The return of the road trip
People are cager to get out of their houses, but not badly enough to get on a plane. The solution? A good old-fashioned road trip. As many states make travel rules less strict, they're encouraging people to move around within their home state to help increase local business. A road trip in one's vehicle allows for a sense of control and you know whose germs(细菌) are in your space.
The prioritization(优先) of cleanliness
Travelers generally expect a clean hotel room when they arrive, and now expectations will be higher than ever. We're about to become concerned with cleanliness to the point that it could become the top priority of hotels, more so than comfortable beds and good service.
Checking list can show whether hosts are practicing strict new clean guidelines, including a24-hour waiting period between bookings.
The new appeal of nature
Travelers will be rightly nervous about crowds and anxious to avoid them. That will result in an explosion of visitors to national parks and other places where crowds are less likely to be met with. This could be the start of the golden age of camping，as people want to get outside while keeping social distance.
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Health is at the forefront of everyone's minds these days, and it is safe to say it'll stay therefore a long time yet. Meanwhile, people are sick of being indoors, so tourism is likely to reflect an increasing desire to promote good health while getting outside. Intrepid Travel's CEO James told The Times, "If 2020 proves to be a year we spend a lot of time indoors, 2021 will be about getting outdoors and getting active, with tours centred around things like cycling and hiking."
"We are running out of space and the only places to go to are other worlds. ... Spreading out may be the only thing that saves us from ourselves. I am convinced that humans need to leave Earth" These are the words of the famous scientist Stephen Hawking.
Hawking was not alone in this view. Many experts feel that the only way for humans to last far into the future is to colonize (殖民) other planets. That way, if an asteroid (小行星), a terrible discase, or some other disaster strikes Earth, we would still have a chance. Mars is one of the best choices. NASA, the private company SpaceX，and other organizations all have plans to send humans there. "Either we spread Earth to other planets, or we go out of existence,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk said.
But not everyone agrees that colonizing Mars or any other planet is such a great plan. The most common argument against going is that it's just too expensive or dangerous. It will take huge amounts of money and other resources just to get people there, let alone set up a place for them to live. It's not even clear if humans could survive on Mars.
Maybe all the time and money people would pour into a Mars task would be better spent on more important projects here on Earth, like dealing with poverty or climate change. Some experts argue that handling a problem like an asteroid strike or disease outbreak while staying here on Earth would be much easier and less expensive than surviving on a new planet. In addition, moving to a new planet could harm or destroy anything that already lives there. Mars seems uninhabited, but it could possibly host some life. Human visitors may destroy this life or change the Martian environment forever.
What do you think? Should humans colonize outer space or stay at home?
Which hand do you use to write your name? Which foot do you use to kick a ball? You probably use the same hand or foot. That's called your dominant side.
About 90 percent of humans are right-handed. Scientists want to know whether other animals also have dominant sides. So they give simple challenges to zoo animals and pets.
At first, chimpanzees（大猩猩） appeared to be left-handed. Dr. Hopkins watched chimpanzees as they went "ants fishing", using sticks to pull ants out. Most of the chimps did the job with their left hand. However, when chimpanzees ate butter from a narrow pipe, they tended to use the left hand to do the easy part (hold the pipe) and a finger on the right hand to do the hard part (reach in for the treat).
Does that mean chimpanzees are left-handed for some tasks and right-handed for others? That's not likely. Dr. Hopkins says the chimps may have used the weaker hand to pull out the ants and the dominant hand to hit the insects and put them in mouths.
But how about other animals? Dr. Wells wondered if cats are right- or left-pawed. At the beginning, he gave the cats the simple task of moving across the floor. The cats showed no preference; they used either paw. Dr. Wells also made the cats perform given movements. The researcher dropped a small fish into a can and wrote down which paw each cat used to fish out the treat. All of the female cats except one used the right paw. For males, 19 out of 21 used the left paw. Dr. Wells tested each cat many times to make sure it really preferred to use one paw instead of the other.
Hello! Wait! Don't run away. Yes, I know I am a roach. So, what's wrong with that?
You are speaking to the most successful species on the planet, you know! We've been around for 350 million years!
So what's the secret of our success? Sure, we've had plenty ofenemies. If you're small and full of protein, everything wants to eat you. So what did we do? We got quick, is what. We learned to hide, is what. We can squeeze so flat that we can fit through gap no bigger than a coin. Really! I dare you, try it.
And we never skip a meal! What do we eat? What have you got? Rotting leaves, garbage glue, paper, leather...and if you like to eat dead things, I tell you, the world is your refrigerator! But just don't offer me a cucumber or plastics!
Once humans came along, we went everywhere humans went. In ships, on planes, in camepacks across the desert Roach road trin! We even followed them to space! That's Uncle Anton. He hid on board the A pollo capsule — he was so mad when they just came right back to earth.
You can't have too many roaches. I say. Now there are 4.000 species of us: Asian, American. German... hope you get to meet them all someday.
Some of the family get pretty strange That's Reginald. He thinks if he pretends to be a firefly, birds won't oat him. That's tough old Ant Elo. She worked for some scientists trying to figure out ways to get rid of us ...ha! Poison, radiation, heat, cold…whatever they throw at us, we just get tougher. Bring it on!
Aw, look. that's me just after my 15 brothers and sisters and I hatched (孵化) out from egg case. Yeah. I look pretty much the same. That's another roach wonder — we skip the larva stage(幼虫期).Our eggs hatch all ready to roll! Still pretty cute, though.
Yep, that's how we got to be the most successful species on the planet!
①being flexible ②running like wind
③being full of protein ④raising many babies
You've been invited to dine with the Prime Minister(首相) of Vietnam — Nguyen Tan Dung.
A good first impression is important. To be a good guest, you need to be prepared and confident..
You will be correct if you refer to the Prime Minister as Mr. Dung-and not Mr. Nguyen. Nguyen is the family name; Dung, the given name, the primary means of address. Tradition has the family name passed onto the next generation by the father.
. Vietnamese are well trained in being self-controlled and expect it of others. As a visitor, keep your voice down. Beckoning(打手势) with your finger is also impolite. It is OK if you use your whole hand with your palm down. The Vietnamese do not like to say “no". Don't ask negative questions, for they only tend to puzzle..
Any physical contact in public, especially with women. is a taboo(禁忌). Vietnamese don't always shake hands upon greeting either, but will bow with respect.. Only elders are allowed to touch heads-but still not allowed to touch shoulders.
You'll soon be joining the Prime Minister with other guests. Your dinner would probably be noodle soup with beef using very little oil and lots of Vietnamese vegetables.
Arrive on time for your dinner appointment with the Prime Minister. Bring him a simple gift — something from China, but nothing fancy., and a warm, sincere smile is still good way to end a good day — in any country.
A. Speak softly in a quiet voice
B. The information you'll need is in hand
C. Make good preparations for the dinner
D. It will be good if you listen more than you speak
E. Good manners show that you have enjoyed the meal
F. You should express your puzzlement without hesitation
G. It is considered impolite to touch anyone's shoulder or head
For ten years my father had been fighting cancer. Now he was forced into the hospital because of an infection. I sensed he1 being there, but he hardly complained. That wasn't his2
One night after3 to call a nurse, he tried to reach the bathroom on his own and fell, getting his4 injured. When I saw his wounded head the next day, I felt my helpless anger5 .Why isn't anything I can do? I thought. As if6 my thoughts, when the lift I waited for opened, two dogs greeted me. I was7 that hospital rules should allow it.
A(n) 8 grew as I walked to my car. I9 that if I could give my dad nothing else, I was going to give him some10 with his beloved dog Boots. When dad was at home, Boots was always there, watching him protectively. When dad had to go to the hospital, Boots waited and jumped every time a car11 to the house. Later that day I came back for another12 , bringing Boots. Upon arrival, Boots flew out of the car and dragged me through the hospital lobby.13 , she knew to stop directly in front of the very lift.14 she had never been here before, when the lift door opened, she ran directly into the room. Ever so gently, she crawled into my father's open arms, not touching his 15 sides and laid her face next to his. For the first time in a long time, I saw my father's broad smile.
Winter Solstice Festival
As early as 2,500 years ago, about the Spring and Autumn Period, China decided the point of Winter Solstice by observing the (move) of the sun. The time will be each December 21 or 22 according to the Gregorian calendar.
The Northern hemisphere on this day experiences the(short) daytime and longest nighttime. As ancient Chinese thought, the yang, positive things, will become stronger and stronger after this day, it should be celebrated.
The Winter Solstice became a festival during the Han Dynasty and thrived in the Tang and Song dynasties. The Han people(regard) Winter Solstice as a “Winter Festival", so officials would organize celebrating (active). On this day, both officials and common people would have a rest. In the Tang and Song dynasties, the Winter Solstice was a day to offer sacrifices(祭品) to Heaven and ancestors. The Qing Dynasty even had the record that “Winter Solstice is as formal as the Spring Festival", representing the great importance (attach) to this day.
In some parts of Northern China people eat dumplings,will keep them from frost in the upcoming winter. But in parts of South China, the whole family will get together to have special meal made of red-bean and rice to drive away bad things. The Winter Solstice dumplings could (use) as sacrifices to ancestors, or gifts for friends and relative. People of the same family name gather together to honor their ancestorsage order. After the ceremony, there is always a big dinner.
Door-to-door food delivery (快递) service has become increasingly popular in cities due to the fast development of online shopping and the busy life in China.
As food delivery is extremely common in China, it creates large amounts of waste due to the plastic containers, bags, and chopsticks that come with each order. This in turn has contributed to great environmental concerns for the waste packaging materials. We have therefore measured the amount of food delivery packaging waste in China. The results show that the total amount of packaging waste rose from 0.2 million metric tons in 2015 to 1.5 million metric tons in 2020.Over-packaging is also a concern. The food delivery packaging is not the fancier, the better. Instead, it is the more environment-friendly, the better.
Therefore, it is high time that regulations were adopted to stop restaurants and companies from spending too much on unnecessary packaging and wrapping. Also, smart policy suggestions should be provided to handle the pressing issues, particularly using the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle environment-friendly practices.
As the largest city in China, Shanghai has an important role in creating and seeking an efficient solution to the problem of waste. With over 24 million people living in Shanghai, materials sustainability (可持续性), particularly that of plastics, is a big problem. For example, delivery companies like Saucepan have begun to reduce the plastic usage of the food delivery in Shanghai by using biodegradable（可降解的) packaging in the delivery process. Besides, it encourages customers to recycle their plastic bags and reward them for every 10 used bags that they return to the company.
