Invasive Species Management
Placencia, Belize
Make a difference by removing lion-fish, an invasive species destroying reef ecosystems of the Caribbean. Learn to dive while removing lion-fish. Each week/day will differ but you will be participating in the following areas; Removing Invasive Lion-fish. Whale Shark Observation(if spotted). Biodiversity Identification Dive. Beach Clean-ups.
Marine Research Expedition
Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy
You will join an international crew aboard a sailboat to work for the protection of our seas. And you will learn to collect data, organize and enjoy the sea at its best! Experience the sailing life in one of the world's best spots for Water sports. Gain experience in Marine Research in the field(Under water). Get close up to dolphins and whales in the wild.
Wildlife Supporter
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Volunteer at a Game Reserve that hosts the Big 5 and support the local staff in monitoring the animals. Work up close with the famous Big 5! Join our reserve for orphaned and injured non dangerous animals. Make a difference in the rescue, rehabilitation (康复) and release of wildlife giving them a second chance at being free and wild again.
Climate and Environmentalist Supporter
Hanga Roa, Chile
Be a volunteer on the amazing Easter Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and get involved in climate and nature protection. Responsibilities include: Teamwork in the climate protection program, Collection of plant seeds, Control of seed settlement on the plantation, Conservation of native seeds and plants, Reforestation work.
Taylor grew up on the coast of New South Wales, Australia and swimming in the ocean was part of everyday life. She began spear fishing and worked her way up in her early 20s to become one of very few women who were professional spear fishers and was named the Australian Ladies National Champion.
However, as she spent more time underwater, especially with the sharks, she had a change of heart. "I learned straight away that sharks are nowhere near as dangerous as the media would have us believe. And I learned that they all have different personalities-there's the shy guy, the cross guy, and the aggressive guy; they're all different. " From that point on, she decided, along with her late husband and world spear fishing champion, Ron Taylor, to hang up her spear and to only shoot them with her camera.
As a pioneering shark conservationist, Taylor succeeded in many firsts throughout her life's work. She was the first person to dive with sharks cageless. The first person to test the power of a shark bite; she hand-fed a Great White and petted it. There's nothing she wouldn't do to help correct the false image that sharks are dangerous, man-eating beasts. Her research has become the basis for much of what we know about sharks today and she succeeded in becoming the first person to get Grey Nurse sharks protected in a specific area, the first shark species in the world to receive protected status.
When asked about what could be done to help save the sharks, and the oceans, Taylor said she was quite pessimistic about the whole thing. "Change has to come from the government level. "But she also recommended, "The thing that works the best is to get a good story and then get it on camera. Then go on television and speak to the public. Say it to the mothers, "Wouldn't you like your child…when they're old enough, to be able to see this wonderful, friendly shark?"
You drink diet soda enjoying the sweet taste without the guilt of calories. But scientists have long suspected a link between artificial sweeteners(甜味剂)and obesity in humans. A new study suggests that artificial sweeteners may not be as harmless as once thought. They may not only disturb the microbes(微生物)living in the bodies of humans, but some may even increase the risk of weight gain.
Every human hosts a unique group of microbes. The number of cells that make up this vast community, called microbiome(微生物群), is extremely large in the human body. It not only helps digestion but also protects against diseases. The disturbance to the microbiome occurs because artificial sweeteners, although zero calories for humans, serve as nutrients for some microbes, which then increase rapidly. This causes an imbalance in microbial populations that can lead to diseases.
In the study, scientists first chose 1,375 volunteers to see if they consumed artificial sweeteners in their daily lives. Then, they identified 120 volunteers who were not previously exposed to artificial sweeteners and gave them one of the four commonly used sweeteners—saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, and stevia for two weeks. After that, to test how artificial sweeteners affect the body's ability to control the sudden increase of blood sugar after consuming sugar as part of meals, volunteers were monitored for blood glucose(血糖)levels after a test glucose drink.
The study showed that sucralose and saccharin pushed the body towards glucose intolerance, which, if sustained, can cause weight gain. However, aspartame and stevia did not affect glucose tolerance at the tested levels. "The study is the first to show that the human microbiome responds to artificial sweeteners. It's also a convincing study to show how these sweeteners really are affecting the human body," says Michael Goran, a professor at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
"This study provides evidence of both short-term harmful effects and long-term negative effects caused by artificial sweeteners," David Katz, a nutrition specialist, says. "That does not mean artificial sweeteners should be replaced with sugar. Rather, alternative approaches to reducing sugar intake should be considered. "
The 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony was held at Al Bayt stadium in Qatar on 20 November 2022. What arrested the world and fascinated the audience was the recitation of poems from the Holy Quran by 20-year-old reciter Ghanim AI Muftah, also a FIFA World Cup ambassador.
Ghanim was born on May 5, 2002 with a rare condition known as Caudal Regression Syndrome, causing him to be born without the lower half of the body. However, rather than allowing the condition to spoil his life, he has learned to overcome obstacles with positivity and leadership, and this is what makes him an exceptional and inspiring character.
He is currently pursuing his university degree, majoring in political sciences with a chief goal of becoming a diplomat (外交官). Despite his disability, Ghanim enjoys participating in extreme sports such as scuba diving, skateboarding and rock climbing.
While Ghanim was growing up, he found it difficult to attend school initially because of teasing and bullying from his classmates. Nevertheless, his mom encouraged him to speak to these classmates, teach them about his condition and raise awareness for the community. Ghanim has gone further at embracing his condition, with his infectious smile, perfect self-confidence and humorous personality. He has become a social media sensation - with over three million followers across social platforms, showing to the world how life with a disability can be fulfilling and worthwhile
Ghanim has overcome all kinds of challenges in his life, yet there is still one issue Ghanim must continually deal with—extensive medical treatments and surgery. Despite these routine medical treatments, he sees past these days and knows that with faith, commitment and hard work he will be free to accomplish his ambitions. It is this typical take and stance of life that have earned him the love, respect, and admiration of millions of people across the globe.
Many people think that positive thinking is mostly about keeping one's head in the sand and ignoring daily problems, trying to look optimistic. In reality it has more to do with the way an individual talks to himself. Self-talk is a constant stream of thoughts of a person, who is often unaware and uncertain of some events, phenomena, people, or even the person himself. Meanwhile, positive thinking can help to stop negative self-talks and start to form a positive view on an issue. People who regularly practice positive thinking tend to solve problems more effectively. They are less exposed to stress caused by external factors. They tend to believe in themselves and in what they do.
People who think positively demonstrate increased life spans, lower rates of depression and anxiety, better physical and psychological health, reduced risks of death from heart problems. Positive thinking also contributes to one's ability to deal with problems and hardships. For example, researchers have found that in the case of a crisis accompanied by strong emotions, such as a natural disaster, positive thinking can provide a sort of buffer (缓冲作用), against depression and anxiety. Resilient (适应性强的) people who think positively tend to treat every problem as a challenge, a chance for improvement of any kind, or as an opportunity for personal growth. Pessimists, on the contrary, tend to perceive problems as source of additional stress.
In conclusion, positive thinking is a powerful and effective tool for dealing with hard times and improving the quality of one's life. It doesn't have anything to do with ignorant optimism when an individual refuses to notice a problem.
Thinking in a positive, self-encouraging way brings about many benefits to one's physical and mental health.
A. It doesn't cause any severe emotional discomfort, either.
B. It helps one to remain clear-headed and confident in difficult situations.
C. They often offer a real alternative to the common and regular way of thinking.
D. They often feel discouraged long before trying to solve the problem, even if small.
E. Negative self-talk damages self-confidence and decreases self-respect.
F. Positive thinking has several beneficial effects on the body and the mind.
G. As thinking changes, an individual's behavior and habits change as well.
"Cleverness is a gift while kindness is a choice. Gifts are easy-they're given after all. Choice can be hard. "
I got the idea to 1 Amazon years ago. I 2 the fact that the Internet usage was growing at 2, 300 percent per year. I'd never seen or heard of anything that grew that fast, and the idea of building an 3 bookstore with millions of titles was very 4 to me. I had just turned 30, and I'd been married for a year. I told my wife that I wanted to 5 my job and go to do this crazy thing that probably wouldn't6 since most start-ups don't and I wasn't sure what to 7 . She told me I should 8 the idea. As a young boy, I'd always wanted to be an inventor, and she wanted me to follow my9 .
I was working at a financial firm in New York City with a 10 boss that I admired very much. I went to my boss and 11 with him that I wanted to start a company selling books on the Internet. He took me on a long walk in Central Park, listened 12 to me, and finally said, "That sounds like a really good idea,13 it would be an even better idea for someone who didn't already have a good job. " That logic made some14 to me, and he convinced me to think about it for 48 hours 15 making a final decision. Seen in that light, it really was a difficult16 , but finally, I decided I had to give it a shot. I didn't think I'd regret17 and failing. And I suspected I would always be haunted by a decision to not try at all.
After much18 , I took the less19 path to follow my dream, and I'm20 of that choice. For all of us, in the end, we are our choices.
The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical film. It's warm and wonderful movie that has "timeless" effect. The film(base) on the Broadway musical The Sound of Music, with songs written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The film is about a young woman who leaves an Austrian convent (女修道院) (become) a teacher of the seven children of a captain. Maria is a sweet young woman love of freedom makes it obvious to her superiors (上司) she is not suited for religious life. Thus, she is sent off to be the teacher to Captain Georg Von Trapp's seven troublesome children. (arrive) at his home, Maria discovers that Captain Georg Von Trapp keeps it strict order, uses a whistle to arrange his children, issues orders, and dresses his children in sailor-suit uniforms. Although at first the seven children are not (friend) to her, Maria becomes friends with the children due to their love of music. She (teach) them how to sing and allows them to play.
Soon, even the strict Captain begins to admire Maria. At last, the Captain and Maria fall in love and get married. (fortune), when the Nazis invade their homeland, Austria, the whole family is forced to flee over the Alps (阿尔卑斯山) to escape.
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Ten foreigners received China Reform Friendship Medals in December 18, 2018 for their outstanding contributions to our country reform and opening-up over the past 40 years. They are given the medals at a grand gathering in Beijing celebrating the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up.
Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, praised of the medal winners as "old friends of the Chinese people" while read a statement from the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.
Wang said the 10 foreigners significant helped promote exchanges and cooperation among China and the rest of the world but were deeply involved in China's reform and opening-up process.
"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame(责备)somebody else. "
—J. Burroughs
内容包括：
1. 你对该名言的理解;
2. 生活中的例子;
3. 你的感悟。
注意：
1. 词数80左右;
2. 请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Classmates,
……
Thank you for your listening!
