On Feb 26, when an Italian lawmaker went into the country's Lower Chamber with a mask to prevent the novel coronavirus (新冠病毒), he was questioned and criticized by others as they thought that wearing masks would cause unnecessary fear and panic. The articles from Western media carry headlines such as "No, you do not need face masks to prevent novel coronavirus." You might be surprised, as in China and other Asian countries, people have willingly put masks on during the outbreak.
In the West, people are taught to wear masks only when they get sick. They thought masks are seen as a tool to protect sick people and prevent the disease from spreading, so healthy people don't need to wear them. Therefore, during the novel coronavirus outbreak, overseas Chinese students said that they would be "looked at like a virus spreader" if they go out with a mask. According to a survey done by Global Times among some European and American people, wearing a mask in public can make them feel "worried" and "afraid of being looked at differently."
But as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow in the world, things start to change. In the US, for example, the need for masks is very high now. The US surgeon general has been asking people not to buy too many masks, as they are more needed in hospitals than the public.
In Japan, wearing masks has long been seen as a manner to comfort others when one catches a cold or flu. Some Japanese also turn masks into fashion, with different colors and patterns to match their clothes. Wearing masks is also a way to "hide" for young women when they don't have their makeup on.
In more cultures in Asia, wearing masks might also be a symbol of solidarity (团结) during the outbreak, according to Lynteris. People wear masks "to show that they want to stick together" in the face of danger.
Many people travel to different places in the world by air. Usually it takes a long time, perhaps half a day, for passengers to stay in the plane. So airlines offer passengers food. But it is common that they feel bad about food taste. Do you agree?
To solve this problem, airlines try hard to improve their food. They would like to do so because they don't want to lose customers.
However, according to scientific research, part of the reason why plane food tastes bad is that at high altitude (海拔)we can't taste things as well as we do on the ground. Also scientists have found that our noses become very dry even before a plane takes off. As the plane moves up, the change in air pressure reduces one third of the sensibility (感觉)of our taste buds (味蕾). So our taste buds become senseless. The sad fact, however, is that our noses don't know it.
All of these helps explain why food on the plane tastes so bad. They also help explain why airlines choose to offer passengers salty and spicy food. Without doing so, the food would be tasteless.
Now there are many researches on this. According to one of them, some volunteers are asked to lie with their feet higher than their heads for weeks. And scientists write down their feelings about food taste.
Though scientists try their best, it is not as easy as they thought. Because they can't deal with the special environment successfully, such as the change in air pressure, making food taste good is still hard for them.
CHINA has built a biscuit factory to make food for its captive (圈养的) giant pandas, giving them a healthier diet (日常食物) than the usual steamed bread.
The special biscuits, developed by the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Centre, are shaped like bamboo so they will not seem unfamiliar to the pandas.
"The cream-colored biscuit, made of bamboo, is rich in vitamins and has 30 per cent more fiber (纤维) than normal bamboo," said Yu Jianqiu, who is in charge of the project.
Steamed bread, which is eaten by most captive giant pandas as well as fresh bamboo, loses much of its goodness when cooked, often causing bad health. What's more, it can only be stored for a short time, making pandas expensive to feed.
Thirty pandas have tried the biscuits since the factory was completed in October.
"They love our new biscuits," Yu said. "In time, all captive pandas will be given the new food."
Around 1,000 giant pandas live in the foggy mountains around the Sichuan basin (盆地) in southwest China, while about 140 live in captivity around the world.
The destruction of forests, a panda's natural home and major food source, is the biggest threat to the animal.
In 1998, China banned the cutting down of trees in panda-inhabited areas to help save an animal seen as a national treasure.
One Sunday morning in June my mother walked into my room. "Surprise!" she said, proudly holding up a yellow dress with black and white stripes. "I made it just for you. What do you think?"
I bit my tongue. How could I tell Mum it was the ugliest dress I had ever seen?
"It's perfect for church," my mother continued delightedly. "I wish someone had made a dress like this for me."
Too bad you can't wear it, I thought. But I knew Mum had spent a lot of time on the dress. Only the world's most ungrateful daughter would refuse. Unwillingly I put it on.
All through church I prayed, "Lord, let me get out of here without anyone seeing me." Especially Dennis Pearce, the boy I had a crush on. He was one of the cutest boys at Neptune High School. Although we were in some of the same classes, Dennis had never taken any notice of me. Every time I got near him, I became tongue-tied.
At the end of the service I hurried to the door. But I had to wait on the steps while my parents chatted with their friends. Just a little while longer…Then out of the corner of my eye I saw the Pearce approaching. Before I could escape, Dennis was right beside me.
I started talking a mile a minute, hoping if I kept it up he wouldn't notice my awful dress.
"I'm going to college in September," I said.
"That's great," Dennis replied, "I got accepted to police academy."
"Wow!" I said. Somehow I kept the conversation going. Soon we were walking to the parking lot together. The next thing I knew Dennis had asked me out on a date!
We fell in love through college, and finally got married. Months after our wedding I asked Dennis if he remembered the day he had first asked me out.
"You bet I do," he said. "You were always quiet in school, almost coldhearted. I didn't think you'd be much fun. But you were so lively when we talked on the church steps, I wanted to get to know you better." Maybe that zebra-striped yellow dress wasn't what I would have chosen, but that day it was the perfect dress for me.
The life has been full of challenges and difficulties. Life is not about the smartest person or the strongest person, or even the richest person. However, Life is about having the mind in your heart "Never Give Up", even when you feel that giving up is the only choice. The world is waiting on your gifts.
You are important to this world and believe it or not, someone is waiting for you to enrich their lives. You are too important to the world to just give up.
You may feel that life is challenging you from time to time and you can't take it anymore. You may want to give up right now. But here is a thought, what will happen if you overcome the difficulties?
When an Olympic runner is in a race, he or she is focusing on one thing—the finishing line. You have to focus on the big picture—not just where you are right now. Focus in where you want to be. Make an agreement with your mind and your mouth.
One of my favorite poems is called "Crystal Stair" written by Langston Hughes. In that poem, a mother tells her son that life is tough, you will meet rocks and hard places, but the end is victory to those who stand their ground and ride the course.
Whatever you are facing, you can make it through. There is a rainbow on the other side of your situation. Stay strong, stay focused and never give up.
A. What if you win.
B. Life won't be the same without you.
C. Life isn't no crystal stair.
D. There is a rainbow after every storm.
E. Focus on the future.
F. To give up is to live a meaningless life.
I started learning to play the violin at the age of six. I1half an hour every day, and went to lessons once a week. Like most kids, I always thought practicing was2If my parents weren't there to make me practice, I probably put down my violin and never3again. Then Emma came into my life.
I met Emma at a music party when I was 11. Emma4the party that night, playing the violin, singing and dancing. She managed to make sure that5in the room had a great time. I6fell in love with the music she played. Just a few days after that party, I took my7lesson with Emma, and I continued taking lessons with Emma during my middle school life.
When I played the violin with Emma, playing music became something that I8. She introduced me to so many9of music, from country music to pop music, to rock and roll. To my excitement, Emma10taught me to play the guitar. She was patient with me11I learnt to play two musical instruments well. Soon we started performing together and were shocked to discover that people12wanted to hear us! When I began to play the violin, practicing was something that I did at home in my living room, but with Emma's13, it quickly became something that I did everywhere. I played on street corners, at festivals and in my friends' kitchens.
Emma took the music out of the classroom and brought it14life. Her passion (激情) was not only for playing music, but also for15it. My time with Emma allowed me to grow both musically and personally. Emma is the most important person in my musical development.
The Taj Mahal (泰姬陵) is a love story, a sad and beautiful one. If it didn't exist (存在), we would (easy) imagine that the story of its building was simply a fairy tale. Three hundred years ago, there lived Indian emperor called Shah Jahan. His wife was a beautiful and bright woman he loved greatly. Her title was Mumtazl Mahal: its shortened form Taj Mahal, means "pride of the palace". In the year 1630 this beloved wife of the emperor died. He was so brokenhearted he even didn't want to be the emperor any more. To remember his wife, he decided to build (great) tomb (坟墓) that had ever been seen for her.
He called up the best artists and workers India, Turkey, Persia and Arabia and finally, the design was complete. It took more than 18 years (build) the Taj Mahan. The building stands on a marble platform 29 meters square and 6-7 meters high. (tower) rise from each of the four corners. The Mahal (it) rises another 61 meters into the air. It is an eight-sided building made of white marble. Since the Taj Mahal was built, it (become) one of the most popular places in the world. Every year, it interests thousands of tourists to visit it.
"Have you ever seen the scene of Los Angeles at 4:00 a.m.? I see often, because I have been starting training at that time." The words said by Kobe Bryant, one of the most famous basketball players in the world, have inspired plenty of people around the world. However, on (一月) 26, Kobe Bryant, the 41-year-old famous NBA player, died in a terrible accident. The news of his death is especially shocking and (广泛地) reported. Following his death, people from all works of life show their love and (表达) their pity to the late basketball superstar--not just for his (成功) on the court, but also his inspiration he has given to us.
In the basketball world, Kobe Bryant is among the top players of all time. He (加入) the NBA directly from high school. He played his whole 20-year career with the Los Angeles and helped the team (赢得) five NBA championships. He was fast with great (力量), which earned him the nickname Black Mamba, one of the most deadly (蛇) in the world. That's why his competitive philosophy (哲学) is known as the "Mamba Mentality".
Off the court, Kobe Bryant was known as an excellent businessman and a (骄傲的) father of four daughters.
The fact that Kobe Bryant is no longer with us is sad. We'll (绝不) see him play in another game. But the work he has done will keep inspiring us years after his death.
包括以下要点：
⒈长城简介（世界上最长的城墙，用来抵御外敌等）。
⒉个人物品随身携带，下车前关上车窗。
⒊在长城游览2个小时，9点离开。
⒋参观长城时有哪些注意事项。
写作要求：
⒈不得使用真实的姓名和学校名。
⒉适当加入细节，使内容充实，行文连贯。
⒊字迹工整、语言精练、表达准确、条理清晰。
⒋至少80词。
Hello, everybody! I am the guide of this tour.
