1 . If you feel like you’re always the one who gets bitten first by mosquitoes or who gets bitten a lot more than others, do not think it’s an accident. There is science behind it. Here’s how it works.

When you breathe oxygen (O₂) in and carbon dioxide (CO₂) out, many blood-eating species are smart enough to use carbon dioxide as a sign that a coming meal is nearby. So your breathing is enough to draw mosquitoes to your general area.

But why do they seem to be aiming at you specifically? Well, the amount of CO₂ depends partly on your metabolism (新陈代谢). So if you’ve got a naturally high metabolic rate, you’re probably breathing out more carbon dioxide than others, and you attract more mosquitoes. You’ll also raise your metabolism by getting more active. So don’t be surprised if you end up with a bite or two after a tough hike or run.

Some of the things that attract mosquitoes sound unpleasant to you because you can hardly restrain them. You have no way to change it but to blame your unique physiology for making you so delicious to mosquitoes. The science shows that mosquitoes are more attracted to people with blood type O than people with type A or B.

The bacteria that naturally live on your skin can affect how many mosquitoes you attract, too. People who naturally have more bacteria on their skin tend to attract more mosquitoes, a scientist says.

Mosquitoes also use colors to find their hosts. Specifically, mosquitoes are more attracted to people wearing dark clothes. That might sound to be the opposite of what you would expect — most insects seem to love bright colors. But mosquitoes come out when it’s dark, and generally sec dark objects better than light ones. So a white or light-colored shirt may help lead them away from you.

Mosquitoes can spread serious diseases through blood. Hope the above may help you keep safer and healthier in summer.

4 . From amusement parks to delicious chocolate factories, and everything in between, there are numerous activities and attractions to offer excitement and adventure to kids and big kids! Just take a look at these fun places in Germany.

Europa Park

Localed in Rust, in south-western Germany, Europa-Park is the second most popular theme park resort(度假胜地)in Europe, following Disneyland Paris. With more than 100 attractions and shows, playing here is undoubtedly one of the best things to do with kids in Germany. Whether kids want to sail with the “African Queen” and have fun by discovering foreign animals, or experience the “4D Magic Cinema”, the opportunities are endless.

Fairy Tale Road

A family trip along Fairy Tale Road will be a magical adventure. This is one of Germany’s most attractive drives which takes you through 370 miles of beautiful countryside. It inspired many fairy tales we love today. Along the way, you will discover sleepy villages and numerous attractions. And if you plan your visit well, you might even catch an open-air performance of The Pied Piper in Hameln or Cinderella in Polle.

Neuschwanstein Castle

If your kids love Disney movies, they will never forget a trip to the palace that inspired Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. Located in the Bavarian Alps, Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the top attractions in Germany. The castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1869 entirely for pleasure. Your children’s imaginations will run wild as they discover the magical rooms. You can always hop on a charming horse-drawn carriage to reach the top.

Cologne Chocolate Museum

Let your kids go into the world of chocolate at the delicious Chocolate Museum in Cologne. They don’t need a golden ticket to make their sweet dreams come true in this 4,000-square-meter chocolate wonderland. There are nine exhibition areas that allow visitors to learn about the culture and history of chocolate. Moreover, there are plenty of delicious cakes and chocolate specialties to enjoy at the museum cafe. And before you go, ring up to check for your reservations (预订).

5 . When it comes to experiencing other cultures, there’s no doubt that traveling is one of the most effective ways. ____, if you don’t have the time, money, or energy to ____ a trip abroad, you have other choices. In fact, you probably don’t even need to ____ your hometown to ____ other cultures!

Given the great ____ of America today, chances are that even the people you meet every day represent a ____ range of cultural heritage and experiences. Your friends, neighbors, and co-workers may ____ people of different national, religious, or ethnic backgrounds, all within arm’s reach. Take the ____ to get to know more about them. You might be ____ at the variety of people living right next to you.

Other types of cultural exploration can be ____. Consider spending a weekend learning about a different culture by ____ some activities such as visiting your local museum, reading a book and trying new cuisine.

In the ____, you can learn about works of art from other countries, look at archaeological finds from distant lands and think about how they may have ____ particular cultures. Read a book that explains the history of different societies and how they’ve evolved (进化) into the culture they are today. That can help you ____ how their customs, traditions, and food got to be the way they are today. Even food offers chances to ____ cultural variety and how it is expressed through cuisine.

7 . William was one of my students. He was very _______ , loving plants and animals. And even though he_______his study, he never once _______. Besides, he often comforted others. There was_______he brought with him wherever he went.

Still, I couldn’t help but worry. Despite his_______, William’s grades showed no sign of improvement. But one day, when we studied the lifecycle of plants, William behaved _______. As a class project, each child planted a sunflower seed. It was_______for many of the students, but it took too long to see_______from daily watering. Gradually, most kids had little _______and even forgot to________their sunflowers-to-be. However, William made sure all the seeds were watered and nurtured (培育).

Later, William entered the third grade. Though I was happy for him, the worry________. Would third grade be too ________for him? Would his new teachers see how special he was? And I was unsure if the sunflowers had made it. But when I saw them, I was________.There, behind the library, stood William’s sunflowers. They were strong and faced the sun. This is what it means to be a teacher: To________our students and do our best to nurture them. At that moment, I knew I didn’t have to worry about William. One day, he would bloom (绽放) and________ －just like his sunflowers.

8 . Participating in photography competitions can bring you various benefits. The following are four great photography competitions you may want to attend this year.

Communication Arts Photography Competition

Most photo competitions come with cash prizes. This competition doesn’t. But it is still a respected competition. To be qualified (符合资格的), your images need to be first produced or published in a period from the previous March to this March. Each participant can present five images at most, and the images must be created for the same project. The winning images will spread worldwide in Communication Arts and on commarts.com.

Sony World Photography Awards

The competition provides winners with cash prizes as well as Sony equipment. Another great thing about this competition is its travelling exhibition. No matter which country you are in, you can always notice the winning images. Participants are allowed to present five to ten images. You will love this competition because it is free to enter, and you can choose from many different categories (类别).

Moscow International Foto Awards

The goal of the competition is to discover and recognize talented photographers worldwide and introduce them to the creative community in Russia. There is a discount on entry fees for students. Participants can enter up to twenty images, both individual images and photo series in any of its nine categories.

Nikon Small World

Being a long-standing camera producer, Nikon has been running this competition since 1975. This competition is all about photomicrography. Anyone can enter, and each participant can present three images. If you don’t feel like entering even if it is free, checkout the previous winners. The images are amazing, and that might just get you in the mood for application.

10 . Researchers were interested in the rock iguanas(鬣蜥) on the Exuma Islands which are often fed grapes by tourists. They were curious about how this high-sugar food might have influenced the iguanas’ health. Over the past two decades, the remote islands have seen a big increase in the number of tourists. Just 25 years ago, some of the islands had zero to 20 visitors a day. Now they receive more than 200 tourists each day.

The team collected 48 rock iguanas: 24 from islands that tourists don’t visit and 24 from islands frequently visited by tourists. They collected blood samples and found the iguanas from the islands where tourists frequently fed them had the highest glucose level. The researchers say the findings how possible health issues could affect the iguanas’ long-term survival, which leads to health concerns.

“A visitor to these islands would never doubt that the iguanas were doing fine. They are big, active, and plentiful on islands visited by tourists. These phenomena(现象) are possibly concealing internal health problems that can cause a rapid decrease in population, so we need to watch the activity closely and find out ways to deal with these problems,” said Chuck Knapp, an author of the study.

“We also hope that the finding will lead to a scientific way that also protects people who depend on tourism. Many tour operators show the wildlife to visitors, and our research can be used to inform strategies that area win-win for wildlife and tour operators,” said Knapp.

“The rock iguanas face many threats to their existence, such as loss of habitat and climate change. Many of these threats are very difficult to deal with, but controlling the influence of human activities like feeding is a simple way we can help the species,” says Falon Cartwright, the director of science and policy at Bahamas National Trust.