For nearly a century before there was such a thing as a space program, a view of space was possible. People could see full views of the Moon, explore Mars(探测火星),and study the outer space beauty. All of this was made possible by a small group of artist-astronomers(天文艺术家) who worked to show people how other worlds in space might look.

    Lucien Rudaux, a French artist, was the first to use his artistic ability and his knowledge of astronomy in art. His paintings show a mixture of skilled observations, brilliant imagination and careful attention. As a result, many of his works have come surprisingly close to actual conditions on distant planets. His painting of Mars included moonlike craters(火山口) that were first photographed by the astronauts in 1965. His 1930 painting of a dust storm looks remarkably like a photograph of a storm taken by the astronauts in 1976.

    The artist-astronomers, including Rudaux, made people interested in outer space by painting what turned out to be exact portraits of the planets.

    The annual World Economic Forum took place in Davos, Switzerland, in Jan 23-26, 20What did Chinese entrepreneurs speak in the forum?Are there some quotable quotes for you ?

    ★Jack Ma, founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group

    I think globalization cannot be stopped-no one can stop globalization, no one can stop trade. If trade stops, the world stops.Trade is the way to dissolve the war not cause  the war,” said Ma in Davos, “Google, Facebook,  Amazon and Alibaba—we are the luckiest companies of this century. But we have the responsibility to have a good heart, and do something good.

    ★Richard Liu, founder and chief executive officer of JD

    “Business is not only a way to make money but also a way to contribute yourself, to help people,” Liu said in a speech in Davos. “How can we face the fractured (分化的) world? That's the topics of the Davos this year. I think a very important thing in business is cooperation. If we can unite, work together, (if) we work very closely, I think we can bring more hope to the people and we can build more trust between the people, countries and companies and partners,” he said.

    ★Jane Sun, CEO of Ctrip

    “Tourism is a sunrise industry. Since I entered Ctrip, every year there are new comers, which, first of all, shows that tourism is booming,” Sun told Sina.com in Davos. “We invested heavily in ABC. A refers to AI, B is big data, and C is cloud computing. As we continue to expand overseas, these three will be very good weapons for us. So we think those mean opportunity,”she said.

★Hu Xiaoming, president of Aliyun

    “In 2018, people will see the development in various countries more closely connected with cloud computing. More manufacturing enterprises and financial institutions will start to use 'cloud'. And cloud computing will increase the efficiency of technology and finance,”Hu told Xinhua in Davos.

    One of the main decisions you must make when traveling is deciding where to stay. A place to stay can often make or break a holiday. Whether you are looking for a classy hotel or a night under the stars, we can guide you through your different options.

    Bed and Breakfast

    An English invention, bed and breakfasts, offers exactly what they suggest, a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning. “B&Bs”，are usually someone's private home, often found in the countryside.

    Hostels

    For those traveling on a tight budget, hostels are the best accommodation option. Informal places usually with a lovely relaxed atmosphere, they offer dormitory beds for rent. Bathrooms are usually down the hall.

    Remember to check reviews by previous guests online before you book your hostel.

    Couch Surfing

    An unusual but interesting option, couch(沙发) surfing is a growing trend among young internationals. The idea is that you become a member of the online couch-surfing community (www. couchsurfing. com) and then when you travel, look up other members in that country and ask to stay on their couch. Most hosts will suggest sightseeing trips and take you out in the evening, making it a great way to see things that aren't in your guidebook. And remember, it may be free but don't forget to offer to buy your host a drink or dinner.

    Camping

    Sleeping under the stars! For budget travelers staying at camping grounds is the cheapest way to travel. The drawback is having to carry a tent with you. Camping grounds can be found across Europe, America and Australia. However, if you intend on camping in busy cities check first where the nearest place for camping is. More often than not, they are on the edge of cities, which can mean lengthy bus rides into town when you want to eat or see the sights.

Low-Cost Gifts for Mother's Day

Gift No. 1

    Offer to be your mother's health friend. Promise to be there for any and all doctor's visits whether a disease or a regular medical check-up. Most mothers always say "no need," but another set of eyes and ears is always a good idea at a doctor's visit. The best part? This one is free.

Gift No. 2

    Help your mother organize all of her medical records, which include the test results and medical information. Put them all in one place. Be sure to make a list of all of her medicines and what times she takes them. "Having all this information in one place could end up saving your mother's life," Dr. Marie Savard said.

Gift No. 3

    Enough sleep is connected to general health conditions. "Buy your mother cotton sheets（床单）and comfortable pillows to encourage better sleep," Savard said. "We know that good sleep is very important to our health."

Gift No. 4

Some gift companies such as Presents for Purpose allow you to pay it forward this Mother's Day by picking gifts in which 10 percent of the price you pay goes to a charity (慈善机构). Gift givers can choose from a wide variety of useful but inexpensive things —many of which are "green" — and then choose a meaningful charity from a list. When your mother gets the gift, she will be told that she has helped the chosen charity.

    Bored? Lonely? Out of condition? Why not try the SPORTS CENTER?

    TENNIS

    Indoor and outdoor courts. Coaching from beginners to advanced. Children only. Mornings.

    SKIING

    Gentle slopes. 3 levels instructors at weekends and Fridays. Daytime practice.

    8-year-old upwards.

    SWIMMING

    2 pools, heated, Olympic length.

    Women: Tuesday and Thursday.

    Men: Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

    Children: Saturday.

    GOLF

    9 hole practice course. Professional Coaching. Lessons must be booked in advance in daytime. Evening practice. Minimum age — 9 years.

    GYMNASTICS

    Maximum age —18 years.

    Children aged 5-10. Mondays and Wednesdays. 4:00-6:00 p.m.

    10—18 year olds. Friday evenings.

    AND MANY MORE

    Table Tennis, Snooker (台球), Darts (标枪), Café (all day), Bar (lunch time and evenings), Nursery (weekdays and weekends, not evenings).

    Centre open 10:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. Daily.

    Interested? More details, call 800-1234-5678.

    Rich countries are racing to dematerialise payments. They need to do more to prepare for the side-effects.

    For the past 3,000 years, when people thought of money they thought of cash. Over the past decade, however, digital payments have taken off— tapping your plastic on a terminal or swiping a smartphone has become normal. Now this revolution is about to turn cash into an endangered species in some rich economies. That will make the economy more efficient—but it also causes new problems that could hold back the transition(转型).

    Countries are removing cash at varying speeds. In Sweden the number of retail cash transaction per person has fallen by 80% in the past ten years. America is perhaps a decade behind. Outside the rich world, cash is still king. But even there its leading role is being challenged. In China digital payments rose from 4% of all payments in 2012 to 34% in 2017.

    Cash is dying out because of two forces. One is demand— younger consumers want payment systems that plug easily into their digital lives. But equally important is that suppliers such as banks and tech firms (in developed markets) and telecoms companies (in emerging ones) are developing fast, easy-to-use payment technologies from which they can pull data and pocket fees. There is a high cost to running the infrastructure behind the cash economy—ATMs, vans carrying notes, tellers who accept coins. Most financial firms are keen to abandon it, or discourage old-fashioned customers with heavy fees.

    In the main, the prospect of a cashless economy is excellent news. Cash is inefficient. When payments dematerialise, people and shops are less open to theft. It also creates a credit history, helping consumers borrow.

    Yet set against these benefits are a couple of worries. Electronic payment systems may risk technical failures, power failure and cyber-attacks. In a cashless economy the poor, the elderly and country folk may be left behind. And a digital system could let governments watch over people's shopping habits and private multinationals exploit their personal data.