While you are at the bookstore, you may be faced with a difficult decision: e-books or paper books? Each one has its advantages and disadvantages. Making the best decision depends on a number of factor (因素).

    An e-reader can carry a whole library wherever you go, which is great for travelers or those who always want a choice of reading material Although e-readers are convenient, high levels of screen brightness from an electronic device(电子设备) can cause eye problems. A study in the Information Science Research found that young people preferred e-readers, like smart phones or iPads. That's why most teenagers are short-sighted.

    Many book lovers still prefer paper books and value the feeling of them. Paper books are very well designed, they look and smell good, and they carry with them a more human touch. Avid (热衷的)readers prefer reading on paper. Perhaps this is their choice because paper books give them a sense of ownership. It is reported that reading on paper rather than an electronic screen is better for memory and focus. But paper books are heavy and they are not convenient to carry.

    Which is your decision, an e-book or a paper book?

Tips for Studying English

    Different people have different study habits. The following tips have worked on a great number of people.

    Some of them may work on you; some of them won't.

Try them all and start your own habit.

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    Find a quiet place with enough room to study. Once you've found it, study there every time. It could be a desk in your bedroom, or the kitchen table. Lying down on your bed and studying is not a good habit.

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    Find the time you can concentrate（专心）best. Spend that time on study every day. However，you should be sure it is not so late at night.

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    Put your books，dictionaries and stationery in the same place. Make sure you can find everything you need right away when you go to study.

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    Keep all your mind on you studies. When you study，turn off the TV and turn down music. Any other thoughts should also be set aside.

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    You should at least take a break every hour while studying. It can be five or ten minutes，but don't rest too long. Make sure you can concentrate at any time.

    Drones（无人机）are like planes, but come in many shapes and sizes. They have no pilots and controlled from outside the drones. During these years, they have been used to attack（进攻）enemies or moved goods in dangerous areas.

    Now small drones are a part of people's lives. For example, people use drones to take photos or make videos. Besides, a drone delivery (投递) service has proved successful.

    Online store JD can use drones to deliver small packages（包裹）. It has built several drone stations so that it can load(装载) and deliver its packages.

    Drones have made our shopping experience different. We can order a new coat in early morning and it will be delivered before we finish breakfast.

    Bizzby Sky, a UK company, has created a delivery service for small goods. Open a smartphone app(应用软件), enter your address, set a time and pay enough money for the delivery service. Then in minutes, a drone will do tasks for you.

    However, any drone company needs government permission (允许) to fly its drones in many countries. We believe we will see more and more drones with goods fly in the sky very soon.

    Here is a picture of my birthday party. My friends and I are all very happy at the party. Peter is eating the birthday cake. My mother makes it for us and it's delicious. My sister Molly is singing And Selina is playing the guitar for her. Selina's father is a music teacher and he teaches Selina to play the guitar. Dave is talking about basketball with my brother. Where am I? I'm in front of Dave.

Why did ancient Chinese emperors call themselves zhen (朕) or guaren (寡人)? Research shows that the word zhen used to be a first-person pronoun. Before the Qin Dynasty, it meant "I" or "me" and everyone from farmers to state rulers could use it. The word can be found in books like Li Saoand Shi Jing. 

However, when the state of Qin defeated all the other six states and unified China, Qinshihuang, the first emperor in Chinese history, changed how this word could be used. He made it a rule that the word zhen could only be used by the emperor himself. Since then, it has been kept only for rulers.

Chinese emperors also called themselves guaren, In ancient China, emperors regarded themselves as the "Sons of Heaven", and believed they had a "Mandate of Heaven" to rule. However, if the "Son of Heaven" was found to have poor morals (德行), they would lose the mandate, So, the rulers used the phrase guaren or guadezhiren, meaning "a person who doesn't have morality". In this way, they could show their modesty (谦虚). In Chinese culture, people should not talk proudly about their own abilities and beliefs. Modesty is seen as a virtue (美德). Ancient rulers hoped to win people's hearts by calling themselves guaren. 

However, historical records show that guaren lost its popularity after the Tang Dynasty. The emperors of the following dynasties used zhen more often.

Tom and Tony are brothers. Tom exercises every day. He plays soccer five times a week and he swims and runs every weekend. He drinks milk and eats fruit and vegetables every day. He doesn't eat junk food. He sleeps eight hours every night.

Tony doesn't like to exercise, but he sometimes plays soccer with his brother. He really likes to watch TV. He watches TV for four or five hours every night. He never drinks milk, and he hardly ever eats fruit and vegetables. He loves junk food. He eats junk food five or six times a week. He often plays computer games, too. He sleeps eight hours every night.