【推荐3】According to a new USDA(the U.S.Department of Agriculture)report,U.S.forests could worsen global warming because they are being destroyed by natural disasters and are losing their ability to absorb planet-warming gases as they get older.The report predicts that the ability of forests to absorb carbon will start declining after 2025 and that forests could release up to 100 million metric tons of carbon a year as their emissions from decaying(腐烂)trees go above their carbon absorption.Forests could become a“substantial carbon source”by 2070,the USDA report says.

The loss of carbon absorption is driven in part by natural disasters such as wildfires, tornadoes and hurricanes,which are increasing in frequency and strength as global temperatures rise.The disasters destroy forestland,destroying its ecosystem and decreasing its ability to absorb carbon,according to Lynn Riley,a senior manager of climate science at the American Forest Foundation.Aging forests also contribute.The report found that older,mature trees absorb less carbon than younger trees of the same species,and U.S.forests are rapidly aging.

This trend is likely to continue,as forests come under increasing threat from climate change and exploitation(开采).The typical tropical forest may become a carbon source by the 2060s,according to Simon Lewis,professor in the school of geography at Leeds University. “Humans have been lucky so far,as tropical forests are cleaning up lots of our pollution,but they can’t keep doing that indefinitely,”he said.“We need to cut down fossil fuel emissions before the global carbon cycle starts working against us.”

U.S.forests currently absorb 11 percent of U.S.carbon emissions,or 150 million metric tons of carbon a year,equal to the combined emissions from 40 coal power plants,according to there port.The loss of forests as natural carbon absorbers will require the U.S.to cut emissions more rapidly to reach net zero.“As we work to decarbonize(碳减排),forests are one of the greatest tools.If we were to lose that tool,it means we will contribute that much more in emissions,”Riley said.

【推荐2】Recently, 16 Chinese online novels have been added to the collection of the British Library for the first time, including The Era of the Earth, The First Order, Great Doctor Ling Ran, and Great Power, Heavy Industry. Covering themes of science fiction, history, reality and fantasy, these works are considered the classics of Chinese online literature from the past 20 years.

One of the largest research libraries in the world, the British Library houses more than 170 million items, including the cultural relics of different civilizations from throughout history. The library usually selects works based on their popularity or by considering an item’s value. Readers can check the information about the 16 books on the library’s website, and borrow printed copies.

As one of the current pillars(支柱)of mass cultural consumption, which began with “fast food” romances, fantasies and mysteries-enjoyable to consume, but not intellectually nutritious, the Chinese online literature industry has quickly matured during its fast development over the last two decades.

In recent years, online novels have received increasing acknowledgment from home and abroad. In 2019, 10 online novels, including Great Power, Heavy Industry, were added to the collection of the Shanghai Library, and between 2020 and 2022, 144 online novels like Battle Through the Heavens and Lord of Mysteries were entered into the collection of the National Library of China.

Great Power, Heavy Industry tells of how China’s manufacturing industries have grown stronger in recent decades, and foreign readers can learn about the Chinese system and culture behind the country’s swift economic development, getting to know China better in the process, the author, whose online pen name is Qicheng, says.

In recent years, Chinese online literature has attracted an increasing number of readers from overseas. One of the largest online literature platforms, China Literature Group, has authorized the digital and print copyrights of more than 800 online novels to overseas markets.

【推荐3】“Cook for yourself like you would for a guest.” This advice comes from Claire Lower in an article for Lifehacker. It seems to be good advice for people who live alone and can’t be bothered to cook delicious food when there’s no one else to enjoy it. Yes, they can gorge themselves on popcorn and call it a night without fear of judgment, but Lower argues that this “wears on the soul” over time.

Every meal is a chance to work on good table manners, including the art of dinner conversation, eating tidily, and using cutlery properly. You can try to use nice dishes and real glasses in order to create an appealing atmosphere that encourages everyone to take the meal more seriously.

At the same time, it is a parental duty to cook a range of interesting and delicious meals to help train children for the unavoidable day when they actually are at a fancy restaurant or a friend’s house and faced with a strange soup, an unusual salad, or an unrecognizable main course. That way, they’ll know what to do and how to do it politely.

Eating gives shape and meaning to our days, not to mention flavour, nutrition and energy. Just as boring, repetitive meals wear on the soul, delicious ones can bring happiness, hopefulness, and peace. So, don’t give up on cooking well, whether it’s just for you or for a group of children, even if it’s just a few times a week and the dishes are simple. It does get easier and better, and you’ll learn to look forward to it.