【推荐2】Can you imagine a world without music? Studies show that public schools across the country are cutting back on music classes to save money. Even worse, some schools have never had music classes to begin with. But without them, students' academic growth and spiritual health could suffer. In fact, music classes are necessary for all students in schools.

Recent studies Brown University have shown that students who received music education classes were better in math and reading skills than those without music classes. Another study by The College Board found that students taking music and art classes got higher points. Students' academic success seems to depend on their taking part in music education.

Music programs in public schools also help to add to a student's sense of pride and self-confidence. Teens today have too many learning tasks. Besides, they have family problems, self-confidence problems, relationship troubles, and choices about smoke and alcohol. All of these can stop academic success, but music education can help. A study by The Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse found that students who took part in school music programs were less likely to turn to smoke. Music programs encourage students to work together to produce an excellent performance.

Music crosses language, class and culture. Music allows students from different countries to connect. For example, at a school talent show, a new Japanese student played a piano duet with an American classmate. Two students from different cultures worked as a team with self-confidence and common purpose through music.

The gift of music is priceless. We need to be sure to have necessary music classes for all students. The world is losing its music, and putting music into schools is the first step to get it back.

【推荐3】The Changing Landscape of the Music Business

The music industry is in the process of a great change. In the past decades, artists made money through physical sales of records, CDs, and cassettes. While in recent years, downloading songs from services such as Amazon or iTunes has become the most common way for people to purchase music, and the whole idea of buying music to own may be falling. To take its place are Internet apps that stream music directly to listeners on their smartphones, tablets, or computers.    1    While this is great for fans, who now have access to millions of songs at the flick of a touchscreen, it has shattered the traditional model of how an artist manages his or her career.

With music lovers increasingly moving away from making one-time purchases towards an all-you-can-listen-to service, what is a hard-working artist to do? The main problem facing many musicians is that payments-per-stream of a song are much lower than what an artist would receive from a download.     2    In November of 2014, award-winning musician Taylor Swift pulled her entire music catalog from Spotify, a popular streaming app, claiming that their business model suggests that music does not hold much worth.

    3    They claim that it offers smaller artists a chance for their music to get heard by a wider audience. Brian Message, manager of the band Radiohead, has come out in support of streaming services. He sees them as a way for musicians and fans to interact.

Regardless of what artists may think about this change in the music industry, there’s no arguing that they need to adapt in order to make money.    4    

Corporate sponsorship can be a risky option for musicians. A band can make much money by agreeing to promote a product or license its music for use in advertisements, but there are many ways that this can backfire. When bands work with businesses, they may lose the image they have worked to create.    5    Artists must develop an image that appeals to their fans in order to remain unique and authentic, or they risk striking .the wrong chord, which could leave them struggling to sustain careers in this new business landscape.

【推荐1】At the first Olympic marathon in 1896, athletes ran a shorter course than today's 42. 2-kilometer event. Even so, only the winner finished within three hours. However, runners have improved, and one expert predicted last year that the two-hour mark would be broken in 2028.

On Oct 12, Eliud Kipchoge came in ahead of schedule----literally.

The 34-year-old Olympic champion from Kenya became the first person to run a marathon in less than two hours, Clocking in at 1:59:40. Kipchoge pumped his chest and even sped up after crossing the finish line as he ran happily to his wife.

"No one is limited. This shows the positivity of sport," Kipchoge told the BBC after the race in Vienna, Austria," Together when we run. we can make it a beautiful world."

Apart from Kipchoge's strong willpower and outstanding physical condition, a few tricks of science and technology Helped him reach this milestone in human athletic achievement.

Hills and turns slow runners down, so Kipchoge's team picked the course in Vienna for its gentle curves (弯曲度）.

The city's cool and dry weather was also important," said Wired. The magazine talked to exercise physiologists, who think the weather helped keep Kipchoge's body running more efficiently throughout the race.

A special pair of shoes also played a big part. According to The New York Times, the shoes Kipchoge wore were designed to give a significant edge to anyone wearing them in a race.

One other key to this breakthrough was Kipchoge's pacing strategy.

He ran with a dream team of pacers. deployed (部署 ) by sports scientists. Five runners formed a V-shape ahead of Kipchoge, reducing drag, and two runners followed directly behind to push him forward. Kipchoge stayed in the center of the formation. The team rotated (轮换）members every five kilometers, and be stayed under a two-hour pace for almost the entire length of the race .There was also a pace car driving 15 meters in front of everyone, casting a laser line on the road to keep them on track.

"Few world records today are technology free,” noted The Telegraph. Hard work and dedication are still the core of athletic achievement, but science and technology are helping modern athletes maximize their potential.

【推荐2】When I was only 3 years old, my mother taught me to memorize and recite poems. She was my first teacher of the arts, and my father was the first to appreciate my performance. Even at that young age, I had a simple understanding of how art and culture affect us as human beings and how we can connect to each other through the arts, which shapes my life to this day.

When I was growing up, my parents supported my interest in taking acting classes and doing community theater. Their faith in me and the professional training I was getting from my theater teachers gave me a sense of purpose and a sense of self-confidence. I learned what artistic achievement actually was and what hard work the business was. Although many people see the rosy picture to our business, I was really learning what it would require for me to become a professional.

I became an actress, but arts education isn’t just about preparing our young people for a job in the arts. I recently talked to some of the kids attending theater education. Some of them want to work in theater, and some don’t. They are learning not only theater skills, but also about the world around them. They learn about discipline(纪律) and hard work and what’s required and what they have to do to bring themselves to the work. They learn how they can be of service in the world through the arts. They learn how to work with a team. By studying the arts, these students are open to worlds and lives that they might not have any other way of knowing about or any other way to connect with in their lives the way they are right now.

These young people are our future. We are passing the torch to them. And I think that’s one of the most important reasons why we need to foster(培养) the arts.