1 . In the rich countries of the West, the electric vehicle revolution is well occurring. Climate-conscious consumers drive Teslas or Polestars for reasons of morality (道德) and fashion. Poorer countries are also experiencing a wave of electrified trend. In Bangladesh, electric three-wheeler taxis, known as tuk-tuks, are rapidly replacing gas-powered ones on the streets. Such electric vehicles are climate friendly, cost effective, and help reduce air pollution.

Yet a glance under the hood (引擎盖) of these vehicles shows a poisonous secret: each tuk-tuk runs on five massive lead-acid batteries (铅酸电池), containing almost 300 pounds of lead (铅) in total. Every year and a half or so, when those batteries need to be replaced and recycled, about 60 pounds of lead leaks into the environment. Battery recycling, often at small-scale unregulated factories, is a highly profitable (高利润的) but deadly business.

Lead is dangerous, and any exposure to it is harmful to human health. Lead that has entered the environment hurts people on an unexpected scale. The numerous ways lead enters air, water, soil, and homes across the developing world and the enormous damage it does to human health, wealth, and welfare cause one of the biggest environmental problems in the world yet receives little attention.

The World Bank estimates that lead kills 5.5 million people per year, making it a bigger global killer than AIDS, malaria, diabetes, and road traffic deaths combined. On top of the shocking deaths, the social burden of lead poisoning is heavy, as is its contribution to global inequality — our research on the cognitive (认知的) effects of lead poisoning suggests that it may explain about one-fifth of the educational achievement gap between rich and poor countries.

But unlike many challenges faced by developing countries, lead poisoning is a problem that can be resolved through financial investment (财政投入). Better monitoring, research, and rules can help protect children all over the world from the unpleasant effects of lead poisoning and reduce the massive global costs it brings.

2 . Four Best Beaches in Zanzibar

Zanzibar is home to some of the best beach destinations in the world. Here are our favorites.

Nungwi Beach

This beach is located in the north of the island. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Zanzibar. If you like swimming, you will really enjoy yourself here. But be careful with the tides, because they can rise very fast and catch you. If you stay until sunset, you will be able to see an attractive one.

Paje Beach

It is in the east of the island and is famous for strong tides. You can also practice water sports such as kitesurfing, because this beach is known as one of the best in the world for this activity. Don’t worry about the food, as here you will find a great variety of restaurants with local and international dishes for all tastes.

Jambiani Beach

Jambiani beach, one of the farthest beaches, is located southeast of the island. You can walk for miles to the sea, which is a real wonder, but do it when the tide goes out. It is a very quiet and uncrowded beach.

Matemwe Beach

Located on the east coast of Zanzibar, this beach is one of the longest on the island. During low tide, the water goes down 2 kilometers, and the locals take advantage of it to collect sea animals.

The beach is beautiful but yes, in this particular one, it is essential to enter the water with great care and even appropriate footwear, as there are a lot of sea urchins (海胆).

10 . Last year, I started the journey of being a remote product designer. The thought of a flexible (灵活的) schedule, a comfortable home office, and the escape from the _______ public transport was incredibly _______ . The first few weeks were filled with a long-lost feeling of _______ .

However, the _______ of working from home gradually set in. I had started my day with the best _______ , promising myself quick breaks and regular stretches (伸展) . But deadlines, endless emails, and virtual meetings _______ me to my computer throughout the day, leaving me little time to _______ . Gone were the short walks to a coworker’s desk and the quick lunchtime walks around the office complex. Finally, my world was _______ to the walls of my home, my steps _______ in meters only rather than kilometers.

One day, I tried ________ one of my favorite dresses and it wasn’t passing through my waist (腰) at all. Looking at myself in the mirror, I saw a ________ person carrying extra weight, rather than someone enjoying freedom. The ________ of work and personal life had left me feeling like I was a never-ending motion machine.

This incident (事件) marked the ________ of a journey of self-discovery. I made up my mind that I needed a (n) ________ not just for my waistline but for my overall well-being. It was a promise to prioritize my physical and mental health, and a promise that I could ________ control over my life and my body.