As Wilson Guarin watched the helicopter roaring above, he wondered if the men being lifted into the sky felt the risk had been worth it.
Moments earlier, Guarin and his children had hiked to Hermit Falls in Angeles National Forest, one of the most popular waterfalls in the Los Angeles area. Soon after they arrived, they saw a man dislocate his shoulder when he jumped into the rock pool at the base of Hermit Falls. Less than a minute later, another man jumped and appeared to break both his legs. Guarin said the cliff jumpers' intentions were obvious. They wanted to get a video of themselves and post it to social media.
A thirst among hikers, often inexperienced and under-prepared, to collect "likes" and shares on Instagram and other social media sites has led to a significant increase in rescue missions by first responders.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff' s Department's Search and Rescue teams conducted 681 missions in 2017, the largest number in five years. It' s a 38% increase from the 491 rescues they did in 2013.
The teams' leaders say the single largest factor for that increase is people posting videos of extreme activities online. Then, without any thought about the difficulty, others try to recreate their own 15-second version of glory.
On Instagram, posts from visitors venturing to waterfalls and swimming holes in Angeles National Forest and other recreation areas show hikers changed into models, striking seemingly the same poses in the same places.
We shouldn't discourage people from enjoying the outdoors. But many accidents are avoidable and happen either when people go off trail or ignore official warnings about an area being closed and visit anyway.
Guarin still thinks about the two men he watched hitching helicopter rides to a hospital. "You get concerned about what people are willing to do - to not have fun. It's risking everything for no reason. "
Well, there are the "likes".
1.What happened to the two jumpers'?
A.They both got badly injured.
B.They were trapped in a rock pool.
C.They were rescued by the Guarins.
D.They were caught in an air crash.
2.What is the main reason for the increase in the number of rescues?
A.Hikers are inexperienced and under-prepared.
B.Helicopters are readily available in more areas.
C.Travelers go off trail or ignore official warnings.
D.More people share their extreme activities online.
3.What do the figures imply in paragraph 4?
A.More social rescues are timely and effective.
B.More attention is paid from the social media.
C.More people raise the awareness of self-defense.
D.More public resources are obviously being occupied.
4.What does Guarin think of the jumpers' action?
A.It is not a wise thing to do.
B.It is their own version of glory
C.Watching it online is a lot of fun.
D.Getting "likes" makes it worthwhile.
Faced with greater competition, movie theaters have tried multiple experiments to upgrade the cinematic experience, including bigger and brighter screens and rumbling(折叠) seats. But a major challenge for exhibitors is to make the experience more attractive without depending on tricks.
One local theater, Regal L. A. Live, is experimenting with an idea that managers say strikes the right balance between so-called increase and sensory overload. The downtown L. A. theater plans to introduce Immersive Cinema Experience known as ICE technology in one of its auditoriums(礼堂) this fall.
The 190-seat auditorium will feature a traditional screen at the front, 1ike any other theater. But the audience will also have five LED screens on both sides that will flood moviegoers' peripheral (周围的 ) vision with lights and colors based on what's playing on the main screen. For example, if you're watching a scene that takes place in the African desert, the LED might shower the audience with enveloping colors of sky-blue, sun-like yellow sand. But importantly, viewers won't have to turn their necks to catch any additional onscreen action. "When you' re watching the movie, you actually feel very absorbed into the film," said Shelby Russell, a manager at L. A. Live. "It strengthens the mood of each of the scenes."
Regal L. A. Live will be the first U. S. theater to employ the technology. Managers did not say how much tickets will cost, but like other previous formats such as Imax, they will be more expensive than standard admissions.
Other cinemas have tried to introduce some other formats as theaters face growing threats from popular media. Results have been mixed, though. 4DX, which uses seat movements, water and scent effects, operates in more than 620 theaters around the world. On the other hand, Barcoo Escape, a once promising idea for a three-screen theatrical design, failed to catch on. Shelby said the success of ICE theaters in France, where it competes with Imax, indicates well for its U. S. expansion. "The problem with other formats is that they distract the moviegoer from the film," Shelby said. "ICE appeals to a very large audience."
1.What leads cinemas to experiment with new technology?
A.Expensive admissions
B.Growing competition
C.Mixed results of previous formats
D.The increasing number of moviegoers
2.What does ICE use to upgrade cinematic experience?
A.Brighter colors
B.Rumbling seats
C.Multiple screens
D.Sweet-scented effects
3.How do audience feel when watching films in an ICE cinema?
A.Absorbed into the movie
B.Distracted from the screens
C.Overloaded with excitement
D.Tired from turning their necks
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.Imax failed to catch on in France.
B.ICE looks promising in the U.S.
C.Barcoo Escape is a popular design.
D.The use of 4DX is on the decline.
Growing up in an Italian-American household was, for me, pretty special. My mother, Gina, an immigrant from Italy, held on to so many of her family's traditions that at times, regardless of the fact that I was living in American, our home felt like in Italy.
To this day, my mother only speaks to me in Italian. She may speak in some English terms and expressions from time to time, but our conversations are, for the most part, in her mother tongue. And most of those conversations are about food. For us, food —Italian food is an important part of our lives. The food my mother prepared for me and my sister as children is the same food my grandmother created in her small farm kitchen high up in the mountains.
One of my family's dishes of heritage I made sure to learn and perfect is my mother's arancini di riso (Italian rice balls). Arancini, in Italian, means little oranges. After you roll some leftover rice into a small ball, place a piece of mozzarella (马苏里拉奶酪 ) in the center, then bread that and fry it, the golden outside resembles one of our favorite fruits. For my family, it also showcased my mother' s ability to always find a delicious way to never let anything go to waste: Last night's good rice was repurposed into this perfect mid-day snack or dinner appetizer.
So, when I take a perfect little arancini out of the hot oil and crack it open, I am immediately transported back to my childhood: I am a little girl getting off the bus and running through the back door to the smell of last night's rice transformed into sticky, delicate goodness. This small snack symbolizes so many important elements in my life: my mother' s waste-not philosophy, her ability to take a few simple ingredients and transform them, and finally, the way she carried her mother' s recipes to the U. S. in her mind and heart so she could, years later, teach me about my heritage through food.
Eating arancini, and all the other recipes my mother continued to make here in the U. S. after leaving Italy, allowed her to teach me who I am, where I come from, and why I should be proud of it all.
1.What makes the author's home feel like in Italy?
A.Fruit and snacks.
B.Neighbors and friends.
C.Names and holidays.
D.Food and language.
2.Why does the author make sure to learn and perfect arancini di riso?
A.It saves valuable food from going to waste.
B.It reminds the author of her days at school.
C.It plays a major role in continuing family tradition.
D.It showcases the cooking skills of the author's mother.
3.What does the underlined word "goodness" in paragraph 4 refer to?
A.Arancini di riso.
B.Mother' s kindness.
C.The Italian language.
D.Amazing cooking skills.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.Why learning to cook is important for a mother.
B.How the family heritage is taught through food.
C.How childhood experiences change one's life.
D.Why mothers are important in children's education.
Summer Boarding Courses
Ages: 8~12 Dates: Monday 13 July~Monday 10 August 2020
Courses: General English or Junior Summer Study
SBC Oxford Summer School is held at the world-renowned Dragon School in Oxford. The Dragon School is one of the UK's top Prep Schools and is located in a beautiful area of leafy Oxford. The summer school is just a 20-minute walk from the centre of this historic city. Our summer school for young learners has one member of staff for every five students, thus making it the ideal choice for students studying away from home for the first time.
Ages: 13~16 Dates: Saturday 4th July~Saturday 18th July 2020
Courses: English, Mathematics, Humanities, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths)
Eton College provides international students with the opportunity to study at one of the world's most famous schools. Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, Eton College has educated 20 British Prime Ministers as well as numerous authors, scientists, actors, and Olympians.
Ages: 15~18 Dates: Monday 6 July~Monday 3 August 2020
Courses: Business & Leadership, International Relations, Law and Medicine
Cambridge College Summer School takes place at Clare College, the University of Cambridge. Clare College was founded in 1326 and is the university's second oldest remaining college. The picturesque campus is located on the banks of the River Cam and just 15 minutes from the centre of Cambridge. The summer courses are specifically designed for international students. Our courses teach English through the study of specific academic subjects and prepare students for further study or professional life in their chosen field.
1.What can we learn about the Dragon School in Oxford?
A.Students graduate here at the age of 12.
B.A class here is no bigger than 5 students.
C.It's located not far from the city center.
D.It's offering summer courses for the first time.
2.Which one will you probably choose if you are interested in engineering?
A.Dragon School. B.Clare College.
C.Oxford College. D.Eton College.
3.How do students learn English at Cambridge College Summer School?
A.Through the course of General English.
B.Through the study of academic subjects.
C.Through further study in other chosen fields.
D.Through communication with international students.
新冠病毒疫情当前，针对各地开展的网课，人们的看法不尽相同。假定你是李华，将参加主题为“Will Traditional Classes be Replaced by Online Classes?”的英语征文比赛，请撰写一篇英文稿件，主要内容包括：
1.网课出现的背景；
2.网课的利弊；
3.你的观点。
注意：1．词数100左右；
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：
新型冠状病毒novelcoronavirus
学期semester
监管supervision
interactions互动
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处.每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
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。
Three years ago I fail in an important exam in my life and became the student in an ordinary school. Disappointing as I felt at the shabby campus and the poor equipment, I found the teachers patiently. Besides, I enjoyed the friendly atmosphere in class. I decided make the best of it. I worked hard but got along well with my teachers and classmate. Whenever I had difficulties, you were always available. Soon I became one of the most best students in my class.
My experience tells me that it’s not what you are given but how you make use of it which determines who you are.
