【推荐2】Chocolate could soon be a thing of the past, after scientists warned that the cacao plant, from which chocolate is made, could be extinct within 32 years.

Over half of the world’s chocolate comes from just two countries in West Africa—Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana—where the temperature, rain, and humidity provide the perfect conditions for cacao to grow. But the threat of rising temperatures over the next three decades caused by climate change, is expected to result in a loss of water from the ground, which scientists say could upset this balance.

According to the related data, a temperature rise of just 2.1℃ could spell an end for the chocolate industry worldwide by 2050. Farmers in the region are already considering moving cacao production areas thousands of feet uphill into mountainous area—much of which is currently preserved for wildlife. But a move of this scale could destroy ecosystems that are already under threat from illegal farming and deforestation.

Part of the problem, according to Doug Hawkins, is that cacao farming methods have not changed for hundreds of years. “Unlike other tree crops that have benefited from the development of modern, high yielding strains and crop management techniques to realize their genetic potential, more than 90% of the global cocoa crop is produced by small farms with unimproved planting material,” he said. “It means that we could be facing a chocolate decrease of 100,000 tons a year in the next few years.”

Now scientists at the University of California at Berkeley have teamed up with American candy company Mars to keep chocolate on the menu. Using the controversial(有争议的) gene-editing technology known as CRISPR they are trying to develop a type of the cacao plant capable of surviving in dryer, warmer climates. If the team’s work on the cacao plant is successful, it could remove the need for farmers in West Africa to relocate to higher ground, and perhaps even allow cacao to be grown elsewhere in the world.

【推荐2】Dreams are powerful. They can drive you to work harder and become better. President Xi Jinping said that realizing the great rejuvenation (复兴) of the Chinese nation is China’s greatest dream, which is known as the “Chinese dream”. The Chinese dream means not only a higher GDP, but also a happier life for Chinese people. Many people have already worked on the Chinese dream while realizing their own dreams. Here are some of their stories.

Su Bingtian, 32

Su Bingtian, a sprinter who was born in 1989, made history in the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Tough, determined and hard-working, Su became the first Chinese athlete to qualify for the men’s 100-meter sprint final at an Olympics, setting a new Asian record along the way. Besides his incredible accomplishment, what impresses everyone is his devotion to giving inspiring lessons to school students. “I’m willing to devote my youth to the career that I love and to my homeland,” Su said.

Hu Weiwei, 39

Hu Weiwei is the founder of Mobike, China’s first smart bike-sharing company. Her dream was to create a great company that could “change people’s lifestyles and shape the future of cities”. And that is what Mobike is doing. Hu achieved personal success while helping society at the same time.

Wu Guanghui, 61

China has always dreamed of having its own large passenger airplanes, and so has Wu Guanghui. As a chief designer, Wu designed the C919, which was China’s first homemade large passenger plane. Large airplanes are a symbol of how well a country’s science and technology are doing. Daring the seven years he spent working on C919. Wu worked seven days a week, 11 hours a day. “My country needs me. I just did what I was supposed to do,” Wu said.

【推荐3】Recently, as I watched my son Nathan play basketball for his school team, I was feeling sorry for myself and for him. His team was facing adversity(困境) on the court, trailing for three quarters of the game. As for me, I had just been dismissed from my job.

As I watched what my son was experiencing, I recalled the events earlier in the day—packing up everything in a box and saying goodbye to my colleagues. During the drive home, I kept telling myself that I will find work again—I am confident in my experience and abilities, but self-doubt was still sticking its foot in the door.

The game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan’s team still trailing. I saw the determination on his back to not only tie the game, but then go ahead by three points. Then, a player from the other team made an unbelievable shot to tie the game up again. With a tie game and seconds on the clock, Nathan found himself with the ball and with skill and confidence, he made the basket with a defender hanging all over him. The other player was called for a foul(犯规).

As Nathan stood preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points, I saw the focus and determination on his face, with no room for self-doubt. After he made the free throw, his team managed to stop the other team from scoring, winning the game and moving on to the finals.

As I sat there, my heart bursting with pride, it dawned on me. I had taught him perseverance(毅力) in the face of adversity, and he had just taught me the same lesson. That brief moment of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself was blown away by the actions of my son on the basketball court. He will play in the finals, but it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses. At this moment, we both won.