【推荐1】BBC: Top 4 Wonderful English Novels

【推荐2】To the delight of bookworms, anyone who has ever told you burying your head in a book means you’re being unsociable will have to cat their wards. A new study suggests those who regularly read，especially fiction，are actually nicer and more empathetic(善解人意)people.

The study, carried out by Kingston University London, and presented at the British Psychological Society conference in Brighton, UK, last week, also found that those who just watched television seemed to be less kind and understanding of other people.

For the study, the researchers questioned 123 people on their preferences for books.TV shows, and plays. They were also quizzed about the type of entertainment they preferred from comedy or romance to drama. Then they were tested on their interpersonal skills. The researchers asked them about their behavior towards others, whether they understood and respected others’ points of view, and whether they actively belted other people.

Drawing on these responses sheet, the researchers found some mind-boggling results. They discovered that those who read more showed greater positive social behavior and a better ability to empathize with others, while those who preferred watching TV didn’t show the same ability to empathize and were more likely to show unsociable behavior.

They also found the forms of fiction people preferred were linked to their interpersonal skills and behavior. Those who preferred fiction displayed the most positive social skills. Romance and drama lovers showed the ability to see others’ points of view, while comedy fans were particularly. Able to relate to others the most.

The researchers concluded that those who read fiction regularly are more well-adapted to see things from other people’s points of view, which makes them better at understanding people. However, they do acknowledge that their study didn’t conclude if the effects are causal-does reading make you nicer and more empathetic, or do more empathetic people tend to read fiction? Even so. picking up a book can’t hurt, and might just make the world a nicer place.

【推荐1】Hiking Trails(路线）for Families on Long Island

Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park,Oyster Bay

INFO:9 a.m.to 5 p.m.daily;$8 per carload on weekends only

＂Nearly half the 409 acres of the former estate of the W.R.Coe family and current state park arboretum(植物园）property is woodland that includes nature walks and a greenhouse,” confirmed by Brian Nearing,an officer at New York State Parks.Expect to see lots of wildlife,from foxes and squirrels to birds of prey,such as red-tailed hawks and great horned owls,a delight for kids.

Connetquot River State Park Preserve,Oakdale

INFO:8 a.m.to 4 p.m.$8 parking fee daily,631-581-1005,parks.ny.gou.

Casey,vice president of the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference,recommends this park for families because they can hike any part of the 50 miles.Along the way,hikers at Connetquot River State Park Preserve might see deer,waterfowl and ospreys(鱼鹰）。

Southampton trails

INFO:Park in museum parking lot at 377 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Tpke.,Bridge-hampton.No parking fee.

The Southampton Trail Preservation Society runs many guided trails in the Hamptons, some suitable for even small children.Behind the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton is a small field that surrounds around it and usually has butterflies and birds flying about.

Blydenburgh County Park,Hauppauge

INFO:Daun to dusk.Northern entrance is at the end of New Mill Road.No parking fee.

The east side is flat,making the walk very kid-friendly.The west side is a bit more hilly, but both have spectacular water views of the pond.On the east side is also the rowboat license that opens on Memorial Day and benches,as well as picnic tables.When you're at Blyden-burgh County Park,go in the north entrance off New Mill Road near Route 347,where the main office of the Greenbelt Trail Conference is situated.The office can provide information and maps.The start of the trails also is here.

【推荐2】Heart disease is one of the major killers in the world today. Many who suffer from it must have heart transplants. However, it’s difficult to get a suitable heart donation, and even if a patient survives the wait, his or her body often rejects the heart.

But there is now new hope for sufferers of heart disease. According to a study published in the journal Advanced Science, researchers from Israel’s Tel Aviv University printed a 3D human heart on April 15.

“This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart,” professor Tal Dvir told CNN. Unlike the previous 3D-printed heart structure, the new heart is complete with cells, blood vessels, chambers and other structures a heart needs to function normally. But scientists still have more to figure out before the 3D-printed heart can be fitted into the body. For one thing, the experimental heart is only the size of a thumb. And, although it can contract like a muscle, it cannot pump out blood like a real one. At present, the heart prototype is like a tiny airplane that has all of the right parts, but can’t fly.

However, the development is still regarded as a major breakthrough in medicine.

In the experiment, the researchers turned human fat tissue into human heart tissue with stem cell technology. The tissue was then turned into “bio-ink” for a 3D printer to ensure that tissue in the heart came from the patients themselves. So ideally, if it were to be placed in the body of someone in need of a transplant, there would be less risk of organ rejection. “Patients will no longer have to wait for transplants or take medications to prevent their rejection,” researchers told USA Today. “Instead, the needed heart   will be printed, fully personalized for every patient.”

But the scientists think that 3D printing can be used to create other human organs. They foresee a time when the 3D printing of organs will be an everyday medical practice. “Maybe, in 10 years, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world and these procedures will be conducted routinely,” Dvir said.

【推荐3】Earthquakes are something that people fear. There are some places that have few or no earthquakes. Some places in the world, however, have them regularly. Countries that have a lot of earthquakes are usually quite mountainous.

The most talked about earthquake in the United States was in San Francisco in 1906. Over 700 people died in it. The strongest one in North America was in1964. It happened in Alaska.

Strong earthquakes are not always the ones that kill the most people. In 1755, one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded was felt in Portugal. Around 2,000 people died.

In 1923, a very strong earthquake hit Tokyo, Yokohama area of Japan. A hundred and forty thousand people died. Most of them died in fires which followed the earthquake.

One of the worst earthquakes ever was in China in 1976. It killed a large number of people. The worst earthquake ever reported was also in China, in which 830, 000 people were killed. This earthquake happened in 1556.

Earthquakes worry people a lot. The reason is that we often do not know when they are coming. People cannot prepare for them.