The University of Sheffield

English Language Teaching Center

Come and learn English in a safe, friendly city—Sheffield, close to a beautiful National Park.

We offer courses in:

Academic, General and Business English.

We provide :

A choice of homestay

Or residential accommodation

Plenty of leisure activities.

    Whether you want to study for a few weeks of a year, for university preparation, work of general interest, we have the course for you.

Contact us on: elt@sheffield. ac.uk

http://www.shef.ac.uk/eltc

It's true to say that technology makes our lives easier. However, increasingly scientists are saying that we need to give ourselves a break—--otherwise we put ourselves at risk(风险) of developing hundreds of health problems. Over the summer the days are longer and sunnier. Why not put this free time to good use and do something away from technology?

    You could learn a new skill. There are hundreds of possibilities: cooking, a musical instrument or a new sport. Haven't you always wanted to learn how to knit(编织)? You could use your free time to practice these new things, which might lead to an exciting opportunity in the future.

    If you just want to relax, why not head to a beach? Take along your favorite book and relax on the sand, or go for a walk along the coastline. If you don't live near a beach, you could go to your local park. Why not have a picnic, or try to explore some of the local wildlife? You could even get involved in the latest craze(狂热): adult coloring books! Coloring is a surprising thing to help you relax, and it can be a nice way to escape from the stress of modern life!

    Whatever you choose to do, try something new! You might surprise yourself and find a hidden gift within you; you might make new friends along the way. Next time you find yourself changing TV channels(频道) from one to another without a clear purpose, think about what else you could spend your time doing.

    Flying insects are polluting new environments by eating microplastics in polluted waters and carrying them through the air, a new study has found.

    UK researchers found that microplastics -- pieces of plastic less than 5 millimeters in size -- remain in the bodies of mosquitoes and other waterborne insects even after they become flying adults.

    The findings mean that pollution from plastics being dumped into our oceans is being carried into the air, and raises concerns that birds and other creatures that eat the insects are also being polluted.

    The team from the University of Reading in England and Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, inserted two minuscule pieces of polystyrene, each weighing just over one gram per cubic centimeter, into young mosquitoes and observed the insects throughout their life cycles. They found that the particles did not disappear from the mosquitoes' systems after the insects moved between life stages and started to fly, and were present inside the fully formed insects. “When the microplastics become the adults, it represents a potential aerial pathway to pollution of new environments,” the authors wrote in the study.

    “Thus, any organism that feeds on terrestrial life phases of freshwater insects could be affected by MPs found in aquatic ecosystems ( 水生态系统),” they added, using an abbreviation for microplastics. Freshwater insects such as mosquitoes are eaten by birds, amphibians, insects and fish, according to the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States. More than 150 million tons of plastic are floating in the world's oceans, with an additional eight million tons entering every year, according to the World Economic Forum. Plastic can be eaten by fish, birds and marine mammals, and can damage marine ecosystems such as coral reefs.

    “This disturbing study raises real concerns about the spread of plastic pollution: it really is present everywhere, not just the marine environment,” said plastic pollution campaigner Emma Priestland from the charity Friends of the Earth.

    “Knowing that plastic can be moved from the larval stage to the adult mosquito, which then serves as food to a multitude of larger animals, highlights the urgency with which we need to.”

    A study from 2015 estimated that the total amount of floating plastic in the oceans could triple by 2025.

    Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood had a son called Michael and a daughter called Matilda, who was so quick to learn that her ability should have been obvious even to the most stupid parents. But she was their daughter. To tell the truth, I doubt they had noticed she crawled into the house with a broken leg.

    By the age of one and a half her speech was perfect and she knew as many words as most grown-ups. The parents, instead of praising her, called her a noisy chatterbox and told her sharply that small girls should be seen and not heard.

    By the time she was three, Matilda had taught herself to read by studying newspapers and magazines that lay around the house. At the age of four, she could read fast and well and she naturally began seeking for books. The only book in the whole of this enlightened household was something called Easy Cooking belonging to her mother, and when she had read this from cover to cover, and had learnt all the recipes by heart, she decided she wanted something more interesting.

    "Daddy," she said, "do you think you could buy me a book?

    "A book?" he said. "What do you want a book for?"

    "To read, Daddy."

    "What's wrong with the telly? We've got a lovely telly with a twelve-inch screen and now you come asking for a book!"

    Nearly every weekday afternoon Matilda was left alone in the house. Her brother went to school. Her father went to work and her mother went out playing bingo. On the afternoon of the day when her father had refused to buy her a book, Matilda set out all by herself to walk to the public library in the village. She asked Mrs. Phelps, the librarian, if she might sit a while and read a book. Mrs. Phelps, slightly surprised at the arrival of such a tiny girl unaccompanied by a parent, nevertheless told her she was very welcome.

    "Where are the children's books please!" Matilda asked.

    "They're over there on those lower shelves," Mrs. Phelps told her. "Would you like me to help you find a nice one with lots of pictures in it?

    "No, thank you." Matilda said. "I'm sure I can manage."

    From then on, every afternoon, as soon as her mother had left for bingo, Matilda would walk down to the library, where she spent two glorious hours sitting quietly by herself in a cosy comer devouring one book after another. When she had read every single children's book in the place, she started wandering around in search of something else.

    Mrs. Phelps, who had been watching her with interest for the past few weeks, now got up from her desk and went over to her. "Can I help you, Matilda?" she asked.

    "I'm wondering what to read next," Matilda said. "I've finished all the children's books."

    "You mean you've looked at the pictures?"

    "yes, but I've read the books as well. I thought some were very poor, but others were lovely. I like The Secret Garden best of all. It was full of mystery. The mystery of the room behind the closed door and the mystery of the garden behind the big wall".

    Mrs. Phelps was stunned." Exactly how old are you, Matilda?" she asked.

"Four years and three months," Matilda said." I would like a really good book that grown-ups read .A famous one."

    Mrs. Phelps looked along the shelves, taking her time." Try this", she said at last," It's very famous and very good. If it's too long for you, just let me know".

    "Great Expectations," Matilda read, "by Charles Dickens. I'd love to try it"

    While famous foreign architects are invited to lead the designs of landmark buildings in China such as the new CCTV tower and the National Center for the Performing Arts, many excellent Chinese architects are making great efforts to take the center stage.

    Their efforts have been proven fruitful. Wang Shu, a 49-year-old Chinese architect, won the 2012 Pritzker Architecture Prize -which is often referred to as the Nobel Prize in architecture-on February 28. He is the first Chinese citizen to win this award.

    Wang serves as head of the Architecture Department at the China Department at the China Academy of Art (CAA). His office is located at the Xiangshan campus (校园) of the university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Many buildings on the campus are his original creations.

    The style of the campus is quite different from that of most Chinese universities. Many visitors were amazed by the complex architectural space and abundant building types. The curves (曲线) of the buildings perfectly match the rise and fall of hills, forming a unique view.

    Wang collected more than 7 million abandoned bricks of different ages. He asked the workers to use traditional techniques to make the bricks into walls, roofs and corridors. This creation attracted a lot of attention thanks to its mixture of modern and traditional Chinese elements.

    Wang's works show a deep understanding of modern architecture and a good knowledge of traditions. Through such a balance, he had created a new type of Chinese architecture, said Tadao Ando, the winner of the 1995 Pritzker Prize.

    Wang believes traditions should not be sealed in glass boxes at museums. "That is only evidence that traditions once existed," he said.

    "Many Chinese people have a misunderstanding of traditions. They think tradition means old things from the past. In fact, tradition also refers to the things that have been developing and that are still being created, "he said.

    "Today, many Chinese people are learning Western styles and theories rather than focusing on Chinese traditions. Many people tend to talk about traditions without knowing what they really are," said Wang.

    The study of traditions should be combined, with practice. Otherwise, the recreation of traditions would be artificial and empty, he said.

    LEGO(乐高) recently announced that they will start producing pieces from sustainable (可持续的) sugar cane. The toys, which will be closely similar to classic ones, will also feature "botanical elements" like leaves, bushes, and trees.

    The pieces will be included in LEGO'S box sets from this year onwards. The move is part of the Danish company's campaign to use sustainable materials in its products by 2030.

    However, Tim Brooks, the firm's vice-president, said, "We want to make a positive influence on the world around us, and are working hard to make great play products for children using sustainable materials. This is a great first step in our goal to make all LEGO pieces using sustainable materials."

    The new line of production has reportedly already started with pieces being produced from polyethylene, which is a soft and durable plastic (耐用的塑料). LEGO says that we needn't worry about the quality of the new products, as they've tested the plant-based plastic to ensure that it meets the high standards for quality and safety that consumers (消费者) expect from the company.

    "LEGO products have always been about providing high quality play experiences and giving every child the chance to shape their own world through inventive play. Children and parents will not notice any difference in the quality or appearance of the new pieces, because plant-based polyethylene has the same qualities as traditional polyethylene," said Tim Brooks.

    "It is important that companies in each industry find ways to help ensure a future where people, nature, and the economy grow healthily," said Alix Grabowski, an officer at WWF. "The LEGO Group's decision to use sustainable plastics represents a great opportunity to reduce dependence on finite (有限的) resources, and their work with the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance will allow them to connect with other companies to continue to think creatively about sustainability."