3 . Nowadays, video gaming has made impressive gains in the field of standardized competition. One of the fashionable debates is whether competitive video games are sports or not. If cyberathletes are competing against formal teams in a formal environment, with real titles and monetary stakes on the line, it seems strange not to consider the activity a sport. However, unless something technologically odd gains complete control over our world in the next few decades, they never should be. Cyberathletes and eSports aren’t incomparable to traditional athletes and sports because they require less physical exertion or dedication. They are incomparable because they are different from traditional sports in a number of ways.

Traditional sports are steadfast, and consistent in their structures and mechanics. A professional American football player from any past decade could be transplanted into a current football field, and would only have to be told of a few minor rule changes. The player would know what to do, where to go, and how to accomplish the ultimate goal. He may need to learn a few new plays, but it’s fundamentally the same game. However, competitive video gaming has a variety of goals, and those goals are fluid and dynamic. A competitive video gamer from decades past might be aware of the final goal (winning the game, capturing the flag, eliminating the opposing team, etc.), but the execution (执行方式) would be completely foreign. Controls change, maps change, locations change, even the minute rules are adjusted on a regular basis. As a competitive video gamer, one needs to adapt to a much more aggressive ruleset than most sports or other games. Therefore the video game competitions are less likely to be properly regulated.

Most traditional sports are approachable by Everyman, even the esoteric(深奥的) ones, at least in an educational setting, where budgets and funding are set for them. While home computers are widely accessible, a large percentage of the gaming population is unable to participate in competitive gaming due to the high-standard computing requirements. Even decade-old competitive games like Counter-Strike 1.6 require more equipment and gear than most traditional sports. A pick-up game of basketball, football, or soccer is far more accessible than a pick-up game of Counter-Strike.

Traditional sports are embedded in our culture for good reasons: they offer an entertaining diversion and a great form of physical activity for millions of worldwide fans. The principles and lessons gleaned from traditional sports emphasize teamwork, collaboration, and critical evaluations of any given game setting. While many of these lessons are applicable to competitive gaming, competitive video gamers are still distancing themselves from competing for “sport” status, when their pastime and trade is so fundamentally different and ever-changing at such a regular pace.

5 . John H. Johnson was born in a black family in Arkansas City in 1918. His father died in an accident when John was six. He was reaching high school age, but his hometown offered no high school for blacks.

Luckily, he had strong-willed(意志坚强的), caring mother. John remembers that his mother told him many times, “Son, you can be anything you really want to be if you just believe. She told him not to be dependent on(依靠) others, including his mother. “You have to earn success,” said she. “All the people who work hard don’t succeed, but the only people who do succeed are those who work hard.”

These words came from a woman less than a third grade education. She also knew that believing and hard work don’t mean everything. So she worked hard as a cook for two years to save enough to take her son—then 15—to Chicago.

Chicago in1933 was not the promised land(乐土、希望之地) that black southerners were looking for, John’s mother and stepfather could not find work. But there John could go to school, and there he learned the power of words—as editor of the newspaper and yearbook of Du Stable High School. His wish was to publish a magazine for blacks.

While others discouraged(阻止、使气馁) him, John’s mother offered him more words to live by: “Nothing beats a failure but a try.” She also let him pawn(典当) her furniture(家具) to get the $500 he needed to start the Negro magazine.

It is natural the difficulties and failures followed John closely until he became very successful. He always keeps his mother’s words in mind. “Son, failure is not in your vocabulary.”

Now John H. Johnson is one of the 400 richest people in America—worth $150 million.

6 . Plastic pollution has long been a problem, but now it's gotten to a new height literally. Microplastic, referring to plastic fragments and particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter, have been found on Mount Qomolangma as high as 8,440 meters above sea level, just 408.86 meters below the peak of the mountain, according to a recent study published in the journal One Earth.

“These are the highest microplastics ever discovered so far.” lead author Imogen Napper from the University of Plymouth, UK, said in a statement. Scientists collected snow and water samples from 19 different locations from 4,200 meters above sea level all the way up to the summit of Mount Qomolangma. They found microplastics in all the water samples and part of the snow samples. The most polluted sample was from the Base Camp in Nepal, where most human activities on the mountain are concentrated. It had 79 particles of microplastics per liter of snow.

But how have these fragments made it all this way and in such a great abundance? The answer is apparent human activities. It is climbers who bring plastic products to the mountain. Even if they don't litter, just walking for 20 minutes or opening a bottle of water can release microplastics into the environment.

The harsh fact is that plastic pollution has reached even the most remote places on Earth. Researchers even found a plastic bag al the deepest point in the world's oceans—in the Mariana Trench, located in the Pacific Ocean. The bag is the same as the ones commonly used in grocery stores. Even covered in ice, the Arctic is still a victim of plastic pollution. A 2020 report published in Nature suggests that there are 2.000 to 17,000 plastic particles per cubic meter in Arctic ice cores, and between 0 to 18 microplastic particles per cubic meter from the water beneath ice floes. Experts think microplastics may be transported by air and then reach the North Pole in snowfall.

“What we don t yet fully know is the potential problems these tiny pieces of plastic could be having to ecosystems, to organisms and even to our own health as well,” said Christian Dunn of Bangor University, UK. Then what can we do? “We need to start focusing on deeper technological solutions that focus on microplastics, like changing fabric design and including natural fibers instead of plastic when possible.”

7 . The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will now be held on July 2021 With less than three months to go. questions surrounding the safety have grown intense. How to do this safely with thousands of athletes and staff involved coming to Japan in the middle of the pandemic?

A "playbook" released by the IOC and Tokyo organizers provided some insight. Besides masking up, avoiding crowds and washing hands frequently, travelers will have to produce a test negative upon arrival. They will not have to quarantine, but aren't allowed to go to public areas during their first 14 days. All travelers must submit a detailed route to Japanese authorities. They must submit details of their health and any symptoms they are experiencing into a mandatory（强制性的）mobile app. Anyone who breaks these rules could be sent back home.

The IOC encourages athletes to get the vaccine if available, though not mandatory. Japan began vaccinating its citizens in mid — February, so it's likely many Japanese won’t have received dosage by the start of the Games. Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist in Georgetown University, believed the best action the IOC could take to safely stage the Games would be a vaccination requirement. "Many attendees from countries with out-of- control coronavirus transmission are a threat to the public health," she said. “It might be challenging as the access and availability of vaccines varies in different countries, but that might be the safest option for Japan."

Despite many potential restrictions, nothing seems to stop the Olympics from taking place. First and foremost. money. Hosting the Olympics is quite costly and Japan has already spent over S 25 billion of mostly public finances. Even if fans aren't allowed and athletes are heavily restricted in traveling outside of the grounds, this would still be an incredibly profitable event. Global broadcast rights make up roughly 73% of income generated from the Games, and sponsorships make up almost another 20%. Plus, Japan would still get major publicity.

“The government is keen to hold the Olympics for the reputation and to celebrate Japan's virtues and strengths." said Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University. "It wants to reprise the glory of the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games and lift national and global spirits that have plummeted during the pandemic. It also hopes to stimulate a depressed economy."

8 . A fellow speaker from California named Geri flew to Japan, in her favorite jeans and a casual jacket, to give her first speech. Fourteen hours later, four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at Narita Airport. Smiling and bowing low, they handed her their business cards. With her bag in one hand, Geri took their cards with the other. She thanked them, glanced briefly at the cards, and put them into her jeans pocket quickly.

When the five of them arrived at the hotel, they invited Geri to tea in the lobby (大厅). While sipping tea, the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened. She was thrilled with the gift and shouted excitedly, “Oh, it’s beautiful!”

At this point, the four Japanese gentlemen stood up and, bowing only very slightly, said “Sayonara” and left immediately. Poor Geri was left astonished. What did she do wrong?

Everything! Her jeans were the first gaffe. Even if you’re coming off a bicycle in Japan, you do not meet c1ients (客人) casually dressed. The second mistake was Geri’s handling of their business cards rudely. In Japan, the business card is one of the most important communicative tools. It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However, Geri put their cards away much too quickly. In Japan, people use business cards as a conversation starter. You chat about each other’s cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safekeeping. Putting it carelessly into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect.

Then, the fourth horror of horrors was that Geri should not have opened the gift in front of her clients. In a land where saving face is critical, it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received. What is worse, Geri hadn’t even given them a gift!

9 . “When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?”

On Wednesday, poet Amanda Gorman read her poem, “The Hill We Climb”, at the inauguration (宣誓就职) ceremony of President Joe Biden.

By Thursday, the 22-year-old was a superstar.

Gorman is the youngest poet in U.S. history to mark the change of presidential power. Past inaugural poets include famous writers like Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.

Gorman is a native of Los Angeles, California, and in 2017 was named the country’s first Youth Poet Laureate (桂冠). She recently completed her studies at Harvard University.

On Wednesday, Gorman offered a hopeful future for a deeply divided country.

“We will not march back to what was, but move to what shall be.

A country that is bruised (瘀紫的) but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free.”

Her reading — and the ceremony as a whole — took place exactly two weeks after a violent mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump attacked and occupied the U.S. Capito Building.

Gorman says she had completed a little more than half of “The Hill He Climb” before the January 6 attack at the Capitol.

“That day gave me a second wave of energy to finish the poem,” said Gorman. She chose not to make direct note of the attack, but her references to the event were clear： “We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it.

Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy (民主).

And this effort very nearly succeeded.

But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.”

Hours after the inauguration her two books — which are to be released later this year — became number 1 and 2 on Amazon, com’s sales list. Gorman’s poetry collection “The Hill We Climb” and her children’s book “Change Sings” are set to be published in September.

10 . NASA’s Artemis program not only hopes to land the next man and the first woman on the lunar south pole by 2024; it also expects them to spend up to seven days in the harsh environment, collecting samples and conducting experiments. To provide future space travelers with a comfortable shelter, two Dutch architects have built a habitat capable of withstanding the Moon's harsh conditions.

The Lanark, designed by Sebastian Aristotelis and Karl-Johan Sorensen of SAGA Space Architects, is made up of a lightweight, aluminum frame that can be efficiently compressed (压缩) for transport to the Moon. Once the astronauts reach their destination, they can easily unfold the mobile home. 328 solar panels on the frame help recharge the battery, ensuring uninterrupted power, while an airtight flexible seam (接缝) protects residents from temperatures as low as-49°F (-45℃) and wind speeds of up to 55 miles an hour.

Though the physical comforts are impressive, even more so are the features dedicated to the astronauts’ psychological well-being. A weather simulator that uses solar panels and built-in speakers to create varying weather patterns, like storms, rain, and a sunny day, helps ease the loneliness and weariness of conducting repetitive tasks and looking at the same environment for extended amounts of time.

Aristotelis and Sorenson recently put their creation to test in Moriusaq, Greenland. Located in an isolated region of Northern Greenland, the area boasts hurricane-force winds, temperatures of -22°F(-30℃)，and 24 hours of darkness during the winter.

The space architects, who spent two months inside the capsule, tried to simulate (模拟) a lunar mission as much as possible. Their daily meals consisted of coffee, cold protein shakes, and hot soups, all made using powdered ingredients and water defrosted from the surrounding ice.

Aristotelis and Srensen say it exceeded their wildest expectations. “The capsule performed really well — we could sustain a comfortable indoor climate even to the very end of the expedition, which got quite a bit colder and windier than we had expected.”