As the new semester begins, millions of college students across the country are trying hard to remember how best to write a paper or, more likely, how best to delay that paper.

    Procrastination is the thief of time and a lot of students suffer form it. They can spend whole days in the library doing nothing but staring into space, eating snacks, surfing the Internet, watching videos and looking at other students sitting around them, who, most likely are doing nothing either.

    Paralyzed (使失去活力) by their habit to procrastinate, they write micro blogs about their fears, asking their online friends if they sometimes have the same issue. But this does nothing to break the spell (魔咒).

    According to a recent report, 95 percent of us procrastinate at some point and 20 percent of the world's population are always procrastinating. The figures are disappointing. Procrastinators are less wealthy, less healthy and less happy than those who don't delay. Procrastinators like to find excuses to justify their behavior, but BBC columnist Rowan Pelling says they are all wrong.

    Many procrastinators tell themselves they are perfectionists who work best under pressure. Pelling says this is non sense, as work done at the last minute is more likely to have mistakes than work done on time. The behavior of procrastinators often makes them feel ashamed, inconveniences others and annoys loved ones.

    Pelling also points out that procrastination feels particularly delinquent（过失的） in a society that thinks of speedy action as admirable, and, at times, even as a moral good.

    Fortunately, social scientists have thrown their weight behind efforts to understand this behavioral mistake and offer strategies to control it. Piers Steel, a Canadian social scientist and author of The Procrastination Equation, believes human is “designed” to procrastinate. Nevertheless, he suggests a couple of good ways to get through the task at hand.

    My family lived in a motel for two years. Like most families living there, we stayed in a two- bedroom suite. We were living from paycheck to paycheck, so when Christmas approached, we didn't know if we could be able to purchase gifts for our children.

    A few days before Christmas someone dropped off presents for all the kids that lived in the motel. It brought so much joy to all the children, most of whom knew that they wouldn't be receiving anything.

Five years ago, we moved out of the motel. After that, my husband and I were working hard at the Joe's Crab Shack to support our family. A few days before Christmas, I was working a “big top” and a single table. The man at my table could see that the large table was taking most of my time, but I was very patient and friendly. Between drinks and food I was able to chat with him about his family and mine. He left me $10, then walked out. About 10 minutes later, I turned around and there he was again. He gave me a hug, and put something in the side of my coat, telling me “Have a Merry Christmas”. I reached into my coat and pulled out $800.

    I was so moved by his generosity that I burst into tears. He had given me more than enough money to help my family catch up on our bills. After discussing what we should do with the money we had left over, we decided to buy presents for the families living at the motel, so we could pass on the blessing that we had received. Since then, it has been a tradition for us to give Christmas gift to the families in need.

    Last year we were able to give presents each of the 80 children at a school in our community, and throw a Christmas party for them. This year our goal is to add at least 20 children.

    Petra and Wadi Rum, Jordan

    When it comes to the world's wonderful desert scenery, Jordan's Petra and Wadi Rum has it. Also known as the Valley of the Moon, this place is one of the best due to its amazing desert canyons (峡谷) and rock walls. Participants love exploring its Burdah and Um Fruth, walking to the impressive ancient city.

Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

    The Rongai Route is the best route if the participants of the walking tour want a quiet climb. The Kili Trail permits travelers to witness the region's wilderness, virgin forests, and rare animals. This route, according to many, is the easiest way to reach the top where the breath-taking 360-dcgree sights of natural wonders await.

    Quebec, Canada

    This special environment made up of both the natural and cultural treasures, where fresh water becomes one with the tides (潮汐) of the sea, makes Quebec one of the interesting walking tour destinations in the world. Here is a track that heads to the Saguenay Fjord National Park which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Adding to the beauty of Quebec are its sparkling waterfalls, inviting lakes, and rare animals.

    Great Smoky Mountain, US

    This region has been named as the ancestral home of the Cherokee Indians, where rich natural wonders combined with interesting history are the major happenings. The rich natural reserve is evident and enjoyed by walking tour participants. What also makes this destination a popular choice is its reputation as the biggest wilderness on the eastern part of the United States.

    Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg took out full-page ads in British and American newspapers on Sunday to apologize for the Cambridge Analytica scandal（丑闻）, admitting the quiz app built by a university researcher that leaked（泄漏）Facebook data of millions of people was a “betrayal of trust”.

    Since the scandal broke, the public has become more aware and concerned about how their online behavior may be used for purposes to which they have not agreed. It emphasizes the urgent need for better protection of personal information.

    To better protect personal data privacy（隐私）, targeted laws are needed. More effective cooperation should be carried out to protect people's privacy online as soon as possible.

    Countries, such as the United States and China in particular, which are global leaders in the use of big data should accelerate legislation（立法）on how it can be collected and for what purposes it can be used.

    At the same time, a closer watch should be kept on the world's major internet companies, such as Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu to ensure they do not acquire unnecessary personal information or misuse the information they obtain. Despite the huge challenge such personal data protection may pose to their established profit-making models, these companies should know that the more powerful they are, the bigger responsibilities they shoulder.

    Strengthened efforts for personal privacy protection do not mean that big data must not be used, but that it is used appropriately. Big data is like a mountain or gold, and overemphasis on its security at the expense of its use will undoubtedly waste a valuable resource. The key problem is how to promote its use while guaranteeing people's privacy to be protected.

    Eighty-five-year old Chinese pharmacologist(药理学家) Tu Youyou became China's first winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine when it was announced that she was one of three scientists awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in developing effective drugs against parastic diseases.

    Tu was honored for developing artemisin（青蒿素）,a drug for malaria that has saved millions of lives across the globe,especially in the developing world,the Nobel Assembly at karolinska Institue disclosed on its website on Monday.Tu,a Chinese trained pharmacologist and a researcher at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing, went to Stockholm, Sweden in December to receive her award, according to Cao Hongxin, the science and technology department head of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

    "She was calm and said she has received lots of congratulatory calls." Cao told China Daily on Monday after he telephoned Tu to congratulate her. "It's an overdue（迟来的）honor for Tu and the world's recognition of traditional Chinese medicine," he said.

    "Tu's breakthrough in winning the Nobel Prize in a natural science is the pride of the whole nation and the whole Chinese scientific community," said Zhou Dejin, spokesman of the Chinese Academy of Science, China's national research body that consists of more than one hundred research insistutes, universities and research branches,

    "The achievement of discovering artemisinin was made in the 1970s, but it only received international recognition in later years, which suggests that we might have more achievements that have reached the Nobel Prize level but have not been recognized." Zhou said.

Four Best Zoos in the US

Saint Louis Zoo

Saint Louis Zoo is devoted to research and conservation. In 2022, it received the Worldwide Conservation Award from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums for research and work in the Galapagos Islands. The zoo is home to more than 16.000 animals, which are kept in clean and spacious natural habitats （栖息地）. Open year-round and free to visit, Saint Louis Zoo houses Andean bears, polar bears and Sumatran orangutans, to name a few.

Zoo Atlanta

Opened in 1889 and one of the oldest zoos in the US. Zoo Atlanta is one of the top zoos worth visiting in Atlanta. Home to giant pandas. Sumatran tigers and western lowland gorillas （猩猩）. the zoo participates in local and global conservation programs. Visitors say the gorilla s and giant pandas are two of the highlights here. Adults (12-64): $34; Seniors (65 &over): $32; Children (3-11): $26; Children (3 &under): free.

Bronx Zoo

With more than 700 species and an area of 265 acres, Bronx Zoo in New York City is the largest urban zoo in the US. Since it's hard to see the entire zoo in one day, prioritize must-see attractions like the Wild Asia Monorail （单轨列车） and the Congo Gorilla Forest during your visit. Adults (13 &over): $33.95+; Seniors (65 &over): $28.95+; Children (3-12): $23.95+; Children (2 &under): free.

Oakland Zoo

Oakland Zoo is situated about 20 miles east of down town San Francisco. It is home to more than 850 native and foreign species. Visitors can see African lions, American alligators and grizzly bears in large natural habitats. Zoogoers say they like the hillside layout and the Sky Ride that affords bird's-eye views of the animals. Children under 2 years and seniors (76+): free; Children (2-14) and adults (15-75): $15.75.