【推荐1】Imagine walking by a maple (枫树) tree that is no taller than a ruler. You may think that this is a special type of miniature tree, but it actually isn’t! Creating a tree like this is a form of art called bonsai. Bonsai are tiny trees grown in small pots. Bonsai can be any kind of tree. They just need to be planted in a small container and cultivated in a way that stunts their growth.

Cultivating, or taking care of, a bonsai tree requires patience and care. Pruning — removing branches, leaves, and roots — is an important part of raising bonsai. It keeps the trees small, and it also controls their shape. Pinching off new buds (嫩芽) and tying wire around branches help create a beautiful design. These processes allow the grower to control what shape the bonsai tree will take as it develops.

People who raise bonsai want their trees to look like they belong in nature. Even though it is contained in a pot, a bonsai tree should look similar to its larger counterpart (相对物，参照物). For example, the bonsai maple should have the same forked branches and vibrant leaves as the full-sized maple. This makes the bonsai a tiny copy of the full-sized maple that towers overhead.

Like other plants, bonsai need water and food from the soil. In order to keep bonsai the proper size, you need to carefully control the amount of water and fertilizer you provide. If you want to grow a bonsai, it is best to start with a species that grows in your area. Most bonsai do best when kept outdoors, so they need to be able to survive the weather. If kept indoors, the bonsai must be placed near a window. Interestingly, with proper care, bonsai can live for a hundred years or more.

【推荐2】For most people, traveling through the mountains or sampling French cuisine is a rare treat.     1     If you intend to become a travel writer, here is how you can get on your professional adventure.

Learn to be a descriptive writer.

People come to travel writing from all walks of life, and publications tend to be concerned with your ability to deliver a great piece over any advanced degree. It’s important to learn skills to describe places so that your readers can feel as if they were personally on the scene.     2    

Immerse readers with your descriptive writing.

Readers want you to take them on a journey with you.     3     What you need to do is evoke (唤起) the five senses using descriptive writing techniques. The use of simile and expressive language brings the piece to life and makes the readers feel like they’re traveling along with you.

Cherry-pick the details that will tell the best story.

    4     To make a stronger piece, you need to focus on the right stories and details, which means knowing what to add and what you can leave out. Identifying what’s most important and most interesting to your audience makes for more absorbing writing.

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You might be asked to write about a topic you aren’t familiar with or you might need to learn more about a place’s history or background to give your piece greater context. Doing research in advance will allow you to create an accurate and well-informed story.

Travel writing allows you to satisfy your strong desire for travel and make a living of it. It is also a way to connect people across cultures and great distances and build an appreciation for the uniqueness and diversity around us.

【推荐1】Can People Really Learn to "Speed Read”？

There never seems to be enough time to read these days. With so many books and articles—especially on social media——the ability to read faster could be a life-changer.     1    The problem is that true speed reading without any loss in comprehension isn't supported by the science.

“Speed reading is not actually possible," said Elizabeth Schotter, a scientist at the University of South Florida.    2     You have to first see the word, understand its meaning, relate the word to its context, and then figure out where to point your eyes next.

Some books and classes train people to read whole passages all at once by scanning text in a zigzag（之字形）pattern. These methods suggest that our eyes make wasted movements when looking back and forth over words. But studies find that the limit to reading comprehension is the ability to recognize words.     3    

In recent years, numerous apps have claimed they can boost reading speed. These apps display text just one word at a time, one after another at a certain rate.     4     But again, the eyes sometimes have to go back and reread words to fully grasp text. Research has found that your eyes pick up important information beyond the word in focus, which is simply not possible if you can only read one word at a time.

    5    You probably can't dramatically increase your speed, but research suggests you can get a little faster by improving your vocabulary and simply reading more. Good thing there's plenty to read. Enjoy it.