【推荐1】Across Asia many people have just witnessed the natural wonder that is a total solar eclipse.     1    

This week’s total eclipse could be seen in eastern India before slowly moving across Burma, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Japan, and the Pacific Ocean. Yesterday, when it reached eastern China, people flocked (聚集)into the streets to witness the astronomical wonder.

As daylight disappeared and the sky quickly darkened.     2     Cities such as Shanghai were plunged into (陷入) darkness during what is thought to be the longest total eclipse of the 21st century. It lasted 6 minutes and 39 seconds.

Total solar eclipses of such a long duration are very rare events.     3     Shao Zhenyi, an astronomer at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory in China explained: “We’ll have to wait a few hundred years for another opportunity to observe a solar eclipse that lasts this long? so it’s a very special opportunity. ‘‘

But while millions celebrate this phenomenon, it should be remembered that total eclipses have not always been such treasured events. Many cultures traditionally believed that a total eclipse was a bad omen (凶兆) or a supernatural event.     4     Others believed that the eclipse signified oncoming disasters. Nowadays it appears that these fears and superstitions(迷信)are long forgotten. As daylight once again flooded Asian cities such as Shanghai, whoops and cheers could be heard among the gathered crowds.

Reflecting on what had just happened, one Shanghai resident described the eclipse as “eerie”(怪诞的，奇异的), while another said “It’s like magic, the day turns into night in such a short period of time. I have no idea where I am right now.     5    . “

【推荐2】The dog Pooch Chi Chi managed to open the door and let a fire crew in after his owner collapsed on the kitchen floor.

Responders were searching for another entrance when they heard a “click” as the dog managed to unlock the door to let them in. They found the man, named only as Mr Green, collapsed on the floor in the kitchen as the fire took hold on the hob. Firefighters then swiftly put out the fire and carried out first aid until paramedics (急救医士) arrived.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said “a potential disaster” was avoided with help from the dog. They said they were called to the scene after a smoke detector was activated and a Careline alarm was sounded.

Mr Green initially answered the call but operator at Careline lost communication. Within six minutes, the crew was on scene and investigating. They could hear the alarm but were unable to establish contact with the man inside. With curtains drawn, the crew could not see inside but could hear a dog barking. They tried the front door, but it wouldn’t open. As the crew looked for another entrance, they heard a “click” and the front door opened. The crew went inside to find a man collapsed on the floor in the kitchen when a fire was beginning to take hold on the cooker. They contacted the ambulance service, put out the fire and allowed fresh air in. Firefighters then carried out first aid and established the man until paramedics arrived. It wasn’t until later in the incident that they discovered that Chi Chi had managed to open the front door and let the crew inside.

Ian Bolton, Crew Manager for Home and Partnerships at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service added: “Having monitored diction in people’s homes means the fire service are only minutes away from providing lifesaving assistance. This is a real success story and highlights the importance of Careline and the fire service. Careline’s system, combined with the speed of our crews getting to the incident, saved Mr Green’s life. The cherry on the cake, however, was Chi Chi letting the crews in before they had to force entry to the property.”

【推荐2】With COVID-19 outbreaks at different stages around the world, in many countries lockdowns (封城) are being carefully eased off while urging citizens to keep on practicing the social distancing rules. Singapore is trying a new way of carrying it out—a robot dog.

The government has arranged Spot, a yellow and black robotic dog made by Boston Dynamics Company, at one local park. The same robot has ever been seen dancing to hit song “Uptown Funk” before. However, 2020 is an extremely difficult year and the company is trying to assist the national coronavirus-control effort. In turn, the job has been handed over to Spot.

The four-legged robot dog patrols (巡查) the park and broadcasts a pre-recorded message to encourage visitors to observe safe distancing measures. As it walks around the park, the dog says in a female voice, “Let’s keep Singapore healthy. For your own safety and for those around you, please stand at least one meter apart. Thank you.”

Spot is one of the world’s most advanced robots and unlike wheeled robots, it is capable of going pretty much anywhere a dog can go and can walk up to three miles per hour over different areas, making it ideal for operation in public parks and gardens. Furthermore, it is remotely controlled and has cameras with 360-degree vision and analytic tools to scan the surroundings and help officials estimate the number of people gathering in the park.

For now, the project is currently set to run in a limited trial for two weeks at one park during off-peak (非高峰) hours. But if all goes well, authorities will consider expanding the program to improve enforcement (强制) of social distance throughout on Singapore.

Spot is also being used in other ways during the public health crisis beyond just patrolling a park. The government says it’s also using Spot in another capacity—at a local isolation facility where the robot helps bring medicine to patients.

【推荐3】I read a newspaper article about a new concept. The idea is simple, but revolutionary: combining a residential home for the elderly with a nursery school in the same building. The children and the residents (住户) eat lunch together and share activities such as music, painting and gardening. In the afternoons, the residents enjoy reading stories to the children and, if a child is feeling sad or tired, there is always a kind lap to sit on and a hug.

Nowadays there is less and less contact between the old and the young. There are many reasons for this, including the breakdown of the extended family, working parents with no time to care for aging relations, and smaller flats with no room for grandparents. But the result is the same: increasing numbers of children without grandparents and old people who have no contact with children. It’s a major problem in many societies.

That’s why inter-generation (代际的) programs are growing in popularity all over the world. There are examples of successful actions. Using young people to teach IT skills to older people is one obvious example. Using old people as volunteer assistants in schools is another. One successful scheme in London pairs young volunteers with old people who are losing their sight. The young people help with practical things such as writing letters, reading bank statements and helping with shopping, and the older people can pass on their knowledge and experience to their young visitors. For example, a retired judge may be paired with a teenager who wants to study law.

But it isn’t only the individuals concerned who gain from inter-generational activities. The advantages to society are huge too. If older people can understand and accept the youth of today, there will be less conflict in a community. And we can use the strengths of one generation to help another. Then perhaps getting old won’t be so sad after all.

【推荐1】People often plan to receive medical exam but don’t, resulting in increasing health care cost. A surprising number of citizens mean to complete tax forms in time but forget to, pushing them to pay unnecessary fines. Many families miss the government deadline to complete financial aid forms, losing out on aid available for child care.

How can policymakers help people follow through on important tasks? They use carrots and sticks: bonuses, late fees, or regulations. These methods can be clumsy, and often aren’t effective for the situation at hand. Reminding people to form simple plans. however, provides a low-cost, simple, and powerful tool.

Evidence is growing that providing prompts (提示) , which push people at key times to think through how and when they will follow through, make people more likely to act on tasks of importance. In one early randomized (随机的) study on vaccination (预防接种) rates, for example, a team of social psychologists showed that 28% of Oxford University seniors got the shot after being encouraged to review their weekly schedules and to select a possible time to stop by the health center. They were also given a list of times when shots were available and a map showing the health center’s location. Only 3% of the seniors got the shot when simply informed about how effective the shots were.

People who make a plan gain an advantage from their psychological forces. Specifically, they can overcome the tendency to put off as well as the tendency to be overly optimistic about the time it will take to accomplish a task.

People mistakenly believe that their strong intentions are enough to push them to perform desired behaviors. These psychological research results stress the need for policy decisions that encourage plan making and improve social welfare.

【推荐3】Ever since I started my freshman year in another state, I’ve realized that people make many assumptions about college students, many of which are based on partying. Even my sociology professor jokingly told our class; “If your motto isn’t ‘I am partying therefore I am,’ you’re collegeing wrong.”

Whenever I say partying isn’t fun, I get the same response; wide-eyed stares, dropped jaws and a resounding “Seriously?” which makes me feel like I’m being judged.

Don’t get me wrong – I’ve tried to enjoy dancing in hot, crowded spaces to loud rap music. But at last, I’ve always escaped to an empty comer while trying to ignore rude, crazy people. I wondered if I was weird for wanting to stay in on a Friday night to read a book. I even questioned whether or not I was living the “authentic” college experience.

“Maybe you - a shy boy - just need to go out more.” Friends have said. Suggestions like these make me think about food. Have you ever tasted something that someone else really likes and you don’t? When that happens to me, I have a habit of eating more hoping that it will eventually taste good. Does that ever work? No.

For me, partying is a lot like that. From what I can tell, I’m just not a fan. I’m not trying to set myself apart - I just have a different definition of fun.

As you begin to think about your present college life, I hope this helps you realize that there isn’t just one way to experience college life. Some turn up at a party to relax. I turn to a good book. Which option have you made in college? And remember: college is a place where you can keep yourself originally. It means not going with the flow and means figuring out what you want for yourself, originating your own values and thinking a way towards your future success.