3 . “My Story of Chinese Hanzi” International Competition Kicked off

The 2023 “My Story of Chinese Hanzi” international competition kicked off on June 12, 2023. This year’s theme is “Homeland”. We invite people to participate and share stories of exchanges, understanding and friendship among civilizations.

Who can participate in the competition?

Foreigners who work, live or study in China and neither they nor their parents speak Chinese as their mother tongue. Foreigners residing overseas who are also non-native speakers of Chinese.

How will the competition be held?

The competition consists of an online preliminary round, online semi-finals and offline finals. The online preliminary round includes two parts. Contestants (竞争者) will answer questions online. Upon completing the questions, they will be directed to a new page where they should write their favorite Chinese character. A poster image showcasing their handwritten Chinese character will be generated to share on WeChat. They must send a one-minute self-introduction video. The video should meet the following criteria: Format: MP4; Quality: 1080p; Duration: Not longer than one minute. The top 40 contestants will advance to the semi-finals. In the second round, contestants will participate in a video conversation where they will each take turns speaking on the spot. The top 10 contestants with the highest scores will advance to the finals.

At the finals, the finalists will each deliver a seven-minute speech. Judges will evaluate and score the speeches based on several criteria: the core message, their expressiveness, their proficiency (熟练) in the Chinese language and the effectiveness of their speeches in promoting cross-cultural understanding. These scores will be used to determine the final champion and other awards.

Awards

Each winner will receive a certificate, a souvenir and a cash prize that could be as high as 10,000 yuan. There will be a special award for the champion of the overseas competition zone.

4 . This Is What Your Dog’s Behaviors Should Tell You

When you see a dog’s tail in the air, that dog probably feels very excited or confident about something. If its tail is shaky and remains up, the dog probably just feels challenged in a way. Whenever a dog is content, its tail is always leveled with its body. However, if the tail is hanging low, this shows some kind of insecurity.

When puppies start teething, they start chewing things around. It just means that they have not been getting as much physical activity as their body needs. You can easily help by taking them out for a nice walk or helping them exercise in some other ways.

When you are talking to dogs, you subconsciously end up speaking in a higher pitch. The dogs tip their heads in an attempt to understand what you are telling. Dogs have a great way of reading different body language and responding to vocal cues. They recognize specific words especially those associated with treats they love or walks. A certain theory states that dogs will move their heads in that manner as a way of adjusting their ears so that they can listen better.

When you see a dog raise its ears, just know it’s listening keenly to you. It happens when they are unfamiliar with a certain sound and are trying to figure the sound out. So when you see this, just allow your dog to figure out things slowly for a second. After all, it’s very nice to have a dog that is observant.

5 . ▶Western Sydney University

The university undertakes ranges of sustainability-related research, including sustainable agriculture, soil biology and food security. It has a range of living labs on its campus to aid with teaching and research in areas such as renewable energy, water recycling and natural and cultural heritages.

▶University of Reading

The university offers a range of modules on environmental and social issues to all undergraduate students, regardless of which faculty they are studying in. There is also a free online two-week course where you can investigate the impact of climate change and the research being done into it. The university has a range of sustainability projects, including the Research Woodland and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme.

▶University of Manchester

The university has a range of sustainability measures on campus to reduce waste. The Want Not, Waste Not shop on campus sells a selection of zero-waste products including spices, pulses, cleaning products and beauty products. The university is also working to reduce plastic at all its events, by replacing balloons with paper bunting, using potato-based tokens instead of plastic ones and eliminating plastic water bottles and printed flyers.

▶Manchester Metropolitan University

In April 2021, the university launched the Give It, Don’t Bin It” campaign, which encourages students to donate unwanted items and leftover food to charity partners, including the British Heart Foundation and Manchester Central Food Bank. Donation banks and boxes are situated all over campus. Students wishing to get involved in sustainability can choose from a range of initiatives across campus, including the Sustainability Ambassador scheme and Climate and Social Action Week. Students also run a clothing swap shop and MetMUnch, a student network that focuses on training and pop-ups all around food, nutrition and sustainability.

6 . Four best photobooks in 2023

Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake

Following 2020’s smash hit Entangled Life, mycologist Merlin Sheldrake return s just in time for Christmas with an amazing illustrated edition. At over 240 pages, Sheldrake’s passion and knowledge leap off every spread. From the microscopic (微观) to the splendid, the colour images create an entertaining experience.

Anna Atkins: Cyanotypes by Peter Walther

Often copied, seldom improved on, the elegant cyanotypes (氰化钾照片) of Ann a Atkins are timeless. First created in the 1840s, cyanotypes use light-sensitive iron salt solution and exposure to sunlight to create beautiful Prussian blue prints. Peter Walther’s book is comprehensive, 660 pages long, and is perfect for Atkins’ fans or anyone keen to learn.

The Earth in Our Hands by Thomas Pesquet

Thomas Pesquet’s breathtaking collection of photographs taken from the International Space Station(ISS)follows in the footsteps of astronaut Don Pettit’s Spaceborne. Pesquet took more than 245,000 images over two missions, with his book including 200 of these. It is the closest most of us will get to being on the ISS — a really immersive read.

Looking at Trees by Sophie Howarth

Sophie Howarth’s absorbing book features 26 of the world’s leading photographers, including Nicholas J. R. White and Anna Beeke. From a framed Hollywood juniper in California to a surreal (超现实的) image of Halfway Gardens in Gauteng, South Africa, Howarth asks us to value trees at a time of environmental challenge. A book you will return to.

7 . Enrollment Regulations of Taiyuan University of Science and Technology in 2023

Welcome to apply to our school. In 2023, our school will mainly recruit students majoring in Machinery, Materials, and Computer Science. In addition, we will also recruit new students majoring in English, Engineering, Law, and more. The following is a brief introduction to our school’s characteristic majors.

Mechanical Design, Manufacturing and Automation

This major belongs to the School of Mechanical Engineering and is a characteristic specialty construction point of national higher education institutions. It includes six original major categories (类别) and two new professional directions. Its major courses are Advanced Mathematics, Mechanical Design, etc.

Material Science & Engineering

This major is a major that attaches importance to foundation and is a talent training and scientific research base for China’s heavy machinery industry. Its major courses are Advanced Mathematics, Theoretical Mechanics, etc.

Computer Science and Technology

This major is an advantageous specialty in Shanxi and admits doctoral students. It mainly cultivates (创造) senior specialized talents engaged in the research, design, development, application, and teaching of computer software, hardware, and application systems. The main courses include Advanced Mathematics, C Language, etc.

If you want to learn more, you can go to our school’s official website or call the admissions office for consultation.

8 . Books for Young Readers

Ivy+Bean by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall

Ivy is quiet; Bean is loud and goofy. Ivy wants to be a witch; Bean wants to play games. Naturally, they’re going to end up being best friends and getting into all kinds of scrapes together since their approach to pretty much everything—from discovering dinosaurs to starting their own summer camp—is “Why not?” (For ages 6 to 10)

Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson and Nina Mata

Ryan Hart wants to see the good in everybody, even when she gets teased for having a boy’s name. She has a lot to deal with—her dad’s been laid off and the family has to move to a smaller house. But when Ryan runs into problems, she’s always looking for ways to make sunshine. (For ages 7 to 10)

Better Nate Than Ever (series) by Tim Federle

The budding drama club kids in your life will love this trilogy (三部曲) about a small-town boy with big Broadway dreams. Nate Foster longs to get away from Jankburg. Pennsylvania to star in a Broadway show. And then something amazing happens. There’s an open casting call for a Broadway musical based on E. T. He just has to get there. (For ages 10 and up)

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Fans of Raina Telgemeier will love Jerry Craft’s sympathetic graphic novel about seventh-grader Jordan, who’s trying to fit in at the fancy new private school where he’s one of the few kids of color in his grade. And all he really wants to do is draw comics—so how can he stay true to himself and his neighborhood, and still figure out his new school? (For ages 8 to 12)