6 . John, aged 50, woke up late this Sunday morning. He had spent the night reading, and now his glasses were gone, which made him upset. He put on some clothes and started his search in the bedroom. The room was a bit of a mess with clothes thrown around. He checked under the bed, but his glasses were not there.

Next, he went to the hallway, hoping he might have left them there. But after looking on the small table and the shelf, he still did not find them. John then headed to the living room where his bookshelf was filled with his favorite reads. He thought he might have left his glasses there last night. But after checking each shelf, all he could find was an old watch. Feeling a bit hungry, John walked to the kitchen. He moved a pile of yesterday’s newspapers and looked behind the fruit bowl, but his glasses were not there either. The counters were clean, and there was no sign of his glasses. With each room he checked, John grew more puzzled about where his glasses could be.

John had one last place to search — the garage (车库). It was full of old boxes, tools and old furniture. He started searching on the dust y dresser where he usually put things he didn’t use often. Among some keys and loose change, there was no trace of his glasses. He sighed and left the garage, feeling defeated.

He decided to sit down on the couch and think about where else he could look. As he rested his head in his hands, something slid down the front of his face. To his embarrassment, John realized his glasses had been on his head the whole time. All those hours spent searching through the house, they were right above his eyes! With a laugh, John stood up, put his glasses on and went to make a nice cup of coffee, relieved the search was over.

8 . For the arts “to mean more, to more people,” as Arts Council England (ACE) argues that they should, would be excellent. Music, drama, dance, visual arts, poetry and literature are among the most precious human achievements. To live in a country in which these are more widely shared and enjoyed would be proof that we are making progress. The point is not to entertain or educate people, or bring communities together. Nor is it all about boosting jobs and investment. Imagination has intrinsic (内在的) value, and research carried out by ACE in the course of preparing its 10-year strategy showed that people from all walks of life value and get pleasure from cultural activities.

Positioning itself as a development agency, ACE will now hope to win government backing for a change of direction that orients it away from the biggest and most prestigious national institutions and towards the towns, villages and grassroots organizations that should be similarly deserving of attention. There, it envisions a role for itself “building the identity and prosperity of places,” bringing professional artists together with voluntary groups, particular in areas that have previously not been well represented on the cultural map.

ACE’s chair, Sir Nicholas Serota, quotes the first world war centenary (百年纪念) project devised by the artist, Jeremy Deller, and theatre director, Rufus Norris, as the model of what he wants his organization to be about. By dressing up volunteers as soldiers, and orchestrating their encounters with members of the public in settings across England, the artists succeeded in “dissolving the barriers between artists and audiences.”

The emphasis on participation — on culture as something that more people should actually do — is newer. This is the difference between being in a play or a band and buying tickets to watch them, and for ACE to play a more active role in promoting the former would be beneficial. This begins in childhood, and ACE clearly hopes that the government will think again about policies that have seen music, drama and other arts subjects systematically downgraded in favour of science, technology and maths.

To what extent the vision is realized will depend in part on whether ACE’s ambitions catch the government’s interest sufficiently to influence the upcoming spending review, and provide a counterweight to the scorn (轻视) that is regularly poured on the humanities. Around £400m has been cut from local government arts budgets since 2010, and ACE cannot plug this gap. The closure of youth clubs and live music venues, and growing financial pressures linked to the property market, are among other reasons for this worrisome narrowing of opportunities. So far Boris Johnson has offered few signs that he has in mind a starring role for the arts in post-Brexit Britain, although 2022’s Festival of Brexit is one such event. ACE’s plan should boost the profile of all those, in government and outside, who are arguing for more.

9 . One of the best essay contests of 2024, this competition sponsored by the Writer’s Digest promotes nonfiction of all kinds: “personal or political, traditional or experimental”, but your essay should be at least 1,000 words and 1,500 words at most.

Students are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas. Students may be attending a public or private school. Entries from home-schooled students are also accepted.

Fill out the online registration form. All fields on the online form are required, including uploading a Microsoft Word (doc. or docx.) file of your original work with a title in English which should include a comprehensive list of sources consulted. Entries must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman.

Teacher or parent: Student registration forms must have a teacher or parent name. That person may review the submitted essay and act as the key contact.

Do not place your last name or your school’s name on any of the pages of the essay.

Your essay will be disqualified if it does not meet the requirements or is submitted after the submission date of 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 1, 2024.

$1,000 to the writer of the winning essay, in addition to an all-expense paid trip to the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference! The runner-up wins a writing coaching package valued at $650 and the third, a diversity editing package valued at $350.

10 . Four Travel Destinations for Nature Lovers

In Lapland, in northern Finland, there are hotel rooms, and other accommodation options that were specially designed for enjoying the spectacular colorful natural light show known as the Aurora (极光) Borealis. Oulanka National Park is just one great spot in this region for viewing the dancing lights during the aurora sighting season, which falls in October and November as well as March and April.

Known as “The Nature Island of the Caribbean”, Dominica is an obvious choice for those who want to get back to nature. It has an incredibly green landscape that includes volcanic hot springs, natural mud baths, countless rivers and waterfalls, unspoiled rain forest, and refreshing natural swimming holes. On Black Sand Beach, you can even visit a leatherback, hawksbill, and green turtle reserve.

With a long list of outdoor adventures, Gros Morne offers striking natural beauty in western Newfoundland. This national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches across nearly 700 square miles as part of the Long Range Mountains. Encircled by tiny seaside communities, it features thick forests, freshwater fjords (峡湾) , dramatic cliffs (悬崖) . Hiking, camping, and boating are all popular here.

Famous for The Baths, a geological wonder on the north shore made up of giant granite boulders (花岗岩巨石) that form sheltered sea pools on the beach's edge, it seems as if it was perfectly made for a relaxing swim in the water. The protected area also includes Devil's Bay, ideal for swimming and diving.