Clara Barton，founder of the American Red Cross，gained worldwide honor for her dedication to easing human suffering and earned the nickname  “Angel of the Battlefield.”

    Barton was born into a liberal (开明的) freethinking family in 1821. Her elder brothers and sisters happily tutored her in math and reading, so when she entered school at three years old, she could read and spell three-syllable words. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Concerned about Barton's difficulty in making friends, her parents sent her to a boarding school, hoping it would make her more comfortable with her peers. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Barton lost her appetite and cried constantly. After only one term, she had to be brought home. Then, Barton stayed out of school to nurse her older brother through a serious injury and also volunteered to care for poor families during a smallpox (天花）outbreak.

    In 1861，the Civil War broke out. The sight of wounded soldiers touched Barton deeply. She began to collect and distribute food, bandages, medicines, and other supplies for the Union army.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} There, with little concern for her own safety, she cooked meals, assisted surgeons, and comforted wounded soldiers.

    Eventually，because of working too hard，Barton collapsed，ill with typhoid fever (伤寒症). {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It was there that she learned of an organization based in Switzerland — called the International Red Cross, whose work mirrored her own.

    Shortly after Barton arrived back home in 1873，her sister died. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} When recuperating (休养）at a health facility in New York，she began planning for the establishment of an American wing of the International Red Cross. Although at first the government resisted，her efforts finally paid off. The American Red Cross was officially organized on May 21, 1881. Her influence lives on today in the work of the organization she founded.

Kids and food: advice for parents

    It is important for parents to know how to help their kids eat healthy. Here are a few easy ways.

    Parents control the supply lines.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Though kids may keep asking for less nutritious foods, parents should decide which foods are regularly provided in the house. Kids won't go hungry. They'll eat what's available in the fridge at home.

    Say goodbye to “clean-plate club”.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Lots of parents grew up under the clean-plate rule, but that way doesn't help kids listen to their own bodies when they are full. When kids feel full, they're likely to overeat.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Food preferences are developed early in life, so try to offer different kinds of food. Likes and dislikes begin forming even when kids are babies. Parents may need to serve a new food on several different occasions(时机) for a child to accept it.

    Food is not love.

    Find better ways to say “I love you.” When foods are used to reward kids and show love, they may start to turn to food when feeling worried or unhappy. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Kids do as you do.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} When trying to teach good eating habits, try to set the best example. Choose nutritious food, eat at the table, and don't forget breakfast.

A. Start them young.

B. Rewrite the kids' menu.

C. Be a role model and eat healthy yourself.

D. Offer praise and attention instead of food treats.

E. Let kids stop eating when they feel they've had enough.

F. You decide which foods to buy and when to serve them.

G. Let kids choose what to eat and how much of it they want.

    How to Become an Activist （活动家）

    Activists are people who see the need for change and devote their time to doing something about it.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you are interested in it you can do so.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}This could be anything from a student club to a national organization （like the American Civil Liberties Union or the National Organizers Alliance）. Most activist organizations offer different levels of involvement, so you can do whatever you feel most comfortable with, whether that means attending meetings and demonstrations or just donating a little money when you can.

    Volunteer your time. One of the best ways to make a difference is to volunteer your time. Reach out to organizations in your community that do work for your cause, and ask how you can help.

    Donate money or supplies.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you can't afford to donate money to an organization that supports your cause, you may be able to donate other things they need, like clothing or canned food.

    Reach out to family and friends. Tell your family and friends about your cause, and invite them to get involved. If they are interested, share literature about your cause or just talk to them about what you have learned.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Promote your cause on social media. You can use social media to help keep your friends and followers informed about the causes you support.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Also, you can invite your friends to attend events or donate to fundraisers for your cause.

A. Take classes on issues related to your cause.

B. Join an organization that supports your cause.

C. They are driven by passion and a vision for a better future.

D. If you do volunteer work, invite them to volunteer with you.

E. Most activists or charitable organizations need resources to do their work.

F. Post useful articles and write about what you are doing to stay involved.

G. If you can't reach out to them in person, then try connecting to people online.

    Two hundred years after Charles Darwin's birth, studies have found new details of his life at the University of Cambridge. Six leather-bound ledgers (皮革账本) discovered in the university show this.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    He lived in the most expensive rooms provided for a rich student at his time.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}He had someone to clean his room, make his bed and take care of the fire in his bright rooms. He hired a dishwasher, a clothes washer and a man who cleaned his shoes. A tailor (裁缝), hatter and barber made sure he was well presented. A chimney cleaner and a coalman kept his fire going. Christ's College's basic food was meat and beer.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Darwin's bill topped 636 pounds during his three years of study at Cambridge. Later he described this time as the most joyful of his happy life. That large sum (金额) would have been fairly common for a student at Cambridge in the 19th century.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    In those days Cambridge was full of rich students living a pretty good life and Darwin was just one of them.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}And thus he had plenty of time for socializing or private study. He would be out shooting, collecting beetles, doing his scientific hobbies or visiting friends. He played cards and drank wine at night, just like students always have.

A. Thanks to the richness, he was able to hire servants to help with the daily life.

B. The findings were published on the Internet.

C. So he paid five and a half pence extra each day to have vegetables.

D. He enjoyed the kind of comfortable university life that most of today's students can only dream about.

E. He had several people to help him to deal with the daily housework.

F. When you look at the ledgers, you can find there were many rich students in Cambridge.

G. The bills were paid by his wealthy father, Robert Darwin, a doctor.

    Whether you use a GPS device (设备) in your car or Google Maps on your smartphone, few of us travel anymore without digital help. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} For one thing, GPS isn't as accurate as you might think. What's more, science is beginning to discover that people who rely only on navigational technologies may have a poor sense of place during travel.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They soon become outdated as cities change, requiring users to continually purchase updated versions. They're also easily damaged from exposure to water, poor weather conditions and other physical forces.

    However, paper maps still offer a few advantages that technologies can't. For example, studying a map allows you to get a full view of where you're going, including the roads, forests, towns, historic sites, rivers and mountains you'll come across along the way. Many older maps are wonderful, offering a lovely feast for the eyes. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Research by Toru Ishikawa and colleagues at the University of Tokyo found that GPS users spent 30％ more time looking at their device than those who used a paper map. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Instead they tended to stare at their screens and follow directions, never gaining a full view of where they were going.

    Therefore, go ahead and use your GPS, but also carry a paper map as a handy backup. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Also it could even be a life-saver!

Fun Writing Activities for Struggling Writers

    There are dozens of reasons kids struggle with writing. They may have difficulty getting their thoughts down on paper. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Perhaps grammar and language barriers are blocking their progress. Whatever the reason, adding a little fun can be a great way to get the creative juices flowing.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Sometimes writers get stuck because they simply don't know where to start. For a child, you can try things that are geared (合适) toward their interests, like My Favorite Toy, or What I Like to Do in the Summer. Remember, it' s important to support and guide their ideas, not to discourage thoughts or judge them.

    Develop a story map

    A great activity to help struggling writers is to build a story map. Write down ideas for the beginning, middle, and end of a story. Or put the topic in the middle of the paper and draw lines out like a wheel for who, what where, and why. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} This is helpful, because it takes stress out of the writing process.

    Make writing relevant

    Children are more apt to write if they can identify with the purpose of writing. Writing a letter to a friend or relative can better engage a struggling writer. Or maybe your child has some suggestions for books that the library should have. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} If writing becomes a more meaningful activity to the child, it can help to make it an easier process.

    Make writing enjoyable

    You could consider making different writing supplies available like colored pens and pencils, notebooks, etc. Or you could provide a word bank of common words for your kid to use and spell. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Afterwards, reward your child's good performance. These all set the stage and invite kids to get excited to write.