1 . Vitamins, minerals, and multivitamin supplements won’t protect you from cancer, heart disease, or help you live longer, the US preventive Services Task Force said in the new guidelines released Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association on June 21.

Following the release of the previous guidelines in 2014, the Task Force reviewed 84 studies testing vitamins in almost 700,000 people, including 52 new studies.

However, the conclusion is still the same as that of 2014: If you are a healthy adult who is not pregnant, there is not enough evidence of benefits to expand one’s life in taking vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin A, calcium tablets, carotene (胡萝卜素), vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin C and other supplements. The Task Force does not recommend taking carotene supplements to prevent cardiovascular (心血管) disease or cancer, with enough evidence that it “may increase the risk of death, the death rate of cardiovascular disease and the risk of lung cancer”. Nor should people take vitamin E, “because vitamin E is not likely to be beneficial in reducing death, cardiovascular disease or cancer risk,” the Task Force said.

“Lifestyle recommendations for preventing chronic diseases (慢性病) should continue to focus on evidence-based methods, including balanced meals rich in fruits and vegetables and physical activity,” Dr. Jeffrey Linder, Director of General Internal Medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University in Chicago, wrote in an additional commentary.

Take the Mediterranean diet for example. Eating the Mediterranean way, which focuses on a plant-based diet, physical activity and social engagement, can reduce the risk for high cholesterol, dementia (痴呆), memory loss, depression and breast cancer. And numerous studies found meals from the sunny Mediterranean region have also been linked to weight loss, stronger bones, a healthier heart and longer life.

Another evidence-based approach is the DASH diet, which stands for “dietary approaches to stop hypertension (高血压)”. Many studies have shown that this diet successfully reduces hypertension. Both the Mediterranean and DASH diets avoid processed foods and focus on fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

“Rather than focusing money, time, and attention on supplements, it would be better to emphasize lower-risk, higher-benefit activities...following a healthy diet, getting exercise, maintaining a health y weight, and avoiding smoking,” Linder and his colleagues wrote.

However, certain groups of people do need to take specific vitamins. Some seniors may need vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 supplements because they absorb fewer vitamins from food as they age. Because the elderly often have less sun exposure than younger people, they may need vitamin D supplements, but the dosage must be checked by the doctor, as too much vitamin D intake can be harmful.

2 . Mount Everest (珠穆朗玛峰), located in Asia, is the highest mountain in the world. Many climbers have tried to climb to the top of Mount Everest’s about 29,028-foot peak and about 900 people have _________ the climb to Mount Everest’s summit. One of the most successful climbers is Erik Weihenmayer because of his _________.

Erik Weihenmayer was _________ an eye disorder. As a child his eyesight became _________ and then he lost his sight eventually. However, he did not lose his _________ to lead a full and active life. Erik began climbing when he was 16. Having climbed the tallest mountains on five continents, Erik became the first blind person to reach the peak of Mount Everest.

_________ the age of 32, Erik began his climb as part of a team. His team wore bells that he could follow during his climb, and fellow climbers could quickly warn him of such things as a big drop on the right or a big stone to the left. Erik _________ his own method for climbing mountains. He also carries two long climbing poles to feel his way _________ him. Erik is a good team member. He does his _________ of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls.

During his climb, Erik faced many dangers. He __________ through 100 m.p.h winds and sliding masses of snow, ice and rock. Because the air became thinner the higher Erik climbed, he wore an oxygen __________ that helped him breathe as he climbed higher. It took Erik about two-and a-half months to reach the top of the mountain.

Although he couldn’t __________ the view, Erik felt the __________ of being on the summit of Everest. He hopes that his success will change __________ people think about the blind. “When people think about a blind person, now they will think about a person standing on top of the __________.”

3 . Several years ago, a worldwide heavy rain was predicted, but no one got prepared for what was to come. Then, some areas received over 100 mm of rain. Cars and trucks floated down the streets. Whole buildings were swept away. At least 225 people lost their lives, and millions became homeless.

The weather is always changing. Over the past few years, heavy rains have led to floods in many parts of the world. Droughts have taken place in Brazil and Australia. There have been heat waves in Europe which killed thousands. There have been more powerful hurricanes and tornadoes than ever before. In 2017 alone, the financial cost from global weather events was up to 340 billion dollars.

With more wild weather events happening, people couldn’t help asking questions: What is happening with the weather? And why? Is this natural, or our fault? The answer seems to be: a little of both. Wild weather is natural. But most scientists hold the same view that human activity has made the Earth warmer. It is this global warming that makes heat waves more likely. The higher temperatures also result in more water to go into the air, which causes heavier and more frequent rain. Many scientists also believe global warming makes hurricanes and other storms stronger.

This means we’re likely to see more wild weather. “But we don’t have to just stand there and accept it,” says scientist Michael. He and other experts say we need to stop the Earth from getting warmer. We also need to be prepared, to do things that will help save lives.

5 . Seven Bays Rock Climbing Gym is owned by Richard Avenz, the world-class rock climber who also owns the famous Climbing Gym Subway. Seven Bays Rock Climbing Gym is a 6,000-square-foot gym on Gothelm Street that hosts a 200-foot -long climbing wall and a cafe, where you can relax before or after climbing, or simply sit and watch your friends go for it.

Rock Climbing is also about the people you meet, as much as the climbing itself. Our gym is the perfect place for climbers to meet and share experiences. There are lessons seven days a week on the smaller wall and when someone is ready, they are let loose on the main wall, but always under observation. We have a great safety record and intend to keep it that way.

The gym is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but lessons are between 12 to 6 p.m. You can get a student package for 700 pounds a month and there are also yearly deals, but daily or weekly deals are not provided.

Probably one of the best things the gym offers is weekend trips for many experienced climbers. You can get out and try a real rock face at the cost of 150 pounds. We arrange hotel accommodation for overnight and it’s free of charge. It’s a lot of fun. It’s a great way to meet people, strengthen your body and become part of the rock climbing community.

6 . A team of researchers at the University of Cambridge have created an innovative floating device that uses solar power to transform polluted water or seawater into clean hydrogen (氢气) fuel and purified water.

This device is particularly beneficial for areas with limited resources or without access to the electricity, as it can operate with any open water source and does not rely on external power sources.

It takes its inspiration from photosynthesis, the process by which plants turn sunlight into food. However, unlike earlier versions of the “artificial leaf”, which could produce green hydrogen fuel from clean water sources, this new device operates from polluted or seawater sources and can produce clean drinking water-at the same time.

“In remote or developing regions, where clean water is relatively scarce and the basic facilities necessary for water purification are not readily available, water splitting (分解) is extremely difficult,” said Ariffin Mohamad Annuar, a member of the research team. “The device that could work using polluted water could solve two problems at once: it could split water to make clean fuel, and it could make clean drinking water.”

The device that can make clean fuel and clean water at once using solar power alone could help address the energy and the water crises facing so many parts of the world. For example, the indoor air pollution caused by cooking with “dirty” fuels, such as kerosene, is responsible for more than three million deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization. Cooking with green hydrogen instead could help reduce that number significantly.

“It’s such a simple design as well: in just a few steps, we can build a device that works well on water from a wide variety of sources,” said Ariffin Mohamad Annuar. “In addition, the new device uses more of the sun’s energy. The light-driven process for making solar fuels only uses a small portion of the solar spectrum (光谱) — there’s a whole lot of the spectrum that goes unused.”