2 . Master Gardener Volunteers Wanted

What is a Master Gardener?

A master gardener is a citizen that is interested in gardening and can fulfill the training and volunteer hours necessary. Requirements vary by county and state,and the course is tailored for that specific region. You will receive special education on the soils in your area,the types of native plants，insect and disease issues，basic botany，and other information pertinent(相关的)to your gardening zone.

The educational opportunity to learn specifics about where you garden will not only help you be-come a better gardener but is then passed along to the general public in lectures,clinics,and through newsletters.

What Qualifications Must You Meet?

Anyone can apply to be a Master Gardener——you don’t need to be an expert or have a degree. You do, however, need to:

●Have certain experience or know a little about gardening or landscape management.

●Be willing to share horticulture(园艺学)information with others.

●Be willing to attend a training program and can devote time to volunteering and continuing education.

Besides,to become a Master Gardener volunteer, each applicant needs to complete an application,prepare background screening paperwork and schedule an interview with Extension staff.

What Does the Training Involve?

Training sessions are offered one day a week over a three-month period and are led by expert educators in the region. Approximately 60 hours of classroom instruction and field study and 50 hours of volunteer internship(实习)work are required to complete the program and become certified. In order to remain a certified Master Gardener,30 hours of volunteer work and 10 hours of continuing education or advanced training are required each year.

1. What does a Master Gardener do?

A．Promote gardening practices abroad.

B．Train volunteers to help with agriculture.

C．Teach the youth about diets and agriculture.

D．Donate time to the local gardening extension.

2. What is required if you want to apply to be a Master Gardener?

A．Having some relevant knowledge.	B．Acquiring excellent teaching skills.
C．Completing given training sessions.	D．Obtaining rich volunteer experience.

3. How long will it take to remain a qualified Master Gardener the second year?

A．About 40 hours.

B．Three months.

C．About 150 hours.

D．About 110 hours.

3 . 假如你叫李华，是一名高中生。最近，你的外国笔友亨利发来邮件，询问关于中国人使用微信的情况。请根据下面的写作提纲，给他回一封电子邮件，介绍微信。内容包括：
1.微信流行的现状；
2.主要功能：聊天、留言、上传文件和视频、发红包、支付功能；
3.推荐他尝试。
注意:
1.词数80左右;开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：WeChat微信
Dear Henry,

I know from your e­mail you want to know more about WeChat.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All the best.

Yours,

Li Hua

4 . If there is one thing I’m sure about,it is that in a hundred years from now we will still be reading newspapers.It is not that newspapers are a necessity.Even now some people get most of their news from television or radio.Many buy a paper only on Saturday or Sunday.But for most people reading a newspaper has become a habit passed down from generation to generation.

The nature of what is news may change.What basically makes news is what affects our lives—the big political stories,the coverage of the wars,earthquakes and other disasters will continue much the same.I think there will be more coverage of scientific research,though.It’s already happening in areas that many directly affect our lives,like genetic (基因的) engineering.In the future,I think there will be more coverage of scientific explanations of why we feel as we do—as we develop a better understanding of how the brain operates and what our feelings really are.

It’s quite possible that in the next century newspapers will be transmitted (传送) electronically from Fleet Street and printed out in our own home.In fact,I’m pretty sure that how it will happen in the future.You will probably be able to choose from a menu,making up your own newspapers by picking out the things you want to read—sports and international news,etc.

I think people have got it wrong when they talk about competition between the different media (媒体).They actually feed off each other.Some people once foresaw that television would kill off newspapers,but that hasn’t happened.What is read on the printed page lasts longer than pictures on a screen or sound lost in the air.And as for the Internet,it’s never really pleasant to read something just on a screen.

1. What will probably be in the newspaper made by yourself?

A．Sports and international news.

B．A menu of important news.

C．The most important news.

D．What you are interested in.

2. From the passage,we can infer ________.

A．newspapers will win the competition among different media

B．newspapers will stay with us together with other media

C．television will take the place of newspapers

D．the writer believes some media will die out

3. The underlined phrase “feed off” in the last paragraph means “________”.

A．depend on	B．compete with
C．fight with	D．kill off

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．The Best Way to Get News

B．The Changes of Media

C．Make Your Own Newspapers

D．The Future of Newspapers

5 . If you are dreaming of visiting one of those picture­perfect European towns filled with old­world attractiveness and scenic beauty, here is a look at the most beautiful small towns in Europe.

Manarola

Manarola, Italy, is filled with rainbow-colored homes along the Mediterranean coast. This attractive fishing town is famous for its unbelievable wine, and the paintings. There are no cars here, no traffic lights, or traffic noise. You can drive to Manarola, but you will have to park just outside the town and then take a shuttle bus or walk in on foot.

Garmisch­-Partenkirchen

Garmischh-Partenkirchen, Germany, is an attractive mountain town, once two separate towns, one Roman and the other Teutonic. The 1936 Winter Olympics forced them to become one, though the two sides still have different characters. The town dates back to the 15th century AD, filled with narrow streets lined with historic three or four­story buildings painted with religious scenes.

Marsaxlokk

The energetic trading port of Marsaxlokk, Malta, was built in 900 BC. Today, this picture­like town is the main supplier of fish to the island nation that sits in the Mediterranean Sea. It has no modern buildings to ruin its attractiveness. With such quiet surroundings, including the traditional fishing boats, it is a particularly charming place to visit.

Portmagee

In a country filled with beautiful towns, Portmagee, is a standout, sitting on the southwest coast of Ireland. This seaside fishing town has a row of brightly colored buildings along with a rich and colorful history. At The Bridge Bar, you will find live music many nights of the week along with nice food and a fine glass of beer.

1. In which town are tourists not allowed to go sightseeing by car?

A．Manarola.	B．Garmisch­Partenkirchen.
C．Marsaxlokk.	D．Portmagee.

2. Manarola and Portmagee are perfect choices for tourists who         .

A．prefer enjoyment in an old coastal fishing town

B．want to stay on a Mediterranean island

C．have special interest in traditional fishing boats

D．need to be refreshed in a mountain town

3. Which statement about Garmisch­-Partenkirchen is TRUE?

A．Garmisch­Partenkirchen is a Roman town.

B．The 1936 Winter Olympics gave birth to the town.

C．There are many wide streets painted with religious scenes.

D．The two sides of it now have similar characters.

7 . Fiordland Great Walk Package

Take a hike through some of New Zealand’s most beautiful and different landscapes on the walking package. Base yourself in Fiordland for a fully guided 3-day Great Walk experience on the Milford, Routeburn and Kepler Tracks. These walks pass through unique scenery, from native forests and rivers to mountains and beautiful valleys.

Price

Adult (16 + yrs) : $ 900.00

Child (6 -15 yrs) : $ 850.00

Infant (0-5 yrs) : $ 50.00

What to Bring

We advise that guests bring comfortable walking shoes, warm clothing including hats and gloves, sunscreen and sun hats, cameras, water bottles and personal medication if they are required. Walking poles are optional(可选择的). For the Milford Track day we advise you to have spare clothing and shoes in case you get wet on the walk.

We Provide

Routeburn Track: A professional hiking guide, all transport from Te Anau, hot drinks and lunch.

Milford Track: A professional hiking guide, water taxies from Deep Water Basin to Sandfly Point, Milford Track and return, and hot drinks. Plus 1 hour 25 minutes Milford Sound Scenic Cruise with Real Journeys and lunch.

Kepler Track: A professional hiking guide, all transport from Te Anau including accommodations pick-up and drop-off, a helicopter flight to the peak of Mt Luxmore, hot drinks and lunch.

More Information

At least there are 2 people for the guided walks to go ahead. If you are a single person, please contact us for availability. Walking time each day is around 4-5 hours. Basic fitness is required. Meals (except lunch) are guests’ own arrangements.

1. If the Smiths and their 7 -year-old twin girls go on the trip, how much should they pay?

A．$ 1,900.

B．$ 2,600.

C．$ 2,650.

D．$ 3,500.

2. What can be enjoyed only on Kepler Track?

A．Native forests.

B．A guided hike.

C．Air travel.

D．Free lunch.

3. What is a must if people want to join in the walking?

A．Walking shoes.

B．Basic fitness.

C．Hot drinks.

D．Walking poles.

8 . On March 28th, the New York Times will begin charging all but the most infrequent users to read articles online.

In a letter to readers, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., the publisher of the paper, laid out the details of the paywall, which he said will go into effect immediately in Canada and on March 28th for the rest of the world. He called the move “an important step that we hope you will see as an investment in the Times, one that will strengthen our ability to provide high quality journalism to readers around the world and on any platform.”

Sulzberger said that readers will be able to read 20 articles per month at no charge. Once they click on the 21st piece, however, they’ll be presented with three payment options: $15 for four weeks of online and mobile application access, $ 20 for access to the site and the iPad application, or $35 for access to everything. People who already receive the printed paper through home delivery will enjoy free and unlimited access to the Times on all platforms.

These details largely agree with earlier reports on how the paywall would work. The Times had made it clear that it did not want to imitate the total paywalls put into effect by papers such as The Times of London and Newsday, which block access to all contents unless the reader pays.

The paper also signaled that it wants to stay relevant in the social media world. According to Sulzberger’s announcement, people who come to the Times site from Facebook, Twitter or from blogs will be able to read those articles even if they have gone over their monthly limit.

However, Sulzberger said that a limit will be placed on “some search engines”, meaning that after readers have accessed a certain number of articles from search engines, any further articles they access from there will be added to their monthly count. It was reported that the only search engine that will be affected this way is Google, where there will be a five-article limit. This marks a clear attempt by the Times to close what could be a giant loophole (漏洞), since so much online traffic is directed through Google. But it also presents a risk for the Times for the same reason.

Sulzberger seems well aware of the risk. “The challenge now is to put a price on our work without walling ourselves off from the global network.” he said, adding that the Times must “continue to engage with the widest possible audience”.
1. The author’s main purpose of the text is to ________.

A．describe research findings

B．make advertisements

C．report a piece of news

D．suggest a solution

2. Why will the Times charge their online readers?

A．It wants to stay relevant in the social media world.

B．It has too many readers coming from the other sites.

C．It is trying a way to offer better service to its readers.

D．It is seeking new financial sources for its development.

3. Who will be limited to the New York Times articles?

A．Those subscribing to the printed newspapers.

B．Readers clicking through from Facebook.

C．Those using Google search engine.

D．Readers paying $ 35 a month.

9 . It’s Museum Day. Here’s how to get free tickets and have some fun

Museum Day is here for one day and one day only — so you’ll need to hurry if you want to take advantage of the chance to get free Saturday admission to one of the hundreds of participating museums.

The yearly event is hosted by Smithsonian Magazine and involves museums and cultural institutions coming together to offer free admission for patrons(顾客) who would otherwise have to pay for entry.

You just need an email address to get a ticket

To get a ticket you’ll need to go to the Smithsonian Magazine website and pick which museum you want to go to. You’ll be able to search to see which museums near you are participating, and from there you just have to put in your email address and name. After that, you can download your ticket and head out for some fun.

A lot of museums are still feeling financial stress from the pandemic

The event is happening as museums are still struggling from the hits they took during the first few years of the pandemic.

The American Alliance of Museums estimated it will take years for museums to fully recover. In February, the group released survey results that detailed those financial losses.

AAM President and CEO Laura Lott noted that federal relief helped remove the threat of closure that many institutions were facing, but 2022 proved to be another painful year.

But there’s hope that a free day at the museums might spark subsequent(随后的) visits.

1. How often is Museum Day held?

A．Once a week.

B．Once a month.

C．Once a year.

D．Once a day.

2. What do you need to do to get a free ticket?

A．To go to the nearest museum.	B．To buy Smithsonian Magazine.
C．To enter your email address and name.	D．To be a member of Smithsonian Magazine.

3. What is the significance of hosting Museum Day?

A．It will help people deal with stress.	B．It will make museums more famous.
C．It can help museums to fully recover.	D．It may attract more visitors to museums.