【推荐1】The fact that over 1.24 million people lose their lives each year in road accidents is a horrifying statistic that could soon be prevented. It should be of no surprise to understand that the autonomous vehicle industry is predicted to be worth $2.6 trillion a year within 15 years.

What's the future of personal transportation? Well, you'll likely be spending a lot less time behind the wheel, for one. The rise of self-driving cars means that some scenes out of science-fiction flicks（电影）（think Total Recall or I, Robot）are now reality—and even more will be available soon.

Cars today already include many semi-autonomous features, like assisted parking and self-braking systems. And completely autonomous vehicles—able to operate without human control—are rapidly becoming more of a reality. You're probably familiar with Google's version, which has made headlines with its Google Chauffeur software, which the company hopes to bring to market by 2020.

The pros of autonomous cars are many. "The sensors in a self-driving car are always observing, are not affected by the state of the driver（sleepy, angry, etc.）, and can scan in multiple directions simultaneously（同时地）," says Dr. Dominique Freckmann, an automotive engineering manager at TE Connectivity, "Autonomous driving is a key aspect of the industry's drive toward safer roadways."

"Recent NHTSA research shows that approximately 94 percent of accidents are caused by human error," adds Alan Amici, a vice president of automotive engineering at TE. "Cars with advanced safety features and eventually, self-driving cars, can significantly reduce the number of collisions. The impact of this innovation can be far-reaching, including reduced demand on emergency response systems and reduced auto insurance and health care costs."

【推荐2】Why I Love Cycling

One of the first things I did when I moved to a new city was to hire a bike. Why?    1    You travel much faster than on foot and you notice so much more of your surroundings than when in a bus or a car. It’s more appealing to wander down small streets if they seem interesting, as you can quickly get back to the main road.

Besides, I soon discovered plenty more benefits to cycling. A bike means that fewer places, especially in a small city like the one where I live now, feel far away. For example, cycling to work takes me half the time that it would to walk.    2    For example, I planned to go to a concert on the other side of town. While my cyclist friends and I simply looked at a map, our friends without bikes had to deal with the complicated bus system.

Of course, there are obvious health benefits of cycling—a bit of extra movement as part of your daily routine can help you keep fit and healthy. Cycling on my way to work also makes me feel more energetic in the mornings.

    3    While cars pollute the environment, bikes are carbon-neutral. Furthermore, thanks to being petrol-free, bikes are cheaper to run, buy and fix than cars. Even if you don’t own a car, a bike can pay for itself when compared to the price of bus tickets.

    4    Always wear a helmet, pay attention to other traffic and don’t forget your lights at night. Make sure you know the road rules, especially in a new place. Some cities are more cycle-friendly than others.    5    Luckily, where I live now is pretty easy to ride a bike around, thanks to having lots of cycle lanes and not too many hills!

【推荐3】The COVID-19 has led to a great demand for bikes and biking.Bike stores are struggling hard to keep up with the demand.In the United States,bike sales have seen their biggest jump since the 1970s.Sales of adult bikes in April of 2020 were three times as high as last year.The situation is similar in Asia and Europe.Around 90%of the bikes sold in the US are made in China.But because of the COVID-19,even the normal supply of bicycles wasn’t being created.That demand began to go up in mid-March,as people began looking for ways of getting around that didn’t involve crowded public transportation.Because biking happens in the open air,and the chance of catching the disease while riding is very low.

Biking has also grown more popular because it’s one of the few forms of exercise allowed in many lockdowns.With gyms and fitness centers shut down,biking fills a need for many active people.Families appreciate biking,too.With schools closed,and kids unable to hang out with their friends,biking is a welcome activity.Bikes are also practical.Many cities are seeing this as an opportunity to make their streets safer and greener.Cities around the world are adding miles and miles of bike lanes(车道)to their streets to encourage biking,New York says it will close off up to 160 kilometers of roads so they can be used by bikers and walkers.Paris has set up over 650 kilometers of new bike lanes.The United Kingdom plans to double its number of bike lanes.In Milan,Italy,35 kilometers of roads have been metamorphosed.

Though many of these bike lane additions are temporary,and some people assume these additions seem to destroy the overall beauty of cities,if changes in biking habits become permanent because of additions,they could seriously cut down car traffic and help make cities a lot greener.

【推荐1】For people who are interested in sound, the field of sound technology is definitely making noise. In the past, sound engineers worked in the back rooms of recording studios, but many of today’s sound professionals are sharing their knowledge and experience with professionals in other fields to create new products based on the phenomenon we call sound.

Sound can be used as a weapon. Imagine that a police officer is chasing a thief. The thief tries to escape. And the officer can’t let him get away. he pulls out a special device points it at the suspect, and switches it on. The thief drops to the ground. This new weapon is called a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD, 远程定向声波发射器). It produces a deafening sound so painful that it temporarily disables a person. The noise from the LRAD is directed like a ray of light and travels only into the ears of that person, but it is not deadly.

For those who hunger for some peace and quiet, sound can now create silence. Let’s say you are at the airport, and the little boy on the seat next to you is humming（哼唱）a short commercial song. He hums it over and over again, and you are about to go crazy. Thanks to the Silence Machine a British invention, you can get rid of the sound without upsetting the boy or his parents. One may wonder how the Silence Machine works. Well, it functions by analyzing the waves of the incoming sound and creating a second set of outgoing waves. The two sets of waves cancel each other out. Simply turn the machine on, point it at the target, and your peace and quiet comes back.

Directed sound is a new technology that allows companies to use sound in much the same way spotlights（聚光灯） are used in the theater. A spotlight lights up only one section of a stage; similarly, a “spotsound” creates a circle of sound in one targeted area. This can be useful for businesses such as restaurants and stores because it offers a new way to attract customers. Restaurants can offer a choice of music along with the various food choices on the menu, allowing customers more control over the atmosphere in which they are dining. Directed sound is also beginning to appear in shopping centers and even at homes.

【推荐3】Are you a person who is good at making friends？As we all know，there are some people who seem to be surrounded by friends always，and there are others who always seem to be standing on the outside. If you are one of the outsiders，it is time to break out of your shell and start making new friends.    1    .

In fact，if you aren't yourself，it isn't you that others are becoming friends with. If you do not act like yourself，you may not be well received，because you are a totally different person，    2    .

Reach out to people you have known, and reconnect with old friends you haven't seen in a long time. Don't forget about friends of friends. You may connect with some people just by hanging out with your friends and their friends.     3     If you stay home, you aren't going to meet people.

There are all kinds of online groups you can take part in.    4    They create experiences people can join, and you get to meet like-minded people who share your interests.

When you meet new people, ask them questions about themselves. Not only do you get to learn more about them, but it shows them that you are interested. And they are going to open up to you more.