First it was worry about second-hand smoke, now there's major concern over third-hand smoke which gets into hair, clothes, furniture or a car rather than directly from a cigarette or someone breathing it out.

    To be honest, I've always been worried about the health dangers of this even though I didn't know it had a name. My worry made me reluctant to let smokers hold my babies even though they didn't smoke in my house.

    Tests for its effects have been only carried out on mice, but I don't think they can be ignored. Researchers at California University last month suggested third-hand smoke (THS) could cause type 2 diabetes, liver and lung damage.

    They analyzed how people are affected by taking in smoke from another person's clothing, hair, home, or car. They say they can see an impact on the brain and liver. Lead author Manuela Martins-Green said: “Our goal was to decide the smallest amount of time required to cause physiological changes in mice when they are exposed(暴露) to THS.” This was done using an exposure system that is the same as human exposure.

    “We found THS exposure as early as one month caused liver damage. Exposure for two months lead to further molecular(分子的) damage, and at four to six months caused even more such damage. We also found the mice showed insulin resistance（抗胰岛素） after long-term exposure.”

    “THS is a hidden danger, a silent killer. Pollutants can be absorbed through the skin and through breathing.”

    “Although our research was not done on humans, people should be aware that hotel rooms, cars and homes that were used by smokers are very likely to be polluted with THS.” Martins-Green believes most people don't know they're being exposed to THS, or don't believe in the damage it can do.

    THS toxins(毒素) remain on surfaces for many years, and resist even strong cleaning agents.

    Here are Important Travel Notices from United Airlines, March 20, 2016 7:12 AM. Information is updated as it is received.

    ⒈Travel and the Zika virus

    If you have a ticket for travel to a country affected by the Zika virus(as listed on the CDC website) and have concerns, please contact the United Customer Contact Center with any questions or changes to your reservation. Customers advised to avoid the affected regions based on CDC guidance may change their destination or travel date without a fee or may choose to receive a refund(退款) if their tickets were booked before February 29,2016. The new travel date must be within the validity of the ticket. Additional charges may apply if there is a difference in fare for the new travel route.

    ⒉Longer lines at security checkpoints

    Procedural changes at TSA checkpoints throughout the United States may result in longer lines at security checkpoints. Please plan accordingly and allow for extra time at the airport. The TSA advises arriving at the airport two hours before your flight for US travel and three hours before for international travel. To save time at security, we encourage you to visit www.tsa.gov.com and apply for TSA pre-check.

    ⒊Notice for flight departing the European Union, Norway and Switzerland

EU Regulation 261/2004 requires airlines to provide the following notice: If you are not allowed to board or if your flight is canceled or delayed for at least two hours, ask at the check-in counter or boarding gate for the form, stating your rights, particularly about compensation assistance.

    As an expert on the science of sleep and sleep disorders, Michael Twery believes “People have good understanding about the necessity of sleeping 7-8 hours in bed. But they undervalue the function of napping in day.”

    For example, many Americans do nap. But one-third of adults in the US are also frequently tired. Someone who naps as a way of paying off a sleep debt may not experience the same improvements from napping as a healthy, well-rested person would.

    Also, many people may not want to admit that they take a nap. That only children, the very old, sick or lazy people nap is a common opinion. In fact, Americans sometimes do very strange things. For those who claim they only sleep five hours a night, they may think they are somehow stronger than the average human—superhuman, if you will.

    Luckily, many offices now offer napping rooms in many U. S. cities. While resting in the middle of the work day may seem like a luxury to Americans, napping is very much part of a normal, everyday life in other parts of the world.

China, generally speaking, is a land of nappers. Researchers recently looked at information provided by nearly 3, 000 Chinese adults, aged 65 years or older. Based on their answers, researchers put them into four groups: non-nappers (0 minutes), short nappers (less than 30 minutes), moderate nappers (30-90minutes), and extended nappers (more than 90 minutes).

    The study found that the hour-long nappers did better on the tests than those who napped for shorter and longer periods. Keep in mind, however, that these are the findings for those over the age of 65.

    Michael Twery notes that an hour long nap may be too long for young, healthy adults. “Currently, 30 minutes is enough to remove the pressure to sleep and will help us feel more awake. If we nap longer, we will get trapped into sleep inertia—a very deep sleep period.”

    The loud noise of the cars or the sound of a plane can force its way into the deepest forest, yet it's not only humans that are bothered by the noise.

    Bioacoustician Bernie Krause has been studying the effect of noise pollution on wildlife, and has come across some interesting behaviors, especially among animals that communicate by sound, like humans. Birds use sound to communicate, but in noisy places, these animals have to shout over the natural noise to be heard.

    Krause mentions a study of nightingales(夜莺) to explain what he means. The birds responded to（回应） traffic noise by singing louder and louder until they actually went beyond noise pollution standards in the city. To belt out (sing loudly) their songs, they increased their lung pressure fivefold, but scientists say that this is not dangerous for the birds themselves.

    Studies show that sudden noise can cause certain birds to leave their nests, leaving the young to their enemies. One study also showed that songbirds that nested close to busy motorways were much less productive than those that nested farther away. Mammals（哺乳动物）too are affected(影响). A recent study showed that nursing caribou（驯鹿） responded to plane noise by not producing enough milk to feed their young.

    In some cases noise pollution can actually help some animals while harming others. Toads（蟾蜍）and frogs are known to sing in union（同步发声）so that no predator (their enemies) can catch them. Krause found that when planes flew overhead and disturbed the toad's song, they lost their union, and it took them 45 minutes to get it back again. That gave their natural enemies plenty of time to find and catch individual toads by sound.

    According to Kruse, 'Not only will noise pollution bother wildlife, but it won't help our lives either.'

    Everyone should choose the right hair dryer for fine hair, because an unsuitable hair dryer can damage our hair. You can buy hair dryers from a recognized discount store or from online discount stores. If not, it is always better to buy it from a reliable and well-known beauty store in your area. Here are some of the top products.

    Conair iSeries Infiniti Hair Dryer

    It is designed with the technology which is quite useful for less curly and more manageable hair. Some other features of this hair dryer include 3 heat and 2 speed settings, a foldable handle and removable filter(过滤器). It also comes with 2 years' guarantee. The average cost of it is around $38.

    Click here for more information.

    Sedu Revolution Pro 6000i Dryer

    This is the latest model of dryers from Sedu, and comes with powerful air flow.

    It is one of the most popular professional dryers in the market. It comes with 6 heat settings, a long-lasting AC motor and the instant cold shot button. This dryer has 2 years' guarantee and is available at $160.

    Click here for more information.

    CHI Nano Dual Air Flow Hair Dryer

    It is lightweight hair dryer that comes with infrared(红外线的)technology indicator lights and a noise-free speed motor. This hair dryer also comes with a year's guarantee. The average cost of it is around $255.

    Click here for more information.

    BabylissPro Carrera 2 Hair Dryer

    If you want a hair dryer which helps achieve smooth and curly-free hair, then BabylissPro Carrera 2 Hair Dryer is a good choice. It has compact(简洁的)design and various powerful styling features. This dryer is available at $100.

    Click here for more information.

    To protect your hair, remove the excess (过多的)water with a towel before using the dryer. Work on the lowest setting, as more heat can cause damage to the hair. Whenever drying your hair, you should keep moving the hair dryer.

In a small village called Brightville, there lived three friends: Kimberley, John and Alicia. They were all students at Brightville High School, each displaying unique 1 . Kimberley, a hardworking girl, always 2 for excellence. John, with his 3 spirit, always sought new experiences. Alicia was a kind and helpful girl. They shared a common dream of achieving their goals through 4 .

On a sunny day, the three friends 5 at their favorite spot near the village river. They often met there to discuss their dream and 6 each other. Kimberley always stressed the importance of setting goals. John loved exploring new things and finding 7 ways to learn. Alicia, with her caring nature, listened 8 and offered words of encouragement.

One day, they 9 an old abandoned（废弃的）library in the heart of village. Kimberley saw this as a（n）10 for their dream to come true. She suggested turning the library into a learning center for the village.

The three friends spent months cleaning and 11 the library. They reached out to the villagers, and soon, volunteers 12 them to set up the learning center. They created a friendly and 13 environment where students could come to study, read books, and seek help.

News of the learning center spread quickly, 14 students of all ages and backgrounds. The three friends devoted their after-school hours to tutoring the students. They understood that education was about developing curiosity and 15 for learning.