【推荐1】Societies all over the world name places in similar ways. Quite often there is no official naming ceremony but places tend to be called names as points of reference by people. Then an organized body steps in and gives the place a name. Frequently it happens that a place has two names: One is named by the people and the other by the government. As in many areas, old habits die hard, and the place continues to be called by its unofficial name long after the meaning is lost.

Many roads and places in Singapore(新加坡) are named in order that the pioneers will be remembered by future generations. Thus we have names such as Stamford Road and Raffles Place. This is in keeping with traditions in many countries—in both the West and the East.

Another way of naming places is naming them after other places. Perhaps they were named to promote friendships between the two places or it could be that the people who used to live there were originally from the places that the roads were named after. The mystery is clearer when we see some of the roads named in former British bases. If you step into Selector Airbase you will see Piccadilly Circus—obviously named by some homesick Royal Air Force personnel.

Some places were named after the activities that used to go on at those places. Bras Basah Road is an interesting example, “Base Basah” means “wet rice” in Malay(马来语). Now why would anyone want to name a road “Wet Rice Road”? The reason is simple. During the pioneering days, wet rice was laid out to dry along this road.

A few roads in Singapore are named by their shapes. There is “Circular Road” for one. Other roads may have part of their names to describe their shapes, like “Paya Lebar Crescent”. This road is called a crescent(月牙) because it begins on the main road, makes a crescent and comes back to join the main road again.

【推荐3】Beautiful Libraries Around the World

There are plenty of breathtaking places to visit in the world. There are natural wonders like the Grand Canyon or ancient ruins like the Colosseum(罗马斗兽场), or fantastic buildings with sky-high observation decks. But there are a few places, pretty much in every city, that you might not expect to take your breath away: libraries.

George Peabody Library, Baltimore, Maryland

Part of Johns Hopkins University, this simple, five story library holds 300,000 volumes. Though it’s technically part of the college, any member of the public in Baltimore is free to use the library, since it’s namesake, George Peabody, was a famous philanthropist. The library is also located near the Baltimore Washington Monument in the Mount Vernon-Belvedere neighborhood.

Central Library of Vancouver, Canada

This famous library is actually modeled after the Roman Colosseum. It has nine floors and takes up an entire city block, so it’s not only a library with nine and a half million items (including books, e-books, CDs, DVDs, newspapers and magazines), but is also a complex with shops, cafés and offices. There’s even a rooftop garden that’s open to the public.

National Library of Brazil – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Approximately nine million items are contained in the National Library of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. Ranking seventh in size amongst all other libraries around the world, it features a 19th-century collection of tens of thousands of photographs that, due to their significance, are on the register of the UNESCO.

Joe and Rika Mansueto Library, University of Chicago – Chicago, Illinois, USA

The University of Chicago’s Joe and Rika Mansueto Library has been given the nickname “The Egg,” owing in part to its distinctive oval shape. Local architectural firm Murphy/Jahn came up with an innovative solution to fitting the library into an already crowded campus: it plunges 55 feet underground. Meanwhile, thanks to the domed transparent glass roof, light streams through to the reading room, yet solar heat and excessive UV rays are kept largely at bay.

【推荐1】A throw net (网) is a fishing net that is designed to be thrown out into the water and then pulled back.     1     Some objects from ancient Greece, Rome, and China can prove the long history of them.

A basic throw net is a big circle of netting with weighty edges(边缘). As a general rule, a throw net is designed to be thrown by hand, but it’s also possible to use a special tool to throw the net, especially big nets.     2    

Throw nets are designed for use in water which isn’t deep and is free of objects such as plants and rocks. To use a throw net, the fisherman throws the lightweight net out onto the water. There, it spreads out.     3     As the net approaches the bottom of the water, it’s pulled closed and pulled back possibly with lots of fish.

    4     These nets are easy to tangle(缠结) if they are not used and stored carefully. And they also have to be checked continually for holes requiring repair. And one needs to be fairly strong to pull the net back since the net can get very heavy with lots of fish.

Nowadays, people can use more advanced tools to catch fish.     5     They think it can be pleasant to work with a throw net once one masters the skills. Besides, some people have an interest in old-fashioned fishing ways.