An incredible dog has mastered more than just the doggy paddle (狗刨式游泳) — the golden brown pet helps disabled children learn how to surf. Ricochet’s owner Judy Fridono said, “I was working with her at balance and coordination (协作). Her balance is so good that she can help to stabilize the board for the kids. And it makes them feel good to know that Ricochet is there with them, keeping them company.”
After becoming an expert, two-year-old Ricochet helps the disabled children build up the confidence to get on the board themselves. Dressed in a yellow jacket, Ricochet helps to counter-balance the board and acts as a reassuring presence.
Ms. Fridono knows what an impact her beloved dog can have. She herself was severely disabled since her teens. Having Ricochet around lifts her spirits, and inspires her to conquer her pain to get on the board. “Ricochet has taught me to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can’t,” she said.
One of those who have benefited from Ricochet’s skills is six-year-old Ian McFarland. In 2008 a car crash left him with brain damage. Although he had loved surfing before the accident, he was too nervous to go back into the water. His fear turned to excitement, when he was told he could try a tandem (双人) surf session with Ricochet. Their session was a success and by the end of it, Ian was smiling from ear to ear. As well as helping with treatments, Ricochet also raised £5,000 to help continue Ian’s recovery.
Over the last 10 months, Ricochet’s excellent performances on the sea have raised more than £30,000 for a number of charity causes.
According to the passage, Ricochet is .
| A．a dog | B．a doctor |
| C．a dog owner | D．a disabled boy |
What role does Ricochet play according to the passage?
| A．She acts as a pet to please its owner. |
| B．She accompanies the disabled children at home. |
| C．She works as a guide dog for the blind |
| D．She helps the disabled children learn to surf. |
Which statement can best describe Ricochet?
| A．The two-year-old dog is severely disabled. |
| B．Ricochet helps youngsters build up their confidence. |
| C．Ricochet helps youngsters in their daily life. |
| D．Ricochet is a lifesaver on the sea. |
6-Day Trek（艰苦跋涉）in the Highland National Parks
Destinations: Saigon — Cat Tien National Park —Buon Ma Thuot —Lak Lake — YokDon National Park
Estimated trekking time: Average 4-5 hours／day
Summary: This trip is ideal for those who love trekking in natural forests. From the southern part of Vietnam up to the central highlands, you will cross through two national parks. There will be opportunities to see wildlife and challenge yourself physically at a moderate（中等的）level.
Indulge yourself in the beauty of nature, escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, rediscover yourself in the natural world and refresh both mind and body.
Highlights:
·Private tour
·Walk through the forest to a fascinating and beautiful wetland area. If you are lucky, you may be able to see many different kinds of animals using only binoculars（双筒望远镜）.
·Night time wildlife-spotting excursion（远足）
·Elephant riding
Includes:
·Travel insurance
·Private transportation
·English-speaking guide
·Guest house-twin shared room
·Meals as indicated in the itinerary（旅行日程）
·Elephants
·Canoe
·Mineral water
·Entrance fees & all permits
Excludes:
·Surcharges for other guides in other languages, festival season and peak season surcharges, which will be advised at time of booking
·Visa
·Gong show（80 USD／show）
·Tips
·Personal expensesIn the forest, tourists will be able to______.
| A．have barbeques with natives |
| B．ride elephants |
| C．play with wild animals |
| D．race in canoes |
Visitors may have to pay extra fees for____.
| A．permits | B．meals and water |
| C．a Gong show | D．an English-speaking guide |
This advertisement is especially targeting visitors_____ .
| A．from other countries |
| B．who love wildlife |
| C．who enjoy country life |
| D．interested in hiking in forests |
Each spring brings a new wildflower blooming in the fields along the highway I travel daily to work. There is one particular blue flower that has always caught my eye. I've noticed that it blooms only in the morning hours. The afternoon sun is too warm for it. Every day each year for about two weeks, I see those beautiful flowers.
This spring, I started a wildflower garden in my yard. I can look out of the kitchen window while doing the dishes and see the flowers. I've often thought that those lovely blue flowers from the fields would look great in that bed alongside other wildflowers.
Every day I drove past the flowers, thinking, "I'll stop on my way home and dig them." "Gee, I don't want to get my good clothes dirty…" Whatever the reason, I never stopped to dig them. My husband even gave me a tool one year for that expressed purpose.
One day on my way home from work, I was saddened to see that the highway department had cleared up the fields and the pretty blue flowers were gone. I thought to myself, "Way to go, you waited too long. You should have done it when you first saw them blooming this spring. "
A week ago we were shocked and saddened to learn that my oldest sister-in-law has a cancer. She is 20 years older than my husband and unfortunately, because of age and distance, we haven't been as close as we all would have liked.
I couldn't help but see the connection between the pretty blue flowers and the relationship between my husband's sister and us. I do believe that God has given us some time left to plant some wonderful memories that will bloom every year for us.
And yes, if I see the blue flowers again, I'm sure I'll stop and transplant them to my wildflower garden. How long might the blue flower bloom in spring?
| A．The whole day. | B．The whole season. |
| C．About one week. | D．About two weeks |
Where did the writer want to transplant the flowers?
| A．In the garden | B．Along the highway. |
| C．Across the fields. | D．Outside the yard. |
Which of the following is NOT true about the writer's sister-in-law?
| A．She is seriously ill. |
| B．She is twenty years old. |
| C．She lives far away from the writer. |
| D．She is not in close touch with the writer. |
What does the writer want to tell us?
| A．Refresh our wonderful moments every year. |
| B．Visit our relatives only after they get ill. |
| C．Value now and don't lose chances. |
| D．Plant flowers and don't enjoy them in the field. |
Scientists in Colombia have trained a team of rats to help remove land mines from the countryside. Land mines are small bombs hidden in the ground and designed to explode(爆炸) when someone steps on them.
When trained, the rats can smell special metals in the mines and then signal(发信号) to their human team. Then why use rats for such an important job?
In the past, dogs have been used to find bombs. Rats have a good sense of smell and can respond to orders, just like dogs do. But rats are much lighter than dogs. They stand less of a chance of setting off the mines, which explode under a certain amount of weight. What’s more, the best rats are cheaper to keep than dogs. It costs about the same amount of money to take care of one dog as it does 70 rats.
The rats have already been used in Tanzania, an African country with many land mines. Luisa Fernanda Méndez and her team in Colombia are training the even lighter Wistar rats. These are the white rats with red eyes that scientists often use in laboratory experiments. “They even train their babies to perform their jobs, which saves us a lot of time, ” Méndez said.
Colombia has the second-highest rate(比率) of deaths from land mine accidents in the world. Last year, land mines killed 695 people — 56 of whom were children. A criminal group called the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, as well as other organizations, have placed the mines. FARC are strongly against Colombia’s government. The group has placed mines all around its own bases and in many places in the countryside.
In the past, the Colombian government hired peasants and poor farmers to find mines. Many of them died trying to find the well-hidden bombs.
Colombian police official Erick Guzmán hopes the team of rats can come to the rescue(援救). “These rats will be a great help,” he said.How do rats help to find land mines?
| A．By their special sight. | B．By their light weight. |
| C．By their sense of smell. | D．By their excellent hearing. |
The advantage of rats over dogs in finding bombs is that _____.
| A．they are cleverer. |
| B．they run faster |
| C．they have a better sense of smell |
| D．they don’t make mines explode as easily |
The underlined word “They” may refer to ______.
| A．scientists | B．Wistar rats |
| C．dogs | D．Méndez and her team |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Specially-trained rats help clear land mines. |
| B．People in Tanzania are suffering from land mines. |
| C．Dogs are no longer used to find land mines. |
| D．Land mines have become a great danger to Colombians. |
Is it wrong to use someone else’s wireless (Wi-Fi) connection? Just recently, a man was arrested for doing just that. At that time, he was sitting in the street with a laptop(便携式电脑) and using an unsecured(无安全保护措施) wireless connection to surf the Net. What do you think about this topic? Listen to the following different views on it.
For a start, if someone is using your Internet service or downloading, this will affect your speed of access or download limit. Also, it’s bad for Internet service providers. They will suffer in the long run because fewer people will pay for an Internet service if they know they can get it for free. And finally, just imagine this: what if the person who is stealing your Internet connection is involved in an illegal activity? I think the police are totally right to arrest these criminals.
— by Sandra Wilkins
Basically, if the person who paid for the service still has everything they paid for, what’s the problem? It’s just like using the light from streetlamps to read your book, or watching someone else’s firework display. It’s not stealing.
Also, if you leave your wireless connection unsecured, then it is your own fault(过错) if someone else uses it. Just as you wouldn’t leave your front door unlocked, or your car door open, neither should you leave your wireless connection open. By leaving your wireless connection open, you are inviting people to use it. Securing your wireless connection is as easy as clicking a few settings on your router(路由器). And finally, haven’t the police got more important crimes to solve? They’re always saying how they haven’t got the manpower to solve real issues. But this is just ridiculous(荒谬的).
— by James Hoarley Why was the man mentioned in the first paragraph arrested?
| A．For stealing someone’s laptop. |
| B．For surfing the Net in the street. |
| C．For destroying others’ wireless connection. |
| D．For using an Internet service without permission. |
What does Sandra Wilkins think of people using others’ Internet service?
| A．He thinks it is unacceptable. |
| B．He thinks it is necessary sometimes. |
| C．He thinks it requires good computer skills. |
| D．He thinks it is good for Internet service providers. |
In James Hoarley’s opinion, ______.
| A．Internet service should be improved. |
| B．it is hard to secure one’s wireless connection. |
| C．using others’ Internet service is not stealing at all. |
| D．people should leave their wireless connection open. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Wireless connection | B．Wireless worries |
| C．Internet service | D．Internet users |
Say Yes to Reading
Write a one-page report titled “The Best Book I Read This Year” and enter it in the Boy’s Life 2012 “Say Yes to Reading!” contest.
The book can be fiction or nonfiction. But the report has to be in your own words— 500 words tops. Enter in one of these three age categories(类别)：
● 8 years old and younger
● 9 and 10 years old
● 11 years old and older
First-place winners in each age category will receive a $100 gift certificate(礼券) good for any product in the Boy Scouts official retail catalog(零售目录). Second-place winners will receive a $75 gift certificate and third-place winners a $50 gift certificate.
Everyone who enters will get a free patch(眼罩). In coming years, you’ll have the chance to earn different patches.
The contest is open to all Boys’ Life readers. Be sure to include your name, address, age and grade in school on the entry. Send your report to:
Boys’ Life Reading Contest
S306
P.O. Box 152079
Irving, TX 75015-2079
Entries(参赛作品) must be postmarked by Dec. 31, 2012 and must include entry information and a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Winners of the 2011 reading contest will be announced in the July 2012 issue of Boys’ Life magazine.
And the 2010 first-place winners are:
8 YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER
Tyler Bergmann chose “Can You Keep a Secret?” by PJ Petersen as his favorite book. “It talks about honesty and the importance of being trust-worthy, which really matter between friends,” Tyler writes.
9 AND 10 YREARS OLD
Nathaniel Griffis read “The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones” by Rick Riordan. Writes Nathaniel: “As I read, I learned about places I have never been and things I have only imagined.”
11 YEARS OLD AND OLDER
Devin MacGoy, 12 chose “The Red Badge of Courage” by Stephen Grane. “A reader can take away many lessons,” Devin writes.The purpose of the passage is to ________.
| A．persuade kids to enter a contest |
| B．ask kids to read more books |
| C．encourage kids to buy Boys’ Life |
| D．advertise some children’s books |
According to the passage, _________.
| A．each first-place winner will get $100 |
| B．the report should have 500 at least |
| C．whoever enters will get a patch for free |
| D．one can copy some words from the book |
Who learns something about friendship from reading a book?
| A．Tyler Bergmann | B．Nathaniel Griffis |
| C．Devin MacGoy | D．PJ Petersen |
After Nathaniel Griffis read “The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones”, he might be ________.
| A．puzzled | B．worried | C．bored | D．excited |
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