Years ago, students applying to colleges and universities had to have their applications and personal essays printed out and then “snail-mailed”. Flash forward to today's world of Facebook, Instagram and WeChat, where photos, videos and mobile phones rule. Fortunately, several new tools are making it easier for college applicants to use technology to show off their personalities, skills and creativity.

    ZEEMEE

    One of the more popular innovations in college applications is ZeeMee, a free mobile app that allows students to upload personal profiles and videos to create visual resumes. More than 220 colleges and universities offer a ZeeMee option as part of the application process. The video can show the unique creative aspects of the applicants.

THE COALITION LOCKER

    Another relatively new tool comes from the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success, now used by more than 110 member colleges and universities. Among the group's stated goals are getting students engaged in college prep early and using technology to create a supportive application process that encourages reflection and self-discovery.

    Students who sign up for the free platform get access to a digital “locker”, which they can use all through high school to save class papers, artwork, newspaper stories, videos and photos to share with colleges when they eventually apply.

    VIDEO — CHAT INTERVIEWS

    At some schools, an interview with an admission officer is an important part of the application process. To make it easier, several virtual interviewing tools have popped up, such as a video-based platform from Kira. More than 140 universities worldwide use Kira's video assessment tool to conduct real-time interviews with prospective students. During the interview, candidates are shown the questions prerecorded by the particular school and must respond in real time by talking into the camera on their laptop or phone. In addition to showing their ability, to speak fluently in English and think on their feet, it helps admission officers determine the “motivation, commitment and drive” of applicants.

    UNIQUE SCHOOL TOOLS

    Some universities have come up with their own ways to allow students to show their skills and personalities. For example, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, encourages applicants to display their technical abilities and creativity by submitting a “Maker Portfolio” —a written or videotaped description of a project that shows creative and problem-solving skills. While a new app would fit the bill, the project could be anything from an origami design to a potato cannon.

    Driverless technology will soon enter another major global industry: shipping. Several companies recently announced plans to start self-sailing ships to improve safety and efficiency（效率）.

    One of them is Norwegian chemical company Yara International. Yara has designed to build an autonomous ship expected to start next year. The ship is fully electric to reduce air pollution. It is designed to carry containers normally transported by truck. This means the ship will also improve road safety by replacing about 40,000 truck trips a year.

    Yara plans to operate the ships by remote control beginning sometime next year. By 2020, the ships should be loading and sailing themselves. Another company focusing on self-sailing ships is the world's largest mining company, Australia's BHP Billiton. The company's Vice President of Freight, Rashpal Bhatti, recently spoke about the technology. He said, “I believe automation（自动化）will be one of the biggest changes for shipping in the future.” Autonomous ships offer important chances to improve safety and provide better efficiency results to the marine supply chain. He added that self-sailing ships could become a reality within the next decade.

    Rolls-Royce, the British automobile and engine manufacturer, is also developing unmanned shipping technologies. Oskar Levander is the company's head of marine operations. He told a conference last year, “This is happening. It's not if, it's when.” Several shipping companies have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to develop self-sailing ships expected to be used by 2025. These ships will be equipped with technology to collect weather and sea data. They will then use the data to plan out the safest, shortest and most fuel-efficient route.

    The university I attend has about 3500 students. One early afternoon, I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (walk) around the campus when I found a female student sitting on the walkway with tears on her face. Everyone just walked by her, so I decided to stop {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (give) her a hand. I dropped my books and sat down beside her. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} turned out that she injured her ankle (脚踝) and was {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (able) to walk. So I told her that I would sit with her {#blank#}5{#/blank#} she was ready to get up. It only took a few minutes for her to calm down. Then I took her {#blank#}6{#/blank#}the hand and got her to the nearest hospital.

    She thanked me so much for just stopping! Since then, when we run into each other {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (occasional) on campus, she would smile and thank me again. And we have become good friends now. I am amazed that just my sitting there, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (offer) support and comfort to a total {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (strange) would affect her so greatly. She said she was grateful for what I had done, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} made her feel that she was not alone in the world.

    American schools do not have separate classes for boys and girls. If boys want to cook or to sew, they can learn these things in classes that are no longer just for girls. If girls want to repair cars, they can now learn this in school. Most students like to have boys and girls on the same baseball team.

    Many boys and girls dress alike in school. They wear blue jeans and sport shirts. Some have long hair and some have short hair. Sometimes a boy has longer hair than a girl.

    Even the language is different. Students learn to say fire fighter instead of fireman, police officer instead of policeman, and letter carrier instead of mailman. A person does not need to be a man to fight a fire or to deliver the mail.

    Most people think that these changes are great. They give all people an equal chance to be happy and to do what they want to do with their lives. Fathers like to tell their sons that they can grow up to be president. Today, mothers can tell the same things to their daughters.

    After disappearing for over 19 years, measles (麻疹) is making a comeback in America. Since January 2019, the disease has infected more than 700 people, mostly small children, and the number seems to be increasing daily.

    Measles is an infectious disease that typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Many people also lose their appetites and feel sleepy. About three to four days after the symptoms start, the person breaks out into a rash (皮疹) that begins on the face at the hairline and then spreads to the neck and the rest of the body.

    In healthy people, the recovery, which takes between two to three weeks, starts soon after the rash begins. However, for about 40 percent of patients ­ mainly kids under the age of five or older adults ­ the disease often leads to pneumonia (肺炎), which, if left untreated, could result in death.

    The recent outbreak is thought to have been caused by travelers picking up the virus in a country where the disease is still existing and exposing it to an unvaccinated (未接种的) community in the US. In New York, it was carried back by someone who had recently visited Israel, which is currently undergoing a significant measles, while in Washington, "patient zero" was infected by a type that is currently circulating in Europe.

    To limit the spread of the disease before it gets out of hand, US health officials are attempting to educate communities with high rates of unvaccinated children. They are also urging adults to consult with their physicians and get injected if considered necessary by the doctor.

    Hopefully, health officials worldwide will be able to convince parents that vaccinating their children will protect, not harm, them.

    Benjamin Franklin clearly knew how to get things done. After scanning the long list of Benjamin Franklin's achievements, one can only come to one conclusion that the American man probably never had a wasted day in his life. When he was 84 years old, he became a successful author, printer, politician, postmaster, inventor, musician, and diplomat.

    There's much we can learn from Benjarin Frankin's work habits and opinions on life that can increase our own productivity. Here are some ways Franklin overcame lazy, wasted days.

    Start a group and share knowledge. When Franklin was 21, he was a struggling printer in Philadelphia. To increase his connections and to learn more about his industry, he created a group. The group was in great need of books, but books were expensive. Franklin helped start a library where books were bought and lent to members. This sharing of knowledge, experience, and connections helped Franklin become a famous and respected printer in Philadelphia.

    Attack opportunities. "To succeed," Franklin wrote," jump as quickly at opportunities as you can." We can all agree, but when an opportunity comes we often look the other way. It's because the opportunity isn't dressed the way we expect. We often think that the opportunity was only in the form of a golden egg or a million-dollar lottery ticket or a new job offer. But more often than not, the opportunity comes in smaller, less beautiful packages.

    Time is something in short supply. Franklin wrote "Lost time is never found again." This may sound like it came from the pen of a poet, but it's really an inspirational call to action. Franklin worked, created, and lived knowing that time is scarce. He never put off his work.

    While Franklin was an able inventor we can be sure that his notebook contained a few unsuccessful ideas. Franklin wrote, "Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out."