Polar bears are suffering in a {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (warm) world.

    Polar bears live in environments too cold for most animals. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} much of the year, they live and hunt on the frozen Arctic sea ice. Nature has prepared {#blank#}3{#/blank#} for the cold conditions. But nothing has prepared the bears for the danger that {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (threat)the only home they know.

    The polar bears' world is melting. Studies show that the polar ice has reduced by 9.8% every 10 years {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 1978. Now about 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears live in the Arctic. Polar bears depend on the sea ice for their {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (survive). “The sea ice is more than just this platform that the bears walk over,” says Andrew Derocher, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} scientist who studies North American polar bear populations. “{#blank#}8{#/blank#} it, they can't exist.”

    Some melting and refreezing of the polar ice is natural. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} in a warmer world, these cycles speed up, and bears have less time to hunt. Normally, they have three months in the spring when they gain more weight. The extra fat is used later, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} the bears are not actively hunting.

    It was {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(extreme) cold last Monday morning. While I was walking on my way to school, I noticed two street{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (clean) sweeping the street, across {#blank#}3{#/blank#}I walk every day. Seeing them {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(work) so hard on such {#blank#}5{#/blank#} cold morning, I was moved and made up my mind to do something for them. After arriving at school, I discussed with some classmates{#blank#}6{#/blank#} we could do. The next day, we got up early and prepared porridge at home. When we handed them the hot porridge and expressed our appreciation for {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(they) hard work, they looked a little {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(surprise) at first. And then they took the porridge, grateful {#blank#}9{#/blank#} our kindness. Although it was very cold, we all {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(feel) warm at that moment.

    I'm Alexandra Grace, Educator at New Zealand Embassy Beijing. Today I will give you a brief introduction of New Zealand's higher education. Small {#blank#}1{#/blank#} it may be, New Zealand offers quality higher education opportunities, with two {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (three) of its higher education institutes within the top 10 of QS World University Rankings 2014. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} makes New Zealand's universities stand out is their abilities {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (provide) high-end education.

    Though Chinese students form the largest international student group in New Zealand, the country only ranks the 7th on Chinese students' most {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (desire) overseas destination list. The size of the country prevents it {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (become) a hot study destination. But it draws students with its {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (safety) and multi-cultural environment.

    While it attracts mainly wealthy students, higher education in New Zealand is also affordable for many common Chinese families. Chinese students can get {#blank#}8{#/blank#} British-based education with the school fee being some of the lowest in the world. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} average, the school fee was about 25, 000 dollars per year, and the living costs were about 20, 000 dollars a year. Besides, students can do some part-time jobs. The money {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (earn) in those jobs is enough for them to travel around the country and enjoy its breath-taking scenery.

    Cathy Martin is a hurricane hunter with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For six months each year, she is part of a team that collects {#blank#}1{#/blank#} she describes as "vital data, to save life and property."

When winds pick up, {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(spin) toward the Caribbean and U. S. coastline, Martin and {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(she) flight team spring into action.

    They use instruments called dropsondes, which {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(set) free from a tube at the back of the plane. As a dropsonde makes its 10,000-foot landing into the sea, it sends out information about air temperature, pressure, humidity, and the speed and {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(direct) of the wind.

    On an eight-hour flight, Martin's team {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(typical) drops 15 to 20 dropsondes while flying from one side of the storm {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the other, trying to cover as much ground as possible. They head for the center (or eye) of the storm, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} there's no wind, and also search for the strongest winds, to help people on the coast prepare for what's coming. Sometimes, they will use an unmanned aircraft {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (gather) data closer to the ocean's surface.

    Though these flights can be long,{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(tire) and often last several days in a row, Martin likes her job and wishes she could fly every day.