El Nifio, a Spanish term for “the Christ child", was named by South American fishermen who noticed that the global weather pattern, which happens every two to seven years, reduced the amount of fishes caught around Christmas. El Nifio sees warm water, collected over several years in the western Pacific, flow back eastwards when winds that normally blow westwards weaken, or sometimes the other way round.

        The weather effects, both good and bad, are felt in many places. Rich countries gain more from powerful Nifio, on balance, than they lose. A study found that a strong Nifio in 1997 helped American's economy grow by $15 billion, partly because of better agricultural harvest, farmers in the Midwest gained from extra rain. The total rise in agricultural incomes in rich countries is greater than the fall in poor ones.

          But in Indonesia extremely dry forests are in flames. A multi-year drought (干旱）in south-east Brazil is becoming worse. Though heavy rains brought about by El Nino may relieve the drought in California, they are likely to cause surface flooding and other disasters.

The most recent powerful Nino, in 1997-98, killed around 21,000 people and caused damage worth $36 billion around the globe. But such Ninos come with months of warning, and so much is known about how they happen that governments can prepare. According to the Overseas Development Institute(ODI), however, just 12% of disaster-relief funding in the past two decades has gone on reducing risks in advance, rather than recovery and rebuilding afterwards.This is despite evidence that a dollar spent on risk-reduction saves at least two on reconstruction.

Simple improvements to infrastructure (基础设施）can reduce the spread of disease. Better sewers (下水道）make it less likely that heavy rain is followed by an outbreak of the disease of bad stomach. Stronger bridges mean villages are less likely to be left without food and medicine after floods. According to a paper in 2011 by Mr. Hsiang and co-authors, civil conflict is related to El Nino's harmful effects—and the poorer the country, the stronger the link. Though the relationship may not be causal, helping divided communities to prepare for disasters would at least reduce the risk that those disasters are followed by killing and wounding people. Since the poorest are least likely to make up for their losses from disasters linked to El Nino, reducing their losses needs to be the priority.

    Sound travels very well through water-much better, in fact, than it does through air. So it shouldn't be surprising that many ocean animals make noise. They use sound to communicate and hunt. As biologist Brandon Southall says, “Their whole world is related to sound.”

    Dolphins whistle, organizing hunts. Lovesick whales sing so loudly they can be heard hundreds of miles away. But these days they aren't the only ones sounding off. They have more and more competition from human machines.

    Every day, thousands of huge container ships sail across the world's oceans. On top of the engine noise, the ships' propeller (螺旋桨) make a loud noise all the time. All that can make it hard for ocean animals trying to listen out for friends, or dinner. Animals swimming nearby a ship can be deafened or even killed.

    Underwater construction can also be dangerously loud. When construction machines called pile drivers were used during repairs to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, dead fish appeared.

    Geologist (地质学家) pound on the seafloor too, trying to find oil wells and map Earth's surface. The results are useful lo science, but all that hammering probably gives ocean animal a headache.

    As people realize how important sound is to ocean animals, they are looking for ways to reduce human noise. Ships could get quieter just by slowing down. Engineers are also trying to find quieter propeller ships.

    Now some companies are using a simple invention called a bubble curtain, which makes sound waves passing through it lose energy and gel quieter. It seems to work - when bubble curtains were fixed on the San Francisco bridge project fish deaths dropped.

    We still have a lot to learn about sound in the oceans, but together we can help keep the sea a quieter place.

    In the U. S., speaking more than one language fluently is not very common except in Los Angeles, California.

    The city has one of the largest population in the U. S. of young people between the ages of 18 and 34. This generation is often called millennials (新千年一代). More than half of millennials in Los Angeles are bilingual (双语的), which means they speak more than one language.

    Maria Elena Burgos is cooking a Mexican breakfast. She says making Mexican food is just one of the many traditions in her home. Another is speaking Spanish to her children.

    “We want them to be bilingual. We want to keep the Spanish somewhere in their learning too, not only at home.”

    When Ms Burgos first came to the United States from Mexico, she learned English. She knew her children would learn English quickly. So she wanted them to speak Spanish at home and study the language at school.

    She says being bilingual will give them more opportunities in the future. Knowing Spanish also means the children can talk with their relatives in Mexico.

“When we had our children, one of the decisions we as parents made was to name them with a name that was easily pronounced in English and Spanish.”

    Elizabeth wants to know her family's culture.” “The culture-to go back to our roots because that's part of who we are.”

    Monica wants to pass on the culture to her children.

    “It's nice to know our culture and then to be able to pass it onto our children and grand- children and everyone to let them know where we come from.”

    And, Monica says she does not speak only English and Spanish. She has even learned some Korean in school.

    In modem times, many teenagers have idols of their own who are always some stars on TV on the Internet, etc. These stars always think that a slimmer figure may be perfect for themselves. However, does size really matter? Are teenage fans trying hard to become like their idols? Do famous stars really have the power to influence people especially teenagers?

    For the longest time, many parents blame (责备) teen idols for influencing the way their kids act. Have you noticed how teens idolize the stars these days? Even, their personal affairs are being followed by kids these days. Take for example the case of Lindsay Lohan or Mary Kate Ashley, They are definitely famous teen stars. However, since they are trying to project an image to satisfy a lot of people in show business their health and body suffer. Many kids are aware of this problem. But they are easily influenced by these stars to exercise and eat less.

    It is a fact that the media and especially famous teen stars can influence people powerfully. But teenagers are easily influenced because teenage years are the period when our personality and identity developments take place. Teens watching TV shows and reading magazines are easily pulled into the dieting and harmful eating habits because the media have some ways to pull these acts. They use thin models and stars to endorse (宣传) products or to star in an up-and-coming shows or movies. With fierce competition, stars are forced to eat less and do extreme exercise routines to get the roles or offers that come their way.

    Living in today's time and generation is a bit disturbing to a lot of parents. Media, especially as well as the stars, have a very powerful influence to drive teenagers to good or bad. It's good that we can control ourselves to avoid bad things from happening. If not, parents should really be aware and guide their teens to determine what's in and what's out.

Effective Ways to Protect Our Planet

We only have one earth. However, humans haven't been very good protectors of the earth over the years. To leave a fine planet for our children and future generations, we all need to take steps to develop better living habits. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Buy less. Cheap goods in the sales may make your life better, but few of those are essential. And they almost always end up in the trash can or are forgotten in the back of a. closet. So next time you're hesitating about buying or accepting a non-essential item, think over whether it will truly improve your life. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Turn waste into treasure. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Not only does it keep items out of trash cans, but it can also prevent you from buying new items, which require lots of resources to produce. Moreover, children love making things. So instead of heading towards the craft store, check out your recycling bin first and improve your children's imagination.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Did you know it takes over 700 gallons of water to grow enough cotton to make just one plain T-shirt? Instead of going to the mall to buy new clothes, you can consider looking first in a secondhand shop or trading clothes. Second-hand shopping also applies to many other categories of consumer goods such as furniture, cars and children's toys.

Walk, bike or car sharing.According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a typical passenger vehicle emits (排放) about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per year. Thus, any amount of what you can cut back on will matter. For short trips, you can try walking or biking. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If travelling on foot or by bike isn't practical, you can try carpooling with a friend, neighbour or coworker to the same destination.

A. Save water.

B. Choose second-hand stores.

C. If not, it's okay to just say, "No, thanks!"

D. And here are some ways to protect the environment.

E. Plastic bottles are a clear example of waste material.

F. In this way, you can get some exercise without going to the gym.

G. Creating something new with unwanted items is a good way to protect the environment.

Tired of having the same old travel experiences that leave you feeling unfulfilled (失望的) and disconnected? Mindful travel is offering a new way to explore the world that is meaningful and sustainable.

Mindful travel is a concept that encourages individuals to fully dive into the present moment while exploring new destinations. Individuals are aware of their surroundings, engaging all the senses, and enjoying the beauty of each experience. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Mindful travel is not just about the destination but also the journey. The goal is to create a positive impact on both individuals and the world around them. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is an opportunity for people to positively contribute to the world.

Mindful travel provides an opportunity to disconnect from the stresses of everyday life. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Whether it's wandering through a busy market, hiking in nature, or simply sitting by the ocean, it allows us to let go of our worries and fully enjoy the beauty of our surroundings.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} By stepping out of our comfort zones and experiencing new cultures, we gain a fresh viewpoint on life. We become more open-minded, adaptable, and caring. Through interactions with locals and fellow travelers, we learn about different ways of life and develop a greater understanding of the world.

Mindful travel also has a positive impact on the destinations we visit. Mindful travelers are aware of their impact on the environment. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} By choosing eco-friendly accommodations, supporting local businesses, and respecting cultural traditions, we can ensure that our travels leave a green footprint.