1 . Be a Beekeeper for a Day!
Learn about the fascinating world of honey bees in a way that few get to experience:
Your tour, led by a professional beekeeper, will include suiting up in protective gear, lighting a bee smoker, and getting up close with more than 100,000 bees.
Each tour is capped at 12 people, providing you an intimate experience of this fascinating species.
Guided tours include protective gear and select drinks.
At least one paid adult must accompany any children under the age of 18.
| Price | Starting at $35 Adult (Ages 13+): $50 Child (Ages 6-12): $35 |
| Time | Saturdays |
| Duration | 1.5 Hours |
| Place | Two Hives Honey Ranch |
Things to know:
Ensure you arrive a few minutes before your start time to sign waivers (豁免协议) and get signed in. Particularly for evening tours, it is important that we start on time so that we finish the tour before sunset.
Tours are weather dependent, so if the forecast calls for rain, please watch your email 24-48 hours before in case we need to cancel/reschedule.
What to bring:
We will have a variety of protective gear (beekeeping masks, gloves) for all of you. You will see that the bees are incredibly gentle and tame, but it’s better for everyone to enjoy their time and not feel worried about getting stung! Additionally, please adhere (遵守) to the below guidelines:
Closed-toe shoes that cover the ankle are required.
Wear long pants and a long sleeve top. Blue jeans are fine. Try to stick to lighter colors on top — button downs work great!
Choose clothing that is loose fitting — nothing especially tight! (Black yoga pants are NOT a good clothing choice.)
Avoid using materials that are hairy or made from sweater type materials.
Please avoid using any perfumes or heavily fragrant creams — the bees are not fans of our smells.
Finally, your tour guide may make his/her job look easy, but they work hard to ensure your bee experience is informative, fun, and most importantly, safe. If you enjoyed your time and the experience, a tip to show your appreciation for their work is not required but always appreciated.
1. What will you do during the tour?| A．Taste the honey from their hives. |
| B．Smoke bees out of their honeycomb. |
| C．Explore an active and living beehive. |
| D．Identify the bee queen and bee workers. |
| A．A cap. | B．A raincoat. |
| C．A beekeeping mask. | D．A pair of knee-high boots. |
| A．Put on a sweater. | B．Wear tight clothes. |
| C．Choose black yoga pants. | D．Give a tip to the guide. |
1. What caused the closure of Pittwater Road?
| A．A fallen tree. | B．A flooded river. | C．A car accident. |
| A．A police officer got hurt. |
| B．A passenger went missing. |
| C．The station roof was broken. |
| A．Drive at low speed. |
| B．Postpone their trips. |
| C．Follow traffic signs. |
| A．By plane. | B．By car. | C．By train. |
4 . Where to Find the Perfect Christmas Tree Around Baltimore This Year
A handful of the area’s best choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms are only a quick road trip away.
A SNOWBALL’S CHANCE TREE FARM
This choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm of 16 acres has been run by a couple since 2005. Open for one weekend only, Dec. 3-4, this year, the new location in Woodstock will offer eight and nine-inch pre-cut Fraser Firs or cut-your-own White Pines & Blue Spruces.
10231 Harvest Fields Drive, Woodstock
DAVIDSON CHRISTMAS TREE FARM
Although it’s been active for more than two centuries, this family-owned Upperco Farm didn’t start to plant Christmas tree seedlings until the late 1960s. The fields are open seven days per week from Nov. 18 to Dec. 17. Wander through its 60-plus acres for eight tree varieties, such as the silver-blue Concolor Fir.
1101 Emory Church Rd., Upperco
FROSTEE TREE FARM
The appropriately named Helen and George Winter began planting and selling trees at their Perry Hall farm in 1974. The two have since passed away, but the farm, now operated by Paul Stiffler, has 15 acres of ready-to-cut trees ranging from Scotch Pine to White Pine, Douglas Pine, and Norway Spruce. The farm re-opens on the last weekend of November, after Thanksgiving.
8926 Cowenton Ave., Perry Hall
GAVER FARM
Owner Michael Gaver was just 17 when he established this Mt. Airy farm in 1978. Today, it holds 70 acres of cut-your-own trees, with varieties such as the Colorado Blue Spruce and the whisper-soft White Pine. Christmas tree shopping starts on Nov. 24. What distinguishes this farm from others is that you can step into the family farm’s cafe for apple cider doughnuts, beef sandwiches, and hot cocoa before you leave.
5501 Detrick Rd., Mt. Airy
1. Which farm has the shortest history of Christmas tree cutting?| A．A SNOWBALL’S CHANCE TREE FARM. |
| B．DAVIDSON CHRISTMAS TREE FARM. |
| C．FROSTEE TREE FARM. |
| D．GAVER FARM. |
| A．10231 Harvest Fields Drive, Woodstock. |
| B．1101 Emory Church Rd., Upperco. |
| C．8926 Cowenton Ave., Perry Hall. |
| D．5501 Detrick Rd., Mt. Airy. |
| A．It offers drinks and foods. | B．It includes White Pine. |
| C．It is owned by a family. | D．It is active for about 200 years. |
5 . A professor at the University of South Florida recently published a paper she knew barely anyone would read. At least, not outside her field. The paper had to do with the impact of algae (海藻) blooms and depletion (退化) of coral reefs on the region’s tourism industry.
The work of completing the paper was glum, says Heather O’Leary. It involved tracking visitors’ reactions to the environment on social media. “Part of the data for months was just reading posts: dead fish, dead fish, dead fish,” she recalled. “We were really thinking every day about the Gulf of Mexico and the waters that surround us, about those risks, and the risks to our coastal economy.”
O’Leary wanted people to pay attention to her paper and raise their environmental awareness. But she couldn’t come up with any solutions. However, attending concerts at USF’s School of Music inspired and gladdened her. She reached out to its director of bands, Matthew McCutchen. “I’m studying climate change and what’s going down at the coral reefs,” he remembered her saying. “And I’ve got all this data from my paper and I’d like to know if there’s any way that we can turn it into music. So people can know about my paper.”
Indeed there was. Composition professor Paul Reller worked with students to map pitch, rhythm and duration to the data. It came alive, O’Leary said, in ways it simply couldn’t be done on a spreadsheet.
“My students were really excited to start thinking about how students from other majors, such as the music students, heard patterns that they did not normally hear in some of the repetitions,” she said. In this case, she said, the patterns revealed the economic impact of pollution on coastal Florida communities.
With music, she added, “you can start to sense with different parts of your mind and your body that there are patterns happening and that they’re important.” “The world is going to see more and more of these ‘wicked problems’, the ones that take multiple people with different types of training and background to solve.”
Now, a group of professors and students are working to bring together music and the environment in related projects, such as an augmented (增强的) reality experience based on this composition. The group wants to spread awareness about the algae blooms, data literacy (数据认知) and environmental protection.
1. What does the underlined word “glum” mean?| A．Repetitive. | B．Emotional. | C．Routine. | D．Miserable. |
| A．Turn her algae data into music. | B．Find some music about coral reefs. |
| C．Teach her some musical terms. | D．Compose songs regarding climate change. |
| A．The different types of training. |
| B．The repetition of pitch and rhythm. |
| C．The threat of pollution on the costal economy. |
| D．The complex challenges of wicked problems. |
| A．Providing solutions to the algae problem. |
| B．Exposing more wicked problems to the public. |
| C．Showing the economic growth in coastal cities. |
| D．Helping people experience the problems better. |
6 . The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Grain Rain, as the last term in spring, originates from the old saying, “Rain brings up the growth of hundreds of grains.”
Key time for agricultureGrain Rain falls between the end of spring and the beginning of summer, with infrequent cold air moving to the south and lingering cold air in the north. It brings a marked increase in temperature and rainfall and the grains grow faster and stronger. It’s a key time to protect the crops from insect pests.
Drinking teaThere is an old custom in southern China that people drink tea on the day of Grain Rain. Spring tea during Grain Rain is rich in vitamins and amino acids, which can help to remove heat from the body and is good for the eyes.
Eating toona sinensisPeople in northern China have the tradition to eat toona sinensis during Grain Rain. An old Chinese saying goes, “Toona sinensis before the rain is as tender as silk.” The vegetable is nutritious and can help to strengthen the immune system.
Grain Rain FestivalThe Grain Rain Festival is celebrated by fishing villages in the coastal areas of northern China. Grain Rain marks the start of the fishermen’s first voyage of the year. People worship the sea and stage sacrifice rites on the Grain Rain Festival, praying for a bountiful harvest and a safe voyage for their loved ones.
1. Why is Grain Rain important for agriculture?| A．It marks the end of cold weather. | B．It brings a slight climatic variation. |
| C．It creates a chance for pests to multiply. | D．It provides increased rainfall for crop growth. |
| A．To enjoy its best taste. | B．To improve their vision. |
| C．To get rid of heat of the body. | D．To make their skin smooth. |
| A．A sign of the end of bitter winter. | B．The arrival of the fishing season. |
| C．A celebration of a religious festival. | D．A pray for an abundant tea harvest. |
China has nearly 5, 000 years of
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, most of the furniture was hand-made using high-quality hardwood
Classical furniture is mostly made by hand. Modern machines cannot
Ancient Chinese
8 . For foreign visitors, Morocco in Africa holds an immediate and enduring fascination. Here are some picks to visit.
The Anti-Atlas
In the mountain playground of the Anti-Atlas, travelers can exercise by trying new hiking routes and connect with locals who share their timeless valleys with generosity and warmth. Take some time to connect with the local people living in the region. A glimpse into their simple life and down-to-earth way of being is good for your heart.
Marrakesh
The “pink city” is one of Morocco’s must-sees—all your senses come to life here. Feel the city’s charm with the rosy colors of the media wall at sunset and the sweet smell of trees in season. For a touch of desert romance, the Agafay Desert and its luxury camping options are within easy reach of Marrakesh, pertect for a night under the stars.
The Sahara Desert
The drive to the Sahara Desert is long, but the emptiness of the Sahara Desert can bring a sense of remoteness that is rare to find these days. Visiting the Moroccan Sahara Desert is an opportunity to disconnect, empty your mind and enjoy being in the middle of nowhere. The wild environment comes to life with a good guide, especially at might when the night sky free of light pollution is filled with stars.
Fez
As the oldest city and study center in Morocco, Fez proudly keeps one foot firmly planted in the past where you will get lost making your way through workshops and market stalls. The fantastically preserved ancient ruins and the Kairaouine Library that is among the world’s oldest libraries are worth a visit.
1. What does the trip to the Anti-Atlas feature?| A．The foreign too a and drınk. |
| B．The enjoyment of the urban life. |
| C．The physical and spiritual experience. |
| D．The gift-sharing events in the mountain playground. |
| A．Feel the city’s romance. |
| B．Enjoy the mountainous lifestyle. |
| C．Sec the scenery of plentiful valleys and runs. |
| D．Get the chance to spend starry nights outdoors. |
| A．The Anti-Atlas. | B．Marrakesh. |
| C．The Sahara Desert. | D．Fez. |
| A．A dinner party. | B．A new restaurant. | C．The cafeteria food. |
| A．It is expensive. | B．It is outdated. | C．It is of poor quality. |
