【推荐2】The Cure for Concrete

Dutch microbiologist Hendrik Jonkers studies bacteria. He also has researched how certain living beings are able to heal themselves when injured. When a bone breaks in the human body, it is able to repair itself. Jonkers wondered if bacteria (细菌)could be used to “heal” nonliving stuff in a similar way. He tested this theory by adding bacteria to concrete (混凝土). He discovered that concrete may also be able to recover from damage.

Concrete is one of the most important building materials. It is used to construct highways, bridges, and high-rise buildings. In fact, concrete demand has doubled in the last decade. Concrete production now accounts for 5% of the world’s carbon emissions, which is harmful to the environment.

Despite its popularity, concrete cracks. When water gets inside the cracks, it weakens the composition of concrete. Eventually the concrete must be repaired or replaced. In Europe the annual cost of maintaining concrete structures is billions of dollars.

Jonkers has developed a self-healing concrete, or bioconcrete, to help solve these problems. He combines concrete with bacteria that are naturally able to produce limestone, a hard rock. The bacteria are placed inside plastic containers that are mixed into wet concrete. The bacteria can live in the hardened concrete for decades. When water enters through cracks in the concrete, the plastic containers open, and the bacteria are released. As the bacteria grow and multiply, they form limestone, which fills in the cracks. Jonkers'bioconcrete has been used on the floors and roofs of parking garages and buildings.

While bioconcrete has its advantages, it is 50 percent more costly to create than traditional concrete. This makes some people in the construction industry reluctant to use the product. Still, Jonkers believes the initial investment is worth the long-term savings and advantages it will provide—reducing the need for repairs, making new concrete and the amount of carbon pollution.

【推荐3】Being an employee at a company has many challenges—you want job satisfaction, a work-life balance and opportunities for promotion (提升). But most of us want a decent financial reward. We aim to get a good salary to pay for the essential things in life. But when that’s not enough, we have to do the hardest thing in the world—ask our boss for a pay rise!

In some companies, a regular annual pay rise is normal. In other firms, workers might get a bonus (津贴) to reward them for their efforts or for meeting a target. But for some people, a pay increase is something you have to ask for—and if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

Wage increases have been a sensitive issue in recent years. Due to the global economic recession (萧条), businesses had to tighten (绷紧) their belts. Most public sector pay in the UK, for example, was frozen for two years in 2010, and after that rises were capped at 1%—below the rate of inflation (通货膨胀率). But last month the government awarded them a pay rise above the 2% inflation rate so that teachers, for example, will get a 2.75% salary boost.

But not everyone is happy at being given a fixed pay rise—they feel they’re worth more and that they deserve more money. It’s not something we should fear “asking for”, says Pip Jamieson, founder of the professional networking site, The Dots. She’s told the BBC “No one ever got fired for asking for a pay rise. In fact, rather the opposite—asking for more money shows ambition and shows you want to stay with the company.”

You need to do your research and find out what kind of pay your job should be getting, perhaps by talking to your Human Resources department. You’ll need to give good reasons for wanting more money and you’ll still have to keep your increase within your pay grade. Ask for an exact sum and be prepared for some negotiation. Of course, if you can’t get more cash then there are other benefits you could ask for, such as flexible working or more time off. But if that gets you nowhere and your boss won’t budge, maybe it’s time to quit and find a new job?

【推荐1】The American actor Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotempora1 dementia (痴呆), “a cruel disease”, his family said in a statement posted on Thursday to the website of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD). Last year, Willis was originally diagnosed with aphasia, a comprehension and communication disorder. His family said at the time that he was “stepping away” from his acting career as a result. “Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD),” continued the statement. “Challenges with communication” are one of the symptoms Willis faces with FTD, which is the most common form of dementia in people under 60-with most FTD cases occurring between the ages of 45 and 64, according to the AFTD. The disease is likely more common than statistics suggest, as it is lesser known and can take years to receive a formal diagnosis.

FTD is a degenerative (变性的，退化的) brain disorder. Symptoms may include uncharacteristic personality changes and unexplained struggles with decision-making, speaking or language comprehension are among the most common presenting symptoms.

While there is currently neither a cure nor treatments available for the condition, the Willis family writes that they hope to help change this.

“As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research,” his family said, adding that Willis has always believed in using his voice to raise awareness and help others, both in and out of the public eye.

“Bruce has always found joy in life—and has helped everyone he knows to do the same,” the statement concluded. “Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.”

【推荐2】Women make good spies. This is because women are good at multitasking. They are also good at reading other people’s emotions. As a spy, this can help with gathering information. Both of these skills are also useful as a mother. That might be the biggest reason why women make good ones. Here are the stories of four famous female spies.

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman played an important role in the Underground Railroad. The network led enslaved (被奴役的) people in Southern states to freedom in Northern states. Tubman was also a spy, according to History.com. She was a soldier and spy for the Union Army in the Civil War. Her duties included forming a spy ring, gathering information about the Confederacy (邦联) and mapping the area. She also led a military battle in 1863. She became the first woman in the U.S. history to do this.

“Jen”

Jen is a female Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) researcher. Her real name is kept secret for her protection. The CIA collects security information for the United States. Jen played a big part in finding Osama bin Laden. Jen is tough, and she spent five years looking for him.

Christine Granville

“Christine Granville’s charm and beauty were really important,” says Clare Mulley. She wrote a book about Granville. Granville was fast-thinking, brave and devoted. She once bit her own tongue to fake the symptoms of a disease. This helped her escape the Gestapo during World War II. The Gestapo were secret police for the Nazis. Granville was awarded the George Medal. It is a British award for bravery.

Stella Rimington

Rimington was the first female director of MI5. The organization is the United Kingdom’s intelligence agency. She led the office between 1992 and 1996. She too was a mother. She no longer works for MI5. Now, she writes spy novels.

【推荐3】In the early part of his life, Seiichi Sano was a busy business owner. Later in life, he took on other difficult activities. At the age of 80, he climbed Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain. Soon after, he started surfing.

Sano turned 90 this year. After being recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest male to surf, he’s considering trying other activities. “Maybe I’ll try bouldering,” he said, suggesting he might do it first in a gym. “Outside it might be a bit dangerous.”

But maybe he will just stick with what he knows. “I think it would be interesting to surf until I’m 100,” Sano said. “I think I can take better care of myself when I have goals like this. Even now, I take better care of myself than I did before.”

Sano said he got the idea to try surfing from a worker at his local bank. The man’s skin was always dark but healthy. He did not look like a usual banker. His secret, he said, was surfing. So Sano found a teacher.

“I don’t consider myself an old man,” he said in his wet suit, board standing next to him. “I have never thought of myself as an old persona. I always feel that I can still move forward. I can still do it. I can still enjoy it.”

Sano joined hundreds of other surfers recently at Enoshima. All the surfers were younger, of course. Several young students who also worked with Sano’s surf teacher, 46-year-old Kazuto Shimizu, talked about Sano.

“To be honest, I was surprised by his age,” said Shimizu. “I was most worried that he would get injured. I did not know how fit he was, physically.”

Sano still runs a business that supplies wood to building companies. He works 9-to-5 at the job. Surfing reduces tension for him.