Thousands of years ago, it was common to see many stars in the sky.   (1)   , this changed with the invention of   (2)   . Cities have gone brighter, using more lights. And that means most people in urban areas will never see beautiful groups of stars. They will never see a   (3)   night sky and never be inspired by it.

Today, people are   (4)   by light — even at night time. Much of this light   (5)  where it shouldnˈt be — it creates light   (6)   . For example, a person can put a light outside to shine on his own house. But the light could be so strong that it may   (7)   shine on his neighborˈs house. The   (8)   light shining on the neighborˈs house is one kind of light pollution.

But is all this light really a big   (9)   ? People need light to see, work and drive safely at night, and for many other things! But scientists say that this extra light has proven   (10)   on living creatures — animals and humans.

One kind of animal   (11)   by light pollution is the bird. Many birds travel to a different area of the world to lay eggs,   (12)  at night. But lights from tall buildings can   (13)   the birds off their natural path. They may also crash into brightly lighted buildings, in danger of losing their   (14)  .

Human beings experience problems   (15)   light pollution too. Light affects some chemicals in peopleˈs bodies. And people who are continually   (16)  to light at night have higher rates of health problems.

People and animals need light,   (17)   they also need darkness. Experts say that people must use light   (18)   . Only use the amount of light that you   (19)   . Donˈt think that more light is better light. People also can greatly   (20)   light pollution by using well-designed lights, which only shine light where it should be. Using less light and better lighting decisions reduces the energy people use.

Most people are poor listeners. Even when we think we are listening carefully, we usually   (1)   only half of what we hear, and we remember even less. Improving your listening skills can be   (2)   in every part of your life.

The most important   (3)   of poor listening is giving in to distractions (分心的事物) and letting our thoughts   (4)   . Sometimes, however, we listen too   (5)   . We try to remember every word a speaker says, and we lose the   (6)   message by concentrating on details. In other situations, we may jump to conclusions and   (7)   a speaker without hearing out the message. Finally, we often judge people by their   (8)   or speaking manner   (9)   listening to what they say.

You can   (10)   these poor listening habits by taking several steps. First, take listening   (11)  and commit yourself to becoming a better listener. Second, work at being a(n)   (12)  listener. Give your undivided attention to the speaker in a genuine effort to   (13)  her or his ideas. Third,   (14)   distractions. Make a conscious effort to keep your mind on what the speaker is saying. Fourth, try not to be   (15)   by appearance or delivery.   (16)  preconceived (事先形成的) judgments based on a personˈs looks or manner of speech. Fifth, suspend (延缓) judgment   (17)  you have heard the speakerˈs entire message. Sixth,   (18)  your listening by paying attention to main points, to evidence, and to the speakerˈs techniques. Finally, develop your note-taking skills. When done  (19)   , note taking is an

excellent way to improve your concentration and to keep track of a speakerˈs   (20)  . It almost forces you to become a more attentive and creative listener.

     Every dream has something to do with our feelings, longings, wishes, needs, fears, and memories. But something on the “outside” may affect what we ___21___. If a person is hungry or tired or cold, his dream may include a feeling of this kind. If the ___22__on your body has slipped off your bed, you may dream that you are ___23___ or resting on the ice and snow. The material for the dream you will ___24___ tonight is probably to come from the experiences you have today.

     ___25___ the subject of your dream usually comes from something that has an effect on you ___26___ you are sleeping (feeling of cold, a noise, a discomfort, etc.) and it may also use your past experiences and the wishes and interests you have now. This is why very young ___27___ are likely to dream of fairies, older children of school examinations, ___28___ people of food, homesick soldiers of their families and prisoners of freedom.

     To show you how that is ___29___ while you are asleep and how your wishes or needs can all be joined together in a dream, ___30___ is the story of an experiment. A man was asleep and the back of his ___31___ was rubbed ___32___ a piece of cotton. He would dream that he ___33__ in a hospital and his girlfriend was visiting him, ___34___ on the bed and feeling gently his hand!

     There are some scientists who have made a special ___35___ of why we dream, what we dream and what those dreams ___36___. Their explanation of dreams, though a bit reasonable, is not accepted by everyone, but it ___37__ an interesting approach to the problem. They believe that dreams are ___38__ expressions of wishes that didn’t ___39___. In other words, a dream is a way of having your wishes ___40___ out.

  When Chad Pregracke was a teenager in East Moline, Illinois, he and his father lived and worked on the Mississippi River — or rather, in it. Every day they dove into the river to   (1)  freshwater mussels (贻贝), which they sold to Japanese customers. The river was their   (2)  , but Chad came to realize that it was also dirty. While

searching for mussels on the river bottom, Chad could not  (3)   much because the water was too muddy. When Chad Pregracke was in college, he decided that he had to   (4)  the river. And thatˈs what he has done.

    In the summer of 1997, Chad   (5)   the Mississippi River Beautification & Restoration Project. Using a 20-foot motorboat and working   (6)   by himself, Chad cleaned up 100 miles of shoreline in Illinois and Iowa. By summerˈs end, he had   (7)   and recycled 45,000 pounds of trash! As people learned about Chadˈs   (8)   , they began to offer help. Towns and companies along the river   (9)   equipment, and communities (社区)   (10)  cleanup days.

    In 1998, the project   (11)   . Chad fixed up two boats, and he   (12)   a crew. During the summer months, Chad and his crew cleaned up 900 miles of Mississippi   (13)  from St. Louis, Missouri, to Guttenberg, Iowa. They collected 400,000 pounds of trash —   (14)   from old refrigerators to plastic legs!

    In the next year, Chadˈs group   (15)  the cleanup of more than 1,000 miles of the Mississippi River. They also   (16)  an“Adopt a Mississippi River Mile”program. In this program, companies and groups took   (17)   for keeping parts of the river clean. After that, Chad   (18)  the Illinois River.

    Today, Chad Pregrackeˈs project has many sponsors and an annual budget of $200,000. Chad also has   (19)   plans. He will move eastward   (20)   he has done what he can for the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. He wants to clean up the Ohio River next, and then perhaps the Hudson.

Bury Trip — 24th July 2015

    We will be leaving Homerton teacher campus at 13:45. Please be at the front of the college 10 minutes early. If you are late you may miss the coach and not be able to go! If you miss the coach, you will not receive repayment! The coach is planned to arrive in Bury at 14:30, although this is dependent on traffic. You will have

free time to explore and we will meet at the same location where we arrive at 17:15 to return to Homerton by approximately 18:00.

THINGS TO DO

Visit the Abbey (修道院)

The remains of this historic monument, which originally was a shrine (圣所) to Saint Edmund, a Saxon King, are well worth a visit. The Abbey is also surrounded by beautiful gardens, and is located next to the St. Edmundsbury Cathedral.

Have a drink in The Nutshell

This charming little bar is officially the smallest pub in Great Britain. Good things come in small packages though, and The Nutshell serves some of the regionˈs finest drinks, as well as having fascinating historical items and photos.

Go around the brewery shop

At the Greene King shop you can taste and buy some of the local beer, as well as food such as chutney. There are also clothing and other great gift ideas available to buy.

Several attractions are listed, but feel free to explore on your own. A Course Assistant will be around to help you throughout the trip but they will not act as a guide.

  Cycling lovers from across the country identify the best routes the  UK has to offer.

Oisin Sands

Editor of sportive.com

Route:

Rostrevor to Carlingford, County Down (30-42 miles)

    “My favourite bike ride would start in Rostrevor, County Down, where  I grew up,”says Oisin Sands.

    The ride takes in some breathtaking views on the way to the pretty harbour town of  Carlingford. From Carlingford, head back to Newry. Or save on tired legs by taking  the ferry from Omeath on the south side to Warrenpoint in the summer, and cycling  the short distance back to the start.

Kirsty Ho Fat

Cycle journalist

Route:

Hadrianˈs Cycleway, Ravenglass to South Shields (174 miles)

      Thisroute follows the length of Hadrianˈs Wall and takes in coastal views and old-fashioned market towns.

    “The ride weaves through the dramatic countryside of the North, my homeland, before finishing in South Shields,”says Kirsty, who in 2012 completed a 4,000-mile ride around the coast of Britain with her father.

Helen Curry

National Cycle Network project officer

Route: Union Canal, Linlithgow to the Falkirk Wheel (12 miles)

    This flat journey along the Scottish branch of the Union Canal is a favourite with Helen Curry.

    “Follow the towpath (拉船路) along the northern bank of the canal and cross the River Avon,”says Helen.“Youˈll pass the impressive ruins of Almond Castle.”

    At over 2,000 feet long, youˈll be cycling through Scotlandˈs longest canal tunnel.

Kristian House

2009 National Road Race Champion

Route: Middlewich Loop (55 miles)

    “This is a shorter loop I do when Iˈm not training, starting and finishing in Middlewich,”says racing cyclist Kristian House.

    This hilly route isnˈt for the faint-hearted (胆怯的).

    This stretch climbs 670 feet and offers some wonderful views, including your first sight of Britainˈs second-highest pub.

Letˈs all spend a fun-filled day at Marineland

l  At Friendship Cove, breathtaking underwater viewing lets you enter the fun world of the killer whale below the waterˈs surface. Surface level walkways provide above water observation opportunities.

l  At Arctic Cove, you have the opportunity to touch and feed these friendly white whales. An amazing experience that you will never forget!

l  Ride the worldˈs largest steel roller coaster, Dragon Mountain. Spread over 30 acres of land, it is the worldˈs largest nonstop steel roller coaster.

l  Marinelandˈs Sky Screamer, the worldˈs highest ride, takes you 450 feet above Marineland where you will also enjoy an impressive view of surrounding areas if you are brave enough to open your eyes.

Location

    7657 Portage Road, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

How to get there

    Marineland is located only one mile from the Horseshoe Falls. From the Queen Elizabeth Way take McLeod Rd. exit and follow the signs. From Buffalo follow the Queen Elizabeth Way to Lyons Creek Rd. and follow the signs. From the Rainbow

Bridge, take Highway 420 to Stanley Ave., turn left, continue to the end, turn left and follow the signs.

Operating season

    Mid-May to Sunday of Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.

Admission hours

    Mid-May to June: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

    July toAugust: 9:30 am to 6:00 pm

    September to Sunday of Canadian Thanksgiving: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Others

    For reasons of safety, guests with strollers (婴儿车) will be directed to park them outside show theatres. Bikes and other two-wheeled vehicles are not permitted within park grounds. With the exception of service dogs, pets are not permitted within the

park.

The desert tortoise is found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts in North America．It is listed as an endangered species under the United States federal Endangered Species Act and is considered "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN)．Despite the laws that protect them，their numbers are still in the decline．

    The desert tortoise in the areas has lived for thousands of years．This animal is able to survive ground temperature over 140 degrees F and is known to live as long as 60 to 80 years．However，ninety-five percent of the life、of a desert tortoise is spent in the ground escaping the heat in a hole or passage in the ground Holes can he easily destroyed by off-highway vehicles that do not say on built roads．Disasters also occur when they seek shade under parked cars．

    Desert tortoises are also harmed by several diseases such as the upper respiratory tract disease often found in adopted tortoises．Pet owners releasing sick tortoises into the wild has resulted in diseases being spread to wild tortoises．

    The desert tortoise feeds on a dune (沙丘) primrose during spring．Non-native Sahara mustard (芥菜) seen in the background is a weed that competes with the native plants for water and nutrients．In some areas，mustard grows so densely that it is nearly impossible for desert tortoises to pass through．Vehicles，which do not stay on built roads and do not get washed frequently，contribute to spreading weeds．

    Rubbish，such as burst balloon，is a danger to desert tortoises．The balloon can be mistaken for food by desert tortoises and，once consumed，may remain in the stomachs and intestines (肠) giving them a false sense of fullness that may cause them to starve．

In a wheat field in France, a cat meets a black-bellied hamster (仓鼠). Too far from her burrow (洞穴) to run for shelter, the wild hamster rises on her back legs to face her enemy. The cat backs away. “Theyˈre afraid of nothing,” says Alexandre Lehmann, a biologist who has worked with these wild hamsters for the past 12 years.“They fight against cats and dogs and even farmers. They try to fight against tractors.”Itˈs a good thing that the black-bellied hamster wonˈt go down without a fight. Because in France, where only 500 to 1,000 remain in the wild, they are in a fight for their lives.

    At the Stork and Otter Reintroduction Centre in Alsace, Lehmann and his colleagues breed captive hamsters and set the young hamsters free into the wild. But raising black-bellied hamsters isnˈt exactly easy. Remember, they have attitude. Forget humans — they donˈt even like each other.“You have to make sure the male and female donˈt kill each other,”Lehmann says.

    Black-bellied hamsters might think of themselves as tough guys. But to a fox or an eagle, theyˈre just a four-legged snack. To survive, hamsters need to be set into a field with lots of leafy hiding places. Thatˈs a problem in Alsace, where most farmers plant corn. The corn hasnˈt sprouted (发芽) in early spring, when hamsters come out of their burrows from winter hibernation (冬眠). In the bare fields the hamsters are easy targets for their enemies.

    Some older farmers donˈt want hamsters in their fields because of their reputation as crop-chewing pests. But most are willing to help, especially since the French government will pay farmers to grow early-sprouting crops such as alfalfa and winter wheat and allow hamsters to be set free on their lands. Itˈs a way to protect not just the hamsters, but also other small animals in leafy fields.

We could say that any animal that knows how to find food,avoid being eaten, and raise babies is pretty smart. But cananimals learn and remember or can they solve problems?

Many animals have good memories for where food is — auseful skill! Scrub jays (灌丛鸦) may be the champions. In oneexperiment, scientists put them in pre-made holes. After the jayshad hidden some food, they were taken out. Scientists mappedwhere the food was hidden and then removed it, which meant thejays couldnˈt find the holes by smell. But when the jays cameback again, they went right to the hiding places they had used. Inthe wild, they remember where thousands of holes are. Could youdo that?

Another important smart skill is being able to spot shapesand generalize. This kind of test works best with animals that seewell and are interested in pictures. Call in the pigeons (鸽子)! Inthis test, pigeons had to learn to pick out photos with trees inthem, and to ignore photos that didnˈt include any trees. Oncethey had learned the rules, they were very adept at it.

Scientists have to be careful when they test animals forsmarts, and the person giving the test has to know the animalreally well. In one experiment, a few bananas were hung out ofreach over a pile of sticks on the ground. Monkeys figured outright away how to get the bananas: pick up a stick and knockthem down. But clever elephants kept failing this test. Finallyscientists figured out why. An elephantˈs trunk works as both itshand and its nose. When it got the stick, it couldnˈt smell thebananas. When the elephants were given a couple of boxesinstead, they quickly used them to make a step and got thebananas.

As weˈre learning, the world is full of smart animals, eachthinking in its own special way.