| C．Dramatic changing of penguin population. |
| D．The abundance and distribution of Adelie penguins. |
| A．More Adelie penguins have appeared over the last 40 years. |
| B．Diet changes didn’t actually affect penguin population as assumed. |
| C．There was not an obvious changing pattern of penguin’s diet. |
| D．Fishery was important for the management of the Antarctic ecosystem. |
2 . Amazing Kids’ Magazine is proud to announce that we will be hosting a Wild Jungle Writing Contest this fall! Send us your best jungle-themed stories using this starter: “I had no idea why they were standing there.”
This contest is open to grades K-12, with three groups of K-3, 4-8, and 9-12. Three winners from each age group will be chosen to win Amazing Kids’ prizes, along with an official certificate confirm their winning entry. All participants will receive a certificate of participation in the contest.
Submit (提交) all entries by September 30 to be considered! Email editor@amazing-kids.org for more questions about rules and specifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How should I format my entry?
A: Stories should be written in English, with submissions of less than 1,200 words. Please submit your entry as a Microsoft Word document.
Q: How do I submit my entry?
A: E-mail your submission to editor@amazing-kids.org. Each e-mail submission will receive a return message confirming that the essay was received.
Q: Is there just one prize?
A: No. Nine separate prizes will be given out, with a cash value of $20 for first place, $15 for second place, and $10 for third place in each age group. Certificates of participation will also be awarded to each participant in the contest.
1. Which of the following stories suits the contest most?| A．A couple lost their way in the forest. |
| B．Two brothers met a bear while searching the forest. |
| C．A teenager caught a thief in a cave. |
| D．A soldier saved a drowning boy. |
| A．a cash value of $15 | B．a thank-you letter |
| C．a prize and a certificate | D．only an official certificate |
| A．Announcement. | B．Summary. |
| C．News. | D．Guide. |
3 . In 2018, Pakistan promised to plant ten billion trees in an effort to slow climate change and to save a land that has been destroyed.
That program, whose name is 10 Billion Trees Tsunami, has been taking effect slowly for the past two years, but it recently has received unexpected help from the coronavirus(新冠病毒). Many Pakistanis are suddenly unemployed, so the government has given them jobs as tree-planters. Unemployed day laborers have been turned into "jungle workers", planting trees for 500 rupees a day($3). It's not much, but it can help the unemployed get by.
As the coronavirus struck Pakistan, the 10 Billion Trees campaign was halted as part of social distancing orders put in place to slow the spread of the virus. But earlier this month, the government allowed the forestry agency to restart the program and create more than 63, 600 jobs.
The program is employing three times the number of planters as it normally does, and the planting season has been extended from May(its usual end)throughout June, in order to keep workers employed. All workers are being told to wear masks and keep two meters of distance from others.
Shahid Rashid Awan, project director for Punjab province, said the project hopes to reach 50 million trees this year. “We can absorb all the unemployed laborers and workers who have fled the cities and returned to their villages in the past few weeks.”
A study declared tree planting to be an effective way to store carbon, and if planted in large quantities around the globe, a powerful solution to climate change. While it won’t fix every climate-related problem we have, it can go a long way if done widely, which is exactly what Pakistan is trying to do with such impressive determination.
And the workers will benefit greatly, too. Not only are they able to earn money and support their families at a difficult time, but they’re outside in the fresh air, away from the potential health risks from more tightly-packed urban environments. It’s a brilliant idea that all country leaders should consider copying.
1. How does the coronavirus influence Pakistan?| A．A lot of animals are starving. | B．Many people are out of work. |
| C．Much land is left unmanaged. | D．The government has lost power. |
| A．Agreed. | B．Discussed. | C．Stopped. | D．Doubted. |
| A．It has helped with employment. |
| B．It has persuaded people to plant trees in big cities. |
| C．Many laborers produce much less carbon dioxide. |
| D．It can contribute to fighting against climate change. |
| A．It serves as a good example. | B．It is not fit for other countries. |
| C．It is a waste of time and money. | D．It brings many economic benefits. |
4 . One day when a famous artist was on his way home, a young man stopped him and required to have a word with him. The artist accepted his request.
The young man asked, "How can you produce so many beautiful paintings and achieve your fame?"
The artist said, “It seems that you have been thinking of becoming famous every day.”
The young man nodded, "Yes. I have been dreaming of being a person as notable（著名的）as you. Every minute I am thinking of how to become reputable（著名的）.I don't know when I can achieve my fame.
The artist told him, "Don't worry, young man, If you want to be a famous man this way, you will have to wait until you die!”
“Why should I?” the young man was puzzled.
The artist said, “What your dream is actually a high building. You never think of how to build it with bricks. Thus the building will never come into reality. However, your story can serve as a mirror. People will remember you because of your idleness（闲散，无聊）and laziness. They will often speak of your name while they give warnings to their children. Aren't you a notorious（声名狼藉）person by then?"
1. The man asked the artist to tell him____.| A．how to paint so many pictures | B．how to become famous |
| C．how he became a nobleman | D．how to become an artist |
| A．he would die after he was famous | B．he would be famous before he died |
| C．he would die before he was famous | D．he would never be famous |
| A．his wish was too high | B．he was short of hardworking spirit |
| C．he didn't learn from others | D．he was too stupid |
| A．The young man will surely become famous after he dies. |
| B．The young man's dream will never come true. |
| C．Being notorious is the same as being famous. |
| D．The young man will be set as a good example. |
5 . An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only a very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money. When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, "Only a miracle（奇迹）can save him now, " the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.
She hurried to a drugstore with the money in her hand.
"And what do you want? " asked the salesman. "It's for my little brother, " the girl answered. "He's really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle. " "Pardon? " said the salesman.
"My brother Andrew has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?” "We don't sell a miracle here, child. I'm sorry, " the salesman said with a smile.
"Listen, if it isn't enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs."
A well-dressed man heard it and asked, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"
"I don't know, “she answered with her eyes full of tears. "He's really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can't pay for it, so I have brought all my money."
“How much do you have?" asked the man. "$ 1.11, but I can try and get some more," she answered.
"Well, what luck? smiled the man. " $ 1.11, the price of a miracle for your little brother. "
He took up the girl's hand and said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."
That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn't long before Andrew was home again.
How much did the miracle cost?
1. In the eye of the little girl, a miracle might be.| A．something interesting | B．something beautiful |
| C．some good food | D．some wonderful medicine |
| A．she had still kept some money |
| B．she hoped not to be refused |
| C．there was no need to worry about money |
| D．she thought money was easy to get |
| A．The girl's love for her brother. | B．The girl's money. |
| C．The medicine from the drugstore. | D．Nobody can tell. |
| A．Andrew was in fact not so sick as they had thought |
| B．the little girl is lovely but not so clever |
| C．the doctor didn't ask for any pay |
| D．a miracle is sure to happen if you keep on |
6 . A computer program has been used to predict how people are feeling when they type.
In a study participants were asked to type a particular phrase and the program then estimated if they were happy, sad and so on. Surprisingly it was correct 70 per cent of the time, and the findings could lead to smarter artificial intelligence in the future.
The study published in the journal Behavior and Information Technology was carried out by researchers at the Islamic University of Technology in Bangladesh, reports Live Science.
In the research 25 people ranging from 15 to 40 years old were asked to retype two paragraphs from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland written by Lewis Carroll. They also had to enter their emotional state every 30 minutes while doing their regular activities on the computer. This allowed the program an opportunity to understand how their emotions changed their typing style.
Moods tested were joy, fear, anger, sadness, hate, and shame. The result was that the program could identify(识别) a person' s mood correctly 70 per cent of the time. It was most successful in identifying joyfulness with an 87 per cent success ratio, while sadness was the least successful at 60 per cent. The researchers found that the participants were less likely to input (输入) data when they were in a bad mood, which may explain the inexactness of the second result.
However, the findings could have great importance for artificial intelligence, and it may allow computers to get along with us in a friendlier manner, “If we could build any system that is intelligent enough to communicate with humans that is, it can identify user emotions and change its behavior accordingly then using machines could be more effective and friendly.” the researchers wrote.
1. Who conducted the study?| A．Lewis Carroll. | B．Islamic University of Technology. |
| C．Live Science. | D．Behavior and Information Technology. |
| A．Input words and emotional state. | B．Change their typing styles. |
| C．Change their feelings frequently. | D．Show their natural feelings. |
| A．People usually hide their unhappy feelings. |
| B．The program cannot recognize sadness clearly. |
| C．The program cannot calculate the data correctly. |
| D．It's more difficult to collect data when people are sad. |
| A．It helps people develop smarter machines. |
| B．It helps people speed up their typing speed. |
| C．It will inspire similar studies on people's mood. |
| D．It clearly explains the relationship between mood and typing. |
7 . Even if you’ve never been to Phoenix, you know this about the place: It’s hot. But that doesn't stop hikers from attempting the 1.3-mile trek (跋涉) to the top of the city’s famed Camelback Mountain. Signs warn that the trail is “extremely difficult”. If you continue, a posted checklist suggests at least a liter of water per person. And if you keep climbing, another sign farther up declares; “If you’re halfway through your water turn around!”
Unfortunately, many people do not pay attention to the warnings. Fortunately, Scott Cullymore does. The 53-year-old man hikes up and down Camelback a couple of times a day giving out cold bottles of water to worn-out hikers. He has helped so many hikers that he has earned a heavenly nickname: the Water Angel. I’d like a more manly name, but, you know, he told azfamily, com.
Cullymore was on Camelback Mountain one day in 2015 when a British tourist died after being lost for nearly six hours in the July heat. That experience inspired him to start helping people caught unaware by Arizona’s unforgiving version of Mother Nature. “They underestimate the mountain, and they overestimate what they can do, and they get themselves in trouble,” he told the Arizona Republic. If a hiker has a red face and is not sweating anymore, Cullymore reaches into his insulated (隔热的) backpack, pulls out a frosty bottle, and hands it to the person. “It’s misleading that we’re in the middle of the city. You can die up here, and no one would know.”
One hiker who received Cullymore’s water agrees. “You think you know the heat, but then you get out here in the desert and it surrounds you like a blanket,” he said, pointing to Cullymore, “but we are lucky, we run into this good man here.” And with that, the Water Angel goes in search of another hiker in need.
1. What is the purpose of the signs along the hike way?| A．To show the trek is difficult. | B．To warn hikers to take enough water. |
| C．To frighten people to give up. | D．To avoid hikers getting lost. |
| A．It’s womanish. | B．It’s manly. |
| C．It’s ironic, | D．It’s appropriate. |
| A．Anybody he meets. | B．Those in the middle of the trek. |
| C．Anyone in need of water. | D．Those who sweat a lot. |
| A．A Desert-Like Mountain | B．Fighting against Heat |
| C．Necessities for Hiking | D．Water Angel |
8 . Agriculture plays an essential role in the rise of the human civilization. Even though agriculture is contributing to employment of a significant part of the population in majority nations, over the years, the percentage of workers has witnessed a steep decline. According to world-wide estimations, not even five percentage of the population in rich nations is employed in the agricultural sector.
Agriculture is still the backbone of the economy in several nations of Africa. According to data released by the World Bank in 2017, the top ten countries where agriculture plays a vital role in employment are in Africa. Burundi, the landlocked nation on the eastern side of the continent, has 91% of its population dependent on it. However, only 15% of the total agricultural production goes to the market. Sweet potatoes, beans, bananas and corn, are some major crops produced on the land.
The second largest employment in agriculture was also registered in an African country； Chad with 87% population working on the field. Other nations which follow on the list are： Somalia, Central African Republic, Malawi, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Mauritania, Madagascar and Mozambique. Amid the developing countries of BRICS, it is India where more people are employed by agriculture. The agriculture in India can be traced back to the era of Indus Valley Civilization. By 2017, 43 % of the Indian population is dependent on the agriculture sector for employment.
Meanwhile, many developed countries witness less than 15 percent of their population engaged in the agriculture sector. These nations include Greece, Malaysia, Russia, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and many others. At the bottom of the list stand United Arab Emirates , Singapore and Hong Kong, with 0 % of its people employed in agriculture.
1. What does the writer want to highlight in the first paragraph?| A．Agriculture is the foundation of civilization. |
| B．Agriculture is the main sector of employment. |
| C．Agriculture is the backbone of the economy. |
| D．The agricultural population is in sharp decline. |
| A．is for family use | B．goes to the market |
| C．is used for export | D．goes to the government |
| A．Second. | B．Third. |
| C．Fourth. | D．Fifth. |
| A．the more developed the country | B．the less developed the economy |
| C．the more advanced the civilization | D．the longer the history of a country |
9 . How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments — mostly for entertainment purposes — is fair and respectful?
Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.
Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range. The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don’t usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.
The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusual and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis (动物精神病). A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.
Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?
Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.
1. How would the author describe the animals’ life in zoos?| A．Dangerous. | B．Unhappy. |
| C．Natural. | D．Easy. |
| A．remain in cages | B．behave strangely |
| C．attack other animals | D．enjoy moving around |
| A．Zoos are not worth the public support. |
| B．Zoos fail in their attempt to save animals. |
| C．Zoos should treat animals as human beings. |
| D．Zoos use animals as a means of entertainment. |
| A．zoos have to keep animals in small cages |
| B．most animals in zoos are endangered species |
| C．some endangered animals are reproduced in zoos |
| D．it’s acceptable to keep animals away from their habitats |
10 . Teenage life is quite dramatic but that doesn't mean you cannot enjoy your life in these years. Even with your daily troubles, your life is not very hard if you know how to deal with them.
I know exactly how you feel. Life as a teenager can be hard. You are not a kid anymore, because you are smart enough to observe and analyze your surroundings. However, you are still not an adult because there are still lots of experiences that you need to have and lessons that you need to learn from these experiences. To top it all, the hormonal (荷尔蒙的)imbalance in you body can really mess you up emotionally. I have been there. I was in it for 6 years exploring what life is about.
As a teenager, I had a major problem completing my chores on time. And at that time, all that I needed to do was to finish my assignments, study for the upcoming test and clean my room. Now, I have much more things to do: cooking, cleaning and working while striking a balance between all my relationships related to work, family and friends. That really is a lot of work. So, I will just give you one golden tip, quoting from Benjamin Franklin," Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today."
Life becomes much easier now because I finish all my work on time and I have enough time to let my hair down. Half the problems as a teenager are because we hate doing things. We'd rather go and have fun than sit down and take care of our duties and responsibilities. That is why you have so much trouble in your life; your parents won't let you go out with friends because you haven't cleaned your room or your teacher is always criticizing you because you haven't finished your assignments.
1. What does the writer mainly want to tell us in paragraph 1 ?| A．Teenage life is tough. | B．Teenagers can't enjoy life. |
| C．Teenage life is changeable. | D．Teenagers should learn more. |
| A．The adolescent changes. | B．The lack of life experience. |
| C．The failure of concentration. | D．The unfamiliar surroundings. |
| A．It was difficult. | B．It was simple. |
| C．It was enjoyable. | D．It was boring. |
| A．Abandon their friends. | B．Go and have fun. |
| C．Complete their homework. | D．Shoulder the burden. |
