From the age of eight I was allowed to walk from my house to the local library. I started with Little House in the Big Woods. I was fascinated by the story and the peaceful atmosphere there.
But the local library's collection paled in comparison to what was available to us at high school. There, I read novels written by the authors we were studying in class: Charles Dickens and Joseph Conrad, Mark Twain and Emily Brontë.
When I studied English literature at university, I dreamed of building my own library. And later, when I taught English at a high school, I continued to collect books. Toward the end of my teaching career, I became a teacher-librarian. This position reignited (重新点燃) my love and appreciation for how wonderful it is to be surrounded by books. I searched for books that would interest my teenage audience and hopefully spark a love of reading in them.
I quickly realized that the library wasn't just a place to do research; students came for other reasons, as well. I noticed that some students lined up first thing in the morning, returned at break time and spent the whole lunch hour eating in a carrel (小书房). These were the loners who felt safer in the library than in the cafeteria where they could be bullied.
I noticed that students searched for books on specific topics instead of using computers: drugs, mental-health issues, etc. I realized that computer screens were too visible, so I bought more books on those topics.
I bought sofas and easy chairs. The conference room doubled as an art gallery and a meeting place for students to talk about ideas, play chess, and make posters for their clubs. The library became an inclusive public space, safe for everyone.
Whether libraries are located in schools or in communities, I believe libraries are vibrant (生机勃勃的) places that help us to adjust to the world, and their doors must be kept open to everyone—for free.
Holidaymakers planning to hit the beach in Ibiza this summer will need to wear face masks even when they're sunbathing on the beach.
Previously, the Balearic Island had exempt (免除) sun-seekers from wearing face masks on beaches, provided they were social distancing. However, new rules have come into force from the Spanish central government which will make mask-wearing compulsory for anyone visiting outdoor public spaces - including beaches and pools. The new face mask policy also applies regardless of whether there is social distancing in place (1. 5m in Spain); so someone who is lying on a towel sunbathing away from others will still be required to wear a face mask. Those who break the rules could face fines of up to €100.
There will be some exemptions such as children who are under six, and adults with illnesses that could cause them breathing difficulties.
The decision comes as Spain has been noting a gradual rise in Covid-19 cases. And it's not just Ibiza which will be affected - the new rules will be enforced in the Canary Islands and mainland Spain too, including popular tourist destinations such as Costa del Sol.
However, the Balearic Islands government is protesting against the new rules, arguing that the regulations could put people off holidays especially during the hot summer months. Earlier this month Spain ended a travel ban for British people, which had been in place since December due to a mutant strain of coronavirus (冠状病毒的突变株) found in the UK. It's hoped that some international travel could begin again from May.
What do you think of Spain's new face mask rules? Let us know in the comments below.
A new UBC Okanagan study finds children not only gain the benefits of working with therapy (治疗) dogs – they enjoy it too.
"While we do frequently see children improve in therapy dog programs, we didn't have data to support that they enjoyed the time as well," says Nicole Harris, who conducted this research while a master's student in the School of Education.
The research saw 22 children from the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club take part in a series of sessions to help them build their social skills. Over six weeks, the children were accompanied by therapy dogs as they completed lessons. Each week the children were taught a new skill, such as introducing themselves or giving directions to others. The children would first practice with their assigned therapy dog before running through the exercise with the rest of the group. In the final phase, the children, accompanied by their new furry friend, would practice their new skills with university students located in the building.
"Therapy dogs are often able to reach children and facilitate their growth in surprising ways. We saw evidence of this in the social skills of children when they were paired with a therapy dog," says Dr. John-Tyler Binfet, associate professor in the School of Education and director of BARK. "The dogs helped create a non-threatening climate while the children were learning these new skills. By interacting with them, the children's moods improved and their engagement in their lessons increased. " While the children were learning and practising their new skills, the research team collected data.
At the end of the six weeks, Harris interviewed eight children, aged 5 to 11 years old, who regularly attended the sessions. Each child indicated the social skill-training program with therapy dogs was an enjoyable and positive experience and the dogs were a meaningful and essential part of the program.
As a full-time elementary school teacher, Harris notes that schools have become increasingly important in helping students develop social and emotional skills, and this research could contribute to the development of future school-based or after-school programs.
Running, cycling, aerobics (有氧运动) … there are hundreds of ways to get fit. Here are two relatively new ones that you might like to try.
Exergaming
Exergaming consists of doing exercise with video games. And there are lots to choose from. Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) is a fun way to work out. Simply stand on a platform and hit the coloured arrows with your feet as you follow the instructions on the screen. As the tagline (标 语) says, "Taking dancing to a whole new level!" For a gentler form of exercise, try the "Wii Fit" series of games. You can do yoga, strength training and aerobics while standing on a balance board.
Anti-shoes
They're meant to improve your posture, and strengthen your muscles. They can also increase circulation and reduce body fat. The shoes were invented by Swiss engineer Karl Müller in the early 1990s. On a visit to Korea, he noticed that walking barefoot over some soft fields alleviated (缓解) his back and knee problems. He also discovered that the Kenyan Masai tribespeople (who often walk barefoot) don't suffer from back pain and are famous for their perfect posture. So, he decided that the answer was a shoe with a curved sole and no heel. The shoes were launched in 1996, and by 2000 approximately 20,000 pairs had been sold in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. Some celebrities such as Jemima Khan, Jodie Kidd and Sadie Frost also own a pair.
A. Since then, they have become a big hit.
B. Concentrate on the screen and search for the instructions.
C. You score points by hitting the right arrow at the right time.
D. And every year there are lots of new ideas for getting into shape.
E. Walking on Anti-shoes is similar to walking barefoot on sand or grass.
F. Personalize your workout, or exercise with a friend, competing in games!
G. Anti-shoes are designed to exercise parts of your body while you're walking.
Shoveling (铲) the snow had always been the best part about winter. Not that I thought it was fun, but I 1the thought of my dad having to do it after a 2 day of work. So I took it upon myself at eight years old. Every time I saw those white particles fall from the 3, I would run and 4 my jacket, snow boots, and gloves to 5 myself for the work ahead. But every single time, 6I went outside, I would stop by my older sister's room to see if she 7to help me. I knew she would say no, but I always 8 anyway.
One day there was a lot of snow. There was no 9 I would be able to clean it all up myself, so I did the 10and knocked on my sister's door. As I 11 , she gave me the same old “no”. I stood there 12for a second. All I wanted was some 13, and the more I recollected every "no" she had ever said to me, the14I became. I shouted, "You're an awful sister and daughter, and nobody needs you!"
Then, I set out in the cold to tackle (对付) the enemy that 15in my driveway. I fought16, my short arms swinging back and forth while the wind 17against my cheeks. However, after one long hour, I was not even halfway done. Completely 18, I dropped the shovel into the victorious snow, and went inside to lie down on the sofa.
After a short break, I 19 the sofa, ran to the window and looked outside. In the middle of the driveway, my sister was shoveling the snow. The feeling of seeing her was20.
The Titanic was the largest and most advanced passenger ship of its day. It was considered unsinkable. But on 14th April 1912, on(it) maiden voyage (首 航) from England to New York, the ship(strike) an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank (short) after midnight. Of the 2,223 people on board, 1,517 drowned.
So why did so many people die in the tragedy? Firstly, the Titanic's owners fitted the ship only 20 lifeboats. They believed any more would spoil the (appear) of the ship. But this meant there were only enough lifeboats for 1,178 passengers. Secondly, while (load) the lifeboats, the crew observed the "women and children first" rule. This was old custom that said women and children should be saved before men. Because at first men weren't allowed in the lifeboats, many boats were lowered only half full. the lifeboats had been full, another 500 people might have been saved. In the end, 74% of women passengers survived, but only 20% of men. And many of the men survived were branded as cowards (懦夫) when they got home.
The wreck (残骸) of the Titanic (find) in 1985. It lies about four kilometres below the surface of the water at the bottom of the ocean.
1）告知运动节信息；
2）呼吁学生参与；
3）提供报名方式。
注意：1）词数 80 词左右；2）可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
A couple of months before I started high school, my parents gave me the greatest gift any teenage boy could ask for: a cellphone. I lived on that phone all summer with my face buried in its screen. I texted with every friend who was lucky enough to have a texting plan. I ignored my family and my surroundings. Being connected was more important than being present.
So you can imagine my displeasure when l learned what my dad had planned for our family vacation that year. "This year," my dad said, "we'll be doing something special. We're going camping!" His excitement was met with a disappointed sigh. It wasn't my dream vacation, but I remained unbothered throughout the packing and planning. My mind was on my phone. I was so buried in the screen, in fact, that the first time I can remember truly looking up was when we drove across a bridge on the way to our campsite.
I stared out the window and saw redwoods towering above us, their branches threatening to pierce (刺破) the blue sky. I saw a roaring river, with slivers of silky black water appearing between crashing white rapids. The air blowing into the car from the open windows was hot and smelled of pine. But none of that mattered to me. The reason I had looked up was for something far more serious. My phone no longer had service.
The last hour of the drive was increasingly tense. My dad announced that he had chosen a campsite that had no cell service, and that my phone would be useless until we returned home. I would be trapped in the forest for four days with no way to contact the outside world! I went through the full cycle of teenage emotions during the first day of the trip. I raged (发怒). I bargained. I begged. I flip-flopped (转变) from a depressive state to anger and back.
I went to bed angrily that night. But when I awoke in the morning something had changed.
注意：
1）所续写短文的词数应为 150 左右；
2）应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3）续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4）续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
Instead of burying myself in my phone, l focused on something else: my surroundings.
Paragraph 2:
The next four days passed in a flash with many fun activities.
