Directions Choose a book from the list below and bring it to class by the due date. You will have approximately one trimester，from September 14 to November 16，to read the book and complete your report. It is okay to switch your book if you do not like your original choice. Students are encouraged to check out the book of their choice from the public library.

    The purchase of a book is optional.

    We're often reminded of the importance of preserving the planet as we see it for future generations—and children at St Oswald's Primary School in Chester certainly agree.

    Nine-year-old Isobel Kelleher from the school's Hummingbirds class thinks adults need to take note. “Sometimes they can be busy and I don't think they think they can make a difference，but if everyone does a little bit it all adds up，” she tells HuffPost UK.“ We started looking at plastic pollution in our oceans and the things like plastic bags and broken down pieces of plastic that are polluting them.” she says.“ Fish can eat the plastic and they can die，or we might even eat the fish ourselves.”

    Mr Timms，Isobel's teacher，has been spearheading a new project at the school which lets children loose creatively to raise awareness of the need to be more environmentally friendly. The entire Hummingbirds class，which is made up of 9 and 10-year-old pupils，has been busy writing poems and creating online video adverts to warn adults about the serious situation of our oceans and wildlife.

    Mr Timms thinks children have an important role to play in teaching us how to take care of the things around us. We sometimes overlook how much we can really learn from children.” he says.“ It has been really hard to believe having parents come in saying that their children have been asking them to stop using plastic，and to recycle more，and even stopping them using plastic straws.”

    Mr Timms is proud of his Hummingbirds class.“ The message that they would like to send to the world is simple stopping this isn't someone else's job，and it won't be OK if we just leave it.”

    In the middle of the 19th century，a fever dream of riches beyond measure drew countless explorers west to the mountains of central California. Although the gold rush ended up being a bust for many who sought a fortune，some of those explorers discovered a natural treasure that would draw permanent settlers to Yosemite Valley in the following decade.

    Vast wilderness，beautiful mountains，countless waterfalls，and abundant wildlife drew Native Americans to Yosemite roughly 10，000 years ago. The first non-native tourists arrived in the mid-1850s after reports from gold seekers told of an area of breathtaking beauty that no words were able to describe.

    Fortunately，some of Yosemite's earliest settlers recognized that Yosemite's natural beauty and resources needed to be preserved for future generations. In the midst of the Civil War，President Abraham Lincoln signed a grant to protect Yosemite permanently，thus making it the nation's first land to be dedicated to recreation and setting the stage for what would become the national park system.

    One of Yosemite's earliest ambassadors was Scottish-American naturalist and writer John Muir. After living in Yosemite for a few years，he helped define its proposed boundaries. He also wrote articles that helped lead to its official title as a National Park in 1890.He later co-founded the Sierra Club in 1892 to advocate for its continued preservation and protection.

    Located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California，Yosemite National Park runs across nearly 748，000 acres，almost 95％of which is wilderness. Around four million visitors come to Yosemite each year to camp，hike its miles of trails，climb its rock formations，and photograph its impressive sights. Are you ready to visit Yosemite National Park? Which of Yosemite's sights would you most like to experience?

    A new high tech mirror, designed specifically for cancer patients, will only become reflective when a user smiles into it. The plug-in device, which exactly looks like a tablet, comes equipped with a mirror, a built-in camera, and a smart material triggered(触发)by some software. Facial recognition technology captures the face and instructs the surface of the mirror to change when a smile is detected. It can hang on a wall or sit on a table, much like a conventional mirror. Unlike a regular mirror, however, the price is currently standing at a surprising $2000—$3000.

    After witnessing a close family member struggle through cancer treatments, Turkish industrial designer Berk Ilhan decided to focus his work primarily on products that would cultivate joy and benefit cancer patients directly.

    “She told me in the first days after her diagnosis, it was difficult for her to look in the mirror and acknowledge she had cancer.” he said.“ Our facial expressions affect how we feel. If we flex(绷紧)our facial muscles to smile, our brains think that something good happened and as a result, we feel happiness.”

    After earning his master's degree at the School of Visual Arts in New York, Ilhan spent several weeks visiting cancer hospitals in Turkey, speaking to both patients and doctors. He spent two years designing and developing the mirror. The idea behind it is that smiling, even when forced, can make us feel better, according to research known as the facial feedback hypothesis. Laughter is linked to improved immune system function, and some researchers claim it can even increase our lifespans.

Ilhan is currently producing the mirror in limited quantities at the previously mentioned price. The product, however, will soon be launching a campaign in which Ilhan hopes to raise enough funds to bring the price down to $500.He also intends to donate the mirror to hospitals when it is financially possible to do so.

    Scholarships are at the very heart of Eton College. Henry I created the school for his 70 King's Scholars in 1440 and they still exist nearly six hundred years later..

    Scholarships differ from bursaries，which are given to help support families who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford some，or all of the school fees. , it is still possible to apply for a bursary for the remainder of the fees，but the awarding of a scholarship does not guarantee that a bursary application will be successful.

    .

    King's Scholarships，based on academic ability for boys entering the school at age 13.Around 14 are awarded each year.

    New Foundation Scholarships，awarded to boys at UK state schools joining Eton at age 13.

    .These are usually for entry at 13，but a few are for Sixth Form school pupils.

    Sixth Form Scholarships，usually awarded to boys who have been attending a UK state school for at least the last three years.

    The Michael Meredith Award，given to a boy joining the school who will make a significant contribution to drama，either on stage，as a crew technician，playwright or director.

    , regardless of their family's financial background. For further information，please contact the School Fees and Bursaries Accountant.

A. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters，we offer a broad range of scholarships

B. When a boy is awarded a scholarship

C. Because there is a wide range of scholarships

D. Scholarships secure a fee decrease of 10％

E. We try to ensure that any boy offered a scholarship can join us

F. Today there are around 140 scholarship boys here at any one time

G. Music Awards，designed to recognize and support talented musicians

    When faced with difficult situations in their lives, many people find them too 1 and give up, especially on their life dreams. But not for Gabriel Heredia.

Gabriel is a 20-year-old Argentinian barber who was born without hands.2 his physical disability, he was able to grow up happy and 3. He also always had the support of friends and family, never feeling 4 treated at all by his schoolmates. At the age of 14, he 5 working as a barber, and learned all the techniques to perfect haircuts. Although he first saw it as a hobby, Gabriel quickly 6 that this was the profession he wanted to work in.

    His family 7 him to open his first barbershop, which he worked at for one and a half years. There, he 8 the president of Argentina Corta ,an organization for barbers to connect, do charity work in less fortunate 9, and teach hairdressing to those who are 10. Gabriel is now part of Argentina Corta, offering his services to people of all 11 so they can build up the 12 they need to get decent jobs.

    As a bright and caring young man, Gabriel 13 not only to be a barber,but also to make a 14 with the neighborhood: “The thing that I like most of my 15 is that people feel comfortable and stylish with my cuts and that makes me 16.”

    Nowadays, Gabriel runs his own barber shop in Buenos Aires, where people 17 around the block for his services. Gabriel's 18 shows that the barriers we face in life are never 19to deal with successfully. Whatever problem you face, you can 20 tackle it by adopting the right mindset, and never giving up.

    From red lanterns to red envelopes, did you ever wonder the color red is so popular in China, especially during the Chinese New Year? It is said that it all began with Nian, a wild beast would frighten villagers on the New Year, (eat)crops, livestock(家畜),and even children. But villagers learned that this animal a lion head was afraid of three things: fire, noise, and the color red. Nian was defeated, and from then on, the color red was considered (bring)good luck and good fortune to all.

    “Usually red lanterns are hung outside the doors to ward off(避开)bad luck,” suggests Karen Katz, author of picture book My First Chinese New Year.“ Also red cutout papers (use)as decorations to hang on the walls. If you live near a Chinese neighborhood, you should be able to purchase these (item), but if not, go online and order them. You can also make your own cutouts.”

Still, the most popular way to celebrate the Chinese New Year (be)to hand out red envelopes filled with money. However, like toys under the Christmas tree, some traditions are meant for children, and Chinese red envelopes are given to (they)to ward off evil spirits.

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。

Dear Jim,

    I'm very glad to hear from you. In your letter, you said you suffer from depression because of the heavy load of study and didn't know what to get rid of it. Therefore, I am writing to offer you some suggestion.

    First of all, it is quite common of high school students to feel depressed sometimes. What really matters is you should face your problem and make up your mind to settle it. The most effectively way is to turn to your teachers for help. He will surely provide you with a useful and practical advice. Besides, take an active part in sports or you'll feel more energetic than before. Hang out with friends is also a good way to relax yourself.

    I hope my suggestions can be of some help to you.

Yours,

Li Hua

1）活动时间和地点；

2）活动内容；

3）你的感受。

注意：1）词数100字左右；

2）可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。