Emily checked her shoelaces（鞋带） and began to jog in small circles 1 , waiting for Sierra. She didn't mind the brief lateness; she was so grateful to have a running 2 . Practically the first thing Emily had done after enrolling in this new school was to sign up for cross-country running.
"Hi, sorry, I'm late. It's a good day for a run, don't you think?" Sierra 3 , talking nonstop as was her habit. Sierra ran every day, which encouraged Emily to take her own training more seriously. The regular practice had helped both of them to 4 their times over various terrains （地形）.
Continuing her warm-up, Emily asked, "Are you racing next week in the big regional meet?" "Yeah, the coach encourages everyone to 5 ."
"Oh." Emily followed after Sierra just a bit, thinking about this information as they ran across the field. Knowing Sierra was easily the faster runner, Emily was very 6 . She worried that her own time might 7 the team.
Race day arrived, and Emily gathered with the other team members to receive a colored wristband（手环） that showed their school. "Sierra, where's your band?"
"You're running in my place today because your times will 8 the team as much as mine, and I want you to have the 9 to show your stuff to the team. I'll be your water girl at the end." Sierra smiled and gave Emily a high-five.
"Wow, you'd give up a race for me?" Emily gave her friend a quick hug and thought this 10 would be her best performance ever.
This four-day walking tour will take you on amazing paths through the Andes Mountains on the way to the city of Machu Picchu. After reaching your destination, you (have) a day to explore and be amazed by this ancient city. Especially amazing is the Incas' dry stone method of (build). Inca builders cut stones to exact sizes so that nothing (need) to hold walls together other than the perfect fit of the stones.
I always wanted to look like the slim girls on TV even though I knew that it was impossible. I worried about my weight and (try) every new diet! Then I read an article that said I should be asking "Am I fit?". So I started thinking about (fit) rather than weight. Finally, I stopped (compare) myself with actresses and models. Instead, I made a list of the things I liked about myself.
Going from junior high school to senior high school is a big challenge. I had to think very (careful) about which courses I wanted to take. I had to choose extra-curricular activities, too. I (join) a volunteer club. I know I'll have to study (hard) as a senior high school student and get used to being responsible for a lot more. (study) hard isn't always fun, but I'll be well prepared for university or whatever else comes in the future.
Buffalo &Erie County Public Library
MY ACCOUNT
You must have a PIN to access your account at any library terminal（终端） remotely through the B&ECPL's website. To create or reset a PIN, click the Forgot My PIN link.
If your account is not in good standing, it will run out 6 months after it is issued.
An account is in "good standing" when the charges are not over $50.00 or there are 15 or less overdue（逾期的） items.
BORROWING LIMITS
Most card holders are allowed to check out as many as 50 items at one time.
The length of time is different depending on the type of material borrowed.
Material | Loan Period |
Books and Audio Books | 21 days |
New Fiction | 7 days |
Music CDs; Exam Books and Computer Software | 5 days |
Downloadable e-books | 14 days |
RENEWING OR RETURNING ITEMS
To renew online 24/7, access My Account on our website. To renew by telephone 24/7, call 716-845-9040. You must have your library card number and PIN ready.
Stop by any B&ECPL library (except the Central Library) to renew in person or call 716-858-8900 during Central Library open hours.
Most B&ECPL libraries have outdoor drop boxes in place for 24-hour returns without any charge.
Walking around the world may seem impossible, but that didn't stop Angela Maxwell from putting one foot in front of the other. In 2020, Maxwell, then in her early 30s, began her walk around the world alone. After six-and-a-half years and over 32, 000 kilometers, Maxwell's walk ended where it began.
Before she left on her journey, Maxwell found inspiration from women explorers of the past. "I read their books in hopes of finding encouragement-and I did—by learning about their challenges and struggles as well as their triumphs（胜利）. Each woman's story was quite different and it gave me the confidence to give my walk a try," Maxwell said.
After selling all of her belongings, Maxwell left her hometown of Bend, Oregon with 50 kilograms of camping gear, dehydrated（脱水的） food, a water filter and clothing for all four seasons.
Maxwell's worldwide walk wasn't easy. She suffered from sunburn and heatstroke（中暑） in the Australian desert and dengue fever（登革热） in Vietnam. She heard gunshots while camping in Turkey and was attacked in her tent in Mongolia. Still, she continued to walk. She learned beekeeping in the Republic of Georgia and camel-handling on the historical Silk Road in Mongolia. She helped a farmer renovate（翻新） his house in Sardinia and handed out food to homeless people in Italy. She gathered countless stories that she'd go on to speak about at schools, universities and conferences.
When the reporter asked her what kind of person it takes to walk around the world, Maxwell said, "It's probably a combination of ambition, a little stubbornness and a pinch of passion—not for hiking as a sport, but for self-discovery and adventure."
"I didn't start walking because I was fearless—but rather because I was terrified. I was more afraid of not following my heart than I was of losing everything I owned and loved."
Throughout her journey, Maxwell raised about $30,000 for non-governmental organizations, such as Her Future Coalition and World Pulse that focus on supporting girls and young women.
"Walking has taught me that everything and everyone has a story to share, we just have to be willing to listen," she said.
It's always exciting to receive a letter in the mail. Even today, when the world is digitally connected, receiving an actual letter in your mailbox from a distant land is a great way for children to make new friends.
The Peaceful Pen Pals Project is a beautiful project that blends together global connection and self-expression. The project is part of the nonprofit Kids for Peace, founded by Jill McManigal and Danielle Gram in California in 2006. It is open to all children, ages two through seventeen. To date, there are 1,500 children from 17 countries participating in the program according to the organization. Currently, all letters are written in English. When children sign up, they can select if they would rather be matched with a USA Peaceful Pen Pal or an international one.
Each child is then matched to a pen pal of similar age. This establishes a point of connection quickly for the children and facilitates（促进） a stronger bond. If the letter writers are in the same grade, they can chat about school, their teachers, and what they are studying. They can also compare what different states or countries learn about and how the atmosphere of the classroom are, whether socially or academically. Children may also be more likely to write about problems they are having if they feel like they are speaking to a peer in a similar situation. Although pen pals may live in different countries, they may find common ground. The writer lists their favorite activities to do outside, plus what they like best and least about school. This gives the writer an opportunity to express and receive advice or feedback（反馈） from the pen pal.
"Hearing first-hand stories from an international pen pal can encourage teens to take someone else's viewpoint and to think outside of themselves," writes Rebecca Fraser-Thill on Very Well Family. "Having a foreign pen pal can also encourage interest in geography, history and culture."
Almost everyone has heard the expression, "the calm before the storm." It is usually used to describe a peaceful period just before a very stressful situation or a tense argument.
British sailors coined the phrase in the late 1600s; they noted that before certain storms the seas would seem to become static and the winds would drop. But why is it often so calm before a storm?
Science has given us the answer. According to a US website How Stuff Works, a calm period occurs because many storms, such as tornadoes and hurricanes draw in all the warm and humid air from the surrounding area. As this air rises into the storm clouds, it cools and acts as "fuel for the storm like petrol in a car". Once the storm has taken all the energy it can from the air, it is pushed out from the top of the storm cloud sand falls back down to ground level. As the air descends（下降）, it becomes warm and dry. Warm, dry air is stable, so once it covers an area, it causes a calm period before the storm. This same process also causes the "eye of the storm" in hurricanes and tornadoes. In these conditions, the calm occurs in the center of the storm because of the strong rotating（旋转的） winds.
The Weather Network has a tip for working out how far away a storm is. First, count how many seconds there are between a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder. Roughly three seconds equal one kilometer. So, for example, if you count nine seconds, the storm is about 3 kilometers away. A good gauge（评估） is that if your count is below 30 seconds, you should seek safe place straight away.
However, due to the complexity of storm system, not all storms come after calm. Given the right conditions, some storms announce themselves with heavy rain and chilling（寒冷的） winds. So, your best bet is to keep yourself updated with weather reports for any predictions regarding a coming storm in your area. That's the most reliable and sensible way to predict the next display of nature's temper.
If you are a fan of fast fashion, your choices may be narrowing in the near future. Recently, a large number of fast-fashion stores were closed worldwide.
A major reason is the shift in the mindset（心态） of consumers. Millennials, those who were born in the 1980s or 1990s, are now the largest consumer group. Low-priced fast fashion is not their priority. More people are starting to care about quality and the stories behind a product.
The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters of clean water and three-fifths of clothes produced in a year end up in landfills（垃圾场）. As there is more awareness of the climate crisis（危机）, younger people are pursuing more eco-friendly choices.
Molly, 22, is one of them. Before she went to college, she used to frequent fast-fashion shops. Now, she tries to shop in a way that is both sustainable（可持续的） and affordable:She shops second-hand. "My friend showed me how easy it was to be thrifty（节约的）, and I developed a new personal style that focused less on trends but on basics that don't go out of style," she said.
In order to survive in the competitive market, many fast-fashion brands are making changes as well. "Sustainability is a never-ending task in which everyone here is involved", said a CEO of a fast-fashion company.
A. Millennials like brands with a long history.
B. It shows that fast fashion is slowing down.
C. Climate change should be blamed on the fashion industry.
D. Unlike their predecessors（前人）, millennials hold different attitudes towards products.
E. Another factor is the growing concern over the fashion industry's effect on the environment.
F. For example, some companies plan for all of their clothes to be sustainable in the future.
G. But after taking a class that focused on the environmental impact of clothing production, her preference changed.
