3 . A professor at the University of South Florida recently published a paper she knew barely anyone would read. At least, not outside her field. The paper had to do with the impact of algae (海藻) blooms and depletion (退化) of coral reefs on the region’s tourism industry.

The work of completing the paper was glum, says Heather O’Leary. It involved tracking visitors’ reactions to the environment on social media. “Part of the data for months was just reading posts: dead fish, dead fish, dead fish,” she recalled. “We were really thinking every day about the Gulf of Mexico and the waters that surround us, about those risks, and the risks to our coastal economy.”

O’Leary wanted people to pay attention to her paper and raise their environmental awareness. But she couldn’t come up with any solutions. However, attending concerts at USF’s School of Music inspired and gladdened her. She reached out to its director of bands, Matthew McCutchen. “I’m studying climate change and what’s going down at the coral reefs,” he remembered her saying. “And I’ve got all this data from my paper and I’d like to know if there’s any way that we can turn it into music. So people can know about my paper.”

Indeed there was. Composition professor Paul Reller worked with students to map pitch, rhythm and duration to the data. It came alive, O’Leary said, in ways it simply couldn’t be done on a spreadsheet.

“My students were really excited to start thinking about how students from other majors, such as the music students, heard patterns that they did not normally hear in some of the repetitions,” she said. In this case, she said, the patterns revealed the economic impact of pollution on coastal Florida communities.

With music, she added, “you can start to sense with different parts of your mind and your body that there are patterns happening and that they’re important.” “The world is going to see more and more of these ‘wicked problems’, the ones that take multiple people with different types of training and background to solve.”   

Now, a group of professors and students are working to bring together music and the environment in related projects, such as an augmented (增强的) reality experience based on this composition. The group wants to spread awareness about the algae blooms, data literacy (数据认知) and environmental protection.

4 . There has been a bitter argument within the Australian community over a horse racing event advertised on the Sydney Opera House. While some believe the Opera House is Australia’s “biggest billboard (大幅广告牌)” and should be used for economic gain, others are shocked that the government has allowed the national landmark to be polluted with branding.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sydney Opera House is an important Australian building recognized all over the world and one of the country’s most frequently visited tourist attractions. In the past, the Opera House has been used to promote a handful of charities, cultural festivals, etc. However, these have aimed to highlight events that bring advantage to ordinary people, not a single profiting brand.

Some have argued that promoting brands on the sails of the Opera House is just like advertising on any other billboard or marketing space with the power to significantly encourage tourism and growth. While this may be true, if advertising continues to happen, the Opera House could risk losing its reputation, which could devalue the landmark and actually damage its tourism appeal.

Although landmarks around the world such as the Eiffel Tower and Moscow’s Red Square have been used for advertising, they also caused some arguments among the public. For instance, a major fashion brand placed a giant branded suitcase in the center of Moscow’s Red Square; however, it was removed shortly afterwards as tourists complained it was so big that it blocked views of major landmark sites. The advertisement caused arguments among the public and finally failed to leave a positive impact.

So what will advertising on the Opera House look like to international tourists? Will they be amazed and drawn to a wonderful country, or will they see advertising as something reducing the cultural value of a national symbol? We think it’s clear that our national treasures deserve the respect and admiration that come with them, and advertising should be limited to important causes, not campaigns for commercial gain.

5 . A few years ago, LaQuista Erinna’s seven-year-old son, Jackson, suffered from autism (自闭症). One of the most _______ things was getting a haircut. It was typically a bit hard to _______ him to sit down. And he’d get so _______ later that he’d start kicking and screaming. Erinna had to change barbers (理发师) _______ until they met Ree.

Jackson was _______ at first and started running around the shop. It was so tricky that Erinna was about to _______ the attempt and call it a day. But Ree _______ her to give it a few more minutes. To Erinna’s great amazement, Ree made the haircut into a _______. She would shave little hair off Jackson’s head, and then he would take it off. “He doesn’t like the hair to get on him, so it transfers (转移) his _______ from haircut,” Erinna said. When Ree ________ her work, Jackson flashed her a smile, saying, “Well, can we come back tomorrow and play again?”

It meant a lot to Erinna that Ree took time to figure out a ________ to give Jackson a haircut. “She was the only person who showed ________ and care for him. Other people would get unwilling. They don’t necessarily want to ________ such a difficult kid. However, I can totally ________ Ree. I know she’s going to ________ my son and make sure he’s looking the best,” Erinna said.

6 . I have a tea problem, drinking far too much since my teens. The addiction is bad, though cheap as addictions go. My excuse is that there are so many problems to which a cup of tea is the answer. Who doesn’t think it’s a lifesaver right now, as the dark falls and the cold follows?

Luckily, I needn’t be ashamed of my dependence on tea any longer, in fact, I should be proud. Because a new study by Professor Francisca Antman, an economist at the University of Colorado Boulder, shows widespread adoption of tea-drinking in late 18th-century England wasn’t just central to the development of our national culture, it actually saved lives.

In 1784, the Commutation Act dramatically cut the tea tax from 119% to 12.5%. Soon even peasants were drinking two cups of tea a day, with tea imports increasing six times between 1761 and 1834. What does a cup of tea need apart from tea leaves? Boiled water — which meant much healthier water in an era when people didn’t know dirty water spread disease. Plus, at the time tea was cheaper than beer, the other source of disease-free drink.

Death rates fell from 28 to 23 per 1,000 people over that same period. The role of tea imports was confirmed by drops in deaths from diseases carried by water. Improvements were also greatest in areas of lower water quality. And there was economic development, allowing the gathering together of people in the factory towns of the Industrial Revolution.

This all happened by accident, in a period in which public health protection didn’t much exist. It is surprising how a social custom could have such a big impact on the course of history. Anyway, I’m off to put the kettle on.

7 . Theodore Roosevelt took a positive approach to life, which can be summarized as “do what you can with what you have, where you are”. In other words, when you are seeking success, use every available resource.

Theodore Roosevelt had no time for quitters or complainers.     1     Every task, every goal, and every dream can be achieved. All you need to do is take your first step by using what you have around you.

Do not make excuses for not doing something. Instead, give all the reasons for setting out to complete the task.     2     Giving up is not one of those alternatives. The reason why neither quitters nor complainers achieve success is that they continuously find excuses for not doing something. When you are going for success, don’t give yourself excuses. Instead, challenge yourself.

Making the best of what you are given is encouraging. Achieving success through working to find different ways of doing a task or overcoming a problem will make you feel good. Your self-belief and confidence will rise.     3    

Theodore Roosevelt was a great advocate of self-discipline. He believed that if we could not control our own lives, how could we lead others?     4     For example, taking a morning run is good for your health, but lazing in bed is an attractive alternative. Without self-discipline, you’ll hesitate over running daily, but if you have it, you’ll be able to exercise regularly.

    5     Once you know what you want to do, and how you intend to carry your plan out, you will introduce discipline into your life. You will be able to focus on your way forward and know that you have the self-discipline to carry on.

8 . The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Grain Rain, as the last term in spring, originates from the old saying, “Rain brings up the growth of hundreds of grains.”

Grain Rain falls between the end of spring and the beginning of summer, with infrequent cold air moving to the south and lingering cold air in the north. It brings a marked increase in temperature and rainfall and the grains grow faster and stronger. It’s a key time to protect the crops from insect pests.

There is an old custom in southern China that people drink tea on the day of Grain Rain. Spring tea during Grain Rain is rich in vitamins and amino acids, which can help to remove heat from the body and is good for the eyes.

People in northern China have the tradition to eat toona sinensis during Grain Rain. An old Chinese saying goes, “Toona sinensis before the rain is as tender as silk.” The vegetable is nutritious and can help to strengthen the immune system.

The Grain Rain Festival is celebrated by fishing villages in the coastal areas of northern China. Grain Rain marks the start of the fishermen’s first voyage of the year. People worship the sea and stage sacrifice rites on the Grain Rain Festival, praying for a bountiful harvest and a safe voyage for their loved ones.