1 . Lapland's reindeer (驯鹿) grow well in winters of -30℃ and even colder. So when rain falls instead of snow during the coldest months in the Arctic,it makes food hard to get for them. Now one of the best-loved symbols of Christmas is probably dying out. Numbers have fallen by over half in the last two decades as the place warms at four times the global average rate.

The animals are used to pull sleigh (雪橇) rides for tourists. The rides are part of Lapland winter wonderland experiences in thousands of British tourists each year. But this year the working herd had to be moved 60 miles further north due to the absence of snow. As a result, they can't be provided in some areas, making it hard for people to earn a living.

Lapland is often described as Europe's last great wilderness, home to lynxes, brown bears, wolverines and golden eagles. Tourism is a big part of the economy, and the town of Rovaniemi is also the "official home of Santa Claus". But changing climate (气候) is threatening its tourism industry. A report by The Finnish Climate Change Panel warns of flooding and increased rainfall, with Rovaniemi most at risk. Firms that rely on snow "will have great effects on visit levels" and these industries may be forced further north.

Erkkila of the Arctic Husky Park in Rovaniemi says: "Tourists see pictures of the Santa Claus village covered in snow and when they get here they think, 'Is this the winter wonderland?'." The Husky Park bought a wheeled cart (车) six years ago as a replacement for sleigh rides when the snow fails.

In the past it was thought the Arctic was warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. But a report published last week by scientists showed the rate is actually four times the global average.

2 . When A33, a theater in Beijing, hosted a new stand-up comedy show（脱口秀), to the surprise of the organizers, nearly 250 people turned up and laughed together. Six years ago, that would have been unbelievable. Indeed, there were even cases of shows having more performers than viewers.

Wan Da, one of the performers, said, “Many people are worried about the future of stand-up comedy, a genre (类型) that is very popular in the U.S. after its introduction in China. Can it adapt itself here? But as the results show, there is no need to worry. We have survived and carried on some of the best American traditions.”

Programs such as Rock& Roast, a comedy talk show competition, which are thought to help people reduce their pressure, drive audiences to offline performances for a real laugh. “Generally, our audiences are in the 20-35 age group, but recently some older people are reported to go to the theatre,” said Song Qiyu, a performer and founder of Beijing Comedy Center.

Compared to traditional Chinese comedy performances, the stand-up comedy has a lower bar as it doesn't require years of professional training. This allows everyone to take part. Work experience and personal observations of life are the sources of their inspiration. Different lives and jobs make the performances varied, giving them unique individual colors.

Joe Wong, a humorist from Jilin province, whose performance in Washington, D.C. in 2010 attracted much attention across China's social media, is happy to see the development of the industry in China. However, he has a warning, too: There is huge space for the genre in China, but we should be careful of growing too fast as the market still needs good works.

In China, many fresh college graduates join. Through their efforts, the industry will improve its standards and popularity as well as influence.

3 . Many people, including some successful men, wear the same clothing daily to focus their decision-making energy on more important things.     1     Julia, an art teacher, is wearing the same dress for the first 100 days of school to create awareness of the environmental costs of fast fashion.

Available online or from various shops, it allows everyone to adopt the latest fashion trends instantly. Though that sounds like a win-win for all, the rapid change in styles and the affordable prices result in impulse (冲动) purchases, many of which are thrown away after being worn just once or twice.    2    

Julia's idea for the “One Outfit (服装), 100 Days” began as a comment she made to her husband during the summer.     3     Moreover, it would serve as a great lesson for her new students. Selecting a perfect outfit for the challenge was a little tricky.After some consideration, Julia settled on a plain dress. Though she has a backup dress, Julia plans to use it only if absolutely necessary.

    4     It has also inspired some of her colleagues and her husband to take up the challenge. Julia says the experiment has forced her to rethink her attitude towards clothes. She values things more now—respecting the planet for her children and trying to value herself in a different way, as opposed to caring so much about what she looks like.     5     Reuse, recycle, and, most importantly, reduce.

4 . Mr Jason has taught math in a remote rural area for ten years. Last year, he was awarded (奖励) $2,000 as “The Amazing Teacher”. People thought he would move with his parents to a nice house in the city. But he surprised then all. When students came back from their holiday, they found the chairs, desks and projectors (投影仪) were all replaced. Even the walls of the classroom were painted white.

As a teacher, Mr Jason not only focuses on students’ studies, but also helps students overcome the difficulties in life. In the rural area, most families are poor and some students often dropped out of school. Mr Jason always tries to help then out.

When interviewed, he said, “When I was in middle school, a Mr Smith helped me until I graduated from university. I attempted many times to find him after graduation, but failed. I thought maybe what he most wished was not my thankfulness but another Mr Smith. So I am here.”

“Mr Jason is the best teacher I have ever had. Without his help, my whole life would end in the village. When I was in Senior Two, my family couldn’t afford my tuition (学费) so I stayed at home. At that time, I felt hopeless. It was Mr Jason who asked my parents to send me back to school. Luckily, I was admitted into my ideal university finally,” said Julia, a fresh college student. “Now, I believe the road                           ahead is promising.”

Mr Jason’s goodwill touches many people. When the activity “The Amazing Teacher” was launched, someone posted his story on the Internet. And it soon spread over.

Later, Mr Jason wrote: I just have done what a teacher should do. I hope people could pay attention to those children in need and help them realize their dreams.

In Budapest, a train line called Gyermekavasut runs between stations     1     (bury) deep in the woodland. Like any other railway, it has ticket offices, signals, guards and a timetable. Unlike any other, this one     2     (run) by children aged between 10 and 14. The children of the Gyermekavasut railway     3     (efficient) sell and check tickets and salute trains as they leave     4     (station).

In fact, the railway was created to give children the chance to learn teamwork and     5     (responsible). Kids work the railway under     6     guidance of adults, and the engineers and the train drivers are adults.

Tickets can be bought from a child who usually takes the job so seriously. As the train comes in, a childish voice echoes (回响) in the station following the same jingle (叮当声) that can be heard in every station across Hungary. The train     7     (pull) out, as children in navy blue uniforms with red caps salute. Once the train leaves the platform, they relax back into more natural childlike poses.

Only the top students are considered for the railway, and those selected     8     the job take a training course and must pass railway worker exams. For a year, the railway children go on duty every two weeks,    9     (get) excused from school during workdays, but only on the condition     10     their grades don’t slip.

7 . Since the beginning of my scientific training, I was encouraged to seek multiple mentors (导师) to help me find my way. With many efforts, I became comfortable, confident, and strategic in building my network of mentors.    1    

Cast a wide net.

Sending cold contacts was scary, so I focused on the thrill of emailing people who had some of the coolest jobs I'd ever heard of. If I was inspired by someone's work, I emailed. If

I loved the way they ran their lab, I emailed. If I was interested in learning more about their company, I emailed.     2     At last, I got dozens of informational interviews that helped me in my ideal job.

    3    

As a grad student, I met someone at a conference who I hoped would be a future mentor—and followed up with a five-paragraph email. Their reply was simple, “I cannot respond to this. Too long.” Over the years, I learned to clearly include the what, the ask, and the when —for example, a 30-minute meeting to talk about X, offering three or four specific times. A clear, concise email encourages a quick, positive response.

Consider the context (情景).

In graduate school, I asked a senior faculty member to serve as my departmental adviser.     4     A few months later, he left the institution. I realized the move must have already been in the works when I asked, and his response didn't reflect negatively on me; he was just predicting his own changing circumstances. When evaluating responses or advice, remember that everyone has their own affairs and concerns.

Come prepared.

    5     I came to every conversation with at least 10 questions, arranged in categories including shared experiences, career goals, and advice. Coming prepared helped me respect other people's time and use these meetings wisely.

This popular vacuum claims strong suction (吸力) and an extended run time of 10 hours before it needs to be recharged. It is complete with a washable bowl. Plus, the dirt bowl is translucent (半透明), so you can always see what's inside and know when it needs to be emptied. It only needs $42.99 (orig. $50.99) now.

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The vacuums in particular has been praised for its powerful suction and fashionable appearance. It has an adjustable tube and run time of up to 30 minutes after a full charge, and it can even be attached to a handheld vacuum to access those hard-to-reach areas. It only needs $146 (orig. $78) now.

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