When was the last time you relied on an old-fashioned map to figure out the route to an unfamiliar place? For many, the GPS has revolutionized navigation, making a paper map almost obsolete? So how has this piece of technology developed over its 26 years of existence? On February 14,1989,the first satellite in the US Global Positioning System was sent into space from Cape Canaveral, beginning the start of one of the wonders of the modern world.

    GPS stands for Global Positioning System, which is made of a network of around 30 satellites that move around the earth. The system uses a process called trilateration to find out one's position. By measuring the time it takes for the signal to reach one satellite, the GPS can determine your distance from the satellite, creating a sphere(范围) of possible locations. Measuring your distance from at least three satellites will narrow your location to the place where the three spheres cross one another, to the accuracy(精确) of about less than 1 meter!

    The GPS was first invented during the Cold War by the United States Department of Defense. In 1960, the first system, which was made of just five satellites, was put into place. It was initially created for strictly military(军事的) use; however, in 1983, as a result of faulty navigation technology, a Korean passenger plane mistakenly flew into USSR territory(苏联领土) and was shot down. In order to prevent such bad events, American President Ronald Reagan allowed civilian(民用的) use of the GPS.

    Over the next ten years, the system's accuracy improved as the network was increased to 24 satellites. And during the first Persian Gulf War, the new GPS was finally used by the military. Now scientists use the technology to track animals to better understand their movement and behavior. Parents who may be worried about their children can also use GPS technology to track them.

    My friend Jason and I wanted to do something to help other people who are less lucky and help us grow at the same time. After we decided that we would volunteer in Nepal, I did some surveys on the Internet and I found an organization called Volunteer(志愿者) Nepal and felt strongly that it was the right choice for us.

    While making our plans, Jason and I realized that others might like the chance to be a part of our experience. So before leaving for Nepal, we asked the people we know whether they would be interested in donating(捐赠) money or goods to Nepal Orphans Home.

    One friend, whose family owns a shop called Drake Supermarket, told others about it. Many people wanted to donate something. We received donations that filled 29 boxes with sporting goods, toys, coloring books, pencils, children's books, and more, The boxes were later taken to Drake's warehouse(仓库) where I prepared them for shipment. Drake agreed to ship them to Nepal for free .

    The boxes had arrived at the Volunteer House when we arrived there. The next day, Jason and I opened the boxes. The children from the orphanages(孤儿院) stood in a line and were able to choose a gift. This took about an hour, but the looks on their faces and the happiness that we saw in their eyes made it one of the best days of our life.

    We visited the orphanages there in the following days. Being with the children at the orphanages was both sad and wonderful. I'm sure that anyone who has volunteered will understand what I mean by that. My experience as a volunteer was very useful. It has changed me as a person and the way I viewed life in the past.

    A Spanish company Siesta&Go has opened the first public napping (小睡) space in Madrid. It promises people a quiet rest in the middle of the city's business center.

    Napping spaces are nothing new; places to rest are already set up in other big cities in the world. But the idea would appear to work well with the culture of Spain, where people traditionally take an afternoon nap, called siesta.

    The Madrid nap space recently opened with 19 beds. People can use them by the minute or by the hour, and they can also choose either a private or shared room. An hour of napping inside a private room costs about $15.

    Siesta &Go provides all bedding, clean nightshirts and other materials. Nippers can request to be woken up when their time is up. It also offers areas to work, with armchairs, newspapers and coffee for those not wishing to sleep.

    Philip &Go is one happy customer. Marco says he gets tired during the day because of hard work. He says a siesta is the perfect way to build up energy. "I come for about 30 minutes or something like that. That is usually enough for me to be full of energy."

    While many Spanish people love their naps, others like Carlos Villarroja say they are just too busy to keep the tradition. "It's a Spanish tradition, but I think it's more of a legend (传说) than a tradition. Because of the lifestyle and the working hours, we have very little free time for a siesta at least during the week."

    But many health experts believe there is evidence that taking a short nap can be very good for the body and mind. Scientific studies show that taking a siesta can also prevent illness and lower blood pressure.

    People in developed countries are increasingly suffering from illnesses resulting from overeating. While starvation and hunger are still big problems in many poor countries in the world, more than 25 percent of the population in America and other western countries are obese. This doesn't just mean you are a little bit fat. It means you are more than 20 kilos overweight.

    Dr. John Colon from Ohio State University says the problem is only going to get worse.” As more women have gone out to work, you find that parents in general have less time to spend on preparing food. That's not just cooking, but also planning what to eat, doing the shopping and buying the fresh food. Families, therefore, increasingly rely on ready-made and frozen meals, which tends to be high in fat and contain a lot of additives(materials added to food to improve its taste) and sugar. The other thing is that parents seem to feel guilty about not spending so much time with their kids, so they tend to give more quickly to children's demands for things like sweets and chocolate.”

    Ben Brown. Who is a British Member of Parliament, blames the big food companies. He wants to ban any food advertising that is aimed at children. "The problem is that these companies spend millions of pounds selling food to children. It's all crisps (薯片) in the shape of dinosaurs and chocolate in the shape of Mickey Mouse. I meanwhat's going to be more fun to an sight-year-old —an ice cream with a free toy or an apple?"

    One food company thinks it has an answer to this: it has invented cheese-flavored cabbage and chocolate-flavored carrots. It developed the "Whacky Veg" with money donated by a cancer research charity, which found that a diet containing lots of fruit and vegetables helps reduce cancer. However, today's sweet-toothed kids need to be bribed(贿赂)into a healthy diet, and will only cat their greens if they taste different.

    Scholarship Application Tips in 2013 for college students

    Before you apply

    ⒈Work hard to get good grades. Don't sweat about one bad grade, but always strive(力求)to do your best.

    ⒉Get involved, and stay involved, in extracurricular(课外的)activities. Sports, clubs, drama, bands and orchestras－these often count toward a student's overall scholarship application evaluation. The same goes for paid (or unpaid) work experience.

    ⒊Begin your scholarship research early－by your sophomore(大学二年级)or junior year of high school, if possible. Make special note of application deadlines, as they can vary from late summer to late spring.

    ⒋Apply for as many scholarships as you are eligible(符合条件的)for－several smaller scholarships can add up to a lot of money.

    During the application process

    ⒈Read the supplementary materials that come with scholarship application forms to better understand the program's focus (community service, subject interest). Try to answer the questions with the focus area in mind.

    ⒉Answer questions as they are asked. Don't got off topic.

    ⒊If there is a financial component to the application, make sure you get accurate and complete information from all appropriate sources to ensure your eligibility.

    ⒋Take your time. Write down everything you can think of for each question, then set the application aside for a day so you can look everything over again before you send it off.

    ⒌Don't wait until the last minute to complete your application, especially if you are applying online. Computer systems can get clogged(阻塞的)with the large volume of applicants hoping to submit their qualifications during the last few days and hours before a deadline.

    ⒍If a third party has to complete part of your application, such as providing a letter of recommendation, make sure you ask them early on and remind them as often as necessary to ensure they provide you with the necessary materials.

    ⒎Last but not least, review your application with your parents to make sure you haven't left out any important details.

Good luck to the students applying for the 2013 scholarship programs!

    The English language has a lot of words which can be used in many different ways and in many different expressions.

    One such example is the word matter. In fact, matter can mean just about anything. It could be one of the most useful words in the English language.

    Let's get to the heart of the matter—a matter of principle (原则).

    If someone says that you owe (欠) him $50, but you don't, a friend might say, "Well, you could pay him the $50. It's not that much money. Then you won't have to hear him say it anymore." But if you do not owe him the money, do not pay him the money. It's a matter of principle.

    There is another way to use the word matter. But be careful with your choice of words.

    If you ask someone, "What's the matter?" it shows you are worried about the other person. But saying, "What's the matter with you?" has a completely different meaning. And it usually sounds rude (粗鲁的). In fact, when you say, "What's the matter with you?" you are suggesting that the person did something wrong or stupid.

    Another expression that could sound rude is to say, "It doesn't matter to me." Here, it depends on the context, and how you say it.

    Let's say you tell someone that a friend just got a big raise at work. That person answers with, "It doesn't matter to me." Here, it means he or she does not care. And it sounds rude.

    But saying, "Oh, you pick where we eat dinner. It doesn't matter to me." does not sound rude. In this situation, "it doesn't matter" shows you are easy-going (随和的).

    No matter how you look at it and what you say, matter is a very useful word. And it's only a matter of time before you will become an expert on the use of matter.