1 . It was a February afternoon in a Brooklyn classroom. Sixteen-year-old Taylor Engler came face to face with a cow. But it was all in her head. She was transported by a virtual reality (VR) headphone. It took the Berkeley Carroll School junior and eight other classmates to a northern New York farm. The farm was 250 miles away. For students, the technology means field trips are no longer kept within the length of a bus ride.

It's unknown how many classrooms have or will use the technology, but experts say few classrooms do or will do. Headphones that require a user's phone can cost as little as $20 or $30, but systems and software for classes run into thousands of dollars. The problem of not having good software is disappearing as more companies enter the market. But the rules for use haven't kept abreast of the development of the technology. In New York, for example, virtual reality lab experiments are not included in the state's hands-on lab time requirements.

Experts say science classes are where virtual reality holds promise for classrooms. “The biggest problem, I think, is going to be how closely it mimics the real world." That's according to David Evans, the director of the National Science Teachers Union. However, he said, “The ability to do dangerous things and to run many, many more cases in a virtual space as opposed to the real physical space stands for a huge learning chance.”

Lamb taught chemistry and he agreed. “Too often in schools, when you do experiments in labs, you mix these together, you mix those together and you get this result. And if you don't get that result, you have done something wrong. But we don't have enough resources for you to redo it, “he said. “In virtual reality, all I do is hit reset on the computer. I don't have to actually use chemicals.”

2 . If you are currently learning English, 1 highly recommend you check out the apps below.

Quizlet

When learning English, you probably have to memorize a lot of words. If you want to grow your vocabulary as fast as possible, a flashcard app like Quizlet is a great shortcut. With Quizlet, you can create a set of flashcards with new English words you are trying to learn, and practice typing them out until you know them by heart. It's a simple concept, but it's highly effective.

Spotify

Spotify is not a language learning app. But chances are that you already use it or a similar app for listening to music or podcasts（播客）, and one of the effective ways to study is combining something you already use into your existing habits. If Spotify is already on your phone, you can subscribe to some podcasts for English learners or download playlists of songs for learning English, or make your own.

Beelinguapp

Beelinguapp makes reading in English as convenient as possible. It shows you a text in your own language with the English translation side-by-side. Texts are short enough so that you can really dig into every word. They cover topics from fairytales, to science, to current news articles. There's even a "karaoke" feature where you can read along to audio, which helps you match up the English pronunciation with the English spellings.

Tandem

Tandem is a language exchange app which connects learners from all over the world. It can help you find a native English speaker who is trying to learn your native language, so you can swap language skills. If you only have five minutes to spare, you can simply exchange messages with a native English speaker. If you have more time, you can have a longer, digital language exchange" by sharing voice notes, or using video chat. It's a great way to test your English skills out with real people.

4 . Superman，the first American superhero，appeared in 1938 with his cape (斗篷) and an “S” on his chest. Shortly after his appearance in comics, moviemakers began trying to bring superheroes to the big screen. In the early 1940s, they made their first attempts to bring comic books to life.    1    Instead, they were made as 5 to 10 minutes episodes that would play at movie theaters before the main feature. Unlike today’s superhero films, these serials were aimed mainly at children.

This pattern changed in 1978 when Richard Donner made his first Superman film. First of all, it was aimed at an adult audience.    2    Second, the film's special effects were very sophisticated（复杂的）for that time. Finally, the Superman film was a departure from earlier superhero films in that it used talented and famous Hollywood actors.     3    

Yet another revolution in superhero movies came in the 1990’s and 2000’s, when Computer-Generated Image technology made it possible to recreate even more fantastic landscapes and more monstrous（可怕的）creatures.    4    These films were similar to Donners Superman in that they targeted an adult audience Watchmen (2009), for instance, was released with an R rating, meaning that it was not intended for children under the age of 17.

    5    Their success at the box office continues to attract big-name Hollywood actors and directors and higher production budgets, so lovers of action and adventure should have plenty of reasons to go to the movies for years to come.

5 . You probably take many steps to protect your computer from getting a virus, but what about your cell phone? Cell phones are basically mini-computers, so, believe it or not, they too can get viruses.

“Viruses and malware（恶意软件）should not be a major concern to the average consumer who uses their device to make phone calls, take pictures, and download a few well-known apps from the major app marketplaces,” Tim Katsch Vice President of iDropped said. “If a user is downloading a lot of apps, changing and exploring settings within the device, and visiting a large number of websites from unknown sources, virus and malware protection should be kept on their mind.” If your phone gets a virus it can mess up your data, put random charges on your bill, and get private information such as your bank account number, credit card information, passwords, and your location.

The most common way that you could get a virus on your phone would be through downloading an infected app. Viruses can also get on your phone when you click on strange links or open up an email that contains a virus. Connecting to an unsecured wireless network in a public place is also a way for hackers（黑客）to get private information from your device.

If you're still convinced that your phone might get a virus, there are anti-virus apps that you can download that will constantly scan your phone to make sure it hasn't developed a virus, Apps like these will also check things before you download them to ensure that they are safe. Another tip is to always look over your cell phone bill every month to make sure there aren't charges from apps that you never downloaded.

Technology is getting smarter, but so are hackers, and it's important to always be cautious with anything you do on your phone. Many people store a lot of personal information on their phones, and while that might make life a little more convenient, it can also do a lot of damage if hacked.