The world consumes hundreds of billions of single-use plastic bags each year. They are difficult to recycle, wasteful and damage the nature. Environmental activists want to ban plastic bags or—as many communities have done —charge a fee for them. But the plastic bag industry defends their use, saying people reuse plastic bags, and industry officials argue recycling is a matter of personal responsibility and should not be forced.

    City officials say New Yorkers use 5.2 billion plastic bags each year. They are offered free with nearly every supermarket, or convenience store purchase. Many people like them, even if they sometimes feel guilty about using them. But what happens to those bags after they've been used in a huge environmental problem. They are found on beaches. They are caught in trees. They are swallowed by marine life.

    Plastic bags are made of petroleum products and natural gas, and do not biodegrade (分解). And they are difficult to recycle. So New York City spends nearly $ 10 million dollars a year to send 100—thousand tons of plastic bags to landfills out of state.

    In Washington, D.C., a five percent charge on all single-use bags led to about a 60 percent reduction and in Los Angeles County in California , a 10 cent charge on single-use bags led to a 95 percent reduction. With a 10 cent charge on bags, customers are much more likely to stop and think about whether they need a bag or not. And that's really all that these laws are doing.

    Albert Hofmann was a Swiss Scientist who was fascinated by nature. This led him to a career in chemistry in which he sought answers to his uncertainties. He worked at Sandoz Laboratories where he nurtured his research work, and there he made a lot of success by working with various plants and changing them into something useful. He became famous when he became the first person to produce lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) (迷幻药). In addition, he was also the first person to taste it and learn about its hallucinogenic (勾起幻觉的) effects. He was deeply connected to the nature and argued that LSD, besides being useful for psychiatry(精神病学), could also be used to promote awareness of mankind's place in nature. However, he was disappointed that his discovery was being carelessly used as a drug for entertainment. Because of his discovery, LSD fans have fondly called him “The father of LSD”. Besides carrying out his scientific experiments, he also authored numerous books and more than 100 scientific articles. In 2007, he featured in a list of the 100 greatest living geniuses(天才), published by The Telegraph Newspaper.

Childhood & Early Life

    Albert Hofmann was born in Baden, Switzerland, on January 11, 1906. He was the eldest of four children. His father was a poor toolmaker in a factory and they lived in a rented apartment. He spent much of his childhood outdoors, and grew up with a very deep connection with nature.

    He had mind-blowing experiences in childhood, wherein nature was changed in magical ways that he didn't understand. These experiences caused questions in his mind, and chemistry was the scientific field which allowed him to understand them.

    He studied chemistry at Zurich University, and his main interest is the chemistry of plants and animals. At 23, he earned his Ph. D with honors.

    Your house may have an effect on your figure. Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off. You can make your environment work for you instead of against you. Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.

    Open the curtains and turn up the lights. Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating, for people are often less self-conscious(难为情) when they're in poorly lit places — and so more likely to eat lots of food. If your home doesn't have enough window light, get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.

    Mind the colors. Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites. In one study, people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room. Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing, while cold colors make us less hungry. So when it's time to repaint, go blue.

    Don't forget the clock — or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories(卡路里) per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at 30 minutes. And while you're at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down, turning on relaxing music. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.

    Downsize the dishes. Big serving bowls and plants can easily makes us fat. We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12-inch plate instead of a 10-inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one, total intake(摄入) jumps by 14 percent. And we'll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass.

    Life is short. It may feel as if it takes forever sometimes, but the reality is that you live, and a short time later, you die. It happens so quickly that many people don't even realize they had a life until it's already over.

    ⒈{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    If you don't believe in yourself, nobody will. Success starts in your mind, and if all you're doing is putting yourself down and predicting failure, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy(预言){#blank#}2{#/blank#}instead of not believing yourself. Not only will you be happier and more successful, you'll also spread it to everyone around you.

    ⒉Stop Being Lazy

    Lazy people are annoying—it's like pulling teeth and getting them to do anything. If I can't do something as simple as going to the movies with you without wasting an hour convincing you to get your lazy butt (臀部) out of bed, I'd rather go alone. People have enough trouble motivating themselves{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ⒊Stop Wasting Time

    I've said it before. And I'll say it again{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Don't waste your time on unproductive things. If you want to explore the World's dark corners, that's great. I still associate with people who have not-so-kosher(没有固定工作的) careers, but I don't hang out with those people at the expense of my own short- and long-term goals.

    ⒋Stop Being Wasteful

    You don't finish your meals, and throw away food instead. You leave the faucet running when you brush your teeth,

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} You drive to places you could easily walk to, burning gasoline (a non-renewable resource). You are wasteful, and it needs to stop.

A. Think positively

B. wasting is a shame

C. Stop Being Selfish

D. Stop Doubting Yourself

E. pouring precious clean water down

F. Time is the most valuable resource we have

G. don't make your friends and family waste their energy motivating you as well

    English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world's books and three quarters of international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary — perhaps as many as two million words.

    However, let's face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

    We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoes (探索它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them.

    And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, should't the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?

    How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?

    English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of human beings. That's why, when stars are out, they are visible (能看见的); but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

    Traveling to all corners of the world gets easier and easier. We live in a global village, but this doesn't mean that we all behave in the same way.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}An American shakes your hand firmly while looking you straight in the eye. In many part of Asia, there is no physical contact at all, in Japan, you should bow, and the more respect you want to show, the deeper you should bow. In Thailand, people greet each other by pressing both hands together at the chest.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Many countries rules about what you should wear and what you shouldn't wear. In Muslim countries, you shouldn't reveal(暴露) the body, especially women, who should wear long blouses and skirts.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Remember to place them neatly together where you came in.

    In Spain, lunch is often the biggest meal of the day, and can last two or three hours. For this reason many people eat a light breakfast and a late dinner. In Mexico, lunch is the time to relax, and many people prefer not to discuss business as they eat.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    In most countries, an exchange of business cards is necessary for all introductions.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}If you are going to a country where your language is not widely spoken, you can get the back side of your card printed in the local language. In China, you may present your card with the writing facing the person you are giving it to.

A. In Korea, you should take off your shoes when entering a house.

B. What will you do when travelling abroad?

C. In both countries, eye contact is avoided as a sign of respect.

D. You should include your company name and your position.

E. How should you behave when meeting someone for the first time?

F. However, in Britain, it's usual to have a business meeting over breakfast.

G. It is very important for you to behave properly.