【推荐1】Growing up, we are constantly reminded that young people are the most affected by technology. We are the “antisocial social club”, those who prefer to text our friends in the same room rather than having to make eye-contact with them. And even though never-ending studies reveal to us the extent of our social media addiction, warning us that we are slowly turning into tech-zombies, we should at least consider that it’s not only us young ones any more.

There’s the rise of the Instagram mums, who like to post an abundance of cute baby pictures, showing their seemingly put-together lifestyles and sharing their many mom-feelings along the way. They are the so-called “Facebook mum generation”, a growing group of parents that like to overshare and, in the process, are slowly pushing out young people who can’t bear to see another one of mum’s embarrassing selfies (自拍照).

Actually, new research suggests that parents’ technology addiction is negatively affecting their children’s behaviour. According to the study, 40%of mothers and 32% of fathers have admitted to having some sort of phone addiction. This has led to a significant fall in verbal (口头的) interactions within families and even a decline in mothers encouraging their children.

There is no denying that I get annoyed when I receive the “I’ll be with you shortly line” from a parent, when all I want to do is ask one question. But, at the same time, leaving the room to wait until my father is finished with his “serious business”, has now become the norm (常态). Whether you want to escape your pestering children for a bit, or want to stay up late flicking through Twitter, know that wanting to do all of this is normal. We — your children — know how addictive it can be and how difficult it is to switch off. But before telling us to “put our phones away at the table” or even worse, pulling up statistics of how damaging social media can be for us, maybe lead by example and consider how much time you spend on the phone as well as how this is impacting your children and your relationship with them. Maybe in this way we can work on our addiction together.

【推荐3】Technology use seems to be the new wave of addiction hitting people of all ages. Its extreme use can be compared to the use of drugs, which is called Plug-in Heroin.

The next time you’re in a crowded public place, look at the people around you. It’s hard to find someone who isn’t glued to the tiny screen, fingers moving at lightning speeds, texting their friends, emailing co-workers or listening to music. It may seem ridiculous that someone is that addicted to such a small object. I’ve seen people who seem to be at their wits’ end (不知所措) if their phone or iPad has been taken away, lost or left at home.

Some people may ask, “What’s wrong with technology use? It’s a way for people to communicate.” While this is true, the overuse of technology isn’t always appropriate in certain settings. Schools are becoming stricter about the use of cell phones, iPads and other electronics in classrooms. Various workplaces have signs hanging on their walls warning employees that “Cell phone use is not permitted ”or “Cell phones are forbidden.”

Electronics may be a way for people to communicate and stay in touch with each other, but the disadvantages may outweigh the benefits. People are losing the ability to hold face-to-face conversations with others. However, it’s hard to avoid electronics in this day and age because almost everything is turning into an electronic format. Books, originally meant for paper design, are now being transferred (转存) to electronic forms. Photo albums, and even yearbooks, can now be viewed via the internet. With this growing trend, future generations are bound to become even more addicted to technology.

Is there a cure for electronic addiction? Simply turning electronics off for an hour or two a day may help to an extent, but it will not completely rid electronic addiction. There only seems to be one cure left, and it may be the hardest: self control.

【推荐2】An amateur fossil hunter has unearthed a new type of prehistoric “sea dragon” on the beach of the UK's Dorset Coast. The new 2m-long ichthyosaur is named “Etches sea dragon”,after fossil collector Dr. Steve Etches, who found it buried head-first. Ichthyosaurs are called sea dragons for their usually very large teeth and eyes. He thought its teeth were unusual,so he passed it on to experts at the University of Portsmouth to identify(鉴定).There,a Masters student, Megan Jacobs, who has spent several years working on ichthyosaurs, identified it as a new species, which lived 150 million years ago.

The find is the UK's fifth known ichthyosaur from the Late Jurassic periods,and by far the smallest so far.

The fossil was found near Kimmeridge Bay—part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. When it died, the seafloor would have been very soft mud, allowing the front half of the animal to sink into the mud, before other animals came along and ate the tail end.Being buried in a bed of soft mud meant it was preserved in exceptional condition and even some of its soft tissues were preserved.

Megan said, “Fossils of Late Jurassic ichthyosaurs in the UK are extremely rare. I did some research,comparing it with those known from other Late Jurassic fossils found around the world. It was very exciting that I didn’t find a match. Steve's extraordinary collection contains many new and exciting animals, and it was a real honor to have the chance to describe this ichthyosaur.”

Professor David Martill,who leads the palaeontology(古生物学)research,said, “Steve is an exceptional fossil collector and although he is sometimes referred to as an amateur collector, he has done so much for palaeontology that he has been awarded an MBE, Member of the British Empire, and is truly a professional.”He added, ^“If it were not for collectors like Steve,scientists would have very few specimens(样本)to work on. ’’

【推荐3】Thomas Cheatham had planned to study Latin during his time at Hebron High School in Texas. But when he learned that the school district was going to offer a Mandarin(普通话) class, he quickly changed his mind.

“I thought Mandarin would be more beneficial than Latin,” said Cheatham, who is now in his second year of studying the language.

He speaks Mandarin to order food at Chinese restaurants and can read social media posts from his Chinese-speaking friends. While it’s a difficult language to master, the high school junior, who plans to study computer engineering, thinks it will be important for his career. “Chinese is a good language to know, especially with China becoming a growing power,” he said.

Many experts agree that proficiency(熟练) in a language spoken by a billion people worldwide will give American students an edge in the global economy.

“People are looking at China as our next economic competitor, and interest in Mandarin is growing fast,” said Marty Abbott, director of the American Council(议会) on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. “We’re seeing it in all parts of the country.”

Abbott predicts that as many as 100,000 students are now studying Mandarin in public and private schools throughout the US. She said the US government has designated (指定) Mandarin as an “important needs” language and provides professional development programs for teachers. “Our government wants to increase our language ability for national security and economic competitiveness,” Abbott added.

At the same time, the Chinese government is spreading knowledge of the Chinese language and culture through Confucius Institutes set up in many US states. For example, the Confucius Institute at the University of Texas in Dallas has been the home of a Confucius Institute for 10 years. It sponsors Confucius Classrooms at 21 local public and private schools, where tens of thousands of students are learning Mandarin.

Hi there! My name is Asha and I'm from Tanzania. Like most teenagers, I start my day early and end it late. After school, I study at a night school to prepare for the university entrance exam. When I have time off, I prefer to be outdoors. I love nature and animals. I'm quite upset about how we treat the environment, so I do my best to help. I volunteer to plant trees and I'm a member of our school's Nature Club.

Hi! I'm Samika and I'm 15. I wish I were a student, but I'm not. I had to leave school when I was 13 so that I could get a job and help my family. I work in a garment factory. It's unbelievably hard work and the days are so long. Although everyone works hard, we still find time to play and laugh together. At times like these, the world feels like a wonderful place.

Hi, Frieder here. So, I'm 16 and I go to a high school in Munich. I'm not crazy about school—listening to a teacher isn't my thing—but I know I have to get an education. It's very difficult for young people to find a job in Europe, so I worry a lot about the future. Oh, and I'm a gaming nerd. I love Internet games so much that I have started a gaming club in my school. Maybe I'll see you online—my screen name is Fast Freddy.

【推荐2】As doctors and nurses struggle for medical supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic, help is coming from an unlikely place – high school students.

The Career Technical Education Charter (CTEC) High School, US, has been utilizing (利用) its nine 3D printers to make face shields (防护面罩) for healthcare workers on the frontline.

Face masks have been particularly challenging to find across the US since the outbreak. Gavin Newsom, Governor of the State of California, announced recently that the state is set to spend $1 billion (about 7 billion yuan) to purchase 200 million masks each month to boost its supply.

Valerie Castro, 16, a CTEC sophomore, is part of a team of teachers and students who came up with design tweaks (改进) that cut almost 30 minutes off the time it takes to build a face shield.

“That’s what makes this school kind of different,” she said. “Even though all these bad things are happening, we’re able to make an impact positively. It’s like leaving your little mark on the world.”

Makerbot, a New York-based company that makes 3D printers, has also helped CTEC to maximize the building process.

They’ve been churning out (大量生产) nearly 100 shields each day, and that production rate is set to triple as 20 more 3D printers come online at the school.

CTEC staff and students have provided masks to hospitals, dentists, urgent care centers and retirement homes in Fresno County and the surrounding areas in California.

“I was shocked,” Stacy Vohra told school staff in a video. “We were so thrilled to have the donation from CTEC. This is something that we’ve been needing.”

The entire staff has switched from daily teaching to face shield production, said Jonathan Delano, director of CTEC.

When the new 3D printers arrive, some of them will go to students’ houses so kids can help with the hands-on process, Delano said.

“That’s how we get through these things,” Delano said. “Our high school focuses on giving back to the community. Students should know the skills they hold can have an impact on a community.”

【推荐3】Study lamps are vital to learning. Finding the best lighting for study is important for everyone. For the sake of maximizing the use of time and energy, and for the very important goal of preserving eyesight, anyone reading for understanding needs not only adequate light, but light that ensures reading with ease. Only when eye strain(疲劳) is not interfering does the learning process move forward.

Desk lamps

You can purchase a large number of stylish desk lamps from lamp stores and online. The products range from precious ones to casual ones, from traditional ones to ultra-modern(超现代的)ones. They feature such desirable additions as dimmer switches and night lights. Some have battery backup in case of power failure and a choice of OttLite bulbs that duplicate natural sunlight.

LED desk lamps

MetaEfficient reviews the most recommended LED desk lamps. These lamps come in many different styles and brand names and are valued for their directed beam of light, lack of heat and exceptional energy efficiency and brilliance. LED study lamps are made in goose neck and swivel(转圈)styles, as well as the more modern Z-bar and the human-like- figure of the Moppel light.

Safest desk lamps

According to Knol, StudyLite is the safest of all desk lamp designs. Not only does it provide LED light, freeing people from UV and IR radiation, but it has been tested to be eye-friendly. It has all the advantages-low cost and long life-of any LED lamps, but it is also equipped with rechargeable battery. Its design and choice of colors make it desirable for more than its efficiency.

【推荐2】When he looked at me, it was clear my father wasn’t sure who I was. And as I looked back at him, I wasn’t sure who he was, either.

My father had just gone through two heart surgeries and 6 days in intensive care. He’d returned to the hospital where he’d worked for 40 years. It was the hospital where all his children had been born. The doctors said that he may have a long period of confusion after the surgeries. And because he’s eighty-six, it may be many months before he returns to normal. It’s also possible he may never be “normal” again.

I sat there in this hospital room, spoon-feeding the man I’ve seen as powerful and capable all my life. It felt like the full circle of life had come around us. It felt good to support him, yet part of me wanted to tell him to “be normal” again. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to accept the full meaning of it: that my father may never be that powerful and capable person again.

Pain and suffering have visited my family, as it will visit all families. And while we hesitate to face pain and suffering, it has great lessons to teach us. Pain and suffering are well outside of the boundaries of our everyday life. When it comes, it breaks these boundaries and turns our world upside down. We become a family with all of the others who have known pain and suffering. And we have another chance to consider what’s truly important in our lives. This crisis will pass, and we’ll all be changed by it. The healing hands of time will do their work. I’m thankful that I’ve told my father everything I’ve wanted to say to him. And I’m thankful to have my family to lean on during this difficult time. We’ll all be challenged by this to show more support, care, and Jove.

This is as it should be. Sometimes, it takes a crisis to remind us of why we’re all here.

【推荐3】I used to live in Southern Africa and recently went back to Botswana to visit the Central Kalahari Game Reserve with my friend Oscar． Why? Because there's nothing quite like the vast African wilderness...

Our jeep moved slowly along the too-hot-to-touch sand． With no air conditioner and an engine which might break down at any time， it was tough work． The dry heat was fierce and the only break came from using our precious water for brief bucket showers．

With no supplies available within the park—it was a sort of no man's land which was inhabited by the occasional cow — it is necessary to bring all your fuel， food and water with you．

We camped in a small place in the center of the woods． At the height of the dry season， leaves in the trees had all fallen down， shade was in scant supply， so we placed ourselves near a leaf less tree． As the sun set， we drove towards the watering hole a few miles away， and were reminded just why we'd chosen to spend weeks suffering this exercise on ourselves． A lone lion paused his lapping to acknowledge our arrival． He yawned， and then carried on drinking．

That night， sleeping on the roof of the jeep， we felt his shouting as much as heard it ． Those vast African skies offered the only indication that the outside world hadn't come to a state of quietness， as bright satellite whipped across the blackness．

In the morning we saw that the lion had walked in the road overnight， his paw prints pressed into yesterday's tyre tracks．

We set off for another morning inching through the sand; another day of changing landscapes and raw， wild beauty; another night lit by shooting stars．