Weird Butterfly Ceremony

課文：

With Dr. Kofman’s help, Ethan learned about piano technique and different types of music. Before long, he was being asked to perform for many events. When one performance was posted on YouTube, Ethan became famous. Soon he was receiving invitations from the likes of Jay Leno and Oprah. Ethan was 6 and in kindergarten when he first appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. At that time, he already had over 200 songs memorized and was developing a CD.

technique：技巧、技能

課文：

One day Gene and Hannah Bortnick heard piano music coming from their living room. They thought their 3-year-old son Ethan was listening to a CD. Then they walked into the room. To their amazement, they found him playing music on his toy piano!

CD：光碟（片）、專輯

課文：

The URB-E is made from aircraft-grade aluminum and comes in two basic models: the URB-E Commuter and the URB-E GP. The main difference between the two is that the Commuter model has two rear wheels while the GP has only one. That means the Commuter offers greater stability, as opposed to the GP’s ability to make sharper turns like a bicycle.

aircraft：航空器、飛機、飛艇

課文：

Once a year in the small West Virginia town of Fayetteville, people fly. No magic is involved, except perhaps the rush of adrenaline during a brief fall followed by a glide down 876 feet.

Every October, hundreds of thousands head to the New River Gorge Bridge, the third tallest in the U.S. The majority of the people are spectators, but the event, Bridge Day, sees the world’s largest gathering of BASE jumpers. These athletes jump off heights, timing the release of their parachute for both safety and ultimate excitement. In recent years, jumpers have also been able to enjoy an additional thrill – the human catapult. Jumpers are launched 50 feet beyond the bridge before taking the plunge.

課文：

Residents of urban areas often make use of public transportation on their way to school or the office. But when their final destination isn’t near a bus stop or subway station, those folks have a problem. Transportation experts often refer to this as the “last mile” problem – finding a way to close the gap between public transportation stops and one’s destination.

resident：居民、居住者