Electric cars may seem like a recent invention, but they have been around for years. In the early 1900s, there were more electric cars on the road than gasoline (汽油) cars, because at that time, gasoline was expensive compared with other fuels (燃料), so electric cars were more popular.

When gasoline prices dropped and new technologies on gasoline cars were developed, electric cars were out of date. Gasoline cars became more popular instead, because they could go farther without stopping.

During the 20th century, gasoline cars got bigger, heavier and faster. They needed more fuel, and it caused more air pollution. For years, the car makers didn’t worry about pollution. They didn’t worry about how much gasoline cars used, either. But when people began to realize that there was not enough oil on the earth, they asked car makers to produce more efficient (高效能的) and less polluting cars.

One way of solving the problem was a “hybrid” car (混合动力车). They can run partly on gasoline and partly on electricity. Hybrid cars became popular in the 2000s because gasoline prices went up while prices of hybrid cars went down.

An all-electric car uses no gasoline. The problem, however, is that car batteries (电池) need to be recharged (再充电). That makes electric cars not so suitable for long journeys. Many people are not pleased with it. The government and car makers are working together to develop safe, cheap and useful electric cars. When more and more people have these electric cars in the future, a gasoline station may disappear.

For Chinese students, the new term might be a little different from those in the past. In July, China introduced the “double reduction”policy （双减政策）. It hopes to reduce students’ learning burden （负担） by reducing homework and after-school classes. Two months has passed since the new term began. How do students feel about this new policy?

“Our homework is clearly much A than before,” said 14-year-old Shen Yuzhe from Beijing.

“We are not encouraged to buy workbooks anymore. The exercises are mainly from the textbook.”

According to Shen, teachers now teach much slower. Students have enough time to learn new knowledge. “Our teachers are also giving us more chances to do experiments （实验）and learn from real life,” said Shen. “For example, we went to research insects in a field. This is a much better way to learn things than just hitting the books.”

For 13-year-old Zhang Hangming from Tianjin, the best thing about “double reduction” is the increased time in after-school activities. “We can now spend more time B (take) part in clubs and activities, such as dancing, volleyball and drama. I have joined a group where I can learn all kinds of skills,” said Zhang. Both Shen and Zhang find there are fewer exams now. But they think it is not necessarily a good thing. “Exams push me to study harder. “Each exam shows what I’m not good at and what progress I have made.” Zhang said. Shen also pointed out that when burden is lightened, self-discipline （自律） becomes the key.“Some students now spend more time having fun when they finish their homework early. But if you use all the free time to relax, you might fall behind others,” he said.

On October 12, 2022, students from all over the country took the third live class from China’s space station. Shenzhou-14 members Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe gave the class to students on the earth.

At the beginning of the 50-minute class, the astronauts showed the new “classroom”, the Wentian lab module (问天实验舱). They worked and lived there. It became part of China’s space station in July last year.

The astronauts did four interesting experiments (实验) in the microgravity (微重力) environment. Liu Yang tried drinking mango juice with a two-metre straw and she made it! Another experiment showed that a water ball became “lazy” after a small steel ball was put inside it. Chen Dong made two T-handles “dance” on the space station…The astronauts also invited students to do the experiments on the earth. The students found the differences between space and the earth. “How interesting!” they said.

The astronauts also answered questions from students like “how to become an astronaut” and “what kinds of plants they will grow in space in the future”.

It was the first science class from the Wentian lab module and the third “Tiangong Class”. The first and second were given by the Shenzhou-13 members in the station’s Tianhe core module. The classes made a lot of young people fall in love with space science.

As the Shenzhou-13 spaceship docked (对接) with China’s space station on October 16, 2021, Wang Yaping became the first woman astronaut to work on the space station. She would spend six months there, along with Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu. Wang would also become the first Chinese to take a spacewalk. 2. Besides (此外), she would give a class on the space station, encouraging young people to follow their space dreams.

Wang’s dream of flying to space as an astronaut was inspired by Yang Liwei who became China’s first space travellers in 2003. “Now China has its man in space. When will our country have its first woman?” Wang thought. She was then working as a pilot in China’s air force (空军).

In January 1980, Wang was born in a small village in Yantai, Shandong Province. Shen flew a plane for the first time when she was 18 years old. As a pilot, she flew 1,567 hours in all, including flying to help with the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake relief (救灾) work and the 2008 Summer Olympic in Beijing.

In May 2010, Wang became one of China’s first women astronauts. She achieved her space dream in 2013 by taking the Shenzhou-10 ride. During her 15-day flight, Wang taught China’s first lesson from space. Over 60 million primary and middle school students across the country enjoyed her lesson.