It is 40 meters long and 6 meters wide. This must be the biggest bus you have ever seen. It can carry 1,200 to 1,400 people.

It is China's new Super Bus. It is going for a test run in Beijing at the end of this year. Some other cities are also interested in running the Super Bus. They hope it can solve traffic problems.

    The Super Bus runs along fixed tracks (固定轨道). The bus sits on top of two 2.2-meter-tall legs. The legs have wheels at one end. Small cars can drive under the bus, so the Super Bus does not take up road space.

The bus runs on electricity and solar power. It can travel up to 60 km every hour. Its creator, Song Youzhou, says it can reduce a lot of traffic jams (堵塞).

    The Super Bus can do the work of 40 buses. In that way, it can save 860 tons of fuel (燃料) every year, according to Song.

    "To build a Super Bus and its track costs less than building subways. Subways are nearly ten times more expensive to build." Song said.

    Some people worry that the Super Bus may not be safe. However, Song says there's no need for concern. The Super Bus has laser scanners (激光扫描仪) between its legs. The scanners make sure the cars keep a safe distance.

    What's the first thing that you notice when you walk into your favorite restaurant? Is it the smell of fresh pizza, or the sight of your favorite desserts? Food that looks and smells good will probably taste good, but what about sound? Is that important, too?

    Scientists now believe that the taste of food can change when your ears hear different sounds, but it has to be right kind of sound. When you turn on a microwave with popcorn in it, it soon starts to pop. Do you think, "That sounds tasty!"?Not really, you probably think it's nearly ready. But when you smell it, you go to get the salt and the butter. Hearing the popcorn makes you think about it, but smelling it tells you that it tastes good. So what arc the sounds to change the tastes of the things?

    In an experiment(实验)in a fish restaurant, customers(顾客)listened to the sound of the seaside while they ate. Did it make a difference? Yes, it did Listening to the sea seemed to improve the taste of the food. It was fresher and saltier. When the restaurant tried the same experiment with the sound of the farm animals, there was no difference in taste. The results are going to be useful for restaurants. Perhaps they will try to use fewer unhealthy things, like salt and sugar in food With the right music or sounds, perhaps we won't taste the difference.

    Restaurants are also beginning to set a connection(联系)between food and the sound that the packet(包装袋)makes. Pick up a packet of your favorite potato chips, what does it sound like? One restaurant recently changed the material(材料)that they used to make their potato chip packets because experiments show that the packet which makes a right noise will make customers think the potato chips are fresher. Another idea is that a list of music will begin to appear on food packets, so if you don't like your green vegetables, the right music or sounds could help you learn to love them.

    Some people wonder why countries spend millions of dollars on space projects. They want to know how space research helps people on Earth. Actually, space technology helps people on Earth every day. This is called "spinoff technology". Spinoff technology is space technology that is now used on Earth.

    In early space programs, such as the Apollo missions(任务) of the 1960s and 1970s, and in the space shuttle missions today, scientists developed objects for the astronauts to use on the moon and in space. We now use some of these objects every day. For example, we have Quartz clocks and watches with an accuracy of one minute a year. We purify the water we drink with a water filter(过滤器) designed for the astronauts' use in space. The cordless, hand-held tools we use in our homes, such as cleaners, flashlights, drills, and irons came from the technology of these early space programs.

    On cold winter days, we can stay warm with battery - operated shoes and socks, and insulated(绝缘的) coats and jackets. All of these clothes are similar to the spacesuit designs that keep astronauts comfortable in the temperatures of the moon, and are spinoffs from space technology.

    These products are only a few examples of the many ways space technology helps us in our everyday life. No one knows how new spinoff technology from the International Space Station will help us in the future.

    Have you got an eReader? Are you thinking of getting one? We asked some eReaders owners to give us their opinions.

    There are many things that people like about eReaders. "eReaders are really light, weighing less than most paperbacks," said Nathan Jones, a market researcher. "You can hold the book and turn the pages with one hand. An eReader is definitely more comfortable to read in bed or if you're lying on a sofa, plus mine's got a light so I can read in bed at night without disturbing my partner." Another big advantage is that you can store hundreds of books on them. "eReaders are perfect for travel," said Kiera Smith. "You can have lots of books in one device, instead of carrying loads of books in your luggage." The search functions are also popular. "You can look for a character by their name or for a place just by typing in the word. That's really useful," said Megan Malone, a sales executive.

    One user liked the function for increasing font size. "I've got poor eyesight," explained Harvey Callaghan, an engineer. "But the eReader is perfect for me as I can increase the font size." And Jennifer Saunders said, "I like eReaders because they're ecological. If we buy an ebook, we're helping to save trees as they don't use paper. Also, my eReader is solarpowered, so it only uses renewable energy." Best of all is the availability of hundreds of free books online. "Project Gutenberg has millions of titles and they're all free to download," said another user.

    One of the biggest complaints is that you can't find certain titles. "Many books are simply not available in electronic form," said Daisy Madison, an estate agent. If you want a specific book, one that is older, perhaps, or not a bestseller, it won't be available – at least, that was my experience."

    Others complained about the small delay in turning pages. "The gap between pressing the 'next page' button and the screen showing the page is really annoying," said Joel Bray, a shop assistant. "Also, you can't flick between pages so easily."

So, what do you think?