Back in the early 2000s, lots of people couldn’t have imagined life without alarm clocks, CD players, calendars, cameras, or lots of other devices. But along came the iPhone and other smartphones, and they took over the functions of dozens of things we used to think were essential.
The smartphone story could even be a model for fighting climate change; not because smartphone use a small part of the energy of all the things they replace — although they do — but because they represent a different approach to design in general. And that approach is to focus on function rather than form. That requires focusing on understanding the underlying problem, and then engineering a wide range of potential solutions. This approach could revolutionize how we think about energy efficiency.
Traditionally, improvements in energy efficiency have mostly focused on individual devices, which can be quite fruitful. But focusing on individual devices is like if Apple had spent effort inventing a better alarm clock, a better CD player, a better calendar, and a better camera. Now with an iPhone, we don’t need the standalone devices at all, because it can function as all of them.
So when it comes to using energy efficiently, rather than just installing a more efficient heater, some people have focused instead on the desired function: staying warm. They designed and coated their house so well that they could get rid of their heater altogether, letting them heat their house with 99 % less energy.
In the same way, rather than just making cars more efficient, what if we focus on the desired function — getting where we want when we want — and create an efficient transportation system where we can drive less or get rid of our personal cars entirely? The most energy efficient car or heater is no car, or no heater, while still being able to get around and stay warm. In other words, it’s not thinking efficient, it’s thinking different.
1．What makes the iPhone a good example of environmental protection?| A．Perfecting individual devices. |
| B．Combining possible functions. |
| C．Adopting a simplest design. |
| D．Reducing the energy consumption. |
| A．Conventional. | B．Out-of-date. | C．Adequate. | D．Perfect. |
| A．Think out of the box. | B．Differences make it unique. |
| C．Be economical with energy. | D．Step out of the comfort zone. |
I was eating breakfast at home in Hampshire in March this year, scrolling through social media on my phone, when a story caught my eye. It was about a nine-year-old dog, Charlie, dubbed (称为) the loneliest in Britain. He had been in a rescue centre in Somerset for more than 500 days.
For some reason, nobody wanted to adopt him. I clicked on the link and straight away these huge, sad eyes stared back at me. I was emotional. I turned to my husband, Sam, and said: "We’ve got to have him.” He read the article over my shoulder and felt exactly the same way. We wanted to give Charlie a happy home and a new lease of life.
Over the past few years we have tried to adopt a few different dogs, but we haven’ had any luck — we were never top of the list. Sam and I got used to filling in forms and not hearing anything. We’d almost given up hope.
But Charlie is an older dog and we felt we’d be suited — even older dogs have a lot of love left to offer. So we took our time with the application, sent photographs of our house and garden. We explained why Charlie would be happy with us, and then forgot all about it.
A few days later we received an email from Brent Knoll animal centre, saying we’d been shortlisted. We were thrilled. They asked us to visit Charlie to be interviewed and to see if he liked us.
When we arrived we were taken to the staff room. We didn’t know what to expect. We hadn’t been told much about Charlie’s circumstances, but as he had been given up for adoption and hadn’t been placed with a new owner for so long, we thought there might be issues. But the dog that bounded (蹦跳) in was full of joy and charisma.
He came straight over to us.
We feel proud that we’ve given Charlie a new home and a second chance.
Though I was nine, Mama let me ride the bus alone because I was careful and I didn’t do silly things.
A boy got on the bus at the trailer park. He was older than me. He had long yellow hair and untidy clothes. Hands were put into his jean jacket pockets. He didn’t bring them out to pay for his ticket. He spoke to the driver so low that I couldn’t hear. But riders up front were frowning (皱眉). The driver didn’t seem to like the boy either and then put up a thumb (拇指) to show he should go to sit down quickly.
Right behind me, a man whispered (低语) loud enough to be heard by all our ears. “Trailer park’s people never have the money. They always expect a free ride. And they always get it.” I didn’t understand what they meant about “trailer park’s people”. I liked the trailer park. Some of the trailer homes had gardens with lively flowers. It looked like a fun place to live in. I didn’t know why these adults frowned at it or a boy who lived there. But I knew that feeling being hurt with unkind words.
So I stood out of my seat and put the money into the machine to pay for the boy’s ticket. The driver looked at me and his look told me to go back to my seat. I didn’t look at anybody. When I sat down, I heard a whisper from the seat behind me. “Don’t expect him to be thankful.” That’s not why I did it. I wasn’t even thinking that. Didn’t they know how it felt to have empty pockets? My family used to have no money all the time till my father got a new job.
Just then, a different voice came from behind me as well. “We shouldn’t stop kindness. We should look at those around us with kindness. I don’t think he’s such a person.” After a short silence, everyone whispered their agreement. After I got off at my stop, I didn’t think about it anymore.
Two weeks later, I got on the same bus again, but I felt different from before.
When I walked over to pay for my ticket, the driver looked at me with a kind smile.
Find Your Adventure at the Space and Aviation(航空) Center
If you’re looking for a unique adventure, the Space and Aviation Center (SAC) is the place to be. The Center offers programs designed to challenge and inspire with hands-on tasks and lots of fun.
More than 750,000 have graduated from SAC, with many seeking employment in engineering, aviation, education, medicine and a wide variety of other professions. They come to camp, wanting to know what it is like to be an astronaut or a pilot, and they leave with real-world applications for what they’re studying in the classroom.
For the trainees, the programs also offer a great way to earn merit badges(荣誉徽章). At Space Camp, trainees can earn their Space Exploration badge as they build and fire model rockets, learn about space tasks and try simulated(模拟) flying to space with the crew from all over the world. The Aviation Challenge program gives trainees the chance to earn their Aviation badge. They learn the principles of flight and test their operating skills in the cockpit(驾驶舱) of a variety of flight simulators. Trainees also get a good start on their Wilderness Survival badge as they learn about water- and land-survival through designed tasks and their search and rescue of ＂downed＂ pilot.
With all the programs, teamwork is key as trainees learn the importance of leadership and being part of a bigger task.
All this fun is available for ages 9 to 18. Families can enjoy the experience together, too, with Family Camp programs for families with children as young as 7.
Stay an hour or stay a week — there is something here for everyone!
For more details, please visit us online at www.sac.com.
1．Why do people come to SAC?| A．To experience adventures. |
| B．To look for jobs in aviation. |
| C．To get a degree in engineering. |
| D．To learn more about medicine. |
| A．fly to space |
| B．get an Aviation badge first |
| C．study the principles of flight |
| D．build and fire model rockets |
| A．Leadership. | B．Team spirit. |
| C．Task planning. | D．Survival skills. |
As Christmas decorations appeared in town, our parents called my two younger brothers and me together. At first, I thought someone had died, because I had never seen my parents look so sad. My brothers and I stood waiting for the awful news.
Mom hugged me as she murmured, “Christmas is going to be different this year. We won't be having a tree or presents. We can barely afford food.”Dad, resting on the couch, beckoned (招手示意) the boys into his arms.“Things will change when I get back to work.”
My family was poorer than dirt. Dad, the only bread-earner in our family, worked in a coal mine. However, soon after returning to work at the end of a long strike, Dad was hurt in a rock fall that broke bones in his foot. Lying on the couch with the swollen foot high on pillows, he didn't talk or smile much. There was little to smile about. No work, no income.
At nine years old, I mothered my younger brothers: Rodney, aged six, and Stevie, three. We shared a small bedroom. That night, after our parents’ announcement, we talked.
Rodney began. “Em, did you see how sad Mommy and Daddy looked? I thought Mommy was gonna cry.
“Me, too. Daddy's foot’s … this big” whispered Stevie, holding out his arms.
“Yeah..We're in hard times," I said.“It makes Mommy and Daddy sad."
“But we don't have to be sad," I added, hoping to brighten the mood.
“Since there are still several weeks to go, maybe we can do something to cheer them up," I said with overdone enthusiasm. The boys proposed, “We can take the money from our piggy bank...earn some more..and surprise them with gifts!"
“I can run errands(跑腿) for Aunt Em and neighbors to earn money," I offered.
“Yeah," Rodney added, “I and Stevie can return bottles and save the deposit money... instead of buying candy!" He pushed Stevie gently with his elbow.
“Yeah!”Stevie clutched his hands together.
We had a plan!
Until they nodded off, I coached my little brothers (especially Stevie) in ways to guard our secret. “Don't talk about it during the day."
We awoke in the morning, transforming from sad children to the secret agents on an important mission!
On Christmas morning, we hurried into the living room and handed the gifts to Mommy and Daddy.
Anyone who has an interest in Dunhuang will have heard of Fan Jinshi. The Chinese archaeologist
Fan has been studying the historical site since the early 1960s, first as an archaeology undergraduate from Peking University, then as a conservationist when she
“It is over a thousand years old. It is an old person, an
Today, thanks
Asad was a 13-year-old boy who was very honest and hardworking. Recently, he had entered a new school, so he had no friends yet. On Monday morning, he was nearly late for school. The night before, his family attended his cousin’s wedding and reached home late, which was why he couldn’t get up on time as usual.
At school, Asad could not pay attention to anything and wanted the bell to ring so that he could buy something to eat. After a few hours, when the bell rang, Asad quickly opened his schoolbag to find his money, but just then he remembered that he had left for school in a hurry in the morning and forgotten to take money. He looked under his books, hoping to find some money but there was nothing.
Not knowing what to do, he walked out of the classroom and sat on a bench in front of the canteen. He saw a few of his classmates there, among them was Fahad. He was one of the richest kids in his class, but he was a very arrogant(傲慢的)boy who thought everyone else was a loser. But as Asad was new, he didn’t know much about Fahad.
When he went towards Fahad and asked if he could borrow some money for his lunch, Fahad laughed a lot and said, “I knew you were a loser, maybe a beggar?” Fahad laughed out so loud that other kids also heard and made fun of the situation. He didn’t answer Fahad, and slowly walked back towards an empty bench.
When he reached the bench, he noticed something lying near it. It was a wallet. He picked it up and recognized it as Fahad’s, as he remembered Fahad showing it to his friends and telling that his uncle bought it for him from the UK. There was quite a lot of money inside for a kid.
At first, Asad wanted to keep it a secret and punished Fahad.
Then Fahad said, “Why are you giving back?”
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