【推荐2】Mars(火星) is the fourth planet from Sun. It is home to both the highest mountain and the deepest, longest valley(山谷) in the solar system(太阳系). Olympus Mons, the highest mountain on Mars, is about 27 kilometers high, about three times as tall as Qomolangma. And the deepest valley on Mars reaches as deep as 10 kilometers and runs east west for about 4, 000 kilometers, about one fifth of the distance around Mars and close to the width of Australia.

Mars is much colder than Earth because it’s farther away from Sun. The highest temperature can reach 20℃ while the lowest can be as low as -140℃. Just like Earth, Sun gives Mars seasons. However, the seasons that Mars experiences are more extreme than Earth’s. For example, when Mars is farthest from Sun, the southern part of Mars experiences a very long and cold winter, about six months on Earth.

Mars lies farther from Sun than Earth does, so the Red Planet has a longer year—687 days compared to 365 for our home world. However, the two planets have similar day lengths, 24 hours and 40 minutes for Mars and 24 hours for Earth.

Mars is far from an easy planet to reach but many countries like the USA, Russia, China and Japan are always trying to send people there. Robots have got the tickets to Mars and it’s believed that Man will get the tickets by the 2030s, although it still remains a big challenge now. And scientists say it will take at least six months for people to travel to Mars.

【推荐1】Do you notice the music playing in the background when you’re shopping in a supermarket? Do you care about how fruits and vegetables are placed? Though we may not realize these, most of us do pay attention to things like colors, sounds and even smells when shopping. All of these will influence your shopping experience and make you buy more or something you don’t plan to buy.

The supermarkets want you to spend as much time as possible in the shop. They know that the longer you stay, the more you’ll see and want to buy. How do they do it? Once you enter a supermarket, it is not always easy to get out again. Most supermarkets have only one exit (出口). To find the way out, you’re forced to walk past many goods (货物) that are on sale.

Once you’re in the door, the first part you’ll see in most supermarkets is the fruit and vegetable area, which is full of smells and colors that make you hungry. So don’t go shopping when you’re hungry. And music also makes you want to buy more. One study found that people spend 34% longer shopping in shops where music is played.

In most supermarkets, many expensive goods are kept on shelves (架子) at eye level, where they are easily seen and reached. Cheaper goods are placed closer to the floor, so you have to bend down to get them.

If you want to get your shopping done efficiently (高效地), make a list and stick to it!

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【推荐3】Tug-of-war(拔河) is not only popular in China but in many other countries. Their tug-of-war match is a little different from ours. They have eight men for each team, while we may have the match between two sides with equal men or women players. Of course, they are usually tall, strong and heavy.

For a tug-of-war match, we need a long thick rope. Each team stands at one end of the rope, holding it. Then they try to pull the centre of the rope, marked in the ground towards each of their own sides. The team which succeeds(成功) in pulling the centre of the rope away through a certain distance is the winner.

Many foreign sports experts(专家) think we don’t have to be tall, heavy and strong to play tug-of-war. We don’t have endless energy, for a mach lasts only a few minutes. The secret is good hands. The players must have big, strong, hard hands. Before they start the match, they put mixture of oil and petrol on their hands so they can hold the rope better.

Many foreign experts say the best hand for tug-of-war belongs to the sons of farmers. This is because they have to work hard when they’re still young. Farming is a good practice for this sport!