Steve Greig lost his dog Wolfgang seven years ago, then his life changed forever. Since that loss, he has adopted more than a dozen dogs, all of whom have been in their last few years of life. He chose to rescue senior dogs because they otherwise wouldn't have had a home.
Greig started posting family photos of his animals on Instagram, and his following has grown quickly to more million Instagram followers. Moreover, he has a pig, two rabbits, two ducks, four chickens, two cats, and a 22-kilogram turkey. His mission didn't begin with the intention of going viral, but rather simply to honour Wolfgang's memory. He wanted something good to come out of the tragedy, so he went to a local animal shelter and adopted the oldest dog there. After that, he started photographing his daily life with his animals.
He also didn't originally intend to inspire others, but that's exactly what happened. Shortly after he started posting, his inbox filled with messages from people who had also adopted senior dogs. His fame led to a book, which teaches kids about valuing what is old instead of looking for the next new thing. He now keeps nine elderly dogs at a time, and when they pass away, he adopts new ones in their honour and in honour of Wolfgang.
Part of Greig's popularity on social media is from his family portraits and his updates of the animals, but the other part is from the unique names he gives his pets. Besides Bikini and Tofu, which he named "because it was funny", his other pets have "elderly" names like Loretta and Wilhelmina. He has a new dog named Edsel after the failed Ford model from 1958. He chose the name "because when it originally came out it was worthless, but now it's a collector's item". His attitude towards Edsel is his attitude towards all of his pets, and it demonstrates his value for life in general.
Greig's touching experience with older animals has helped him value humanity even more. Whether he's helping an overlooked and forgotten aging dog or homeless person, there's a common point: sympathy. "They deserve attention, conversation, and help." he says.
When I talk to kids about writing, I often compare it to the roller coaster to remind them to mix laughs with thrills in writing, because nobody wants to ride a roller coaster that's a long, never-ending and terrifying one. Even Shakespeare, in his darkest tragedies, opens each act with a funny scene before the swords and daggers or poison come out. We need comic relief in literature, a break in the tension.
I have always tried to write stories for kids that mix the heart-racing thrill of a mystery with a few jokes. Maybe this is because, when I was in the fifth and sixth grades, the fun comic magazine was my favorite reading material. Then in high school, was the class clown. When I first moved to New York City, I performed with one of the city's top comedy groups. Comedy, I have discovered, is a great teaching tool. It is also a wonderful defense against fear.
One of my favorite e-mails I've ever received was sent to me in 2009 by a young reader who loved my stories. Here's what he wrote:
Dear Mr. Grabenstein,
I just wanted to let you know that I really, absolutely love your books. I'm in 6th grade and recently finished The Hanging Hill after reading The Crossroads. Your stories mix action,humor and horror together in a perfect combination.
Thanks so much!
Will R.
Comedy is a writer's tool for releasing tension and it also simply makes books more fun to read. I used humor in my middle grade novel The Island of Dr. Libris to make classic literature feel more accessible to young readers. I also think it's why so many reluctant readers-including kids who haven't read a book in years-have been crazy about Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library and Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics. Learning the Dewey Decimal System in maths class can be fun if it is presented in a funny way. Because when we're laughing, we never think we're working too hard.
Two high school students have identified four new planets in distant space about 200-light-years from Earth, making them "the youngest astronomers" to make such a discovery.
Kartik Pingle, 16, and Jasmine Wright, 18, who both attend schools in Massachusetts, participating in the Student Research Mentoring Program (SRMP). Along with the help of Tansu Daylan, an MIT doctor for Astrophysics and Space Research, the students studied and analyzed data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Together they focused on Tess Object of Interest (TOI) 1233, a nearby, bright sun-like star and here they found four planets rotating (旋转) around the star. "We were looking to see changes in light over time," Pingle explained. "The idea is that if the planet transits the star, or passes in front of it, it would periodically cover up the star and decrease its brightness. "
While studying 1233, Pinglé and Wright had at least hoped to find one planet, but were overwhelmed with joy when a total of four were spotted. "I was very excited and very shocked. " Wright said. "We knew this was the goal of Daylan's research, but to actually find a multiplanetary system, and be part of the discovering team, was really cool. "
Three of the newly discovered planets are considered as "sub-Neptunes", which are gaseous (气态的), but smaller to the Neptune that lives in our solar system. While observing the planets, the team determined each one completes their orbit around 1233 every six to 19. 5 days. However, the fourth planet is labeled a "super-Earth" for its large size and rockiness-this one orbits around the star in just under four days.
"We have long been studying planets beyond our solar system and with multi-planetary systems, the two young students are kind of hitting the jackpot. They are really blessed." Daylan said. "The planets originated from the same disk of matter around the same star, but they ended up being different planets with different atmospheres and different climates due to their different orbits. So, we would like to understand the fundamental processes of planet formation and evolution using this planetary system. "
Daylan added that it was a "win-win" to work with Pinglé and Wright on the study. "As a researcher, I really enjoy interacting with young brains that are open to experimentation and learning and have minimal bias." he said. "I also think it is very beneficial to high school students, since they get exposure to cutting-edge research and this prepares them quickly for a research career."
We may "friend" more people on Facebook, but we have fewer real friends-the kind who would help us out in tough times, listen sympathetically no matter what, lend us money, or keep a secret if we shared one.
. He is a Cornell University sociologist who surveyed more than 2,000 adults and found that from 1985 to 2010, the number of truly close friends has dropped even though we're socializing as much as ever. On average, participants listed 2. 03 close friends in his survey. . "These are the people you think of as your real friends, your go-to people if you need something," Brashears said.
Brashears asked people online from a database called TESS-Time-Sharing Experiments for the Social Sciences-to list the names of people with whom they had discussed "important matters" over the previous six months. 48 percent of participants listed one close friend when asked, 28 percent listed two and 19 percent listed more. He reports the results in the journal Social Networks.
Brashears said his survey can't tell us conclusively (确定地), but his guess is that while we meet just as many people as we used to, we sort them differently.
Does that suggest we're more isolated in these times when we seem to meet more people online than in person? Social scientists say Facebook may actually be healthy for us. Keith Hampton from the University of Pennsylvania wrote a report. "Internet, or Facebook users have more close relationships than other people. They get more overall social support than other people. " wrote Hampton in his blog post.
But online contact and personal contact are different. While Hampton reports we know more people because of Face-book, Brashears reports there are fewer whom we choose to trust with our most intimate worries.
A. What's the reason behind them?
B. What's the meaning of the survey?
C. That's the conclusion made by Matthew Brashears.
D. The report reflected issues behind the phenomenon.
E. At the same time, a little more than 4 percent didn't list anyone.
F. Compared with 3 in a previous study, the number was down by one point.
G. And in particular they report more emotional support and companionship.
Sitting in the classroom, I felt confused.
Our teacher pointed at the blackboard and gave us instructions. Looking around, I watched as my classmates 1 their heads and started writing. A wave of 2 washed over me-I couldn't read the board, for I couldn't see clearly. It didn't 3 at primary school because my teachers always read aloud what they were writing. But now, I was expected to read by myself.
Mum took me to a(n)4. I was diagnosed with a terrible sight problem. I was 5 blind.
However, despite all the difficulties, I'd amazingly 6 to reach the age of 13! As a kid living on a farm, I was always falling over objects. I could only 7 the outlines of things and contrasts between different shades. I was given reading 8 but they didn't help much.
9 to let my diagnosis hold me back, I continued doing everything I loved, including milking the cows. Over the years, I've 10 lovely family holidays, but sometimes felt like my families were being too 11 to me. So I was thrilled when I heard about a travel company that takes those who are blind or have poor 12 Aussie adventures without families' company. 13, I booked myself onto a trip to the 14. It was amazing to appreciate places, such as the beach and seaside theme parks, with 15 who were just like me. And the incredible guides were great at 16 us through all the way while making sure we had a fun and 17 time. Since then, I've travelled with them a lot. While we can't see the sights like others, our 18 take us to awesome places. I don't want people to feel sorry for me. I'm so lucky to have a wonderful family and lots of 19.
Life is 20you don't need vision to "see" that.
Shen Kuo(沈括) was a scientist of the Northern Song Dynasty. He was all-round scholar of astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology and medical science. , Shen Kuo's reputation has been mostly in the field of scientific writing: he was the first (build) graphic maps.
Thanks his mother, Shen Kuo received a formal education in his childhood. He was diligent and he read so much that he suffered eye pain later in life. While in his (thirty), Shen Kuo frequently dreamed of a place. In the dream, he climbed a hill, the top of was covered with brightly colored flowers and trees. Clear waters (flow) at the base of the hill, with trees on either side. Later on, when (travel) around, he was shocked to find a piece of land that was (exact) the one in his dream. There he settled and wrote of the discoveries he had made in his lifetime.
This extraordinary story is the origin of Shen's the Dream Rivulet Diary(《梦溪笔谈》) . The Dream Rivulet Diary was a milestone in the history of Chinese science. So far, this amazing scientific work (put) into a number of different languages, including English, French, German and Japanese.
1）对a better self的理解；
2）具体做法。
注意：1）词数80左右；2）可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
I was 8 years old then. I had little need of luggage. But something about my grandma's old leather suitcase, which had been there beneath my bed, appealed to my imagination.
There was an elegance in the chestnut-brown leather of the suitcase. The cracked handle felt firm in my grip and made me feel like I was going to places. But I didn't use the old suitcase before that day.
It was a fall morning in our North Carolina town, and a fine mist dampened the fallen leaves. I was angry. My mother had slighted (冷落) me somehow, though now I have no idea what sparked my anger. I wanted to make her pay. I wanted to give her a taste of what life would be like without me. I decided to run away.
"Goodbye, Mom." I stood outside the kitchen door, suitcase firmly in hand. I was serious.
"Goodbye, Mom," I repeated twice more, cracking open the swinging door with my foot the final time to make sure she'd heard. At last, Mom emerged, wiping her hands on a dish towel. I lifted the suitcase a little just to make sure she didn't miss it.
"I'm leaving home," I said. I'd rehearsed for the expected reaction. The plan was to let her suffer guilt and beg for a minute or two, and then I would agree to stay.
"Did you pack a lunch?" Mom's question knocked me off balance. Where were the tears? The begging? The pleas? "I said I'm leaving," I said. "I'm running away. For Ever!" I drew out the dreaded words, sure they would crack her down.
Instead, she smiled. "Well, would you like me to fix you something? A sandwich? A bag of chips? I just made chocolate chip cookies. "
"I'm really going," I said.
"I can see that."
"Maybe a cookie." I hesitated, "All right, I'm off." As I stepped onto the front walk, fresh-baked chocolate chip tucked in my coat pocket, I looked back at our big yellow house.
Surely, she would follow me. I stared at the front door, waiting for it to fling open. I watched the lace curtains in the living room window for movement. But, no! Not even a flicker of a curtain! My mother didn't care if I ran away. Had she ever loved me at all?
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:
And so I had no choice but to continue.
Paragraph 2:
"Robbie?" My mother's voice drifted out from the darkened living room.
