【推荐1】Jack threw the papers on my desk. “Next time you want to change anything, ask me first,” he said. I had changed a long sentence and corrected its grammar — something I thought I was paid to do.

Several days later, he made me angry again. I went to his office, prepared to lose my job if need be, but not before I let the man know how I felt. “What?” he said nervously.

Suddenly I knew what I had to do. “Jack, the way you’ve been treating me is wrong. And it’s wrong for me to allow it to continue,” I said. “I want to make you a promise. I will be a friend.” The next day I brought some cakes to Jack’s office. Every time I saw Jack in the hall, I smiled at him. After all, that’s what friends do.

One year after our talk, I was told that I had breast cancer . When I was in hospital, my friends tried to find the right words to say, but no one could. The last day of my hospital stay, the door opened and Jack walked over to my bed. “Tulips (郁金香),” he placed some bulbs   beside me and said, “If you plant them when you get home, you’ll be there to see them when they come up.” Tears filled my eyes.

In a moment when I prayed for just the right words, a man with few words said the right thing. After all, that’s what friends do. Now, I have seen those tulips push through the soil every spring for over ten years.

【推荐2】Some photographers have the good fortune to find a mentor in their young years who both inspires and encourages them. Jessica Backhaus found one in Gisele Freund, the great French photographer remembered for her portraits(肖像) of artists, especially writers. Gisele was a wonderful, sensitive portraitist whose pictures of Virginia Woolf, Andre Gide, James Joyce, George Bemard Shaw, Jean Cocteau, and a long list of well-known artists are unforgettable.

Jessica, a young photographer from Germany, was studying photography in Paris when she met the famous Gisele Freund, on November 5, 1992. Slowly a friendship developed, lasting until Gisele's death. in 2000; and in a way it still continues today. Gisele was generous in her concern for a new generation of photographers, and Jessica took to heart her advice to forget about technique and to take pictures with her eyes and heart. To thank her, Jessica decided to take the series of pictures published in the book One Day in November.

One day, before Jessica moved to New York, Gisele suggested that she write about their friendship. The book One Day in November begins with Jessica's essay on their shared memories and conversations, followed by her photographs. She calls it a visual poem, pointing out that she expresses in pictures rather than words.

The excellent photographs from her book can be seen in a splendid exhibition at Laurence Miller Gallery, along with a series of pictures from three of her other books: Jesus and the Cherries, portraits taken in a Polish village where time stood still; What Still Remains. pictures of objects left behind; and a new book of light reflections on water, I Wanted to See the World. All are guided by Gisele's advice and all are quite wonderful.

【推荐3】It is said that most people have not more than 30 friends at any given time, and 400 over the whole of their lives. However, on social networking sites, most users have about 150 friends.    1    

Also, there are no rules about friendship. There are no instructions about how to make friends, how to keep friendships going, and how to finish friendships if we want to move on. People have very different opinions about this: some people would die for their friends and they value them more than family. Others say that friends are temporary, only there to help each other until they are no longer needed.     2    

Because of these different definitions of friendship, it is easy to be unhappy about our friendships. We may want them to be deeper or closer, or we may want to have more friends in our lives.     3     Sometimes we fear we have left it too late in life to start. If we move to another country or city, we have to find ways to make new friends again.

    4     We should not think that it could be too late to build friendships. We also need to understand that the need to be around other people is one that is shared by many. Therefore, we should not be too frightened about starting to talk to people who in the future may become our friends.     5     Remember what people say: strangers are friends we have not met yet.

【推荐2】When it comes to the most famous 20th century painters of the United States, Grandma Moses should be mentioned, although she did not start painting until she was in her late seventies. As she once said to herself, “I would never sit back in rocking chair, waiting for someone to help me.” No one could have had a more active old age.

She was born on a farm in New York State, one of five boys and five girls. At 12, she left home and was in domestic service until at 27 she married Thomas Moses, the hired hand of one of her employers. They farmed most of their lives, first in Virginia and then in New York State, at Eagle Bridge. She had ten children, of whom five survived; her husband died in 1927.

Grandma Moses painted a little as a child and made embroidery（刺绣) pictures as a hobby, but only changed to oils in old age because her hands became too stiff(僵硬的) to sew and she still wanted to keep busy and pass the time. Her pictures were first sold at the local drugstore and at a market and were soon noticed by a businessman who bought all that she painted. Three of the pictures were exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art, and in 1940 she had her first exhibition in New York. Between the 1930’s and her death, she produced some 2,000 pictures: careful and lively portrayals of the country life she had known for so long, with a wonderful sense of color and form. “I think really hard till I think of something really pretty, and then I paint it,” she said.

【推荐3】Photographs are everywhere. They decorate (装饰) the walls of homes and are used in stores for sales of different goods. The news is filled with pictures of fires, floods, and special events. Photos record the beauties of nature. They can also bring things close that are far away. Through photos, people can see wild animals, cities in foreign lands, and even the stars in outer space. Photos also tell stories.

Reporting the news through photos is called photojournalism. At times photojournalists tell their stories through a single picture. At other times, they use a group of pictures to tell a story. Each picture is like a chapter in a book, which can do more than record the facts. It can also be a strong force for social change.

Jacob Riis was among the first photojournalists. He took pictures of parts of New York City where the poor lived. Riis believed that poverty (贫穷) caused crime, and he used photos to help him prove his point. A few years later, the photos of small children working in factories by Lewis Hine shocked the public. Hine’s pictures helped bring about laws to protect such children.

Hundreds of pictures may have to be taken in order to get one or two really good photos. It takes science to have the photo come out clearly and art to make a photo that has a good design and expresses feeling. Photojournalists make an actual record of what they see. A photo, however, can be both a work of art and an actual record. It can record an important event as a beautiful or exciting picture.

As historical and artistic documents (文献) , photos can become more important over time. Today photojournalists still have their pictures appear in newspapers and magazines. They also publish (发表) them in books and on the Internet.

【推荐1】Niu Yu, 24, became a shining star at Shanghai Fashion Week for her confident and leisurely attitude while striding down the runway sporting a prosthetic leg. Niu’s minute in the spotlight has acquired many compliments on social media — a punch in the nose for prejudice against disabled people.

When the other models appeared, the audience cheered and applauded; but when it was Niu’s turn, the venue suddenly fell silent. Niu recalled that after four or five seconds, she clearly heard a female audience member next to the stage sigh in admiration, “So cool!”

Niu attended Shanghai Fashion Week at the invitation of a sports brand Pony. “I was touched by something they said and agreed. They said that traditional views have always connected sports with healthy legs, but sports should be a kind of spirit. Even if I do not have a leg, I still deeply love sports and will do so forever,” Niu said.

Niu lost her right leg after she was trapped under debris for three days during the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, when Niu was only 11 years old. This is not the first time that Niu has been in the public spotlight. She first grabbed the public’s attention when she completed a marathon in 2018.The marathon was held in Wenchuan, Southwest China’s Sichuan province, on May 12,2018, to commemorate the 10thanniversary of the devastating earthquake. The day was also Niu’s 21th birthday.

Niu works as a photographer and often uploads video clips from her life on short video platforms such as Douyin, where she has more than 850, 000 followers. “China had 85 million disabled people with licenses in 2020, and we have no idea about the number of those who do not have licenses. However, it is rare for disabled people to be seen on the streets. I always thought about the reasons for this and then I realized it’s because they hide themselves.” Niu said.

【推荐2】TOKYO, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Organizing Committee of the 2022 Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games held a promotion event in the Japanese capital, Tokyo on Saturday to introduce the latest developments in preparation for the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The promotion event, which used an exhibition wall and the "Charming Beijing" photo exhibition to showcase the preparations of Beijing 2022, was part of "Beijing Week", a series of activities to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of sister-city relations between Beijing and Tokyo.

On the exhibition wall with an area of 33 square meters, Beijng 2022 organizers show cased five aspects including the Beijing Winter Olympics vision, Beijing's winter sports tradition,emblem( 2 í) of Beijing 2022, competition planning and the National Speed Skating Oval.

At the same time, old photos of the Chinese and Japanese ice hockey teams echoed the 40th anniversary of the establishment of sister-city relations between the two cities and the theme of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The promotion videos of the Beijing 2022 emblems, as well as other related video clips,drew great interest of the audience.

The "Charming Beijing" photo exhibition displayed some of the Winter Olympic venues,showing the progress of the preparations for the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Meanwhile, sand table, VR glasses and the "Beijing Winter Olympics Brochure" are also provided to let the audience visually experience the unique charm of the National Speed Skating Oval and the features of other competition venues.

Chang Yu Director General of the Media and Communications Department of the Beijing Winter Olympic Organizing Committee, introduced the progress of the preparations 2022 and the vision of cooperation between Beijing 2022 and Tokyo 2020.

Chang Yu said that the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee stays committed to with the aim of delivering a hosting the Games in a green, inclusive, open and clean manner, with an aim of delivering a fantastic, extraordinary and excellent Olympic event to the world.

The Beijing Winter Olympics will open on February 4, 2022. which will feature 7 sports, 15 disciplines and 109 events.

【推荐1】Do you want to join a club in our school? Here are some clubs that you might be interested in.

Chinese Culture Club

The Chinese Culture Club focuses on exploring Chinese culture. You don’t have to speak the Chinese language; you’re just required to have a true interest in the Chinese way of life. The club regularly explores Chinese culture through traditional Chinese food, movies, and celebrations. Contact Ms Huang if you would like to learn more. Meet every Thursday after lunch in Room 805.

Chess club

Come out and join the Chess Club! We will meet to explore chess theory and strategy. We will also test our new knowledge through competitive games. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced one, players of all levels are welcome! Meet on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm－4:30 pm, in Room 701 with Mr Longino.

Science Club

We’ll be doing experiments and prepare ourselves for the annual Science Olympiad. All the students are welcome! Members of science Club meet on Thursdays from 3:00－4:00 in Room 702, with Mr Underriner.

Robotics Club

The club aims at providing the students with an opportunity to design their own robot, in order to compete in the NYC FIRST Tech Challenge Competition in the late fall and winter.

Also, if you are a parent willing to help with expertise(专业知识), feel free to contact Mr. Irimina. Meet on Fridays in Room 103 from 3:00pm－4:55 pm.

Chorus (合唱队)

The Chorus is an opportunity for students to sharpen their vocal(发声的) skills and overcome stage fright. Students will sing songs, but our focus is soul, R&B, and rock. All chorus members are expected to participate in the school musicals as well as other shows. Meet after school on Thursdays with Mr Copeland in Room 602.

【推荐2】Big, old trees are dying faster than in the past, leaving younger, less biodiverse forests that store less carbon worldwide. They give us paper and fuel, as well as vital ecological services—like cleaning the air, storing carbon and providing habitat. We’re talking about trees, of course. But human changes to the environment appear to be causing profound changes to trees around the world.

In a new study, scientists reviewed global research on trends in tree seedlings growth and death. They combined those data with an analysis of deforestation. And they found that worldwide, older trees are dying at a higher rate than in the past due to factors like rising air temperature, wildfires, drought and pathogens(病原菌).

“And most of the drivers of that decrease in large, old trees are increasing themselves, such as temperature is going up, droughts are more severe, wildfires, windstorms and deforestation are all on the increase—although variable across the globe—they’re generally increasing. And so for both the loss has already occurred, but we expect more continued loss of big, old trees.” said Nate McDowell, an earth scientist at Pacific Northwest National Lab, who was one of the study’s authors.

“So if we have an increasing rate of death, particularly of the larger, older trees, what’s left are the younger trees. So that’s why, on average, through the loss of bigger, older trees, our forests are becoming inherently(天生地) younger and shorter.”

This trend is a problem, because old trees are vitally important.

“For sure, the increase in death does limit the carbon storage of an ecosystem and can force the system to become a carbon source to the atmosphere. The second reason we care is from a biodiversity perspective: old trees tend to house a higher biodiversity than young forests do. And the third reason is aesthetic: as a society, we care about these trees. We have national parks named after these big trees. So there’s a personal reason for people to care about this as well.”

【推荐3】Technology can really help you with your language learning. Here are four free apps you can try!

Google Translate

This is a very useful app. When you open it, you will notice that there is a camera icon at the bottom. This allows you to translate menus, signs and guides that you may come across when exploring in a foreign country.

Duolingo

I used this app while at university to practise my French while travelling. All you have to do is select your mother tongue, the language you want to learn (English) then, lastly, you decide how much time you want to spend practising each day (between 5 and 20 minutes). This is a good way to practise your reading and listening whenever you have a free moment and you can also do some speaking exercises.

Learn English Podcasts App

This is a good app for getting in some listening and reading practice at the same time. Each part is filled with information on everyday topics which can help you to widen your vocabulary and also help you to get used to the different sounds within different words.

Nemo Language App

This app turns your iPhone, iPad or Android phone into your favorite teacher of foreign languages. Learn whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for you. It is meant to be picked up and put down throughout the day, whenever you have a few minutes to spare.