10-year-old Mikaila Ulmer from Texas is building a lemonade empire,hoping to save honey bees in the process.

It all started when Mikaila was 4 years old and was stung(刺痛)by a bee twice in one week.This caused her to become very scared whenever bees were near.

To help her deal with this new fear,Mikaila's parents asked her to do some research on bees.She learned that bees are incredibly important for flowers,gardens and trees as pollinators(传粉者).She also learned that they are dying fast.In the past year,honey bee farmers have reported losing nearly 12% of their colony.Many believe that this could be due to the overuse of pesticide(杀虫剂),which can have many bad effects upon bees.

This is when she decided to create a product to help save bees.She planned to sell lemonade and started her own company,BeeSweet Lemonade.Her special lemonade recipe came from her great-grandmother's cookbook.She decided to add honey to it,instead of sugar,to call attention to the problems honey bees face.Mikaila sells lemonade almost everyday at her lemonade stand.She takes every opportunity to tell her customers about the issues facing honey bees.

What began as a small operation is starting to grow.BeeSweet is projected to sell almost 140,000 bottles of lemonade this year.BeeSweet lemonade can be found on the shelves at select Whole Foods Markets as well as many restaurants and other locations near her home in Austin,Texas.

Mikaila and her cause have also been featured in many news reports,magazines,blogs and even on Shark Tank,a TV show featuring hopeful entrepreneurs.

Does Mikaila have time to just be a kid?Sure!Her parents have said that every weekend,Mikaila does something fun.She doesn't mind the hard work,though.She says that she is happy watching people enjoy her lemonade,and that makes her want to grow her company more and more.The more people enjoy,the more they're learning about the bees.

1.What caused Mikaila to save honey bees?

A. Her fear of bees. B. Her parents' advice.

C. Her research on bees. D. Her desire to raise them.

2.Why does Mikaila sell lemonade with honey in it?

A. To have it sold at a better price.

B. To make it taste more delicious.

C. To show her special lemonade recipe.

D. To get people to care about bees' problems.

3.How does Mikaila sell her special lemonade?

A. By enlarging its selling scale.

B. By advertising it on the media.

C. By selling it throughout America.

D. By selling it just at her lemonade stand.

4.What can we know about Mikaila from the passage?

A. Mikaila enjoys her career.

B. Mikaila has changed her dream.

C. Nikaila's company has saved bees.

D. Mikaila doesn't sell her lemonade on weekends.

Leaving Hanoi on a fiercely hot summer day,after an hour by air,Luang Prabang gradually appears below our airplane wings.From a few hundred meters above,my first impression of this UNESCO-listed heritage(遗产)is an area of green land and mountains,surrounded by snaking rivers.

Encircled by mountains,the former royal capital of Luang Prabang is more than just the country's picture-perfect showpiece.

Travelers will be attracted to Luang Prabang by the city's timeless peacefulness with its shiny Buddhist temples, French colonial architecture and friendly people.

Tourists visiting Luang Prabang shouldn't miss the chance to see one of the most sacred(神圣的)Lao traditions, tak bat,or the Buddhist almsgiving ritual(仪式),which dates back to the 14th century.

As the sun rises in Luang Prabang,hundreds of Buddhist monks depart from their temples to gather their daily offerings,which most commonly are rice,fresh fruit and traditional sweet snacks.The daily alms gathering begins on the main street before spreading to all the side streets.

Our group of six got out of our comfy beds at 5 am to join other local residents and tourists to offer alms to the monks.We kneeled by the roadside in front of the 3 Nagas Hotel on the main street with big baskets of steamed sticky rice,waiting quietly until monks of all ages passed by to accept our gifts.

The daily ritual gives you a wonderful opportunity to experience an ancient Lao tradition.However,there are some strict rules if you wish to join the event.

Firstly,shoulders,chests and legs must be covered in modest clothing as a mark of respect.You should also remain a suitable distance from the monks.Photographs may be taken,but from a distance and never use a camera flash.The ritual has to be performed in silence.Talking to or touching the monks at any time,even when making an offering,is not allowed.

Another must-do morning activity is to visit the local market,where you can see the generosity that Mother Nature offers this dreamy land.While walking through the morning market,located within a long and narrow hamlet,I was excited to see all kinds of products from the nearby river and jungle: some ill-fated squirrels lying next to fresh bamboo shoots,different kinds of wild mushrooms and vegetables displayed on banana leaves and giant river catfish in baskets.

Although Luang Prabang is small,there are many things to see here.Active travelers can get up close and personal with Laos' gentle giants at the elephant conservation camp or take in some scenes of riverside life with a cruise or kayak excursion on the rivers.Two waterfalls that are perfect for picnicking in the foothills nearby,and classes are available in traditional crafts.

1.What can we learn about the tak bat?

A. The daily alms gathering begins on all the side streets.

B. Tourists take photographs,using a camera flash if too dark.

C. Tourists kneel by the roadside,waiting quietly for monks' gifts.

D. Tourists remain a suitable distance from the monks and keep silent.

2.What impression will Luang Prabang most probably leave on tourists?

A. Ancient and attractive. B. Modern and charming.

C. Large and mysterious. D. Distant and poor.

3.If you visit the local market in Luang Prabang,you will find .

A. people there are very generous

B. products are sold through a sacred ritual

C. products there are sold only in the morning

D. products sold by locals are from the surroundings

4.The author introduces Luang Prabang to readers mainly by .

A. commenting on Buddhism B. referring to peaceful ritual

C. describing its characteristics D. emphasizing its specific location

Spring soccer season is under way, and many youth leagues are playing under new safety rules. In November, the US Soccer Federation said that players on its teams who are 10 or younger are no longer allowed to head the ball Players ages 11 to 13 have limits on how often they can practice heading. The new rules are made to prevent kids from getting concussions (脑震荡)—injuries caused by a blow to the head that shakes the brain. Common problems include headaches and dizziness. Severe concussions can lead to long brain damage.

Heading the ball can be one of the riskiest parts of soccer. Sometimes the force of hitting the ball with their heads gives players concussions. But more often, players receive concussions when they accidentally knock heads with other players and hit their heads on the grass. “More concussions happen during the act of heading than any other action in soccer,” explains Dr. Robert Cantu, an expert on brain injuries.

So far, the new rules are made only to teams that are part of the US Soccer Federation. But the group says it hopes other leagues will soon follow its example.

Former US soccer star Brandi Chastain is one of the leaders of the activity to ban heading in youth soccer. She applauds the rule change. Last month, Chastain showed her determination of learning more about the effects of heading when she promised to donate her brain to science after she dies.

“If there’s any information to be gathered on the study of someone like me,who has played soccer for 40 years, it feels like my responsibility,” Chastain told The New York Times.

1.What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?

A. Players needn’t take the risk of heading the ball in soccer.

B. All of the players, headaches result from hitting heads on the grass.

C. Players must receive concussions when knocking heads with other players.

D. The act 0f heading can cause more concussions than other actions in soccer.

2.What is Brandi Chastain’s attitude towards the new safety rules in playing soccer?

A. Unconcerned. B. Positive.

C. Negative. D. Doubtful.

3.From the text, we can learn .

A. Brandi Chastain suffers from very severe concussions

B. concussions caused by heading the ball can not be healed

C. Brandi Chastain is willing to devote herself to the security of soccer players

D. the new rules in soccer have been carried out among all of the American leagues

Getting your children to study can be a little like getting them to eat their vegetables.1. Make a study time and have it at the same time every day. This will help your kids to learn to schedule their day and will give them a sense of control over how they spend their time.

Allow them to study in blocks of time,such as for half an hour with a five-minute break in the middle. 2. Ideal(理想的) study times are after dinner or right after school before dinner.

Never allow your children to study in front of the television,as that will encourage passive activity. 3.You'll also need to help your kids find the right place to study. After you've set up a good study time for little learners,set up a good place where they can get those creative juices flowing. 4. Make sure there is a table or a desk and a comfortable chair.

5. This includes helping them out with their homework sometimes and being there for them with the answers to any questions. The input you give your children during study periods will help form a bond and help make studying enjoyable.

A.Pick a place where your children can study properly.B.Hold them to the schedule they create for themselves.

C.Finally,spend time with your kids when they're studying.

D.Keep the atmosphere light and offer lots of encouragement,too.

E.Instead,use TV as a treat or a reward when the homework is completed.

F.Try to stop this bad habit by offering some sort of reward.

G.One of the best ways to form good study habits for your kids is to design a schedule that they keep to.

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