3 . What is a GPA?

A GPA, or Grade Point Average, typically ranging from one to four, is a number reflecting your course performance on average. It’s used by universities to determine whether students meet academic standards and by students to enhance job prospects or secure admission into post-graduate programs.

How to calculate a GPA?

● Determine the letter grade and the number of credit hours for each course you take in a term;

● Translate the letter grade to grade points using your school’s grading system;

● Multiply the grade points by the credit hours for that course;

● Add up all the credit hours for the courses;

● Divide the total number of grade points by the total credit hours and you get the GPA.

What are the consequences of failing college courses?

● Every failing grade (F) significantly impacts your GPA for that academic year, limiting clubs, organizations and program choices, as competitive programs require top GPAs.

● Most financial aid programs require a specific GPA. A sharp drop in GPA due to several course failures may lead to withdrawal from financial aid programs, unless you retake the courses and pass.

● For college athletes on sports scholarships, failing courses repeatedly can lead to losing scholarships and team sports.

● Failing multiple courses can result in school removal and affect future applications.

4 . Dexter lives in Ouray, Colorado, where, for the past few years, the two-footed dog has been turning heads wherever he goes. His owner, Kentee Pasek, says ________ on two legs isn’t a trick she taught him. Rather, it’s a(n) ________ he made after a near-death experience.

When Dexter was a puppy, he escaped his yard, dashed into the ________ and got hit by a car. He lost his front legs. Everyone ________ he would need some kind of adaptive equipment to get around. He did use a ________ for a while until one day when Pasek set the dog at the foot of her porch (门廊) without it.

Pasek ran in to get a cup of coffee, came out and ________ found that her dog had climbed the stairs. She ________ her cellphone, put Dexter back at the bottom of the stairs and ________ him walking up the stairs on two feet without the wheelchair.

In the six years since, Dexter has become a full-blown celebrity, ________ in parades and building a group of social media ________, who now come to the dog’s hometown just hoping for a glimpse of Ouray’s most ________ “citizen”.

The whole thing isn’t considered as a ________ for many people. People praise Dexter for his option to stay ________. He shows where humans see ________, dogs sometimes beg to differ. And Dexter’s action has proven that sometimes getting ________ is the only way to see how tall you stand.

5 . Robots are known as the future of technology. Robotics technology has just landed in the workplace and there is a lot of work to do. Below we'll discuss some of the best and most advanced robots ever made by humans.

Asimo   

The primary focus of the robot is to help people. Asimo travels all around the world, making people aware how robots can make life easier and help humans. It can dance, run, and even kick a soccer ball. The robot can communicate with people in three different languages including Japanese, Chinese and English.

Created by: Honda (Japan)

Sophia

It is a realistic example of a perfect robot because it has about 50 different facial expressions just like humans. Sophia is primarily designed for education, research and entertainment. It travels throughout the world explaining to people the importance of robots in human life.

Created by: Hanson Robotics (Hong Kong, China)

Atlas

Its body shape is so dynamic that it can use its all body skills to move quickly and balance itself on diverse terrains (地形). The robot is capable of performing many different tasks. Its advanced AI systems make it capable of seeing barriers and negotiating through diverse terrains.

Created by: Boston Dynamics (United States)

Spot

Spot is an animal robot, or say a dog robot, because it looks very similar to a dog. Spot can search around your office, home, playground etc. as a normal dog usually does. Spot has some outstanding functions like it can map your environment, sense barriers, lift packages and more.

Created by: Boston Dynamics (United States)

7 . It was a sunny weekend. I had planned to go mountain climbing in the suburbs with Daniel. However, a sudden heavy rain that morning disrupted my plan. Looking out of the window, I couldn’t help feeling a little _________ as the rain poured down.

However, Daniel _________ , “Since we can’t go mountain climbing, why don’t we go to an old _________ in the city? I heard there are many interesting shops and delicious food there.” I thought it was a good idea and _________. We braved the heavy rain and arrived at the old neighborhood. Although the sky was still _________, the old buildings and unique atmosphere of the neighborhood attracted us.

We walked through the narrow streets and admired the _________ shops to both sides. In one coffee shop, we tasted the delicious coffee. _________ a strange figure walked into the coffee shop. He looked _________, whose eyes seemed to be looking for something. Out of _________, we took the __________ to talk to him. It turned out that he was a photographer and he had just lost an important memory card which contained his works of many years. He had been searching for it for a long time, but still couldn’t find it. After hearing __________ his troubles, we decided to help him. We searched around, but in vain. Just when we were about to give up, a little kid __________ to us with a memory card and said he had found it by the roadside. We excitedly took the memory card and after checking it was __________, we gave it back to the photographer. The photographer looked at us gratefully with tears in his eyes. We felt happy that we could help him and it added more meaning __________ this unexpected trip.

This experience made me realize that life always has unexpected surprise and twists. Sometimes, __________ your plan is not a bad thing and it may bring you a more wonderful experience.

8 . Isabella believes she may have cracked a solution to two tough challenges in her country. Her initiative, the Chip Bag Project, aims to _________ garbage and poverty at the same time. As a student and _________, she is asking local snack lovers a favor: rather than throw empty chip bags _________ into the trash, donate them! Then she can turn them into free sleeping bags for the homeless.

Chip eaters drop off their empty bags at two _________: a print shop and a clothing store, where Isabella and her volunteer helpers collect them. After they soak the chip bags in hot water, they slice them open, lay them on the ground, and _________ them flat. Afterwards, they use fillings to _________ the insides.

It takes about four hours to _________ a sleeping bag, and each weighs no more than 1.5 kilograms, depending on whether they are based on single use or family _________. And there you have it, a sleeping bag that is “waterproof and _________” Isabella told the News.

Since its start in 2020, the Chip Bag Project has __________ more than 800,000 chip bags.

While it would be __________ to raise money to buy new sleeping bags, Isabella’s mission extends beyond. “We are dedicated to making an impact not only __________ but environmentally,” she says.

It’s vital to keep in mind the value of repurposing bags that might __________ end up in the trash. This campaign serves as a powerful __________that environmental issues and poverty often go hand in hand. As Isabella expressed to localnews. com, “It’s time to recognize the __________ among these issues and make a big difference to our world.”