Dujiangyan is the oldest man-made water system in the world, and a wonder in the development of Chinese science. Built over 2,200 years ago in what is now Sichuan Province in Southwest China, this amazing engineering achievement is still used today to irrigate over 6,000 square kilometres of farmland, take away floodwater and provide water for 50 cities in the province.

    In ancient times, the region in which Dujiangyan now stands suffered from regular floods caused by overflow from the Minjiang River. To help the victims of the flooding, Li Bing, the region governor, together with his son, decided to find a solution. They studied the problem and discovered that the river most often overflowed when winter snow at the top of the nearby Mount Yulei began to melt as the weather warmed.

    The simplest fix was to build a dam, but this would have ruined the Minjiang River. So instead Li designed a series of channels built at different levels along Mount Yulei that would take away the floodwater while leaving the river flowing naturally. Better still, the extra water could be directed to the dry Chengdu Plain, making it suitable for farming.

    Cutting the channels through the hard rock of Mount Yulei was a remarkable accomplishment as it was done long before the invention gunpowder and explosives. Li Bing found another solution. He used a combination of fire and water to heat and cool the rocks until they cracked and could be removed. After eight years of work, the 20-metre-wide canals had been carved through the mountain.

    Once the system was finished, no more floods occurred and the people were able to live peacefully and affluently. Today, Dujiangyan is admired by scientists from around the world because of one feature. Unlike modern dams where the water is blocked with a huge wall, Dujiangyan still lets water flow through the Minjiang River naturally, enabling ecosystems and fish populations to exist in harmony.

    Have you felt annoyed when a cell phone rings during the class? Something must be done to stop this. Now in New York City, USA, a rule is carried out in schools. Students can't even bring cell phones to school. Is it a good thing or not?

    Anxious parents say that cell phones are an important tool in holding New York City's families together.

    "I worry about it." said Elizabeth Lorris Ritter, a mother of a middle school kid. "It's necessary in our everyday life. We have a washing machine. We have running water, and we have cell phones."

    Many American parents think cell phones connect them to their children on buses, getting out from subways, walking through unknown places.

    "I have her call me when she gets out of school," said Lindsay Walt, a schoolgirl's mother. "No one in New York is going to let their child go to school without a cell phone."

    What about the cell phone owners, the students? Most of the students said cell phones were essential and the cell phone was like an extra hand or foot for them.

    "I feel so empty," said May Chom, 14. There is also no way to listen to music on the way to school without my phone. It will be a really, really boring trip."

    When Kate's paintings were on show in London，a poet described her paintings as “a ribbon (丝带）around a bomb”．Such comments seem to suggest Kate had a big influence on the art world of her time．Sadly，she is actually a much bigger name today than she was during her time．

    Born in 1907 in a village near Mexico City，Kate suffered from polio（小儿麻痹症）at the age of seven．Her spine (脊柱)became bent as she grew older．Then，in 1925，her back was broken in several places in a school-bus accident．Throughout the rest of her life，the artist had many operations，but nothing was able to cure the terrible pain in her back．However，the accident had an unexpected side effect．While lying in her bed recovering，Kate taught herself to paint．

    In 1929，she got married to Diego Rivera，another famous Mexican artist．Rivera's strong influences on Kate's style can be seen in her early works，but her later works from the 1940s，known today as her best works，show less influence from her husband．

    Unfortunately，her works did not attract much attention in the 1930s and1940s，even in her home country．Her first one-woman show in Mexico was not held until 1953．For more than a decade after her death in 1954，Kate's works remained largely unnoticed by the world，but in the 1970s her works began to gain international fame at last．

    A new study of 8,000 young people in the journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily，it is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love（早恋）may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression. The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.

    The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”. According to the study, even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”, this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won't tell that to their parents.

    Dr Marianm Kaufman, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression. She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.

    Parents should watch for signs of depression—eating or mood changes—and if they see signs from their daughters or sons，they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity(成熟) gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.

    The Oklalhoma teen's eyes were covered by two blindfolds（眼罩）. She didn't know she would meet her father, James, after 12-year separation.

    “I had actually discussed with her the night before at a restaurant and talked over the details of where we would go and how we would pull them of,” said Amanda, Rory Beth's mother.

    A video shows Amanda led her blindfolded daughter out of their car and guided her across the parking lot of Broken Arrow Lanes in Broken Arrow.

    Little did she know, her father was on the sidewalk holding a birthday cake that read, “Happy Birthday Rory Beth, Love Dad.” When the teen slowly pulled down her blindfolds, she was extremely surprised. Both the father and daughter stood silently looking at each other until James finally walked over and hugged her. James only broke their embrace to look at his daughter and hold her face. “There were definitely lots of tears from James, myself, and boys, and even a few bystanders,” said Amanda.

    James was a truck driver who spent a lot of time on the road, so Amanda ended the marriage with him when Rory Beth was a baby. “It was hard to figure out how to make it work,” Amanda said. Amanda felt Rory Beth was now old enough to understand and to ask any questions she may have, so the reunion happened.

    The birthday surprise was on June 4, and the father and daughter had seen each other again since, even celebrating Father's Day together. Amanda said her daughter and James were both delighted to be together.

    “She's already calling him 'daddy' and tells him that she loves him.” Amanda said.

Music

    Opera at Music Hall: 1243 Elm Street. The season runs June through August, with additional performances in March and September. The Opera honors enjoy the Arts membership discounts. Phone: 723­1182.

    Chamber Orchestra: The Orchestra plays at Memorial Hall at 106 Elm Street, which offers several concerts from March through June. Call 241­2742 for more information.

    Symphony Orchestra: At Music Hall and Riverbend. For ticket sales, call 381­3300. Regular season runs September through May at Music Hall and in summer at Riverbend.

    College Conservatory of Music (CCM): Performances are on the main campus (校园) of the university, usually at Patricia Cobbett Theater. CCM organizes a variety of events, including performances by the well­known LaSalle Quartet, CCM's Philharmonic Orchestra, and various groups of musicians presenting Baroque through modern music. Students with I.D. cards can attend the events for free. A free schedule of events for each term is available by calling the box office at 556­4183.

    Riverbend Music Theater: 6295 Kellogg Ave. Large outdoor theater with the closest seats under cover (price difference) .Big name shows all summer long! Phone: 232­6220.