1 . Since the rise in car ownership in the 1950s, the US has started building roads in cities and across the country to provide enough room for automobiles. Houston, like many cities, is turning back the clock to make room for passers-by, cyclists and parks.

Memorial Park in Houston, Texas was halved by the Memorial Drive Highway in the1950s. It has now been reunited. The highway is still there, but the road goes underneath the 1,500-acre park.

The restoration (修复) of Memorial Park is part of a larger plan that was made after the city suffered from a serious drought. It was thought that 80 percent of the forested canopy (树冠) was dead. One of the ways to fight that was to reintroduce native plants and animals.

The city hired the landscape architectural company, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, to work with the Houston parks and the Memorial Parks Conservancy. The architects, led by Woltz, were inspired by wildlife crossings in the Northwest US and explored the possibility of using this idea in Memorial Park. Over the years, the park was cut into 20 pieces that were divided by highways, roads and parking lots. The only crossing was a 12-foot bridge.

After 10 years of planning and constructing, the Kinder Land Bridge officially opened in early February, 2023. The bridge consists of 100 acres of greenery, and while designed for people, has reconnected wildlife corridors (廊道). The reconstruction added 45 acres of native Gulf Coast prairie (草原) that’ll increase biodiversity in the park. “This project is not just about creating a passage or a bridge. This project is about ecology, it’s about biodiversity and water management. This project is a bridge into Houston’s future.” said Shellye Arnold, president of the Memorial Park Conservancy.

2 . One day last summer, my 9-year-old son Ben and I were riding the waves at a popular ocean beach on outer Cape Cod. As we were playing happily with our surfboard, I suddenly noticed an astonishing _________—some whales were spouting (喷水) well within view of where we _________.

We stared and pointed in _________. “Ben, can you believe it?” I cried. “We’re swimming with the whales!” “Mom,” Ben said in reply, “we’re _________ swimming with the whales. This is their habitat, not ours!”

Ben’s words took my breath away, more than the dramatic waves and the amazing sight of the _________.

He was absolutely _________, of course. These whales live in the waters off Cape Cod. This is their _________—one that we visit, love and protect. So when we set foot into a _________ space, it’s meaningful and important to _________ that we are visiting something that is beautiful and enjoyable to us, but is not __________ for us.

We each have a part to play in __________ space. When we acknowledge our coexistence, as Ben __________, we set ourselves up for success in how we interact with each other. This is as __________ in the vastness of the ocean as it is in our __________ where we live, work, play and serve.

How we __________ and support each other in this vast ocean of life—that’s up to us.

4 . How to Prepare for and Survive a Flood

Flooding is a common natural disaster around the world.     1     If so, quickly review these flood safety guidelines to increase your chances of survival and protect your possession.

Pay close attention to the radio, television, community announcements or your cellphone for official flooding updates.     2     A flood watch means a flood is possible in your area. A flood warning means flooding is already occurring or will occur soon—and you should be prepared to leave the flood area.

    3     Put at least three days of supplies for everyone in it, including water (one gallon per person per day), non-perishable (不需要保质期的) food, a flashlight, battery-powered radio, solar-powered phone chargers, extra batteries, a 7-day supply of medications.

If you have time before you leave, secure your home. Bring in outdoor furniture. Move necessary items to the highest part of the upper floor of your home. Turn off all the appliances (家电) like TV, refrigerator, washing machine, air-conditioner.     4    

Do not walk through moving water. Six inches of moving water can sweep you off your feet. If you have to walk in water, walk where the water is not moving.     5     If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankles, stop, turn around and go another way. People underestimate (低估) the force and power of water.

5 . Music is known to have a great deal of mental and physical benefits on humans. From helping to treat physical medical problems to relieving stress, music can be extremely beneficial in helping to improve health.     1    

Animals may have a great deal of stress.     2     Dogs and cats may be stressed when around men because they were badly treated by a man, and they may never forget that. A dog who was attacked by another dog while on a walk may be always afraid to go on walks, or even be afraid to leave the house.

    3     Cats, dogs and horses will not all have the exact same stressors (压力源), so you just have to pay close attention to your animal and what makes them unique, such as changes in eating habits, too much sleep and too little sleep, just to name a few.

Music can be extremely beneficial for animals in high stress situations.     4     In the atmosphere, they feel calm, safe and well protected. Music can be specifically helpful when played at veterinary (兽医的) clinics for animals who are afraid of the vet. This helps calm the owners of the animals and the staff at the office besides the animals.     5     That’s why it is being taken up at a variety of veterinary clinics around the world.

6 . For children, space is magical — a whole world is out there, with so many things to learn and stories to read. Here are some children’s books about space and the solar system.

Mae among the Stars by Stasia Burrington

This beautifully illustrated picture book is attractive to young kids. It was inspired by the first African American woman in space, Mae Jemison. It tells the story of Mae as a little girl, who always knew she had big dreams about space. This is a great addition to a young kid’s collection, as a reminder to hold tight to dreams and never give up.

Space by Libby Jackson

This beautifully illustrated book gives kids a look at 50 women from around the world who were involved in exploring space in some way, from the 19th century to the present day. This is a perfect gift for young kids who want to know more about some of the lesser-known scientific achievements related to space exploration.

Chasing Space by Leland Melvin

This is Melvin’s story about being a football player-turned-astronaut, along with his recovery from an injury that nearly left him deaf. Kids will love reading his story about how he faced challenges and advanced ahead, and he also includes DIY experiments for kids to try, and a section of full-color photographs.

System and Beyond by David A. Aguilar

The book is full of beautiful illustrations of space, and is perfect for kids of all ages, exploring various planets and the solar system. Unlike other kids’ space book, this is a National Geographic book written and illustrated by an award-winning astronomer and space artist. Aguilar is also the former Director of Science Information and Public Outreach at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

9 . Jim Quick grew up on a farm in Orchard Hill, Georgia. There he learned how_______bees are to the food we eat. When he was 11, his grandfather asked him to start a beehive to keep the_______growing strong.

“Forty-two years later, and I’m still_______,”Quick said in a recent interview. Before his retirement, the master beekeeper taught entomology (the study of insects) at the University of Georgia in Athens.

Quick is still learning about bees on the farm where he grew up. But he is worried: The bee_______is in danger. Nearly 40% of beehives in the United States were_______in 2021 alone. This_______Quick and other scientists because bees are essential to food_______.They pollinate (授粉) flowering crops and plants, _______the production of seeds and fruits.

The declining bee population can be_______by several factors, including parasites (寄生物) that kill or weaken the hives. Habitat loss,________, and climate change are also to blame. Pesticides get into the nectar (花蜜) of plants, which is essential to a bee’s________. Poisonous substances in the nectar harm the bees’ memory.

Scientists are searching for________to help the bee population. But Quick already has a(n)________.“Set up a beehive at school,” he said, “and learn more about pollinators.” Kids aren’t too young to________. After all, just at the age of 11 Quick________his first beehive. “We could grow more bees,” he said, “if we had more people to do it.”

10 . When you’re bored, you might start playing with a ball or other objects. Such behavior is common in people. Other animals like it too—that’s why a dog fetches a stick, or a cat bats at toys. Play is an enjoyable way to pass the time. A new study finds that it’s not just mammals that like to play. Bumblebees (大黄蜂) do it too, making them the first insects known to play.

In the study, Hiruni Samadi Galpayage Dona, an insect expert, did an experiment using 200 untrained bumblebees to see if they might play. Of those, 45 would be marked with a number when they emerged as adults.

A pathway was set up from the bumblebees’ nest to a feeding area. One side contained small wooden balls that rolled. The other side had the same number of balls, but they were stuck to the floor. Half balls on each side were colored balls. The rest were left unpainted.

For three hours a day over 18 days, Galpayage Dona found bumblebees weren’t so interested in the side where the balls didn’t move, but they explored the side areas and interacted with the balls. Once they managed to roll a ball, they strongly preferred that side. They returned, climbing on the balls and rolling them around. She also found bumblebees preferred certain colors of balls.

“There’s something about the mobility that is more interesting for the bumblebees than just colored objects,” Galpayage Dona says. In another experiment, she sometimes left the balls out overnight. “When I came in the next day, I would always find some bumblebees rolling the balls.” As with mammals, the bumblebees who played the most were the younger ones. Their play tapered off as they got older.

The scientists say it’s not clear why the bumblebees roll the balls or whether they enjoy it. But the experiment raises important questions about how the insects’ minds work and whether they have feelings.