Because earthquakes happen without warning, it's important to take steps now to prepare. Because you don't know where you will be when an earthquake happens, prepare some supplies for your home, workplace, and car.
1. Water.
    A person needs at least 1/2 gallon of water daily just for drinking. Store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day and be prepared for a 72-hour period. It is suggested that you buy bottled water. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it. Also, do check the “use by” date.
2. Food.
    It's always a practical idea to keep a supply of non-perishable(不易腐烂的) food on hand. Have an enough supply of canned food, powdered milk, dried fruits, non-salted nuts and canned juices for at least 72 hours.
3. Flashlights(手电筒) and spare batteries.
    Keep a flashlight beside your bed, at your place of work, and in your car. Do not use matches or candles after an earthquake until you are sure that no gas leaks.
    Prepare a battery-powered radio and spare batteries. Most telephones will be out of order, so radios will be your best source of information.
4. Clothes.
    If you live in a cold place, you must think about warmth. You might not have heat after an earthquake. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies.

Are You Right Handed or Left Handed?

    Which hand do you use when write? About 8 to 15 percent of people are left handed. They often have to use tools that are designed for right-handed people. So it is difficult for left-handers to use most tools. If you are right handed, try this experiment: Take a knife with your left hand and try cutting a potato into pieces. Don't be surprised if you feel awkward（别扭的）.

    In the past, people thought it was strange to use the left hand. Young students looked down upon their left-handed classmates. Some children were even punished for using their left hand to write. But these days parents and teachers have accepted that. In almost every school in the world, left-handed students can use their left hand to write.

    What causes people to be left handed or right handed? Experts have searched long and hard on this. They conclude（得出结论） that left-handed people are left handed for the same reason that right-handed people are right handed. One out of every ten people just is a left-handed people are right handed. One out of every ten people just is a left-hander. It's simply like the color of our eyes – some people have brown eyes, while some others have black eyes.

    However, may researchers think that left-handers and right-handers are different in some aspects. Right-handers are more talkative and outgoing than left-handers. Many right-handed people understand spoken words better. For example, after they listen to directions to a supermarket, they can find it easily. Right-handers are good at organizing people, too. They are also better basketball guards. Just ask Yao Ming.

    Research shows that left-handers are creative and artistic. Many famous performers, like Jim Carrey and Paul McCartney, are left handed. Many left-handers learn better visually（在视觉方面）. In art, both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were left handed. In music, Ludwig van Beethoven was left handed. In science, you find Newton and Einstein. The left-handed people are also really good at tennis and other single sports.

    If you prefer one hand, but you are still good at writing with the other, you are mixed. Research shows mixed-handers can remember everyday things better than other people. What did you eat for lunch two weeks ago? If you're mixed handed, you can probably remember.

A

    Is there intelligent（有智力的）life on other planets? For years, scientists said "no." or "we don't know." But today this is changing. Seth Shostak and Alexandra Barnett are astronomers（天文学家）. They believe intelligent life exists（存在）somewhere in the universe. They also think we will soon contact them.

    Why do Shostak and Barnett think intelligent life exists on other planets? The first reason is time. Scientists believe the universe is about 12 billion years old. "This is long enough for other planets to have intelligent life, "say Shostak and Barnett. The second reason is size the universe is huge. "Tools like the Hubble Telescope（哈勃望远镜）have shown that there are at least 100 billion galaxies, "says Shostak. "And our galaxy, the Milky Way, has at least 100 billion stars. Some planets going around these stars might be similar to the earth. "

    In the past, it was hard to look for signs of intelligent life in the universe. But now, powerful telescopes（高倍望远镜）allow scientists to discover smaller planets-the size of Mars or the earth-in other solar systems, these planets might have intelligent life.

    Have beings from space already visited the earth? "Probably not, "says Shostak. "It's a long way away. However, intelligent beings may contact us in other way, such as radio signals（信号）. In fact, they may be trying to communicate with us now, but we don't have the right tools to receive their messages. However, this is changing. By 2025, we could make contact with other life forms in our universe and we might help each other. "

    Tigers are the largest wild cats in the world. They usually go out to hunt for food when it is dark. And they hunt alone most of time. When a tiger sees an animal, it moves quickly and then jumps on the animal to kill it. Sometimes it can take the tiger several days to finish eating its food. When the tiger is full, it will cover the dead animal with leaves. Later, when the tiger is hungry again, it comes back to eat some more.

    Tigers are different from others in the cat family. They like water and often jump into rivers to swim. Some tigers live in very cold places-in North Korea, Russia and China. Other tigers live in warmer places-in India and parts of Southeast Asia.

    But now all tigers are in danger. Some people kill tigers to use their skins for clothes, and their bodies for medicine. There is also less land for tigers to live on.