Six volunteers are about to find out what it would be like to live on Mars without ever leaving the Earth. Three men and three women will spend eight months living in a special place on the side of a volcano in Hawaii. They are part of an experiment that is designed to mimic（模仿）life on Mars. Their mission began on October 15, 2014. NASA says it could send astronauts to Mars as early as the 2030s. The mission would take more than two years, so NASA needs to know how people would react to living in a small group, isolated from the rest of the world, for such a long time. Some people may become depressed or bored living under those conditions. By studying people living in similar conditions here on Eares NASA hopes to learn how to choose the most suitable people for a space mission, and how to help them get along.

    They will live in a two-story building. The ground floor is about 86 square meters, roughly the size of a small two-bedroom apartment. It includes shared areas like kitchen, dining room, bathroom, laboratory and an exercise room. The upstairs is less than half the size of the downstairs. It contains another bathroom and six small bedrooms. The building is located in an abandoned quarry（采石场）about 2,400 meters up the side of Mauna Loa, the second biggest volcano in the world. It is constantly monitored for signs of volcanic activity. NASA chose the location because the appearance looks very similar to Mars.

    To make it more like being on Mars in the future, they are only able to communicate by email during the experiment. Meanwhile, there will be a 20-minute delay between the time when a message is sent and that when it is received. When they go outside, they will have to suit up in full spacesuits, just as if they were on Mars.

    The commander is Martha Lenio, a 34-year-old Canadian. During the mission, she will run experiments on growing food. The other members have backgrounds in physics and so on. None of them are astronauts.

    Would you like to travel? Here is some advice for you.

    “Why do birds sing?” I asked a group of children. “To attract metes(配偶)!” answered a boy. A 4-year-old girl added shyly, “birds sing because they are happy, and they want to make us happy, too.” I think both answers are probably true in a way. If birds sing happily, it shows all is well in the forest: no predators (捕食者) are present, and the birds can feed, sing and do other bird things. The sound of a relaxed robin(知更鸟) singing is easy to understand because it makes us feel this way too—it's a sound that lifts our own hearts when we hear it.

    What happens when a predator comes into their areas? The nearby birds quickly give an alarm call, a short sound that warns, “Danger is coming!” On hearing the sound, the other birds stop singing and fly for cover, the deer lift their heads and stop moving and the rabbits run into the bushes. Suddenly, the forest becomes silent.

    When humans walk through the woods in a hurry or while talking with a friend, we don't see much wildlife. We may think that there aren't many animals living there, but more likely, they know we are coming and hide minutes before our arrival. But if we learn to avoid setting off alarms, we can see many more wild animals without frightening them. To practice, find a place in a park and sit quietly for an hour. Take note as the birds begin to relax and sing again. When I do this, I am always surprised at the wonderful thing animals will do when humans simply stay still long enough.

    When we talk about famous UK writer Agatha Christie, it seems that her famous detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple are must-reads. So, of course, are her best-selling novels Murder on the Orient Express (1934) and Death on the Nile (1937).

But when the readers around the world were asked to name their favorite Christie novel to mark her 125th birthday on Sept 15, And Then There Were None (1939) topped the list, reported The Guardian.

    It may surprise you to learn that it is a crime novel without a detective. What it does have is suspense (n.悬念) and a very sinister (adj.邪恶的) atmosphere. It is “on a knife edge”, as Mathew Prichard, Christie's grandson, told the newspaper.

    Ten people get an invitation to come to a house on a small island near Devon in South West England. Nobody refuses these invitations since each one promises something the person wants: a job, a holiday, a chance to meet up again with an old friend.

    These people are all responsible for deaths. Some are directly responsible, others are responsible because of what they did not do. Anthony James Marston, for instance, killed two children while driving dangerously. He did not feel guilty and actually complained when he was banned from driving. Another, Emily Caroline Brent, is a harsh person who threw out a young servant for becoming pregnant while unmarried. The servant later killed herself.

    When they arrive at the house they are played a recording. The voice gives details of the wrongdoing of each of the guests. Starting with Marston, each is killed in a way that fits their crime. The series of deaths is completed with a hanging, “and then there were none”, as the title suggests.

    Christie can be quite a predictable writer. Some of her stories are a little unoriginal. But this book is full of clever writing. Look it up to find out what this hugely successful mystery writer, the “Queen of Crime” as she was called, could do at her best.

    "Have a nice day!" may be a pleasant gesture or a meaningless expression. When my friend Maxie says "Have a nice day" with a smile, I know she sincerely cares about what happens to me. I feel loved and secure since another person cares about me and wishes me well.

    "Have a nice day. Next!" This version of expression is spoken by a salesgirl at the supermarket who is rushing me and my groceries out the door. The words come out in the same tone(腔调)with a fixed procedure. They are spoken at me, not to me. Obviously, the concern for my day and everyone else's is the management's attempt to increase the business.

    The expression is one of those behaviors that help people get along with each other. Sometimes it indicates the end of a meeting. As soon as you hear it, you know the meeting is at an end. Sometimes the expression serves us when we don't know what to say." Oh, you just had a tooth out? I'm terribly sorry, but have a nice day."

    The expression can be pleasant. If a stranger says "Have a nice day" to you, you may find it heart-warming because someone you don't know has tried to be nice to you.

    Although the use of the expression is an insincere, meaningless social custom at times, there is nothing wrong with the sentence except that it is a little uninteresting. The salesgirl, the waitress, the teacher, and all the countless others who speak it without thinking may not really care about my day. But in a strange and comfortable way, it's nice to know they care enough to pretend they care when they really don't care all that much. While the expression may not often be sincere, it is always spoken. The point is that people say it all the time when they like.

 Knowledge is power, and the more you learn about mental health, the better the position you may be in to help those facing mental health battles. Consider doing the following things to support those closest to you.

 Attend a training course

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. In fact, anyone can benefit from depression awareness training that focuses on supporting those at risk. You might be a teacher that manages youth or a sports coach wanting to pick up on depression risk signs in your players. You may even be a worried parent who wants to make sure your children can tell you anything. Depression awareness and prevention courses teach you both theoretical and practical skills to recognize warning signs and behaviors. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

 Listen

 If someone approaches you in their time of need, it's not always easy to know what you' re supposed to do, and it may be more beneficial for you to just listen. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. They may just need to get what they are feeling off their chest and to feel valid at that moment. Try your best not to interrupt, but ask questions if you require clarification. The more listening you do, the better your position in deciding what to do next.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

 While being a listening ear is sometimes all. someone needs to feel better, you can also become an ongoing source of support. Check in with the person experiencing a mental health problem like depression so that they know you are always there for them. Make contact with them regularly to see how they are feeling. Just knowing someone cares can make a world of difference.

 Call emergency services

 Your support, guidance, and listening ear can be of great value to anyone going through a tough time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. If someone you know is experiencing self- abuse thoughts or tendencies, don't delay in seeking emergency help. The faster you act, the safer your friend or family member may be.

A. Check in with them

B. Suggest support services

C. However, it's essential to know your limits

D. Such a course may just help you to prevent someone's depression

E. They may not need you to offer solutions or even give them a hug

F. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is encourage them to seek professional help

G. You don't have to be in a professional health role to attend depression prevention training