At thirteen, I was diagnosed(诊断) with a kind of attention disorder. It made school difficult for me. When everyone else in the class was focusing on tasks, I could not.

    In my first literature class, Mrs. Smith asked us to read a story and then write on it, all within 45 minutes. I raised my hand right away and said, “Mrs. Smith, you see, the doctor said I have attention problems. I might not be able to do it.” She glanced down at me through her glasses, “You are no different from your classmates, young man.”

    I tried, but I didn't finish the reading when the bell rang. I had to take it home.

    In the quietness of my bedroom, the story suddenly all became clear to me. It was about a blind person, Louis Braille. He lived in a time when the blind couldn't get much education. But Louis didn't give up. Instead, he invented a reading system of raised dots(点), which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind.

    Wasn't I the “blind” in my class, being made to learn like the “sighted” students? My thoughts spilled out and my pen started to dance. I completed the task within 40 minutes. Indeed, I was no different from others; I just needed a quieter place. If Louis could find his way out of his problems, why should I ever give up?

    I didn't expect anything when I handed in my paper to Mrs. Smith, so it was quite a surprise when it came back to me the next day—with an “A” on it. At the bottom of the paper were these words: “See what you can do when you keep trying?”

    Why do human beings still risk their lives under ground and doing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs in the world? It is an increasingly urgent question, given the recent mining accidents in Sago, W. Va and Huntington, Utah. A small group of engineers and robotics experts look forward to a day in the not-too-distant future when robots and other technology do most of the dangerous mining work.

    Robotic technology, in particular, holds much promise, McAteer says, especially when it comes to mapping mines and rescuing trapped miners — the special operations of the mining industry.

    One of the first mining robots was developed five years ago at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute. It was called Groundhog. It used lasers(激光器) to “see” in dark tunnels and map abandoned mines—some of the most dangerous work in the business.

    The latest design is called Cave Crawler. It's a bit smaller than Groundhog, and even more advanced. It can take photos and videos and has more sensors that can detect the presence of dangerous gases. Incredibly, the robot has a real sense of logic. If it comes across an obstacle it gets momentarily confused. It has to think about what to do and where to go next. Sometimes it throws a fit just like a real person.

    The greatest problem, though, is cost. The money of the earliest research project was provided by the government, but that money had dried up, and it's not clear where future money will come from. Partly for that reason, and partly because of advances in safety, mining is not nearly as dangerous as it was in the past. Since 1990, fatalities(致命性) have declined by 67% and injuries by 51% , according to the National Mining Association.

    Some experts predict that robots in mines will serve much of the same function that they do in the automotive industry. The robots do the most boring and dangerous jobs，but won't get rid of the need for human workers.

If you're secretly worried about your smart phone addiction, then the new NoPhone might be just the thing you need. It looks and feels exactly like a smart phone, but it does nothing. It's just a piece of plastic that you can carry around in your hand to fool yourself.

Dutch designer Ingmar Larsen came up with the idea as a joke along with his two friends. To their great surprise, the idea received a lot of attention online and people from all over the world started placing requests for NoPhones of their own. So that's when the three friends decided to turn to collecting enough fund for mass production.

    NoPhone is currently a prototype (模型) that will cost only $12 once it hits the market It is 5.5 inches high, 2.6 inches wide and 0.29 inches thick, bringing it quite close to the latest smart phones on the market. It is described as “battery free”, “no upgrades necessary,” “shatter-proof (抗震)”, “waterproof” and “an alternative to constant hand-to-phone contact that allows you to stay connected with the real world.”

“Phone addiction is everywhere,” the designers insist. “It's ruining your dates. It's distracting you at concerts. It's blocking sidewalks. Now, there is a real solution. With a thin, light and completely wireless design, the NoPhone acts as a substitute to any smart mobile device, enabling you to always have a phone to hold without giving up potential engagement with your direct environment.”

If you're interested in NoPhone, but concerned about not being able to take selfies (自拍) anymore. Don't feel upset. The makers do have an upgrade at no extra charge—the mirror sticker. That way, they say, you can enjoy “real-time” selfies with your friends when they're standing right behind you.

    People

    People is America's No.1 magazine about fascinating people. It's a guide to who and what's hot in the arts, business, politics, television, movies, books, music and sports. It is published weekly.

    Publisher: The Time Inc. Magazine Company

    Cover Price: ＄211.47

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    Issues: 53 issues/12 months

    Lucky

    Lucky is the shopping magazine with the best buys, and the fashion tips you'll need before you hit the stores. What makes Lucky really special is that it gets you the information you need before anyone else has it.

Publisher: Conde Nast Publications Inc.

    Cover Price: ＄35.40

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    Issues: 12 issues/12 months

    Parents

    The most trusted magazine for parents who want to raise smart, loving and self-confident children. Each issue has age-specific child-development guidance, advice on your child's health and safety, and the best ways to encourage your child's learning.

    Publisher: Meredith Corporation

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    Entertainment

    This magazine covers movies, television, music, Broadway stage productions, books, and popular culture. Unlike celebrity-focused magazines like People, its main concentration is on entertainment media and reviews. It's intended for a more general audience.

    Publisher: The Time Inc. Magazine Company

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    Issues: 57 issues/12 months

    “Mayday! We got Mayday!” Frank Pisano screamed over the microphone to the air control tower at the airport. One of the two engines on his plane had failed, and he was now going down towards one of the busiest highways in America—Interstate 405, just south of Los Angeles—and there was no stopping it.

    Driving south on the 405, near the airport's runway, was John Meffert, a fire department captain. He was heading home from his shift when suddenly a low—flying plane caught his eye. After he took a second glance, a thought crossed his mind：“This plane's going to hit me.”

    He was right. The plane slammed into the road, popped up a few feet, and then clipped the front of Meffert's car. It finally stopped after hitting the divider(隔栏). Meffert pulled over. He was unhurt, and his car had received only a large scratch, so he turned his attention to the plane. He ran towards the smoke, and then he saw Frank's wife, Janan Pisano, pop her head up on the passenger side.

    By the time Meffert reached the aircraft, part of it was on fire and Janan, who was covered in blood, was on the wing trying to pull her husband from the wreck. Meffert, afraid the plane would explode, guided her to safety behind it. Then, he ran back for Frank, who had been knocked out by the initial crash, lying across both seats.

    Meffert carefully positioned himself under the pilot's arms and lifted him from the cockpit. Then he dragged the pilot off the wing and carried him to safety, where they could see the plane in flames.

    The Pisanos spent three weeks in the hospital. Remarkably, Meffert's car was the only one hit by the plane. Had Meffert been a second or two faster, Frank said, the left propeller(螺旋桨))would have ripped the top off his car and killed him.

    “I play all the what-ifs—going slower, going faster. It could have been a very different result,” Meffert said. “We just had a lot of angels.”

    A new study, a project of the researchers from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, finds the fitness tracker probably does not help with weight loss.

    The devices are designed to record your physical activity. They are usually worn around the wrist, where they measure a person's heart rate. The research team looked at two groups of individuals. The first wore a fitness tracker and took part in health counseling (咨询) with experts to consider the best weight-loss plan. The researchers compared this group with people who only got health counseling.

    The study found that those only speaking with the health experts lost nearly 6 kilograms, but those using a fitness tracker lost only 3.5 kilograms. John Jakicic, the lead researcher, questioned the use of electronic devices for weight control in place of "effective behavioral counseling for physical activity and diet."

    The study involved 470 subjects aged between 18 and 35. Some of them were overweight, while others were considered obese (肥胖的). Over three fourths of the subjects were women. All the subjects were told to increase physical activity and start on a low-calorie diet. They had their weight measured once every six months. After six months, researchers divided the group into two parts: one continued with monthly counseling, while members of the other group were given a fitness tracker. Eighteen months later, both groups "showed significant improvements in fitness, physical activity, and diet," with no major difference between groups. However, when it came to losing weight, the people who only spoke with experts lost nearly twice as much weight.

    Jakicic said, "the study's findings are important because effective long-term treatments are needed to address America's obesity." More information is needed, he added, to learn how to best use these devices to change "physical activity and diet behaviors" in adults who want to lose weight.