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The Youth Science Discovery Experience (YSDE) teams students and teachers with practicing scientists to pursue semester-long (整个学期) projects in fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Goals
Introduce new scientific topics, especially those not typically covered in traditional courses in high schools.
Encourage lifelong learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Develop science reasoning skills and an understanding of the scientific research process.
Prepare students to face challenges of college, career, and continuing education.
Develop creativity, build self-confidence, and promote friendship among the youth.
Program Overview
The YSDE program uses a project-based learning model. Each research team consists of six tenth-grade students, one teacher, and one practicing scientist. Together the team investigates an area of current scientific concern.
The program integrates in-residence experiences with continuing education activities conducted in the students’ and teacher’s school setting. YSDE begins with a five-day residential session in the center where students will learn principles of scientific inquiry. Each research team works with its scientist to plan an approach to its project. Session in residence allows YSDE members to participate in the magnificent outdoor natural laboratory provided by the surrounding national forests. Then the teams return to their home institutions and continue working on research projects throughout the semester.
YSDE concludes with a final session in residence where teams present their research.
Program Features
Physical Environment
YSDE facilities include science laboratories, a computer center, and arts and music studios. The area provides an outstanding natural laboratory for teaching and experimentation. Being separated from the usual disturbances of cities provides a nurturing atmosphere.
Intensive (集中的), Cooperative Learning
The residential part of YSDE offers near “around-the-clock” learning opportunities in a challenging yet friendly setting. Cooperative learning encourages teamwork and cooperative skills, using science as a common language to allow students to learn from peers, staff, and visiting experts.
Professional Partnerships
YSDE’s relationship with partner organizations helps complete the program. Partner organizations are selected and invited on their interest in developing project-based learning activities for students in high school. YSDE’s partnerships with organizations like the Canaan Valley Institute and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory provide unique access to world-class facilities and human resources.
For more information about YSDE, please visit our website at www.nysf.com, or write to us at Post office Box 715, Charleston, WV 15358-352.
1.One of the purposes of YSDE is to ______.
A.provide young scientists with assistance
B.promote the mode of science thinking
C.introduce new university courses
D.encourage education research
2.The YSDE program participants will ______.
A.do research in the natural environment
B.spend five days organizing the program
C.live in the center throughout the semester
D.present research result in their own schools
3.What makes the YSDE program special?
A.Competitive learning atmosphere.
B.Access to various physical activities.
C.Methods of acquiring science language.
D.Support from cooperative organizations.
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When Brody, a 4-year-old Connecticut boy, was asked what wish he wanted to come true, his only dream was that he could be able to play outside.
Brody was born premature (早产) at 27 weeks, which caused him to overheat and burn easily. That means he can't spend any time outside and he'll get burn blisters (水疱) on his face even when he is driven to the hospital. Besides, there are a lot of things he can't do. He has trouble walking and only began talking one year ago. Brody can't eat or drink and has to wear a backpack 24/7 that contains a pump that feeds him. “I can't even count the number of surgeries he's had since he was born,” Brody's mother said. “He's spent probably half his life at the hospital.”
When Make-A-Wish Connecticut, an organization that creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, heard about Brody's request to play outside, they immediately jumped into action. “It's the most simple, most sweet wish, just to play outside but it seems to be the most difficult to realize.” said Debbie Artinian, the manager of Make-A-Wish Connecticut.
Artinian and her team determined that a temperature-controlled tent outside Brody's home where he could play and not be in the sun would be the best option. But they had to find a tent that could stand weather conditions like wind and snow and had the right material to block all UV rays. Luckily, Artinian found a company based in the United Kingdom that could design and make the tent. Make-A-Wish Connecticut learnt that Brody loves the beach, even though he is not able to go into water because of his backpack. So they filled the tent with water toys and a kids’ pool filled with balls to make Brody feel as much as possible like he's out at the beach.
Brody got his first look at the tent earlier this summer. “When he walked out of the door and I saw his face, it was just everything,” said Artinian. “Now when Brody says ‘Can I go out and play?’, his mom can say, “Yes.” “Brody is now enjoying spending nearly all his time "outside” in the tent.
It's hard to make life completely normal for Brody, but Artinian and her team tried to make it as normal as they could.
1.What can we learn about Brody?
A.He can't be exposed to sunlight.
B.He can't stand on his feet.
C.He can't be given surgeries any more.
D.He can't communicate with others.
2.Make-A-Wish Connecticut thought Brody's dream was __________
A.inspiring and heart-warming
B.simple but incredible
C.difficult and unachievable
D.challenging but worthwhile
3.Why does the author mention the beach in Paragraph 4?
A.To show that Brody is a boy who loves nature.
B.To prove that the design company was responsible.
C.To suggest that Artinian and her team were considerate.
D.To emphasize that the skill in building the tent was the latest.
4.What does the story mainly tell us?
A.One good turn deserves another.
B.A helping hand makes a difference.
C.All things are difficult before they are easy.
D.Tough life experience may result in success.
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Surrounded by the sea off the coast in Mid-Norway, lies an island called Myken. This small island has about ten permanent residents, and for more than 50 years has been supplied with electricity via a 32-kilometer undersea cable (电缆). A break that appeared in the cable last autumn resulted in two months without power, so the island community started looking into a better way of sourcing their electricity.
“Myken is far out at sea, so as far as possible it should be taking care of things itself,” says Kyrre Sundseth, who is a hydrogen (氢) researcher in Norway and also the project manager for Myken’s energy project. “This is why we want Myken to become entirely self-sufficient in energy. It is also important to take the environment into consideration,” he says.
Much points to the idea that the solution may lie in a Hydrogen plant, specifically tailored for small islands. The “raw materials” for hydrogen production come from nature itself in the form of the sun and wind. Researchers have calculated that energy costs will be lower by using hydrogen production than the undersea cable option. And it is possible to store energy in the form of hydrogen for longer periods. This means that supplies will not have to rely on a lot of expensive batteries or external energy sources, even during periods when the sun isn’t shining, or the wind isn’t blowing.
The Myken project has attracted several technology companies. They are currently working on a pilot project. The pilot involves experiments on the feasibility (可行性) of the hydrogen system in which electricity is generated from solar and wind sources. The electricity can be used immediately, but during periods when all the energy generated is not required, the spare energy can be used to split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can be stored in a tank, and used later to generate electricity. The pilot will help researchers know more about how effectively the system will work in the hydrogen plant. Since the island has a distillery (酿酒厂), where the distillation (蒸馏) process relies on energy, a hydrogen plant on Myken offers an even greater environmental benefit. Spare heat from the hydrogen system can also be used for the heating part in the distillation process.
“In Norway alone there are about 300 island inhabited all year round by small populations,” says Kyrre Sundseth. “All of these islands may be candidates for using this technology. In global terms we’re talking about 10,000 similar islands.”
1.Why is a hydrogen plant suitable for Myken?
A.It is perfect in size for small islands.
B.It can send electricity to faraway places.
C.It will restore local natural environment.
D.It provides green and sustainable energy.
2.What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 4?
A.The study on the energy storage.
B.The test on the hydrogen system.
C.The experiment on the raw materials.
D.The research on the innovation of the pilot.
3.According to the passage, a hydrogen plant will ______.
A.produce purified seawater
B.prove more technically reliable
C.contribute in more than one way
D.benefit from the distillation process
4.What does Kyrre Sundseth think of the project?
A.Promising.
B.Systematic.
C.Irreplaceable.
D.Time saving.
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On January 15, 2009, the crew of US Airways Flight 1549 experienced a never-in-a-lifetime event. Less than two minutes after takeoff, some birds found their way into the airplane’s two engines and brought them to a sudden stop. Over the next three and a half minutes, the crew managed to identify the problem, decide what to do about it, and make the most successful emergency landing in aviation (航空) history.
We all experience similar moments. Running into the person you canceled a date with – while you’re on another date. Realizing you hit “reply all” on an e-mail that you’d do anything to have back. Earthquakes, medical emergencies – whatever the situation, the first thing you probably do is panic. Everybody does. While many of us think that we’re cool in a crisis, science tells us that we seldom are. At the moment we need to be keenly aware of our surroundings, but our attention goes to the scariest thing on the scene, leaving us unaware of the other sights, sounds, and even smells around us. At the moment, we’re anything but at our best.
These normal human reactions can be reversed. For example, firefighters are taught how to bring down their blood pressure and heart rates quickly, Box breathing, belly breathing, hum breathing – you can learn these techniques in minutes. Once you calm down, you’ll identify accurately what the problem is really about. Lack of practice always causes us to judge problems in wrong ways. Doing the thinking ahead of time also helps you fire off the solution when it’s show time. This is why you are advised to find the closest exit before the flight. And sometimes we aren’t prepared with all the knowledge we need. Let’s say we’re on a hike and a bear shows up. What shall we do? Better to read suggestions on how to respond before heading into the wild.
Performing in a crisis is becoming more important for all of us for two reasons. Back in the good old days, the reliability of most anything we used or did was far less than it is today. Now think about what happens to our preparedness as the likelihood of something had happening reduces. Unless we practice what hardly ever happens, our ability to respond when it does happen tends to slip away. Reliability can kill you. Also, the systems we use today are more complex. There are seldom moving parts in plain view that allow us to see when things are about to go wrong. Consequently, terrible situations can “come out of nowhere”. Ironically, the systems that were designed to lessen our workload might require us to remain in a state of increased vigilance (警觉) in order to survive these increasingly infrequent events when they do happen.
As technology becomes part of most everything, and as once-large risks break into countless small ones, crisis situations may become standard affairs. We should all learn to breathe, recognize the situation, and carry out the plan that we are smart enough to prepare well in advance.
1.According to the passage, when an armed robbery (抢劫) happens, most witnesses will first ______.
A.observe the surroundings
B.pretend to be calm
C.decide what to do
D.focus on the gun
2.What does the underlined word “reversed” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.Tested.
B.Changed.
C.Predicted.
D.Understood.
3.It can be inferred from Paragraph 4 that ______.
A.things are less dependable than they used to be
B.cautiousness helps prevent the occurrence of crisis
C.convenience reduces our problem-solving capability
D.the complexity of present systems ensures our safety
4.What is the main purpose of the passage?
A.To introduce ways of avoiding crisis situations.
B.To point out the connection between stress and risks.
C.To raise awareness of the preparation for emergencies.
D.To analyse the influence of technology on crisis management.
