One Year Membership for Starfall®

·Home Membership (HM) $35 a year

Home use only

Serves a family for one year on computers and mobile instruments. Provides service only for a family. Not for schools, businesses, or other uses.

·Teacher Membership (TM) $70 a year

Teacher & up to 6 students

Serves a teacher and up to six students on computers and mobile instruments. Does not include mobile app. Group Access provides separate home sign-ins (登录) for member students.

·Classroom Membership (CM) $195 a year

Small school or classroom

Serves a single classroom. Mobile app is allowed if a school has only one classroom per grade level. Group Access provides separate home sign-ins for member teachers and students.

·School Membership (SM) $355 a year

Common school

Serves a common school. May be used on all classroom computers and mobile instruments. Group Access provides separate home sign-ins for teachers and students of member schools.

Starfall® Membership Information

▲For new memberships, please include an email address for the person who will act as the manager.

▲If you would like to change the manager email address, please tell us online in the “Notes” on this page.

More than 100 years ago, the ship Endurance fell to the deep sea in Antarctica (南极洲). Now it has been found. It was nearly 10,000 feet under the Weddell Sea.

In August, 1914, Ernest Shackleton led a team to Antarctica. He was planning to cross it. He started from England on the Endurance. In Antarctica, the ship got stuck in sea ice on January 24th. They tried their best to save the ship. They did whatever they could. Ten months later, the ice broke it. Endurance went down and down and finally disappeared under the sea ice. But luckily, all the team members were all right.

Nearly 107 years later, the ship has been found. Mensun Bound told the reporters that the ship is still in good condition. He’s a director of the search team for Endurance. The finding was made known to the public on March 9, 2022. “This is by far the finest wooden shipwreck (失事船只) I have ever seen,” Bound says.

Researchers used underwater drones (无人机) to search for Endurance. It took more than two weeks.

“In a way, we have made history with the discovery of Endurance,” says John Shears, who led the search.

Endurance will be protected as a historic place. There are no plans to raise it.

Some rich and beautiful ladies were sitting on the bank of a river, enjoying their picnic. When they were washing their hands and feet in the clean water, they saw their reflections(倒影).

Seeing their reflection in the water, they started to praise their own beauty. One of them said, “How beautiful my hands are!”

Another woman said her hands were even more beautiful. A third one said the same thing. Soon, an argument(争吵) broke out among them.

They saw an old woman passing by. She was walking with the help of a stick and her clothes were dirty.

Seeing her, one lady suggested asking the old woman about whose hands were the most beautiful. They all agreed. When the old woman came near, they showed her their hands and asked, “Who has the most beautiful hands?”

The old woman said, “I am hungry and thirsty. Give me something to eat and then I will answer you.”

They refused and asked her to go away.

A poor woman saw all this. She went to the old woman and made her sit comfortably. She opened her lunch box and shared her food and water. Then she helped wash the old woman’s hands and feet, while giving great comfort to her.

After the old woman felt a little better, she went back to those rich ladies. Pointing to that poor woman, she said, “She has the most beautiful hands.”

All the ladies laughed. “What do you know about beauty?” At this, the old woman replied, “Beautiful hands belong to(属于) those who do good and serve the people who need help.”

With electricity prices continuing to increase, a smart meter (表) shows you how much electricity you’re using in pounds and get more exact bills.

What is a smart meter and how does it work?

A smart meter is a newer kind of electricity meter. All electricity providers are setting them as a part of an upgrade to the UK’s electricity market. Besides, we set up smart Pay As You Go meters.

Smart meters come with an in-home IHD. Here you can see the readings — how much electricity you’re using and what it costs.

Smart meters also provide automatic (自动的) meter readings. You just need to get one such meter and it will automatically send your use to the provider.

What’s more, we’ll use the smart meter to give you a personal explanation of your electricity use. We’ll also show you some advice to help you save money and cut down your carbon footprint (碳排放量).

Is it worth getting a smart meter?

There are three main advantages to have a smart meter:

1. Complete control

See how much you’re using in real time. This can help you make small changes to cut down your electricity use, as well as your bill.

2. Trouble-saving

Your smart meter will send readings automatically. This way you’ll get more exact bills without leaving the sofa.

3. Low-carbon life

Understanding where your electricity goes will encourage you to think about your carbon footprint and how to live a greener life.

Words to Describe Your School

There must be something that you love about your school, whether it is the environment, culture, daily life, or even the school uniforms(制服).

When you are talking about your school, the words to describe it will send a message about how you feel.
16．

Here is the list of the words you can choose to describe your school.

Clean

In a clean school environment, the walls are free of graffiti(涂鸦). The floors are cleaned daily.
17． Even the bathroom smells fresh because it is cleaned so well. This is a good word to use when the school is clean because cleanliness helps students to live and study better.

Modern

A modern school environment is one with the latest equipment(最新设备). It helps students to learn through activities in clubs such as science clubs, robot clubs and computer clubs.
18． All these help students learn about new science and technology.

Safe

19． The school always has a team to protect students from dangers. This is a good word to describe your school that considers an important fact. That is, most students are unable to protect themselves from certain dangers.

Hardworking

A hardworking school is a place in which students are encouraged to give their best in whatever they do and to never give up.
20． You have no choice but to try and keep up with others. This is a good word to use when you always have something to do.

This list will help you to pick the right word for your situation.

Kate came to China with her parents at a young age. Her _______ in China was an important influence on her choice to become a _______.

“My decision to _______ education is a direct result of having wonderful teachers and education in China. They open the door for my growth and chances. My parents _______ to China when I was 5 years old. They _______ told me that China was a good place. People came here to follow their _______. At a very young age, I was told that the way to achieve dreams was through a college education. When I first started school in China, I knew very _______ Chinese and had no friends. But with the help of my teachers, I was able to learn and _______ other students. As education opened many doors for me, I _______ in college that I wanted to do the same for my country. I thought, through teaching, I could ________ the lives of many students. They experienced ________ problems as I did. I would help them just teachers did in China.”

At 22, Kate returned to her hometown. She says, “To this day, I know that every student should get a ________ education like any other student in the country. My ________ for learning and acing continues to ________ me to become a better teacher and to spread the value of life-long learning in others.”

Now Kate ________ as the headmistress (女校长) in a primary school. She often helps students practice Chinese so that they’re also able to go to China for education.

Sichuan Opera (戏剧) is one of China’s
51． (old) and most popular local operas. It started at the end of the Ming and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. Different kinds of art
52． (form) were brought in to mix with the local traditions, music and dances. Today’s Sichuan Opera is
53． new form of art. It’s best to watch a Sichuan opera when you visit Sichuan.

Sichuan Opera that is
54． (especial) popular in the southwest of China is the most powerful local opera. Face-changing is
55． (it) Top 1 Wonder. It is said that ancient people painted their faces
56． (drive) away wild animals. Sichuan Opera
57． (take) in this ancient skill and perfects it into an art. Artists in
58． (tradition) clothes dance around, shaking their heads up or down and changing the thin painted masks (面具) over their faces. They do this so quickly that you will be left surprised at
59． they can control the masks so skillfully.

It’s not only a local opera
60． a show of music, puppetry (木偶) and humor. In short, Sichuan Opera is well worth watching.

近年来中学生身体健康越来越受到重视。假定你是李华，你校英语校报正在开展主题为“我运动，我健康”的征文比赛。请你根据以下提示，用英语写一篇短文，向校报投稿。