2 . While it may be commonplace, snubbing one’s friends can have serious impacts on relationships, and there are a variety of factors that may drive individuals to ignore their friends in favor of an electronic screen, according to a new University of Georgia study.

The study reveals positive associations between depression and social anxiety and increasing snubbing: depressed people are likely to snub their friends more frequently, and socially anxious people, who prefer online social interactions, might also exhibit more snubbing behavior. These people are really sensitive to their messages. With each buzz or sound, they consciously or unconsciously look at their phones. The device’s various applications are key drivers contributing to this dynamic.

The finding also shows that agreeable individuals have a lower instance of snubbing in the presence of their friends. People who have agreeableness as a personality feature tend to show cooperative, polite and friendly behaviors in their interpersonal relationships and social settings. Though agreeable people may prioritize strong friendships, an exploratory study reveals they are also more likely to turn to phones in the presence of three or more people.

That dynamic may influence the spread of snubbing in the context of a work environment. “It’s ironic that while so many people believe that snubbing behavior is rude, they still do it,” Sun said. “A majority of people snub others, and in a group, it may seem OK, because it’s just me, the speaker doesn’t notice I’m using the phone. The number of people in a group can be one reason.”

Alternately, disabling or turning over a phone can indicate a show of respect for a situation and focus on a person. That, too, is a signal—I am listening to what you are saying and I am focusing on you.

4 . How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments-mostly for entertainment purposes-is fair and respectful?

Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural zones.

Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behaviour , intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range(分布区). The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don't usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.

The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusual and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.

Furthermore ,most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding(圈养繁殖)of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?

Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.

7 . While doing some grocery shopping one day, I realized I had spent close to, 30 minutes just in the produce section, meticulously (一丝不苟地) choosing the best - looking apples, bananas that were ripe but not spotted and ears of corn with perfectly neat rows of kernels (谷粒). However, I bet I'm not the only one that rejects the slightest imperfections in fruits and vegetables.

I've also seen how my pursuit of perfect produce has influenced my children, When I pack their lunches, I make sure I include fleshy tomatoes, crisp blueberries, and cucumbers without any scratches. But one day when my daughter refused to eat a pear that was turning slightly brown, I knew I had to change my way. I realized I was unconsciously teaching my children to accept society's standards of perfection and that these perceptions (感知能力) could have a disastrous impact on our environment.

In the US, up to 40 percent of food is wasted every year. Most of this waste ends up in landfills that creates dangerous greenhouse gases. Around 20 percent of food waste is produced directly at the farm, for the so - called“ugly”food may not meet certain standards set by grocery stores, though the food is still perfectly consumable.

On a recent night in San Francisco, I attended a dinner party to raise awareness about this growing problem. It was the brainchild of food waste activist Josh Treuhaft, which was an intimate gathering of 16 people dining on a table made from recycled wood. The chef, Pesha Perlsweig, prepared a six - course meal with food, which was purchased from Imperfect Produce that specifically sells “ugly”fruit and vegetables. The organic twisted carrots or knobbly sweet potatoes can be bought at this market for 30 to 50 percent of the price.

I was blown away by Perlsweig's creative, delicious dishes made from the “ugly” food. Before each dish, Perlsweig offered guests tips on how we can reduce our food waste. For example, if you cut off the end of a limp carrot and place it in water, it will become firm again.

After the evening's dinner, I became inspired to rethink the way I shopped for and consumed food, and to accept the imperfect. Though looking ugly; the food contains no less nutrition than normal food. Furthermore, it's cheap at the price. My actions inspired my daughter to think differently as well. One morning, while she was helping prepare her school lunch, I noticed her choosing a handful of cherry tomatoes with slight flaws, “They're special,” she said.

I'm hoping that these small changes in our perception can make a big difference to our world.

9 . Diwali（Deepavali）is a festival of lights observed in October or November each year in Canada. During the festival, various community groups, businesses, schools and associations celebrate it in different ways. Some companies have Diwali dinners and some communities organize gatherings that feature firework displays, dances, street lighting, and plays.

Many women wear fine jewelry and silk outfits to celebrate Diwali. Some women and girls use Mehendi, a dye decoration which can last a limited time, on their palms, and then they will finally get colorful hand paintings. Many homes that celebrate Diwali have various types of sweets, salty and spiced food as well as Diwali herbs （香料）. Various lights, candles and sparklers are lit inside and outside homes, particularly in courtyards, on Diwali. Diwali is not a nationwide public holiday in Canada but it is a prevalent festival celebrated in many towns and cities. There may be traffic jams and parking places may be full in areas where events are held to celebrate Diwali. Some Indian businesses may close early on Diwali.

Diwali is called the "Festival of Lights" and is celebrated to honor Rama, a hero who once fought and won a battle against the demons（恶魔）. In the past, people lit their houses to celebrate his victory over demons（light over darkness）. At the same time, every household did careful and complete cleaning at home in advance. It is believed that the goddess of happiness and good fortune, Lakshmi travels around the Earth on this day and enters the house that is pure, clean, and bright.

Diwali celebrations may vary in different communities but its spiritual meaning is generally "the awareness of the inner light". As the word “Deepavali” means “a row or cluster of light”, the festival symbolizes the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness.