In Britain, Boxing Day is usually celebrated on December 26^th, which is the following day after Christmas Day. However, strictly speaking. Boxing Day is the first weekday after Christmas. Like Christmas Day. Boxing Day sing a public holiday. This means it's a non-working day in the whole of Britain. When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is the public holiday.

    The exact origin（起源）of the holiday is unclear. One of the thoughts is that during the Middle Ages, when great sailing ships were setting off to discover new land, a Christmas Box was placed by a priest （神父）on each ship. Those sailors who wanted to ensure a safe return would drop money into the box. It was sealed up and kept on board until the ship came home safely. Then the box was handed over to the priest in the exchange for the saying of a Mass of thanks for the success of the sailing. The priest wouldn't open it to share the contents with the poor until Christmas.

    One more thought is about the “Alms Box” placed in every church on Christmas Day. Worshippers （做礼拜的人）put gifts for the poor into it. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas, that is why that day became know as Boxing Day.

    Today, many businesses, organizations and families try to keep the traditional spirit of Boxing Day alive by donating（捐赠）their time, services and money to aid Food Banks, providing gifts for the poor, or helping families in need. Besides, spending time with family and shopping are popular Boxing Day activities now.

As the weather gets warmer，there are few things that are better to do than travel．But traveling might not be that fun for everyone，especially for those who have motion sickness（晕动症）．

Motion sickness is also called travel sickness．It is a common experience for many people．Depending on how you travel，it can be called carsickness or seasickness．People with motion sickness feel very uncomfortable while they are in motion．They feel sick and dizzy，like the room around them won't stop spinning．

It is generally believed that motion sickness happens when your senses become confused （困惑的）with each other，Scientific American reported．

We use different parts of our body to sense movement．Our eyes tell us if we are moving．The inner ears （内耳） contain a special liquid that helps us sense our direction and balance．Our muscles react to movement．

When you move around，these body parts work well together．But when you are in a car or an airplane，they get confused．Your inner ear signals that you're moving．This mismatch gives us motion sickness．

But some people are less sensitive to motion sickness．This may be because they have certain genes （基因） that prevent mismatching senses，Bethann Hromatka，told the Atlantic．

Although there are many ways to deal with motion sickness，scientists believe that the key is to simply try to adapt to it．For example，some astronauts do special exercises that give them mild motion sickness．After a week or two，the astronauts become used to it and don't feel uncomfortable anymore，a NASA flight doctor，told the BBC．

Would you like to live in a city where buildings turn off the lights for you, and self-driving cars will find the nearest parking space themselves? Although it might sound a little far from you, living in a "smart" city like this could happen sooner than you think. 

The towns that we have lived in for centuries have changed a lot, while completely new cities are being built. One such place is the city of Songdo. In every home there will be a "telepresence" system（远程遥控系统）—allowing users to control the heating（暖气）and locks, take part in video meetings, and receive education, healthcare and government services. Around the city, escalators（自动扶梯）will only move when someone is on them, and offices and schools will all be connected to the system. 

The great mind behind Songdo is from the company Cisco. In fact, technology companies around the world such as IBM, Siemens and Microsoft are already in the business. 

About 75% of the world's population will live in cities by 2050, so cities will need to be more modern to solve the coming problems. "Making cities smarter is one way out, and I think this will in turn make cities greener." said Dan Hill, head of a research company.

For many people, their first plane trip is not very good. The following will help you have a good trip.

The first and most important thing is to be EARLY! Call the airport 4 hours earlier and make sure that the flight (航班) is still on time. Get to the airport 2 hours early. This will give you much time to get your boarding pass (登机证) and pass the security check (安检).

Be sure to take something to chew (咀嚼) when you are in the air. Taking a book with you can help you kill your flight time. You also need to take some special things like glasses or medicine, because you may need them on your trip. Take the ID card and enough money with you. Because you need them when having a trip.

When you get on the plane, make sure that you are in the right seat. Don't be afraid when the plane is taking off (起飞). Take-off may be a difficult part of your trip. When it is over, you can release (解开) your seat belt (安全带), and you can go to the lavatory (卫生间) if you want.

Wish you a happy flight!