【推荐1】When French students go to school, they have to leave one of their most prized possessions at home — their smartphones. French lawmakers passed a law on July 31, 2018, banning students 15 and under from bringing smartphones and tablets to school, or at least requiring they be turned off at school. Officials in support of the new rule described the policy as a way to protect children from addictive habits and to safeguard the sanctity of the classroom.

“We know there is a phenomenon of screen addiction,” education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said. “Our main role is to protect students. It is a fundamental role of education, and this law allows it.”

The law, however, makes exceptions for educational use, after-school activities and for students with disabilities. French high schools can choose to force a less-strict ban on Internet- connected devices.

Even before the new policy was voted in, French law carried out in 2010 prohibited students from using their phones while class was in session. But during the 2017 French presidential election, Emmanuel Macron promised to force a school ban on phones entirely.

This isn’t the first French law designed to beat back the influences of digital technology in everyday life. In 2017 the government passed a law requiring French companies to draft rules that limited work emails and work-related technology outside the office. Referred to as the “right to disconnect,” French officials said the law aimed to reduce job-related stress and prevent employee burnout.

“Employees physically leave the office, but they do not leave their work. They remain attached by a kind of electronic tie,” said Benoît Hamon, former French education minister. “The texts, the messages, the emails: they control the life of the individual to the point where he or she eventually breaks down.”

【推荐2】I am trying to muster (鼓起) the courage to toss away my mobile phone to enjoy a more peaceful and ring­-free life.

Can you imagine not having your mobile phone? In our high-­tech, in-­a-­hurry age, a cell­-free life is a hard concept to swallow. Our mobile phones can now access the Internet, and many people feel the need to express their every thought on their blog pages. If I gave up my cellphone, people would think I was mad.

I wish I had the strength to toss away my technology. I have an office phone, a home phone, an e­mail and if people want to contact me, they can. If I’m out, people can leave a message. Do they really need to find me 24/7? However, I’m a bit like Frodo in the movie Lord of the Rings. The power of the ring is too strong and I can’t let it go.

Mobile phones have become necessary tools in our busy life. For most people, they hold all contacts and many of us don’t write up address books any more. The latest phones carry our music, pictures, movies and everything else. We feel lost without this device and when we do misplace it, we feel cut off from our fellow.

“Where have you been?” said a friend, who saw me a week after I lost my cellphone, “I tried calling you, but you disappeared. You disappeared off the face of the Earth.” See, when you don’t have a mobile phone, you don’t exist.

I’m not really going to toss my mobile phone away, in fact. We humans are such social animals and mobile phones serve us well. So in 2009, I’ve decided not to serve my mobile phone. Like all machines, I can always turn it off.

【推荐3】English as a Foreign Language

There are now about 376 million people who speak English as their first language,and about the same number who have learnt it in addition to their mother tongue.There are one billion people learning English now and about 80% of the information on the Internet is in English.

Is this a good thing,or a bad thing?Should we celebrate the fact that more and more of us can communicate,using a common language,across countries and cultures?Or should we worry about the dangers of “mono-culturalism”,a world in which we all speak the same language,eat the same food and listen to the same music?

Does it matter if an increasing number of people speak the same language?On the contrary,I would have thought—although I have never accepted the argument that if only we all understood each other better,there would be fewer wars.Ask the people of India(where many of them speak at least some English)and Pakistan(the same situation with India)....

If we all speak English,will we then all start eating McDonald’s burgers?Surely not.If English becomes more dominant(占主导地位的),will it kill other languages?I doubt it.When I travel in Africa or Asia,I am always surprised by how many people can speak not only their own language but often one or more other related languages,as well as English and perhaps some French or German as well.

When we discussed this on TalkingPoint a couple of years ago,we received a wonderful poetic e-mail from a listener in Ireland.“The English language is a beautiful language.Maybe it’s like a rose,” he said.“But who would ever want their garden just full of roses?”

【推荐1】An old woman diverted (转移) attention from the book when I was sitting in my car. She walked slowly towards my parked car with a large shoulder bag. She stopped and put a hand out to rest against the car. She gently closed her eyes, took a deep breath and wiped the sweat off her forehead. Was there a way I could do anything to help her? But I wondered if the lady noticed me sitting inside the car, she would feel embarrassed and walk away.

I stilled my body while my mind searched for answers. I turned my head towards my driver, wanting him to ask the lady if we could give her a ride. Because of my head movement, she noticed me and moved her hand away from the car. Her calm expression changed to a cautious one. I grabbed the water bottle next to me, smile, gently opened the door and offered the bottle to her. She looked at me hesitatingly, shook her head with downcast (低垂的) eyes and walked away.

I was so annoyed with myself. I should have been more careful not to move. However, she was back I opened the door and patted the seat next to me. She sat down, opened her bag and offered me a banana. I took it and offered her the water bottle again. She took it. I ate, she drank and we smiled. She rested for a couple of minutes.

Those minutes brought such tranquility (宁静) to me. She took my head in both her hands and kissed my forehead, and then she left. I was trying to help someone in distress(不幸，苦恼). In turn, I became distressed and she took away my distress and replace it with tranquility.

【推荐1】In the mid-1990s, Tom Bissell taught English as a volunteer in Uzbekistan. He left after seven months, physically broken and having lost his mind. A few years later, still attracted to the country, he returned to Uzbekistan to write an article about the disappearance of the Aral Sea.

His visit, however, ended up involving a lot more than that. Hence this book, Chasing the Sea: Lost Among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia, which talks about a road trip from Tashkent to Karakalpakstan, where millions of lives have been destroyed by the slow drying up of the sea. It is the story of an American travelling to a strange land, and of the people he meets on his way: Rustam, his translator, a lovely 24-year-old who picked up his colorful English in California, Oleg and Natasha, his hosts in Tashkent, and a string of foreign aid workers.

This is a quick look at life in Uzbekistan, made of friendliness and warmth, but also its darker side of society. In Samarkand, Mr Bissell admires the architectural wonders, while on his way to Bukhara he gets a taste of police methods when suspected of drug dealing. In Ferghana, he attends a mountain funeral followed by a strange drinking party. And in Karakalpakstan, he is saddened by the dust storms, diseases and fishing boats stuck miles from the sea.

Mr Bissell skillfully organizes historical insights and cultural references, making his tale a well-rounded picture of Uzbekistan, seen from Western eyes. His judgment and references are decidedly American, as well as his delicate stomach. As the author explains, this is neither a travel nor a history book, or even a piece of reportage. Whatever it is, the result is a fine and vivid description of the purest of Central Asian traditions.

【推荐2】Losing a parent is one of the most painful parts of life. No matter how old we are when they leave us, it can be a painful experience. Our memories are all that is left of them and happy reminders of their love turn into our most valuable treasures.

That’s how Mara Soriano feels about a very special teddy she lost in her recent move to a new apartment.

The toy bear didn’t cost a lot, but it contained a recording of her late mother’s voice telling her that she loved her and was proud of her. The bear, called “Mama Bear”, was in a backpack that contained electronics like an iPad and a Nintendo Switch. When the bag was missing last week during the move, the 28-year-old was heartbroken—not for the electronics, but for “Mama Bear”.

So she posted online the lost item and the story behind it. Luckily, Mara’s search soon became a hit. Meanwhile, Mara was out searching. She put up posters, dug through dustbins, and communicated with others online, following up any lead she could find.

Actor Ryan Reynolds posted an appeal for its safe return. “I think we all need this bear to come home.” he wrote. Along with the message, he also set a price of $ 5, 000 for the return.

Then on Tuesday night, Mara’s special bear came home. It’s a bit of a modern-day wonder that would never have happened without social media. Mara said she got an email from someone who told her they had the bear.

Mara is getting married next summer and the bear is going to have a special seat at the ceremony—the one her mother would sit in. For now, she’s keeping “Mama Bear” close and sending thanks to those who helped with the happy reunion.