Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are a vital part of our mission of providing high quality environmental educational programming for local youth, Hudson River research, and community events. We are currently seeking volunteers for the following positions:
● Education Assistant—Assist education staff with everyday school work, after-school environmental clubs and community group visits every Wednesday afternoon.
● Marsh Assistant—Help maintain Riverfront marsh on Thursdays and Saturdays. Work on occasional marsh repairs including the removal of foreign species of plants and rubbish clean-ups. (Seasonal)
● Research Assistant—Participate in water quality monitoring, the sea life study, and other projects as they are developed. Eight hours each week on workdays.
● Aquaria Assistant—Provide care for the Center's collection of aquatic wildlife including tank maintenance and animal feedings at the weekend.
Volunteer
positions are available throughout the year! Previous experience is not
required. Training will be provided upon the start of volunteer service. For
more information about our volunteer program as well as single day volunteer
events 
call 9140-377-1900 or visit www. center for the urban river. org.
Looking back is a wonderful thing. It allows you to see what has led you here and, hopefully, how society has changed and improved.
Take, for instance, my career goal. First, I wanted, in 1999, to be a "farmer", soon archaeologist, then driving instructor and somewhere along the way, footballer.
I had grown up in a football-loving family. I remember the exact moment when I said "I'm sad I can't be a footballer" while watching the game with Dad as a pre-teen. He asked why not. "Because I'm not a boy." He immediately responded, "You can, if you want to." "Yeah, I suppose so," I sighed, "but no one watches women's football."
Looking back, I can see exactly why I felt like that. At school, there was an unwritten rule that sports like hockey and netball were "girl" sports and rugby and football were for the boys. I'd never seen a women's football match on TV. You see, you can't be what you can't see, and lack of representation leads, at best, to misunderstanding, and at worst, fear and negative opinions.
Today, the Lionesses will take on Scotland in the World Cup, and people across the world will tune in — over 950,000 tickets have been sold so far. But, although women's football is one of FIFA's best investments — with a pound for pound return, the majority of female players are earning under a fair wage. Some argue that's because viewing statistics are lower than those of men's, but the rise in support shows the demand is there. Hopefully, more investment will push female football forward.
Today, I'll be cheering on the Lionesses, because it'll mean talented, skillful female footballers being broadcast into millions of homes and maybe, just maybe, a little girl believing that she can also be a Lioness one day.
Think "art". What comes to your mind? Is it Greek or Roman sculptures in the Louvre, or Chinese paintings? Have you ever imagined it's a dancing pattern of lights?
The artworks by American artist Janet Echelman look like colourful floating clouds when lit up at night. Visitors could not only enjoy looking at them but also interact with them literally — by using their phones to change the colors and patterns. But are they really art?
Whatever your opinion, we cannot deny art has existed for thousands of years and art and technology have always been two separate things.
Today, however, technological advances have led to a combination of art and technology, changing the art world greatly. Now art is more accessible to us. For example, people used to queue six hours but spend limited time admiring the famous 5-metre Chinese painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Thanks to technology, however, viewers can leisurely experience a digital version of this painting, where the characters can move and interact with their surroundings.
The art-tech combination is also changing our concepts of "art" and the "artist". Not only can we interact with art, but take part in its creation. With new technological tools at our fingertips, more people are exploring new art forms, such as digital paintings and videos. However, it has also raised questions over its overall quality. Can a video of someone slicing a tomato really be called "art"?
Similarly, such developments are making the line between art and technology less distinct. Can someone unfamiliar with traditional artists' tools really call themselves an "artist"? And is the artist the creator of the art itself, or the maker of the technology behind it?
Where technology will take art next is anyone's guess. But one thing is for sure — with so many artists exploring new possibilities, we can definitely expect the unexpected.
Dolphins have been known to show many human-like behavioral characteristics. These include forming complex relationships to accomplish common goals, teaching one another survival skills, and "babysitting" each other's kids. Now, some researchers at Largo, Florida have discovered another thing the intelligent animals share with humans — a love for the television!
For their research, Kelly A. Winship and Holli C, Eskelinen observed 11 bottlenose and five rough-toothed dolphins. The animals were treated to two TV shows — Planet Earth and the popular kids' series, SpongeBob SquarePants. The researchers say the dolphins did not seem to care what was being played. They were equally attracted by both — the realistic imagery of Planet Earth and the cartoon in SpongeBob SquarePants.
Interestingly, however, the male dolphins spent more time staring at the screen than the females. They also responded more strongly to the programming by either showing aggression (indicated by head moves), or interest (shown by raising their heads or pressing their foreheads against the TV), or even blowing bubbles (indicating interest or aggression). Winship and Eskelinen, who published their findings in the journal Zoo Biology, believe the display of aggression was most likely a result of the failure to physically interact with, or manipulate, the TV.
Though there is a lot more to learn about the animals' television preferences, the scientists believe suitable programming could be used as part of enrichment programs for dolphins unfit to be released in the wild. The researchers also think monitoring their response to different kinds of shows could provide scientists with some insight into the dolphins' thinking process.
Lacking chances to practice English? Thinking in English can bring you a huge step closer to fluency! It is not very difficult. Today, we will share some mental exercises with you.
A good first step is to think in individual words. Look around you. What do you see?
As you continue with this, it becomes a habit. Things are going to flash into your head — computer, telephone, chair, desk, etc., whatever it is and wherever you are.
For example, if you couldn't think of the word "garage", you can say in your mind, "The place inside where I put my car" or "It's next to my house. I keep things there."
The next exercise is thinking in simple sentences. For example, when sitting in a park, you can tell yourself things like, "It's such a beautiful day." and "People are playing." You can also practise describing your daily activities. As beginning-level learners, you can describe the day using the simple present verb form, like "I put on my shirt." and "He drives the bus." You can also mentally make plans in the morning or list things you've done before going to bed. So the skill level is a little higher.
When you are practising it every day, over and over again, little by little, you are thinking in English.
A. It is extremely easy to understand.
B. This would require other verb tenses.
C. At some points, you will need a dictionary.
D. But it takes conscious effort and practice.
E. Then describe objects you don't know the words for.
F. Try to name each object in your surroundings.
G. Once this becomes easy, you can move on to more difficult sentences.
A few years ago, I went through a period of depression. It was so severe that life didn't seem worth1. It was like permanent winter, so cold that the sun would never2.
Then I saw snowdrops (雪花莲) pushing through the freezing, iron-hard3. I looked at them every day until I felt that if they could come back to life, then so could4. Those green shoots gave me5in a way that nothing else had.
As spring came, I started to put in more and more plants, until the garden was brilliant with6. I could spend hours 7 in gardening. Life was growing through my hands: gentle, peaceful, but, above all,8. If I gave love, it was9, a hundred times.
The form of depressive illness I have is biological. It has10 generations of my family and follows no rules nor reason. I can be11 when the sun is shining or when I am with loving friends. Of course, fresh air and exercise help to12 the depression, but for me 13 is more than that. It 14 strength as well as hope. I often stands in the garden before a tall tree, huge and strong. It lives through freezing temperatures and strong winds. It 15 but never breaks. And so I learn that we may be battled and injured, but we should never give up.
Originally Double 11 (know) as "Singles' Day". Since 2009, e-commerce platforms (transform) it from the celebration of being single to a nationwide even worldwide shopping festival, overshadowing Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined.
Double 11 sees records (break) each year and customers waiting eagerly for the clock to strike at midnight on November 11. And in 2020, China's social life basically returning to normal, Chinese consumers were willing to reward (they). Not only the sales figures but the delivery companies had a 50 percent jump.
Double-11 in 2020 had many highlights. E-commerce live streaming (直播) gained great (popular) and became the most eye-catching feature. A large number of celebrities flooded into studios, hosts gave viewers flash deals in real time from lipsticks to tissue paper.
Besides, the year 2020 witnessed the largest pre-orders. The sales actually started on October 21, thus making the Double 11 journey a marathon rather a 24-hour flash sale. And complicated discounts also made the festival quite different.
Undoubtedly, Double 11 festival in 2020 did demonstrate China's (sustain) consumption recovery after the COVID-19 hit.
My school had a tradition. Every year during the eighth grade graduation, a beautiful gold and green jacket with the winner's name was awarded to the student who had maintained the highest grade for eight years.
I fully expected to win that jacket. I had been a straight A plus student since the first grade. But because I was born in a poor farmer's family, I couldn't afford a sports school jacket. This scholarship jacket was my only chance.
One day I was almost back at my classroom's door when I heard angry voices and arguing. I stopped. I recognized the voices: Mr. Schmidt 
my history teacher, and Mr. Boone, the headmaster. They seemed to be arguing about me. "I refuse to do it! I don't care who her father is. Her grades can never compare to Martha's. I won't lie or falsify records." That was Mr. Schmidt and he sounded very angry. Mr. Boone's voice sounded quiet. "...Martha is Mexican...won't do it..." Hearing that, my eyes watered.
The next day, the headmaster called me into the office. He looked uncomfortable. I looked him straight in the eyes, but he looked away. "Martha," he said, "There's been a change in policy this year regarding the scholarship jacket. As you know, it has always been free. This year the Board decided to charge fifteen dollars. So if you cannot afford it, it will be given to …"
"I'll speak to my dad about it first, sir," I interrupted," I will let you know tomorrow." With these words, I rushed out and cried on the walk home.
When I got home, my dad was busy. I approached him and said nervously in Spanish, which was the only language he could speak, "Dad, the headmaster said this year the scholarship jacket was going to cost 15 dollars. Can you give me the money?" After a few minutes' silence, my dad turned to me and asked quietly, "If you pay for the jacket, do you think it is still a scholarship? Tell your headmaster we will not pay." I was angry with his words, but I knew he was right.
注意：
1）续写词数应为 150 左右；
2）请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I dragged into the headmaster's office the next day, but this time he looked me in the eyes.
……
At the end of the day, I met Mr. Schmidt, who smiled, "Congratulations."
