On a recent visit to the Museum of Modem Art with a friend and her daughter,wandering through the museum's exhibits,I was struck by how often my friend's 13-year-old daughter asked us to take photos of her with her smart phone in front of the artwork.Then,she gazed at the photos which she would then post on Instagram,Snapchat and all the rest.She was not the only person who was doing this; it seemed everyone was busy taking photos of themselves "experiencing" the museum.

    This is by no means a criticism of my friend's daughter or anyone else.What was concerning,at least to me,was that in between being photographed and posting,my friend's daughter had no interest in the artwork,a fact which didn't seem to matter or have anything to do with wanting to post herself as someone enjoying the experience.

    When I was her age,I had no interest in going to museums either.Having no interest in art at her age (and any age) is completely normal.But what is disturbing is how much of a young person's energy these days goes into creating an image of the life they're living and the character they "are" in that life.While creating a self-image has always been a big part of growing up and figuring out our identity,social media seems to have changed the rules of the game.Social media has not just increased the pressure and possibility of creating a self-generated（自我创造的）  self-image,but also distorted（歪曲）the process through which we become who we are.Young people now seem to be creating an image of who they are in place of becoming who they are,posting their life rather than living it.

    Social media has turned life and its experiences into an exercise in narcissism（自恋，自我陶醉）.No matter what the experience is actually about,it becomes about you,the person who is living it.A concert is not about the music,a restaurant not about the food and a sport event not about the sport;it's all about you,the doer,and what the event says about you.As a result the more we use life create an identity,the more distant from life we feel.Instead of being part of it,we feel as if we have to keep generating new life material.

    I hope the next time you post your story,pause for a moment and experience where you are,feel what it feels like to live what you're living without using life for your benefit,or for anything at all.Just live,without the narrative（叙述）.While you may feel this practice is a threat to your identity,causing you to miss a chance to prove your value,in fact,the benefit will far outweigh any loss it brings.

    Alexander John Jordan was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1914. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Wisconsin. After about one year of college, Alex dropped out.

    Alex then went from job to job. He drove a taxi and worked for Royavac. He also worked for his father's construction company, where Alex got his basic knowledge of construction.

    In the 1940s, Alex discovered Deer Shelter Rock and began having small picnics on the top of the rock. He then started bringing his tent and camping out. One night, his tent got blown away and from that day, Alex decided he wanted to build something more stable. That was the beginning of his dreams. Alex started off by renting the rock and a bit of land around it from a local farmer. He first built a small studio with a fireplace. Then Alex, with his parents' help, bought 240 acres of land, so he could build as he pleased. What took shape on and around Deer Shelter Rock was truly a wonderful achievement. More wonderful still is the fact that he built much of the original house by himself, carrying the materials up the 75-foot-high rock.

    As curiosity grew surrounding his project, more and more people came to visit the House on the Rock. Alex decided to charge people 50 cents to visit, thinking that would drive them away; however, people gladly paid the fee. In 1960, Alex decided to open the House on the Rock to the public. This increased the interest and the crowds grew. All of the money taken in over the years was put directly back into the House. Alex was devoted to the House on the Rock. It was his life and dream.

    Compassion（同情）is a desire within us to help others. With effort, we can translate compassion into action. An experience last weekend showed me this is true. I work part-time in supermarket across from a building for the elderly. These old people are our main customers, and it's not hard to lose patience over their slowness. But last Sunday, one aged gentleman appeared to teach me a valuable lesson. This untidy man walked up to my register（收款机）with a box of biscuits. He said he was out of cash, had just moved into his room, and had nothing in his cupboards. He asked if we could let him have the food on trust. He promised to repay me the next day.

    I couldn't help staring at him. I wondered what kind of person he had been ten or twenty years before, and what he would be like if fortune had gone his way. I had a hurt in my heart for this kind of human soul, all alone in the world. I told him that I was sorry, but store rules didn't allow me to do so. I felt stupid and unkind saying this, but I valued my job.

    Just then, another man, standing behind the first, spoke up. If anything, he looked more pitiable, “Charge it to me,” was all he said.

    What I had been feeling was pity. Pity is soft and safe and easy. Compassion, on the other hand, is caring in action. I thanked the second man but told him that was not allowed either. Then I reached into my pocket and paid for the biscuits myself. I reached into my pocket because these two men had reached into my heart and taught me compassion.

    Traveling can be a fun way to gain life experiences, especially during Spring Break-a week-long school vacation in the United States. But what if you're a student and don't have enough money for a trip？Don't worry. Here are some useful suggestions.

    Save：This probably is the most important preparation for traveling. Cut expenses to fatten your wallet so you'll have more choices about where to go and how to get there.

    Plan ahead：Don't wait until the last minute to plan your trip. Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice. Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security and savings.

    Do your homework：No matter where you go, research the places you will visit. Decide what to see. Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants.

    Plan sensibly：Write down how much you expect to spend for food and hotels. Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything.

    Travel in groups：Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places. By traveling with others you can share costs and experiences.

    Work as you go：Need more money to support your trip？Look for work in the places you visit.

    Go off the beaten path：Tourist sites may be expensive. You may want to rethink your trip and go to a less﹣known area. Smaller towns can have many interesting activities and sights.

    Pack necessary things：The most important things to take are not always clothes.

Remember medicine in case you get sick, and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant.

    Use the Internet：The net can help to save money. Some useful websites include www.travelcity.corn, www.bargainslowestfare.corn and www.economictravelcity.com.

    By planning sensibly, even students can enjoy the travel. Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime.

    Notre-Dame de Paris, a cathedral church in Paris, is the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages. For the French, it represents something immortal, ever- present and unchanging, like a mountain. Built over almost two centuries, the Notre-Dame is, as President Emmanuel Macron said, "where the French lived all their great moments". Soldiers prayed here before leaving for the Crusades; Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned here; it survived the French Revolution, two World Wars and the Nazi occupation. It is where men bend their knees to profess love and thousands of tourists take photos every day.

    A fire, whose cause was not identified yet, engulfed(吞没), on April 15th, the cathedral's upper structure. More than 400 firefighters took part in the 15-hour battle to control the blaze(火苗) that triggered sorrow over the globe. The extent of the damage is still unknown, but the fire destroyed much of the gothic cathedral's wood-timbered roof and spire(塔尖). The cathedral will certainly be restored (the French government promises), but the sight of flames bringing down the spire moved the world in a manner far exceeding its religious significance.

    French Culture Minister Franck Riester on Thursday said the government would draw all the consequences from the huge flames that destroyed the centuries-old Notre Dame Cathedral, adding measures to protect the national heritage were on the table. "Staff from the fire department, the culture ministry and the city town hall rushed to the Cathedral, when the fire started, to protect the main artworks that were inside. The artworks, which include relics such as the Christ's crown of thorns and French king Saint-Louis's 13th century tunic, were first moved to the city town hall and will now be transferred to the nearby Louvre Museum ." the minister told Le Parisian newspaper in an interview without giving details on the possible measures.

Where does the meat on our table come from? It usually comes from livestock like chickens and cows. But did you know that meat can also be made in a lab? US company JUST has announced that lab-grown meat could be on some restaurant menus in the United States and Asia by the end of 2018, The Independent reported. 

"These meats include chicken nuggets (鸡块), sausage and foie gras (鹅肝酱), " Josh Tetrick, CEO of JUST, told The Independent. Lab meat is sometimes referred to as "clean meat". It is made using the stem cells (干细胞) of living livestock. The cells need to be grown in a lab for a few weeks. For example, making a hamburger patty (肉饼) takes about nine weeks, CNN reported. This is faster than raising a cow, which usually takes over 20 weeks. 

The first clean meat was a beef burger that was produced in 2013, but it was said to taste quite dry. How does clean meat taste now? Clean meat supporters told CNN that they think it tastes just like traditional meat. 

Clean meat has other advantages. It is healthier than traditional meat. Meat producers can control what type of fat goes into the meat. They can produce clean meat that contains healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids (脂肪酸). This kind of fat is good for people's hearts. 

Clean meat can also help to solve global warming. According to The Washington Post, about 14. 5 percent of the planet's greenhouse gas emissions (排放) come from raising livestock. That's more than the emissions from every car, train, ship and airplane in the world combined. It is predicted that switching to clean meat could lower greenhouse gas emissions by 96 percent, The Independent reported.