Some years ago, writing in my diary used to be a usual activity. I would return from school and spend the expected half hour recording the day's events, feelings, and impressions in my little blue diary. I did not really need to express my emotions by way of words, but I gained a certain satisfaction from seeing my experiences forever recorded on paper. After all, isn't accumulating memories a way of preserving the past?

    When I was thirteen years old, I went on a long journey on foot in a great valley, well-equipped with pens, a diary, and a camera. During the trip, I was busy recording every incident, name and place I came across. I felt proud to be spending my time productively, dutifully preserving for future generations a detailed description of my travels. On my last night there, I wandered out of my tent, diary in hand. The sky was clear and lit by the glare of the moon, and the walls of the valley looked threatening behind their screen of shadows. I automatically took out my pen…

    At that point, I understood that nothing I wrote could ever match or replace the few seconds I allowed myself to experience the dramatic beauty of the valley. All I remembered of the previous few days were the dull characterizations I had set down in my diary.

    Now, I only write in my diary when I need to write down a special thought or feeling. I still love to record ideas and quotations that strike me in books, or observations that are particularly meaningful. I take pictures, but not very often—only of objects I find really beautiful. I'm no longer blindly satisfied with having something to remember when I grow old. I realize that life will simply pass me by if I stay behind the camera, busy preserving the present so as to live it in the future.

    I don't want to wake up one day and have nothing but a pile of pictures and notes. Maybe I won't have as many exact representations of people and places； maybe I'll forget certain facts, but at least the experiences will always remain inside me. I don't live to make memories—I just live, and the memories form themselves.

    Did you know that something as simple as the wallpaper on your computer can tell people a lot about you? According to researcher Donna Dawson,our computers say something about what we're like because they are part of our “personal space.”

    A picture of a child or family on the screen often means the person cares deeply about their loved ones.A photo of the person surrounded by friends shows they value their popularity and probably work well with other people.On the other hand,pictures showing examples of past successes,like winning a prize may mean a person is only interested in themselves.

    Pictures of nature and natural scenery tell people that you are driven to succeed and use the pictures to relax and remove the pressure（压力）in your life.Cityscapes,pictures of cities or towns,show that you enjoy travel and adventure.Most people with cityscapes as their wallpaper are optimistic（乐观的）,happy people who feel even better thinking about the places they've visited or want to visit.

    Pictures of animals show that you are optimistic and kind-hearted.You are often happy and you enjoy life and act young.Cartoons（漫画）or drawings show that you are a multitasker,someone who does many things at once.You have many responsibilities,but you deal with them well.That's one reason you like having something to smile about when you look at your computer wallpaper.

    Then,what does plain blue wallpaper tell us about a person?According to Dawson,a person with plain blue wallpaper probably values their privacy and keeps work from becoming too personal,

    Everglades National Park (大沼泽地国家公园) is located in the state of Florida. It is the largest wilderness in the entire country and makes up 25% of the wetlands in the state. The park is home to several rare and endangered species. It is also the third largest national park in the US, after Death Valley and Yellowstone. Each year, about 1 million tourists visit the park. On a global level, it has been announced as a World Heritage Site.

    Unlike most other national parks, Everglades National Park was created to protect an ecosystem (生态系统) from damage. In 1947, President Harry Truman spoke at the official opening of Everglades National Park, saying the goal of creating the park was to protect forever a wild area that could never be replaced.

    10,000 different islands make up Everglades National Park. Each of these islands is lived by natural wildlife. The Everglades is home to about 15 species that are endangered. In addition, more than 350 bird species and 300 species of fresh and saltwater fish live within the park. The Everglades is also home to 40 species of mammals and 50 reptile species.

    There are many ways to explore the Everglades. Visitors can see alligators (短吻鳄) while hiking the Anhinga Trail. The Everglades is one of the only places on Earth where freshwater alligators and saltwater crocodiles live in the same area. Visitors using airboats are likely to see large groups of birds. Some visitors might enjoy riding bicycles through Shark Valley. Others may want to move slowly through waters where they can see insects and wildlife closely.

    According to experts, changes to the Everglades are becoming a danger to several different kinds of wildlife. They say it is a result of actions the US government began more than 50 years ago, and settlers began even earlier.

    First-time shoppers at Seattle-based Amazon Go may feel as though they were stealing. That's because the 1,800 square-foot grocery store, which opened its doors to the public on January 22, has no cashiers or even checkout counters. Instead, as the name indicates, customers merely grab what they need and go! But before you start celebrating, the goods are not free—the cost of the purchase(s) is/are calculated electronically using “Just Walk Out” technology.

    The process is simple. Upon entering the store, shoppers “sign-in” by scanning their smartphones. Every item selected gets added to the bill automatically. If the customer changes his mind, all he has to do is return the purchase to the shelf, and it will be removed from the final bill. Though consumers will not find everything they need, they will be able to buy basics like bread, milk, and drinks. There are also numerous ready-to-eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner choices made by chefs in the on-site kitchen. Those that prefer to cook at home can select from the wide variety of Amazon Meal Packages.

    Once the customer exits the store, the system processes the purchases and charges the cost to their Amazon account. Within seconds, the customer is notified of the deal with a digital receipt that lists each item bought, as well as the time spent in the store. The accurate tracking is possible thanks to multiple smart cameras that monitor everything the shopper is doing. Kumar explains,“Cameras figure out which interactions(互动) you have with the shelves. Computer vision figures out which items are taken. Machine-learning also determines which item it is.” The company insists that the system is so accurate that shoplifting(偷盗) is impossible. And they should know, considering that Amazon employees have been shopping there since 2015!

    The store has raised some concern about the jobs of the over 3.5 million cashiers in America. However, Amazon officials say they have nothing to worry about because human employees are not being displaced. They are simply assigned other essential tasks, like preparing meals, restocking shelves, assisting customers, and solving technical issues.

    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.

    UK education is all about giving you inspiration to develop your knowledge and skills, freedom to be creative, and support to help you achieve your best.

    On a UK course you will benefit from excellent teaching and facilities. In order to accept students, UK education centres must meet strict quality standards set by the UK government and education bodies.

    With such a good reputation for research and education, universities and colleges in the UK attract some of the world's leading academics and professionals. You will be encouraged to express your own ideas and think for yourself.

    The attention to quality is reflected in the UK's excellent results:

    Four of the top six universities in the world are in the UK.

    The UK is a world-leading research nation. 54% of the research conducted by UK universities and colleges is classed as either "world-leading" or "internationally excellent".

    At the most recent inspection, 97% of further education colleges were judged satisfactory or better, for their overall effectiveness.

    In the recent BIS Tracking International Graduate Outcomes survey, more than 88% of international higher education graduates said they were satisfied with their UK learning experience.

    Likewise, in the Higher Education Academy Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey of UK postgraduate students, 93% rated the quality of teaching positively.

    For English language students, you'll find the UK has long been at the forefront of language teaching, and pioneered many of the techniques now used around the world. The emphasis is on learning the language through fun and participation: Instead of just listening to your teacher, your classes will involve games, problem-solving and discussions. You might also listen to songs, watch television or read magazines to practise your comprehension skills.

    The UK's boarding schools also offer excellent teaching, facilities and support. At UK independent schools (most boarding schools are independent), a teacher has just 9.4 pupils on average, so teachers have more time to give you individual support. This is reflected in the results: 91% of students from UK independent schools go on to higher education.