13．　　"If you could have any three things, what would you want?"
　　Eleven-year-old Ruby Kate Chitsey loves asking that question at nursing homes in Harrison, Arkansas, where she lives. Even more amazing, she then sets out to make the residents' (居住者) wishes come true.
　　Ruby often goes along with her mother, Amanda Chitsey, to nursing homes where she works as a nurse. Last May, Ruby (1)       that a resident named Pearl was staring at the window. She seemed sad, because her dog was led away by its new owner. Ruby discovered that the nursing home didn't allow residents to have dogs and Pearl couldn't (2)       to pay anyone to look after hers. Pearl got only ＄40 a month to spend on personal things such as clothes and haircuts. Ruby decided to do something about it.
　　She started by asking the residents what three things they wanted most in the world. Her mother was(3)       that people would ask for cars and other things an 11-year-old wouldn't be able to provide. Instead, they asked for chocolate, sandwiches, and even trousers that fit properly.
　　Using their own money, the Chitseys helped about 100 people (4)       their wishes in three months. Then they started asking for donations (捐款).
　　Amanda set up a GoFundMe page, Three Wishes for Ruby's Residents, hoping to (5)      ＄5, 000. The Chitseys hit their goal in a month and raised more than ＄250, 000 in five months. With those money, they were able to become more (6)      . For example, one resident asked for a man cave (洞穴), so they got him an iPad and filled his fridge with food.
　　Earlier this year, Three Wishes for Ruby's Residents started its first nationwide page. One of its new (7)       is to set up a shared computer in one nursing home in each state. Ruby doesn't plan to stop there. "I consider (8)       to be my hobby," she says, "and I'm very good at it."

15．A day in the life
　　Well, finally something is happening, Kim thought. So far, it had been the most boring summer ever. Suddenly, loud beeps (哔哔声), warning that a truck is backing up, broke the afternoon silence. Kim walked over to the bushes (灌木) that separated her house from the one next door.
　　"I hope the new neighbours are cool," she thought as she looked at the stacks of boxes outside the truck. Let's see. Lots of boxes! That one says, "Kitchen stuff" and that one says, "Jane's stuff". Wow, what a huge TV!Oh, a piano. Hmm. I wonder who Jane is. And look at that, a water bowl with the name Cupcake on it.
　　Maybe they have a cat, thought Kim. She stepped around the bushes to get a better look. "Here, Cupcake. Come here, girl!" she called. She poured some of her water into the bowl and called again. "Here, Cupcake. Come on out, girl."
　　Kim heard something move. A large dog crawled (爬) out from under the truck and then stood up and shook itself. "Well, look at you," Kim said. "You are not a little girl, are you?But you look so sweet!Are you thirsty? Here, have some water."
　　It was after the dog had finished the water and was happily licking (舔) Kim's hand that she looked up.
　　"I see you've met Cupcake," said a girl she had never met before. "I'm Jane."
　　They had hardly started talking when Kim heard her mum shouting, "Be careful with the dog, Kim. Get over here right now."
　　"Mum," Kim said. "Relax. She's so friendly and sweet. Her name is Cupcake!"
　　"I don't care what its name is. Come home now!"
　　Kim looked at Jane, and then looked down her feet, not sure of what to say next.
　　"Go ahead," Jane said. "We can talk later. And maybe you can show me how to get to school."
　　"Sure, Jane. I'd like that. And maybe we can take Cupcake for a walk."
　　Well, Kim thought as she returned home. Maybe the rest of the summer won't be boring after all.

16．　　In April 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first man to travel in space. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon. Some people believe the next step is for humans to visit Mars. There's no doubt that the first person to walk on Mars will become as famous as Gagarin or Armstrong, and many astronauts would love the opportunity. But what is space travel really like for the astronauts?
　　Many astronauts suffer (承受) physical problems, even if they are in space for just a few months. Some of these problems are short-lived;others may be long—lasting. More than two-thirds of all astronauts suffer from motion sickness while traveling in space. In space, the body cannot tell up from down. The body sends confusing signals to the brain, which can result in feeling sick for a few days. The amount of blood and water in the body also ends up being sent differently. More blood and water end up in the face, neck, and chest, resulting in a puffy (肿胀的) face and an enlarged heart.
　　For the duration of their task, astronauts experience conditions that influence their health. For example, their bones get weaker. Being in a weightless environment means that astronauts do not use the muscles (肌肉), so their muscles gradually get weaker. This, along with the change of blood to the upper body and the resulting loss of important minerals (矿物质), causes bones to weaken. As a result, many astronauts are unable to walk properly for a few days upon their return to Earth. In addition, they are exposed to radiation (辐射) from the sun. This puts them at a higher risk of serious illness.
　　In addition to physical difficulties, astronauts who travel for long periods may also suffer from psychological stress. Long journeys require astronauts to spend more time inside a spaceship. For example, a round-trip journey to Mars could take about three years. Being confined in a small space for such a long period of time is not healthy.
　　Astronauts — especially those who achieved important "firsts" such as Gagarin and Armstrong — are often seen as exciting adventurers. This may be right, but it's also worth remembering the efforts they make to explore our universe.

17．　　It is easy to forget that public education is relatively new. Even in the U. S. , which has a relatively developed education system, public schools only became common in the early 19^th century. Before that, while the rich were able to get private teachers for their children, most education of children took place within the family and the community. Some people are now going back to teaching children themselves.
　　At one time, homeschooling was for students who had behavioral or learning difficulties. Today, there are many arguments for educating one's children at home. Some of it starts from dissatisfaction with the normal education system. In many schools, one teacher is responsible for 30 or 40 students;children are often deprived (剥夺) of the attention they need.
　　Many psychologists (心理学家) see the home as the most natural learning environment, since it is supportive. Parents who homeschool say they can keep an eye on their children's education more closely. Children can also choose what and when to study, so they can learn according to their own timetable. The many educational resources on the Internet can also be used. Supporters of homeschooling point out that homeschooled children do just as well as or better than those who are classroom-taught.
　　However, critics of homeschooling say that children miss out on learning important social skills because they have little interaction with their peers (同龄人). This might have a bad effect on them later in life when they go to university or start work. Critics have also raised concerns about whether parents are able to educate their children properly. Many of these parents are short of teacher training and may not be up-to-date on all the subjects taught in schools.
　　In the U. S. , with an increasing number of parents taking their children out of class, schools are looking for ways to restore parents' confidence in the public education system. Some American high schools have opened their doors to homeschoolers on a part-time basis, allowing these children to attend classes once or twice a week, or to take part in activities such as playing football or dancing. This enables homeschooled children to enjoy the extra benefits of peer interaction and involvement in sport or clubs.
　　Whatever the arguments for or against, homeschooling is growing in some countries. There are now websites and support groups that enable parents to learn more about educating their children. Homeschooling is now taken as an accepted choice to the public education system.

18．　　Sylvia Earle is one of the world's most famous ocean (海洋) scientists . She loves to go diving (潜水) in the ocean. She has spent a lot of her life both in and under the waves. Earle has led more than a hundred explorations and she set a record for diving in 1, 000-meter-deep water on her own. In total, she has spent more than 7, 000 hours underwater.
　　Earle describes the first time she went to the ocean: "I was three years old and I got knocked over by a wave (波浪). The ocean certainly got my attention!It was exciting. And since then, I have been attracted by life in the ocean."
　　Now, Earle's job is to focus on developing a worldwide network of areas on the land and in the ocean. This network will protect and support the living systems that are important to the planet. She explains why this is important: "When I first went to the Gulf of Mexico in the 1950s, the sea looked huge and blue. It seemed to be too large and too wild to be destroyed by the action of people. Then, in only several tens of years, the blue wilderness of my childhood disappeared. By the end of the 20^th century, about 90 percent of the sharks, whales, and many other large creatures had disappeared from the Gulf. They had been there for millions of years."
　　Some people don't understand why the ocean is so important to life on Earth. Earle explains that "the ocean is the foundation of our life support system. The ocean is alive. The living things in the ocean produce O₂ and take up CO₂. If we don't have the ocean, we don't have a planet that works."
　　The Gulf of Mexico has had many problems, especially after the Deepwater Horizon Oil disaster (灾难) of 2010, but Earle says, "In 2003 I found good signs in clear, deep water far from the mouth of the Mississippi River. It was full of life. Large areas of the Gulf are not destroyed. Protecting the most important places will be good for the future of the Gulf and for all of us."

1. Who is Sylvia Earle?
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2. How long has Earle spent underwater in total?
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3. When did Earle get knocked over by a wave?
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4. What will Earle's worldwide network do?
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5. Why does Earle think the ocean is important to life on Earth?
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19．假如你是李华, 你校外教Peter打算利用"五一"假期出游, 并就此向你寻求建议．请用英语给Peter写一封邮件, 对目的地的选择提出建议并说明原因, 以及提醒Peter需要做什么准备．
提示词语: stay, park, mask, health kit (健康宝)
提示问题:
● Where do you advise Peter to go? And why?
● What should Peter prepare for the trip?
Dear Peter,
I've heard that you want to go travelling during May Day holiday. .
Hope my advice will help you. Have a nice holiday!
Yours,
Li Hua