Coffee drink is widespread. When people argue about whether coffee is good for health, they're usually thinking of the health of the coffee drinker. Is it good for your heart? Does it increase blood pressure? Does it help you concentrate? However, coffee affects the health of the human population in other ways, too.

    Traditionally, coffee bushes were planted under the shade of taller trees. However, more and more farmers in Latin America are deforesting the land to grow full sun coffees. At first, this increases production because more coffee bushes can be planted if there aren't any trees. With increased production come increased profits.

    Unfortunately, deforesting for coffee production immediately decreases the local wildlife habitat, because native birds nest and hide from predators（捕食者）in the tall trees and migrating birds rest there.

    Furthermore, in the long term, the full-sun method also damages the ecosystem because more chemical fertilizers and pesticides（杀虫剂）are needed to grow the coffee. The fertilizers and pesticides kill insects that eat coffee plant, and then the birds eat the poisoned insects and also die. The chemicals kill or sicken other animals as well, and can even enter the water that people will eventually drink.

    Fortunately, farmers in Central and South America are beginning to grow more coffee bushes in the shade. We can support these farmers by buying coffee with such labels as "shade-grown" and "bird-friendly".

    Sure, these varieties might cost a little more. But we're paying for the health of the birds, the land, ourselves, and the planet. I think it's worth it.

  ben

    “People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a paper, for example, a business contract or a bank document, the signature is a seal of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process written complaints if they do not bear the writer's signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.

    There are people who wish to remain anonymous(匿名的) for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he does not want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.

    Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name. It is a matter of responsibility to use it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honor our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our own name that we honor what we say.

    Feifei,an 11-year-old boy from Xuzhou,Jiangsu Province,suffered from a sudden acute eye disease which has almost led to blindness.The disease was caused by excessive（过度的）eye fatigue（疲劳）during the winter vacation, during which he played computer games for continuous 10 days and nights.

    Many youngsters in China nowadays are increasingly addicted to computer games and other electronic products. This is followed by a series of health problems,with the most typical case being myopia,or nearsightedness.

    According to the latest research report released by the World Health Organization (WHO),the myopia rate among Chinese teenagers ranks first in the world—70 percent of high school and college students.The rate is nearly 40 percent in primary school students,while it is only 10 percent for their peers in the United States.

    There are at least 10 million people in China with severe myopia,and they are likely to get pathological（病理性的）myopia in middle age.Pathological myopia can't be treated with glasses or surgery,and it is one of the biggest factors that lead to blindness,Xu Xun,director of the ophthalmology（眼科学）department at Shanghai General Hospital,pointed out.

    Experts explain that two major factors lead to the high rate of myopia among Chinese people.One is high academic pressure,and the other one is excessive use of electronic devices over a long period of time.Genetics,on the other hand,are not the main reason,as only 20 percent of Chinese people had myopia in the 1960s.

    "Teenagers are now faced with severe academic pressure,which means they often study without natural light. This increases their risk of becoming nearsighted,"Xu said.

    Experts suggest that youngsters maintain a proper balance between study and rest so as to protect their eyesight, and parents should play an active role in the process.

    Do you worry about entering senior high school? Everything, from study to environment, has changed. Can you adapt yourself to it?

    You're not alone. Remember that everybody else in your year is in the same boat. You may not notice it, but they're just as nervous as you are.

    Moving to senior high school is a chance, not a problem. Things are different, and all you need to do is to be polite and learn the new rules.

    The teachers will help. If you don't know what to do or are worried about something, then ask for help. Teachers are probably the best people to turn to, because they have experience in helping new students. Pay attention to what your teachers say.

    Everything changes. There are lots of differences between junior high school and senior high school. You will have your lessons with different teachers in different rooms. You will have homework for different subjects on different days, so make sure you get organized. Make sure you know which rooms your classes are in and which days you have your different subjects on.

Other points:

    If you've got an older brother or sister at the school, then ask them for advice.

    Be yourself! It sounds simple, but things will become better if you just act naturally.

    Having early nights makes a difference. You'll also find it easier to get up in the morning!

    During his freshman year at Mission Viejo High School in the United States, Chance Blanscet told his parents he wanted to score a touchdown (触地得分) for the Diablos football team.

    Born with dwarfism (侏儒症), Blanscet, now 16 and a sophomore (高二学生),

doesn't have the size of a football player, but his courage more than enough makes up for this. On May 19, Mission Viejo High's cheerleaders called Chance's name as he seized (抓住) his opportunity.

    Taking a hand-off (传球) from the receiver, Blanscet raced toward the end zone as fast as he could, while his teammates created a path for Blanscet straight across the goal line.

    After scoring his touchdown, the players lifted him up and celebrated.

    Blanscet spent the first six years of his life in local hospitals before getting adopted (收养) by parents Andy and Michele Blanscet.

    When they brought him home, he couldn't speak and could only walk with the help of a walking frame (助行架). But as he grew older and stronger, he needed less medical attention.

    Blanscet was received with open arms at his high school and became interested in football after attending the first game of his freshman year.

    After meeting Diablos head coach Bob Johnson, he was eventually asked to lead the team's junior squad (小队).“This is an amazing group,” Michele Blanscet said. “They're so supportive. They view him for his abilities, not his disabilities.”

    Blanscet's video class filmed the entire event, from Blanscet leading the team to his post-touchdown celebration. And instead of shouting “Diablos,” the players shouted “Chance”.

    That's a thing of a lifetime,” Johnson said. “He tries to make it to every game. This is just a special thing they wanted to do for him.”

    The scenes will be used for a video Blanscet is working on for class. It will also include highlights of football games from last fall, and interviews with players and cheerleaders.

    “We needed something big to go with it,” said Marty Deutschman, who has been Blanscet's one-on-one instructor (教员) for three years. Deutschman organized the event about a month ago.

    Everyone was immediately on board. “We're so impressed with the school spirit,” Andy Blanscet said. “The students are there for each other and they were able to put together such a big event in a short time with all that enthusiasm.”

    Imagine a relay race. During this race, an athlete holds a stick as he runs a certain distance. Then he passes the stick to the next runner. That person runs faster, and then passes the stick to a third runner. Now imagine that the runners do not pass a stick. Instead they pass shiny silk, as well as gold, fruit, and glass. Imagine that the race does not move forward in just one direction. Instead the runners go back and forth along a road. They trade goods all along this route (路线) and at each end of it. Now imagine that the runners are businessmen. They lead caravans (商队) or lines of camels that carry things to sell. They travel on the ancient Silk Road to earn their living.

    The Silk Road was a complex trade network. It passed through thousands of cities and towns. It stretched from eastern China, across central Asia and the Middle east, to the Mediterranean Sea. Businessmen traveled on the Silk Road from about 200 B.C. to about 1300 A.D. Then sea travel began to offer new routes. Some people called the Silk Road the world's longest highway. However, the Silk Road included many routes--not just one smooth path. The routes ran through mountains and across deserts. They passed through an area that now includes 18 countries. The Silk Road had many dangers. These dangers ranged from hot sun and deep snow to thieves and wars. Only expert traders could survive.

    The Silk Road got its name from its most prized goods. People used silk as money. They could pay taxes or buy goods with it. Traders carried more than just silk, though. They had gold, silver, and glass from Europe. People in the Middle East and Asia wanted these things. Businessmen also took horses from flat, grassy areas in central Asia and brought them to China and other areas. The horses changed the way people farmed and ran their armies. Indian businessmen traded salt and rare, beautiful stones. Chinese merchants traded medicine and china. They also traded paper, which quickly replaced animal skins in the west. Businessmen carried apples from central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to combine different trees to create new kinds of fruit. They taught this science to others, such as the Romans. The Romans began to grow apples for food. The Silk Road led to worldwide commerce 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.

    The people along the Silk Road did not share only goods. They also shared beliefs. Monks, priests, and other faith leaders taught their religions to others. The Silk Road created pathways for knowledge, diplomacy, and religion.