【推荐3】Courage is a highly admired virtue. When asked to describe courage, most people think of an individual running into a burning building, or maybe a hero saving the world. But there’s another form of bravery. It’s much more important because it comes up more often.    1    .

Moral courage is the ability that allows us to face our fears and to conquer our darkest fears. It’s the ability to face the future without knowing what is certain. It’s the ability to stand tall and confront those who oppose us and those who prevent us from realizing who we are and what we are.    2    , even though there are risks that stand in your way. Sara Anderson once said,” It takes great courage to faithfully follow what we know to be true.”

    3    . It was because of moral courage that Mahatma Gandhi was able to make India free from the British rule. He fought bravely against them without the use of any weapon by presenting great moral courage. In this way, he also became a great example for the people of the whole world. It is not that we remember Gandhi because of his body or beauty.     4    .

Moral courage is essential not only for a noble life, but a happy one. Without moral courage, we have no control over our lives. Our fears destroy our spirit and make us trapped in depression. Mark Twain said, “Courage is not the absence of fear but the resistance to fear and the mastery (控制) of fear.” If our fears cause us to lose confidence in the power of virtue, we will lose something very precious.

    5    , but it is the best marker of true character and a virtue others can be proud of. We must try to develop the power of moral courage that will surely help in ending injustice and wrong and grant us a better world.

【推荐2】The Voice Magazine recently had a chance to chat with Miss Patel, a 21-year-old university student currently living in Edmonton, Alberta. “Honestly, I am not happy with Edmonton because it’s too dead. No one socializes. Everybody likes to stay as it is. Personally, I haven’t found one person who likes to grow in their life. People in Edmonton seem to settle for whatever they get.”

When asked how she best studies, Miss Patel stated, “I was a kid who always took studies for granted. Till one day I realized it’s the most important thing. What keeps me motivated is my goal and the promises I have made to myself. I am completely focused on my career and studies, because believe it or not, hanging out with friends is a distraction.”

And her advice for new students? “Online universities and studies can be very overwhelming. You know, there is too much stuff out there. You may miss out on 90 percent of stuff you really need. But join online groups, call the student center and ask tons of questions. Go through every detail provided in the course. Make a schedule by what time you will finish the course.”

When not studying, Miss Patel is interested in “spirituality-gaining knowledge of nature, how to be the best version of yourself.” She continued, “I hit the gym quite often as well.”

When asked which famous person she would like to have lunch with and why, Miss Patel did not have any famous person in mind. She explained, “The respectful famous leads today were once a common man or woman. I would in fact love to just go on a special elite lunch with myself. I sit with myself and feel every emotion, making a list of my flaws and my positive characteristics. That way I am just getting a step forward of being a better human being. And who knows my betterment can lead me into being famous just like others!”

“WELCOME, XIE LEI!”

BUSINESS STUDENT BUILDING BRIDGES

Six months ago, 19-year-old Xie Lei said goodbye to her family and friends and boarded a plane for London. It was the first time that she had left China. “I was very excited but also quite nervous. I didn’t know what to expect,” Xie Lei recalled.

Xie Lei is studying for a business qualification at a university in China and has come to our university on a year-long exchange programme. “I chose the exchange programme because I wanted to learn about global business and improve my English. My ambition is to set up a business in China after graduation,” she explained.

At first, Xie Lei had to adapt to life in a different country. “You have to get used to a whole new1ife,” she said. “I had to learn how to use public transport and how to ask for things I didn’t know the English names for. When I got lost, I had to ask passers-by for help, but people here speak fast and use words l’m not familiar with. I ask them to repeat themselves a lot!”

Although some foreign students live in campus accommodation, Xie Lei chose to live with a host family, who can help with her adaptation to the new culture. “When I miss home, I feel comforted to have a second family,” XieLei said. “When there’s something I don’t know or understand, I can ask them. They are also keen to learn about China. Laura, the daughter of my host family, wants to study in China in the future. We take turns to cook each evening. They really love my stir-fried tomatoes and eggs! Laura says she always feels hungry when she smells it, so I taught her how to cook it, too.”

Another challenge for Xie Lei is the academic requirements. The first time that she had to write an essay, her tutor explained that she must acknowledge what other people had said if she cited their ideas, but that he mainly wanted to know what she thought! Xie Lei was confused because she thought she knew less than other people. Her tutor advised her to read lots of information in order to form a wise opinion of her own.

Xie Lei also found many courses included students’ participation in class as part of the final result. Students need to generate ideas, offer examples, apply concepts, and raise questions, as well as give presentations. At first, Xie Lei had no idea what she should say but what surprised her was that she found herself speaking up in class after just a few weeks. “My presentation on traditional Chinese art was a great success, which boosted my confidence,” she said. “I’ll use these skills back home for presentations. They’ll help me build a strong business in the future.”

Now halfway through her exchange year, Xie Lei feels much more at home in the UK. What seemed strange before now appears quite normal to her. “Engaging in British culture has helped,” she said. “As well as studying hard, I’ve been involved in social activities. British people are fascinated by our culture and eager to learn more about it, so I’m keen to share my culture with them. While I’m learning about business, I’m also acting as a cultural messenger building a bridge between us.”

We will follow Xie Lei’s progress in later editions, but for now, we wish her all the best.

【推荐3】The end of the school year was in sight and spirits were high. I was back teaching after an absence of 15 years, dealing with the various kinds of "forbidden fruit" that come out of book bags. Now was the spring of the water pistol.

I decided to think up a method of dealing with forbidden fruit.

"Please bring that pistol to me," I said. "I'm going to put it in my Grandma's Box."

"What's that?" they asked.

"It's a large wooden chest full of toys for my grandchildren," I replied,

"You don't have grandchildren," someone said.

"I don't now." I replied. "But someday I will. When I do, my box will be full of wonderful things for them."

My imaginary Grandma's Box worked like magic that spring, and later. Sometimes. students would ask me to describe all the things I had in it. Then I would try to remember the different possessions I supposedly had taken away—since I seldom actually kept them. Usually the offender would appear at the end of the day, and I would return the belonging.

The-years went by, and my first grandchild Gordon was born. I shared my joy with that year's class. Then someone said, "Now you can use your Grandma's Box." From then on instead of coming to ask their possessions back, the students would say, "That's okay. Put it in your Grandma's Box for Gordon."

I loved talking about the imaginary box, not only with my students but also with my own children. They enjoyed hearing about all the forbidden fruit I had collected. Then one Christmas I received a surprise gift—a large, beautifully made wooden chest. My son Bruce had made my Grandma's Box a reality.

【推荐1】Climate change has been blamed for killer hurricanes，sea level rise，and drought，but a new report suggests the effects of climate change might hit the world's coffee supply. Up to 70 percent of the world's coffee supply could be threatened over the next 66 years，according to a new study by researchers at England's Royal Botanic Gardens.

Nearly 100 percent of the world's Arabica coffee growing regions could become unsuitable for the plant by 2080，according to the study. Beans from Arabica coffee plants account for about 70 percent of the world's coffee，but the plant also has to be grown under strict weather conditions: they grow well at temperatures between 64 and 70 degrees Celsius，and are highly influenced by frost or temperatures higher than 73 degrees Celsius.

With temperatures estimated to increase by between 1.8 and 4 degrees Celsius by the end of the century，the fragile plant might become increasingly expensive and difficult to grow，especially in places such as Ethiopia and Kenya. In that worst case，nearly all of the world's native Arabica coffee would die out. Under more conservative(保守的) estimates，about 65 percent of the regions used to grow the coffee would become unsuitable for it. The   evidence from coffee farmers and coffee growing regions around the world is that they are already suffering from the influences of increased warming.

Some farmers would likely be able to move their operations to other areas or would be able to overcome climate change with artificial cooling techniques，but wild Arabica is generally considered to be much more suitable for making high－quality coffee.

If Arabica becomes impossible to raise in its native areas，it could do serious damage to the economies of the mainly third－world countries in which it grows. Coffee is the world's most popular drink and is the second most traded product in the world，behind oil.

【推荐2】A group of scientists are hurrying to document and protect the ancient ruins along Puerto Rico's coasts. They are working as fast as they can before rising sea levels destroy a large part of the island's history.

The work started in August 2017. With the help of 3D imaging and other advanced technologies, the scientists have explored a large piece of land along Puerto Rico's north coast and identified an ancient ceremonial center used by the Taino Indians. About 2,000 years ago, the Tainoes lived on many islands in the Caribbean Sea. But after the arrival of Christopher Columbus and other Europeans, they were all killed.

Scientists also found a large living place just east of the site? which is seriously endangered by rising sea levels and other natural disasters. Puerto Rico's Department of Natural Resources has said the sea level around the island is rising by more than 3 mm every year.

However, climate change has more immediate effects. These include the destruction of the Puerto Rico coastline and natural habitats by storms.

Warmer temperatures in the Caribbean increase the number and strength of storms and Puerto Rico faces the possibility of storms every year for six months during the Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Maria had already washed away part of its history.

Scientists are now trying to find out how badly the hurricanes and loss of land have affected the heritage site they are studying. Eric Lo is an engineer who flew to Puerto Rico in August 2017 to start the project one month before Maria struck the island. Lo was surprised at what he saw when he returned months later.

“Pieces of land where I stood do not exist anymore. They are underwater,” he said.

【推荐3】You Mi, a lovely and confident 17-year-old student, is the first Chinese high school student to appear on the cover of the popular young adults’ fashion magazine Seventeen.

“You is IN,” said Wang Lihua, Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen. “She is active and mature (成熟的) because of her knowledge on everything from academic studies, to books on art, to movies. We found she’s the very style we’re looking for to represent young people’s attitudes.”

You also impressed Wang with her fluent English when they first met last year. As the hostess of an English broadcasting programme at the High School Affiliated to Renmin University, You is always praised for speaking English almost like a native speaker. “I’ve built up my English by watching thousands of English DVDs since I was 10,” she explained.

But for You, watching isn’t enough. Last year, while in Senior 1, she met a talented boy who showed self-made DV movies at the English Corner in her school.

“I thought it was so cool and I knew that I should start making my own films,” she said. So she wrote a campus (校园 ) story, persuaded schoolmates to star in it and then began shooting a 30-minute DV movie, all in English. “I played one of the leading roles， actually I was everything in my film. I worked on it every single day during the SARS holidays,” she recalled. The movie finally became a big hit on campus, earning You a strong reputation (名气) as a DV movie director.

But this is not the only field she wants to master. Despite being a science student, You likes art, literature and fashion design very much.

“There are people who can be artists，there are people who edit books, and there are people who become film producers. But I just hope to mix all the things up!” she said. “There is an old saying I believe: Chance favours only the prepared mind.”