【推荐1】Humans have always been curious about what Earth was like thousands of years ago. To learn more about the plants and animals that lived during that time, scientists examine their fossils or other remains. In recent years, genetics, and in particular the the study of DNA, has become an important tool for these scientists. Some people even dream of bringing ancient creatures such as dinosaurs back to life. Although no animals have been brought back yet, scientists have managed to grow a number of ancient plants from seeds. By far theoldest of these plants is a 32,000-year-old plant that has been grown again by Russian scientists.

The plant is a flower called Silenestenophylla, which used to grow in Siberia in eastern Russia. The scientists discovered seeds and fruits of the plant buried deep below the ground. They believe the seeds and fruits were put there by an ancient animal which stored them to eat during the winter. The seeds that scientists found failed to grow because they were damaged. However, the scientists were able to take genetic material from the fruit to grow a new plant. Then, this plant produced new seeds which the scientists were able to use to grow more plants.

A modern relative of the original flower still grows in Siberia, but when the ancient flower was grown, it had some important differences from the modern flower. The petals on the ancient flower were much longer and also spaced further apart. Studying the ancient flower will allow the scientists to learn more about how plants have evolved.

Before this, the oldest seed to have been grown was from a 2,000-year-year-old tree in Israel. The Russian scientists believe the reason why the Siberian seeds were preserved for so long is that they were buried in permanently frozen earth, which protected the genetic information in the seeds. The scientists believe that the permanently frozen soil in Siberia contains many other ancient seeds, so they may be able to bring back even older plants. This will help them better understand the history of plants and how they have changed over time.

【推荐2】Do Lobsters (龙虾) Feel Pain?

The traditional method for cooking a lobster— boiling it alive— raises the question of whether or not lobsters feel pain.     1     Lobsters go bad very quickly after they die, and eating a dead lobster increases the risk of illness and reduces the quality of its flavor. However, if lobsters are capable of feeling pain, the method and others, such as storing the live lobster on ice, raise moral questions for chefs and lobster eaters alike.

    2     Lobsters have a peripheral system like humans, but instead of a single brain, they possess nerve cluster (神经簇). Because of this difference, some researchers argue lobsters are too dissimilar to vertebrates (脊椎动物) to feel pain. Nonetheless, lobsters do satisfy all of the standard for a pain response. Lobsters guard their injuries, learn to avoid dangerous situations, respond to anesthetics, and are believed to possess some level of consciousness.     3    

There is growing evidence that lobsters may feel pain.     4     Currently, boiling lobsters alive is illegal in Switzerland, New Zealand, and the Italian city Reggio Emilia.

The most human e tool for cooking a lobster is the CrustaStun. This device electrocutes a lobster, making it unconscious in less than half a second or killing it in 5 to 10 seconds. And then, it can be cut apart or boiled.

Unfortunately, the CrustaStun is too expensive for most restaurants and people to afford. Some restaurants place a lobster in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer for a couple of hours, during which time it loses consciousness and dies.     5     But it is probably the most human e option for killing a lobster before cooking and eating it.

【推荐3】In an amazing paper published last year in Science, a team led by Andreas Nieder of the University of Tubingen in Germany showed that crows — already known to be among the most intelligent of animals — are even more impressive than we knew. In fact, the evidence suggests that they are self-aware and, in an important sense, conscious (有意识的).

Crows had been observed previously to use tools to solve certain problems. Nieder’s experiment showed that the birds were actively thinking how to solve a particular problem; in effect, they were thinking it over. This ability to consciously view a problem was associated with the cerebral cortex (大脑皮层) in the brains of humans, which birds don’t have.

Other studies support the idea that the bird brain can, in principle, support the development of higher intelligence. It had not been accepted in the past due to the small size of birds’ brains. But recent research has shown that in birds, the neurons ( 神 经 元 ) are smaller and more tightly-packed, which makes sense to reduce weight and makes it easier to fly. The total number of brain cell in crows (about 1.5 billion) is about the same as that in some monkey species. But because they are more tightly-packed, the communication between the neurons seems to be better, and the overall intelligence of crows may be closer to that of gorillas (猩猩).

This research has important results for our understanding of the development of higher intelligence. First, a cerebral cortex is not needed, and there are other means to achieve the same result. Second, either the development of consciousness is very old tracing back to the last common ancestor of mammals( 哺乳动物 ) and birds about 320 million years ago, or, equally interesting, consciousness happened at least twice later on, independently in mammals and birds. Both choices raise the possibility that higher intelligence on the planet may not necessarily be mammal or human-like, but could very well be birdlike.

【推荐2】Americans love their national parks. Last year, these lands attracted 331 million people. Visitors expect to be provided with roads, bridges, restrooms and more. The more people come, the more it costs to keep up the infrastructure (基础设施).

Unfortunately, the funds needed are not enough. The national parks have a backlog (积压未办之事) of more than $11 billion in things that need to be repaired or replaced. The Interior Department has proposed a solution: higher fees.

The increase would apply at 17 of the most popular parks, including Yellowstone and Acadia, during peak months. Currently, a seven-day pass costs $25 or 30 for a carload of parents and kids. Under this proposal, the fee would rise to $70 for each vehicle, with each motorcycle charged 50 and cyclists 30 per person.

That $70 may sound steep, but for a family of four spending a week inside, it works out to $2.50 per-person per day. A one-day ticket at the gate for Great America, by comparison, costs $54.99 for children and $74.99 for adults. And let’s not even talk about Walt Disney World. For most people, the additional cost would be a tiny part of their total cost. Studies show that entrance fees make up only 1.2 to 1.5 percent of visitors’ total trip expense.

The proposed change would yield $70 million. And visitors may be consoled (安慰的) to know that 80 percent of each fee they pay will go to the park they visited. Nature provides Americans with the wonders of these parks for free. But making them accessible and enjoyable for millions of people costs money.

【推荐3】The island Fiji has always been around me in my life. My parents met in Fiji when my father was a teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer and my mother a student. They taught me about its people, culture, foods and religious beliefs.

At the age of two, I made my first trip across the Pacific Ocean to Fiji. My mother and I made that trip unexpectedly because my grandma was ill and longed to see her American granddaughter. Although I have few memories of that first trip, I do remember grandma braiding (编辫子) my hair every day. The brush gliding through my hair is a feeling I will treasure forever because she passed away soon. I returned to America when I was five years old. This time I had a brother, Martin, who was two.

I resisted my third trip to Fiji when I was 15, being a teenager who did not want to spend the summer away from friends. It was this trip, however, that made me realize that Fiji is not just a place to visit but a part of who I am. The smells and sounds and sights came back to me, but the best part was getting to know my relatives.

Vishal was one cousin I quickly bonded with (与……合拍). Born two days before me, I had only known him through pictures before. Though raised oceans apart in different cultures, we talked and laughed about everything from American sports to Fijian dancing. I was able to form close ties with all my cousins, and when I talk about them now, it’s as if I have known them my whole life. Spending time with them helped me understand the traditions and values my mother grew up with. Hospitality (热情) and care and respect for family members are central values in Fijian culture.

I truly enjoyed learning about my roots during this trip. Fiji is just like a second home, and I will never forget the time I have spent there.

【推荐1】Are you wondering whether it’s worth going for a little jog? Don’t hesitate, and get your sports shoes on. A new study shows that proper running lowers the risk of death before the normal time.

In a survey of 14 previous studies from the US and Denmark, the group of researchers from institutes in Australia and Finland concluded that running would probably lead to improvements in population health and longevity（长寿）.The studies involved 232,149 participants over time periods ranging from 5. 5 to 35 years.

On the whole, people running any distance were related with a 27% lower risk of death from all causes than those who did not, the study shows. Running was also related with a 30% and 23% lower risk of death from cardiovascular（心血管的）disease and cancer.

Previous studies had concluded “inconsistent findings” about whether running could lower the risk of death before the normal time, according to the researchers. Lead researcher Jim White, a professor at Victoria University in Melbourne, told CNN: “Our recent findings may encourage physically inactive individuals to take up running and those who already run to keep on doing it.”

He added that doctors may be encouraged by our findings to promote running as a part of “lifestyle medicine”. In their paper, which will be published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the researchers say health professionals are sometimes wary of promoting running because vigorous（剧烈的）use of it has been linked with sudden heart death.

Jim and his team deny this by noting that the benefit of running outweighs the risk. However, they did say advice should be given on a case — by — case basis, as running might not be appropriate for everyone. Although running has a clear health benefit, the researchers point out that higher “doses” of running may not reduce the risk of death further. According to the WHO s guidelines, adults aged between 18 and 64 should take 150 minutes of gentle exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.

【推荐2】The Boy Made It!

One Sunday, Nicholas, a teenager, went skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. In the early afternoon, when he was planning to go home, a fierce snowstorm swept into the area. Unable to see far, he accidentally turned off the path. Before he knew it, Nicholas was lost, all alone! He didn’t have food, water, a phone, or other supplies. He was getting colder by the minute.

Nicholas had no idea where he was. He tried not to panic. He thought about all of the survival shows he had watched on TV. It was time to put the tips he had learned to use.

He decided to stop skiing. There was a better chance of someone finding him if he stayed put. The first thing he did was to find shelter from the freezing wind and snow. If he didn’t, his body temperature would get very low, which could quickly kill him.

Using his skis, Nicholas built a snow cave. He gathered a huge mass of snow and dug out a hole in the middle. Then he piled branches on top of himself, like a blanket, to stay as warm as he could.

By that evening, Nicholas was really hungry. He ate snow and drank water from a nearby stream so that his body wouldn’t lose too much water. Not knowing how much longer he could last, Nicholas did the only thing he could he huddled (蜷缩) in his cave and slept.

The next day, Nicholas went out to look for help, but he couldn’t find anyone. He followed his tracks and returned to the snow cave, because without shelter, he could die that night. On Tuesday, Nicholas went out again to find help. He had walked for about a mile when a volunteer searcher found him. After two days stuck in the snow, Nicholas was saved.

Nicholas might not have survived this snowstorm had it not been for TV. He had often watched Grylls’ survival show Man vs. Wild. That’s where he learned the tips that saved his life. In each episode (一期节目) of Man vs. Wild, Grylls is abandoned in a wild area and has to find his way out.

When Gxrylls heard about Nicholas’ amazing deeds, he was super impressed that Nicholas had made it since he knew better than anyone how hard Nicholas had to work to stay alive.

【推荐3】''I get so frustrated. I end up hitting the desk. '' ''I feel very unwell and I am really scared. '' These are how students feel about one of the basic but important subjects being learnt in school-mathematics. These also reflect a phenomenon where children as young as six may feel fear, anger and despair as a result of ''mathematics anxiety'', a condition which can cause physical symptoms and behavior problems in class, according to a study.

Researchers from the center for neuroscience in education at Cambridge University worked with 2,700 primary and secondary students in the UK and Italy—including detailed one-to-one interviews —to explore maths anxiety and its causes.

Researchers say maths anxiety should be treated as a ''real concern'' because of the damage it does to a child's learning. Pupils in both primary and secondary school can find themselves locked in a cycle of despair, suffering from anxiety which harms their maths performance, which in turn leads to increased anxiety.

The children interviewed provided vivid descriptions of their fears about maths. One primary school student described his reaction during a math lesson. ''Because my table's in the corner I kind of tried not to be in the lesson. ''

Researchers found there was a general sense that maths was hard compared with other subjects, which led to a loss of confidence. Yet the study points out that most children with high levels of maths anxiety are also high achievers in the subject.

It was also found that key triggers for anxiety included poor marks, test pressures, tease from fellow pupils and a confusing mix of teaching methods. National State tests taken in the final year of primary school were another cause of anxiety for some, while the transition to secondary school was challenging for others.

【推荐1】My summer hols wr CWOT. B4, WE USED 2go 2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3 :-@ KIDS FTF. ILNY, its gr8.

Can you understand this sentence? If you can’t, don’t feel too bad: neither could the middle school teacher in England who received this as homework. This is Netspeak: the language of computerized communication found on the Internet or cellphones. To newcomers, it can look like a completely foreign language.

School teachers and parents say this new form of writing is harming ( 破 坏 ) the English language.

Increasing spelling and grammatical mistakes can be seen in students’ writ ing. They fear the language could become corrupted (面目全非的).

Everyone should just relax, say linguists (语言学家). They believe Netspeak is in fact more of a good thing. David Crystal, from the University of Wales, argues that Netspeak and Internet create a new language use and the almost lost art of diary writing has been picked up again. Geoffrey Nurnberg, from Stanford University, agrees. “People get better at writing by writing,” he says. “Kids who are now doing text messaging, e-mail, and instant messages will write at least as well as, and possibly better than, their parents.”

Linguist James Milroy says, for centuries, it is believed without exception that young people are harming the language. And when today’s teenagers become tomorrow’s parents, they too will think this way. Milroy argues that languages do not and cannot become “corrupted”; they simply change to meet the new needs.

However, Netspeakers do agree that it is important to teach young people how to speak and write Standard English. Cynthia McVey says, “I can understand Netspeak worries teachers and it’s important that they tell their pupils that text messaging is for fun, but that learning to write proper English is a must for their future.”

【推荐2】A ten-year-old New Yorker who was bullied (欺辱) at school is likely making her bullies jealous these days-because how many of them can say they’ve shown a collection of clothing at New York Fashion Week?

Egypt Ufele, who goes by the name Ify, didn’t let those fifth-grade bullies at her Queens school keep her down, and instead took the very thing they made fun of her for and used it to make a name for herself in the fashion world.

“I turned negative attention into positive attention,” she said, shortly after showing her collection at Fashion Week. Ify said that some of the other kids would give her a hard time for her weight. Instead of changing herself because of, their unkind words, though, she took the word “chubby” back — creating her own plus-size fashion line that she calls ChubiiLine.

“People tell me I’m good at fashion,” Ify said. “Sometimes I give my models ideas, and then we agree on it, and I end up making it.”

Ify’s been doing the work all along and, according to her grandma Nellie Rembert, takes the process very seriously. First, the fifth grader started sewing clothes for her toys by hand. Then, she graduated to grandma’s sewing machine, designing clothes for kids.

“She comes out of school, goes straight into homework, and when other kids are out playing she’s either sewing clothes or she’s creating new ideas,” her mom, Dr. Reba Perry,said.

The results — an African-inspired collection — have earned her attention from anti-bullying groups and fashion lovers. Though other children have shown collections at Fashion Week in the past, Ify is the only one to have dressed plus-size women.

She even helped them get ready backstage, tying them up and making sure they were styled perfectly. “Being a designer and being at fashion shows are really exciting because you get a lot of attention, and a lot of people ask you what inspires you,” she said.

【推荐3】In 1973, I was teaching elementary school. Each day, 27 kids entered “The Thinking Laboratory.” That was the name students voted for after deciding that “Room 104” was too dull.

Freddy was an average student, but not an average person. He had the rare balance of fun and compassion（同情）. He would laugh the loudest over fun and be the saddest over anyone’s misfortune.

Before the school year ended, I gave the kids a special gift, T-shirts with the words “Verbs Are Your Friends ” on them. I had advised the kids that while verbs（动词）may seem dull , most of the fun things they do throughout their lives will be verbs.

Through the years, I’d run into former students who would provide updates on old classmates. I learned that Freddy did several jobs after his graduation from high school and remained the same caring person I met forty years before . Once, while working overnight at a store, he let a homeless man sleep in his truck. Another time, he lent a friend money to buy a house.

Just last year, I was conducting a workshop when someone knocked at the classroom door. A woman excused the interruption and handed me an envelope. I stopped teaching and opened it up. Inside were the “Verbs” shirt and a note from Freddy’s mother. “Freddy passed away on Thanksgiving. He wanted you to have this. ”

I told the story to the class. As sad as it was, I couldn’t help smiling. Although Freddy was taken from us, we all took something from Freddy.