An earthquake is one of the most common natural disasters. It may cause great damage.  So it is wise to learn some simple safety tips to protect yourself or your family members.

    Fragile items, like those made of glass should usually be placed on a lower surface, near the ground instead of placing them on cupboards higher up. Never place them near your bed, sofas and other furniture where you would be sitting or lying down. When there is a strong movement, these pieces will fall on the floor directly and not on you.

    There is a strong chance of short circuits（短路）and fire breakouts during an earthquake. Make sure you turn off electrical connections and gas immediately when an earthquake happens.

    During an earthquake, lie beneath an object that is not easily damaged. Do not go near objects that could directly fall on you. Never use the elevator to go down. Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries happen when people inside buildings try to go out. Use the staircases at all times.

    If you are outdoors, do not take shelter under a tree, streetlights, electric poles or tall buildings. If you are driving, stop your car and stay in a safe place. Do not park your car under a tree or any tall object.

    If trapped in debris (瓦砾堆), cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing. Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can find you. Use a whistle (哨子) if one is available. Never shout for help. Shouting can cause you to breathe in dangerous amounts of dust. Do not light a match because you may burn yourself. Do not move about or kick up dust.

    Annie Oakley was born in 1860 in Darke County, Ohio. Her family was very poor. She decided to help family even when she was young, so she learned to use a gun, and began hunting animals for food. She could shoot them without losing the important parts of the meat.

    Soon her shooting ability became well known. When she was sixteen, she was invited to a competition with a famous marksman(神枪手) , Frank Butler. Annie surprised everyone by winning the competition. Later that year she and Frank married.

    In 1882 Annie Oakley and Frank Butler started putting on shows together. Frank Butler was the star of the show and she was his assistant. The famous native American leader, Sitting Bull, thought so highly of her shooting ability that he called her "Little Sure Shot". Later Annie Oakley became the star of the show and Frank Butler was her assistant. Posters （海报）for the show called her the "Champion Markswoman".

    During World War I, Annie Oakley wanted to train a group of women volunteers for the army, but the United States did not accept it. She gave American soldiers shooting lessons, and traveled across the country visiting many training camps. She gave shooting performance and raised money to support the American soldiers.

   Annie Oakley died on November 3, 1926. Eighteen days later, Frank Butler died too.

    American families are accustomed to settling in faraway places, which has been a national phenomenon. Decades of data, including a more recent Gallup study, characterizes the US as one of the most geographically mobile countries in the world. "About one in four US adults(24 percent) has reported moving within the country in the past five years." the reported noted. With the exception of Finns(23 percent) and Norwegians(22 percent), Americans move considerably more than their European peers.

    Though some may move for love or family, the major reason why Americans choose to move around is, unsurprisingly, related to work. Citing data from the Current Population Survey, a post on the blog of the New York Fed noted that between 1998 and 2013, "slightly more than half of interstate(州际的) migrants said they moved for employment­related reasons—a category that includes moves undertaken for new jobs, job transfers, and easier commutes(通勤)."

    The seeking of opportunity, particularly for an immigrant nation, is a national mythology(神话) as well as an emotional attachment to work. A new working paper analyzed by Ben Steverman at Bloomberg suggests that workers in the US now" put in almost 25 percent more hours than Europeans" in a given year. This figure has steadily risen since the 1970s, when the hours logged by workers in Western Europe and the US were roughly the same.

    There are, of course, some internal factors. The US is much vaster than most European countries, plus it boasts(拥有) a common language. It is considered to be a sign of an efficient labor market that US workers can be persuaded to move to regions where there is a steady growth in jobs, such as the Sun Belt in recent years. And while American workers often have fewer labor protections than their European counterparts, as a report by the World Bank noted in 2012, American "labor laws give employers the power to fire, hire, or relocate(重新安置) workers according to their needs", a flexibility that is thought to aid economic growth. The World Band report added that the occupation of the average US employee in 2006 was 4 years, compared to 10 years in the European Union.

    Nevertheless, while Americans remain excessively mobile, FaithKarahan and Darious Li at the New York Fed are the latest to note that US workers are moving around less than before. During the 1980s, 3 percent of working­age Americans relocated to a different state each year; that figure had been cut in half by 2010." While part of the decline can be attributed to the Great Recession," the authors suggest," thisphenomenon took place over the course of several decades and is not necessarily related to the economic conditions."

    So what accounts for this phenomenon? A round­up of theories by Brad Plumer at The Washington Post included the aging of the US workforce, the further rise of two­income households, the burdens of real estate, evolving workplace culture, as well as the flat line of wages, which makes moving away for a job, on average, a less rewarding financial proposition.

    Karahan and Li put much stock in the effects of an aging workforce, to which they attribute at least half of the decline in interstate migration. "In short, a young individual today is moving less than a young person did in the 1980s because of the higher presence of older workers," they write, suggesting that employers have shifted their employment tactics(策略) to adapt to the changing demographics(人口统计数据) of the workforce. Needless to say, movies about this era in American life, in which fewer people set out to start lives in wide­ranging places, will probably be much less exciting.

    If Confucius (孔子) were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. We'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out. While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.

    But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.

    In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually included Chinese art, history and philosophy (哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.

    So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.  Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West. As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.

Ken was my best friend for 30 years. I told him I would leave Chicago for Philadelphia to receive a new job there. "What do you mean you're leaving?" Ken asked angrily. "When did you interview for a job in another city? You had never told me before." I explained that was the new company's rule. "Like you couldn't tell me?" he asked. "I thought our friendship meant more to you than that." "I'm sorry," I said. But I would never give up the job because of friends.

Ken and I had met in a church. Then Ken was a college student studying mental health and I was working in a company. I found we both grew up in small towns and struggled for school life. He often volunteered in Thailand during school holidays. And I once worked there for five years. Talking with Keri gave me great pleasure. Gradually, our conversations even involved in deeper subjects, like our dreams.

I was older than Ken. When he married Lee, I gave him advice about marriage. By that time, I was running a television production business, and was under a lot of stress. It was Ken who encouraged me and helped me get through the hard time. He was a great guy. Even so, I didn't change my mind.

Anyway, when leaving Chicago, Ken and Lee had a warm farewell (告别) party. But we didn't talk much later. After September 2012, everything changed. It started with a letter from Ken: Lee had cancer. Unfortunately, I got divorced (离婚) later and everything was a mess.

In February 2013,I flew to Chicago to see Ken and Lee. We talked. I found there was no one I had ever been able to talk to quite like Ken. I needed to be there for Ken in any way I could. This friendship mattered more than work. When going back to Philadelphia, I left my job and bought a plane ticket that would mean a lot to the rest of my life.

For the past 60 years,the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has protected animals,restored lost habitats and advocated for policy changes that benefit wildlife.Now,the conservation organization is trying a new approach.

This year,AWF launched the inaugural Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards.The contest aims to reach a different audience.While photography competitions are nothing new,AWF hopes that the exhibition of winning entries will encourage African people to take a more active role in conservation.Its CEO Kaddu Sebunya said,"Africans need to take responsibility for the conservation of their heritage."

Photographers of all ages and backgrounds,professional and amateur,were invited to submit to the competition.A judging panel,comprised of photographers,conservationists,activists and safari guides,selected photos from 12 categories including "Art in Nature" "Coexistence and Conflict" and "Conservation Heroes".

 The "Conservation Heroes" category had special appeal for Kenyan conservation photographer Anthony Ochieng Onyango."I realized there was a communication gap because most of what was being communicated was data in scientific publications," said Onyango,adding that images are a simple way for people to connect to complex issues.

While there were many entries in the AWF competition,there's only one 19-year-old Cathan Moore from South Africa among the category winners.There's a lack of opportunity for young aspiring photographers on the continent.AWF is seeking grants and partnerships to enable more African people to participate next year,and to make nature photography competitions more accessible to those unable to pay or buy expensive camera equipment,allowing people to use whatever camera they have and photograph wildlife in urban environments.

Sebunya hopes that the competition can open up a dialogue about conservation and why it's so important for Africa's future.Many people in Africa look at conservation as a thing done by and for foreigners,said Sebunya.While he praised the work of international NGOs,he emphasized that it's vital that African voices are heard and for local people to lead conservation efforts.