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It has long been known that plants communicate when they are stressed. You need only observe a houseplant to realize that a plant wilts (枯萎) when it needs water. Some plants may also emit a terrible taste to prevent some insects from hurting them.

Now, a new study that was conducted by researchers at Tel Aviv University, shows that not only do plants express themselves in the above ways when stressed, they also make sounds, like talking.

According to the researchers, plants make sounds at frequencies (频率) between 40 to 80 KHZ — out of the range of human ears — but within the range of some animals. "Bats make sounds in these ranges all the time, and mice, dogs and cats can partially hear within it, " Dr. Lilach Hadany, a Professor at Tel Aviv University, and one of the authors of the study said.

One of the primary breakthroughs (突破) of Hadany's study is that the researchers have managed to understand and classify the sounds that plants make for the first time. Plants that are not stressed make about one noise per hour, but plants that are stressed or injured make many hundreds of sounds per hour. And each of these sounds seemed to be specific to the type of stress the plant was under.

This type of information could be important for agriculture. Knowing what sounds their plants are making could help farmers determine whether their crops are in danger of drought or disease and allow them to make the necessary changes to help their plants. 

Amazingly enough, the researchers are not actually sure how the plants make sounds. But anyway, the discovery is still a game-changer for plant science, and potentially for the future of agriculture. One day soon your plants may be able to tell you if they are hungry, thirsty, or just feeling lonely. 

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression — this was the theme of this year's International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC), held in London from May 11 to 12. Thirty-three young speakers aged 16 to 20 from around the world gathered at The English Speaking Union to tell their stories, including Wu Dongxu, 19, a student from China. To him, the event wasn't just about giving a speech on first impressions. It also made a strong impression on him.

"Rather than a competition, the experience was more like an inspiring research trip to me, a trip that allowed me to see firsthand the differences and similarities between Chinese and foreign cultures, " said Wu.

Apart from the obvious differences in food, transportation and climate, what impressed Wu most was the different styles of Chinese and foreign public speaking.

Although still a teen, Wu is no stranger to the public speaking podium (讲台). He has participated in many speaking competitions since 2017. But on the stage of the IPSC, speakers had no podium to stand behind. They just had to face the audience.

"This was the first time that I gave a speech without a podium, which made me realize how important eye contact and body language are, " said Wu. "It also gave me more freedom to convey more information with my body language instead of just with words."

Another difference that caught Wu's attention was the evaluation criteria (评价标准). According to him, in every speaking competition he had participated in in China, things like pronunciation, fluency and quality of language are always important. But to his surprise, in the IPSC accents and grammatical mistakes are not considered in the evaluation process. It is the story itself that matters most.

"Audiences are eager to hear powerful stories, no matter where they are from. That's because the emotions expressed in them are shared by all human beings although there are the cultural differences." said Wu. "Diversity, respect, tolerance and understanding — these are what the IPSC really wants to stress and spread."

Whenever I think of Ms. Anita Moore, I always smile and feel fortunate to have her as my teacher. All of her students knew she loved being a teacher. Her classroom was always a safe place where we were encouraged to share, think, and express ourselves.  

One of the memories that always stuck with me was a reading class when Ms. Moore read a story aloud and started to cry. The main character in the story reminded her of her grandmother. She paused to share about her relationship with her grandmother and made the connection as to how that relationship helped understand the story.

Ms. Moore tried her best to make a connection with each student in her classroom. She knew what we liked and used that information to bring our interests into the classroom. That is one of the reasons why Ms. Moore will always be my favorite teacher. She brought various types of books to our classroom and allowed us to take them home. It was she that helped my love for reading grow.

Ms. Moore also went beyond classroom instruction. She decided that our school should have a choir and that all of her students should audition (试演). Without her, I would never have taken part in this type of after-school activity. Once it was time for the annual 5th grade weekend camping trip, my parents refused to let me attend. Ms. Moore came to my home to persuade (说服) them. Although I was still not allowed to go, it was amazing to me that a teacher would visit my home to help me be part of a school tradition with my classmates.

Ms. Moore was a wonderful example of a caring teacher. From her, I've learned to make connections with students and look for ways to help them learn and feel successful.

Family vacations can supply lifelong memories, so it's important to travel to the perfect place. Here are four popular destinations (目的地) in the US that will satisfy your family.

Orlando

Orlando hosts a handful of theme parks that are sure to excite youths, including Universal Orlando Resort, where you'll find The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and Discovery Cove, a resort (旅游胜地) where you can swim with dolphins around the park's coral reef.

Anaheim-Disneyland

Home to Disneyland Resort since 1955, Anaheim, California, has enough magical attractions to keep families entertained. After catching up with Mickey and friends, visit Anaheim's Adventure City amusement park. And if you're in town during baseball season, you can catch a game at Angel Stadium. Note that Disneyland is busy year-round, but if you visit on a weekday, you'll likely encounter fewer people.

Wisconsin Dells

Known as "The Water Park Capital of the World, " Wisconsin Dells makes for a great family vacation spot with plenty of things to do. Take your pick of splash-filled venues from Noah's Ark Waterpark to Kalahari Resorts. When you need a break on dry land, head to a magic show at Rick Wilcox Magic Theater or admire animals like giraffes and tigers at Timbavati Wildlife Park. Because of this destination's popularity, you'd better avoid the weekends.

Grand Canyon National Park

With so much to see and do here, there's no chance anyone in your family will be bored in this park. Enjoy one of the park's many light hikes, admire the view from the Grand Canyon Skywalk, raft the Colorado River or go for a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway. The Grand Canyon is pretty budget-friendly considering its low ticket prices, but know that nearby hotels book up quickly in summer.

Oh, Brother!

A few months ago, my mom got remarried, making Drew my stepbrother. She hoped we'd get along. But he was like a headache I couldn't get rid of. Mom thought inviting Kendall, my best friend, for a sleepover would take my mind off Drew. So far, that wasn't working.

Later in my room, Kendall and I were doing our nails when Drew came in, with a bowl of popcorn in his hands. "Does anyone want popcorn?" asked Drew.

"Mom doesn't like food in here, and you got into my room without asking!" I said angrily. "Time to leave, Drew." I pointed to the door.

I decided an ice cream would cool me down. In the kitchen, Kendall and I had hardly started eating when I heard Drew hurrying down the stairs. "Hey, who wants to have a pillow fight?" he asked.

"I do!" cried Kendall, sticking her ice cream in the freezer. She and Drew ran upstairs, leaving me alone with my bad attitude.

I wasn't about to follow them like a puppy. There was something I had to do. I took the cream and slipped into Drew's room. I found his slippers, and stuck the cream inside them. Satisfied, I grabbed a pillow, ready to fight him.

I ran into my room and hit Drew with the pillow. He countered with a blow to my legs. Kendall threw her pillow into his side. Before long, we were all laughing. I lifted my pillow over my head to give Drew a final blow. But I missed. It crashed into the popcorn bowl left on the dresser. The corns rained everywhere just as mom walked into the room. "Stop! You kids are being too wild." she cried. "And, Sarah, you know I don't like food in here."

注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为120左右；2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。

Paragraph 1

I froze, not knowing what to say. 

Paragraph 2

I cornered Drew to tell me why he took the fall (承担责任). 

注意：1. 词数80左右；2. 题目已为你写好。

Person of the Year

Around 160 experts attended the International Forum on Cave Temple Conservation in Chongqing  August 19 to 21 to explore opportunities for cooperation and methods to protect rock carvings in cave temples around the world.

The carvings run the risk of damage over time as a result of weathering and climate change. Li Qun, director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration,  (say) in the opening ceremony that Chinese cave temples displayed remarkable characteristics in terms of their subject matter, and artistic style, which reflected the  (peace) nature of Chinese civilization.

The Chongqing forum was held to improve the preservation of cave temples and uncover their value and historical significance, (contribute) to the preservation of humanity's intellectual achievements.

Experts agreed  (promote) the protection of cave temples in light of global climate change, develop new materials, build early warning systems, and create a global database of historical images,  they hope would help future generations appreciate their beauty.

"Water and wind are the primary factors causing damage to the cave temples and stone carvings (global)," said an expert, adding that climate change had led to the increasing uncertainty (cause) by natural threats. He called for in-depth (study) on core factors such as water-related damage and the geological environment. Moreover, efforts should be directed toward strengthening archaeological investigations exploring the values of these sites, as well as managing tourism.

One January evening in 2008, Rachel Lapierre bought a $4 lottery (彩票) ticket at the grocery store. The 46-year-old mother of four was wearing herself thin as a full-time 1  and part-time volunteer aid worker. After an exhausting day, she needed something to 2  her spirits.

For years, Lapierre longed to be able to 3 her nursing job and focus on the volunteer work she found most 4 . She promised that if she ever won the lottery, that's what she would do.

5 , the next day, the lottery office informed her that she had won a sum of $675,

000. Staying 6  to her word, Lapierre devoted her life to her passion project, Le Book Humanitaire, which has since become a non-profit 7 .

Le Book, as Lapierre, now 62, affectionately calls it, 8  as a simple list of good deeds she wrote down in a notebook to 9  what she had done to help others. To her, the deeds were just small acts of 10  that anyone else might have done. But word 

started 11 , her phone began ringing and a Facebook page she created for the project became an effective way to deal with 12  from those in need and those who wanted to help.

Le Book Humanitaire now has a team of 80 volunteers, 13  local emergency support, medical outreach and food delivery to seniors. 

"When you do a good deed, it has a butterfly effect, " says Lapierre."One good deed

can 14 ten people. So if we all do a good deed? That can 15 the world."

Habits to live a healthier life

At a time when life expectancy in the U.S. has fallen and diet-related disease is a leading cause of death, it's no wonder that Dan Buettner's decades-long exploration of centenarians (百岁老人) is attracting lots of attention. He says they have unconsciously created a long-lived environment through their habit. .

● Change social media to make friends

The best longevity secret is to manage your immediate social circle. . If you're happy and engaged, positive emotions can spread. If you aim to live a healthier life, your odds improve if those around you are committed too. So, try this principle of human behavior to help align (使协调) yourself with people who can serve as a sounding board to help you live with purpose.

● Trade the La-Z-Boy for a garden

. For those of you who don't like the gym, you may be inspired by the way people in the long-lived zones put movement into their everyday routines. Plant a garden in your backyard. It pushes you to weed and water almost every day and that keeps you moving.

● 

The nap (小睡) is an age-old tradition, of course. And though modern life has pushed it to near extinction, the most recent science shows that a 20-minute nap in the afternoon can make up for an hour of lost sleep and helps keep you sharp later in the day.

On the whole, we'd be wise to stop and take notes. : Good food, good sleep, good friends, plenty of movement and a sense of purpose are a recipe for living better.

A. Take a nap in the afternoon

B. Build movement into your day

C. Make yourself become a joiner

D. Find people who can inspire you

E. There's no single change to create a culture of health

F. Scientific research confirms the centenarians' way of life

G. Here are my opinions on ways to change old habits for new ones

People are motivated to try a vegetarian (素食的) diet for different reasons — from ethical and religious, to potential health and environmental benefits. But many people have a hard time sticking to it. In fact studies show many self-reported vegetarians actually do consume some animal products.

"A lot of people who want to be vegetarian are perhaps not able to," says Dr. Nabeel Yaseen, of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine." We wanted to know if genetics (遗传学) is part of the reason," he says.

Yaseen and his team members compared the DNA of about 330,000 people. They found 34 genes that may play a role in sticking to a strict vegetarian diet. And they identified 3 genes that are more tightly linked to the feature.

"What we can say is that these genes (基因) have something to do with vegetarianism," Yaseen says. "Perhaps vegetarians have different variants of these genes that make them able to choose a strict vegetarian diet," he explains. The study is published in PLOS ONE, a peer-reviewed science journal.

Interpreting the genetic role is not exactly an easy task to finish. Humans have thousands of genes and there are millions of tiny variations (变异) in DNA building blocks, known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), where you can see differences between individuals.

To identify SNPs that are connected with the particular feature of sticking to a vegetarian diet, Yaseen and his workmates did a genome-wide connection study. When they found a SNP connected with vegetarianism, they looked to see the genes around it in the same area.

Of the three genes most strongly connected with vegetarianism, the authors say two of them (known as NPC1 and RMC1) have important functions in lipid — or fat — metabolism. The study can't answer exactly how genetic differences could shape or influence vegetarians, but Dr. Yaseen has some ideas. His research has disclosed many unknown aspects of genetics.