Grey clouds move as low as smoke over the treetops at Lolo Pass. The ground is white. The day is June 10.It has been snowing for the past four days in the Bitterroot Mountains.Wayne Fairchild is getting worried about our trek over the Lolo Trail-95 miles from Lolo Montana to Weippe in Idaho, across the roughest country in the West. Lewis and Clark were nearly defeated 200 years ago by snowstorms on the Lolo.Today Fairchild is nervously checking the weather reports.He has agreed to take me across the toughest,middle section of the trail.

    When Lewis climbed on top of Lemhi Pass,140 miles south of Missoula,on Aug.12,1805,he was astonished by what was in front of him;“high mountain chains still to the West of us with their tops partially covered with snow.”Nobody in what was then the US knew the Rocky Mountains existed,with peaks twice as high as anything in the Appalachians back East.

    Today their pathway through those mountains holds more attraction than any other ground over which they traveled,for its raw wilderness is an evidence to the character of two cultures:the explorers who braved its hardships and the Native Americans who prize and conserve the path as a sacred (神圣的)gift. It remains today the same condition as when Lewis and Clark walked it.

    The Lolo is passable only from July to mid-September.Our luck is holding with the weather,although the snow keeps getting deeper.As we climb to Indian Post Office,the highest point on the trail at 7,033 ft,we have covered 13 miles in soft snow,and we hardly have enough energy to make dinner.After a meal of chicken,I sit on a rock on top of the ridge (山脊）.There is no light visible in any direction,not even another campfire.For four days we do not see another human being.We are occupied with the things that mix fear with joy.In our imagination we have finally caught up with Lewis and Clark.

Volunteer Opportunities Abroad

    For those looking to break into the competitive world of journalism (新闻工作), this is for you! You will be working at “The Village”, an English and Romanian language magazine. As a writer you will work on special tasks, reporting local events with guidance from the editor. You will be interviewing local people, writing reports, and taking photographs. You will also have the chance to live with a local host family to experience their culture.

    Volunteers joining our project (项目) in Cambodia will travel to the island of Koh Sdach. You will become part of this tiny island, learn to dive (潜水), and take part in valuable social projects.

    During your stay you will complete a course to learn to dive. After that you will take part in dives to clean up rubbish under the sea and collect information on rare fish. During the two weeks you may also have the chance to join in a village fun day where volunteers play games with the village children.

    On this project you will spend two weeks living with a host family and coaching soccer in friendly West Africa! You will spend your two weeks in Accra helping local children develop their soccer skills. You will develop their skills and confidence while having fun playing soccer at the same time.

    I set out to change the lives of those who need help by joining my school's newly formed Free The Children Club. Through the determination of friends, the group has grown bigger and stronger each year. Over the past two years my friend, Alex Auclair, and I have become the leaders of the club.

    Already, after only two years of fundraising, we have accumulated over three thousand dollars and almost two thousand food items through various fundraising efforts. For example, each year a 24-hour famine (饥饿) is planned resulting in absolutely no consumption (消耗) of food. By taking part in these activities, we put ourselves in the shoes of someone living in poverty.

      No money raised goes to waste. At the end of each school year, the group takes a vote to determine where our funds will be spent and donated. Last year, we bought enough desks, chairs, supplies and textbooks for every student in a Kenyan school. This year, we plan to spend our earning helping out families in Sierra Leone.

    Poverty is a worldwide issue affecting the lives of people in not only developing countries, but also first-world countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan. Living in poverty can result in hunger, many forms of disease, lack of education, and for millions, death. It does not have to be this way. You too can form a club like the Free The Children Club or you can participate in events outside of school. Get your friends, family, even your community involved in fundraising. Do what you can to change the world.

    Every 30 seconds there is an earthquake. But don't worry because most are so weak that they cannot be felt. Only a few big ones hurt people.

    Many earthquakes happened in China, such as the big one is Sichuan last year. Thousands of people died in it. So it's important to know what to do when one hits. Here are some tips on how to stay safely in an earthquake.

    If you are indoors during an earthquake, hide under a desk. Stay away from windows and anything that could fall on you.

    If you are outdoors, move to a clear place. Try to be away from trees, signs, buildings and streetlights. These could fall on you.

    If you are in a shop and far from the door, don't try to run to outside and rush for exits(出口). Everyone will be doing that and you'll find it hard getting out. Don't get into a lift during an earthquake. Just hide under some strong covers near you.

    When an earthquake has ended, be careful because after-shocks may still happen. These are just as dangerous as the earthquake itself. So stay under the desk until you make sure it's safe to get up.

    If you are at home and you smell gas, open the windows and get out of the building as quickly as you can. A gas line in your house may be broken. This could be very dangerous.

    Sports shoes that work out whether their owner has done enough exercise to warrant(保证；授权)time in front of the television have been invented in the UK.

    The shoes — named Square Eyes — contain an electronic pressure sensor and a tiny computer chip to record how many steps the wearer has taken in a day. A wireless transmitter(传话器) passes the information to a receiver connected to a television, and this decides how much evening viewing time the wearer deserves, based on the day's efforts.

    The design was inspired by a desire to fight against the rapidly ballooning waistlines among British teenagers, says Gillian Swan, who developed Square Eyes as a final year design project at Brunel University in London, UK. "We looked at current issues and childhood overweight really stood out," she says. "And I wanted to deal with that with my design."

    Once a child has used up their daily allowance gained through exercise, the television automatically switches off. And further time in front of the TV can only be earned through more steps.

    Swan calculated how exercise should translate to television time using the recommended daily amounts of both. Health experts suggest that a child take 12,000 steps each day and watch no more than two hours of television. So, every 100 steps recorded by the Square Eyes shoes equals exactly one minute of TV time.

    Existing pedometers(计步器) normally clip(夹在) onto a belt or slip into a pocket and keep count of steps by measuring sudden movement. Swan says these can be easily tricked into recording steps through shaking. But her shoe has been built to be harder for lazy teenagers to cheat. "It is possible, but it would be a lot of effort," she says. "That was one of my main design considerations."

Embark on an exhilarating expedition across the ancient trade routes, commencing your 5-day odyssey from the heart of China to the vibrant lands of Central Asia.

Day 1 inTurpan, China: Commence your journey in the oasis city of Turpan, where you will delve into the intricate Karez Well System—a testament to the ingenuity of ancient irrigation techniques that persist in their operational capacity to this day. As the sun sets on your inaugural day, retreat to the tranquility of a family-owned vineyard, where you can meander through the verdant vineyards, engaging in conversations with the hospitable locals to gain insights into their customary way of life.

Day 2 in Urumqi, China: With the first light of dawn, set forth from Turpan to the bustling metropolis of Urumqi, the political epicenter of Xinjiang. Post a nourishing breakfast, immerse yourself in the cultural tapestry of the Xinjiang Museum, a treasure trove of diverse artworks, meticulously crafted handiworks, and historical artifacts. As you prepare to wing your way to Kashgar, seize the opportunity to amble through the vibrant Erdaoqiao Market, the most expansive marketplace in Xinjiang, teeming with a medley of goods.

Day 3 inKashgar, China: Devote this day to the leisurely exploration of Kashgar, commencing with a visit to the bustling Handicrafts Street, a cornucopia of artisanal treasures ranging from copper wares to metal and porcelain masterpieces. Pause for refreshment in a time-honored teahouse, where you can mingle with the convivial community, partaking in their animated dialogues and spirited dances. As the day draws to a close, retire to your lodgings for a rejuvenating night's rest in anticipation of the forthcoming voyage to Osh.

Day 4 in Osh, Kyrgyzstan: Upon reaching the second city of Kyrgyzstan, Osh, immerse yourself in the National Historical and Archaeological Museum Complex, a repository of cultural artifacts, handiworks, and sculptures that narrate the region's storied past. Subsequently, venture to the Jayma Bazaar, the most expansive marketplace in Central Asia, whose origins are rooted in the bygone era of the Silk Road. Should your interest lie in the silken threads of history, inquire of your guide to lead you to the Yodgorlik Silk Factory, a sanctuary where the age-old manual silk-making process is preserved.

Day 5 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan: Conclude your journey with a serene morning train excursion, culminating in your arrival at Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. Dedicate the day to the exploration of the Parthian Fortresses of Nisa, a pivotal city from the Parthian Empire's early annals. As evening descends, return to the city to savor a meal and embark on an evening sojourn to the Ashgabat National Museum of History, where the chronicles of the nation are enshrined.