I'm part of the Roots & Shoots program founded by Dr. Jane Goodall. The program is intended to make and promote positive changes in the world. As Dr. Goodall says, "What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."

    In Bulgaria, where I live, homeless dogs are everywhere. Many people here turn a blind eye to them. But I cannot ignore the life of a street dog whenever I see one wandering in the street, looking for something to eat. That's why I'm no longer a food waster. When I see wasted food, I always think of a hungry dog climbing to garbage bins, searching for food that people have thrown there. When eating in a restaurant, I'm not afraid to take leftover food to feed stray cats or dogs.

    A week ago, I saw a homeless dog around the garbage bins. Immediately I knelt down, spoke to her softly and ran my hands over her. I could see that she had had puppies. I couldn't imagine how she could have been able to care for them. Hours earlier, I'd bagged up a plate of leftover fish. As I unwrapped it, she wagged her tail and sniffed at it. She ate all the fish in no time.

    It's sad, isn't it? I can't understand why many of us waste so much and think little of it. These homeless animals have taught me that food is precious. Even when I don't have leftovers with me, I'll take the time to get something from the grocery store to feed them.

    I know my power is small, so I hope that next time you see wasted food, do turn it into worthy food. You have the power to save a life!

The practice of students endlessly copying letters and sentences from a blackboard is a thing of the past. With the coming of new technologies like computers and smartphone, writing by hand has become something of nostalgic (怀旧的)skill. However, while today's educators are using more and more technology in their teaching, many believe basic handwriting skills are still necessary for students to be successful—both in school and in life.

    Virginia Berninger, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says it's important to continue teaching handwriting and help children acquire the skill of writing by hand.

Berninger and her colleagues conducted a study that looked at the ability of students to complete various writing tasks—both on a computer and by hand. The study, published in 2009, found that when writing with a pen and paper, participants wrote longer essays and more complete sentences and had a faster word production rate.

    In a more recent study, Berninger looked at what role spelling plays in a student's writing skills and found that how well children spell is tied to know well they can write. “Spelling makes some of the thinking parts of the brain active which helps us access our vocabulary, word meaning and concepts. It is allowing our written language to connect with ideas.” Berninger said.

    Spelling helps students translate ideas into words in their mind first and then to transcribe(转换) “those words in the mind written symbols on paper or keyboard and screen,” the study said. Seeing the words in the “mind's eye” helps children not only to turn their ideas into words, says Berninger, but also to spot(发现) spelling mistakes when they write the words down and to correct then over time.

     “In our computer age, some people believe that we don't have to teach spelling because we have spell checks,” she said. “But until a child has a functional spelling ability of about a fifth grade level, they won't have the knowledge to choose the correct spelling among the options given by the computer.”

    Going green seems to be fad(时尚)for a lot of people these days.Whether that is good or bad，we can't really say, but for the two of us，going green is not a fad but a lifestyle．

    On April22nd，2011，We decided to go green every single day for an entire year．This meant doing 365 different green things，and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond easy things．Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different green  things to do and this was no easy task．

    With the idea of going green every single day for a year .Our Green Year started．My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all the green things that could be done to help the environment．We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps．

    Over the course of our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyle．We now shop at organic(有机的) stores．We consume less meat, choosing green food．We have greatly reduced our buying we don't need．We have away half of what we owned through websites．Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made flesh bread .In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished．

    Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year．We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others .We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planet．

    China has recently published its first artificial intelligence (AI) textbook for high school students, following a plan by central government last year to include AI courses in primary and secondary school.

    Under the joint efforts by the research center for MOOC at East Normal University and AI startup Sense Time Group, the nine-chapter textbook, named Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence, was written by eminent scholars from well-known schools nationwide, Xinhua reported on Sunday.

    It includes the history of AI and how the technology can be applied in areas such as facial recognition, auto driving and public security.

    “The textbook focuses not only on basics of AI, also on practical use of AI in daily life,” said Chen Yukun, a professor at East China Normal University, who is also a contributor to the book. At present, about 40 high schools across the country have joined the first batch（批）of AI high education pilot program, by introducing the textbook in curriculum（全部课程）.

    “The AI sector is facing a talent shortage globally. The publication of the book is a breakthrough as it takes AI technology out of the 'ivory tower' and makes it part of high school learning,” said Lin Dahua, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

    As early as 2016, the governments had estimated that demand for AI professionals may suddenly increase to 5 million in the coming years.

    “Many industries in the future will benefits from AI technology, so the aim of the related courses should be to let students learn the basic idea and methods of AI,” Lin said.

    China has made significant progress in technological research and development in recent years. According to a report released by US-based venture capital（风险资本）database CB Insights in March, China has for the first time surpassed the United States in equity funding（股权融资）to AI startups.

How to Drop a Pant Size in a Week

    Dropping one pant size in seven days is a difficult task, but with dedication, exercise and the right diet, you can make it happen.

    Increase your water consumption. Thirst is often misinterpreted as hunger, and if you are drinking the right amount of water, you will find it much easier to avoid snacking. Look to drink at around eight or nine glasses of water every day.

    Lower your calorie count. You can use a calorie calculator to determine how much you need to take in to maintain or lose weight If you take in fewer calories than you burn each day, you will lose weight as a result. As a rule, an average-sized woman needs to take in less than 1.300 calories per day for extreme weight loss, as you'll naturally burn around 2,000. Exact measurements differ based on age, height, weight and activity level.

    Cut the junk food. Chips, soda and candy seem harmless if taken as snacks, but can seriously affect your weight loss, Limit yourself to one or two snacks per day and switch your usual snack foods for baby carrots, apples and grapes.

    Break up your meals. If you want to lose weight, try eating four or five small meals per day instead of two or three large ones. This makes it easier for your body to process what you are consuming. Divide your required calories by the number of meals you'll be eating to determine how large each meal should be Space your meals out two or three hours apart—try meals at breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, afternoon and dinner.

    Doing intense aerobic (需氧的) exercise. You have to encourage your body to bum calories if you want to drop pounds and inches. Running is by far the fastest calorie burner, with the potential for 986 calories per hour. If you're unable to run, use an elliptical machine (椭圆机), jump rope, or participate in a high-impact aerobics class.

    I first began experiencing depression (抑郁) at the age of 14 .At first depression would come and go, but later it became a continual part of my life.

    I was so strongly determined to find the way to overcome my depression that I tried everything from when I was in college, special teas, yoga (瑜伽), and advice given by doctors. However, I still felt I hadn't even come close to managing the problem.

    But one afternoon, I saw an article in a magazine that talked about how dogs were able to help people with depression. The next day, I decided to get a dog—a corgi (柯基犬).

    When I bought my little corgi, Buddy, home, I didn't realize how much he would change my life. One morning, I woke up with those familiar feelings again. I didn't want to get out of bed. I turned to pull the covers back over my head and give up. That's when I saw Buddy. He started jumping all over me, licking (舔) my face, letting me know that it was time to go outside. It was as if he were saying, "There's no time to be sad. The world is amazing!" And for the first time in my life, on a day when my depression were strong, I got out of bed. I put on my winter clothes and went for a walk in the snow with my new friend. I realized at that moment, walking down the street in winter, my life was changing. I really was a new person. This was my new beginning.

    It's been more than a year since that day, and I've never spent another morning unable to get out of bed. I've not cried myself to sleep or spent my days filled with fear and regret. Sure, I still have days when I feel sad or anxious. But with Buddy by my side, I've finally learned how to manage these feelings.