【推荐2】“I am not crazy,” says Dr. William Farber, shortly after performing acupuncture (针灸) on a rabbit. “I am ahead of my time.” If he seems a little defensive, it might be because even some of his coworkers occasionally laugh at his unusual methods. But Farber is certain he’ll have the last laugh. He’s one of a small but growing number of American veterinarians (兽医) now practicing “holistic” medicine-combining traditional Western treatments with acupuncture, chiropractic (按摩疗法) and herbal medicine.

Farber, a graduate of Colorado State University, started out as a more conventional veterinarian. He became interested in alternative treatments 20 years ago when he suffered from terrible back pain. He tried muscle-relaxing drugs but found little relief. Then he tried acupuncture, an ancient Chinese practice, and was amazed that he improved after two or three treatments. What worked on a veterinarian seemed likely to work on his patients. So, after studying the techniques for a couple of years, he began offering them to pets.

Leigh Tindale’s dog Charlie had a serious heart condition. After Charlie had a heart attack, Tindale says, she was prepared to put him to sleep, but Farber’s treatments eased her dog’s suffering so much that she was able to keep him alive for an additional five months. And Priscilla Dewing reports that her horse, Nappy, “moves more easily and rides more comfortably” after a chiropractic adjustment.

Farber is certain that the holistic approach will grow more popular with time, and if the past is any indication, he may be right: Since 1982, membership in the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association has grown from 30 to over 700. “Sometimes it surprises me that it works so well,” he says. “I will do anything to help an animal. That’s my job.”

【推荐3】If you get a cotton (棉花) ball out of a brand-new bottle of pills (药片), you may probably wonder what it is used for. This soft ball seemingly only blocks your way to your pills. Adding to the confusion, it’s not any kind of special object. It’s just a common cotton ball. Then what purpose could it possibly serve?     1    

The first-ever cotton balls started showing up in pill bottles in the early 1900s. The medical company Bayer was the first one to add them.     2     It worried that the customers might end up taking too much or too little medicine due to the small pieces.

Decades later, pill coatings made the cotton balls useless. The coatings on pills ensured they were no longer in danger of breaking apart in the bottle. Bayer itself actually stopped putting cotton balls in the bottles just decades ago.     3     Why? It had become a custom.

According to a report, consumers expected to see the cotton balls there and most didn’t know they were useless.     4     They might be an annoyance, surely. But customers have been used to the cotton balls. Many have believed their pills are somehow safer or fresher because of them.

    5     The cotton balls don’t preserve quality or freshness in any way. And in fact, they might have the opposite effect. It’s said that the cotton can actually draw moisture (潮气) into the bottle. Too much moisture could affect pills’ effect.

【推荐1】Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil all the year or for different periods of time during the year. Wetlands vary widely because of differences in soils, climate, water and others. Wetlands can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Two types of wetlands are recognized on Earth: coastal wetlands and inland wetlands.

Coastal wetlands, as their name suggests, are found along the Atlantic, Pacific and coasts. They are closely linked to the estuaries (河口)where sea water mixes with fresh water to form a special environment. The salt water and the fresh water mix to create a rather difficult environment for most plants. Therefore, many coastal areas aren’t suitable for plenty of plants. Some plants, however, have successfully adapted to this environment. Certain grasses and grasslike plants that adapt to the conditions form coastal wetlands.

Inland wetlands are most common on floodplains along rivers and streams that are surrounded by dry land. Certain types of inland wetlands are common to particular areas of the country. Many of these wetlands are seasonal. The amount of water and the time of its presence partly affect the functions of a wetland and its role in the environment. Wetlands that appear dry at times for significant parts of the year often provide important living places for wildlife in these areas.

The value of a wetland to human society depends on a set of relationships between the wetland and the other ecosystems. Wetlands play an important role in the ecosystem. Many species of birds and animals rely on wetlands for food, water and shelter. The plants and wildlife in wetlands are part of global cycles for water. Besides, scientists are beginning to realize that atmospheric maintenance (大气维护)may be another wetlands’ function. Wetlands store carbon within their plant communities and soil instead of giving it out to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Thus, wetlands help to improve global climate conditions.

【推荐3】Online classes began to be popularized just a few decades ago. They are advertised as a way for adults to finish their education and students to learn the material at their own pace—it is far more suitable for people with busy schedules.

But after being enrolled in an online course last fall semester, I came to realize online classes were merely a means to fulfil course requirements.

First of all, students lack the desire to learn, and they simply complete their assignments to receive credit for a passing grade rather than genuinely engage with the course material.

As online courses tend to have more than 100 students, most of the assignments are short and simple. They are not designed for students to interact with the material in depth but designed to be graded easily to accommodate such a large number of students.

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of taking an online class is the absence of face-to-face interaction between the teacher and their students. Live sessions are infrequent and are often scheduled during the middle of the day when students have to attend other classes or work. The office hours of the professor may also be during inconvenient times for many students as well. Most interaction with the professor has to be through email which is often impersonal. It is nearly impossible for students to build a relationship with their professor.

There is also little interaction among students. It can be harder for students to create study groups and form relationships with their peers.

Online classes also require either a computer or laptop and a reliable Internet connection. Not all students have access to these types of resources, whether it is for financial or other reasons, and some students can be put at a disadvantage. Offering online classes certainly helps students who would otherwise not be able to attend classroom sessions. However, they fail to provide a true education with an emphasis on convenience rather than critical thinking. We need restructure online classes in which students can have a learning experience that will actually provide quality education.