To help the environment, many Americans have made the change from paper and plastic bags to reusable shopping bags.But a report by a Florida newspaper says that reusable shopping bags sold by some supermarkets have high levels of lead(铅), which can be dangerous to humans, especially young children.Now, there's a call for a rethink about the use of reusable shopping bags.

     “When our families go to the store looking for safe and healthy foods, the last thing they should be worrying about is a bag，”Charles Schumer, a government official said.“Quick and complete research will allow everyone to make right decisions.”

    The newspaper bought more than a dozen bags sold at Publix supermarkets from Florida supermarkets to test them for lead.The results showed that certain bags had lead levels that worried health officials.Some bags had enough lead in them to be considered dangerous waste if people were to throw the bags out with other rubbish.Lead in the bags is not likely to move onto food.But over time, paint (油漆) on the bags can break off and the bags can wear out.When this happens, lead can be freed.

    The affected (受影响的) bags were found in Florida.But Publix has more than 1，000 stores across America.Publix says that its bags don't break any laws about lead levels, but that they have asked the makers of the bags to reduce(降低) the lead levels in them.

    The bags with the highest levels of lead had beautiful designs and many pictures.Plain reusable bags without them are found to have little lead.People worried about lead levels in reusable bags can turn to cloth.Paper bags are also a good choice, since paper can be reused.

    Childhood is a happy time, right? Not necessarily. Consider these facts.

Depression(抑郁症) may occur in as many as 1 in 33 children.

    Once a child has an episode of depression, he or she has a 50 percent chance of experiencing another episode in the next 5 years.

    Suicide(自杀) is the 6th leading cause of death for 5-to-15-year-olds.

    If your child experiences 5 or more of these signs or symptoms for at least 2 weeks, he or she may be experiencing depression or mental illness.

    Sometimes, a child who causes problems at school or at home may actually be depressed, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

    If you think your child may be depressed, it's important to have your child treated. Discuss your child's problems with his or her doctor. The doctor may suggest a referral to a children's psychologist or psychiatrist.

    It seems that technology could be changing the places where we live. A project conducted by Johann Siau, a senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire's School of Engineering and Technology, has built on the university's InterHome project aimed to create a home that supervises people living at home who are weak or elderly.

    “We've developed a wristband type of device（装罝）,” said Johann Siau, “which allows us to monitor the condition of an elderly person, or whoever is wearing the device. It allows us to collect data of a person to see if the person has fallen or is away from where they are supposed to be. It connects an elderly person with an assisted living type of device with the InterHome.” The assisted living project is part of the university's wider InterHome project, which is the development of a smart house. The house stores the usage patterns of the person living there and can adapt to make it use as little energy as possible. Connecting the two together and building the service element（元素）allow us to introduce the assisted living idea to care for the elderly. It's very important that these technologies are there to help and support rather than to replace any of the existing services.

    The InterHome is not just a prototype（样品）or a vehicle for research. It's a study tool to help students from different scientific backgrounds learn about and develop technology. The InterHome combines the latest broadband technology, mobile data and communication. Researchers and students make sure that all the technology works together. Students get experience by developing new hardware and software themselves. It requires a variety of skills from students—electronic engineers, computer students, design students and so on. “The present plan we are working on is a smart home project in Watford with some commercial companies, ” said Johann Siau. “We are looking at how a smarter home can provide extra value services.”

    In China, many people are leaving the countryside to find jobs in the cities, because the countryside is much poorer than the city, and often there isn't much work there. Services such as hospital and transport are usually much better in the city than in the countryside. They hope that their lives will improve when they move to the city.

    But in the big cities of Europe like London or Pads, people are moving out of the city. These rich families want to live a quieter life. They are tired of the noise and the dirt of the city, and they are tired of the crowded streets, crowded trains and buses. They don't want to live in the cities any more. They want a house with a garden in the countryside, and breathe the fresh air there.

    So they move out of the cities. Some don't go very far, just a little way out of the city, to the towns near the cities, other people move to the real countryside with sheep, cows and green fields. There, they start new lives and try to make new friends.

    Not all those who move from the city to the countryside are happy. After two or three years, many people who have done this feel that it was a big mistake. They don't make so much money and there isn't much work to do. People in the countryside are very different and aren't always very friendly.

    As a result, quite a lot of people who have moved to the countryside move back to the city. "

    It's wonderful to see crowds in the streets and cinema lights," they say.

    Tess was eight years old. Her little brother Andrew was very sick and their parents were completely out of money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother, "Only a miracle can save him now."

    Tess took her money and made her way six blocks to Rexall's Drug Store.

    "And what do you want?" the chemist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. "I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen for ages."

    "Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really sick. He has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?"

    "We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you," the chemist said, softening a little.

    "Listen, I can help you." The chemist's brother was a well-dressed man. He asked Tess, "What kind of miracle does your brother need?"

    "I don't know," Tess replied. "Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money."

    "How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago. "One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered. "And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more, if I need to."

    "Well, what a coincidence (巧合)," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents － the exact price of a miracle for your little brother. Take me to where you live. Let's see if 1 have the kind of miracle you need."

    That man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon in neurosurgery (神经外科). The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well．

    Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost… one dollar and eleven cents… plus the faith of a little child.

    Each year there is an increasing number of cars on roads and streets as millions of new cars and trucks are produced. One out of every six Americans works at putting together the parts of cars, driving trucks, building roads or filling cars and trucks with gas. Americans won't live without cars!

    Most Americans would find it hard to think what life would look like without cars. However, some have realized the serious problems of the air pollution that is caused by the car.

    The polluted air becomes poisonous and dangerous to health.

    One way to get rid of the polluted air is to build a car that does not pollute. That's what several of the large car factories have been trying to do. But to build a clean car is easier said than done. Progress in this field has been slow.

    Another way is to take the place of the car engine by something else. Inventors are now working on steam cars as well as electric cars. Many makers believe that it will take years to develop a practical model that pleases man.

    To prevent the world from being polluted by cars, we'll have to make some changes in the way many of us live. Americans, for example, have to cut down on the number of their total cars. They are encouraged to travel and go to work by bicycle. Bicycling is thought to help keep the air clean.

    But this change does not come easily. A large number of workers may find themselves without jobs if a car factory closes down. Thus the problem of air pollution would become less important than that of unemployment.

    Although cars have led us to a better life, they have also brought us new problems.