【推荐1】The Olympic Games may be on their way to Massachusetts. On January 8,2015, the U.S. Olympic Committee chose Boston as the city that will represent the United States in a bid(投标) to host the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. It beat out Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., for the bid.

If Boston is selected, it will be the first time in 28 years that the Summer Olympic Games have been held on American soil. The 2002 Winter Olympics took place in Salt Lake City, Utah. The U.S. last hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia. Three other Summer Olympic Games have also been held in the United States — the 1904 Games in St. Louis, Missouri, and the 1932 and 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

Boston faces some tough competition in its quest to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. Rome, Italy, has already announced that it will bid to host the Games. Other cities expected to place bids are Paris, France; Istanbul, Turkey; Melbourne, Australia; and either Berlin or Hamburg, Germany.

Many say Boston has a good shot at winning. Since the Olympics have become extremely expensive in recent years, the IOC is encouraging potential host cities to try to cut costs. To do so, Boston plans to build a modular (模块化的) 60,000-seat Olympic stadium that can be used for something else after the Games by making it smaller or by taking it apart and moving it.

Boston also has many existing venues(体育比赛场馆) that have facilities and where various sports competitions can be held. Most of these venues are within a 6-mile radius(半径距离), which means people would be able to easily walk or take public transportation to the different events.

New York put in a bid to host the 2012 Games but London, England, was chosen instead. Chicago lost its bid to host the 2016 Games to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

＂The Olympic Games are unique in their ability to bring the world together in celebration and unity,＂ says IOC Executive Board member Anita DeFrantz. ＂I very much want to bring the Games to the United States to share the incredible spirit of the Games with another generation of Americans.＂

【推荐2】Open water swimming

I had only swum in open water a few times, and always in gentle lakes, so I wasn’t prepared for how rough Lake Windermere appeared on a cold day. A swimmer told me the water felt colder than it had been measured, and that the water was a bit rough. But I, along with 10,000 others, was about to complete the challenge.

Most of the people taking part were doing a one-mile race, and 10 races were planned over the weekend. There seemed to be a mix of open-water enthusiasts alongside complete beginners — which is precisely the aim of the swims, to get as many people as possible completing their own challenge. The oldest woman competing was 77, taking part in the two-mile race, alongside a man who last year had swum in every one-mile race.

I had chosen the third one-mile race of the day. There were over 600 people in my race. We were taken through a preparation area, a children’s paddling pool-sized part of the lake where we moved in to feel how cold the water was. “Not too bad” was everyone’s thought! Then we headed out towards the middle of the lake.

We’d been warned that the first 100 meters would be really rough. However, somewhere near the 750m mark I was still waiting for the calm; it felt more like swimming in the sea than a lake. I tried to focus on my breathing and technique, and just keep going. As I approached the 400m-to-go mark my lower right leg became painful. I recalled overhearing people talking about how they kept swimming through the pain, so I tried. But it didn’t work. I began to feel the entire leg tight and painful. I didn’t want to stop, so I bent my right knee and just kicked with the left leg.

Finally, I saw the finishing post, and I just concentrated on getting there — still one-legged. My finishing time was 38 minutes 25 seconds but that didn’t matter — the atmosphere was fantastic and everyone felt a sense of achievement, whatever their time. I’m attracted and want to give it another go. I’ve already signed up for my next open-water swim.

【推荐3】The New York Times states that cheerleading is the fastest growing girls sport, yet more than half of Americans do not believe it is a sport, In addition, they fail to distinguish between sideline cheerleaders and competitive ones. Sideline cheerleaders' main goal is to entertain the crowd and lead them with team cheers, which should not be considered a sport. While competitive cheerleading is rather a different one.

A sport, according to the Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors, is a "physical competition against an opponent, governed by rules and conditions under which a winner is declared, and primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants." It is obvious that cheerleading follows these guidelines.

Just as basketball and foot ball have guidelines for competitive play, so does competitive cheerleading. The whole routine has to be completed in less than 3 minutes and 15 seconds and the cheerleaders are required to stay within a certain area. Competitive cheerleaders goal is to be the best, Just like gymnasts, they are awarded points for difficulty, technique, creativity and sharpness. Cheerleading is a team sport so without cooperation and synchronization, first place is out of reach.

According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, cheerleading is the number-one cause of serious sports injuries to women. Emergency room visits for cheerleading are five times the number for any other sport, partially because they do not wear protective gear. While many athletes are equipped with hip pads, knee pads, shin guards or helmets, smiling cheerleaders are tossed into the air and spiral down into the arms of trusted teammates, The fliers must remain tight at all times so that their bases can catch them safely.

Also because cheerleading is not yet recognized as a sport by many schools. neither proper matting nor high enough ceilings are provided to ensure safety, Instead. the girls use whatever space is available. More recognition of competitive cheerleading as a sport would decrease the number of injuries.

【推荐1】3M and Discovery Education announced Sean Jiang from Gilman School as one of the top ten finalists from across the nation for the 2023 3M Young Scientist Challenge. It’s a competition that encourages students to identify an everyday problem and submit a video showing the science behind the solution he or she came up with.

14-year-old Jiang decided to help those who can’t see. Blind people had a hard time navigationg (导航) objects that are medium to far range. So Jiang wanted to design something to give them a heads-up on obstacles (障碍) that may be incoming.

Jiang’s inspiration came from the powers of the hearing system. “I learned in school that bats and whales are able to use echolocation (回声定位) to help them navigate and just use their sense of hearing and I also saw on YouTube some very skilled blind people that use echolocation to help them walk,” said Jiang.

Jiang started with a virtual reality setting and then made it a reality. His creation uses a depth camera that can detect how close objects are, thus giving enough time to avoid the obstacles. When a blind is walking with the device, the sensor of the depth camera gathers the information regarding the obstacles’ position and distance. Then the AI system in it will turn the distance data into musical sound guidance. This could significantly increase the walking speed of a blind person as well as decrease the number of obstacles they hit.

Some other similar programs were alright at finding objects that were in close range, but Jiang still wanted the blind to experience the world even fuller so they were able to see stuff that was much further away than their circle of reach.

In October, the top ten finalists will compete in person in Minneapolis for the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” and a $25,000 prize.

【推荐2】Recently, craftsman Qian Gaochao and his son spent more than six months making three “chicken-blood” stone carvings, which showed the taekwondo and wrestling competitions of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022. Qian Gaochao is a national inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of the chicken-blood stone carving. He is working on the other carvings related to the Asian Games in the chicken-blood stone museum in Changhua town, Zhejiang Province.

Chicken-blood stone is one of China’s most valued decorative materials and has been used for centuries to create carved works with unique red markings. With its bright blood-red color, bright crystal-like jade texture, quality and shape, chicken-blood stone is admired all over the world. It is valuable in art because of its adaptability, which can be made into decorations of various sizes and forms. It not only records geological (地质的) changes, but also reflects the productivity of different times, living conditions and folk customs.

The stone has become a cultural symbol of deepening the friendship in diplomatic (外交的) activities. For example, in 1972, the Chinese premier gave Changhua chicken-blood stones to Japan as State gifts. In 1986, a seal of Changhua stone was presented to the US. In 2016, the Changhua stone sculpture “Haliaeetus Albicilla Duda Portrait Seal” was presented to Poland. In September 2016, 36 sets of portrait seals were given as gifts to guests who attended the 11th G20 Summit in Hangzhou.

“As a craftsman, I’m not only doing carving work but also recording the development and changes of our society and remembering the era through my carvings,” Qian Gaochao says. He has created fascinating works, many of which are related to important events in Chinese history and famous people who have made important contributions to the country.

“We are also hiring qualified people to continue to promote these traditional skills,” Qian Gaochao says. “Additionally, we often hold research activities and provide training courses, enabling more young students to understand and learn Chinese traditional culture,” he adds.

【推荐1】It should be one of the main goals in today's society to reduce plastic consumption. Though many believe recycling will solve the problem, it's actually the opposite. In 2013,254 million tons of trash was produced in the U.S. alone, and only around 30% was recycled. This means the rest ended up in a landfill and will stay there for up to 1000 years.

Recently, China has stopped importing trash from all over the world. Before this, over 30% of the world's waste would end up in China, causing a popular belief that Asian countries are those responsible for creating the majority of the waste in the world. Now, Asian countries are looking for new ideas to avoid the plastic. One of those ideas was a new, eco-friendly way to pack their goods by avoiding plastic packaging.

One of Perfect Homes Chiangmai's team members, Sam, noticed a creative way to reduce plastic that a supermarket called Rimping Supermarket was using and decided to capture their shelves with his phone. Little did he know that people all around the world would absolutely love this idea. “I just stepped in to get a few items while we were waiting to sign some contracts with our lawyer, who was delayed. I noticed the vegetables wrapped in banana leaves and simply liked the idea. So I took a few pictures and posted them online,” he said. With more than 3.5million views and over 17 thousand shares, the idea becomes something people can encourage more supermarkets to implement.

Some have noticed that not everything on the shelves is completely plastic-free. Many products come to the supermarkets pre-packaged and many companies are interested in wrapping their products in plastic since it is the cheapest and the easiest option. It's now up to the shoppers to show the supermarket which they prefer. If everyone opts for the banana leaf packaging, they will probably stop storing the items in plastic.

【推荐2】What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah (光明节) is the Jewish Festival of Lights. It lasts for eight days and is usually celebrated in November or December. Hanukkah traditions include lighting candles, giving presents, playing games and eating food fried in oil, like doughnuts or potato pancakes.

Fried food is traditional at Hanukkah. latkes are fried pancakes made with potatoes, onions, eggs, flour and oil. Jam filled doughnuts are another popular Hanukkah treat. Dairy food such as cheese and cheesecake are also traditionally eaten at this festival.

The traditional Hanukkah candle holder is called a Hanukkah menorah (烛台) or hanukkiah and it has been used as a Jewish symbol since ancient times. A Hanukkah menorah has nine candles which are lit at night-time during Hanukkah.

In London you can see a giant menorah lit up with candles for the Hanukkah London event, in celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights. This huge menorah in Trafalgar Square is put close to the Christmas tree for a truly multicultural winter celebration.

Playing with the dreidel (陀螺) is a traditional Hanukkah game played in Jewish homes in Britain and all over the world, and rules may vary from family to family. There are various games you can play with the dreidel.

It's traditional to give presents or money to family and friends at Hanukkah. Hanukkah Gelt refers to money given as a gift at the festival. ''Gelt'' is the Yiddish word for money. Children are often given chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil (金箔).

People also give Hanukkah greetings cards. The cards often show a picture of a menorah or dreidel. One UK online greetings cards company even combines Christmas and Hanukkah to make a card with the greeting ''Very Merry Chrismukkah wishes''!

Happy Hanukkah!

【推荐1】It is becoming more and more important for researchers to closely observe our sea life, with climate change and overfishing damaging our oceans. However, this is almost impossible since human presence scares the animals.

Now, thanks to The Soft Robotic Fish, also called SoFi, researchers may not only be able to keep a close eye on the creatures, but also uncover undersea secrets that have been confusing us for centuries. Though not the first autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) created to observe the oceans, SoFi solves many of the problems that have hindered (妨碍) the usefulness of previous robots.

AUVs traditionally have had to be tied to a boat because radio communications do not work well underwater. To solve the problem, CSAIL director Daniela Rus and her team used sound waves which can travel greater distances, allowing drivers using a waterproofed Super Nintendo controller to pilot SoFi from up to 50 feet away. To ensure SoFi can freely move around the ocean, a pump moves water from one balloon-like structure to the other through its soft rubber tail, while a controller fitted with a battery powers the robot through the ocean.

During test dives, SoFi moved alongside the sea life at depths of 50 feet for up to 40 minutes at a time, taking high-quality photos and videos. Even more importantly, it was able to do so without causing any disturbance. The researchers say sometimes the fish would swim alongside the strange-looking robot-fish out of curiosity, while at other times they appeared completely unaware of its existence.

While SoFi currently only records videos, future versions will include sensors. “For us, this fish is magical,” says Rus. “We imagine someday it might help us uncover more mysteries from the amazing underwater world that we know so little about.”

【推荐2】

One of the most popular travel destinations in the world, England offers almost endless possibilities for vacationers seeking fun things to do and top attractions to visit.
Tower of London Built in 1078 by William the Conqueror, the White Tower is home to amazing exhibits, such as Line of Kings, the world's oldest visitor attraction, established in 1652. Other highlights include the impressive Crown Jewels exhibition,classic Yeoman Warder Tours. If you're traveling with children, be sure to check for special events for kids,including"Knights School” and other immersive programs that provide a fun insight into the castle's history.
Stonehenge Stonehenge is Europe's best-known prehistoric monument. It's so popular that visitors need to reserve a ticket in advance to guarantee entry. Exhibitions at the excellent Stonehenge visitor center set the stage for a visit, explaining through audio-visual experiences and more than 250 ancient objects how the enormous stones were established between 3000 and 1500 BC,and sharing information about life during this time.
The British Museum With collections of antiquities that are among the world's finest,the British Museum holds more than 13 million artifacts from Egypt, Greece, the Roman Empire and China. The most famous artifacts are the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon in Athens. Besides,the Ancient Egyptian collection is the largest outside of Cairo, and the hoard of Roman silver, unearthed in Suffolk in 1942, is nothing short of impressive.
Warwick Castle If you're looking for a truly memorable English excursion for the whole family, and one that offers a fascinating insight into life through exhibitions,you couldn't do much better than visit Warwick Castle. Located in the beautiful city of Warwick on the River Avon, this impressive fortress has dominated the landscape and history of the region for more than 900 years.

【推荐3】A modern phone can put the world at the user’s fingertips. Calls, messaging, photos and information access, all make for a better lifestyle. But sometimes, these phones are of little practical use. Leku Wuniure’s 63-year-old mother communicates in the Yi language, because she can’t read Chinese or speak Mandarin and is even unable to read numbers. As a result, a very simple, taken-for-granted feature of any modern phone like finding someone, can prove to be difficult. Whenever she wants to call her son, she has to ask someone to help her to dial his number.

Leku, 25, a young man of the Yi ethnic (彝族) group, naturally, wanted to help. So he created an app that responds to his mother’s request to “call my son” in the Yi language. Once this is said, the app will automatically dial his number. The app is called Yayou. It turned out to be a fantastic aid for his mother and has also benefited many among the more than 8 million Yi people in China.

“With the app, I wanted to help my mom, as well as the Yi people,” says Leku, a college student at Chongqing University. “Besides my mother’s plight, I’ve also witnessed some villagers, who left to make a living as workers in cities, suffering financial losses or misunderstanding due to the obstacles (障碍) in communication.”

The dream is becoming bigger-after more than two years’ development, Leku and his partner Mise Achang are ready to launch an updated version of their app in May. The 2.0 version of Yayou will have several new functions, providing news and entertainment content, as well as online shopping services, in both the Yi and Chinese languages. What’s more exciting, some users will be able to test the new voice assistant function and interact with their smartphone in the Yi language, before its final release.

With the app, users could listen to more songs, watch videos and read news presented on the app in the Yi language. The app, apart from bringing greater convenience, can also serve as an important cultural tool. It can be used as a database to collect oral and written records of Yi culture and help keep it.