Henry Max was born in Houston, Texas in 1915. While growing up, he became known as Red Max because his hair was bright red. The color became a trademark for him. He was famous for putting out dangerous oil well fires around the world.
During World War II, Max served on a trained army team that removed and destroyed bombs. After the war, he returned to Houston and Max started his own company. His job was putting out fires in oil wells.
Putting out oil well fires can be difficult. This is because oil well fires are extinguished, or put out, at the wellhead just above ground. Normally, explosives are used to stop the fire from burning. The explosion robs the fire of oxygen. But, once the fire is out, the well still needs to be covered, or capped, to stop the flow of oil. This is the most dangerous part of the process. Any new heat or fire could cause the leaking well and the surrounding area to explode.
In 1988, Max fought what was possibly the world's worst off-shore accident. It was at the Piper Alpha drilling structure in the North Sea. The structure produced oil and gas from 24 wells. 167 local people were killed when the structure exploded after a gas leak. Red Max had to stop the fires and cap the wells. He faced winds blowing more than 120 kilometers an hour, and ocean waves at least 20 meters high.
The Red Max Company capped more than 100 wells. The crews put out about 700 fires, which saved millions of barrels of oil.
The forest was full of shadows as Sylvie hurried through it one summer evening in Dune. The child hurried the cow through the dark forest to her grandmother's home.
Suddenly the air was cut by a sharp whistle not far away. Sylvie knew it wasn't a friendly bird's whistle. She hid in some bushes. But she was too late.
"Hello, little girl," a young man called out cheerfully. "I've lost my way. Can I spend the night at your house?" he asked.
Sylvie didn't answer. The stranger began walking with Sylvie as she followed her cow through the forest. She was glad when she could see her grandmother standing near the farm house. The stranger explained his problem to Sylvie's grandmother.
"Of course you can stay with us." she said. The young man explained he was a scientist, who collected birds.
"Do you put them in a cage?" Sylvie asked.
"No," he answered slowly, "I shoot them and preserve them with special chemicals."
"I've been looking for a white heron (苍鹭),"he said, "It's a very rare white bird."
But Sylvie's heart began to beat fast. She knew that strange white bird! Early the next morning, she quietly hurried through the forest. She finally reached a huge pine tree, and climbed to the top. Sylvie's bare feet and tiny fingers grabbed the tree's rough trunk. Sharp dry branches scratched her like cat's claws.
Suddenly, a bird with broad white wings landed on a pine branch next to her. The white heron smoothed its feathers and called to its mate. She knew the wild bird's secret now.
Were the birds better friends than their hunters? Who can know?
Just a year ago, Sarah fulfilled the dream of owning her own bakery, which was very popular in the local and provided a well-off life for Sarah and her family. But last February all fell apart, after a car accident left Sarah disabled. "I could barely talk or move," she sobbed.
Darkness and depression drowned Sarah, help seemed out of reach； she couldn't afford a psychologist. Even worse, she had no health insurance.
So her doctor suggested a mental-health app which offers free chatbot service. It is described as a "friendly" and "mental" tool, asking the patient some questions, like "How are you feeling?" or "What's bothering you?" After the patient responds to the questions, the computer analyzes the words and phrases in the answers, and then delivers supportive messages which have been prewritten by trained human psychologists.
That is how Sarah found herself on a new frontier of technology and mental health Advances in artificial intelligence are increasingly being looked to as a way to help people who suffer from mild depression or anxiety.
There are, of course, still plenty of doubts about whether machines can read or respond to the human emotions accurately. "Artificial intelligence is still not at a point where they can copy the complexities of human emotions, let alone imitate mental care," a psychology professor in a mental health center said.
However, supporters of chatbot treatment say the approach may also be the only realistic and affordable way. It meets a huge worldwide need for more mental health care at a time when there are simply not enough professionals to help all the people who could benefit.
How Can Teens Volunteer in the Communities?
Encouraging teens to volunteer in the community has lasting rewards, including increased self-confidence and a sense of belonging.
●Community Service
Teens can volunteer at museums, parks and stations. They can also visit the elderly in nursing homes to provide companionship to people who might not have been visited by family or friends in a while. Organizations differ on their standards for teen volunteers.
●Environmental Cleanup
They can just get into their neighborhood and help clean it up. Teens can help beautify their neighborhood by picking up trash, planting flowers or stating a community garden. Teens can also start recycling projects, and encourage their neighbors to participate in efforts to clean up the environment and live a more sustainable lifestyle.
●Tutoring
Teens who want to help in their communities can volunteer by tutoring others. They can participate in peer tutoring at their school, or offer their services at a local library.Language tutoring provided by companies usually charge a great deal for their services, so immigrants of the community will be especially grateful to receive free tutoring.
It also helps teens expand their mind, look good on college and job applications, and find potential career paths.
A. Many communities offer service programs.
B. Teens don't have to join formal organizations.
C. Here are common ways for teens to help the communities.
D. So check with them first to find out different requirements.
E. Volunteering allows teens to have a positive influence on others.
F. They can persuade the immigrants to join in some volunteering activities.
G. Teens can also reach out to immigrants whose first language isn't English.
Nicole Edna walked onto the crowded airplane holding her tiny baby, the kind who cried for the entire flight. She was afraid she would be the least 1 passenger. And that was before her baby got sick and vomited (呕吐) all over her 2 and seat cushion. "I was afraid that they would have to bring the plane back to replace the seat and seat belt, and everyone would 3 me," she later wrote in the social media.
But a simple act of kindness soon 4 her day, and then some. An airline hostess not only helped Edna by holding and 5 her baby but also lent a pair of yoga pants to the 6 mother to change into. Besides, she gave her several packs of tissues to clear up the mess. "I 7 believe that what she has done reflects our great virtue and I wish her all the best in the rest of her life," Edna wrote.
Bitten by the kindness bug, Edna 8 her story and asked others to share their own tales of 9 kindness in the social media. Those appreciations, 10 , inspired others to respond with more personal 11 , as well as with simple notes of support and gratitude. The result is a 12 dialogue for our times, which is a new change from the common idea that our online 13 tend to be ruined by mean and angry voices. In this story, niceness 14 . The power of unexpected kind acts does make a 15 in the world.
Cuba is a warm country its exciting music and dancing.
Only after he discovered his personal interests he his life goal.
The reason the nursery rhyme has become a hit it has a lovely rhythm.
注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Good morning, everyone.
Jack was a hardworking student. By the middle of seventh grade, he was one of the top kids at school. He was attentive in class, did all his homework and felt good about himself. So he hadn't been too concerned when he was about to study in senior high school.
Right before the first day of senior high school, Dad sat him down at the dining table and had a serious talk with him. They talked about college. Specifically, Dad told Jack that college was expensive. College cost more money than a year's rent on their apartment. College cost more money than either Dad or Mom made in a year.
Jack didn't understand why anyone would want to go to college if it cost that much. Dad explained that not everyone paid that much. Some students, as Dad said, who worked very hard and got good grades, paid less or paid nothing at all to go to college. It was called a scholarship. Jack's eyes were wide open when he heard about this. Jack nodded, promising his dad that he would work harder and get a scholarship.
Just then, Mom walked in. "You are scaring him," she said, "Relax, son. Just do your best. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."
Dad shook his head, "That's not enough. He needs to make sure he has options in the future."
"Of course, he will," Mom said, "As long as he tries his best, he'll have a good future."
Even though Jack knew what his mom was trying to say, he still decided that he wanted to give it a try. If he tried his best, if he worked hard enough in senior high school, then he could get into college without having to pay a ton of money. That night, he promised himself that he would try to get a scholarship.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
After high school started, however, things didn't go easily as expected.
……
Seeing the disappointment on his face, Dad and Mom sat him down again.
