The best science books inspire a sense of wonder and make you amazed at the incredible world we live in.Here are four of them to feed your imagination.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
How did it all begin?And how did we get here?Combining history and science,the book offers a comprehensive yet entertaining answer to these questions.Bill Bryson takes the reader on an impressive journey through the greatest scientific discoveries in history.It explains scientific topics in a vivid way,but it's quite a long read.
Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe
How do helicopters work?Or cells?Randall Munroe explains how things work using illustrations and only the most common 1,000 words in English.It will shift your approach to explanation.So,next time explain how something works rather than merely call it by its name.However,additionally providing more technical terms might have enhanced the understanding and learning experience.
Ask an Astronaut by Tim Peake
What does it feel like to fly into space?How do you prepare for it?Astronaut Tim Peake answers all the questions you never knew about going into space.The book gives insights into the cutting-edge science,as well as the day-to- day life on board of the International Space Station.Its question and answer format makes it easy to quickly find answers,but it can become less appealing due to the lack of descriptive language.
Deep Time by Riley Black
Want to know the story of our planet?Riley Black takes us on a journey,in the order of time,through the geological(地质的)events that have shaped our planet.The fascinating high-quality images are supported by easily digestible explanations of key historical moments.It also expands on key concepts in geology,astronomy and biology. Yet,measuring the size of some objects on the photos is difficult due to the lack of a scale bar(比例尺).
An Art Class
When Kelly was twelve, she started taking classes at Miss Grace's School for Art. She didn't like it at first: the "novice artists"-the kids who hadn't really done art before-worked mostly with clay, and Kelly was a terrible sculptor.
It wasn't until her third year that Kelly found something she was really good at-charcoal drawing （素描）. She loved watching the lines spread unevenly across the page as she moved the bits of charcoal back and forth over the paper.
One day, Sophia. the best artist in her class, sat down and set up her easel （画架） next to Kelly. Kelly felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She'd. actually found an art form that she enjoyed-and was good at--and now Sophia was going to outshine her again? Kelly fought back tears when Miss Grace entered the room.
"Hello class, Miss Grace said. "We'll continue to work on the project today. What masterpiece would Sophia have come up with?
Kelly looked at Sophia's easel and she couldn't believe it--it was a mess! For a brief moment, Kelly couldn't actually believe her drawing was better than Sophia's.
But then she looked at Sophia, who was watching Kelly with an anxious expression. "I…. I couldn't decide what to do, " Sophia said. "And you're so good. Sometimes I feel like my stuff is just so bad in comparison.
Kelly looked to see if Sophia was joking, but she seemed completely serious. Now Kelly was shocked. "I'm not talented ... Miss Grace seldom praises me. You're the best one in our class!"
Sophia raised her eyebrows. "I might be a really good copier of the stuff, but I have no idea what to do when it comes to making up my own images. You are so great at making new things out of the old stuff. I've loved your works. "
"I've loved yours, too, Kelly said.
"Well, definitely not this one, " Sophia said.
Kelly smiled. "Maybe not right now. But if you move these lines up. . . "she said, pointing her finger on Sophia's paper.
Sophia was quiet for a moment. "That's a great idea!" she said finally.
Kelly smiled and turned back to her drawing, looking every so often at Sophia's work to see that she was taking her advice, down to the last line.
When it comes to travel, sometimes wandering is one of the most exciting things you can do. In a time when travellers are both more adventurous and eco-conscious than ever, it's no surprise that there's a wealth of new vocabulary to describe how we travel, when we travel and how the experience makes us feel. Here are eight of our favourite travel words that you may not have heard before.
We've kicked off a blog with the staycation, "a holiday in one's own country". The term first became popular in the mid-2000s, when the global financial crisis meant people had less income to spend on flash holidays and instead searched for cheaper local choices. Since 2020, the staycation is experiencing a revival (复兴). Benefits of staycations include cheaper travel costs, no spending hours in the airport and, of course, no need to worry about whether your passport expired (过期) last year.
Once upon a time, if you wanted to meet new people on your travels, you could stay at a hostel or with a host on Airbnb. Now, you can couch surf. And not just in "the staying at various friends' houses until you find a new place to rent" sense: couch surfing is quickly becoming a hot new travel trend. Travellers can now choose to couch surf all across the world via a website which treats travel as a cultural exchange, allowing people to connect with willing hosts and crash on their sofas.
Given that single-use and climate strike were selected as the Collins 2018 and 2019 Words of the Year respectively, it's clear that the climate crisis is very much on everybody's mind. This desire to make more sustainable choices is also affecting the way we spend our vacation days. Ecotourism is another popular travel trend, defined as tourism that is designed to contribute to the protection of the environment. Examples of ecotourism include ditching short-haul flights, staying at eco-friendly resorts, or booking a staycation.
California's Water Resources Control Board recently approved new regulations in a unanimous (一致同意的) vote—toilet or shower wastewater will be recycled and pumped into the public drinking water system.
In 2023, more than 97% of California has been in moderate to severe drought, while water suppliers are struggling to keep up. A 2022 water supply and demand report indicated that around 18% of water suppliers were at risk of facing potential shortages. "The reality is that anyone out there on Mississippi River and on Colorado River, and anyone out there taking drinking water downstream is already drinking ‘toilet to tap'," said Esquivel, a director of the Board.
Early in the 1990s, the state was struggling to overcome the distaste its residents had toward drinking recycled water. Their efforts fizzled out when the phrase "toilet to tap" caught on and met with fierce resistance. The idea became too unpopular to be implemented. Despite the negative name, the regulations are the key to ensuring the supply of drinking water.
California's new regulations would let water agencies to treat wastewater, and then put it back into the drinking water system. It has taken officials more than 10 years to develop these regulations, a process that included several studies by independent groups of scientists. To put the scheme into effect and build huge water recycling plants, however, water agencies say they will need to prove to people that recycled water is not only safe to drink but also under monitoring.
The new regulations require the wastewater be treated for all bacteria and viruses. In fact, the treatment is so intense that it removes all of the minerals that make fresh drinking water taste good. That means the minerals need to be added back at the end of the process. "What we have here are standards, science, and importantly monitoring that allow us to have safe pure water, and probably better in many instances," said Esquivel. He added that it takes time and money to build these treatment centers. So, they will only be available for bigger cities at first.
Even the most positive people have negative thoughts. It's part of being human. But when negative thoughts become the norm, it isn't healthy. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to change your negative thoughts into realistic thinking—seeing yourself, your relationships and world events as they really are.
Monitor your self-talk. We all have an ongoing dialogue running in our head, which affects how we view our life. So, to promote realistic thinking, first you need to find out and listen to that inner voice. Being aware of those inner comments starts to help you take control of them.
Not every negative thought is "bad". For example, "I feel stressed and upset about my job because there are so many new things I am learning, but overtime I'll learn and it'll get easier." has a negative aspect, but it promotes a positive action. Therefore, it's important to make the distinction between helpful thoughts and negative ones.
Challenge your unhelpful thoughts.Continuing with the work example, do you really hate your job or are you just anxious about the new project that you've been assigned?
Now that you're clear which thought is not helpful, you can replace it with one that is. Using the example from above, a more positive thought might be, "Once I get started on the new project I'm sure I'll do fine. It's just the anticipation that I don't like."
Repeat. Realistic thinking doesn't come easy, especially when you are also working on managing anxiety, depression, and other problems.
A. Identify thoughts that aren't helpful.
B. Plant positive thoughts in your mind.
C. Analyse what self-talk is the most beneficial.
D. But because it's constantly running, we often forget it's there.
E. These thoughts can consume your energy or cause physical problems.
F. To be more realistic, you need to question whether your thoughts are factual.
G. You need to continually return to it even when it feels natural to become negative.
The very unusual series of events finished as Sondrup was heading home from an extended work shift. She had just completed her fourth continuous night shift, and 1 was coming over her. Little did she know that July 26, 2023, would become a day unforgettable in her 2 .
While driving home, Sondrup 3 a truck had overturned on State Route 143 near Sky Harbour, with a man 4 inside. Despite her tiredness, she made an inspiration—of-the-moment decision to help.
"It's 5 , but there were so many reasons that led me to that fine moment," recalled Sondrup. "6 , I wouldn't have been there."
Under what she described as a turn of fate (命运), Sondrup 7 , joined by a couple of other individuals who happened to be passing by. With unquestionable timing, no other cars were on the road, allowing her to cross over safely and reach the 8 scene.
Sondrup courageously 9 under the truck to check the injured man. In an act of 10 , she used a bystander's belt as a makeshi ft tourniquet (止血带) to stop the bleeding. Months have passed since that fateful day, and on October 18, the Phoenix Fire Department 11 Sondrup for her life-saving actions.
"I really feel that my guiding 12 led me to that very moment," she told Fox 10Phoenix. "I'm not without imperfections, but I believe that at that 13 moment, I received a guiding premonition (预感)."
The man Sondrup rescued recently reached out to express his 14 for the second chance at life. "I wish him nothing but the best," Sondrup said. "I hope he experiences a new 15 and a future filled with success."
The cheongsam is a female dress with distinctive Chinese features and enjoys growing （popular）in the international world of high fashion. The name "cheongsam" （mean）simply "long dress" entered the English vocabulary from the dialect of China's Guangdong Province. In other parts of the country including Beijing, however, it （know）as "qipao", which has a history behind it.
After the early Manchu（满族的） rulers came to China, the Manchu women wore （normal） a one-piece dress which came to be called "qipao". the 1911 Revolution ended the rule of the Qing Dynasty, the female dress survived the political change and, with later improvements, has become the traditional dress for Chinese women.
The cheongsam neck is high, collar closed, fits well the Chinese female figure, and its sleeves may be short, medium or full （long）, depending on seasons or tastes. In addition, it is not too complicated （make）. Nor it need too much material. Another beauty of the cheongsam is that it can be worn either on casual or formal occasions. In either case, it creates an （impress）of simple and quiet charm, elegance and neatness.
1. 活动目的；
2. 倡议内容：清理活动，保护环境；
3. 活动意义。
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。
A Call for Assistance in Building "the Yellow River Cultural Belt"
Dear fellow students,
Yours faithfully,
The Student Union
Tomato Changed My Life
Doing things-without being planned was never my strength.
As a 14-year-old, I would refuse to go for walks around the block with my friends if I was the least bit behind in my schoolwork.
Unlike most teenagers, I lived not in my room, but in an unused kitchen upstairs where I spread my books and papers on a large round table. I spent considerable time there, working continuously for hours, and my mother worried. She would try to lure（引诱） me away. "Come and watch the parade!" she would call from downstairs. "All neighbors are out there!" She thought of all kinds of tricks-the swimming pool, ice cream, stray cats and turtles-to remove me from my -studies, but nothing ever worked.
Later, in college, the pattern continued. The library and my college dorm replaced the unused kitchen at home. When spring came along friends would stop. by my dorm or peer into my library room to persuade me to play Frisbee on the lawn. "No, I would. almost always say. "I have too much to do. "
My college study days were gone, but not my need and love for schedules. My friends and sisters tried to keep me away from my plans, but they were hardly ever successful.
This summer, though, while house sitting for my parents, I was persuaded to change my plans in the most unexpected way. The sight of tomatoes growing in my mother's garden lured me out of my tightly scheduled world. They drew me with the power of a lover's gaze. Hundreds of them were turning ripe and red by the minute, decorating the garden like decorations on a Christmas tree.
"If I have time, I'll make tomato sauce （番茄酱）. " I told myself. But my long week in the house by myself was already filled with things to do: writing, and finishing a project that I brought home from the office.
Then, watching the fascinating tomatoes continuously falling to the ground in ever-greater numbers, again I mentally argued about all the things I had planned and needed to do.
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。
Finally, I gave in.
A month later, my parents came back.
