2 . In the traditional religions of Africa, life doesn’t end with death.     1     Some African groups believe these spirits dwell (栖居) underground in a world much like that of the living—but upside down. Other groups believe the sky is the permanent resting place of the dead. For instance, the Bushmen of southern Africa believe that the spirits of the dead go up to the sky and become stars.

Among the spirits, the ancestors comprise a special category of their own.     2     To become an ancestor is the best that one can hope for after death. However, not everyone who dies will turn into an ancestor. For one to become an ancestor, there are conditions to be fulfilled while the person is alive—living an upright life and fulfilling all social and religious duties, for example.

Many African groups believe that the spirits of ancestors remain near their living descendants as guardians of the family and their traditions.     3     But they punish people if certain ceremonies have not been performed properly or if there are some violations of community laws.

    4     For example, the people of Buganda in present-day Uganda say that their first ancestor was Kintu, who came from the land of the gods and married Nambe, daughter of the king of heaven. Another example is the Dinkas of Sudan, who believe they are descended from Garang and Abuk, the first man and woman created by God as tiny clay figures in a pot.     5    

3 . “Meet me in the conference room with the contracts and a cup of coffee,” my boss barked at me. “Ten minutes. ”

I didn’t respond. I stood still as if my shoes had been glued to the floor. I had no intention of taking a cup of anything to anyone, supervisor or not.

I had seen with my own eyes what such behavior did to a woman. It happened to Mrs. Wilson next door. Old Mr. Wilson couldn’t put in his own false teeth without his wife’s assistance, let alone make himself lunch. It was a miserable union. I vowed by age eight that I would never live like her. I adopted the motto: Don’t help those who won’t help themselves.

I rushed to the file room and pulled my phone. I explained to my father what had happened and asked his advice on what to do, only to be asked back. He must have forgotten the unwritten rule between us about not answering a question with a question. Fortunately, I came up with an idea that would have the best of both worlds.

I took up the files and headed for the coffee pot. I took two cups and made two cups of coffee. Then I walked into the boss’ office with a cup of coffee in each hand. I handed my boss a cup of coffee and drank at the same time as him.

“Let’s take a break,” partway through the meeting, my boss stood, saying. “I need more coffee.” I picked up my empty cup. “I do, too,” I said, and handed it to him across the table. “Thanks,” I added, looking at him expectantly. The boss was staggered for a moment, and then took the cup from me.

When I finally left my boss’ office, I hid in the bathroom and called my dad. My father’s laughter on the phone made me feel even prouder.

5 . On April 6, 1909, six men claimed their place as the first explorers to reach the North Pole. Their leader was Navy commander Robert E. Peary. He photographed the other men as they held up flags. One of them was Matthew Henson, the only African American explorer of the Arctic at that time. The other four were Inuit hunters.

Many explorers had tried to reach the pole but Peary surpassed (超越) them through clever planning. He had made four expeditions (远征) into the Arctic. Each time, he learned how to plan better for the next trip. He also gave credit to Henson, who had joined him on three other Arctic expeditions. The team needed the skills and knowledge of the Inuit, and Henson was fluent in their language. Also, “He is probably a better dog-driver than any other man except the best Inuit hunters,” Peary said.

The travel was hard. Biting winds blew, and temperatures dropped to minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit. “Freezing of the whole front part of the face is an ordinary occurrence,” Henson said, “The skin keeps peeling off and freezing until the face is like raw beef.” They could lose fingers or toes. In fact, Peary walked with a “slide-like stride” because he had lost nine toes on an earlier trip.

They had only 50 to 55 days to complete the last leg of the journey before spring would melt the ice. On April 2, the team dashed for the North Pole, driving 18 to 20 hours a day. “Forced marches all the time,” Henson recalled, “But it was the only way to make it.” Exhausted, Peary rode a sledge instead of driving one. Henson set such a fast pace that Peary warned him not to work the men and dogs to death. “I know, Commander,” Henson replied. “But we got to make it.”

They did make it. They reached safety in 16 days and secured their place in history.

6 . Sometimes shipwrecks（沉船）contain sunken treasure, loads of gold or jewelry. Other shipwrecks are themselves the treasure—the stories of their ill-fated voyages creating a legend that makes them sparkle far more than any gold or precious stones.

The wreck of HMS Endurance, which has finally been located deep beneath the icy seas of Antarctica after being lost 107 years ago, was arguably the most valuable shipwreck ever sought. That’s because its discovery adds another thrilling new chapter to an already fascinating tale of perseverance and survival that has echoed down the decades and still inspires today.

Incredibly well preserved at a depth of almost two miles, the ship is little changed from the day in November 1914 when it finally sank beneath the ice. Endurance became embedded in ice while crossing Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. The video shot by underwater search vehicles shows painted timbers, an undamaged guardrail（护栏）and the name “Endurance” written above the five-pointed symbol of a polar star.

“I tell you, you would have to be made of stone not to feel a bit soft at the sight of that star and the name above,” Mensun Bound, the mission’s marine archaeologist, told the BBC. “You can see a porthole（舷窗）that is in Shackleton’s cabin. At that moment, you really do feel the breath of the great man upon the back of your neck.” Shackleton’s leadership was crucial to getting his men out alive. The reason why Shackleton is still applauded as a great man becomes obvious when you consider what he achieved in the face of disasters and hardships during his 1914-16 expedition. The practicality and humanity he showed in the face of severe situations was arguably praised.

7 . Chinese astronauts conducted a science lecture to millions of students on Dec. 9, 2021 from the Tiangong space station. The three astronauts, Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu, showed life in space and conducted experiments in microgravity.

It was the first lecture of the Tiangong Class, China ’s first extraterrestrial (地球外的) lecture series. Its goal is to popularize space science.

“The laboratory of the space station has many conditions that the Earth laboratory does not have, such as the environment of weightlessness and radiation, ” said Wen Xin, a professor at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He said that important jobs for astronauts in the space station include cell observation and maintaining plant life.

In the lecture, Ye demonstrated experiments related to cell growth in a weightless environment. He compared the growth and shape of cells in artificial gravity and zero-gravity to study their changing principles in space.

Another experiment in the space lecture was shown by Wang Yaping. She illustrated how a paper flower “bloomed” on the surface of water in Tiangong space station. She explained that the surface tension of water is magnified (放大) in space due to zero gravity.

One of the examples of surface tension on Earth is that some insects can “walk” on water. They use surface tension to “stand” instead of falling through water.

Surface tension plays a key role in product development. Researchers around the world are measuring surface tension to improve the quality of their products, according to Biolin Scientific, a science company. Paints are tailored to stick better on the surfaces they are applied to. Surface tension also has impacts in drug development.

Although the astronauts are thousands of miles away, their research does influence our life. Shi Yi, a teacher at the Beijing No. 101 Middle School, told China Daily that the space lecture was “an eye-opening experience that would arouse students’ interest in science”.

9 . When kids melt down in the middle of a crowded store or at a holiday dinner with extended family, it can be extremely frustrating. But parents can help kids learn self-control and teach them how to respond without just acting on impulse (冲动).

Teaching self-control is one of the most important things that parents can do for their kids because these skills are some of the most important for success later in life. By learning self-control, kids can make appropriate decisions and respond to stressful situations in ways that can yield positive outcomes. For example, if you say that you’re not serving ice cream until after dinner, your child may cry, plead, or even scream in the hopes that you will give in. But with self-control, your child can understand that a temper tantrum (发脾气) means you’ll take away the ice cream for good and that it’s wiser to wait patiently.

Difficult as it may be, resist the urge to yell when you’re disciplining your kids. Instead, be persistent and matter of fact. During a child’s meltdown, stay calm and explain that yelling, throwing a tantrum, and slamming doors are unacceptable behaviors that have consequences. Your actions will show that tantrums won’t get kids the upper hand. For example, if your child gets, upset in the grocery store after you’ve explained why you won’t buy candy, don’t give in – thus demonstrating that the tantrum was both unacceptable and ineffective. Also, consider speaking to your child’s teachers about classroom settings and appropriate behavior expectations. Ask if problem-solving is taught or demonstrated in school.

And model good self-control yourself. If you’re in an annoyed situation in front of your kids, tell them why you’re frustrated and then discuss potential solutions to the problem. For example, if you’ve misplaced your keys, instead of getting upset, tell your kids the keys are missing and then search for them together. If they don’t turn up, take the next constructive step. Show that good emotional control and problem solving are the ways to deal with a difficult situation.

10 . In our home it was natural to fear our father. Even our mother was afraid of him. As children, my sister and I thought every family was like that.       1       We discovered we could draw pictures with chalk on our wooden front door. We could have lots of fun, so we started drawing and making lots of pretty pictures all over it. We had a great time. We decided to finish our pictures, knowing Mom would love it.

    2     We did not understand why, but we knew all about anger, and we were in big trouble. Off we ran to find a place to hide. In our yard it was not hard for two small children to find safety. Together, we hid behind a tree and did not move. Soon we heard the frightened voices of Mom and our neighbours calling out to us. We were afraid of being found.     3     Those around us became more anxious, and we became more frightened. As we stayed together in the dark, we heard another voice, one we recognized with great fear: our daddy.         4     In it we heard something we had never heard before: fear and despair (绝望). Then came his prayers (祈祷). We saw our daddy with tears running down his face, promising God that he would give his life to Him if He would safely return his girls.

Things were different after that. We had a new daddy. It was like the old one was buried that day in the forest.     5