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The huge billboard at the side of the highway is no joke; transporting firewood in certain areas is a crime, punishable by a four-thousand-dollar fine. The reason? Emerald Ash Borer disease, or EAB disease, a new addition to the long list of dangerous foreign pest infestations（虫害）on American soil. It was in 2002 when the Emerald Ash Borer beetle（甲虫）was first discovered in Michigan. Not long after, the pest was found in Ohio. Originally from Asia, this green beetle probably found its way to North America through a wooden box made of ash wood and immediately settled into a local ash tree. In little time, the species managed to kill millions of ash trees. 

To date, much work is underway to stop ash trees ending up in the same group as elm and chestnut trees, which are all dying out in many areas. Ash Borer Infestations are particularly troublesome because they are difficult to identify until the ash tree is heavily infested. In addition, other ash trees in the area surrounding the source will probably also be infested, making control a hard task. 

Researchers are working on many issues related to the control and removal of this harmful beetle. For example, it has been discovered that Asian ash trees are not destroyed by this native borer. It may be that, Asian ash trees have developed genes（基因）to protect them from the insect; therein, perhaps, lies the secret to controlling this pest. Insecticide（杀虫剂）treatment is also being explored on several fronts. Research is underway to determine which insecticides are proving to be the most successful. The proper application of the insecticides is being debated. 

However, all possible solutions require a great deal of study and research. In the meantime, careful steps must be taken. Methodical identification of infested trees is taking place. Identified trees are being cut down and destroyed to get rid of the beetle colonies（群）. In the end, this puts a huge drain（消耗）on city budgets, as tree removal can be extremely expensive. 

Even though it will be expensive to deal with this problem in the short term, the costs of doing nothing could be far higher, since we could lose an entire species of tree.

Most of Earth's freshwater sits underground. Worldwide, about 70 percent of the groundwater drawn to the surface goes for farming. But surface waters-rivers and streams come from groundwater, too. Drawing too much groundwater over a short time can be harmful. Natural waterways can begin to empty. And that car hurt freshwater ecosystems. Scientists consider this a tipping point when small actions can begin making unusually big differences.

A new study has found that 15 to 21 percent of tapped water(自来水)areas have reached this sort of tipping point. Most of those tapped rivers and streams are in dry areas. Farmers in rates these areas use groundwater to water their crops. At present drawing rates, the study predicts that 42 to 79 percent of water areas around the world where groundwater is drawn up for use at the surface will reach tipping points by 2050.

A healthy groundwater aquifer(含水层)protects ecosystems against seasonal ups and downs in the use of water. That provides stability for area plants and animals. But if too much groundwater is drawn up from below, surface waters will begin to flow into the aquifer, which can harm what are living in rivers and streams.

De Graaf and the study team set up a computer model. It linked groundwater drawing and water flows within rivers. The model covered fifty years, from 1950 to 2010. Then the researchers used climate forecasts to help the model predict what might happen in future years. Throughout, they kept groundwater drawing rates sustainable. More than half of drawn water areas are likely to cross this ecological tipping point before 2050, the model finds.

"We need to be thinking about this now, not in 10 years," De Graaf says. "Our study shows us where to target more sustainable efforts."

Najib is an Afghan who grew up in Iran. He led a tough life. When he found his children would be in the same situation, his family initially returned to Afghanistan. But with the country filled with conflicts, they decided to leave for Indonesia.

"When we first came here, we were in a bad situation. Its language, culture and even weather were different. We had moved away from friends and family," says Najib. "I was in a tough position but I acted strong because there were no other choices."

Refugees (难民) cannot work in Indonesia and there are limited choices for refugee children to attend local schools. Determined to avoid such a fate, a group of refugees in Puncak took action and scraped together (东拼西凑) their resources to set up a school—the Refugee Learning Center (RLC).

"Our only goal and task is to provide basic education, and prepare the refugee children for their future," says Abdullah Sarwari. "We're also trying to provide a normal life as much as possible for them."

The RLC has also started offering Bahasa Indonesia classes to the refugee community. "Between the refugee and the local community, I feel like there's a language barrier which stops the refugee from having an honest and open interaction with Indonesians," says Abdullah.

"If you try your best, to learn the language of a particular place or country, it really helps make things easier," says Najib. He is among those who signed up for classes, although he admits progress has been slow. But life has improved in some ways for him and his family.

Najib says, "The centre is an opportunity for refugee to show that they are not a burden. If they have the opportunity, they can accomplish big and great things like this."

We can all think of times when people didn't make remembering easy. Directions given at machine-gun speed. New people introduced in a flood of names and handshakes. Whenever information is passed between people, it's all too easy for it to go in one ear and straight out of the other. Thankfully, the opposite is also true. Look around you, and you'll see parents who can get their children to remember exactly what they were told; advertisers who know how to imprint their sales messages on our brains.

So, how do they do? Their secrets can be summed up in four simple words: focus, imagery, reasons and engagement.

FOCUS means ensuring that the person you're talking to can concentrate on learning. Choose your moment carefully. Check that they can properly hear or see the information. Communicate slowly and clearly enough for their memory to cope.

IMAGERY helps information to stick. Do everything your can to make other people "see" the ideas you're giving them. Add visual details to directions, and illustrate abstract concepts with metaphors.

REASONS to remember help people to put in the mental effort. So, make it clear that your words are important, and be explicit about why. Maybe this information will save them time, protect them from embarrassment, or let them enjoy a particular experience or event.

EMGAGEMENT requires you to ask questions. Point out links between new concepts and things listeners already know. Activate their senses, spark their curiosity, get them doing something physical, or simply make them laugh.

The next time you've got an important message to pass on, put some of these techniques to the test. You'll discover that there are benefits on both sides when you know how to FIRE people's memories into action.

注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；2. 不要出现真实的姓名和校名。

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