Plogging
Plogging is a new way to jog while cleaning up the planet. It's a craze that began in Sweden in 2016 and the motivation behind it includes reducing the load of plastic litter in our environment, as well as keeping fit while running. 1.If you love outdoor exercise, enjoy exercising with others, and care about removing litter from our environment, then this might just be the sport for you.
Make good preparations before plogging. Dress suitably for the environment in which you are running. This will vary depending on the weather and surroundings, but the basics are comfortable running clothes and closed-toe running shoes. Suitable gloves are a wise and useful addition, as picking up litter can be dangerous in some situations. 2.This might be a standard trash bag, easy to carry and capable of containing litter that might have sharp edges.
Organize your plogging group. If you're lucky enough to have ploggers already in your area, seek them out. Join up and make new friends with a shared interest. Check out such meeting groups at Meetup or ask at a local sports store to find out what opportunities exist where you live. If you don't have a group, create one. Use social media, notices on bulletin boards, or place signs in the windows of sports stores to find fellow ploggers. 3.
Collect safely. One key suggestion for staying safe while collecting litter is to avoid picking up broken glass or sharp items. If you must collect such an item, only do so when you can find a very safe way to collect it without harming yourself. If in doubt, leave it and get better equipment to remove it. 4.If an item of litter presents a potential safety risk, try to mark the item clearly to encourage people to avoid it.
5. It is a way of combining individual achievement via exercise with community and environmental care. You're part of the growing movement of people who are giving back to the world at the same time as honoring self care, a sustainable and healthy way to balance your life. This could be a fantastic opportunity to show people that individual action makes a big difference.
A. Taking some photos during the process is also necessary.
B. You can also ask for assistance from the local authorities.
C. Usually performed as part of a group run, it's also a social exercise.
D. You also need to find a suitable carry bag for collecting the litter in.
E. Plogging is a great way to feel motivated as it has more than one benefit.
F. If you find a natural area with litter problem, this might be a suitable place.
G. With some advertising effort, you are likely to connect with a few interested people.
According to a new study， teens focus on rewards and have a hard time learning to avoid punishment or consider the consequences of alternative actions.
University College London researchers compared how teens and adults learn to make choices based on the available information. They tracked the way in which 18 volunteers aged 12-17 and 20 volunteers aged 18-32 completed tasks in which they had to choose between abstract symbols.
Each symbol was consistently associated with a fixed chance of a reward, punishment, or no outcome. As the trial progressed ， participants learned which symbols were likely to lead to each outcome and adjusted their choices accordingly. Teens and adults were equally good at learning to choose symbols associated with reward， but teens were less good at avoiding symbols associated with punishment. Adults also performed significantly better when they were told what would have happened if they had chosen the other symbol after each choice， while teens did not appear to take this information into account.
“From this experimental lab study we can draw conclusions about learning during the teen years. We find that teens and adults learn in different ways， something that might be relevant to education," said lead author Dr. Stefano Palminteri. " Unlike adults, teens are not so good at learning to adjust their choices to avoid punishment. This suggests that incentive systems based on reward rather than punishment may be more effective for this age group. Additionally, we found that teens did not learn from being shown what would have happened if they made alternative choices."
To interpret the results, the researchers developed computational models of learning and ran simulations （模拟）applying them to the results of the study. The first was a simple model, one that learned from rewards, and the second model added to this by also learning from the option that was not chosen. The third model was the most complete and took the full context into account, with equal weight given to punishment avoidance and reward seeking. For example, obtaining no outcome rather than losing a point is weighted equally to gaining a point rather than having no outcome.
Comparing the experimental data to the models, the team found that teens" behavior followed the simple reward-based model while adults" behavior matched the complete, contextual model. “Our study suggests that teens are more receptive to rewards than they are to punishments of equal value, ” said senior author Dr. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore. “As a result, it may be useful for parents and teachers to frame things in more positive terms.”
1.It can be learned from the study that .
A.adults made choices faster than teens
B.adults understood rewards better than teens
C.teens reacted better to reward than punishment
D.teens were aware of the outcome of each choice
2.What do we know about the three computational models?
A.They reflected people’s strong desire for punishment avoidance.
B.They gave circumstances different degrees of consideration.
C.They paid equal attention to reward and punishment.
D.They shaped the behavior of people at different ages.
3.The underlined word “receptive" in the last paragraph probably means .
A.accustomed B.opposed
C.sympathetic D.responsive
4.According to the writer, which of the following statements works best for teens?
A.“If you insist on doing things in this way， you will lose ten points. "
B.“If we had talked about this earlier， you wouldn’t have made the mistake. "
C.“ If you hand in your assignment ahead of time， you will get an extra bonus."
D.“If you want to approach a problem differently ， you can talk to your parents. "
What is the most meaningless thing every Texan will do at the same time this weekend?
You guessed it. We will “fall back” when our clocks are set backward one hour in observance of daylight saving time.
This strange practice has an interesting history. In 1784, Benjamin Franklin published a critical essay in a French newspaper suggesting that Parisians could save $200 million through “the economy of using sunshine instead of candles”. Therefore ， many people owe the origin of the idea of daylight saving time to our Founding Father's writings. In the United States, the clock-changing practice began just over 100 years ago, in 1918, when Congress decided to control time by passing the Standard Time Act to save energy and create time zones. Back then, coal was our top energy source and ensuring that Americans had more daylight working hours made sense.
In 2008, the U. S. Department of Energy assessed the effect of observing daylight saving time on national energy consumption. It found that resetting our clocks amounts to a reduction in our total energy consumption of 0. 02%. The study also determined that sticking with one time could actually save about 0.5% of electricity per day nationwide. Apart from this, the risk of heart attack increases 10% in the days following springing forward, most likely caused by the interruption of biological rhythms. Studies also indicate we are more likely to get sick, we are less productive, and frankly we are just exhausted directly following the time change.
It is hard to explain why we still change our clocks. Perhaps it is due to special interests. Congress passed the Energy Act of 2005, which extended the length of daylight saving time an extra week in the fall, in large part due to an effort by candy producers to allow for an additional daylight hour on the night of Halloween for trick -or - treating.
This May, we sought to end this ancient practice. It would have allowed Texans to vote whether to stay on standard time year-round or daylight saving time year-round. Our proposal passed the House （众议院）133-9. Sadly, once the bill reached the Senate （参议院）,it was never referred to a committee. The proposal died in the Senate without even a word spoken about it on the floor.
I'm moving forward with plans to file the legislation （ 立 法） again in 2021. I urge you to contact your state legislators to move this legislation forward so that this weekend will be one of the last times we have to “fall back.”
1.The possible origin of the idea of daylight saving time is .
A.the ancient legal act B.the influence of other countries
C.the need for time zones D.the advice from a famous politician
2.What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about?
A.The reasons for health problems. B.The downsides of setting clocks back.
C.The changes in energy consumption. D.The solutions to electricity shortages.
3.It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that .
A.daylight saving time will last for another two years
B.the author will continue what he has been doing
C.Texans voted for standard time year-round
D.state legislators are for the proposal
4.The passage aims to .
A.analyze the practice of daylight saving time
B.explain the consequences of daylight saving time
C.convince people of the necessity of daylight saving time
D.persuade people to make efforts to stop daylight saving time
Jeremy Locke, who owns a roofing and construction company in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, had always been wanting to repair the roof of Jeanette MacDonald's home. Whenever he drove past the woman's home, he assumed that the roof was under repair because the job had already been taken on by another group of repairmen—but as the weeks wore on, the roof continued to worsen without any signs of repair.
“ I had it in my mind that if no one steps up to help this lady in our community, I’d be more than happy to,” Locke told CBC.
When Locke finally reached out to MacDonald about fixing her roof for free, however, she politely declined his offer because she did not like to accept charity. That being said, she had already applied for a government grant （补助金） to fix the roof and she said she was more than happy to hire Locke once her grant application was approved.
Unfortunately, MacDonald never received the approval.
As the stubborn （固执的） Canadian senior refused to accept any assistance from Locke, the sympathetic construction worker played an innocent trick in order to get her to accept his help. He invited MacDonald to enter a raffle （抽奖活动）that his business was holding for a free roof. After the grandmother — of — four accepted one of the raffle tickets, Locke told her that she was the winner—because she was the only one who had entered the raffle.
Thanks to his sweet little plan, Locke and his crew are starting work on the roof this week, which is expected to cost his company about $9, 000.
MacDonald, meanwhile, told CBC that she doesn't know how to express her gratitude to Locke, saying that he is her “guardian angel”.
"There's nobody out there like him," she added.
1.What did Locke desire to do for MacDonald?
A.Repair her roof. B.Find a repairman.
C.Run a charity. D.Raise money.
2.Why did MacDonald refuse Locke's offer initially?
A.She didn't trust him. B.She had won a raffle.
C.She didn't like free help. D.She had got an official grant.
3.How did Locke finally make MacDonald change her mind?
A.He persuaded her to give up her application.
B.He invited her to enter his business.
C.He gave her about $9, 000.
D.He told her a white lie.
4.Which of the following words best describe Locke?
A.Stubborn and tricky. B.Wealthy and innocent.
C.Determined and warm-hearted. D.Different and ambitious.
Most Helpful Apps for Students
There's almost an app for everything nowadays, and this can make student life easier, cheaper, safer and more fun. Whether you want help with taking notes, revising, waking up on time or keeping fit， read on for our student app picks．
Lecture recording apps
Just a few years ago, students attending lectures would have to spend the entire time writing wildly on notepads, in order not to miss any vital bit of information. Then along came technology, and now， lecture recording apps are a reality.
Sound Note is a popular lecture recording app for iPad users. You can store an entire lecture in both visual and audio form. Other good quality lecture recording apps include Notes Plus and Audio Memos Free—The Voice Recorder.
Student planner apps
Organization is key for success and well-being at university, and student planner apps are becoming increasingly popular. As well as saving on paper, many student planner apps also send reminders and warnings straight to your phone or device. Popular student planner apps include Timetable, My Class Schedule and Class Timetable.
Student safety apps
A number of apps for students have been developed promoting personal safety if out alone at night. The Circle of Six app is particularly useful for locating lost friends on nights out and also allows users to send their circle of six friends an instant call for help at the touch of a button. The GPS tracker will mark your location on your friends" devices, ensuring you'll always be able to find one another if necessary. Other student apps that promote safety include bSafe and React Mobile.
Healthy eating apps
If you're interested in eating healthily while keeping to a student budget, consider downloading a few healthy eating apps. Examples I've come across which are perfect apps for students include Rockin Ramen， a student app featuring a number of nutritious recipes with Ramen as a main ingredient, and MealBoard, an app which plans healthy meals, grocery shops and recipes based on what you've got in the fridge.
1.Which apps send reminders to users?
A.Student planner apps. B.Lecture recording apps.
C.Student safety apps. D.Healthy eating apps.
2.What can we learn about the Circle of Six app?
A.It allows users to seek help during an emergency.
B.It encourages users to communicate with friends.
C.It enables users to store an entire lecture.
D.It helps users to lead a healthy life.
3.The main purpose of the passage is to .
A.categorize apps B.introduce apps
C.evaluate apps D.compare apps
Pam Bales， an experienced hiker， stepped onto snow-covered Jewell Trail. The hike up the lower part of Jewell was _______. But less than an hour later， the weather was showing its teeth. Bales began to think about calling it a day. Then she noticed something: a single set of _______ in the snow ahead of her. She'd been_______unclear tracks all day and hadn't given them much _______， because so many people climb Jewell Trail. But these， as a volunteer of the Valley Search and Rescue Team， she _______， had been made by a pair of sneakers， which was surely not for this kind of trail. Strong wind screamed， and_______was just hours away. If Bales continued to follow the tracks， she'd add_______to the journey. But the tracks ahead meant someone might be in _____________She could not let this go. She silently scolded the absent hiker for _______ normal safety rules and struggled to walk carefully in the direction of the __________ .
After about tracks to 30 yards， she rounded a corner and saw a man sitting motionless. He wore tennis sneakers and a light jacket. She checked him for any sign of ____________ . There was none. Bales had been trained in search and rescue and knew that he was hypothermic （ 体温过低的 ） and would ________soon if he didn't get out of there. The man said he had lost his way and was extremely________ . Bales brought a pair of soft-shell pants， a winter hat， and a jacket from her pack. She helped the man ________ the warm， dry layers onto his body and offered him some hot cocoa.________he stood. She offered continuous encouragement—“ Keep going! You're doing great." Just before 6 p. m.， they arrived at the trailhead very________ . Her climb up to the spot where she____________ the man had taken about four hours. Two hours had passed since then.
A week later， the president of Bales' rescue group received a letter in the mail. It read： “ On Sunday October! 17， 1 went up my trail， Jewell. ________ was to be bad. But without thinking too much I was dressed to go quickly. Next thing I knew this lady was talking to me， changing my clothes， making me warmer. She just kept________me. Finally， I learned her name was Pam. The entire time she treated me with compassion （同情心），confidence， and one hundred percent commitment..."
In the nine years since she saved John， Bales has become something of a hiking legend （传奇人物）. It's a（ n） __________ she never sought or wanted， but one she certainly has earned.
1.A.long B.boring C.pleasant D.unforgettable
2.A.clothes B.tools C.gloves D.footprints
3.A.recording B.following C.covering D.leaving
4.A.response B.expectation C.thought D.hope
5.A.realized B.suggested C.admitted D.remembered
6.A.success B.darkness C.freedom D.disaster
7.A.information B.interest C.risk D.pain
8.A.trouble B.control C.doubt D.touch
9.A.knowing B.making C.judging D.breaking
10.A.wind B.tracks C.sound D.hikers
11.A.power B.life C.injury D.loss
12.A.recover B.escape C.wake D.die
13.A.cold B.starving C.sleepy D.concerned
14.A.pick B.pull C.bring D.carry
15.A.Unwillingly B.Nervously C.Immediately D.Slowly
16.A.tired B.stressed C.upset D.scared
17.A.treated B.observed C.located D.protected
18.A.Chance B.Sight C.Health D.Weather
19.A.praising B.encouraging C.excusing D.instructing
20.A.title B.fortune C.opportunity D.option
