Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?

    The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences.To the Egyptians,green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring,while for Muslims,it means heaven.Red is a symbol of good luck in many cultures.In China,children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year.For many nations,blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs.Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils.

    People's choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies' reactions toward them.Green is said to be the most restful color.It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically.People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomach aches.

    Red can cause a person's blood pressure to rise and increase people's appetites.Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant.Similarly,many commercial websites will have a red "Buy Now" button because red is a color that easily catches a person's eye.

    Blue is another calming color.Unlike red,blue can cause people to lose appetite.So if you want to eat less,some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.

    The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room,think about the color carefully.

    The American state of Colorado is considering a ban on smartphones for children younger than 13.

    A Denver-based doctor - and father - is leading the effort. Tim Farnum is the founder of a group called ‘Parents Against Underage Smartphones.' His proposal would ban sales of smartphones to children under the age of 13. It would also ban sales to anyone who wishes to buy such a device for anyone younger than 13. The measure would also require sellers of smartphones to provide proof to the state government that they have asked buyers if the phone is for anyone under 13.

    The measure now needs about 300,000 signatures in order to appear on Colorado's statewide ballot (投票权)next year. If it makes the ballot and is approved by voters, Colorado would become the first state to have such a ban.

    Tim Farnum said he decided to push for the measure after watching his own children struggle with the mental effects of always having a smartphone around. "They would get the phones and lock themselves in the room and change who they were," he told The Coloradoan newspaper.

    State Senator John Kefalas, a Democrat, said he understands the reasoning behind the proposed law. However, he told The Coloradoan that a child's smartphone usage is a "family matter" and not something the government should decide. "Ultimately, this comes down to parenting,” he said, “making sure their kids are not putting themselves at risk.”

    Last year, the AAP (the American Academy of Pediatrics) released guidelines for media use by children. The group advised parents to limit time spent watching videos to no more than one hour a day of high-quality programming until age 6. After that, it said, parents should set reasonable time limits for their children and make sure electronic devices do not take time away from sleep or exercise.

Seeds on Ice

    Close to the North Pole, remote and rocky Plateau Mountain in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard seems an unlikely spot for any global effort to safeguard agriculture. In this cold and deserted environment, no grains, no gardens, no trees can grow. Yet at the end of a 130-meter-long tunnel cut out of solid stone is a room filled with humanity's most precious treasure, the largest and most diverse seed collection—more than a half-billion seeds.

    A quiet rescue mission is under way. With growing evidence that unchecked climate change-will seriously affect food production and threaten the diversity （多样性） of crops around the world, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault （地窖） represents a major step towards ensuring the preservation （贮藏） of hundreds of thousands of crop varieties. This is a seed collection, but more importantly, it is a collection of the traits found within the seeds: the genes that give one variety resistance to a particular pest and another variety tolerance for hot, dry weather.

    Few people will ever see or come into contact with the contents of this vault. In sealed boxes, behind multiple locked doors, monitored by electronic security systems, enveloped in below—zero temperatures, and surrounded by tons of rock, hundreds of millions of seeds are protected in their mountain fortress. Frozen in such conditions inside the mountain, seeds of most major crops will remain viable for hundreds of years, or longer. Seeds of some are capable of retaining （保留） their ability to grow for thousands of years.

    Everyone can look back now and say that the Seed Vault was a good and obvious idea, and that of course the Norwegian government should have approved and funded it. But back in 2004, when the Seed Vault was proposed, it was viewed as a crazy, impractical, and expensive idea.

    We knew that nothing would provide a definite guarantee. But we were tired, fed up, and frankly scared of the steady, greater losses of crop diversity. The Seed Vault was built by optimists who wanted to do something to preserve options so that humanity and its crops might be better prepared for change. If it simply resupplied seed gene banks with samples those gene banks had lost, this would repay our efforts.

    The Seed Vault is about hope and commitment-about what can be done if countries come together and work cooperatively to accomplish something significant, long-lasting, and worthy of who we are and wish to be.

    Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual practice originating in India. The word '"yoga" comes from Sanskrit (梵文) and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and mind. Today it is practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity. Recognizing its universal appeal, the United Nations declared 21 June as the International Day of Yoga in 2014 to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.

    Yoga is an invaluable gift from an ancient tradition. It's not just about exercise but a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself nature and the world. There is no written record of who invented yoga. Yoga practitioners (从业者) passed down the principles to their students. The earliest written record of yoga is generally believed to have been written by Patanjali, an Indian master who lived somewhere between 2,000 and 2,500 years ago.

    Various yoga types give you multiple choices. Hatha yoga is the most widely practiced type and is excellent for beginners. It is gentle with slow and smooth movements. Kundalini yoga combines a singing session besides body and mental control. Bikram yoga is practiced in a heated room. It is to loosen muscles and to sweat to clean the body and remove symptoms of disease and pain. Ashtanga yoga is taught as a difficult workout where you move quickly from one gesture to another to build strength and patience.

    In recent years, the World Health Organization has urged countries to help their citizens reduce physical inactivity, which is among the top ten leading causes of death worldwide, and a key risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. Yoga is a proper exercise. It is known for its ability to ease stress and anxiety. It may also help reduce several risk factors for heart diseases and promote a better sleep.

When Jenny Benson was eight, her mother took her to soccer practice for the first time.

"She's never played soccer before," Mrs Benson told the coach. "I'm not sure how she'll do. "

Jenny ran onto the field and joined the other players. Over the next hour, Mrs Benson and the coach watched as Jenny outran many of the more experienced players.

"I knew then that soccer would be Jenny's sport. " Mrs Benson recalls. And she was right.

It may have helped that Jenny had spent much of her time trying to keep up with her three brothers. "I wanted to be just like them," Jenny says. "My family has inspired me for my entire life. "

Jenny has retired from the United States women's national soccer team. She started out on her professional career in the Philadelphia Charge, a team in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). Later on, she joined FC Energy Voronezh, and then New Jersey Wildcats.

When the WUSA was being formed, league officials watched many college soccer games, looking for players good enough to join the league. They were very interested in Jenny, who played for the University of Nebraska.

"Throughout that college season, I knew I was being watched," Jenny says, "I knew I couldn't be perfect, so I just tried to be very consistent and have fun. "

As a professional, Jenny relied on her focused but funloving attitude. "In a game, I try never to put too much pressure on myself. The more I concentrate on having fun, the better I play. " She says. "I have good and bad days, just like everyone else, but I know the sun will always come up after a bad day. So all I have to do is to adjust myself, either to the change of my inner feelings or to the change of circumstances. That helps me get through anything. "