1 . How does it feel when someone listens to you without interrupting (打断) or giving their opinion ? This is called active listening.    1    

What is active listening ?

Active listening means trying to understand how someone feels by listening carefully to what they’re saying and by paying attention to their body language.

Annie , aged 11, explains what it means to her. “When my friend tells me something important, I listen to what they’re trying to say. I can tell by the tone (语气) of their voice and the look on their face if they’re sad or happy.    2     When you’re actively listening to someone, you’re focusing (集中注意力) on them, which can make them feel valued.”

How is active listening good for me ?

Listening closely to someone without interrupting or giving your own opinion shows that you’re interested in what they’re saying , even if you don’ t agree.     3     It’s also a good way to improve your empathy(共鸣) skills. Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings of other people.

    4    

Listen carefully to what your friend is saying, and avoid jumping in with your own thoughts and feelings. If you get the urge (强烈的欲望) to talk , make a listening sign like nodding your head instead. Ask questions or say things that need more than a yes or no answer, like “Tell me more”.     5    “Active listening is a skill and it takes practice, but don’t give up, and remember you can only do your best ,” says Samaritans, an organization that supports people by listening to their worries.

2 . California’s Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary(保护区) didn’t have a single monarch butterfly(帝王蝶) sighting last year, so no one knew what to expect for this year’s migration(迁徙). The pleasant surprise, according to SFGate :“The butterflies are back in town”, more than 13,700 of them , per the sanctuary’s count as of November 20,2021.What’s more , the high point of the overwintering season —which runs from October through February—is not even set to hit for several more weeks.

The butterflies typically head west from the Rocky Mountains each year to spend the winter along the Pacific coast; on the other side of the country , butterflies from the East Coast and Canada head to Mexico before the cold weather hits. The population decline(下降)over the years has been noticeable : For example , between 4 million and 10 million butterflies spent the winter in the Golden State in the 1980s, though by the late 1990s that number fell to just over 1 million. By 20I8, the butterflies numbered about 30,000, and last year , there were only about 2,000 seen across the California coast.

Researchers believe different factors have led to the butterflies’ population decline over the years, including climate change, use of pesticides, and loss of living space. And recent Wildfires in California have exacerbated the situation. Scientists say the public can help by planting milkweed ( the butterflies lay their eggs on the plant and their young feed on it; cutting down on pesticide use; and helping observe them.

Still , even though last year’s numbers were worrying, some experts say it may not be as terrible as it seems. David James, an entomologist at Washington State University, tells SFGate that the butterflies seem to be adaptable(能适应的), based on a recent study he led, and that he’s “ confident ” they’ll avoid extinction. Xerces Society conservation biologist Emma Pelton agrees, saying that “ We can make a difference. There is still time to act. ”