5 . Although he is one of China’s most famous scientists, Yuan Longping considers himself a farmer, for he works the land to do his research. Indeed, his ______ face and arms and his slim, strong body are just like those of millions of Chinese ______, for whom he has ______ for the past fifty years. Yuan Longping ______ what is called super hybrid rice. In 1973, he became the first ______ pioneer in the world to grow rice that has a high ______. This special strain of rice makes it possible to produce 20% more of the ______ in the same fields. Now more than 60% of the rice ______ in China each year is from this hybrid strain.

Born in 1930, Yuan Longping ______ from Southwest Agricultural College in 1953. Since then, finding ways to grow more rice has been his life ______. As a young man, he saw the great need for ______ the rice output. At that time, hunger was a ______ problem in many parts of the countryside. Yuan Longping searched for a way to increase rice harvests without ______ the area of the fields. In 1950, Chinese farmers could produce about fifty-six million tons of rice. ______, in a recent harvest, nearly two hundred million tons of ______ was produced. These increased harvests mean that 22% of the world ‘s people are ______ from just 7% of the farmland in the world. Yuan Longping is now ______ his knowledge in India, Vietnam and many other less developed countries to increase their rice harvests. ______ his research, the UN has more tools in the battle to rid the world of ______. Using his hybrid rice, farmers are producing ______ twice as large as before.

6 . Humor is important for both kids and adults. The ability to see the humor in an upsetting situation is a valuable skill. So, what should parents do to develop their kids’ sense of humor?    1    

Start the laughter early.

The big smiles that come after parents play jokes with babies are helping the children grow and learn. Teach kids the importance of connections. That’s because being able to understand the funny parts of jokes actually requires children to make connections.     2    

Help them see the funny in a difficult situation.

    3     But it’s a useful skill. We are faced with changes on a daily basis. When you can laugh about unexpected challenges, you know you can face those challenges and even find solutions. Are children stressed while studying? Help them make up a joke or funny poem to remember the material.

Keep their screen time to a minimum (最低限度).

Watching social media videos may feel like an easy way to share a funny moment, but it isn’t the best way for children.     4     It helps children become creators in humor, not simply receivers of it.

    5    

If kids cross a line when trying out a joke, remind them that a joke isn’t funny if it causes pain to others. When the impact of humor is hurtful, the humor is not suitable. With parents’ help, children can learn to tell the difference between harmful humor and truly funny stuff.

7 . A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Northern California coast on Monday, bringing significant shaking but likely slight damage to the less-populated area.

The earthquake occurred just after noon and was centered off the coast about 337 kilometers northwest of San Francisco, just off a tiny town called Petrolia that’s home to fewer than 1,000 people. The nearest population center, Eureka, is about 72 kilometers north. That left only about 25,000 people in the range of strong or very strong shaking, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), though residents as far away as Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area reported feeling trembling.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s office of emergency services closed a few roads. The USGs said the earthquake caused losses about less than $ 10 million and no deaths had been reported. The area last suffered an earthquake of a similar magnitude in 1993, when one person died.

“The shaking lasted for about 20 seconds. Glass bottles fell off the shelves at the store, breaking into pieces on the floor, but no one was hurt,” Petrolia General Store manager Jane Dexter said. “It was bigger than anything I’ve felt in my life, ” she added.

California’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) said 2,500 people were told about the earthquake before shaking began through the state’s early warning system called My Shake. “It is a very useful tool to announce warning tips. It saved us indeed. Yet, we still have to remain very careful...as large aftershocks (余震) will occur along the North Coast over the next few days, ” OES Director Mark Ghilarducci said in a statement.

9 . For centuries people have wondered who was the model for Leonard do da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and what was the reason for her smile. But the Mona Lisa is just one of the many mysteries in the art world. Here are some other notable unsolved art mysteries that might be a little less familiar.

Mystery 1: Who Is the girl in Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring?

Around 1665, Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer painted a charming portrait of a young girl. People around the globe have long wondered who this fetching young lady was. Many say she must have been Vermeer’s daughter or girlfriend. Others think she wasn’t a real person, but rather an intentionally mysterious, timeless figure. The painting, referred to as the “ Mona Lisa of the North ” , has been part of The Hague’s permanent collection since 1903. But it draws record-breaking crowds whenever and wherever it tours around the world.

Mystery 2: Where Is Raphael’s Portrait of a Young Man?

Portrait of a Young Man is considered one of the most important pieces of art to go missing during World War II. The painting was created around 1513 by Raphael, a famous Italian Renaissance artist, and stolen from Poland’s Princes Czartoryski Museum in 1939.

The portrait had traveled to Germany and Austria before it was gone in 1945.

Mystery 3: Was Van Gogh Murdered?

One of the main things people know about Vincent van Gogh is that he cut off his ear. That was likely because the Dutch post-impressionist painter suffered from mental illness, probably severe depression. The official cause is suicide from a gun shot at close range.

That certainly seems plausible (貌似有理的), given his poor mental health. However, no gun was found near his body, and locals reported two teenage boys bullying him shortly before his death.

10 . The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and University of Central Lanca-shire (UCLan) share findings of a project to improve student engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

It’s long been acknowledged that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are under-represented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers. Now, research conducted by UCLan and funded by STFC shows the causes of this problem and points to innovative solutions. The Blackpool Physics; Inspire, Engage, Research (PIER) project found that primary school children from low socio-economic areas are just as interested in science but lack knowledge about possible science careers.

The PIER project is following a group of pupils as they progress from Grade 6 to Grade 9, using surveys, interviews and other assessments to measure interest in science. These initial findings suggest that attempts to increase science participation among young people should not simply promote the subject as “fun” or “interesting”. Instead, greater impact could be achieved by demonstrating clearly how science can open possible future career opportunities.

Many of the pupils taking part in the study understood that studying science could be useful but few could explain why, suggesting a need for greater education about STEM careers. As well as broadening our understanding of the issue, the PIER project is solving the problem head on. The team has carried out a variety of activities each year for the participants, including “meet the scientists” events, trips to UCLan’s Alston Observatory as well as family science events at school.

Lead Researcher and STFC Fellow in Public Engagement, Professor Robert Walsh, said, “Much government policy towards boosting science in higher education focuses on an assumed lack of interest and desire in low-socioeconomic groups.” However, the enthusiasm is already there and this “hidden science identity” needs to be revealed and translated into real-life prospects for these young people. We’re recommending that programs instead allow young people to explore their science identity more fully and provide innovative ways to discover the jobs that studying science may lead to.