1 . Scientists estimate there are millions of trees on earth. I couldn’t believe that those trees can have a healing(治愈的)effect on people.

According to World Health Organization, 40 percent of American adults have at least two chronic(慢性病的)diseases, which include high blood pressure, mood disorders, heart problems and diabetes. According to the International Association of Applied Psychology, lower stress, better moods, better brain activity and even happiness can all be linked to spending time in the great outdoors. That’s why there are dozens of programs that prescribe nature as a potential form of healing. Nature is everywhere.

There are two major theories as to why nature is so good for our brains. The first one is called attention restoration theory. When we spend time in busy urban environments, all the hard edges, traffic, lights and people everywhere really make us have to constantly focus our attention on these things. Whereas when you spend time in nature, it helps restore your powers of attention and reduce that tiredness and bad-temper. The second major theory is called stress reduction theory. So basically, when we spend time in nature after stressful events, it helps us feel better and recover faster.

When I recommended nature for the first time to a patient of mine, he actually just nodded his head and said, “You’re absolutely right. When I spend more time in nature, I feel better.” And so, I think healthcare providers have to get over our own traditional mental views against this new sort of lifestyle, and prescribe something evidence-based, like nature time more often.

This is worth the effort to do. You need to get out of doors and just be surrounded by the greenery and by nature. You’ll feel calmer. You’ll feel less depressed and less anxious. It’s just a great way to deal with the stress of modern life.

2 . Imagine taking a voyage to the deepest part of the ocean. What types of thing would you expect to see? Would you see familiar animals and plants or find strange and new ones?

Scientists keep looking for new species and new facts.     1     .

Diving deep in the ocean

The deep ocean, 1,000 meters below the surface, is freezing cold.

What’s worse, the water pressure can harm you if you don’t have protective devices on. Therefore, deep divers wear special diving suits to protect themselves from the water pressure.     2    , some of which have robot arms that can collect samples of water, soil, and small animals underwater.

Using satellites for tracking

Satellites up in space can help to track sea animals travels in the ocean. Scientists attach some animals with electronic sensors to study them. Then, a satellite can track the signal from the sensor attached on the animal’s fin or back.    3    . Besides, scientists can use this signal to predict the animal’s future movements.

    4    

What types of animals are in the ocean? How many are there? Oceanographers studied and counted animals for ten years to discover the answers. They looked at all the world’s oceans from the North Pole to the South Pole. They counted more than 30,000 species in more than 30 million records. More than 6,000 new species had never been seen before!

However, not all the animals have been discovered.

    5    . There are many more surprises to come!

3 . Nowadays, many of us are working long hours at home, so more than ever, we are in need of a pet to help relieve anxiety and provide company for the lonely days.     1     There are simply too many benefits to list, so we've gathered only our top reasons.

    2     Working long hours from home can never be a nice thing. Without all the human contact we would normally get in the office, we can often find ourselves feeling lonely and isolated. However, with a pet at home we're likely to feel much better.

A call to head outdoors. For those who have an animal that enjoys going outdoors, pets can serve as a great reminder of heading outdoors to get some fresh air.     3     However, often owners will return from their walks feeling calmer, more relaxed and more energized. Whatever the weather, getting outside is beneficial to us.

Caring for something else. Often, when we feel loneliness or anxiety, we tend to be focusing inwards, to our own worries and self-doubts.     4     Therefore, it's advisable to invest time in our pet's well-being by giving them the best care we can.

Motivation (动力) and routine. Pets are a source of motivation for their owners simply because they rely on us so heavily. Without a pet, we'll find it hard to keep our daily routine while working at home.     5    . But when we have a pet to look after, we have to get up early and be ready for the day ahead. This is going to benefit both the pet and ourselves.

5 . David Katz was unhappy about all the plastic (塑料) going into the ocean. To help solve the problem, he had an unusual idea. Mr Katz calls his idea the “Plastic Bank”.

In poor countries, people are already working so hard just to get enough food to eat, to find a place to live, and to keep themselves healthy. Spending time on recycling (回收再利用) doesn’t make sense when you’re simply trying to survive.

The purpose of the Plastic Bank is to use plastic to help these people solve the problems that worry them the most—food, shelter, and health. So Plastic Bank adds a value to plastic waste by paying people to recycle it.

The program began in 2015 in Haiti, a poor island nation that doesn’t have strong programs for recycling. Plastic is often simply thrown out and ends up in rivers and the ocean.

The Plastic Bank has opened 30 “markets” in Haiti. At Plastic Bank markets, people can trade the plastic they’ve collected for money or other things they need. The Plastic Bank markets sell many things that local people need, such as cooking oil and heating oil. The stores also allow plastic collectors to use the money they get to pay for health care or school. For those who have cell phones, Plastic Bank can put the money they get into a special bank account (账户) that they can control using an app. This keeps their money safe.

To make sure the plastic gets recycled, the Plastic Bank works with those who agree to use the plastic that is collected. For example, the British company Marks & Spencer and the German company Henkel are both paying more to use recycled plastic from the Plastic Bank in their products. When customers buy these products, which are labeled (标记) “Social Plastic”, they know that they are helping people in other parts of the world and keeping plastic out of the ocean.

The Plastic Bank has programs in Haiti, the Philippines, and Brazil. So far, the Plastic Bank has kept about 7 million pounds of plastic out of the ocean.

6 . The forest was full of shadows as Sylvie hurried through it one summer evening in June. The child hurried the cow through the dark forest to her grandmother’s home.

Suddenly the air was cut by a sharp whistle not far away. Sylvie knew it wasn’t a friendly bird’s whistle. She hid in some bushes. But she was too late.

“Hello, little girl,” a young man called out cheerfully. “I’ve lost my way. Can I spend the night at your house?” he asked.

Sylvie didn’t answer. The stranger began walking with Sylvie as she followed her cow through the forest. She was glad when she could see her grandmother standing near the farm house. The stranger explained his problem to Sylvie’s grandmother.

“Of course you can stay with us.” she said. The young man explained he was a scientist, who collected birds.

“Do you put them in a cage?” Sylvie asked.

“No,” he answered slowly, “I shoot them and preserve them with special chemicals.”

“I’ve been looking for a white heron(苍鹭),” he said, “It’s a very rare white bird.”

But Sylvie’s heart began to beat fast. She knew that strange white bird! Early the next morning, she quietly hurried through the forest. She finally reached a huge pine tree, and climbed to the top. Sylvie’s bare feet and tiny fingers grabbed the tree’s rough trunk. Sharp dry branches scratched her like cat’s claws.

Suddenly, a bird with broad white wings landed on a pine branch next to her. The white heron smoothed its feathers and called to its mate. She knew the wild bird’s secret now.

Were the birds better friends than their hunters? Who can know?