Years ago, I celebrated my 40th birthday with my friends. I arrived at the restaurant ahead of time, 1I waited outside the restaurant. Then a homeless man came up to me and asked for 2. I had been given strict orders by my friends not to bring my wallet in case(以防) I paid for the meal. So I told the man that I had 3money. He quietly smiled at me, and then left.
Just then a friend who just arrived called out "Happy birthday!" Hearing this, the man turned and asked, "Hey man, it's your birthday today?" "Yes, it is", I said. He 4, smiling and said loudly, "Happy birthday, man!" But I could hardly imagine what happened next. The man reached into his pocket, pulled out a dollar bill and said "Here man, take this."
Though I was 5his action, I didn't want to accept money from a homeless man. I said, "Thanks. That's really 6of you, but that's OK." The man looked directly into my eyes and said, "Please take this." I still hesitated (犹豫)to accept this7, but I heard a voice within me shouting, "TAKE THE MONEY!" I hesitantly reached out and said, "Thank you". Excitedly, he caught my 8, gave me the dollar and said, "No, thank you brother!"
That experience made me feel like I had got far more than $1! This was one of my greatest life9: No matter how poor we may be, we always have something valuable to10with others.
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Inventions |
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Phone | The first telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. It made communications easier. But the telephone was only fixed in post offices. People had to go there to make calls to faraway people and the fees were very high. Later, a cell phone was developed in 1973 in America. It was one of the most useful inventions. People can use cell phones to communicate with others much more easily. They can take them anywhere to make private calls. Even vision calls (可视电话), cell phones have many other functions, such as sending messages, taking photos and reading online. |
| TV | The first TV set was invented by an English scientist, John Baird, in 1926. The invention helped people watch films at home instead of going to the cinema as before. At first, TV sets only broadcast black-white pictures. Several years later, colored TV sets made the pictures lively. However, they were heavy and thick, so it was difficult to move them. Then, digital TV sets came into being. They are light and thin. Many TV programs are available (可获得的) at any time. At present, people can use the IPTV (网络电视) to record and replay programs. |
| Computer | The first modern computer was invented in America in 1946. It was as big as a room. It improved the speed and exactitude of calculation (计算). In the 1950s, desktop computers were invented in the same country. They became smaller and could be put on the desk. Since then, they have become very important in many fields of work and leisure. Before the 1970s, the computers were single. It was the Internet that joined the computers into a big family, so they could share information with one another. Around 1985, laptops were developed in Japan. They were much smaller and could be put on people's laps. They were light and easy to take. |
The coffee shop Starbucks will give people a discount if they bring their own cups. It wants to cut down on the number of paper cups that are put in the rubbish bins. It is part of a two-month experiment in cafes in England. Starbucks wants to reduce waste and recycle more, The president of Starbucks in the UK said, "We are very happy to increase recycling rates(比率)，and reusable cups are a key part of our waste reduction plan." Bosses will decide later if they will continue the discounts. People who bring their own cups will not get a discount on the cafe's cheaper filter coffee.
The problem of paper cups has been in the news a lot. Around seven million cups are thrown away every day. Reporters say that some cafes lie about how many paper cups they recycle. The reporters say the cafes do not recycle as many cups as they say. Customers wrongly believe that a coffee shop is environmentally friendly. Less than one in 400 paper cups at coffee shops are recycled. A coffee drinker said she would bring her own cup. She said, "I am so sad that cafes recycle so little. I thought they were more responsible."
Cars make our lives more convenient. But they can also be a problem. For example, fossil fuel(化石燃料) cars mainly cause air pollution.
To improve the environment, many countries are developing electric vehicles (EVs,电动车). Among them, China is taking a leading role and has created the world's largest EV market.
Last year, over 40 percent of the 753,000 EVs sold in the world were sold in China, more than twice as many as the number sold in the United States.
"Filling up a fossil fuel car with gas(汽油) is more expensive than charging( 充电) an electric car，" said Wu Hao，who bought an electric car this year.
However, there are still some problems. It can be hard to find charging piles(充电桩) and the cars can't go far before needing to be recharged.
Some of these problems are being solved. In 2014，China had 31,000 charging piles. Now China has the world's largest EV charging network, with more than 167, 000 charging piles in total.
Developing EVs is one of many efforts that China has made to cut down pressure on its environment after the government promised to stop increases in carbon dioxide emissions(二氧化碳排放量) by 2030.
"As China goes, so will the world's car industry," The Wall Street Journal said. China has taken a leading role in the world's electric vehicle industry.
"I just gave birth to 5 babies last weekend." Isn't that exciting? Oh, you don't believe me? "Okay then, I stole some money from a bank on Saturday night." Now do you believe me? Actually, I hope you don't. April 1st, or April Fool's Day is the day when we play jokes on people. Do you have it in your country?
April Fool's Day started in the sixteenth century in Europe. Before that time, New Year's Day was celebrated on April 1st. If they were teased, they were called fools.
Nowadays we play jokes on people on April 1st. For example, someone might put salt in the sugar bottle, so another person could put it in his coffee "by accident". Or someone might change the time on another person's alarm clock so that the person would unknowingly wake up earlier or later than planned. Or maybe a person would tell a lie to make someone else shocked.
After we play the trick, we say "April Fool". Then the poor person realizes he has been fooled. It is generally done in the spirit of fun and doesn't cause any real harm to anyone. Do you have any great jokes to play on anyone? Try it out.
A: Hi, Jane. Would you like to help save the environment?
B: I'd like to.
A: Well, first, you can start by turning off the lights when you leave a room.
B: Yes. That's easy. What's next?
A: Second, you can ride a bicycle. Don't take a bus or a taxi if you don't have to.
B: What else?
A: Third, try to recycle paper.
B: Mmm. Newspapers, magazines, we have a lot of paper at home. Good idea.
A: The fourth idea is to turn off the shower when you are not using it.
B:
A: Yes. Get wet, turn off the shower, put the shampoo in your hair and then turn on the shower and wash it out.
B: Yes, We have to save water.
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A. But what can I do for you? B. I think water is very important to us. C. You mean when I have shampoo(洗发剂) in my hair. D. But what can I do? E. That will save a lot of money too. F. Take a bag when you go shopping. G. Sometimes I turn off the lights without thinking. |
When I was a little girl, I remember that when my dad was repairing something, every time he asked me (hold)the hammer(锤子) for him, just so we would have a time for a conversation with each other. I never saw my dad (drink) or taking a night out. All he did after work was taking care of his family.
I grew up and left home for college and since then, my dad had been calling me every Sunday morning, no matter what. And when several years ( late), I bought a house, my dad was painting it by himself for three days in the 38℃ summer heat. All he asked was to hold his paint brush and talk to him. But I was too busy in those days. I did not find any time for a conversation with my dad.
One Sunday morning we had a telephone talk as (usually), I noticed that my dad had totally forgotten some things that we talked (late). I was in a hurry, so our conversation was a bit short. Few hours later that day came a call. My father was in a hospital with an aneurysm(动脉瘤). Immediately I (buy)a ticket for a flight and on my way I (think) about all special occasions(场合) to have a talk with my dad.
By the time I (arrive) at the hospital, my father had passed away. Now it was he who did not have time for a conversation with me. After his (die), I learned much about him, and even (much) about myself. All he ever asked me was my time. And now he has all my attention every single day.
Raising chickens seems a difficult task for teenagers. Grace Goodpasture from Virginia, US, not only raises them but also tries to breed（喂养） the "perfect chicken". And she even won an award for her love of science.
Grace started breeding chickens in her third grade at Steward school. At first, she worked on some farms for her school project. But later the fourteen-year-old started to have some ideas of her own.
"Some have thicker eggshells(蛋壳), and they are hearty(健壮的) throughout the winter," said Grace.
Since then, the young science lover started to try to find the healthiest free-range(散养) chickens. And she ended up breeding a type that now bears her name.
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) gave the 2015 Angela Award to Grace Goodpasture. Her interests don't end with chickens and eggs. She is also into building robots and testing preservatives (防腐剂) in fast foods. In her words, she wants to go to Virginia Tech for poultry (家禽) sciences in the future.
