1 . Dave Hall led Surprise Squad, an organization to bring surprise to those in need, on a mission to spread joy at a local Albertsons store. Their _________ was simple yet influential: to pay for the groceries of _________ customers. Among the customers was Stephanie, a disabled veteran(退伍军人)who relied on her wheelchair.

She _________ to Dave that she was shopping for food for herself and her dogs. She was down to her last $50,_________ of how she would manage after that. Dave, thrilled to help, paid for all her groceries, a _________ that left Stephanie extremely grateful.

Dave _________ a man standing beside Stephanie. _________ mistaken for her husband, Larry turned out to be a friend of Stephanie’s husband and a fellow veteran. Despite his own financial _________, Larry was determined to support Stephanie.

He stood in the checkout _________ with just a bottle of dish soap and a piece of candy—all he could afford. Dave, moved by Larry’s situation, __________ buying him groceries. Larry’s eyes were filled with tears as Dave accompanied Larry back into the shelves, filling a __________ with food and toiletries(洗漱用品), far more than Larry had __________that day. As they finished checking out, Larry __________ that he had never spent so much on groceries before. The gratitude and emotion on his face were __________.

He thanked Dave wholeheartedly and left the store, carrying not just groceries but a moment of __________ that would never fade.

2 . Compared to robots, human bodies are flexible, capable of fine movements, and can change energy efficiently into movement. Drawing inspiration from human gait, researchers from Japan crafted a two-legged biohybrid robot by combining muscle tissues and artificial materials. This method allows the robot to walk and pivot.

“Research on biohybrid robots, which are a mix of biology and mechanics, is recently attracting attention as a new field of robotics featuring biological function,” says corresponding author Shoji Takeuchi of the University of Tokyo, Japan. “Using muscles as actuators allows us to build a compact robot and achieve efficient, silent movements with a soft touch.”

The research team’s two-legged robot, an innovative bipedal design, builds on the legacy of biohybrid robots that take advantage of muscles. Muscle tissues have driven biohybrid robots to crawl and swim straight forward and make turns—but not sharp ones. Yet, being able to pivot and make sharp turns is an essential feature for robots to avoid obstacles.

To build a nimbler robot with fine and delicate movements, the researchers designed a biohybrid robot that copies human gait and operates in water. By alternating the electric stimulation between the left and right leg every 5 seconds, the biohybrid robot successfully “walked” at the speed of 5.4m m/min(0.002 mph). To turn, researchers repeatedly zapped the right leg every 5 seconds while the left leg served as an anchor.

The robot made a 90-degree left turn in 62 seconds. The findings showed that the muscle-driven bipedal robot can walk, stop, and make fine-tuned turning motions.

“Currently, we are manually moving a pair of electrodes to apply an electric field individually to the legs, which takes time,” says Takeuchi. “In the future, by integrating the electrodes into the robot, we expect to increase the speed more efficiently.

The team also plans to give joints and thicker muscle tissues to the bipedal robot to enable more complicated and powerful movements.

4 . Great whites, the largest predatory(捕食性的)sharks in the world with the most fatal attacks on humans, are tough to imagine as newborn babies. That is partially because no one has seen one in the wild, it seems, until now.

Wildlife filmmaker Carlos Gauna and UC Riverside biology doctoral student Phillip Sternes were scanning the waters for sharks on July 9, 2023, near Santa Barbara on California’s central coast. That day, something exciting appeared on the viewfinder of Gauna’s drone camera. It was a shark pup(幼崽)unlike any they’d ever seen.

“We enlarged the images, put them in slow motion, and realized the white layer was being shed(脱落)from the body as it was swimming,” Sternes said. “I believe it was a newborn white shark shedding its embryonic layer.”

These observations are documented in a new paper in the Environmental Biology of Fishes journal. What Gauna and Sternes observed could help solve the longstanding mystery of great white birthing habits. This may well be the first evidence we have of a pup in the wild. Great whites, referred to only as white sharks by scientists, are gray on the top and white on the bottom. But this roughly 5-foot-long shark was pure white.

Though the paper authors acknowledge it is possible that the white layer the shark shed could have been a skin condition, the two believe what they saw was in fact a newborn great white. First, great white females give birth to live pups. A second reason is the presence of large, likely pregnant great whites in this location. Finally, this location off the coast of central California has long been proposed as a birthing location for great whites. Many scholars believe great whites are born farther out at sea.

Great whites are listed as an international endangered species. “Further research is needed to confirm these waters are indeed a great white breeding ground. But if it does, we would want lawmakers to step in and protect these waters to help white sharks keep thriving,” Sternes said.

5 . It’s time to put your worries aside and pack your bags for some of the top most relaxing places for holidays for 2024.

Relaxing holidays in Kos are all about blending soft sand beaches, sparkling water, lush green interiors, and history hunting. The coast is perfect for long leisurely walks on the beach, sunbathing in the Greek sunshine, and wallowing in the warm water. History buffs are in for a treat with some of the best historic architecture in Greece. Kos is home to abundant Roman ruins and a 15th-century castle that is ideal for an afternoon of exploring.

The vast untouched landscape has made Lanzarote one of the most popular holiday destinations because it is truly somewhere you can relax in peace, with nothing but soft sandy beaches and the ideal water for first-time ocean swimmers. Family holidays to Lanzarote are as accommodating as parents could wish for, offering a host of fantastic family-friendly fun for all ages.

As the greenest of the Greek islands, you’re in for a treat with over two million olive trees, rolling green hills, and pine forests that blanket the island in emerald beauty. Finding the perfect mix of history hunting, nature exploration, and relaxation is all within reach on a luxury Corfu holiday. The old towns, harbours, and traditional hostels will have you relax and enjoy the best of the Greek islands in no time.

For a cultural holiday filled with exquisite architecture, national parks with untouched natural wonders, and long stretches of coastline, look no further than holidays in Rovinj. Located in the north of Croatia, Rovinj offers some of the best opportunities to explore the unique and moving culture. The town is home to narrow cobbled streets overlooking the ocean, with shops, galleries, and restaurants dotted throughout, bringing you the best of Croatia.

6 . There were eight children in my family, and we never had enough money. Meeting basic needs was a constant ________ for us. I got my first pair of ________ when I attended Senior High because I was awarded a scholarship since I performed well ________ in first grade. That enabled my parents to buy me shoes since we were ________ from the schooling fees (学费).

The first day when I walked in my new shoes, each step felt ________ beneath me. The shoes, simple and strong, protected me from the roughness of the path. To me, they were not just shoes but a symbol of ________ — through hard work and determination, I could ________ my situation.

The day I turned 18, I stood before my parents, my heart heavy with a(n) ________ that would shape my future. I told them I determined to leave home to ________ my dreams, which were bigger than what we had known here and that I wanted to change our ________. In my father’s eyes, I could see a ________ of sadness and understanding. After what seemed to be as long as a century, he nodded yes. My mother too blessed my journey. I stepped into the ________, carrying the dreams of generations with me. No matter how difficult things turned out to be, I never gave up. Years later, I started my own business and succeeded ________.

Although the first shoes are now ________, I keep them in my office as a witness of the long and hard journey from those barefoot days to now. They ________ me that hard work does pay off.

7 . I’m an online columnist. A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about my life, ending up receiving some _________ reviews on a regular basis. I have become _________ used to being criticized like that. In the following days, I was also surprised when more lovely words _________ in. They told me that my running adventures had _________ them to go out to work out. Yet more _________ me for giving tips on the mental health issues they had also experienced. I have been so touched by all these people.

As an online columnist for ages, I have constantly encountered _________ readers. A lady was _________ about my daughter when she was hospitalized and a gentleman offered to _________ me for my training when I was badly off. There was also a couple who sent me a jar of home-made marmalade when they read about my _________, in the hope of cheering me up. As I thought about __________ of these kind people, I wondered why our brains are programmed to focus on the bad things __________ all the lovely ones.

At that moment, I’ve realized we don’t have the luxury of negativity. Our life is too short to be __________ by it. To stop engaging in it, the key is our __________ to be dragged down by it. In that spirit, I’ve __________ that from now on, I’m only going to focus on the positive. I’ll keep a file on my cellphone containing all __________ for me, and look at them when times get tough.

9 . It’s a sunny March afternoon at Winchester Village Elementary School in Indianapolis, and teacher Natasha Cummings is leading her class in a brand new lesson. It’s the first time she’s teaching it and also likely the last. The second graders audibly take a short quick breath when Cummings explains the day’s activity: They’ll be simulating(a total solar eclipse (日全食) using the real sun, an inflatable globe and a moon made out of a play dough ball mounted on a stick.

On April 8, a narrow strip of North America will experience a total solar eclipse, in which the moon entirely covers the sun, darkening the sky so that only the sun’s corona, a ghostly white ring, will be visible. Indianapolis is one of several cities in the path of totality. The last time that happened was over 800 years ago, and it won’t happen again until 2153. For many of Cummings’ students, this event is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Cummings hopes learning about and witnessing the eclipse will inspire her students, and get them excited about science. It’s an experience she expects them to remember for the rest of their lives. “This is a story you’re gonna be able to tell,” she reflects before class.

In a grassy area outside the school, Cummings’ eclipse simulation begins: Students take turns holding the inflatable globes, and casting a shadow with their play dough moons. Cummings directs them to aim the shadow over the spot on the globe where Indianapolis would be. It’s a little chaotic, but the students quickly figure out how to properly position the moon’s shadow over their hometown.

Thomas Hockey, a professor of astronomy at the University of Northern Iowa, says he didn’t learn about solar eclipses when he was in grade school. He thinks the fact that elementary school teachers like Cummings are now teaching about them is an indication that science education has improved since he was a child. "Science is not done by old, gray-haired people in lab coats, necessarily. Citizens can participate in it. It’s not a magic black box; it’s all around us,” Hockey says.

10 . Pre-book Rome’s top local attractions with one easy solution for skip-the-line tours in Rome.

Highlights

◆The most flexible Rome sightseeing pass available — save 30% by booking together.

◆Three fully-guided priority-access tours to the most popular sites in Rome and Vatican (梵蒂冈).

Description

When in Rome, there are certain sites you simply cannot miss. Let’s face it. It’s not every day that you have a chance to explore iconic sites such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Sistine Chapel to name a few. Check them all off your wish list with one easy sightseeing pass!

What’s included

◆Our Vatican City experience is a hand-picked comprehensive journey including entry to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Papal Crypts beneath it. We will concentrate on the grand Sistine Chapel, from its construction to the finishing touches applied by none other than Michelangelo Buonarroti. Skip-the-line access is provided at the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.

◆Enter the Colosseum in the footsteps of gladiators (角斗士) and imagine what it feel alike to be at the thrilling scene. Wander at the ancient temples and ruins of the Roman Forum while learning about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Skip-the-line access is provided at both the Colosseum and Roman Forum.

Cancellation policy

◆Tours depart rain or shine unless otherwise specified.

◆All cancellations must be received in emailing. Tours and passes will be refunded (退款) if canceled more than 24 hours before the tour start time. However, the following penalties (惩罚) apply:

For tours entering the Vatican Museums and/or the Colosseum, 30 dollars per person for each venue will not be returned.

No refunds will be made for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice or failure to arrive at the meeting point on time or to appear at all.