【推荐2】

A five-month-old bird became a world record holder by flying around 13.560 kilometers without stopping in 11 days. The bar-tailed godwit（斑尾塍鹬）took off from Alaska, the United States, on October 13, 2022 and landed in Tasmania, Australia, on October 24. The old record was set in 2021 by a different bar-tailed godwit. The adult flew about 13,050 kilometers to Australia.

The new record holder carried a 5G GPS chip（芯片）, so its first migration（迁徙）could be followed by scientists. The bird flew mostly over the open Pacific Ocean to reach Tasmania. According to Eric Woehler, an expert at BirdLife Tasmania, the journey was very dangerous. “If a godwit lands on water because of tiredness or bad weather, it will die, because it has no way of getting off the water,” he said.

Adult godwits begin their migration up to six weeks earlier, so it was impossible for the young bird to have followed more experienced adults south. Godwits usually migrate in groups, but the researchers aren’t sure yet if the bird finished the record-breaking journey alone or as a part of a group.

During the trip, the bird flew over a few islands which could give it a chance to eat and drink. But for some reason, it just kept flying. This may have to do with a special talent of bar-tailed godwits. They are able to shrink some parts of their body so that there will be enough space for fat. When they land and start to eat, those parts will grow again. Such ability is really helpful when they make long trips over the sea.

【推荐3】Have you ever been in a bad situation? How would you feel in this case? In fact, everyone has to go through sadness. If someone around is listening to you and comforting you, I believe you will feel much better. Now, imagine that a robot comes to you and pats (轻拍) you on the shoulder with its hand when you feel sad. What do you think about it?

Scientists recently did research on robot touch. They found that just like human touch, a touch from a robot can also help people feel better. The hands of robots are soft, and they do not give people the metallic mechanical (金属机械) feeling. So when comfort is needed, perhaps robots will be a good choice.

The study asked 48 students to talk with a robot. The robot gave them advice on what courses to choose in school. At the end of the chat, the robot would either pat a student’s hand three times or simply move its hand toward students in the other group. Interestingly, while most students smiled or even laughed at this movement at first, none of them pulled away. Compared with the control group, the students who were patted felt happier. They also showed more interest in the courses suggested by the robot.

This research shows that the touch of the robot can really help humans, especially those who live alone. These people need someone who can accompany them or talk to them. Besides, it will be good for their mental and physical health. So the technology will do the favor. It can persuade (说服) human beings to make some decisions. For example, they can persuade patients to do more exercise. The finding will help scientists to develop better robots in the future.

【推荐2】Have you ever imagined what the world will be like in 30 years? Here are some ideas.

Our cities will be made from living materials that are good for the environment. The city environment of 2045 mixes architecture(建筑) with living materials. They take in pollutants, clean waste water and use sunlight to make useful chemicals, energy, heat and gardens.

By 2045, machines will be able to adapt(使适应) themselves to the emotional state of a user. At the moment, machines can work out where a person is, who a person is and perhaps what a person is doing. The next stage will be for machines to read human beings’ feelings. This can be done by “harvesting” facial expressions, body language, heart rate, voice and so on. If you are typing a text into a computer, the computer might consider the speed you are typing, decide you are stressed and conclude whether it is the best time to allow you to read negative emails.

If you are driving a car, the car might consider how you are driving and infer certain conclusions. If the car thinks you are angry and in danger of driving unsafely, it might adapt itself to make things safer. On the other hand, a shop might use this technology to work out when customers are more likely to buy things, including things that they probably don’t really want.

【推荐3】On January 10th. the 2020 Spring Festival travel rush started. From Jan. 10 to Feb. 18, the total number of trip is likely to hit 3 billion. But how do so many people leave their cities for the homes of their parents and grandparents? By adopting（采取）air trips, waterway trips and especially train trips.

China high-speed rail is the most advanced（先进的）transportation system in the world. Started in only 2007, at 6,000 miles and growing, it’s already the longest bullet train（动车）network in the world. Traveling the 800-mile trip from Shanghai to Beijing used to take 14 hours. Now you can get there in just 5 hours.

All high-speed railway stations will allow passengers to use electronic tickets. According to China State Railway Co., passengers can check in without paper tickets at 1,020 railway stations across the country, which is expected to increase the speed of passengers’ flow（客流）. In addition, the Opinion on Deepening the Reform of Road Transport Prices was effective on January 1st, 2020, which made it clear that some children enjoy free ride or half-price tickets by public transport. The criteria are as follows: Children who are under 6 years old and don’t need separate seats can take public transport for free. Half-price tickets are available for those who need separate seats or more than one seat. Children with a height of 1.2 to 1.5 meters can buy half-price tickets to get a seat.