VISIONS Service Adventures

Since 1989, VISIONS has organized community service summer programs for teens. Live with other teens in a neighborhood of our host community; be more than a tourist.

High school students on the VISIONS Alaska community service program will earn 100 service hours doing meaningful summer projects including environmental work and social services. You will also experience amazing Alaska adventures such as backpacking climbing and more.

PROGRAM DATES July 3 to July 28

OUR HOME BASE Tetlin Village, a native village with rich traditions.

Student volunteers on the VISIONS British Virgin Islands (BVI) teen summer camp will receive 75 service hours working on housing and environmental issues. While not working, participants will explore the beautiful tropical (热带的) island and enjoy beach time among the activities.

PROGRAM DATES July 1 to July 22

OUR HOME BASE Tortola, the commercial center, capital, and large island of the BVI.

Teens on the VISIONS Cambodia summer community service program will experience a society that is in a state of rebuilding. High school students earn 80 service hours doing projects including construction. While working, you will be able to take in the beautiful war memorials, local art markets and. ancient temples.

PROGRAM DATES July 2 to July 26

OUR HOME BASE Battambang, a perfect place for exploring traditional Cambodia.

Teen volunteers participating in the Ecuador program will have the opportunity to practice Spanish with local partners while working on projects that involve learning construction skills. A visit to the Galapagos with time to take in the beautiful environment and swim with sea lions is included. The program provides volunteers with 85 service hours.

PROGRAM DATES July 1 to July 26

OUR HOME BASE Patate, home to about 15,000 people in central Ecuador’s Tungurahua Province.

21. If you only have a 24 — day vacation, you can join the program that is held in         .

A. Cambodia                      B. Ecuador                         C. the BVI                          D. Alaska

22. What can you do the Cambodia summer community service program?

A. Go to art markets.                                                   B. Play on the beach.

C. Harvest food crops                                                  D. Repair old temples.

23. What can we learn about VISIONS community service summer program?

A. Participants should have some construction skills.

B. Participants have to find their own accommodations.

C. They aim at teaching teens to preserve local tradition.

D. They include public Services and recreational activities.

When young, I dreamed of becoming many things. I wished I was an astronaut going up into space, finding new planets and jumping around in a cool space suit. I imagined being a cowboy in the having gun fights and wearing stylish cowboy boots. I pretended to be a famous footballer, using my skills to score lots of goals. I love being able to play the role of somebody, even just for a short time, to try to realize what it might be like to walk in their shoes.

Looking back, I realize that imagination is a wonderful thing. I was able to create entire environments and scenarios (剧情梗概) in my head, using nothing more than my brain, and to be able to adapt things in my everyday surroundings to fit the specific story of the day. Growing up with brothers and sisters also helped, as it meant that even bigger stories could be created, combining our ideas and putting our thoughts into action. It also allowed for more varieties in the story, as sometimes I could be the hero while on other occasions, I would be the bad guy.

One of my all—time favorite memories as a kid was recreating the Indiana Jones character in my back garden. I played the role of Indiana Jones, with my younger sister as my assistant and my brother as the evil man. We used everything in our garden, from the path to the fence, as part of the storyline to create obstacle that needed to be overcome, and we would keep the story going for hours!

My personal favorite was Indiana Jones and the Stolen Easter Eggs, where my brother hid small chocolate eggs around and my sister and I had to find them by answering questions or solving a puzzle. It was difficulty but eventually we found all the eggs and shared them together.

24. What is mainly discussed in the first paragraph?

A. The author’s early careers.

B. The author’s imagination of future.

C. The author’s childhood adventure.

D. The author’s childhood dreams.

25. Why did the author say “Growing up with brothers and sisters also helped”？

A. They could defeat the bad guys in school.

B. They could act out the stories with more characters.

C. They could discuss the scenarios together.

D. They could share some joys and sorrows.

26. When playing the Indiana and the Stolen Easter Eggs         .

A. the author hid chocolate eggs around the garden

B. the author’s sister answered questions or solved a puzzle alone

C. the author’s brother took up the job of finding the chocolate eggs

D. the author, his brother and his sister would share the chocolate eggs after finding eggs

27. According to the passage, the author in childhood can be described as         .

A. aggressive and brave                                                     B. naughty and realistic

C. imaginative and energetic                                              D. creative and hard—working

Turning strangers into neighbors and streets into neighborhoods, Neighbors Day Aotearoa is back for the third year as a national celebration of neighborliness.

Neighbors Day Aotearoa (NDA) on 23 — 24 March will give all Kiwis a great opportunity to connect with others in their immediate neighborhood.

Over the weekend, thousands of neighbors all around the country will gather together to get to know each other, and make connections and support systems that will continue to enrich their lives long after the weekend has ended.

A shining example of neighborly spirit inspired by NDA is Victoria Dawson—Wheeler, a 32 — year—old from Arch Hill, Auckland, who won the Neighbors Day Aotearoa story competition last year.

Victoria organized a big breakfast for her whole neighborhood, asking local business to take part by donating enough coffee, muffins, and bacon for everyone who came along.

She also created a gift — swap exercise called “Love thy neighbor” where each participant had to talk with at least two other households in the neighborhood.

It was a huge success. “I was blown away by the generosity and thoughtfulness of everyone present,” she says. “It’s so hard to meet people, nobody wants to be the first to say ‘hi’, but once you’re past that stage it’s great!”

Since Neighbors Day, Arch Hill has become known for its community - mindedness. When babies are born, people drop by with food and clothes for the new parents. When a neighbor is in trouble, people are now much more likely to lend a hand.

“These small but important changes in neighborhoods are what Neighbors Day Aotearoa is all about. More and more of this happening tight around the country will mean neighborliness is increasing in every community. We’re already starting to see this movement grow,” says John McCarthy, one of the organizers.

With better connected streets, neighborhoods, and more everyday neighborliness, New Zealand communities will be stronger and more able to deal with many of the social concerns that exist in Aotearoa.

The Neighbors Day website (www. neighborsday. org. nz) features NDA success stories to help inspire New Zealanders to take part in Neighbors Day. Participants who sign up through the website will be sent a resource pack with lots of great ideas to organize an NDA celebration that works £or their neighborhood.

28. What can we learn about NDA from the text?

A. It will be held in Arch Hill.

B. It is aimed at building neighborly spirit.

C. It’s mainly organized by Victoria Dawson-Wheeler.

D. It gives people a chance to share their neighbor’s stories.

29. How does McCarthy- feel about the latest development of NDA?

A. shocked                         B. pleased                         C. worried                          D. disappointed

30. Which of the following is a change taking place in Arch Hill?

A. Victoria was discouraged by some locals.

B. There is a distance between people’s hearts.

C. More people take part in neighborly activities.

D. Victoria began to create “Love thy neighbor”.

31. The main purpose of the text is to         .

A. encourage New Zealanders to take part in NDA

B. explain the history of Neighbors Day Aotearoa

C. discuss the importance of neighborly spirit

D. introduce the Neighbors Day website

 “A serious attack on the fairy tale as children’s literature comes from those who don’t wish children to be frightened,” writes C.S. Lewis in an essay.

Those who say that children must not be frightened mean two things. First, they mean that we mustn’t do anything likely to make children frightened. Secondly, they want to keep out of their minds the fact that they are born into a world of death, violence, pain, and adventure. C.S. Lewis says he agrees with the first reason, but not the second.

He comments that “since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights (骑士) and heroic courage. By limiting your child life in which nothing at all alarming ever happens, you would fail to drive away the terrors, but would succeed in driving away all that can make them brave.”

I love the story about St. George. It may be hard to find, but make an effort to make your children familiar with St. Georgy and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges to see the best of this tale. It is a successful adaptation from Spenser’s Faierie Queen. It begins with “in the days when monsters and giants and fairy folk lived in England, a noble knight was riding across the plain…” It’s a keeper, if you can find one to buy.

Bruno Bettelheim, a well—known child psychologist, also comments that fairy tales provide children with an invaluable education. He believes that all children have a rich supply of personal fantasies (幻想) filled with fears and anxieties and that fairy tales comfort them and offer solutions. Happy endings tell them that solutions and hope are real and model the kind of happy life children want to find.

A good fantasy suggests rather than tells possible answers to life. I believe that reading fantasy literature quickens the ability to transfer ideas from tales to reality. It’s what good literature does — it makes life larger.

32. C. S. Lewis may probably agree that         .

A. children shouldn’t be exposed to death or violence

B. children should read fairy tales to learn about the real world.

C. children should be brave and have rich imagination

D. children shouldn’t be allowed to read frightening stories.

33. What do we know about St. George and the Dragon?

A. It is worth keeping.                                                   B. It was written by Spenser.

C. It tells a beautiful love.                                             D. It is difficult for children to read.

34. In the text, Bruno Bettelheim believes that fairy tales         .

A. show what happy life is                                            B. are filled with fears and pain

C. cause children too much anxiety                             D. teach children how to solve problems

35. What would be the best title for the text?

A. Why reading fantasy literature matters to children

B. Whether people should read fairy tales

C. How parents should choose books for kids

D. What books children should read

Venice is one of the most beautiful cities of the world. Venice is a cultural and tourist center and is famous for its museums, architecture, cityscape and world of art.

Only about 25 % of Venice’s 280, 000 people live in the historical center of the city.   36   The main method of transportation between the islands is by taking boats that travel up and down the city’s many canals. The main waterway is the Grand Canal, which winds through the heart of Venice. Hundreds of bridges connect the island.

  37   The city’s most famous church, Saint Mark’s Basilica, and the Doge’s Palace which was the home of Venice’s rulers for hundreds of years, are the main attractions of the piazza. The square is a famous tourist attraction surrounded by cafes and vendor.

East of the historical center on the outer part of the lagoon (环礁湖) is Lido, a 10km long sandy island.   38   The Venice Film Festival is one of the major annual film events that take place there.

The location of the city at sea level and global warming have caused many problems for Venice.   39   From November to February they cause a situation in which sea level rises up to one and a half meters and cover many of Venice’s famous areas.

Salt water from the sea has damaged the foundations of many buildings and constant repairs are necessary.   40   Industries and tourism have steadily reduced the level of ground water in Venice, making foundations of building unstable.

A. The city is full of tourists.

B. The rest live on the mainland.

C. The cost of living is also lower, in Venice.

D. Water gets into the buildings, and destroys the walls.

E. It attracts thousands of beach —goers throughout the summer holidays.

F. The central location of Venice is the Piazza San Marco or Saint Mark’s Square.

G. Over the centuries the Mediterranean town has been regularly flooded by tides.