Tourism is both a blessing and a curse. While a healthy amount can improve the economy, too much of it can be harmful to the environment and local populations.
Maya Beach, Thailand
As more and more tourists flooded into the sandy shores, Maya Beach became impossible to enjoy; visitors could hardly walk, not to mention lie down. Thailand was forced to close the beach for months in 2018. Though the closure was only supposed to be temporary, it is now shut down indefinitely.
Boracay, Philippines
The beautiful island of Boracay once was respected for its exclusivity (独特性). But in recent years, mass-market tourism and lack of the basic facilities have led to a major downfall. The island underwent a six-month closure to visitors in 2018 to allow authorities to restore it. Under the new rules, a maximum of 19,200 tourists are allowed on the island at any one time.
Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu is being affected by too many people visiting at the same time. To prevent the masses from damaging the site, tourism authorities are trying to introduce strict visiting time, advance ticket purchases, and visitor limits.
Cozumel, Mexico
The island of Cozumel has become a popular tourist spot. Many visitors arrive by ship, which has harmed one of the island's most prized possessions: coral reefs. Marine (海洋的) biologist German Mendez has started an organization to protect the reefs.
I stood behind the curtain, my hands shaking. As I listened to the crowd laugh at the host's jokes, I thought about why I believed I could do that. Two months earlier, I had signed up for improve (即兴表演) classes at a local theater, along with four other graduate students.
When I first heard about the improv classes, I was torn. I feared getting on stage and performing in front of strangers. However, I knew I wanted to work as a science communicator after finishing my Ph.D. , so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to improve my communication ability and gain confidence thinking on my feet.
During our first class, we learned the key concept of improv: "yes, and". If someone says that rhinos are librarians, for example, then rhinos are librarians. We don't question the logic; we say "yes" and continue with the scene as if nothing is wrong. To do this effectively, we have to avoid second-guessing ourselves. Sometimes scenes go in unexpected directions. The best improv happens when performers stay open to different possibilities. Over time, I started to enjoy our classes. I also became better at listening and communicating clearly in the moment.
That training came in handy 6 months ago, when I was giving a seminar about my science research. An audience member surprised me with a question that didn't grow out of the information I had presented. Instead of getting perplexed, I used that approach, and it helped me find an appropriate answer.
Last year, I used that approach when dealing with confusing data. Instead of getting discouraged, I kept exploring the data and ended up identifying a new type of cell — one that wasn't behaving as expected. If I hadn't stayed open to the possibility that the results were real, I would have missed out on the most exciting finding of my Ph.D. program so far.
When our Scottish puppy, Annie, reached adolescence, she suddenly stopped following my commands. Previously, if I called "come", she would fly across our yard to my arms. Now, the 8-month-old gave me a look and ran the other way. Our dog trainer advised us to stop worrying. "She's a teenager," she said. "She'll grow out of it."
Now, a new study is backing that up: Dogs experience a period that makes them act out, just like human teenagers. Puppies bond with humans much as children do. "But owners often feel like they're failing when their puppies reach adolescence," said Lucy Asher, lead author of the new study.
Asher and her team monitored 70 female dogs being raised as guide dogs. They asked caregivers to score them on their attention-seeking behaviors like sitting close to their owners and separation-related behaviors like trembling when left behind. Both types of behaviors show general anxiety and fearfulness. Dogs with high scores entered adolescence earlier — at about 5 months, compared with 8 months for those with lower scores. Further, adolescent dogs that were stressed by separation from their caregivers were also increasingly disobedient to that person, but not others.
To test obedience, the scientists assessed a separate group of 69 guide dogs, first at 5 months and later at 8 months. They asked the dog's caregiver and a stranger to give the command to "sit". All of the preadolescent puppies quickly sat for both people, but when the same puppies reached adolescence, they refused to follow the order from their caregivers. However, they readily obeyed the stranger. Dogs that weren't securely attached to their caregivers were even more willing to follow the stranger's commands.
Because of the similarity between adolescent puppies and humans, dogs could serve as a model species for studying adolescence in humans. And on a more practical note, the temporary nature of dog disobedience might make us worry less when our puppies suddenly get minds of their own. Just ask Annie — she's now happy to come, sit, and stay a while.
The grocery store might not be your favorite place to visit when you're at home, but is it ever fun when you're in another country? Honestly speaking, they're one of those strange little destinations that I like to sniff out everywhere I go, much as other travelers head toward clothing stores, libraries, coffee shops or galleries.
The greatest beauty of the grocery store –– whether it's a supermarket or a tiny shop –– is that it gives you a glimpse into what local people buy to cook their own meals. This offers clues into their lifestyles and preferences, and into the agricultural and cooking practices of the country. I stare at the strange fruits and vegetables, the seafood, the cheese, the spices, the bread, and oh, the chocolate...always the chocolate!
Being the environmental nerd (呆子) I am, I like paying attention to packaging, which can reflect people's attitudes towards environmental protection. Italy, for example, has a habit of requiring customers to bag their fruits and vegetables in plastic for weighing, while Sri Lanka leaves everything loose in bins. In Brazil, everything is prepackaged in a layer of plastic.
People in grocery stores tend to be friendlier. They smile, say hello, and sometimes ask questions, which can lead to great conversations. I had a further discussion with a teenaged cashier in Sri Lanka, over which bag of crunchy（松脆的）mix to buy. He insisted that the one labeled "spicy" would be too hot for me, but I told him I was willing to risk it. He laughed and we ended up talking about my favorite Sri Lankan foods for ten minutes.
It's interesting then to come home and look at one's own local grocery store through new eyes. What would a visitor think? What stands out, and what do the food displays say about us as a culture? You might be surprised by what you realize.
B . 
C . 
D . 
Are you afraid of sharks, snakes or spiders? Most of us are. Do you know mosquitos have killed many more humans than all wars in history? Mosquitos are the most dangerous creatures on earth to humans by a mile.
Female mosquitos actually need our blood to make eggs. They give us viruses and diseases that are extremely dangerous. Just one mosquito buzzing (发出嗡嗡声) around your bed can keep you awake all night.
Now, there is a great way to stop mosquitos from annoying you ever again — without using any chemicals at all. It's called Mosquitron, a brand new type of bug catcher/killer. It's perfect for clearing your home of all the annoying and dangerous mosquitos!
Instead of trying to keep the mosquitos away, it actually attracts them, then catches and kills them! Next to the UV-PT light is a powerful fan that sucks the mosquitos through a one-way trapdoor (活板门). Once trapped in the drying basket, they are dried to death by the fan in a matter of 2 minutes.
But when you consider that most devices need expensive refills and don't work for more than 10 minutes, this is a pretty good deal. Plus, it actually works! When you look at the rise in mosquito viruses and diseases and the number of deaths, $89 seems like a good deal for peace of mind that you are protected.
A. Plus they are super annoying.
B. Does it really work in real life?
C. And it's fashionable and easy to control.
D. Here are some ways to keep them away.
E. But there's another creature that is more dangerous.
F. It's now discounted down to $89, which seems expensive at first.
G. It attracts mosquitos nearby using a safe and harmless UV-PT light.
The loss of sight can be devastating(毁灭性的), particularly for dogs. While there are many tools to help1disabled people, most of our furry friends with limited sight aren't as lucky.
This was especially a problem for a 14-year-old blind dog named Terfel, who had to stay in his dog bed most of the time to keep 2 ， which was not a(an) 3 life for him to be healthy. 4, everything has changed in his life since he met an unlikely friend!
One day, Judy, Terfel's owner, 5a homeless cat she named Pudditat. He was a 6cat and not very nice to Judy's other cats. But he did make one friend at his new home—Terfel. And their relationship was truly 7!
This friendship went far 8 just a few late-evening snuggles(依偎)in the shared bed. Pudditat took on another 9 entirely in Terfel's life –he offered his 10 as a seeing eye cat! What's more, Pudditat didn't 11himself to helping Terfel avoid bumping into things. He also 12his friend outdoors.
It's 13 to think what their lives might have been like without one another! Without Pudditat Terfel would have undoubtedly 14indoors. And Pudditat would have likely lived a life of loneliness with no interest in his cat companions. 15, that wasn't the case!
Why do we prefer seeing a movie while we (accompany) by a friend? Why do we pack (our) into stadiums and concert halls sitting shoulder shoulder with strangers? And why does a sunset seem so sublime (壮丽的) during a moment shared with someone without even saying a word?
A fascinating study shows that life is indeed much (sweet) when we share our (experience) with others. When it comes to sharing moments together, what (usual) appears in our mind is being with close others, such as friends or family, and (talk) with them. We don't realize the extent to we are influenced by people around us whom we don't know and aren't even communicating with.
, the next time you are out having fun with others, put down your smart phone and share the moment instead of posting on Facebook. A pleasant experience that goes unshared is a missed opportunity (focus) on the activity we and others are doing and give it a boost.
For weeks, the troop had been busy preparing for its Parents' Night program. Everything was in order. The walls were filled with displays, the scouts (童子军) were all enthusiastic. The tables were covered with good things to eat.
Now it was time for Jimmie Davis to give his speech. This was the moment he had been looking forward to for several weeks. As he arose, he caught a glimpse of his mother's bright face and his father's calm, confident expression. Jimmie held his head high as he started his speech, his words bursting with pride and enthusiasm. He made sure the speech was lively and moving, conscious that his listeners were showing high praise to him by their careful attention.
Then something happened. The world seemed to move slowly from side to side before him. He felt his mind went blank and forgot what to say next. He slowed down, faltered (结巴), and finally stopped. His face turned red, and his hands sought each other wildly. In desperation, he looked toward his scout leader, begging for his help.
Having heard that boyish but great speech practiced again and again, the boy's scout leader supplied the missing words that allowed Jimmie to continue. But somehow it was different now. The wonderful speech had been messed up.
Jimmie paused again, and once again the scout leader helped him. For the remaining two minutes, the speech seemed more like the scout leader's than Jimmie's.
After what seemed like ages, the speech was finally over. In the heart of Jimmie, who sat down knowing that he had failed, there was a great weight pressing down on him. Disappointment was clearly written on the face of his mother. A twitch (抽搐) of the father's face showed how painful he felt.
The audience applauded in a perfunctory (敷衍的) way, feeling sorry for the boy who they thought had failed.
But the scout leader was on his feet. His eyes twinkled. All the audience listened carefully.
注意：1）续写词数应为150左右；
2）请按如下格式在答题卡上的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
The calm, sure voice of the scout leader echoed (回响) around the hall.
Paragraph 2:
Jimmie began to speak in a trembling but firm voice.
