Games for Peace
The Peace Corps is a United States volunteer organization. The mission of the Peace Corps is to promote world peace and friendship by providing trained volunteers to countries who need them. Here is advice of two of those volunteers on joining the Peace Corps and some more information about the activity.
Schwille: It usually takes nine to twelve months to be placed, and it'll take longer if you're married. If you're willing to go anywhere, there are more opportunities. Remember the place you're going is not the place you think it is.
Schneider: The biggest piece of advice I could share is that each experience is so unique and every experience is incredibly valuable. There is no one way to measure the "success" or "impact" a volunteer has in their community.
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To Be a Volunteer
Length of service is 27 months, which includes an average of three months of in-country training and 24 months of Volunteer service.
The application process averages 9-12 months. The minimum age for Peace Corps service is 18; there is no upper age limit. Volunteers must be U.S. citizens.
Competitive applicants will have a demonstrated commitment to community service, leadership experience, and a willingness to learn a new language.
The Camp Fire ravaged(毁坏) an area the size of Chicago, destroying 14,000 residences and taking more than 17 days to contain. As it spread, killing at least 85 people and displacing thousands more in Northern California, Madison waited patiently.
Madison's owner, Andrea Gaylord, was not able to get to her home in Paradise, California, when the fire began to spread on Nov. 8, meaning Madison was left behind. For weeks, all Gaylord could do was pray for Madison's safety.
Shayla Sullivan, a rescue volunteer, spotted Madison a few times in a valley, apparently guarding territory, and put out fresh food and water regularly in hopes that the dog would turn up. She even placed an article of clothing that smelled like Andrea near the home to keep Madison's hope alive until his people could return.
When the evacuation(撤离) order was lifted last week and Andrea went back to the property—which had been destroyed by the fire—her prayers were answered: Madison was there, seemingly protecting what little remained of his family's home.
"WELL, I'm so HAPPY to report that Andrea was allowed to return to her property today and THERE MADISON WAS!!!! He had stayed to protect what was left of his home, and NEVER gave up on his people!" Sullivan wrote in the comment on her Facebook post, which was shared 12,000 times as of Saturday evening. "I'm so happy. I'm crying as I write this! He didn't give up through the storms or the fire! A LOOOOONG month it must have been for him!" she added.
Later, Andrea said in an interview that she was overcome with joy to see Madison waiting for her. Andrea lost everything in the fire and is now homeless, but she has been able to find some solace knowing her dogs are safe, "Imagine the loyalty of hanging in through the worst of circumstances and being here waiting," Andrea told ABC10, fighting through tears. "You could never ask for better animals."
A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Riverside, has found exposure to third-hand smoke (THS) causes skin diseases.
The study—the first to look at humans exposed to THS—involved 10 healthy non-smokers wearing clothing with either filtered (过滤的) air or THS chemicals. The investigation lasted three hours, during which participants would either walk or run for 15 minutes per hour—this would make them sweat and increase the levels of THS potentially taken in through the skin. Blood samples were collected, which were measured to see whether THS may have caused cell or tissue damage.
"We found THS exposure caused damage to DNA, lipids (脂质), and proteins, and the damage remained even after the exposure stopped," said Shane Sakamaki-Ching, a doctor of biology and the first author of the study. "Cigarette smokers show the same result." The study showed exposure to THS increases signals related with skin diseases, which makes sense: the organ most likely to come into contact with THS is your skin, and so it receives the biggest exposure to the harmful chemicals. "However, what's even more worrying is the tendency to lead to cancer," added Sakamaki-Ching.
"If you buy a used car previously owned by a smoker, you are putting yourself at some health risk," said Prue Talbot, a professor of cell biology at UC Riverside and the corresponding author of the study. "If you go to a restaurant that allows smoking, you are exposing your skin to THS. The same applies to staying in a hotel room that was previously occupied by a smoker."
All that came from just three hours' investigation. And if you think e-cigarette smokers are being forgotten, fear not: the team's next project is to take a look at which remains are left by these less-deadly death sticks.
Sakamaki-Ching said, "Our findings can help physicians in checking patients exposed to THS and help develop policies improving indoor environments polluted by THS."
To nap or not to nap? Whether napping will work for you depends on a range of factors, such as lifestyle, sleep cycle length, culture, and, most importantly, the length of your snooze. If you like to nap, you are not alone. Napping is part of the culture in many countries: around 51 percent of people worldwide habitually enjoy 40 winks in the daytime.
When it comes to napping. one size definitely doesn't fit all. If you are sleep deprived, a nap can be helpful or even essential for making it through the day. However, for those with other sleep issues, a nap may make it harder to fall asleep at night. For most of us, the timing and length of our nap will largely determine how beneficial it is to our sleep routine.
Between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., most people experience an increase in sleepiness, triggered by a slight drop in core body temperature. A nap of 30 minutes or less around this time allows you to benefit from a burst of Stage I and 2 sleep, which is good for mental and physical alertness.
Napping for 30 minutes or less can reduce stress and lower the risk of cardiovascular problems like heart attacks and strokes. One study showed that napping three times a week for 30 minutes led to a 37 percent decreased risk of dying from heart disease.
A brief nap can be beneficial for those with excessive daytime sleepiness, including people suffering from sleep apnea(呼吸暂停) or narcolepsy, shift workers, and people with jet lag. Studies show that short naps can help improve or reset a disrupted circadian rhythm (昼夜节律).
Naps can interfere with insomnia(失眠) treatment, which involves restricting daytime sleep to increase the likelihood of sleeping solidly at night.
Be cautious about naps of more than 30 minutes. Waking from the deep-sleep stages results in sleep inertia, a super-dizzy state where brainwaves are slow and it takes longer to adjust to the awake state.
A recent study has found that napping for more than 60 minutes a day increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 50 percent.
Vacation often starts with a wonderful idea. With a little bit of preparation and effort, travelers can overcome 90% of the difficulties they may face during a trip. Here are useful tips on how to plan a trip.
Picking the right destination according to the season is a key factor in planning a trip successfully. Usually, the ideal season to visit beaches, mountains and forests is completely different Also take the cost factor into consideration. Going to a luxury destination during the shoulder season can result in some good discounts on hotels and flights.
Another key aspect of a good trip planning is to correctly estimate the number of days required. Some travelers like to see new cities every day, whereas some prefer taking it slow. You'd better leave an empty day in travel plans in which there are more than 7 days so that things like terrible weather won't mess up the whole arrangement.
Prices of flights and accommodations rise over time if you are planning for a vacation that falls during the peak season of that particular destination. So making a reservation a few months in advance will help you avoid additional costs.
Pack wisely and do necessary research. An extra shirt, sweater, or jumper can prove handy during trips where the weather is expected to be cold or rainy. As responsible tourists, travelers must know the destination they are visiting Because it helps them avoid conflict or disrespect to the locals.
A. Early booking is recommended.
B. Learn about the dos and don'ts.
C. Make the most of every traveling day.
D. But not everyone has a reasonable vacation plan.
E. It often depends on the travel plans and purpose.
F. Check out the best time to visit the place you like.
G. Something unexpected, however, makes it end up being a trouble.
Sinking onto the sofa in my living room on a Friday evening, I was emotionally worn out from a busy workweek and eager to find a temporary 1 . Nearby, my 3-year-old son was playing with a toy train, so 2 in the play that he didn't even notice me.
Then I made a surprising 3 . Though exhausted, I was flooded with a sense of deep satisfaction. I felt extremely 4 watching him swing his body to ride the train through imaginary hills and valleys. His loud choo-choo" sounded like a comforting tune. I dared not make the slightest sound or motion that would 5 this joyful moment.
Upon reflection, I 6 something: No amount of money or success could 7 this experience. Professional milestones such as earning a medical degree paled in comparison to the 8 I was feeling now. It will not contribute to my professional achievements. Nor will it 9 me any praise from colleagues. But it has 10 my life in a significant way. I did not have to work for it. All I had to do was 11 and be present, like my son who was focused on his train game and 12 showing me how to be in the here and now.
Our daily lives are hidden with countless 13 to find satisfaction. It may be the sound of birds on a sunny morning or 14 a few minutes of silence at the end of a busy day. The key is to 15 the moment and take it in.
The Beijing Central Axis(中轴线) has taken one more step ahead to become UNESCO(联合国教科文组织) World Heritage Site, will be part of China's 2024 application project.
The Beijing Central Axis, seen as one of the most important (represent) of Chinese civilization, refers to the core area of the ancient capital city that (stretch) 7.8 kilometres from the Yongding Gate in the south the Bell Tower and Drum Tower in the north. This area tells stories of emperors from the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) records the lives of both popular figures and common people.
(vary) methods to advance the application have been used, including digital technologies. For instance, visitors can travel through time and space (free), moving between the past and the present, and learn about 14 cultural heritage sites along the Central Axis by using a newly-launched mobile application.
When talking about the decision, Li Zhou, vice president of the Chinese Commission for the International Council on Monuments and Sites, told Global Times that members (join) in the application work felt pressed for time, as there were still many preparations waiting (complete).
It was a beautiful sunny day when Martin went out into the backyard. It would have been a perfect day to play. But Martin wasn't out there to play.
His mother had sent him out there so that he could practice the flute(长笛). When she had bought him the expensive flute, he had promised to practice at least thirty minutes every day. But it can be difficult to concentrate or something as unexciting as a flute when your room is full of cool stuff like a TV, video games and the Internet. So Martin's mother sent him to the backyard to practice, where there would be no distractions(使人分心的事物).
Martin sat down on the grass and brought the flute to his lips. He began doing his fingering exercises with his eyes closed. You have to close your eyes when you want to concentrate on stuff. Anyway, he played for a good forty or fifty seconds before he heard a familiar sound: "Hey, Martin!"
He looked in the direction of the voice and saw the face of his friend, his next-door neighbor Kris, who was smiling at him from the fence which separated their yards.
"I just got a new movie!" he said. "Want to come over and check it out?"
Well, that was exactly what Martin wanted to do. He loved movies but he shook his head and said sorry. Kris seemed disappointed that Martin had said no. But he also understood that Martin had to practice a lot when he was learning a musical instrument. So he left and watched the film by himself.
Martin was alone with his flute. He closed his eyes and started his fingering exercises again. But he couldn't concentrate. His father was a scientist. Martin had been to his lab many times. He couldn't understand why his father could concentrate on his researches for so long a time. When he was thinking, his father came over.
注意：
●续写词数应为150左右；
●请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1: With a smile on his face, his father sat beside Martin, which made the young boy a little nervous.
Paragraph 2: Martin felt ashamed and then he nodded, saying he hoped to be a flute performer.
