1 . We humans can express feelings by telling others how we feel, but what about arqimals? How can we tell whether they experience sadness or happiness? Over the past 20 years, researchers have made great progress in this field.

It’s very hard for us to understand the feelings of animals, because they cannot tell us how they feel. However, we can know how they feel by some of their representations (表现) . The easiest reaction(反应) that an animal can feel about something is to change its behavior(s). Humans often change looks and actions depending on whether they experience a happy thing or not. Animals show these special looks as well. For example, changes in the ear place or the amount (量) of the white part of the eyes can show different levels of pain or fear of animals. It is important to remember that the looks of animals are usually different from those of humans. Their joy might not be shown by a smile, and sadness may not be followed by tears.

Another example of animal actions that is connected to feelings is vocalizations (发声) , which can show stress of many different animals. We know this is true for humans, too. Imagine you are singing a song in front of many people, and your voice might shake if you are nervous. Researchers have found that the vocalizations of pigs, sheep and cows also change and get less smooth when these animals are nervous, for example, when they are separated from the group.

It seems that animals react to their environments as much as humans do. So, we can guess that animals have rich feelings. This might encourage us to rethink the environments where we raise the animals, such as farms, zoos or our houses. If we can better understand how animals react to their environments, we can improve these environments as well as human-animal relationshies.

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2 . As you read this passage, you probably have in front of you some paper, a pen and at least one pencil. Have you ever wondered how they were first made and where they come from?

The word “paper” comes from the name “papyrus”, a plant. The ancient Egyptians took the soft centre of this plant and added water to make a wet mixture which was then pressed together and hung up to dry. The resulting paper was strong yet flexible and was used as writing material in Greek and Roman times. However, it was the Chinese who invented what we now know as paper. The method, in use over 2,000 years ago, also included pressing and drying wet material to form paper. Many materials were used. It was not until the 19th century that paper became easy to make and cheap to buy.

The earliest pens were hollow reeds (空心芦苇) that were put into ink to produce a form of writing. By the 6th century BC, feathers had replaced the reeds and feathers continued to be used until the appearance of the metal nib (笔尖). The ballpoint pen was developed in the second half of the 20th century by theHungarian Biro brothers.

From the time of the Romans, a metal stick, made of lead (铅), was used to write on papyrus. The lead left only a light mark and was later replaced by another soft metal, called graphite (石墨). Unlike lead, graphite produced a much harder and heavier line. The graphite sticks, however, broke very easily. So anItalian couple invented something a little like our modern pencil.

7 . The elephant-foot drum is one of the most famous musical instruments of the Dai ethnic group. It got its name because it looks like the white elephant’s leg. The drum-making skill was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) in 2011.

The elephant-foot drum dance is very popular among the Dai people. It can be danced by one or two people or a group of people. It is often performed during festivals. This form of dance was at first used to scare off evil and welcome the new year. Now it is a way for the Dai people to show their joy as well as their village culture. It also shows that Dai people are gentle, simple, hospitable (热情好客的) and inclusive (包容的).

Xie Wenping, 32, used to follow his grandfather who made elephant-foot drums for a living to learn how to make a drum. “I wanted to make more and better drums when I grew up.” Xie said.

While elephant-foot drums carry great cultural meaning, making an elephant-foot drum takes many steps and a long time. “Making an elephant-foot drum takes about 30 steps and one month,” Xie explained.

The work of making the drum is dull (沉闷的), but whenever Xie sees his grandfather’s smile while making the drum, he feels encouraged again. “Over the years, the number of craftsmen skilled in making elephant-foot drums has become smaller,” Xie said. “I feel like it’s my responsibility (责任) to carry it on.”

Xie tries to get more people to know about the drum. “I was thinking about how the drum is big and difficult to carry around. How could I make it easier for the elephant-foot drum to spread outside Yunnan and let more people know it?” Xie said. He came up with the idea of making key chains shaped like the elephant-foot drum. “Tourists love them!” Xie said.

Cats or Dogs! These can be fighting words, depending on who you’re talking to.

Clearly, there are dog people and there are cat people. Dog people prefer (更喜欢) dogs and think they are “man’s best friends”, while cat people like cats because they think cats are elegant and independent. Sometimes the two groups even argue with each other.

Dogs seem to be winning the battle. An Associated Press poll (民意调查) in 2018 showed that people in the US liked dogs more than cats. As much as 74 percent said they liked dogs “a lot” but only 41 percent said the same thing about cats. The 2018 White Paper on China’s Pet Industry also showed that there were around 11 million more dog owners than cat owners in Chinese cities.

However, cats seem to get more attention online. There are even some new slang terms to refer to them. Cats are described as “masters” (喵主子). Even those who don’t have pet cats are doing something called “cloud cat petting” (“云吸猫”), which refers to (指) viewing pictures and videos of cats online.

An article in The Guardian pointed out that dog owners usually go outside to play with their pets or their neighbors’ dogs. But since cats are mainly indoor animals, they are more likely to stay at home. The Internet has become a virtual (虚拟的) “cat park” for cat owners.

But it doesn’t really matter if you prefer cats or dogs. Having a connection with any animal can make us feel good.

9 . Walking slowly out of the classroom by himself to the dining room; taking his lunch, sitting and eating alone at a table of four seats, such moments are pretty normal to be seen on the 14-year-old schoolboy, Peter. He spends most of his school time on his own, which leads his parents to worry about him so much.

His parents’ worries are easy to understand. It is widely accepted that being alone is a symbol of being left out and can bring a lot of trouble. Most people believe teenagers who are usually alone do have few friends and are unable to fit in with other people. At the same time, they are at greater risk of having mental (心理的) problems.

However, a new study by some researchers at Wilmington College, shows that this may not always be true. Whether it is bad for teenagers or not depends on the reasons why teenagers are alone. If it is their choice, it may play an active role in their personal growth.

According to their study, when teenagers choose to think alone, they put 100% of their attention into what is in their mind and are more likely to experience deeper thoughts and feelings than working with others. They may have a greater chance to create something new. In this way they can better develop their creativity (创造力).

On the other hand, the on-going noise children’s brains receive every day can put great stress on them and make it hard for them to focus (专注). Being alone lets them shut themselves of from the noisy outside world and think about what’s best for them. Slowly they improve their ability to focus.

As a matter of fact, our culture is always biased (偏见的) against being alone. Maybe it is the right time for us to rethink about Peter’s situation before we say what’s happening to him.

10 . Our lives have become mare digital (数字的) in the modern world. We can study, find information and chat with friends through computers and phones. However, spending a lot of time working, reading, texting and gaming through digital devices (设备) is bad for our eyes.

According to the American Optometric Association, 70 to 75 percent of computer workers have eye problems.

Digital eyestrain (眼睛疲劳) is one of the most common problems. People with digital eyestrain may get headaches, dry and red eyes, eye pain and other problems.

These problems have started to increase among children. “Children get cellphones at younger ages and are using them very often during the day,” Sarah Hinkley, spokeswoman (女发言人) for the American Optometric Association, told USA Today.

The good news is that there are many things you can do to reduce digital eyestrain.

When using a computer, first sit in your chair and reach out your arm. Your hand should rest comfortably on the screen, as if you’re high-fiving the screen. Increase text size until your eyes feel comfortable.

When you are using a mobile phone, keep it at least 34 cm from your eyes and just below eye level. Try not to use it under sunlight.

Remember to take a 20-20-20 break: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet (about 6 meters) away.