【推荐3】Several years ago climate change was a controversial subject with many people insisting it didn’t exist. Today, few people doubt that the climate is changing in uncomfortable and dangerous ways.

For me, living on an island off the west coast of Canada, climate change didn't directly affect me. That changed this summer. There are always a few wildfires in the forests of Canada in summer but this year has been exceptionally bad as we’ve had, for practical purposes, no rain at all. Then the fires started and many families have lost their homes to the flames. In early August we woke up one day to a heavy smoke from the mainland. It was dark for several days. By September, again the sun has been blocked by smoke, this time from Washington and Oregon in the United States. The smoke has covered us for about a week.

In the more than twenty years we’ve never before had this happen. Now we’ve been blanketed by smoke twice in one summer. The change in our climate is clear and it doesn’t bode (预兆) well. Already our seaside town is putting regulations in place and making plans to deal with a rise in sea level. However, if the sea level comes up more than a few meters we could have big problems.

I don’t pretend to understand all the causes of climate change or the best ways of fixing it if, indeed, it can be fixed. It is, however, becoming increasingly noticeable. Last night we were supposed to be able to see the Northern Lights but the smoke prevented that. But there’s some good news. I have just noticed that for the first time in months it is raining.

【推荐1】The Pacific island nation of Nauru used to be a beautiful place. Now it is an ecological disaster area. Nauru’s heartbreaking story could have one good consequence---other countries might learn from its mistakes.

For thousands of years, Polynesian people lived on the remote island of Nauru, far from western civilization. The first European to arrive was John Fearn in 1798. He was the British captain of the Hunter, a whaling ship. He called the island Pleasant Island.

However, because it was very remote, Nauru had little communication with Europeans at first. Then whaling ships and other traders began to visit, bringing guns and alcohol. These elements destroyed the social balance of the twelve family groups on the island. A ten-year civil war started, which reduced the population from l, 400 to 900.

Nauru’s real troubles began in 1899 when a British mining company discovered phosphate(磷酸盐) on the island. In fact, it found that the island of Nauru was nearly all phosphate, which is a very important fertilizer for farming. The company began mining the phosphate.

A phosphate mine is not a hole in the ground; it is a strip mine(露天矿). When a company strip-mines, it removes the top layer of soil. Then it takes away the material it wants. Strip-mining totally destroys the land. Gradually, the lovely island of Nauru started to look like the moon.

In 1968, Nauru became one of the richest countries in the world. Every year the government received millions and millions of dollars for its phosphate.

Unfortunately, the leaders invested the money unwisely and lost millions of dollars. In addition, they used millions more dollars for personal expenses. Soon people realized that they had a terrible problem---their phosphate was running out. Ninety percent of their island was destroyed and they had nothing. By 2000, Nauru was almost financially ruined. Experts say that it would take approximately $433,600,000 and more than 20 years to repair the island. This will probably never happen.

【推荐2】“Hungary?” I looked at my school headmaster in confusion. “I never mentioned wanting to go to Hungary.” And with that, my adventure started.

My name is Jonathan Diamond and I just finished an amazing exchange year in Hungary.

Going on an exchange had always been my dream. When my high school offered an all-year program，I jumped at the opportunity. It would pay for almost everything and all I had to do was get a plane ticket. I knew where I wanted to go: Spain, the country of dancers wearing flowing red dresses. So when I heard that I was going to Hungary, I was pretty shocked. But I decided to make the best of it, since it was，after all, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Before I knew it, I was on the airplane, leaving for Budapest International Airport, Hungary.

I had times when I almost gave up. Hungarian is the hardest language on the planet. Cultural differences occasionally embarrassed both my peer teens and me. I had to give up eating carrots, my beautiful favorite, for they think carrots are rubbish in their country. The change in the landscape was amazing, looking nothing like skyscrapers, bullet trains, cars，and people in tiny houses that I had been accustomed to. Gradually, I fell in love with the relaxing lifestyle, the warm-hearted people, and getting home at 2：30 p. m. at the latest from school. And I was sad to leave on my very last day.

Having the host family who took me as one of their own members was the best thing I have ever experienced. From my little sisters, I learned how to embrace life to its fullest. From my brothers I learned that it’s OK for a boy to run around the house. From my host parents I learned to stay positive, to smile, and that when you pick the right persons and take their hands, suddenly, you become friends.

【推荐2】For the first time, a British group, PDSA, gave its Gold Medal to a rat named Magawa for its work searching out unexploded landmines （地雷）in Cambodia.

Magawa was born in Tanzania, but is now based in the Cambodian city of Siem Reap. He has discovered 39 landmines and 28 pieces of unexploded ones, and helped clear more than 1.5 million square feet of land over the past four years.

Over 5 million landmines have been laid in Cambodia during the civil war in the 1980s and 1990s. In Cambodia, over 19,000 people have been killed by landmines. Another 51,000 have been injured.

Magawa is part of the “Hero Rat" project, which works across South East Asia and Africa, training rats to save lives by detecting landmines. Magawa started its training at the age of 10 weeks.

He was trained to detect TNT, the chemical compound within explosives（炸药）.The ability to sniff （嗅） out TNT makes him much faster than any person in searching for land mines.

According to Christophe Cox, co — founder and CEO of APPO, a charity that trains the rats, the creatures can screen an area of 200 square meters in half an hour. "We really trust our rats. Very often after clearing a minefield, our teams will play a game of soccer on the cleared field to assure the quality of our work. So far our trainers have never had any accidents with rats because their size and weight permits them to walk across mine fields. They also work much faster than people.

Described as friendly and hardworking by Malen, a Belgian trainer, Magawa has a work-life balance that is likely the envy of many a human. When he is not in the minefield, the 2-foot-long rat likes snacking on bananas, peanuts and watermelons, and taking a spin on the running wheel.

【推荐1】Minnie May, aged three, was really very sick. She lay on the kitchen sofa, feverish and restless, while her hoarse (嘶哑的) breathing could be heard all over the house. Young Mary Joe, whom Mrs Barry had asked to stay with the children during her absence, was helpless and nervous, quite unable to think what to do, or do it if she thought of it.

Anne went to work with skill and rapidity.

“Minnie May has croup (哮吼); she' s pretty bad, but I've seen worse. First, we must have lots of hot water. There isn’t more than a cup in the kettle! There, I've filled it up, and Mary Joe, you may put some wood in the stove. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but it seems to me you might have thought of this before if you'd any imagination. Now, I' ll undress Minnie May and put her to bed, and you try to find some soft and warm clothes. Diana. I' m going to give her some ipecac first of all."

Minnie May did not take kindly to, but Anne had not brought up three pairs of twins for nothing. Down it went, not only once, but many times during the long, worrying night when the two little girls worked patiently over the suffering Minnie May, and Young Mary Joe, honestly did all she could, kept a fire burning and heated more water than would have been needed for a hospital of croupy babies.

It was three o' clock when Matthew came with the doctor, for he had been required to go all the way to Spencervale for one. But the pressing need for assistance was past. Minnie May was much better and was sleeping soundly.

【推荐2】When was the last time you thought about breathing? Most people usually do not. When we are healthy, breathing happens· naturally and easily. Without much effort on our part, the human respiratory（呼吸的）system works hard. Experts say we take about 20,000 breaths every day.

One such expert James Hoyt with the University of Colorado's Health Pulmonology（肺科）Clinic notes that our respiratory muscles are working every minute of the day. A muscle called the diaphragm separates the chest and abdominal cavities（腹腔）. As we breathe in, the diaphragm（横膈膜）tightens. The chest cavity opens, and the lungs expand. When we breathe out, the diaphragm relaxes and moves upward, pushing air out.

When you breathe deeply, the air coming in through your nose fully fills your lungs, and the lower belly（肚皮）rises. On its website, Harvard Medical School notes that deep breathing may slow the heartbeat, lower blood pressure and stress. Deep breaths help your body fully exchange incoming oxygen with outgoing carbon dioxide（二氧化碳）.

Several health websites explain an easy deep breathing exercise. Find a place to sit or lie down. Place one hand just below your ribs. Take a slow, deep breath—or inhale（吸气）—through your nose. Feel your hand go up. Your stomach should rise and expand. Now breathe out slowly through your mouth. Make sure to breathe out—or exhale —all the way. Feel your hand and stomach go down.

The American Lung Association website states that if done repeatedly, breathing exercises can help remove stale air from the lungs. This will increase oxygen levels and get the diaphragm to return to its job of helping you breathe. Pulmonologist James Hoyt adds: "Deep breathing is a good-way to reduce stress and relax."

【推荐3】TEEN SUMMER LANGUAGE,COMMUNITY SERVICE&ZIP LINING TRIPDETAILS

Age Range:14-16

Trip Dates:6/27-7/05,7/09-7/17,7/21-7/29,8/02-8/10

Tuition:$2,895(airfare not included)

Pura Vida .Costa Rica's national motto means"pure life"-and Pura Vida is exactly what   you'll experience as you explore the wonders of this tropical(热带），unusual paradise.

We'll jump right into our adventure with morning Spanish classes in the green,beautiful   town of Turrialba,surrounded by high mountains and thick forest.With the guidance of our   Spanish teachers,we will learn useful vocabulary and use new tools to communicate with locals   and absorb Costa Rican culture.

Our afternoons in the Turrialba area will be spent putting our new skills to the test as we spend time volunteering at a local children's home,a senior home,and a center for native women.We'll play games,talk,and help the residents of each place with tasks(helping with homework for the young kids or cleaning for the seniors).On an afternoon off from service, we'll head to a local waterfall/swimming hole and hit the lively Turrialba market to collect flavorful local eats and perhaps some souvenirs.

For our final days together we head to the Pacific coast to explore Manuel Antonio National Park and its astonishing wealth of wildlife and natural beauty.We'll spend a morning flying through the trees on Central America's longest zip line,and swim in warm,clear Pacific waters! A farewell dinner in San Jose and a final evening of Pura Vida with new friends will round out our rich and full Costa Rican adventure!