Everybody has one of those days when everything goes wrong. This is what happened to Harry.

    He got up one morning very late because he had forgotten to wind up his alarm clock（闹钟）. He tried to shave（刮脸）quickly and cut himself. When he got dressed he got blood all over his clean shirt, so he had to find another one. The only other shirt that was clean needed ironing（熨）, so he ironed it. While he was ironing it, there was a knock at the door. It was the man to read the electricity meter（表）. He showed him where the meter was, said good-bye and found that the iron had burnt a hole in his shirt. So he had to wear the one with the blood on it after all. By this time it was very late, so he decided he couldn't go to work by bus. He telephoned for a taxi to take him to work. The taxi arrived and Harry got in and began to read the newspaper.

    In another part of the town, a man had killed a woman with a knife and was seen to run away in a taxi. When Harry's taxi stopped outside his office, a policeman happened to be standing there. He saw the blood on Harry's shirt, and took him to the police station. He was kept till 3 o'clock in the afternoon before the police were sure that he was not the man they wanted. When he finally arrived at the office at about four, his boss took a look at him and told him to go away and find another job.

    Over the past few years I've had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been making changes to my brain. I'm not thinking the way I used to think. I can feel it most strongly when I'm reading. Involving myself in a book or a lengthy article used to be easy. That's rarely the case any more.

    I think I know what's going on. For over a decade, I've been spending lots of time online. The Web has been a godsend to me as a writer. Research that once required days in the rooms of libraries can now be done in minutes by a few Google searches. Even when I'm not working, I'm scanning headlines or just tripping from link to link.

The Net is becoming a universal medium where information flows through my eyes and ears and into mind. The perfect recall of silicon memory (硅制存储器) can be a blessing to thinking. But that comes at a price. As the media theorist Marshall Mcluhan pointed out, media are not just passive channels of information. They supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. And what the Net seems to be doing is weakening my ability for concentration. Once I was a driver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a flying swallow.

I'm not the only one. When I mention my troubles with reading to acquaintances, Bruce Friedman, a blogger, also has described how the Internet has changed his mental habits. His thinking has taken on a "staccato (破碎)" quality. "I can't read War and Peace any more" he admitted, "I've lost the ability to do that."

A recently published study suggests that when reading online, we tend to become "more decoders (解码器) of information". We are not only what we read; we are how we read.

    Moving in with a boyfriend causes women to eat more unhealthily and put on weight. But the opposite is true for men, whose long-term health benefits when they move in with a female partner.

    Dieticians at Newcastle University said both partners try to please one another, and so change their dietary habits to suit their other half.

    It leads men to eat more light meals, such as salads, fruit and vegetables, while women choose to make creamier, heavier dishes curry or rich pasta sauces, which may please their partner. Women still have the strongest long-term influence over the couple's diet and lifestyle, as they still have the traditional role of shopper and cook in most households.

    The report, by Newcastle University's Human Nutrition Research Centre, reviewed the finding of a variety of research projects from the UK, North America and Australia, which looked at the eating and lifestyle habits of couples.

    The research shows that women are more likely to put on weight and increase their consumption of foods high in fat and sugar when they move in with their partner

    Women also use food as a comfort when dealing with emotional stress and have been found to gain weight when a relationship ends, while the same finding has not been observed in men.

    Many couples reported food as being central to their partnership, and eating together in the evening was particularly important to many.

    Report author and registered dietician Dr. Amelia Lake said, "The research has shown that your partner is a strong influence on lifestyle and people who are trying to live healthier lives should take this factor into consideration."

    Join the ranks of bright travelers and load up your smart phone with these must-have travel apps.

    Sky Scanner

    Stop wasting precious time clicking through website after website for airfare deals. Searching over 1,000 airlines and travel agents, Sky Scanner locates the cheapest dates to fly as well as the most affordable destinations. Got your heart set on some place special? Just enter your destination, dates, and the number of travelers and the app does all the heavy lifting for you.

    Easy Travel

    Just enter your city, or postal code into the search window, and Easy Travel will display the cheapest gas being served up near you. Whether you're driving in Canada, or the United States, Easy Travel is by your side helping you save money.

    Bother Free

    Don't be lost in translation. Here's an app that will serve as your travel translator, translating over 60 languages for your communication pleasure. It's easy! Just select the language you want to learn, speak or type a phrase into your phone, and the app will deliver a translation that you can read and hear.

    World Atlas

    You can have the whole world in your hands! National Geographic's beautiful award-winning World Atlas app is a must-have for armchair travelers and globetrotters alike. Spin, expand, and zoom the 3D globe to access detailed maps, tools to measure distances and need-to-know facts such as current weather, demographics and currency.

Four Best Zoos in the US

Saint Louis Zoo

Saint Louis Zoo is devoted to research and conservation. In 2022, it received the Worldwide Conservation Award from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums for research and work in the Galapagos Islands. The zoo is home to more than 16.000 animals, which are kept in clean and spacious natural habitats （栖息地）. Open year-round and free to visit, Saint Louis Zoo houses Andean bears, polar bears and Sumatran orangutans, to name a few.

Zoo Atlanta

Opened in 1889 and one of the oldest zoos in the US. Zoo Atlanta is one of the top zoos worth visiting in Atlanta. Home to giant pandas. Sumatran tigers and western lowland gorillas （猩猩）. the zoo participates in local and global conservation programs. Visitors say the gorilla s and giant pandas are two of the highlights here. Adults (12-64): $34; Seniors (65 &over): $32; Children (3-11): $26; Children (3 &under): free.

Bronx Zoo

With more than 700 species and an area of 265 acres, Bronx Zoo in New York City is the largest urban zoo in the US. Since it's hard to see the entire zoo in one day, prioritize must-see attractions like the Wild Asia Monorail （单轨列车） and the Congo Gorilla Forest during your visit. Adults (13 &over): $33.95+; Seniors (65 &over): $28.95+; Children (3-12): $23.95+; Children (2 &under): free.

Oakland Zoo

Oakland Zoo is situated about 20 miles east of down town San Francisco. It is home to more than 850 native and foreign species. Visitors can see African lions, American alligators and grizzly bears in large natural habitats. Zoogoers say they like the hillside layout and the Sky Ride that affords bird's-eye views of the animals. Children under 2 years and seniors (76+): free; Children (2-14) and adults (15-75): $15.75.

Four rural villages in China were named Best Tourism Villages 2023 by the World Tourism Organization.

Huangling village in Jiangxi province, set in a hilly and mountainous region, is known for its surprising natural scenery, traditional architecture, and the preservation of ancient customs. The ancient houses in Huangling village are characterized by whitewashed walls, black-tiled roofs, and complex carved wooden elements. The village, rated as a national AAAA scenic spot, draws worldwide visitors throughout the year to view its live landscape.

Zhagana village, a globally important agricultural and cultural heritage site, is located at an altitude of 3,000 to 3,300 meters and is surrounded by mountains, in Gansu province. The steep mountains and Tibetan-style houses make up a "grand stone palace" where tourists can enjoy the harmony of nature and culture.

Xiajiang village, located in East China's Zhejiang province, is famous for its undestroyed natural beauty and a profound cultural heritage ranging from traditional folk culture to historical "red culture". The village has introduced unique tourism routes, high-level cultural programs, and a diverse range of celebrations.

Zhujiawan village, situated in Zhashui county, Shangluo city, possesses a variety of over 1,200 species of diverse animals and plant resources. Meanwhile, the village owns 25 intangible (无形的) cultural treasures. Additionally, it is home to 17 tangible cultural treasures. In recent years, Zhujiawan village has made use of its ecological strengths to develop tourism.