Techie Teen Volunteers Wanted

The primary goal of Cupertino's techie teen volunteer program at the Cupertino Senior Center is to help teens give back to the community by joining in the 50 + community（群体）to assist in developing their skills related to technology. Any teen with a strong desire to work with our 50+ population is encouraged to apply.

Our volunteers can expect to gain the following experiences: leadership roles public speaking opportunities, interpersonal communication, and much more. While anyone between the ages of 14-18 may apply? We would like to remind all applicants that space is limited and acceptance into the program will be based on answers to extra questions, availability and interview performance.

Requirements & Expectations

Techie teen volunteers that are selected for the program will be expected to meet the following requirements.

* Must be at least 14 years old by the first day of training

* Attend all training meetings

* Volunteer for a minimum of 2. 5-3 hours every other week for the full duration of the program (September 17〜 May 9）

* Must create and present a 30-niinute workshop (研讨会) at the end of the session in May

* Arrive on time for shifts (轮班) and stay for the whole duration of the scheduled shift

Application Submission

Applications should be addressed to Recreation Coordinator Amanda Hui at AmandaH@Cupertino. org no later than August 23. Late applications will not be accepted.

Rather than continue living a comfortable urban life, this British family has sold their London home in favor of launching the world's smallest nature reserve to save a nation's coral reef system. Karolina and Barry Seath— along with their two young daughters—are preparing to move to an island in the Seychelles (非洲塞舌尔群岛) measuring just 1,300 feet long by 980 feet wide (400 by 300 meters).

They've launched a charity and teamed up with (与.....合作) local biologists in an effort to bring the coral reefs back to life in the smallest African country, which have been almost wiped out by rising sea temperatures. Their land-based coral farm will be only the second of its kind in the world, the other being on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, to specialize in regrowing coral to restore the reefs.

47-year-old Barry, who is a former policeman, said, “We are just a normal husband, wife and two kids, living the sort of life that most others do, but we felt the need to make a positive change for ourselves, our children, and the world we had largely taken for granted.”

Over the course of several vacations to the Seychelles the Seaths witnessed the gradual deterioration (恶化) of the reefs. "Every time we visited, we noticed the coral was getting worse and worse," said Barry. "All the tourists say the same thing. They love the beaches but are really disappointed with the coral. "

Barry felt it was time to make a change and show his daughters an alternative way of eco-friendly living. He then teamed up with experts at the Marine Conservation Society Seychelles in order to develop the facility. Once it is complete, it will be the first large-scale, land-based coral farm in the Indian Ocean. The eco-warriors hope to use the facility to grow around 10,000 corals per year. Barry said, "Our long-term goal is to show everyone that—with just a relatively small investment—you can have a big positive influence on the marine (海的) environment."

The running buffalo clover (a plant) used to spread across eight states, from Virginia to Arkansas. The more it was walked on by the buffalo the better it grew.

When buffalo disappeared, the plant was gone, too. Researchers believed the plant was extinct, which had not been spotted since 1940s—until a population was found in West Virginia in 1983. Now, after decades of protection, the small plant stands to be removed from the list of species protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Biologist Rodney Bartgis came across a patch of running buffalo clover in 1983. He was recording plants in West Virginia and was wandering around a car road in the New River Gorge when he spotted some "unique-looking" leaves, which he recognized as running buffalo clover. After the finding was confirmed, the clover was considered no longer extinct and placed on the endangered-species list in 1987.

Part of the reason it took a while to start to find the clover in the wild is that, unlike other rare plants, this one won't grow in unspoiled areas. It likes being run over. When the clover was first discovered, US Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) forest managers were told to avoid driving in the area populated by the plant. But this made the clover there disappear. In the Fernow Forest in West Virginia, Gundy, a research forester, realized the skidders used to pull trees had helped ensure the clover's growth before anyone knew it was there. So in her work monitoring the population in Fernow, Gundy runs over the clover with a skidder. "You need to remember to agitate it," she says.

Since 1987, researchers have found 154 populations. But it's not out of the woods yet. The clover still faces threats from invasive species. The USFWS will have a public comment period, when the clover's case for delisting will be reviewed. Even if it is delisted, biologists from the USFWS will observe populations for years closely to ensure that the species is secure.

LONDON——Global auction(拍卖) sales of Chinese art and antiques fell in 2019 to $ 5.7 billion, a 10 percent drop year-on-year, and the lowest level for the collecting category since 2010. The Global Chinese Art Auction market report, compiled by Artnet and the Chinese Association of Auctioneers, found this was clue to trade tensions between the United States and China, as well as a slowdown of GDP in China.

The report, now in its eighth edition, noted that the value of total auction sales within the Chinese mainland declined by 10 percent in 2019 to $ 3.7 billion, the lowest total since 2010. Outside China, there was also a 9 percent drop in sales of Chinese art and antiques.

"The combination of such slowdowns resulted in a weakening of collectors' confidence and a more cautious attitude among buyers making decisions on investing in art in 2019," said the report.

However, despite the downturn in total sales value for Chinese art and antiques in 2019, the European market showed some positive trends emerging. Significant peaks in lots offered and lots sold in Europe, combined with a strong sell through rate (卖出率) of 61 percent in 2019.

Europe accounted for 29 percent of all Chinese art and antique lots sold overseas in 2019 , according to the report, closing in on (接近) the North American market's share.

The annual report also found strong performances with 20th century and contemporary Chinese art in both the Chinese mainland and overseas, boosted by a younger generation of Chinese collectors.

The average price for the category increased in the Chinese mainland, up by 23 percent year- on-year, and overseas sales saw a nine-year high in 2019. But fine Chinese paintings and calligraphy, the largest collecting category on the Chinese mainland, did not perform as well.

According to the report this category "continued to spiral(螺旋式的) downwards, reaching its lowest point in sales since 2013". The number of lots dropped by 10 percent year-on-year, almost half of that of 2013 and it also struggled elsewhere, with the overseas total falling to a seven-year low.

Research has shown that the health benefits of laughter are far-ranging. Studies so far have shown that laughter can help relieve pain, bring greater happiness, and even increase immunity. Unfortunately, however, many people don't get enough laughter in their lives.

Laugh With Friends

Going to a movie or a comedy club with friends is a great way to get more laughter in your life. The appeal of laughter may mean you'll laugh more than you otherwise would have during the show. Making time for these kinds of fun is as important as any other habit you keep in your life to support your health.

Instead of complaining about life's difficulties, try to laugh about them. If something is so hard, realize that you could "look back on it and laugh". Think of how it will sound like a story you could tell your friends, and then see if you can laugh about it now. With this attitude, you may also find yourself being more lighthearted, giving yourself and those around you more to laugh about.

Fake (假装)It Until You Make It

Studies show the positive effects of smiling occur whether the smile is fake or real.

The body can't distinguish between "fake" laughter that you just start doing on purpose and "real" laughter that comes from true humor. The physical benefits are exactly the same, and the former usually leads to the latter anyway.

Then you'll still achieve positive effects.

A. Find Humor in Your Life

B. Study Laughter in the Book

C. So smile more, and fake laughter.

D. Faked laughter also provides the benefits mentioned above.

E. There's no shortage of laughter opportunities from entertainment.

F. Here are some ways in which you can get more laughter in your life.

G. Having friends over for a party or game night is also a great idea for laughter.

Lots of children want to know what to give their mom for Mother's Day. Of course, a handsome card is always great, but it's not 1 to come up with that extra something.

A few days before Mother's Day, my friend Ollie and I were discussing what 2 is good enough for his grandmother Abuela, who is pretty much like a 3 to him. Right then, Abuela walked inside with a tray of food.

"Sweetie, won't you4 us for lunch? We're having sandwiches. It's my speciality. " she said to me.

"This is delicious!" I said after taking a bite and then asked. "Speaking of 5, what's the most delicious food you've ever eaten?"

She thought for a minute. "Well, nothing could match the special strawberry ice cream my grandmother 6 when I was a girl on certain occasions. We winked at each other, knowing that we had already found a Mother's Day 7 his grandmother would love.

Over the next few 8 , Ollie and I asked everyone we knew if they 9 to have a nice cream machine and old fashioned one 10—but no luck. So my dad helped us 11 some recipes online, and fortunately we found a fun one that didn't require any 12machine—just a couple of empty coffee cans in different sizes.

Mother's Day 13 arrived. We were very 14 to make the ice cream. Sitting outside, we all took 15 rolling the can while we sang the Mother's Day song for Abuela. We had to roll the can for half an hour. 16, it was so much fun； When the 17 was finally ready, Abuela was the first to try it. "Mmm! The ice cream you made is even far better than I 18!" Abuela smiled from ear to ear.

For Mother's Day, 19 time together while we made the ice cream was just as much fun as 20 it. It is company with love that means more than gifts.

A beauty queen who was crowned (给……荣誉) Miss England in 2019 decided to return to the United Kingdom from overseas charity work (continue) her job as a doctor as COVID-19 broke out.

Mukherjee (graduate) from the University of Nottingham just two weeks before she was crowned Miss England in August, 2019. Then she took a job break as a doctor. She said, "There were people at work know about me winning, and they made little jokes but I got my head down and got my work (do)."

"Working in the hospital (be) tough. You didn't get the chance to think about all the fame (名誉)."

She said that she felt it was wrong to be wearing her Miss England crown, even for charity work, while people around world were dying from COVID-19 and her workmates were working (hard) than before.

What keeps the 24-year-old's going is the well-wishes and (warm) she's received from her social media followers. Mukherjee became Miss England (large) for her good looks. But by saving lives, perhaps she is now better known her good heart!

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。

Here is good news for you which a writing competition about "Chinese Dream" is organizing by the Students' Union. Everyone is welcome to take an actively part in the competition. You are required to writing a story about "Chinese Dream" within 400 word. We had already invited four of our English teachers to be the judges. Of course, your hard work will pay off. The student who wins the one prize will be given a set of famous ancient Chinese works. In a addition, your story will be filmed into a video. As for the deadline, we are expected to hand your story before December 20.

1）陈述自己的想法；

2）提出建议；

3）表达希望。

注意：1）词数100左右；

2）可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。