Urban swans might be born with a daredevil gene that makes them less fearful of humans, compared with their rural colleagues.

    A study has found swans living in cities tend to be bolder and it is at least partly determined by a gene called DRD4. Birds with this gene could therefore be better adapted to settling in more populated areas, while more timid（胆怯的）swans would escape to less inhabited regions.

    It could help to explain why swans in public parks and on urban rivers have a reputation for being so aggressive towards humans - they are simply not afraid of us.

    Biologists from some universities in Australia, tracked and collected blood samples from black swans living in two wetlands near cities. One group of swans lived in a recreational urban park, while the other occupied a waste-water processing site out of town. The two areas were less than 20 miles apart. Later, from 2011 through 2013, the researchers started systematically scaring the swans at both sites. The researchers approached the birds and calculated how close they could get before they flew away. As expected, they noticed that while rural swans started flying away if a human was closer than 119 meters, the scientists could come as close to urban swans as 39 meters before taking off.

    Analyses of the blood samples, in fact, showed that 83 per cent of the less cautious swans presented the same genetic DRD4 variation（变异)while rural swans have different genetic makeups resulting in more wariness(谨慎，小心）.

The researchers conclude that swans with the bold variation of the gene might choose to live in urban environments, as they tend to be less bothered by human presence.

    Ecotourism(生态旅游): A Different Way to Travel

    Are you attracted to obscure(偏远的)places? Do you prefer to vacation away from other tourists? Are you careful to take only memories and to leave only footprints? If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, you just might be an ecotourist.

    Ecotourists are people who want to experience the unspoiled natural world and leave it that way when they return home. This trend started in the 1990s and ecotourism is now growing three times faster than the tourism industry at large. The Ecuador's remote Amazon Basin(盆地) is contributing to that expansion, and it gives a snapshot of what ecotourism looks like.

    At the Ecolodge, a small group of cabins(小屋) sits Kapawi Ecolodge in the middle of the Achuar people's reserve(保护区) and is only reached by air. From here, visitors can explore parts of the Amazon rainforest seen by few outsiders. As they do local Achuar guides explain how the forest is like their supermarket, where they find food, clothing, medicine and tools. As a result, tourists learn to appreciate the local culture as well as the natural environment.

    The owners of Kapawi pay monthly rent to the Achuar people, but they also train the community to run and manage the lodge. They have agreed on a plan to turn the operation over to the Achuar completely by 2011.The owners are working to make ecotourism benefit and empower the local people.

    You probably won't start your own ecolodge, but you can be an ecotourist if you follow these guidelines: Protect the environment; Support local businesses; Respect the local customs and traditions.

    The world is full of fascinating places to visit. As an ecotourist, you can enjoy them yourself and make sure that they remain beautiful for future generations as well.

Carol: I started playing the cello（大提琴）when I was about eight or nine. It was great playing the cello because I was in youth orchestras and we went abroad to do tours. But anyway, when I got to university, I stopped playing. Well, there just wasn't time and there were so many other things to do. Luckily, I took it up after my 25^th birthday and joined a band.

Daniel: When I was little, I thought I'd end up learning the guitar like my father, but then I decided that I wanted to have my own instrument, so I chose the trumpet（小号）. I'm in the school jazz band and I'd like to be a musician when I grow up, but my dad says it's difficult to make a living from music. But I don't want to be a lawyer like him. It's so boring.

Carmen: Nobody likes living near someone like me because when I practice, I make a lot of noise! But you have to keep practicing, don't you? Otherwise it gets more and more difficult. The trouble is, in the summer, when it's hot, I have to open the windows, so the whole street gets to hear it if I'm not careful. I love playing the drums and I play in a fantastic band.

Vince: I've played the guitar for as long as I can remember, but when I was trying to make it as a musician after school, I used to play in the Underground in London to make a bit of extra money. I kept on playing, but I ran a restaurant to make a living. When I get any spare time I still play. I've got a few friends who like music too and we have formed a band.

    When it comes to mental illness, many people often find it tough to get the help they need. This is especially true for young students making the transition(过渡) to college life.

    “Sometimes, students don't realize how hard it is to adjust to college,” said Laura Smith, associate dean of students at the University of Texas at Dallas. “You're not the big fish in your classes anymore; you have all kinds of personal stress; you're away from home. Dealing with these things is not easy.”

    Students who are going through these problems sometimes want to reach out. But if students don't feel comfortable seeking help, many feel that it's the responsibility of their university to help them.

    “I really wish that there was more importance placed on how counseling(咨询) centers help students,” said Comnie Trinh. “Counseling services are just as important as academics and sports.”

    Trinh, 27, graduated from Texas Woman's University in 2015. During college, she hosted various workshops on how to handle mental health conditions. Trinh used her own story to connect with students who might be facing similar problems. High academic pressures, cultural differences as an Asian American and stressful social situations stood out as some of the most common causes of Trinh's anxiety.

    It was only after years of personal problems that she could admit that reaching out isn't a sign of weakness.

    ”If you feel you can't connect with other people around you, you should address the issue without shame,” Trinh said. “You'll find that there are a lot of people out there who sincerely want to help you.”

    While both Europe and the United States of America are considered the Western world, it's good to know there are some differences in culture. If you are considering moving to a European country, you will find the information below helpful as you plan your move.

    One cultural difference is how the countries perceive（感知）time and space. For example, a house in the United States that is 200 years old would be considered ancient. This is probably because America is a fairly young country. However, in Europe, something would not be considered ancient unless it was at least 2,000 years old. However, perception of distance seems to be the opposite. While Europeans would consider 100 kilometers a long way to drive, Americans would think twice. This could be due to the fact that Europe is smaller and more heavily populated. In fact, the United States is over twice the size of Europe.

    Cars are another factor that differs greatly between Europe and the United States. American automobiles usually have automatic transmissions（传动）while European cars generally have manual gears（手动变速器）. European automobiles are smaller and more round-shaped, while American cars are larger and more square-shaped. Trucks and limousine are vehicles that American enjoy. In Europe, however, these types of vehicles are hardly seen, as they prefer smaller cars due to parking and traffic congestion.

    The view of education is another cultural difference between the European countries and the United States. In America, parents may save for many years and even go into debt to pay for their children to attend college. Most schools and universities in Europe, however, are free of tuition. In fact, it is just expected for children to attend college there and not a privilege（特权）, as in the United States.

    On the night of December 8, 1992, when he was standing in a parking lot talking to friends, Tracy March jumped to the top of a car, as he had done a hundred times before. This time, though, Tracy lost his balance. His head struck the ground, hard.

    All night, Cory, Tracy's mother, stood next to her son, who was lying in a hospital bed, his brown eyes fixed in a lifeless stare. She remembered that Tracy had once mentioned organ donation. Maybe I can spare another family this pain, she thought. When the time came, she and her husband Bill signed the forms permitting his organs to be donated.

    Tracy was declared dead the next day. Twenty-four hours later, in a Boston hospital, Tracy's liver was made part of my husband, David, who was suffering from a hopeless liver disease.

    Months later, we learned from the local organ bank that the donor's parents wished desperately to meet someone who had gained life through the gift from their son. A meeting was arranged by the organ bank to bring together two families linked by the most bittersweet ties imaginable.

    The meeting was risky, but worth it. We talked for 3 hours. They showed us a picture of Tracy. We learned how he had lived and died. We learned something about Bill and Cory too.

    For the Marches, seeing David and knowing he was well seemed to ease their suffering. I'll never forget seeing David's tall figure stopped over Cory, her arms around his waist, as a mother would hug a son. For a long time they held each other tight. It was hard to know if she was saying hello or good-bye. Maybe she was saying both.