【推荐1】Do you know we are living in the world of mass media? Mass media are tools of communication and allow us to record and pass information rapidly to a large, scattered（分散的）audience. However, have you imagined what life would be without the media? Are you a media user who would go mad after two hours without TV, friend requests, exciting online games and your mobile — or would you easily survive?

Recently, university students around the world were asked to volunteer in a global experiment called Unplugged. It was designed to see how young people would react if they were asked to observe a total media ban（禁止）by unplugging (拔插头) all forms of media devices (设备) for 24 hours.

Unplugged is being run by Dr. Roman Gerodimos, a lecturer in Communication and Journalism at Bournemouth University. The experiment is now over but he doesn’t yet know the full findings. However, during the experiment, Dr. Gerodimos said there were already signs of how much the exercise affected volunteers. He said: “They’re reporting withdrawal（孤僻）signs, overeating, feeling nervous, isolated and disconnected. ”

During their 24-hour unpleasant experience, three volunteers had to put up with one interruption from the media: a BBC reporter plus cameraman who followed them around for the day. They were asked to write down 100 lines about their day offline, but of course, they all waited until the next day when they had access to their laptops. Elliot Day wrote: “Today, my whole morning routine was thrown up into the air. Despite being aware of the social importance of the media, I was surprised by how empty my life felt without the radio or newspapers.”

From Caroline Scott, we read: “I didn’t expect it, but being taken away from the media for 24 hours resulted in my day-to-day activities becoming so much harder to carry out than usual… I didn’t break out in a cold sweat like Dr. Roman Gerodimos expected us all to, but it’s not something I would like to do again!”

And Charlotte Gay wrote: “I have to say the most difficult item for me to be has been without my mobile; not only is it a social thing, it’s my main point of communication.”

Earlier in the year, a UK government study found that in the UK we spend about half our waking hours using the media, often plugged into several things at once. And a recent study by Nielson found that on average, US teenagers send and receive over 3,000 texts per month—that’s about six texts per waking hour.

So, with technology continuing to develop at an alarming rate, how much time will you set aside for sleep in the future?

【推荐2】With her eyes always feeling tired as she prepared for an exam, 16-year-old Sun Run went to the hospital with her parents in January. She was shocked when she found out that her eyesight dropped from 5.0 to 4.6. “A few of my friends have had the same experience lately,” Sun said.

In fact, poor eyesight among Chinese primary and high school students rose from 59.2 percent to 70.6 percent in the first six months of 2020, according to the Ministry of Education.

To protect students’ eyesight, the Chinese government has worked out new requirements for school supplies and equipment that will take effect (生效) on March 1, 2022. For example, according to the requirements, the size of text in students’ textbooks should be no smaller than nine-point (小五号).

Teachers should also avoid using projectors (投影仪) or other multimedia equipment (多媒体设备) that are too bright, Beijing Daily reported.

There are also requirements for desk and classroom lights. For example, these lights should give off as little blue light as possible.

Blue light is bad for our eyes, as it can kill the photoreceptor cells (感光细胞) we need for vision, according to Harvard Medical School. Many of the electronic devices (电子设备) we use every day, including our phones and computer screens, give off blue light.

【推荐3】What do you usually do in your spare time? Chatting online is now a national pastime in China, especially among the post-90s and post-00s generation. To some people, however, online chats can seem like a kind of polite conversation. Yet hidden rules and standards do exist, as long as you take the time to look for them.

Get to the Point

When sending a friend request, include your real name and any other identifying information. Remember, everybody’s time is precious. If there’s something you want, cut right to the chase. Never send an “Are you there?” without any follow-up messages. The quicker that you get to the point, the more likely the other person is to reply.

Send the Right Things

Please send texts, not voice messages. It might be easier for you to speak than type, but what about the person on the other end? They may be unable to listen to a 59-second message right now. Also, never send personal information by voice message—it is hard to note down. Emojis, GIFs and memes can save the day when you find yourself in an embarrassing conversation, or words fail you.

Try to Understand

You can always judge a person’s mood by their text messages. If the person you’re talking to says “Good night” or “I’m going to take a shower.” that’s probably not what they’re actually going to do, it is just an excuse to stop talking to you. If someone hesitates for longer than three seconds before saying “Yes”, they probably really mean “No”. If you receive these emojis from friends who are older, read them literally (照字面地) (as a smile, a wave or a laugh). For the post-90s and post-00s generation, however, they could be speechlessness.

【推荐3】"I sometimes get up at three or four in the morning and I surf the net."

"I often check my e-mail forty times a day."

"I often spend more than three hours during one time on the net."

"I spend more time in chat rooms than with my 'real-life' friends."       

Do you know any people like these? They are part of a new addiction(瘾）called Internet addiction. Internet addicts spend at least thirty to forty hours online every week. The use of the Internet can be an addiction like drug（毒品）use. People lose control（控制）of the time they spend on the Internet. For example, one college student was missing for a few days. His friends are worried, and they call the police. The police find the student in the computer room: he was surfing the net for a few days.

Studies show that about 6-10% of Internet users become addicted. And people worry about the teens because the Internet is changing the playing field for some of them. They spend more time in cyberspace than in the real world of friends and family.

Is "surfing the net" a hobby or an addiction for you? You may have a problem if you have these symptoms:

*You do not go to important family activities or you do not do school work because you like to spend hours on the Internet.

*You can't wait for your next online time.

*You plan to spend a short time online, but then you spend several hours.

*You go out with your friends less and less.

【推荐1】Years ago, we were asked to create a newspaper in groups about world culture in our history class.

We first wrote the names of three friends we wanted in our group. Unluckily, Mrs. Bartlett, our teacher, didn't put me in the group with any of my friends. Instead, I was with Mauro, who never spoke English, Juliette, who always wore thick glasses and Rachel, who wore strange clothes. I had never talked to them. Oh, how badly I wanted to be with my friends!

I was so sad that I walked up to Mrs. Bartlett. "I know what you want, Karina, " she gently patted me on my shoulder, "but your group needs a leader. I need you to help them get a passing grade on this project. Only you can make it."

I was shocked.

"Will you help them?" she asked.

"Yes, " I replied. I couldn't believe it came out of my mouth, but it did.

I bravely walked to my group and started our project. We had different tasks according to our interests. Gradually, 1 felt myself enjoying their company. I found out Mauro was struggling with English. Behind Juliette's thick glasses were her sparkling eyes. Rachel was so creative that she wanted to be a fashion designer. I realized that they were not strange； they were just people that no one cared enough for-except Mrs. Bartlett. Her thoughtfulness brought out the best in the four of us.

I learned something that week. I was given a chance to see other people in a new light. I learned that who we, are is more important than what we are or seem to be.

Mrs. Bartlett gave us an A on that project, but thought we should have handed it right back, for she was the one who truly deserved it.

【推荐2】Cleaning Up the Mountainside

At 8,844.43 meters high. Mount Qomolangma is the tallest mountain on Earth. While it is known for its beautiful views, parts of the mountain are facing a problem: rubbish. Every year, thousands of visitors throw away tons of rubbish.

According to the UN, over 140 tons of rubbish has been left on the mountain. To reduce rubbish, China started to limit (限制) the number of people who are allowed to climb up the north side of the mountain in 2019. Only 300 people will be allowed to climb it, and only during spring.

Local residents(居民) took away trash at heights of 5200 meters and above. Last year, they collected about 8.4 tons of trash, according to the Tibet autonomous region’s government (西藏自治区人民政府).

This year, the local government plans to spend 4 million yuan on a new clean-up activity. Clean-up workers will also collect the bodies of dead climbers. About 200-250 bodies still remain on the mountain.

The local government is also setting up stations to sort(分类), recycle and break down garbage collected from the mountain. A group of artists will also try to turn the trash into artwork.

Our focus is for the mountain to be climbed in a scientific and green way.” said Sonam, secretary of the Tibet mountaineering association (登山协会).

The new limit on the number of climbers is an answer to a request from President Xi Jinping. In 2015, Xi called on people to protect the environment. He pointed that out for a second time this year, calling for the harmony between man and nature.

【推荐3】Li Shizhen (李时珍) was one of the most famous doctors in Chinese history.   He was born in Qichun, Hubei in 1518.

Both of Li Shizhen’s father and grandfather were doctors.   Li Shizhen’s grandfather was a country doctor who traveled in the countryside with a bag of herbs (药草) and medications and cured (治愈) people. His father was doctor who wrote several books.