1 . Of all the changes that have taken place in English-language newspapers during the past quarter-century, perhaps the most far-reaching one has been the inevitable decline in the scope and seriousness of their arts coverage.

It is difficult to the point of impossibility for the average reader under the age of forty to imagine a time when high-quality arts criticism could be found in most big-city newspapers. Yet a considerable number of the most significant collections of criticism published in the 20th century consisted in large part of newspaper reviews. To read such books today is to marvel at the fact that their learned contents were once considered suitable for publication in general-circulation dailies.

We are even farther removed from the unfocused newspaper reviews published in England between the turn of the 20th century and the eve of World War II, at a time when newsprint was dirt-cheap and stylish arts criticism was considered an ornament (装饰) to the publications in which it appeared. In those far-off days, it was taken for granted that the critics of major papers would write in detail and at length about the events they covered. Theirs was a serious business, and even those reviewers who wore their learning lightly, like George Bernard Shaw and Ernest Newman, could be trusted to know what they were about. These men believed in journalism as a calling, and were proud to be published in the daily press. “So few authors have brains enough or literary gift enough to keep their own end up in journalism,” Newman wrote, “that I am tempted to define ‘journalism’ as ‘a term of contempt applied by writers who are not read to writers who are’.”

Unfortunately, these critics are virtually forgotten. Neville Cardus, who wrote for the Manchester Guardian from 1917 until shortly before his death in 1975, is now known solely as a writer of essays on the game of cricket. During his lifetime, though, he was also one of England’s foremost classical-music critics, a stylist so widely admired that his Autobiography (1947) became a best-seller. He was knighted in 1967, the first music critic to be so honored. Yet only one of his books is now in print, and his vast body of writings on music is unknown save to specialists.

Is there any chance that Cardus’s criticism will enjoy a revival? The prospect seems remote. Journalistic tastes had changed long before his death, and postmodern readers have little use for the richly upholstered Vicwardian prose in which he specialized. Moreover, the amateur tradition in music criticism has been in headlong retreat.

Yours,

Li Hua

6 . When considering housing options at the University of Waterloo in Canada, Nigerian undergraduate student Ayooluwa Solaja chose a Living Learning Community, a residential house focused on a theme or academic interest area. Solaja lived on campus with 10 to 1s other students in the Arts and Business LLC.

Three reasons may account for the prospective international stadents willingness

1. Connect with like-minded students: Prospective international students can choose an LLC to fully experience college life in a new country and find immediate support among residents: Unlike other housing arrangements, LLCS can provide a built-in community of like-minded individuals

Solaja says a highlight of her experience in the LLC was"forming relationships with upper-year students in my program. This peer leader provided her with everything from academic support to guidance on how to survive Canadian winters. Many LLCS have upper-division students who serve as peer leaders.

Australian Natasha Fitzpatrick says she's happy to share her love for travel and cultural exploration. "A group of us hired a car and traveled down to North Carolina sightseeing.”

2. Participate in community activities: For those worried about being on the outside as a new international student, LLCS encourage participation through various on-and off-campus activities. For example, students in a fashion LLC have attended Toronto Fashion week

Through LLCS, international students will have more opportunities to interact with domestic students, faculty and staff members outside classrooms,"says Shijuan Laurel Liu, assistant professor of Chinese and a partner with the Global Awareness LLC. In a Chinese New Year celebration associated with the LLC, for instance, students from her language and culture courses worked with Chinese students to introduce Chinese culture to the community

Solaja says coming from a different education system in Nigeria with sometimes unapproachable professors, she enjoyed LLC on-campus events like when she played board games with Waterloo professors and academic advisers.

3. Network for job opportunities: International students who plan to gain work experience in the country they study in can benefit from LLCS that are associated with campus departments and staff. This can provide them with chances to network and inquire about work opportunities.

Liu says when Chinese tutoring positions and graduate assistantships became available, she thought of international students from the Global Awareness LLC who previously helped her organize events. She also wrote reference letters for those students when they applied to graduate school.

Robert C. Demezzo, director of residence life at Southern Connecticut State University, says LLCS "help many international students secure employment on campus.

Solaja says her year living in Waterloo's Arts and Business LLC was one of her best decisions." You get what you put into the program," she says.

A “Robber” in Your Pocket

The final bell rings at a high school in downtown Los Angeles, and nearly every student walking out of the school gate studies a screen, with head bowed. Over the past decade, such scenes have become the norm — at least in the United States. Research reveals that American millennial (千禧一代的人) look at their phones 150 times a day on average.

In the meantime, the number of American teenagers reporting feelings of depression has grown significantly. While some people blame the increase on the Great Recession following 2008 and other social changes, a big new study suggests a different explanation — the rise of social media.

Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, led the study. By taking a close look at national surveys, with data collected from more than 500,000 American teenagers, she found that those who spent lots of time on social media were more likely to agree with remarks such as “The future often seems hopeless.” Those who used screens less, spending time playing sport or socializing with friends in person, were less likely to report feelings of depression.

This, in fact, is not the first time scientists have found that social media can rob people of their happiness. One study published in 2016 asked a randomly selected group of adults to quit Facebook for a week. A control group continued using the social networking site as usual. Those who gave up Facebook reported feeling less depressed at the end of the week than those who continued using it.

Some research, however, suggests that social-networking sites can promote happiness if used to engage directly with other users, rather than just to feel jealous of happy moments someone shares online. This provides a reminder that it is users’ attitudes that shape their experiences on social media. “I often remind myself that it’s all filtered,” reflects Sarah, a junior at the high school in Los Angeles. “People only post what they want you to see, so it can seem that their life is better than yours.” Nicole, another junior, agrees. But when asked if she has ever considered deleting her social media accounts, Sarah looks confused. “No. I would feel lost.”

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