Depths of our Earth hold great wonders. Below we explore four deepest places on Earth.
Veryovkina Cave, Georgia
Its entrance is located 2,285 meters above sea level. In 2018, scientists reached its bottom at 2,212 meters down. They squeezed through tiny openings to get from one cave to another. Rockfalls and floods waited secretly at every turn. Scientists could develop new medicines from microorganisms found in cave samples (样品). Caves also record ancient life and past climates.
The Mariana Trench, the Pacific Ocean
The Mariana Trench, with the maximum depth of 11,034 meters, is the deepest part of Earth's surface. Pressure there is intolerable, but creatures like sea cucumbers （海参）still exist. Scientists exploring it can gain deeper insights into how plates（板块）move and why earthquakes and volcanoes occur.
The Dead Sea, the Middle East
The Dead Sea is the lowest point on land at about 1,400 feet (about 400 meters) below sea level. It's nearly ten times saltier than ocean water, so you literally can't sink in the Dead Sea! Scientists think it could go dry in a few decades. Despite its name, the Dead Sea holds life. A few kinds of algae (藻类) and bacteria love its salty water.
Lake Baikal, Russia
At the depth of 1,642 meters, Lake Baikal is the deepest inland body of water. The Baikal Seal is the only known seal that lives in this world's deepest freshwater lake. Scientists study the lake not only for the solid stuff beneath it that records climate history but because it's in a zone where a plate is splitting apart, causing earthquakes.
In 1880, fourteen-year-old Matthew Henson loved to hear sailors tell tales of their exciting lives at sea. The travel, the adventure, the danger, and the steady pay were all attractive to young Henson. One day he made up his mind. Baltimore was the nearest large seaport. The next morning he set out on the forty-mile journey to seek work on a sailing ship.
In Baltimore, Henson found a job as a cabin boy on a beautiful ship called the Katie Hinds. For the next five years, Henson sailed around the world. By the time he left the Katie Hinds in 1885, Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman.
Unable to find work anywhere else, Henson took a job in a hat shop in Washington, D.C. One day in 1887, a man came in to buy a hat. The man, Lieutenant Robert Peary, asked the owner if he knew anyone with experience at sea. Peary would soon travel to South America for the U.S. government. He needed experienced men to accompany him.
The shop owner knew about his young employee's skills and experience on ocean voyages, so he introduced Peary to Henson. Henson and Peary soon found they had a great deal in common, including their love of the sea.
Using his map-reading and sailing skills, Henson proved himself to be a worthy and intelligent seaman. One day Peary told Henson about his real dream: to be the first man to stand on "the top of the world" at the North Pole. He asked Henson to help him make his dream come true.
Over the next five years, the two explorers made two trips together to the Arctic. However, they were not able to reach the pole either time.
In 1908, Peary and Henson were ready to make their final attempt at reaching the North Pole. Both men were over forty years old. The years of hardship and suffering in the arctic cold had taken their toll on both men. This would be their last chance.
In April 1909, Henson's instruments showed they were standing at the North Pole. Together Henson and Peary planted the American flag in the snow.
In later years, Robert Peary and Henson were greatly honored for their achievement. Today, the two friends and fellow explorers lie in heroes' graves not far apart in the Arlington National Cemetery.
Personal growth doesn't necessarily only happen when the conditions are perfect. Seeds tend to develop only when conditions are right. A seed will remain dormant (休眠) until moisture (湿度) and temperature are favorable for growth. Unfortunately, as humans, we don't always have the luxury of growing when conditions are just right. Sometimes you must cultivate (促进) personal growth and flower where you're planted, often in spite of external (外部的) circumstances.
For much of my life, I let external circumstances control my happiness. If things weren't going well, then I wasn't well. I told myself that I would be happier if conditions were right. With this mindset, I gave myself permission to stay emotionally dormant. I was waiting for things around me to change before I would do the work to become a better version of myself. In other words, I made my personal growth conditional on external circumstances.
The problem with waiting for change outside of yourself is that you might have to wait a very long time, maybe even forever. And if you stay dormant while waiting, you aren't growing. You're simply stuck in place. You certainly aren't becoming the better version of yourself that you want to be.
If you want to engage in personal growth, like planting seeds, you have to do some work to make it happen. You can't wait around for everything to fall into place. Start with pulling up your emotional weeds. Examine yourself and remove the pessimistic thoughts and behaviors that are holding you back. Then, work on the foundation that you have. Practice positive life habits that build your self-respect and happiness.
Personal growth is something you can fight for. It may not come naturally, but when you develop this mindset, you will flower no matter where you're planted.
What if we had the power to control time, instead of moving from the past to the present to the future? What if we could jump and travel through time in a machine? What if we could go wherever and whenever we pleased?
This ability would allow us to witness historic wonders, change decisions and see people from the past. We could right wrongs and stop wars from starting.
The mysterious puzzle of time has kept people debating its nature for hundreds of years. Science fiction writers have turned it into imaginative stories. Some scientists have even attempted to explain it using math. This math tries to make the dream of time travel come true.
The scientist Albert Einstein said that time and space are one thing. He called it "spacetime". Einstein said that there are three dimensions (维度) in space: height, width and depth. A scientist named Hermann Minkowski added time as a fourth dimension.
Einstein introduced two ideas that have led to theories about the possibility of time travel. The first is relativity（相对论）. The idea of relativity is that the force of gravity causes space to bend, which causes time to twist. The second idea focuses on special relativity. The idea is that a traveler moving super-fast through flat spacetime will enter the future. Einstein considered time "relative" because it is measured based on where we are on Earth or in space.
Stephen Hawking is a famous scientist. He believes that a time machine will never be built. If it were possible, he thinks we would already know. If a time machine could be built, how come no one from the future has invaded us?
The first science fiction story with this theme is The Clock That Went Backward by Edward P. Mitchell, which was published in 1881. Since then, thousands of books, films and television shows have explored the idea of time travel, in which some tools such as phones, watches, photographs and old books take travelers backward and forward.
Will time travel ever happen? Who knows? Most important is to keep our eyes open and have a sense of wonder.
For many high school students it seems that there is never enough time. There are several steps you can take to organize your time better.
First, make a to-do list every day. It makes it easy to plan any of the activities or meetings you may have in addition to homework. Be sure to set priorities (优先事物).
Use spare time wisely. Do you have study hall (自习时间)? Instead of wasting that time, read a book or do homework. If a friend asks you to do something and you have homework to do, realize which is more important and see your friend later.
Decide on the time that is good for you to do certain things. If you are more of a morning person, try getting up an hour earlier and do schoolwork before school. Review your notes every day. If you spend a few minutes at the end of every day going over what you learnt, it will mean less time studying when it is time for the exam.
Studies have shown that getting enough rest helps your memory. When you are tired, everything seems more difficult. It is best to stay on a regular sleeping cycle as much as possible.
Tell your friends and family about your work timetable. Explain that you will be working at certain times and ask them not to disturb you. You can call your friends later.
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A. Set goals for yourself. B. Do the most important tasks first. C. You should finish your task on time. D. Get a good night's sleep. E. Also, do not be afraid to say "no". F. Don't take phone calls during the time you set aside for work. G. Don't wait until just before a test to try and remember everything. |
Brian Peters had one thing to do before leaving his job as a police officer in Brooklyn—say thank-you to the city he loves. He decided to spend $500 he1for his service to buy 10 gift cards and handed them out to strangers in Brooklyn Center on his2day.
It took him about two hours to3the cards and that he could put smiles on a lot of people's4, including one woman he stopped5noticing the condition of her car. "Her car was really old6damaged. I saw her screen wipers (雨刮器) were7in the up position," Peters said. "I8what I was doing and gave her a gift card, and9she lit up with a smile."
Once people understood what he was doing, Peters said he10a lot more hugs that day. Monique Drier said Peters has11wanted to give back and didn't really want the attention. What's more, he has always tried to12the human side of law practice. He was a great13and will be dearly missed.
Peter said he still wanted to continue giving back to the14. "Community service is extremely important, and when you're fortunate in life, you should give back to others who aren't as fortunate as you," Peter said. "That's what15the world go round."
I can well remember that I was once asked to deliver a speech titled "A Real Test in My Life" before the whole class the age of 9! You can imagine how (terrible) shy I was with so many eyes fixed on me. I had no choice but 5(prepare) for it, though. First of all, I was to draft the speech, was just a piece of cake for me, a good writer. But the hardest part (lie) in my oral presentation from my memory, because it (forbid) to read from the paper. The real moment began when I stood on the platform with my legs (tremble) and my mind blank. But my listeners were waiting patiently without any signs of rushing me. Gradually I found(I) back, delivering my speech without difficulty. After what seemed to be a hundred years, I found my audience applauding — I made it! From then on, my fear of talking before the audience disappeared. Actually with my (confident) built up, I now turn out to be a great speaker. Looking back, I know the (great) difficulty on my way to success is my fear. Overcome it and I will be able to achieve my goals.
The teacher was new. She was a substitute (代替者). She wrote that word "Mugs" (马克杯) on the blackboard when she arrived. Today, she said we were making mugs for Mother's Day. They were white and would say WORLD'S BEST MOM on the side. Some kids couldn't read it, but I could. Dad had been teaching me. I could read The Magic School Bus by myself now.
When the new teacher tried to give me a mug, I told her I didn't want one. Her eyes widened. "I am sorry, what is your name?"
"Milo." I told her. "And I don't need a cup."
"Why not, Milo?" she asked in confusion.
I was ready to say, "Because my mom doesn't live with us anymore and she left two years ago. Dad said he doesn't know where she is, so I won't be able to give her a mug." Speaking this, I thought of a day, a long time ago, when I was four. Mom came home from work and gave Dad a chocolate bar and me a doll. And Dad was confused because he and Mom had been mad at each other the day before. But he wasn't mad anymore because she gave him chocolate, I guess. He was happy and surprised and he picked Mom up and tried to spin (使旋转) her around，but he almost dropped her and I fell off the couch because I was laughing so hard. What sweet memories! However, she left us. From then on, Dad and I lived with each other and he waited on me hand and foot.
Suddenly, a gentle touch on my hair called my mind back. "You can give it to your father as a gift," the teacher said, looking at me gently. I stood in silence. And next to me, Amelia was already gluing pink flowers all over her mug, and I wanted to do that too, and it didn't seem fair that she got a mug and a mom and I didn't get either.
注意：
1）续写词数应为150左右；
2）续写分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写。
Para.1:
I looked back at the teacher and took a mug out of her hand and said,
Para.2:
So when Dad picked me up after school, I hid the mug at the bottom of my backpack.
