【推荐1】How Fast Can Animals Shake?

When we get wet, we need a towel (毛巾) to get ourselves dry. When a dog gets wet, all it needs is to shake its body. A study shows that a wet dog can shake off half the water on its body in less than a second. In fact, this common act of a dog works better than a washing machine.

The study found that animal shaking begins with the head and ends with the tail. During a shake, the animal’s head and skin all move. Smaller animals must shake faster than bigger animals to get water off. For example, in one second, a rat can shake 18 times, a dog 6 times, and a bear 4 times. Bigger animals can get their body with fewer shakes.

For animals, shaking is not just about getting themselves dry. It is also about saving their lives. Being wet makes animals heavier, and that makes them harder to run. In the animal world, how fast an animal can run often decides whether it will live or not. Maybe that is why the “wet-dog shake” has become a common habit of many animals.

【推荐2】Trees are one of the oldest “citizens” of our earth. They keep our air clean, reduce noise pollution, improve water quality and provide food and building materials.

Just like us, trees change a lot as they grow. At 1 to 3 years old, young trees learn how to grow up safely. For example, many trees grow thorns to warn animals not to go near. Most young trees have large, deep green leaves so that they can catch enough sunlight and change it into their food and energy.

When trees are 4 years old, they begin to grow very rapidly and become strong enough to face challenges later in life. At the age of 15, trees become young adults. They grow more slowly and begin to produce flowers and fruit.

It is not until the tree is 20 to 25 years old that it becomes a real adult. The tree reaches its largest size. The adult tree gives us shade, oxygen and natural beauty. It is also a great place for a tree house, or a place for us to read a book, listen to music and so on. If we give the adult tree proper care, it will go on to live healthily for many years.

Gradually, trees begin to grow older and older and even die. At this time, they still have their important place in nature. When a tree becomes hollow or part of it becomes dead, it provides a home for small animals and is a source of food for many other animals.

In many ways, the life of a tree is similar to our own life experience. When we are looking at the life of a tree, we learn that each period of life brings its own form of joy and challenge. Enjoy every minute of the life of the trees and look after the trees!

The ① of a Tree

【推荐3】“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” the old saying goes. Unluckily, as a teenager, that is often exactly what you do to yourself. So it is important to guard against the causes behind them.

Standards of beauty in the media can have a big influence on what you think of your physical appearance. Teens find they are unable to copy the looks of their favourite stars. They will only end up feeling worse about themselves.

Your friends also influence the way you view your physical appearance. If you have friends who are good-looking or have a great fashion sense, it can feel like you are living in their shadow. For children of digital age, social media makes his problem even worse. Your friends may post a “never ending” series of photos online to show off their beautiful dresses or strong bodies, and you will compare yourself to them more easily.

These external influences are always present, but there are certainly ways to deal with them. First of all, be careful not to follow popular beauty standards blindly.

Another tip is to remind yourself that you are unique(独一无二的). Keep in mind that your family and friends love you just the way you are.

You may often judge yourself by what is on the outside, not on the inside. However, like a book, your contents are much more important than your cover. If you can learn to see the good things about yourself—your individuality, your value to others, your achievements—you will soon begin to love yourself just the way you are.