What a Scientist Is Like
If you were asked to imagine a scientist,what image(形象) would come to your mind? The common idea that most kids from kindergarten to college have of a scientist is a man wearing a white lab coat with messy hair, big glasses, and several glass cups of mysterious colorful liquid giving off clouds of smoke.As for adults,the majority view scientists as strange people who spend 100 hours a week slaving away in a lonely laboratory.However,the reality is quite different.
Recently I've had a chance to take part in a scientific experience far from my laboratory and into Costa Rica.It supports a huge amount of wildlife due to its geographical placement between North and South America.It is home to more than 500,000 species(物种),which represent nearly 4% of the total species worldwide!
First we worked alongside conservationists to preserve wildlife at a leatherback turtle(棱皮龟) rescue center.We helped the volunteers preserve turtle populations by removing rubbish from the shoreline to create a safe environment for turtle eggs to come out.After that we stayed at Mount Arenal where we studied seismic activity relating to earthquakes.During our stay at Arenal,we rode over the mountainous areas and took a long walk through the rainforest.After reaching the top,we went down and through waterfalls to the beautiful valley below!On the last day we got a handson introduction to rocket science where we learned about new rocket technology that will be used on the international space station.
From my Costa Rica experience, I know that being a scientist doesn't mean working in a lab all day and night.A scientist is one who loves learning and getting a better understanding of the world from helping preserve wildlife,learning about earthquakes or inventing rockets.I think that schools should really stress that science is so much more than wearing a lab coat and mixing chemicals.Kids need to be aware of the excitement and adventures science can bring!
Today we had a chemistry test. I found the test difficulty, but I tried hardly to do it. Suddenly Mary, my best friend, asking me to let her to copy my answers. After think for some time, I let her copy my answers. But after the test, all of us were called to the teacher's office. The teacher was angry because we had same answers in the tests. We were warned not to cheat again, so she would need to see our parents. I was very upset. I didn't cheat. I was just helping a friend. Why does she punish me?
