Dereck and Beverly are wildlife animal filmmakers. They have made lots of films about animals and plants. Their job is to keep and protect the big cats of Africa from damage (伤害). Beverly also takes photos of the lions, and her pictures have appeared in National Geographic magazine.

When they were kids, Dereck was quiet and healthy. He was good at maths and science. Beverly had a twin brother. At that time, she and her brother often got their mother into trouble! Beverly was a dancer, an athlete and a class leader. And she could play the piano (not very well). Her favourite subject was science and she always got excellent grades in her science exams.

When in the field, their work starts at around 4 am. After drinking a cup of tea, they drive out into the bush (灌木丛) to find their subjects. Sometimes that is a lion pride (群). Lions are family animals. They usually live in groups of fifteen or more. Sometimes that is a single leopard (豹). They follow the animals for the day, filming, researching, and collecting facts, information or pictures. They don’t stop working even when they have lunch. They are often back in camp by 8 pm.

When talking about the favourite places to explore, Dereck says, “We live in it!” Beverly thinks being in nature is her favourite. Dereck thinks running or taking a swim in the Okavango swamp (沼泽)—especially swimming close to crocodiles (鳄鱼) is great fun, but Beverly says, “Swimming is fun but crazy in these waters!”

What’s your favorite month? We ask the students in Class Two. 【小题1】 Alan likes December best. Because December is his and his mother’s birthday, he thinks it is a happy thing. 【小题2】 Mary’s favorite months are July and August, because she likes summer and she doesn’t go to school. She thinks it’s relaxing. She also likes September. 【小题3】 She can also meet different teachers. She thinks it’s an interesting thing. Tom likes November and his favorite sport is basketball. In November, there is a basketball game in his school.

An interesting thing is that many girls prefer (偏爱) December and January. 【小题4】 Many boys don’t like July. 【小题5】 What about you?