You can't always predict a heavy rain or remember your umbrella. But designer Mikhail Belyaev doesn't think that forgetting to check the weather forecast before heading out should result in you getting wet. That's why he created Lampbrella, a lamp post with its own rain-sensing umbrella.

    The designer says he came up with the idea after watching people get wet on streets in Russia. “Once, I was driving on a central Saint Petersburg street and saw the street lamps lighting up people trying to hide from the rain. I thought it would be appropriate to have a canopy(伞蓬) built into a street lamp,” he said.

    The Lampbrella is a standard-looking street lamp fitted with an umbrella canopy. It has a built-in electric motor which can open or close the umbrella on demand Sensors(传感器) then ensure that the umbrella offers pedestrians shelter whenever it starts raining.

    In addition to the rain sensor, there's also a 360°motion sensor on the fiberglass street lamp which detects whether anyone is using the Lampbrella. After three minutes of not being used the canopy is closed.

    According to the designer, the Lampbrella would move at a relatively low speed, so as not to cause harm to the pedestrians. Besides, it would be grounded to protect from possible lightning strike. Each Lampbrella would offer enough shelter for several people. Being installed(安装) at 2 metres off the ground, it would only be a danger for the tallest of pedestrians.

    While there are no plans to take the Lampbrella into production, Belyaev says he recently introduced his creation to one Moscow Department, and insists his creation could be installed on any street where a lot of people walk but there are no canopies to provide shelter.

    Robots come in many shapes and sizes. But most have one thing in common. They are built to help people. Lately engineers have been developing new kinds of humanoid robots. These high-tech machines are designed to lend a hand everywhere from hotels to disaster areas.

    "Robots help people by making their lives easier, safer, and more fun," says engineer Omar Abdelwahed.

    Since November, a robot named pepper has been on the job at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. When guests have questions or need directions, they can ask Pepper. They can also use the robot's touch screen to find the information they need. Pepper is able to talk with guests and entertain them with stories too. It can even tell what kind of mood they are in.

    "Pepper provides our guests with information in an exciting and new way," says hotel manager Donald Bowman.

    For a kid, being in the hospital can be boring and even scary. But a small robot called NAO is helping to make hospital stays easier. It was designed to keep people company.

    A Tennessee doctor named Phil Parker bought a NAO robot three years ago. He programmed it to talk to and play with young patients. He brings it to hospitals to help sick kids. When kids get medical tests, NAO explains what is going on. The robots also reads to kids and plays games with them like rock, paper, scissors.

    "The robot gets many kids to smile for the first time since they've been in the hospital," Parker says.

    Other robots are being developed to help in places where it's hard or risky for people to go. For example, disaster areas can be full of rubble and other dangers. Engineers in Japan are building a robot called E2-DR to go into those areas and search for people who are hurt.

    Some people will do just about anything to save money. And I am one of them .Take my family's last vacation .It was my six-year-old son's winter break from school, and we were heading home from Fort Lauderdale after a weeklong trip. The flight was overbooked, and Delta, the airline ,offered us $400 per person in credits to give up our seats and leave the next day .I had meeting in New York, So I had to get back . But that didn't mean my husband and my son couldn't stay. I took my nine-month-old and took off for home.

    The next day my husband and son were offered more credits to take an even later flight. Yes, I encouraged一okay, ordered-them to wait it out at the airport, to "earn" more Delta Dollars. Our total take: $1,600. Not bad, huh?

    Now some people may think I'm a bad mother and not such a great wife either. But as a big-time bargain hunter, I know the value of a dollar. And these days, a good deal is some-time thing few of us can afford to pass up.

    I've made living looking for the best deals and exposing (揭露) the worst tricks .I have been the consumer reporter of NBC's Today show for over a decade. I have written a couple of books including one titled Tricks of the Trade: A Consumer Survival Guide. And I really do what I believe in. I tell you this because there is no shame in getting your money's worth. I'm also tightfisted when it comes to shoes, clothes for my children, and expensive restaurants. But I wouldn't hesitate to spend on a good haircut. It keeps its longer, and it's the first thing people notice. And I will also spend on a classic piece of furniture. Quality lasts.

Ausie Perine is not a typical superhero. Well, maybe he looks the part, with his signature cape (斗篷) flapping against his blue shirt. But two things set this caped fighter apart: His enemy is not an imaginary one from a comic book but hunger and homelessness. Also, he's only four years old.

Our hero's story started in the family living room. Ausie and his father, TJ Perine, were watching a program on Animal Planet about a mother tiger leaving her cubs. "I told him that the cubs would be homeless," TJ says. "Ausie didn't know what homelessness meant, but he was sad and wanted to know more."

Seeing this as a teachable moment, TJ took Ausie to a local shelter, where they saw some homeless men. "Dad, they look sad," Ausie said. "Can we take them some food and smiles?" That day, Ausie used his allowance to buy each man a sandwich. When they returned the next week, Ausie again dipped into his piggy bank to buy sandwiches, which he handed out along with his new catchphrase, "Don't forget love!"

Days later, word of Ausie's acts of kindness spread through social media. A local food chain jumped aboard, agreeing to donate $10,000 toward the cause. Soon, donations poured in continuously. Thanks to the collective support, now he can feed about 800 people at once.

But Ausie isn't just filling bellies. He's improving the lives of those he meets. In the shelter, Ausie talked to a man named Raymont with respect, which touched him deeply. He shared with TJ just how grateful he was to be treated so considerately by a young stranger. With the help of TJ, Raymont obtained a driver's license, with which he found a job. All that was made possible because a little boy took the time to care.

Ausie's passion has now become his family's calling. They established the Show Love Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to offering medical and mental health care as preventive steps against homelessness. Young Ausie continues to give out food, smiles, and his inspirational message of love. "It makes me feel like I'm saving the day."

The Aquarium(水族馆) of the Pacific is Southern California's largest Aquarium. Beyond its world-class animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers monthly events for people of all ages. Here are the upcoming events for this November.

Photographers Night

On this night only, the Aquarium is accessible to photographers for the purpose of getting their dream photos without having to worry about being disturbed by the general public.

DATE: Saturday, NOVEMBER 4, 6:00—10:00 pm

COST: $44.95 per person, $41.95 for members. Ticket sales will be limited.

* Exhibits that will not be lit: Lorikeet Forest & Diving Birds because they will be getting their rest.

Seniors Day

The Aquarium will open its doors for free to people aged fifty and above on Seniors Day. It will feature special presentations, door prizes, and 20% off in the gift store for our senior guests.

DATE: Monday, NOVEMBER 13, 9:00 am—2:00 pm

COST: FREE to ages 50 and over with a valid photo ID. Advance reservations required.

Autism(自闭症) Families Treat

Spend a special evening at the Aquarium only for families with adults or children with autism. On this evening, guests can enjoy the peacefulness of the Aquarium's exhibits.

DATE: Sunday, NOVEMBER 19, 6:00—9:00 pm

COST: $12 per person, and free for Aquarium members and children under age three. Advance reservations required.

STEAM Fest

Spend the morning surrounded by STEAM science, technology, engineering, art, and math!

This event will feature interactive booths where you can learn about the ocean and the environment, make observations, and ask our animal care staff lots of questions.

DATE: Saturday, NOVEMBER 25, 9:00 am—1:00 pm

COST: $44.95 per adult(ages 12+), $29.95 per child(ages 3—12), and free for Aquarium members and children under age three. Advance reservations required.

Gardening 380 Kilometers above Earth Astronauts have to go through physical, psychological, and technical training. They also go through training in how to care for plants. These "astronaut gardeners" share their work and living space with plants.

Taking seeds and plants along on a trip isn't a new idea. As space trips become longer, it will be necessary to grow food in space. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Because of this, it's not practical to send everything needed for a long journey, only to be used once and thrown away.

Plants can serve many uses on a space journey. They can provide more fresh things. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Also, plants can help to make air quality better because they produce oxygen. They can improve the quality of the air inside the spacecraft—the only air the astronauts can breathe.  {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Due to the lack of gravity in space, the oxygen that the plants produce stays around the plants. This can actually kill them, so fans are needed to circulate the air. Without gravity, roots don't "know" to grow down, leaves don't "know" to grow up, and water doesn't easily travel up the roots to the leaves. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Besides, soil is too heavy to send to space, and special liquid gels (胶) are used to help plant growth.

Scientists are also working on the plants themselves. They are trying to make plants grow more rapidly and grow with less water and light in space, and they are looking for ways to make plants more resistant to disease. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Imagine that deserts may one day provide lots of fresh food for local people, saving transportation costs. Similarly, plants that are resistant to disease could provide an important food supply. With the world's population now at seven billion (十亿) people, our astronaut gardeners may help discover ways to feed those billions.

A. Every plant grown in space must have several uses.

B. However, there are challenges with growing plants in space.

C. Such methods may result in improvements back here on Earth.

D. The cost of taking anything into space is about $22,000 per kilogram.

E. Specialized containers are being developed to help the plants grow correctly.

F. Astronauts will welcome the addition of fruits and vegetables to their diet of dry foods.

G. Currently all oxygen is taken aboard in tanks and then caught again so it can be reused.