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    A buld-it-yourself solar still（蒸馏器） is one of the best ways to obtain drinking water in areas where the liquid is not readily available. Developed by two doctors in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it's an excellent water collector. Unfortunately, you must carry the necessary equipment with you, since it's all but impossible to find natural substitutes. The only components required, though, are a 5'  5' sheet of clear or slightly milky plastic, six feet of plastic tube, and a container— perhaps just a drinking cup — to catch the water. These pieces can be folded into a neat little pack and fastened on your belt.

    To construct a working still, use a sharp stick or rock to dig a hole four feet across and three feet deep. Try to make the hole in a damp area to increase the water catcher's  productivity. Place your cup in the deepest part of the hole. Then lay the tube in place so that one end rests all the way in the cup and the rest of the line runs up — and out — the side of the hole.

    Next, cover the hole with the plastic sheet, securing the edges of the plastic with dirt and weighting the sheet's center down with a rock. The plastic should now form a cone(圆锥体) with 45-degree-angled sides. The low point of the sheet must be centered directly over, and no more than three inches above, the cup.

    The solar still works by creating a greenhouse under the plastic. Ground water evaporates (蒸发) and collects on the sheet until small drops of water form, run down the material and fall off into the cup. When the container is full, you can suck the refreshment out through the tube, and won't have to break down the still every time you need a drink.

    Soft winds blew throughout the Windy City today. We welcomed the winds, as it was another hot day in Chicago. The wind blew, bringing us some coolness—and making the weather not that hot. But it was a beautiful summer day with a blue sky.

Chicago is a great city for eating, and we have enjoyed tasting the different foods. Last night, we tried one of the city's most famous foods: deep-dish pizza. Chicago claims credit for the rich and cheesy thick-crust pizza, covered with a sweet tomato sauce. We topped it with olives and green peppers.

       We were touring the city, mainly looking for delicious local foods. Today, we enjoyed a Polish specialty at lunch: Pierogis, an Eastern European dumpling-like dish, filled with foods like potatoes, cheese, mushrooms, cabbage and meat. Polish immigrants started settling in Chicago in the 1850s, and the city has one of the largest Polish communities in the U.S.

    We took a break from exploring the city to talk with some of you! Ashley and Caty logged onto the Internet for an on-the -road version of TALK2US. We spoke to an English teacher in Tokyo, Japan, and a graduate student in India.

Meanwhile, Adam searched for some locations around the city to shoot some video. He chose a spectacular spot: Navy Pier, Chicago's most-visited attraction. The winds from Lake Michigan keep visitors cool, and the view of the Chicago skyline never fails to impress. In fact, the view made all of us head over heels!

    Our time in Chicago has come to an end. Tomorrow, the true journey begins, as we pass through Illinois and into Missouri via Route 66. Springfield, the home of Abe Lincoln, and St. Louis, the “gateway to the West,” wait for us.

    “Children start putting their fingers in their noses as infants,” says Sarah Springer, MD' of Kids Plus Pediatrics in Pittsburgh. “As soon as they have motor control of their fingers, they'll find holes where their fingers can fit. It's not a worry—just a normal part of how they explore and learn.”

    In order to help your child to stop engaging in the behavior it's important to understand why they may start the habit in the first place, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Nose-picking can be a result of boredom, sleepiness, falling asleep, relaxation or coping. In most instances, nose-picking is likely just a phase（阶段）and the child will eventually quit it.

    There isn't much parents can do to stop the behavior of nose-picking, as it's a normal part of being a kid, Dr. Springer says. Parents are advised to ignore the behavior and not show frustration's this won't help encourage your child to stop picking their nose. Instead, Dr. Springer says to help your child learn to blow their nose once they are four or five years old and talk to your child about keeping their hands clean to avoid spreading germs.

    Take note of the season or climate, too, as dry air or cold can increase the occurrence of nose-picking. Parents should use a humidifier（增湿器）in these conditions to help nasal secretions（鼻分泌物）stay moist. Putting petroleum jelly（凡士林）a few times a day inside the nose can help with irritation and minimize picking.

    Once your child enters school, it's inevitable for them to see and pick up bad habits, Dr. Springer said. Nose-picking is a common habit, even among adults and as children age most will realize it's not an acceptable behavior.

    “Nose picking is a normal part of childhood,” Dr. Springer says. “Most kids will become conscious of the social stigma（羞耻）associated with it, and will eventually stop picking, at least in public.”

    After the examination, the doctor told my parents my sight would get worse and that I would lose my sight finally. On the way home from hospital, no one said a word. One day, would I only imagine the scenery beyond the glass rather than see it?

    That September, I entered middle school. Most nights I had homework that included an armful of books to read. To keep up with other children, I took great trouble to finish the task. With my nose a couple of inches from the page, I was tired easily. What's worse, after I had read several pages on my own, the words slipped off the page into inky pools.

    However, then I did not have audio books and electronic devices like kids do now. Instead, Mom volunteered to read out loud. Mom worked part time, cleaned the house, cooked and spent time with Grandma. In spite of being so busy, she showed up in my room like clockwork. She put on her reading glasses. Mom always thought those glasses made her look old. To me, she looked like a teacher.

    In my room, Mom's voice compared with the ticking of the clock. Being forced to focus on listening, I found a way to keep my marks up and compete with the other kids. When the teacher asked a question, I raised my hand with confidence. Teachers praised me for having a good memory. Reading removed my fear for my failing sight, reading also made me curious about other people's challenges and how they managed. Though I could not use my eyes to fix on each passage, my mind lit up with every new book.

    True to what the doctor said, the worst came, but thanks to Mom, my sense of hearing now allows me to “see”. This was the most precious gift from a mother to her child.

Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, has come back from university to find that his father, the old king, is dead. His mother has married his father's brother, Claudius, who is now king of Denmark. Hamlet is shocked that his mother has married so soon after his father's death, and angry that she has married Claudius.

Soon, a ghost (幽灵) is seen walking on the castle walls. The ghost looks like Hamlet's father, the dead king. When Hamlet sees the ghost, he is told that it is the ghost of his father. "I am your father's spirit," the ghost tells Hamlet. It tells him that Hamlet's father did not die naturally, but was murdered by his brother Claudius. As the king slept, Claudius put poison into his ear, causing the king a painful death. The ghost tells Hamlet to take revenge on Claudius for murdering his father.

Hamlet can't believe his mother would marry the man who murdered her husband. He becomes depressed, and he thinks about killing himself: "To be or not to be, that is the question. " Hamlet decides to pretend he is mad while he tries to find out if King Claudius really killed his father. Claudius soon notices that Hamlet is acting strangely, so he asks Polonius, his adviser, to discover if it is true…

All students have bad times. What do they usually do when they get into trouble?

My mom is like my friend. I talk about everything to her. Whenever I have some trouble, I can get good advice from her. I have another good friend — my diary. It knows all my secrets. Talking with my two friends always makes me feel better. 

 —— Linda

Laughing helps me when I'm upset. I usually watch funny movies and TV shows. I also love spending my hard time with my best friend Dave. He is humorous and always makes me laugh. 

 —— Peter

Every time I feel bad, I go climbing alone. The study says exercising can help cheer one up (精神振奋). And the beautiful view at the top of the mountain makes me forget all my troubles. Sometimes I shout at the mountain top. It feels fantastic. 

 —— John