If knowledge is power, then books are fuel and libraries are power stations! Here are four amazing libraries that can get you positively charged.
New York Public Library—New York
Opened in 1911, New York Public Library was the largest marble building in the world. Over the years the library has a collection of 53 million items, including rare first edition books, 300 million pages of historical newspapers and around 40, 000 restaurant menus dating back to 1850!
Chetham's Library—Manchester
Founded in 1653, Chetham's Library is a free public library with the longest history in the UK. The building itself is even older—built in 1421, it's one of the most well—protected medieval buildings in England!
With 100, 000+books lining the shelves, the special atmosphere of the library attracts students and scholars alike to attend guided tours offered throughout the year.
The Library of Congress—Washington, D. C.
Located on Capitol Hill, the Library of Congress is considered the national library of the US and the second largest library in the world. The library has around 168 million items, adding 10, 000 to this number every day.
Need to catch up on the news? The Library of Congress, which was founded in 1800, holds the world's largest newspaper collection, with some dating back as far as 1659!
The British Library—London
The British Library was founded in 1973. With around 170 million items spread across 750 km of shelving, it's the largest library in the world. And this number is continually growing and 8 km of shelving has to be added every year! This is partly because the British Library must receive a copy of every publication produced in the UK and Ireland, by law.
These people are studying English. However, they are now facing some problems.
I am Pablo. I work 50 hours a week as a taxi driver, so I talk to people all day. They understand me, but I know I make a lot of mistakes. No one corrects me. My vocabulary is strong. Grammar is my problem. I'm trying to change little by little. For example, I don't use the past tense (时态). I always say, "I drive him to the office this morning" instead of "I drove him to the office this morning". |
My name is Maria Luisa. I'm teaching myself English, and I'm good at grammar. However, it's really difficult to find ways to practice English. I live in an area where everyone speaks my language. My neighbors and friends speak Spanish. I can speak Spanish in the supermarket and at the post office. |
I am Li Ping. I understand the grammar and the readings in my class and I think my writing is good, but I'm very nervous when I speak English. I don't want to make any mistakes because I'm afraid people will think that I'm stupid. Also, my pronunciation isn't good. When I speak, people often say, "What?Say that again". |
I am Yoshi. I have been in the United States for one year. I'm studying hard and I know grammar well, but the vocabulary is very difficult. When I listen, I don't understand many of the words. When I try to read, there are three or four new words in every sentence. I feel discouraged. |
Captain Henry, a 98-year-old American retired fisherman, has become a first—time author, having written and published his autobiography In a Fisherman's Language after learning to read at the age of 91.
Mr. Henry spent most of his life without even his closest family members knowing he was illiterate(不识字的). Forced to quit school in the third grade to take odd jobs, he kept the secret close to his chest, only telling his late wife. Henry's granddaughter, Marlisa, told reporters how he used tricks, like waiting for others to order at restaurants first, to avoid the issue.
A family dispute(纠纷) in his 90s, she said, aroused his desire for education. "He signed a document he could not read about where he was going to live, Marlisa said. Starting with his name, he eventually moved on to the ABC's and children's books. He put them down since his wife fell ill. After the tragic loss of his wife, he went back to reading and began to log his life. He wrote about his family's voyage from Portugal to the US, how he went on to captain a boat, and his many journeys at sea.
His life stories have become so popular that nearly 800 copies were sold in the first two weeks after the book's release. One thousand more have since been printed as requests for the book flood in from as far as Germany. And now even Hollywood producers have approached Mr. Henry about buying the rights to his life story for a big screen adaptation.
The family also now has a book agent and a deal in the works to publish a second edition. Meanwhile, the family says they are reconnecting and closer than ever as a result of Henry's. late—life efforts. "Everyone has a story, "Marlisa said. "It teaches that when you're down and out, never give up. "
We are in the middle of another technology revolution. The digital economy will contribute 48% of GDP in China in 2035, up from 23% in 2020.
With the implementation(实施)of 5 G and consumer AI, smart cities are no longer just a concept. Indeed, in a surprising silver lining to the Covid-19 pandemic, smart city apps have shown they can help China contain the spread of the virus, helping to recover the economy. Other successful examples include applications for better traffic management, flood control and crime reduction.
The number of smart street lights required in China is estimated at 13 million assuming a 30% penetration rate(安装率)of all street lights in 2025. When the network of smart street lights increases further, it will also likely expand to cover more functions. In addition to basic lighting, it could include monitoring cameras, auto-police calling when the data shows abnormalities, weather information collection, WI-Fi hotspots converting telecommunication signals, e-vehicle chargers, and so on.
In order to deal with the difficulty of parking, Shenzhen has combined 5 G and AI to enhance the efficiency of car park usage. For example, drivers can seamlessly book a parking space at a hospital at the same time as scheduling a doctor's appointment. Drivers also know whether all of the parking spaces are occupied at the time of the doctor's appointment and can choose other transportation. Besides, Robots and sensors installed in the auto-valet parking lots work together to find a space and park the car for drivers, which provide much convenience for drivers.
With more technology applications, there is bound to be disruption(扰乱)to existing activities and the labour they require. If smart cities help driverless cars to take off, the thousands of drivers of taxis or delivery drivers that find low skilled employment in China's cities could be displaced and struggle to find alternative employment. New jobs will certainly arise from the implementation of smart city technology, but will likely require different skills and knowledge to those being displaced. The government will need to assist those whose employment is disrupted to find alternatives.
How to Fight Laziness? Lazy people will never gain anything in life. However, laziness can be defeated once a few changes have been made in your mind.. Many people lack sleep constantly, since they stay up too late and get up too early to prepare for work. These people have little motivation(动力) once they arrive home. Laziness works hand in hand with a lack of motivation and a tendency to put off things. By adjusting your sleep schedule to provide a few more hours of meaningful rest, you can fight laziness throughout the day.
Another way to fight laziness is to change your mind from passive to active. Some people treat their lives as if they were pushed from task to task. Others take a more positive approach, viewing each task as a challenge they must overcome alone..
Some people fight laziness by removing the temptations(诱惑) that surround them. A television in the living room may provide entertainment, but watching too much TV often contributes to laziness.. Complete a few tasks and reward yourself with what you enjoy, such as a good dinner or a film.
Laziness can also be a lasting problem at home. Couples and children may all have different energy levels, but laziness can be spread if not dealt with immediately.. Be the first to collect and wash dishes after a meal. Others at home may finally follow your example and perform their own tasks. It is difficult to practice laziness when you are surrounded by motivated people.
. Enough exercise and a balanced diet can help you to develop a healthy lifestyle, thus enabling you to have more energy and help lift your spirits.
A. One way to fight laziness is to get enough sleep.
B. Knowing how to fight laziness is important.
C. To fight family laziness, set an example.
D. Create a reward system for yourself, just as parents do for a child.
E. Laziness sets in when you no longer feel in charge of your own life.
F. Finally, taking exercise regularly can help you fight laziness.
G. With strong determination, you will be able to achieve your goal.
My interest in wildlife and rainforests began at an early age, when my parents introduced me to nature books and magazines. I was 1 by the pictures of strange animals living in distant lands. As I got older, my mother and father 2 my learning by taking me on trips to other countries. Therefore, I could see wildlife firsthand. I grew to 3 appreciate places of natural beauty and 4 the environment around me.
Over the years I have seen many beautiful 5 and met many wonderful people. I have swum with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands, 6 lemurs(狐猴) sing and dance in Madagascar, and had many other amazing 7. I have also become increasingly aware of the changes 8 by human activities. Some of the special places I so 9 are no longer around today. My inspiration to protect rainforests comes from a particular 10 in the rainforest of Borneo when an area of 11 was destroyed by loggers(伐木工).
Today I 12 a great deal of time reading, writing, traveling to rainforests, and talking with scientists doing research on them. My 13 is to raise awareness, interest, and appreciation of wild lands like rainforests. It is not too 14 to save these special places and I hope that my work will someday inspire people to make a 15 in the world around them.
A Young Designer's Way to Fashion Success Chinese designer Zhang Yan, work has just hit New York's and Chinese catwalks(T台), is slowly breaking the old idea about men in embroidery(刺绣) and fashion. Zhang has surprised the world with his unique embroidered Qipaos.
However, for the 26-year-old young man, his success is not easy. (handle) the tiny needle properly in his big hand wasn't an easy job for Zhang in the early days. What's more, his parents were(strong) against him, thinking that embroidery was women's work and it had no future, Zhang did not give up. He believes the spirit of craftsmanship has nothing to do with gender(性别) when it comes to dreams.
Years of his hard work(pay) off so far. His designs quickly draw attention and even earned him an invitationthe 2019 New York Fashion Week. Western audiences at the show(amaze) by the charm of the embroidered Qipao, saying it showed a kind of Eastern power.
Feeling that his success has brought him a sense of national(proud), Zhang hopes his experience can also help inspire teenagers(follow) their dreams. "There are many ways to achieve success. As long as you keep going, you can make your(dream) come true," he says.
参考词汇:专栏column
Holidays are not necessarily for fun or rest. Doing something meaningful can also gain special pleasure. When the final bell rang, the students were reminded that there was no school on Monday-the Labor Day(美国劳工节, 9月第一个周一). "Enjoy your extra day off." said the teacher to her class. An extra day of fun suited Kayla just fine. She loved breaks. She wanted to go out to play with her friends. When the school bus dropped Kayla off, she ran into the house happily.
"How was school, Kayla?" asked her mom.
"It was great, Mom. I am excited about no school on Monday. "
"You just started back to school two weeks ago. Already in need of a break, huh?" asked Kayla's mom with a laugh. Kayla slept in the next morning. Saturday was her favorite day of the week. It rained most of the day, so Kayla enjoyed playing video games inside. On Sunday, her friends came over and they played basketball for several hours.
Then it was Labor Day, you know, the extra day off that Kayla was so looking forward to. But Kayla was awakened early that morning by her dad. He told Kayla that in honor of Labor Day, the family would be cleaning both inside and outside the house. Kayla couldn't believe it. This was a holiday. A day when she was supposed to be enjoying freshly squeezed lemonade while playing in her tree house. As Kayla wiped her eyes, she began to wonder if this was just a bad dream.
"Kayla, your breakfast is ready. We have a lot of work to do today. Let's get a move on," said Kayla's mom. As she sat down at the kitchen table, Kayla asked her parents, "Are you serious about working today? Isn't Labor Day a holiday?"
"Yes, Kayla. It is," replied her dad. "But your mom and I thought working hard today would make you appreciate why Labor Day was observed in the first place."
Paragraph 1:
At first, Kayla felt disappointed at her parents' plan for the holiday.
Paragraph 2:
But things began to change as she was doing the chores.