2 . Americans spend billions on vitamins, multivitamins for their health, but a review of numerous studies concluded there is little to no evidence that some of those vitamins prevent heart disease, cancer or death.

The report, released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force last week, concluded that “recent evidence is not enough” to determine whether vitamins actually help or hurt your health, based on 84 studies, 52 of which were done since 2014. Vitamins examined included vitamins A, B, C, D and E, as well as other multivitamins.

“Our suggestion is neither for nor against taking vitamins, or combinations of those nutrients (营养物质). We just don’t have enough evidence,” said Dr. John Wong, a doctor in the Department of Medicine at Tufts Medical Center who was involved in the report.

While the finding is that vitamins don’t have any benefits to “healthy, non-pregnant (未怀孕) adults”, it doesn’t apply to “children, people who are pregnant or may become pregnant, or people who are hospitalized.”

The Task Force admitted it makes sense that people would take vitamins in hopes of health benefits, as some shortage may lead to illness. But experts agreed the best way to get good health and prevent cancer is a balanced diet and regular physical activity.

“The suggestion across all organizations about vitamins is to eat a balanced diet, and then the key tends to be on plenty of fruit and vegetables and less junk foods,” Wong said.

Wong added people should refer to their health doctors to determine if any vitamins are worth taking. He said this suggestion should also serve as a need to further research into proving the official benefits and risks for each vitamin.

3 . Steph Clemence always intended to go to college. But life has a(an) _________ throughout her early childhood years to _________ barriers. Growing up, she led a nomadic (漫游的) life because her mother, who remarried several times, was always on the _________. By the time of high school, Steph had lived in 25 places.

When her stepfather died in a car accident, leaving her mother to support three daughters on a(an) _________ income, paying for college became a serious question. But she still tried to figure out what to do with a life so _________ her plan for schooling.

The _________ came one afternoon when she was cleaning her bedroom. She _________ a thick document where she found a handout titled “Mrs. Clark’s Book List” by her high school English teacher Dorothy Clark.

It wasn’t homework, but it could be a(an) _________ for those not able to receive higher education due to _________ problems like her. The teacher had spent months creating a list of 153 books whose contents would be as __________ as a two-year study at an arts college.

Steph studied the list. Each of those books __________ her to learn more. The reading list was also a(an) __________ in her everyday life, even __________ with her on vacations to find out the next book. She never did get to college, but has now only four books left before __________ the list. She wishes she could thank Mrs. Clark for how reading the __________ on the list has changed her life.

5 . Parks around the world

Hyde Park, London, England

There are many parks in London. Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, which covers over 350 acres. There are paths for people on bicycles and there are often open - air concerts held in the park.

Park Güell, Barcelona, Spain

In this park, designed by Antony Gaudi, there are different houses in different colours. There are also things like a colourful dragon. At the top of the park is a terraced area where you can get a wonderful view of the city of Barcelona and the sea.

Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver is a city near the sea and mountains. There is beautiful Stanley Park in the city centre, covering an area of one thousand acres. It is the largest park in North America. There are First Nations totem poles (图腾柱) in the park.

Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan

Ueno Park is an old park in the city of Tokyo and there are hundreds of beautiful cherry trees. In April and May every year, the trees are pink or white.

Chapultepec Park, Mexico City, Mexico

This is the largest urban park in Latin America. It's a very important green space in this big city. Containing nine museums, a zoo, an amusement park, and a variety of green recreational spaces, Chapultepec Park is an invaluable place for the city residents and its visitors.

7 . How to change the world

There are so many things you can do at home or in your community to make the world a better place. Even the smallest things can lead to bigger changes, so don' t be afraid to get out there and start helping.     1    No matter where you are or whom you meet, give them a warm smile when you’re around them. When you smile, you make the other person feel good and encourage them to smile too.

You’ve probably felt warm when someone says something nice about you, so why not return the favor? Say something that shows your appreciation for how they handle themselves emotionally or treat other people. Make sure you act sincerely when you give your praise so you come across as a truthful person.    2    

It can be really easy to get jealous (妒忌的) of other people when they succeed, but it’s a lot more rewarding to share their excitement. Avoid comparing yourself to other people and thinking of ways you can be better than them.     3    

Even though being kind to someone doesn’t seem like you’re making a big change, your kindness will continue to spread through them. Real kindness involves being friendly and considerate no matter the circumstances.     4    For example, if you see someone struggling to carry groceries , you can offer to help them to their vehicle.

When people litter, the rubbish ends up in the environment and damages the natural wildlife .     5    You may end up picking rubbish up from a beach, cleaning up around highways , or collecting waste from public parks.

8 . Can People Really Learn to "Speed Read”？

There never seems to be enough time to read these days. With so many books and articles—especially on social media——the ability to read faster could be a life-changer.     1    The problem is that true speed reading without any loss in comprehension isn't supported by the science.

“Speed reading is not actually possible," said Elizabeth Schotter, a scientist at the University of South Florida.    2     You have to first see the word, understand its meaning, relate the word to its context, and then figure out where to point your eyes next.

Some books and classes train people to read whole passages all at once by scanning text in a zigzag（之字形）pattern. These methods suggest that our eyes make wasted movements when looking back and forth over words. But studies find that the limit to reading comprehension is the ability to recognize words.     3    

In recent years, numerous apps have claimed they can boost reading speed. These apps display text just one word at a time, one after another at a certain rate.     4     But again, the eyes sometimes have to go back and reread words to fully grasp text. Research has found that your eyes pick up important information beyond the word in focus, which is simply not possible if you can only read one word at a time.

    5    You probably can't dramatically increase your speed, but research suggests you can get a little faster by improving your vocabulary and simply reading more. Good thing there's plenty to read. Enjoy it.

9 . Technology is likely to play a big part in reaching its climate goals in the future.

Fusion is the process that fires the sun. But some experts say it could someday power our homes. Fusion happens when the nuclei (核) of two atoms are subjected to extreme heat. This leads to the formation of a new larger atom and large amounts of energy. One problem is the process itself requires a large amount of energy. Developers of the technology haven’t yet performed a fusion reaction that releases more energy than it requires. In addition, running an electric power plant of fusion would require the resulting heat to be contained in an economical way.

Advanced nuclear plants would be smaller than today’s massive nuclear reactors. Experts say they could be used in rural areas and could take over for wind and solar power when the sun goes down or the wind dies. But advanced nuclear reactors are difficult and costly to build. Critics say they would also create more waste. And they would run on uranium (铀), which could make some advanced reactors more appealing to militants (激进分子) seeking materials to make weapons.

Currently, there are 15 direct air capture plants operating worldwide, getting CO directly from the air and puts the gas underground. The costs are currently high. But supporters say those costs will fall as the technology improves. They also say tax breaks for businesses could help the technology. But critics say offering large credits could actually lead to more plants continuing to burn fossil fuels.

Hydrogen (氢) can be mixed with natural gas to make a cleaner-burning fuel. This could power a fuel cell vehicle. Such a vehicle would release environmentally friendly water vapors.

So-called clean hydrogen can be produced using energy methods such as wind and solar. But those methods are more costly than “grey hydrogen”, which is made with fossil fuels. Geothermal power plants capture heat up to 370 degrees Celsius far below the earth’s surface. The heat creates steam that can turn turbines (涡轮机) to produce electricity. But the technology would need to greatly expand to become a major alternative to fossil fuels.