For millions of people sitting in a traffic jam or standing on a crowded train, the daily commute (通勤) probably isn’t the best part of their day. But cars and trains aren’t the only travel options.

For those who have a short commute, you could consider getting an electric bike or scooter. An electric scooter has the advantage of being highly portable (轻便的): small and light enough to carry to your office. You’ll just need to check if they are allowed to be used in your area.

Take RYNO for example. It’s a single-wheel electric scooter, whose highest speed is about that of a bicycle. And like other electric vehicles, it can be charged anywhere.

If you want transportation for short distances, the WalkCar might be perfect for you.

The WalkCar looks like a laptop and only weighs three kilograms. It’s also incredibly easy to use — stand on it and it will start to move; move your weight to one side and it will change direction. The WalkCar will take you at a speed of up to 10 kilometers per hour and can travel 12 kilometers on one charge.

Weighing around 200 kilograms, jetpacks aren’t exactly portable, but they’re sure to have a lot of fun and attract a lot of attention. Running on petrol, the jet engines allow the user to lift off the ground and fly in the air.

The world’s first jetpack is the Martin Jetpack. Once you’ve attached this tiny personal jet plane onto your back, you’ll be able to travel up to 50 kilometers at a height of 1,000 meters. With a price tag of about $150,000, this is probably the most expensive option, but it will almost certainly be the coolest!

Emma Gatewood — called “Grandma Gatewood” by the world — was one of the early thru-hikers of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.), the longest walking-only footpath in the world. She was not the first person — or even the first woman — to hike the trail (路线). Her hike was notable because she was the first woman ever to complete the trail alone at an advanced age.

When Gatewood did her first thru-hike in 1955, there were few hikers and it was hard to follow the trail. There were also many fewer resources for hikers — fewer stores near the trail and much less information available about the trail. But still, Gatewood hiked it alone, carrying only a bag and a hiking stick. She ate a lot of sausages and trail mix. Sometimes she ran out of food and ate berries she recognized in the forest.

After her hike, Gatewood had this to say about the trail in an interview: I thought it would be a nice lark. It wasn’t. There were terrible burnt-over areas and sand washouts, and most of the shelters were blown down, burned down or so dirty I chose to sleep out of doors. This was no trail. This was a nightmare. I would never have started this trip if I had known how tough it was, but I couldn’t and I wouldn’t quit.

All things considered, the only thing more improbable than Emma Gatewood’s completing the trail at the age of 67, is that she turned around and did it again. Twice — once in 1957 and again in 1964, at the age of 76, but this time in sections.

“Gatewood inspired many hikers over the years,” says Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum, “People think, ‘if this elderly woman could do the trail by herself, then I should be able to.’”

Ken Banks saw that in South Africa, many organizations trying to help local communities had difficulty with communication, because many villages didn’t have Internet access. Banks noticed, however, that many villagers had cell phones.

Banks had an idea. He created some computer software called FrontlineSMS, which allows users to send information from computers without using the Internet. Users put the software in a computer. Then they connect the computer to a cell phone. To send information, users select the people they want to send it to. The cell phone sends the information to groups of people as a text message. Individuals can then reply on their own cell phones, creating a two-way messaging system between phone users and the computer.

FrontlineSMS is free and can work almost anywhere in the world. Today, it is used in over 190 countries.

FrontlineSMS is a successful example of taking an idea and making it a reality. So what should you do if you have an idea for making the world a better place? Banks offers the following advice:

Research your idea or product thoroughly. To find out if you have a good idea, go into the community and talk to people. And then promote your idea on social media. Use all the social media tools that you can. Connect online with other people who are working in the same field as you. The more you post, the easier it will be for search engines to find you. Once you’ve gotten your message out, people will notice you. Now is the time to try to get funding. Waiting until you have gotten this far shows potential donors that you have initiative. It also shows that you are committed.

We’re currently living in the best time when more and more entrepreneurs (企业家) are developing and promoting products that have the potential to solve the world’s greatest challenges. All you need is an idea.

Turf houses are, quite simply, half underground houses with a grassy roof. They date back over 1,000 years to the 9^th Century, when building a turf house was the traditional way in Iceland.

Iceland’s resources then consisted of plenty of wetlands and volcanic stone, but relatively little woodland compared to settlers’ home countries.     16    

Like many traditions, turf houses survived, but developed. In the 14th Century Viking-style longhouses (thin, long, shared spaces) gave way to individual, smaller buildings.     17     Turf houses made way to more modern, recognisable buildings in the 20th Century, but they still exist as museums and heritage (遗产) buildings today.

    18     Due to the difficult climate, it was essential that the houses should be well-insulated (保温). Besides, the lack of availability of wood and the richness of other suitable materials including lava rock and turf made turf houses available. Turf provides great insulation for buildings compared to those made of wood or stone alone.

From the turn of the 20th Century, Icelanders increasingly moved into larger city settlements, leaving turf houses behind.     19     Modern turf houses tend to operate as museums, though some offer short-term holiday accommodation.

While the number of turf houses in Iceland reduced greatly in the 20th Century, the rapid growth of Iceland’s tourism in the last 20 years or so has encouraged Iceland to reexamine the value of traditional buildings.     20     The Turf House Tradition was listed as potential nominees (提名) for UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iceland, which included just six places of importance.

Gillie and Marc have been called “the most successful and productive creators of public art in New York’s History” by the New York Times. Creating some of the world’s most innovative public sculptures, Gillie and Marc are illustrating what public art should be, ________ messages of love, equality, and conservation (保护) around the world.

The artists are best known for their beloved ________, Rabbitwoman and Dogman, who tell the tale of two opposites coming together to become best friends and soul mates. As ________ animal kingdom (王国) companions, the Rabbit and the Dog stand for difference and acceptance through ________. Gillie and Marc believe art is a(n) ________ platform for change. Their art ________ the importance of togetherness, as well as the necessity of ________ the natural world — for we are it, and it is us.

Through their art, Gillie and Marc intend to transform ________ audiences into active supporters for animal conservation. Their ________ is to use their work as a platform to continue spreading awareness about endangerment, which will ultimately lead to ________ and save species from extinction. Their art has raised hundreds of thousands in donations for the many wildlife charities and causes they support.