Peter loved to shop used articles（物品）. Almost a month ago, he bought popular word game that used little pieces of wood with different letters on them. As he was purchasing it, the salesgirl said, “Uh, look, the game box hasn't even been opened yet. That might be worth some money. ”    

    Peter examined the box, and, sure enough, it was completely covered in factory-sealed plastic. And he saw a date of 1973 on the back of the box.       

    “You should put that up for auction (拍卖) on the Internet, and see what happens.” the salesgirl said.       

    “Yes, you're right. People like something rare.” Peter agreed, “I can't imagine there being very many unopened boxes of this game still around 40 years later.”       

    “Don't forget to tell me if you sell it.” the salesgirl smiled.      

    “No problem.” Peter said.       

    After he got home, Peter went online to several auction websites looking for his game. But he couldn't find it. Then he typed in the name of the word game and hit Search. The search result was 543 websites containing information about the changes of the game. Over the years, the game had been produced using letters in different sizes and game boards in different colors. He also found some lists of game fans looking for various versions of the game. Peter emailed some of them, telling them what he had.      

    Two weeks later, Peter went back to the shop.       

    “Hello. Do you still remember the unopened word game?”      

    The salesgirl looked at him for a second, then recognized him and said, “Oh, hi!”

    “I've got something for you,” Peter said. “I sold the game and made $1,000. Thank you for your suggestion.” He handed her three $ 100 bills.       

    “Wow!” the salesgirl cried out. “Thank you, I never expected it.”      

    Britons may like to complain a lot, but they rarely do so right now, explains BBC writer Ruth Margolis. They would rather grumble (发牢骚) afterward. This is because Britons hate to put someone out and cause any embarrassment. Margolis writes, “For instance, I'm much more comfortable just leaving that piece of raw chicken on my plate instead of complaining to restaurant staff. But beware: if this kind of thing happens when you're dining with an American, they will most likely speak up on your behalf and not understand why you find this ashamed.”

    In a BBC blog post comparing cultural differences between the UK and the US, Margolis mentions a few other things that Americans like to do that are offensive to Britons.

● Not making introductions

    Margolis says most Britons dislike this approach because “talking to strangers without being introduced gives them a stomachache”. Americans rarely introduce a new friend to their friends at parties. Strangers are supposed to introduce themselves.

● “Quite” good

    Using “quite” to mean “very” happens a lot in the US. But if you are invited to a dinner party in Britain, don't describe the meal as “quite good” if you want to express high praise. To Britons' ears, “quite” detracts from the “good”: the meal was OK but could have been better.

● Money Talk

    Americans can talk about money subjects for hours without feeling uncomfortable. For Britons, says Margolis, “Talking about how much we make is unthinkable — even 1ess so than discussing our feelings.”

● Over-politeness

    “It's not that I want shop assistants to be actively rude. But neither do I want to expend energy responding to someone who's been paid to ask: ‘How are you today?'” says Margolis. In the US, it is not unusual to be greeted by a perfect stranger as “honey” or “sweetie”. But Margolis says Britons find put-on friendliness, especially in stores, deeply irritating.

    Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits? Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.

    Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.

    Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.

    Exploration also allows minerals and other potential resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by products(副产品) of technological developments in the space industry!

    While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human beings to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.

    While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.

    International Airport Sheremetyevo Moscow

    If You've Lost Personal possessions

    On Board

    Contact the airline's representatives

    At the Airport

    Contact:

    Sheremetyevo Police Department

    +7(495)578-22-55

    Unclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal C

    +7(495)578-23-26

    Umclaimed luggage storage room in Terminal D

    +7(499)500-65-52

    (domestic flights)

    +7(495)753-86-41

    (international flights)

    When collecting Lost and Found items, you shall have an identification document, a boarding pass or a ticket, and also to indicate a place where the items were lost and prove they are yours.

    If Your Luggage Is Lost or Damaged

    Before leaving the arrival area, please turn to the Lost and Found counter to file a report. The written claim shall be submitted to the airline company not later than seven days from the time when the luggage was to be collected.

    If your luggage is not found within twenty-one days of the time when the claim was filed, you have the right to claim damages in the amount of not more than 600 rubles per kilogram. Amount refunded (退款) for a hand luggage lost through the fault of an airline is not more than 11,000 rubles regardless of its weight. Amount refunded for damaged luggage is calculated based on the tariffs (关税).

    Keep your flight documents (a ticket, boarding pass, luggage tag, and delayed luggage report filed at the airport) until the end of the procedure for searching for your luggage.

    Current information on luggage-tracing results

    +7(495)578-76-65

    Lost and Found service of Aeroflot Airlines

    +7(495)544-33-25

    (from 9:00 to 20:00)

    +7(495)753-86-41

    (24 hours)

    For further information please contact the airline.

    In the waters off Brisbane, Australia, a seven­foot­long sand tiger shark swims in pain. A two­foot­long spike sticks out of her side. It's a piece of fishing equipment that the shark ate carelessly. After traveling into her body, the spike punctured(刺) through the shark's stomach.

    A man swimming in the water notices the shark. Then, he warns Sea World Marine Park in the nearby town of Gold Coast. Sea World sends a 12­person team from its rescue center to where the shark was discovered in Moreton Bay Marine Park. Soon, they find her lying on the seafloor. "She'll die without help，"says Trevor Long, leader of the rescue center.

    Using an onboard crane(吊车), the rescuers move the shark into their boat's 13­foot­long tank(缸). Then Dr. David Blyde gives the shark pain medicine and performs an operation to remove the spike. After that, the team sails with the shark to Sea World 33 miles away. They place the fish in a 49­foot­long tank and wait to see if she gets better.

    To give the shark's stomach time to get better, she isn't fed for the first few days. A week after her operation, Long offers the shark a small, dead fish. The animal refuses to eat. But days later when he drops another fish into her tank, the shark enjoys her meal. By now the shark's wounds are getting better.

    Two weeks after her rescue, they take the shark back to the boat and return her to Moreton Bay Marine Park. As the fish is lowered by the crane to the water's surface, two rescuers jump into the ocean and guide her into the sea. From the boat, Long watches her swim away." The shark has another chance," Long says.

    Hacking isn't just for computers and smartphones, According to a study published last week in the journal Science, scientists have found a way to hack a plant's genes in order to make it use sunlight more quickly. Someday, the results could increase the amount of food produced around the world.

    Photosynthesis（光合作用）is the word used to describe how plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food. Scientists who conducted the new study say this is a very slow process. Plants use less than 1 percent of the energy available to therm. But by hacking a plant's genes, the scientists were able to increase the amount of leaf growth on plants between 14 and 20 percent.

    "Specifically, scientists hacked the plant's protective system. Normally, this system is activated when a plant gets too much sunlight, "said scientist Krishna Niyogi, co-author of the study. When the plant senses the light, it gets rid of extra energy and creates more leaves. When the plant is in shade, the protective system is turned off, but the process is slow.

    Stephen Long is the lead author of the study. He compared a plant's protective system to light-adjusting glasses. When a person wears the glasses outside during the day, the lenses（镜片）darken and lighten depending on how sunny it is. Plants do the same thing, he said. But in plants the adjustment can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. This makes it hard for plants to get the right amount of sunlight needed to create food.

    The new study sped up the process. By changing the plant's genes, the protective system turned on and off more quickly than normal. As a result, leaf growth on the plants scientists used in the study increased. Leaf growth in two plants increased by 20 percent, while leaf growth on a third plant increased by 14 percent. Scientists conducted the study on tobacco plants. But they think the genetic changes will produce the same results in corn and rice.