The Mysterious World of Deep-Sea Creatures
The deep sea remains one of the least explored and understood environments on our planet. Lying below the sunlit upper layers of the ocean, the deep sea is a region of permanent darkness, freezing temperatures, and massive pressure. Yet, life thrives (茁壮成长) here in some of the most astonishing ways.
* The Black Dragonfish *
Residing at dephs of up to 2,000 meters, the black dragonfish is a predator (捕食者) with a thin and long body and sharp teeth. What makes it unique is its ability to produce its own light, a phenomenon known as bioluminescence. This helps it attract prey（猎物） and communicate with potential mates.
* The Giant Squid *
Long a stuff of legends and tales, the giant squid, which occasionally attacks whales, can reach lengths of up to 43 feet. Its massive eyes, the size of dinner plates, allow it to detect weak light in the deep dark waters. Encounters with this enormous creature are rare, and much of its life remains unknown.
* Tube Worms at Hydrothermal Vents *
In the depths of the ocean, hydrothermal vents (热液喷口) shoot superheated water packed with minerals. Around these vents, communities of tube worms thrive, reaching lengths of up to 2 meters. They possess no mouth or digestive system; instead, bacteria inside them process the minerals from the vents to produce energy.
Modern technology has enabled humans to explore deeper into the ocean than ever before. Using remotely operated vehicles and deep-sea submersibles (潜水器), scientists can now study these creatures in their natural habitats, uncovering secrets that could hold the key to understanding life's adaptability.
As a teenager in the 1990s, Melissa Blake was interested in fashion. Unfortunately, fashion wasn't much interested in her. Blake, who has a genetic bone and muscle disorder and stands a little under 4 feet tall, couldn't find jeans or dresses in her size. Paging through magazines, she didn't see a single person like her. "That would have been a game changer for me," says Blake, who had 26 surgeries before age 17 to treat her Freeman-Sheldon syndrome.
So far, Blake, 39, has spent her adult life trying to make up for that. She is a disability-rights activist as well as a freelance (自由职业的) writer whose works have appeared in The New York Times and Clamour, but she gained a national following in 2019 after clapping back at people who made ugly comments about her online.
Blake posted a new selfie (自拍)every day. "Some selfies were serious, like the ones where I talked about disabilities or, how I was feeling on not-so-good days. Some were fun and silly, but each was a celebration, and each carried a message. However, some people said that I should be banned from posting photos of myself because I'm too ugly. I feel like every time I post a selfie or share something about my life as a disabled woman, it is a representation to fight that," Blake told WBUR.
Her fans went wild, calling Blake a goddess and a powerful woman. Among her fans is Mindy Scheier, the founder and CEO of Runway of Dreams, which displays fashion for people with disabilities. Last fall, Scheier asked Blake to be one of the event's 24 models because of her support of the welfare of the disabled.
"It was a little scary," Blake says of modeling. But she's glad she took the challenge. "When disabled people are included, it sends a message that we should get a seat at the table in all aspects of life."
Reading with a child is a hugely important developmental activity as it helps youngsters learn new words, broadens their knowledge and provides time to bond with loved ones. So scientists wanted to see if parents and children acted differently when they read books together using traditional media compared with electronic device (电子设备).
To find out, the researchers carried out a study on 37 pairs of parents and healthy children between two and three years old. They asked them to read from three different types of media: electronic books with sound effects or animation; a basic electronic book; and a print book.
Researchers found parents and children spoke more when interacting with a paper book rather than a story on an electronic tablet (平板电脑). What's more, parents used richer language when using print books compared with tablets. But parents were less responsive and children were less engaged with their parents when reading e-books, Munzer said. Dr Tiffany Munzer, coauthor of the study, told Newsweek: "One of the must surprising aspects is that these findings held true even when parents and children read tablet books with few distracting factors, suggesting it might be the actual tablet device that's contributing to less conversation between parents and children."
So should parents give up tablets when reading with their children, or is some reading better than none, regardless of the device?
"That isn't to say there is no benefit to electronic book reading compared with doing nothing, just less compared with print books. Print books are just better for improving rich language from parents and more conversation between parents and children." Munzer said that parents always know their children best. "So they should feel free to adjust the reading experience to what they know their children are interested in, even comics and magazines count as reading."
My granddad often helped me make a tool to catch fish when I was young and we would spend hours along a river. It was lovely for both of us then. Many more of today's grandparents have a growing sense of adventure. And a trend is catching on: skip-gen（跨代）travel — grandparents taking fun-filled vacations with grand kids without their parents along.
A survey found that 83% of grandparents put travel with their grand kids as the number one thing when they retire. Skip-gen travel gets popular for good reason. Kids have their lives enriched and learn outside classrooms. This is also a time of talking and sharing ideas.
"How grandparents talk to children is different from how parents talk to them. Actually, I feel on a more equal footing with my grandchildren than I do with my own children," Annie Collins, a travel architect and also part of the trend, says. "Kids away from their parents are more open to ideas and willing to express themselves. It's not just kids gaining from traveling. Who gets the most out of this? You might think it's them but it's us." According to a study by the Cleveland Clinic, grandparents who help watch and spend time with grand kids may actually live longer than their peers（同龄人）.
It's also important to recognize that grandparents often have more time to travel. Unlike their children, who may still be in the pursuit of a personal career that offers limited time off, grandparents are often retired and likely have a different viewpoint on life, prioritizing experiences and family. So knowing the kids are in great hands, moms and dads will have a bit of time to themselves — some much-needed leisure time alone to rest and recharge their batteries.
However, skip-gen travel is not for every grandparent. After all, grandparents are worn out with years and not so energetic. They surely treasure the chance to form close ties with their grandchildren, but it's wiser to say no when only the youth could enjoy themselves, for the travel should be a win for everyone involved.
Having good communication skills is important. They can help you with presentations in class, during job interviews, when handling arguments, and in a variety of other situations.
Make eye contact. Whether you are speaking or listening, looking into the eyes of the person with whom you are conversing can make the interaction more successful. One technique to help with this is to consciously look into one of the listener's eyes and then move to the other eye. Going back and forth between the two makes your eyes appear to sparkle. It is a line across the eye brows and the vertical (垂直的) line comes down the center of the nose. Keep your eyes scanning that zone.
Be aware of what your body is saying. Body language can say so much more than a mouthful of words. An open opinion with arms relaxed at your sides tells anyone around you that you are approachable and open to hearing what they have to say. Often, communication can be stopped before it starts by body language that tells people you don't want to talk.
Not only should one be able to speak effectively, one must listen to the other person's words and engage in communication on what the other person is speaking about. Avoid the impulse to listen only for the end of their sentence so that you can blurt out the ideas or memories in your mind while the other person is speaking.
Slow your speech down. People will perceive you as nervous and unsure of yourself if you talk fast. Practice this and, after a period of time, your speed will begin to lower. However, be careful not to slow down to the point where people begin to finish your sentences just to help you finish.
A. Develop effective listening skills.
B. Form the habit of speaking effectively
C. Begin doing exercises to lower your speech.
D. Here's what you can do to change the situation.
E. Fortunately, there are some ways to improve your skills.
F. However, crossed ones suggest disinterest in conversation.
G. Another trick is to imagine a letter "T" on the listener's face.
When I was a teenager, I was invited to a formal dance party. I was 1 , but also nervous about what to wear. Mom suggested I wear high heels (高跟鞋).
"Mom, I don't know if I can wear these," I said, feeling 2 . "Don't worry, sweetie. Just take small 3 and keep your weight centered," she suggested.
As I arrived at the party, I tried to be 4 and act like everything was fine. But 5 struck when I stepped onto the dance floor. I 6 my own feet, falling to the ground in front of everyone.
I quickly got up and laughed it off, pretending like it was 7 . But deep down, I felt like a tomato, wanting to 8 .
My friend Lilly helped me 9 that incident and managed me another high heels as a support so that nobody would understand my hesitation. But a little bit 10 continued in my mind.
When I returned home, I told Mom I felt like a complete 11 at the party. "It's okay. You tried something new, and it didn't go as 12 . But that's how we learn and grow. Don't be too 13 on yourself and wear what you feel 14 in, " Mom said, giving me a hug.
From that day forward, I stuck to flat shoes. I learned to 15 my true self and not worry about what others thought.
It'd be hard to look at pictures of Fenghuang Ancient Town without feeling drawn to the place. Lying in the southwest of Hunan province, the scenic town (regard) as one of China's most attractive places.
Fenghuang Ancient Town is exceptionally well-preserved ancient town and it features unique ethnic（民族的）languages, customs, arts and many (impress) architectural remains of Ming and Qing styles. The careful (select) of the town site, layout (布局) planning and construction have made wonderful use of the mountain landscape and the water flow (create) a harmonious relationship between human residence and nature. Over 200 ancient residential buildings, some 20 large or small streets and ancient town gate towers are well preserved there. They have given a full display of the intelligence and wisdom of those ancient (architect).
Another elementmakes Fenghuang unique is its ethnic makeup. Many local residents, both historically and in the present, belong to either the Miao or, Tujia minority. As such, the local architecture, like the typical stilt houses (吊脚楼）(be) unique within China.
Fenghuang Ancient Town has also received modern additions. Every night, the town's buildings are(beautiful) lit it up, with tourists wandering through the streets fun.
1. 活动介绍；
2. 观看时间、方式；
3. 你的期待。
Mitzvah is a word my grandmother often said to me since my childhood. It's a Hebrew word that means "to do a good deed". But according to my grandmother, it also had another meaning. This was the one she was always pointing out to me because she'd noticed how shy I was about letting people do things for me. "Linda, it's a blessing to do a mitzvah for someone else, but sometimes it's a blessing to let another person do something for you."I never really understood what she meant until recently.
It was three months ago, and I'd just moved into an apartment for college in Brooklyn, New York. Several of my friends had offered to help me settle in after the moving men left, but I'd said I could manage. Letting them help did not fit my image of myself as a capable and independent woman of 21.
As December arrived, getting to school became more difficult. One day, snowflakes had been falling past my window for several hours when it came time to leave for class. I put on two sweaters, a coat, a wool hat and boots, making for the bus stop. In this December storm it was a hard journey. As I tied around my neck the blue scarf that Grandma had knitted (编织) for me, I could almost hear her voice: "Why don't you see if you can find a lift?" A thousand reasons came into my mind: I don't know my neighbours; I feel funny asking for favours. Pride(自尊心) would not let me ask even though I came across three neighbours at the door of the apartment building. One of them was the woman living upstairs, and in her hand there was an obvious car key.
Result? An hour of waiting in the bitter cold before the bus finally arrived, followed by another half-hour journey. When I sneaked into the classroom, the class was almost over. If only I had taken the chance and asked for help! It would have been a 10-minute ride by car. Grandma would be shaking her head at my stubbornness (固执).
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按照如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
On the day of my final exam, I again walked to the bus stop through heavy snow.
As I pushed open the door of my apartment building, I found myself face to face with the woman from upstairs.
