Many years ago，when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver，I was driving to my parents' home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station about 50 miles from Oklahoma City，where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register(收款台)，I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.

    I took off ， but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend's. We chatted on the way into the city，and when I got out of the car，the husband gave me his business card.

    I wrote him and his wife a thank­you note for helping me. Soon afterward，I received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful.

    Years later，I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon，I returned to my car and found that I'd left the lights on all day，and the battery(电池) was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership—a shop selling cars—was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom. “Just how friendly is Friendly Ford？” I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment，so when I got home，I wrote them a note to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you，and it meant a lot，he said.

    “Thank you”—two powerful words. They're easy to say and mean so much.

    Over the last week, a "poisonous kale（甘蓝菜）" theory has been going widespread after an article warned that the vegetable was associated with a variety of medical conditions. It's time to separate fear from fact on the health benefits of kale.

    As a member of the cabbage family, kale is low in calories and rich in nutrients and minerals, especially vitamin A,C and K. Consumed for thousands of years, it's been a health plus for millions of eaters throughout the world.

    However, numerous web articles have reported on some evidence offered by a medicine researcher. The researcher found that thallium（铊）was detected in a few people who were heavy consumers of kale. Thallium is a heavy metal often found in trace amounts（微量）in soil and minerals. His conclusion was that these medical conditions were connected to the impact that trace amounts of thallium detected in some kale samples had on the body.

    I don't think the conclusion is based on a strict scientific basis. It's essential to point out that the original report was in a web magazine, not a scientific journal which is subject to peer review by other scientists. A scientific review includes a careful evaluation of how the findings and conclusions were made. Certain factors are critical before an evidence-based conclusion can be made, such as: how many people were in a study; how well controlled were other factors; how much kale was consumed and for how long; how much thallium was in the kale.

    It is a fact that kale and other vegetables can absorb thallium from the soil. But the ability for a plant to absorb traces of a chemical does not automatically make it harmful to your health. And even finding measurable amounts of thallium in someone's body doesn't imply that the thallium is causing an ill health effect, according to the CDC.

    But we can still learn a lesson from this. Plants grow in soil. Growers must continue to be careful in monitoring the quality of their soil. And what about consumers? Eat your kale—and include lots of other colorful fruits and vegetables. As with all things in nature, variety is key for good health.

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    On one of her trips to New York several years ago, Eudora Welty decided to take a couple of New York friends out to dinner. They settled in at a comfortable East Side cafe and within minutes, another customer was approaching their table.

    "Hey, aren't you from Mississippi?" the elegant, white-haired writer remembered being asked by a stranger. "I'm from Mississippi too."

    Without a second thought, the woman joined the Welty's table. When her dinner partner showed up, she also pulled up a chair.

    "They began telling me all the news of Mississippi," Welty said. "I didn't know what my New York friends were thinking."

    Taxis on a rainy New York night are rarer than sunshine. By the time the group got up to leave, it was pouring outside. Welty's new friends immediately sent a waiter to find a cab. Heading back downtown toward her hotel, her big-city friends were amazed at the turn of events that had changed their Big Apple dinner into a Mississippi.

    "My friends said: ‘Now we believe your stories,'" Welty added. "And I said: ‘Now you know. These are the people that make me write them.

    Beauticians, bartenders, piano players and people with purple hats, Welty's people come from afternoons spent visiting with old friends, from walks through the streets beside her house, from conversations overheard on a bus.

    It annoys Welty that, at 78, her left ear has now given out. However, she continues to walk into life and notes the vivid life. Sometimes, sitting on a bus or a train, she hears only a fragment(片段) of a particularly interesting story, yet she quickly takes out a notebook and write something fantastic under her point of pen.

    In early February 2019, 51-year-old Rainer Schimpf and his team set out to film South Africa's Sardine Run off the coast of Point Elizabeth Sardine Run, the annual migration(迁徙)of billions of sardines (a small sea fish), is a big draw for large predators, especially the dolphin and whale. Predators are animals that kill and eat other animals. In an attempt to obtain the best images of the incredible natural phenomenon, Rainer dived into the middle of a spinning ball of fish. Suddenly the sea moved around violently, and the experienced diver and his photographer Heinz Toperczer, who was filming from the boat, instantly realized something strange was going on. Suddenly dolphins shot out of the water, a white spray came out and then a whale appeared and grasped Rainer

    While Toperczer was filming the terrifying turn of events with his video camera, Rainer, who was trapped had first and engulfed(吞噬)in darkness inside the whales mouth, was trying to survive. Nothing can actually prepare you for the event when you end up inside the pure instinct(本能), "the diver told Barcroft TV. "Knowing in the whale's mouth, I tried to control my fear. But I was convinced that it was going to dive down and release me much deeper in the ocean."

    "The whale quickly realized he was no sardine! As the whale turned sideways, he opened his mouth slightly to release me, and I was washed out, together with what felt like tons of water, of his mouth," recalled Rainer. Though the entire incident lasted just 1.8 seconds, it felt like a year to Rainer.

    Still holding his underwater camera in his hand, the diver swam to his boat, where he was quickly rescued by the members of the team. The terrible adventure did not disturb Rainer for too long. After checking to ensure he had no injuries, the diver returned to the water to seek out more.

    You may think there are no differences between British and American people. After all, they speak the same language, don't they? If you ask a British or an American person, he will probably tell you that there are differences. And the differences are quite great.

    What do British people think American people are like? The British think American people are very strange. They make a lot of noise and they laugh too loudly. They are rich, and they only think about money. But the British do say that American people are kind, and friendly people. They're happy to help you if you are in trouble.

    What do Americans think of the British? Well, they think the British are cold and very unfriendly. They are not interested in success or in making lots of money. They think British is the best country in the world. They look down on other countries. But Americans say that the British are quite hard workers. They are brave and honest. And in time of trouble they face difficulties happily.

    You can see that these ideas can cause misunderstanding between the British and Americans. But when American and British people become friends, they usually find things are not as bad as they expected.

    Got 48 hours to relax yourself? You'll make full use of your timeand have great fun at these amazing destinations.

    Alabama: Gulf Shores

    For relaxing weekend getaways in Alabama, head south to the white-sand beaches of Gulf Shores. Get on the water for some deep-sea fishing. History lovers can get a lesson in the Civil War along a 90-mile path with more than a dozen historic sites.

    Alaska: Homer

    How does fresh seafood sound? You'll find it in Homer, located in south-central Alaska, which is either a short flight or a great four-hour scenic drive on the Seward Highway from Anchorage. Get your fill of fishing in Kachemak Bay, explore local trails and enjoy exceptional birding in this remote natural setting.

    Arizona: Sedona

    Adventurous types can get their fill in the magical red rocks of Sedona, which is said to be the location of healing centers of energy. People flood to the area to meditate, practice yoga and more. Sedona also offers fantastic hiking, off-roading, biking, and even climbing.

    Arkansas: Hot Springs

    Relax and renew in Arkansas' hot waters in Hot Springs, an art community with Art Deco architecture that is also the home of Hot Springs National Park. Make time for a visit to Bathhouse Row, a National Historic Landmark of eight bathhouses, and Superior Bathhouse Brewery, which produces beer made of the hot spring water inside the National Park. Don't miss these National Parks that are off the beaten path.