【推荐2】Exploring somewhere new can bring us adventurous experiences. With the proper technology, we can make full use of our time on the road. Google Maps is just this kind that helps make trips easier. People most commonly use Google Maps for directions from one place to another. It offers   many other kinds of travel tools.And, how do Google Maps work ?     1    

Project and share a road trip route.

When we are traveling on a road trip, we do not have to plan each part of the trip separately with Google Maps.    2    Besides, we can share our journey with others. After we have planned our route, click share or open the menu and click” share or insert map “to share our route with others.    3    

When we are traveling, we may not always have access to the Internet, or we may not want to pay international charges for using our phone in other countries. The good news is that we can still use Google Maps even without the Internet. We can download a map from Google Maps to our phone.

Find the best places in town.

    4    We can ask Google Maps for recommendations. After we search for a city in Google Maps, click” Nearby” to find the top- rated restaurants, hotels, pubs, coffee shops, and more.

Share our current position with friends.

Thanks to a recent Google Maps update,we can now share our position with our friends.     5    For example, using Google Maps for a lonely place, we can share our route with friends so that they can locate a general position where we stay and join us.

【推荐2】Back in the early 2000s, lots of people couldn’t imagine life without alarm clocks, CD players, calendars, cameras, or lots of other devices. But along came the iPhone and other smartphones, and they took over the functions of many things that we used to think were completely necessary.

The success of smartphones can be a model for dealing with climate change because they represent a different approach to design, which is to focus on function rather than form. This approach requires concentrating on understanding the problems, and then engineering a wide range of potential solutions. By adopting this mindset, we can completely change our thinking about energy efficiency (效率).

Traditionally, improvements in energy efficiency have mostly been centered on individual devices, which can be quite fruitful. But focusing on individual devices is like if Apple had spent effort inventing a better alarm clock, a better CD player, a better calendar, and a better camera. Now with an iPhone, we don’t need the standalone (独立运行的) devices at all, because it can function as all of them.

So when it comes to energy efficiency, instead of only installing more efficient heaters, we should focus on the desired function: warmth. Through creative designs like coating (给……涂层) our house, we can get rid of the need for heaters, significantly saving nearly 99% energy.

Similarly, rather than merely focusing on making cars more efficient, we should consider the desired function — transportation. By developing an efficient transportation system that reduces the need for private cars, we can achieve greater energy savings.

The most energy-efficient car or heater is no car, or no heater, while still being able to get around and stay warm. In other words, it’s not thinking efficiently, but thinking differently.

【推荐1】In the West, some people believe that personality can be predicted(预测) according to the time of the year the person was born. From China comes the belief that the year of birth influences one’s personality. In the past century, a new belief has arisen: the idea that personality is related to one’s ABO blood type. People with blood type A, for example, are considered more likely to be serious, hard-working, and quiet, while people with blood type O are likely to be popular and outgoing, yet often unable to finish what they start. Though this belief continues to be strong, some people question whether it is true.

The blood-type personality theory(理论) started in Japan in 1927 when Furukawa Takehi noticed personality similarities and differences among his workers. This idea soon went out of fashion, but was brought back by a Japanese television host named Toshitaka Nomi in the 1970s. The belief is still strong in Japan and is increasingly popular in neighboring countries. Some young Koreans have taken to the theory. A recent study showed 76 percent of Koreans aged between13 and 64 believing in the blood-type personality connection. Though most Asians might believe in the blood-type theory, for many it seems harmless and not something to be taken too seriously.

Is the belief true? The scientists in Asia largely dismiss the belief as a modern-day superstition(迷信). Most studies have failed to find any strong connection between blood and personality. Generally, scientists warn against making predictions or important decisions based on this questionable theory.

【推荐1】Sitting across from a German couple and a Chinese mother and her child,we were waiting at the Guilin airport for our delayed flight to Shanghai.In this last week of our travel study tour,my husband and I were appreciating this short break by reading.

I didn’t care the languages I couldn’t understand.But it was an American accent that pulled my attention from my book.It also pulled the attention of three rows of people seated around us as the American barked“Coming through!Coming through!’’

At the same time,an oversized man pulling an oversized carryon passed our row.His wheeled bag caught the German’s feet.Turning to see what snagged his luggage,the American pulled his bag so hard that it crossed over the man’s feet.It was then that my horror struck.There was no“I’m sorry”，no“Excuse me”and no“Pardon me”coming from this countryman of mine.

While this wasn’t the first or last incident where I saw discourteous，ill-mannered and rude Americans in China,each produced similar feelings.First,I was embarrassed that someone from my country was creating a negative(负面的）impression of Americans.My second reaction was a desire to apologize.I wanted to explain to the Chinese woman and her child,the German couple next to them,and everyone nearby that this was not typical American behavior.I wanted them to know“we”were all not like that.

I never got to explain,or to apologize.language differences made that choice impossible,and rational(理性的)thinking made it unsuitable.But it turned out not to be a need.The German man caught my eyes with a bit of headshaking,smiling and eye rolling,which I returned,and it was clear that he knew we were Americans and was expressing that there was“no need”to apologize for“universal idiot behavior”

【推荐2】One of the biggest ideas in computer technology is cloud computing. The system is changing the way information is kept. It uses a group of computers or servers to store information instead of one. The data floats around like clouds instead of being saved on any computer. It means computers can be smaller than ever and store practically unlimited amounts of information. No longer are bulky computers needed because all the information is in the clouds.

So when will cloud computing start affecting the way you use computers? You may not have noticed, but it already has. Facebook, Amazon, Twitter and many other sites all run on cloud computing. Cloud computing is really useful. You can use it to access the same file at work at home or in other countries on different computers. There may even be environmental benefits, too. Gmail, which uses cloud computing, says that the system saves a lot of energy.

However, potential problems do exist such as losing information and not being able to access certain files when the internet is down. Also, some companies charge fees for their cloud computing services. Another major problem is security. If all your Information is out there in the cloud and not safely stored on your own computer or laptop, it may be possible for other people to access it. More and more of our personal information is in danger of being stolen. Therefore, it is important to be careful and to find ways of making the information secure.

More and more companies are starting up and offering cloud computing. Will the company be reliable? What will happen to your data if the company goes out of business? There are real worries. Even so, for those interested in computing technology, one thing is for certain ---the future in the clouds is going to be very exciting.

【推荐3】For many of us, summertime means road trips to the beach or mountains, or at the very least some additional dust and bird poop on the exterior of our vehicles. The extra dirt leads us to do one of two things: wash our car in the driveway or head to the car wash. But which choice is better for the environment?

The main concerns with either choice are the amount of fresh water being used and the types of chemicals used to remove the dirt. Both of these concerns can be closely monitored when washing the car at home, says Katy Gresh, spokeswoman for the Southwest Region of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. She advises car owners to put aside a set amount of water for the entire wash. “It’s just like brushing your teeth,” she says, “You don’t want to leave the water running of more than you need for the job.” But even following this advice comes with an environmental risk: Washing your car in the driveway or street flushes the dirty water into storm drains.

John Schombert, executive director of 3 Rivers Wet Weather, his organization works to educate the public about storm sewers (下水道) and water runoff, keeping this untreated water from entering the Allegheny region’s waterways. “We ask people to, consider washing their cars on lawns or other permeable (透水的) surfaces where the water gets absorbed,” Schombert says. “Soil can break down and help filter (过滤) those things,” Schombert says. “Storm sewers are not made for waste disposal.” Even when car owners use natural soaps to wash their cars, which Schombert says are probably ineffective at breaking down grease anyway.

The commercial car wash down the street knows full well the rules regarding wastewater in storm sewers. According to the International Carwash Association (ICA), professional car washes must use water reclamation systems. These mandated processes not only keep the dirty water out of storm sewers and regular water treatment systems, but they also work to reduce water usage at commercial facilities.