There's a whole lot of things that people fill their stomachs with. Some of them keep people alive. Some of them taste good to people. Some of them help people win pie-eating contests. Alcohol does none of these things. Why do people keep drinking it? And what does it do once it gets to their stomachs?

    There are all kinds of alcohol molecules (分子), but the one that people most often pour down their throat is ethanol (乙醇). Ethanol is very tiny and it dissolves in water, so it gets into all sorts of places that it's not supposed to. Alcohol heads for the digestive system. Because it dissolves in water, it can get into the water in the bloodstream. Because ethanol, to a certain extent, can pass through cell membranes(膜). It can go almost anywhere. It spreads through the muscles, and is sweated（出汗） — unmetabolized(未经新陈代谢的) and whole — through the skin. It gets into the heart. It even takes a walk through the brain, and this is the secret of its powers.

    Alcohol depresses the nerves, and the nerves affect almost every area of the body. Enough alcohol makes people sleep, so people who become unconscious choke on their own vomit (呕吐物). Most worryingly, enough alcohol can shut down those parts of the brain just like any other parts. People become unconscious and their brains simply forget to breathe.

    Alcohol is broken down in the liver. Alcohol doesn't destroy the liver, but products that the liver breaks the alcohol into do cause damage. A glass of wine per day can not do any harm. Instead, it can prevent heart attacks or can make someone functionally young. And it is kind of nice to know that sometimes, relaxation and cheer can be bottled. All that's needed is to take care how much alcohol is let into a person's brain.

    Are you nervous about climbing because you think it's too dangerous?Do you feel you're not fit enough to climb?Do you know how to start climbing?

    Let's consider the idea that climbing is dangerous.Being afraid is natural,but if you use suitable ropes and other climbing equipments you will feel completely safe.Climbers are usually very careful because they know what they are doing is dangerous.Accidents may happen,but when they do,they tend to attract a lot of publicity.As a result, people think there are many more accidents than there are in reality.

    You cannot expect to start climbing straight away.Climbing is a challenge and challenges take time.It is necessary first of all that you achieve a good level of fitness.Begin as soon as you become interested in climbing—go to the gym,go swimming,take up jogging and continue to do so throughout your training period.

    Discover as much as you can about climbing.Visit the library and find books especially for beginners or buy climbing magazines and look for articles which describe your situation.Look up information on the Internet.Find out about equipment,methods and places to go.

    Next,take a course on a climbing wall.There are plenty of climbing walls all over the country which have trained and qualified people as instructors.Call your local leisure centre to find out if there is one in your area.These training sessions are a quick way to get experience and you are likely to meet other beginners.After this,you can do an outside course or join a club where you can meet climbers of all abilities and eventually join in group-climbing events.

    At first you may not understand the importance of a good training period,but after you have completed your first climb and you are standing safely at the top of a rock feeling thrilled,then you will know it was the right thing to do.

    In June 2014, two leading media in America reported that three-year-old Victoria Wilcher, who suffered facial scarring, was kicked out of a KFC because she was a frightening customer. Later, KFC announced that no evidence had been found to support the story. This phenomenon is largely a product of the increasing pressure in newsrooms that care more about traffic figures.

    Brooke Binkowski, an editor, says that she has seen a shift towards less responsibility in newsrooms. “Clickbait is king, so newsrooms will uncritically print something unreal. Not all newsrooms are like this, but a lot of them are.”

    Asked what the driving factor was, a journalist said, “You've a strict editor and you've to meet your targets. And some young journalists are inexperienced and will not do those checks. So much news reported online happens online. There is no need to get out and knock on someone's door. You just sit at your desk and do it.”

    Another journalist says, “More clicks equal more money. At my former employer in particular, the pressure was due to the limited resources. That made the environment quite horrible to work in.”

    In a Feb. 2015 report for Digital Journalism, Craig Silverman wrote, “Today the bar for what is worth giving attention to seems to be much lower. Within minutes or hours, a badly sourced report can be changed into a story that is repeated by dozens of news websites, resulting in tens of thousands of shares. The rumor becomes true for readers simply by virtue of its ubiquity.”

    And, despite the direction that some newsrooms seem to be heading in, a critical eye is becoming more, not less important, according to the New York Times' public editor, Margaret Sullivan. “Reporters and editors have to be more careful than ever before. It's extremely important to question and to prove before publication.” Yet those working in newsrooms talk of doubtful stories being tolerated. In the words of some senior editors, “a click is a click, regardless of the advantage of a story”. And, “if the story does turn out to be false, it's simply a chance for another bite at the cherry.”

    In addition to the official basketball world, various other types of basketball are practiced around the world.

    Wheelchair Basketball

    Wheelchair basketball was invented in 1946 by former American basketball players, who, after wartime injury, wanted once again to experience the excitement of a highly athletic sport within a team environment. It is now played in more than 80 countries by over 25,000 men, women and children with a physical disability which prevents them from playing competitive basketball on their feet.

    http://www.iwbf.org

    Beach Basketball

    Beach basketball is an exciting, non-stop action game played in the sand. The game was born more than forty years ago on the physical education fields of Gulf Shores School. This kind of basketball, invented by Philip Bryant, has grown from an extremely effective skill improvement game to a very popular, widespread competitive sport.

    http://www.beachbasketball.com

    Street Basketball

    Street Basketball or streetball is mainly played as a leisure game, but streetball players can also compete against each other. There are no specific streetball rules and the game is played outdoors; the players make up their own rules to play. Streetball is very popular among younger players and allows players to publicly show their own individual skills.

    http://www.streetball.com

    Deaf Basketball

    Basketball for the deaf (unable to hear in one or both ears) men and women has been played since the early 1920s. The game today has exactly the same rules as FIBA (International Basketball Federation).

    http://www.dibf.org

    Bankshot Basketball

    Bankshot is a new game of skill and challenge that is often described as “mini golf, but with a basketball.” Bankshot is the only sports system that allows the able-bodied and athletes with a disability to play together at the same time. This game is about no running, jumping, or body contact(接触)and relies on the shooting skill.

    http://www.bankshot.com

    If you are taking vitamin supplements to reduce your risk of heart disease or cancer, a group of health experts want you to know that those vitamins may actually increase your risk of cancer.

    The US Preventive Services Task Force came to this conclusion after reviewing dozens of studies.

    Nearly half of adults in the US take at least one vitamin or mineral supplement on a regular basis. These pills are advertised as a way to promote general health. In some cases, manufacturers promote them as cancer fighters and heart protectors.

    Studies in animals and in laboratory dishes suggest that oxidative(氧化性的) stress contributes to diseases like cancer and heart disease. If so, there is a reason to believe that antioxidants—including beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and E—could be useful as preventive medicines.

    But when the Task Force examined the medical evidence on vitamins, it found “inadequate(不充分的) evidence” to support the claims that vitamin and mineral supplements benefit healthy adults.

    “Cardiovascular(心血管的) disease and cancer have a significant health impact in America, and we all want to find ways to prevent these diseases,” Dr. Virginia Moyer, who heads the Task Force, said in a statement. But so far, she added, the medical evidence does not show that taking vitamins is helpful in this regard.

    However, the Task Force did find “adequate evidence” that people with a raised risk for lung cancer actually increase their risk further by taking beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.

    The Task Force recommendations of taking vitamins regularly apply to healthy adults aged 50 and older who don't have “special nutritional needs”. The advice does not apply to children, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, people with chronic illnesses, or people who have to take supplements because they can't get all their essential nutrients from their diet.

    A research project jointly carried out by scientists from several British universities and institutes has drawn people's attention to the toothbrush again.

    Researchers have found that your toothbrush is home to more than 100 million bacteria. But there are hundreds of microorganisms in the mouths and your toothbrush probably won't make you sick unless there is an unhealthy balance of bacteria. Our immune system can usually take care of bacterial invaders. However, if others use your toothbrush, or you use someone else's, bacteria can be spread.

    They have also found the toothbrush holders are the third-most dirty household items (behind dish sponges and kitchen sinks), thus advocating cleaning the toothbrush holder regularly.

    The storage of your toothbrush in your bathroom is also important. Here are some storage tips from the researchers to keep your toothbrush as healthy as possible:

    Put your toothbrush as far away as possible from the toilet flushing.

    Let your toothbrush dry thoroughly between brushings.

    Don't use toothbrush covers, which can create a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

    Keep your toothbrush upright in a holder rather than lying down.

    Keep toothbrushes separate. If toothbrushes touch, they can exchange and spread bacteria.

    There are products available that claim to sanitize（消毒）your toothbrush. While some of these products do kill some bacteria, there is no evidence that using them will reduce your risk of illness, according to the researchers.

    They recommend replacing your toothbrush every three to four months or more often if you are sick or if you have a weakened immune system. Children's toothbrushes may need to be replaced more often than adult brushes.