Mr Gao lives in a town. When he was twenty-five, his son was born. He called him Gao Ling. The little boy is very clever and his parents love him very much.

    It's September 1 today. A new school year begins. Gao Ling is happy and wears his most beautiful clothes. He's going to school with his new bag.

    "Let me take you to school today, dear," says Mrs Gao.

    "Thank you, Mum," says the boy. "The school is not far from here. I can walk there myself."

    At school a teacher meets the little boy and asks, "What's your name, my little friend?"

    "Gao Ling, sir," answers the boy.

    "How old are you?"

    "Six, sir."

    "What's your father's name?"

    "Gao Dalin, sir."

    "How old is he?"

    "He's six too, sir."

    "Oh," he says in surprise. "Is he as old as you?"

    "Yes, sir." says the boy. "He became a father at the time when I was born."

    Everyone faces challenges in their life, but some are more important than others. Daniel Kish had serious problems with his eyes when he was born. And doctors took away both of his eyes before he was fourteen months old.

    Soon after, however, he started to do an amazing thing. He started to make clicking(咔嗒) sounds with his tongue(舌头) to help him move around. Much like a bat(蝙蝠), he now moves about using sonar(声呐). He is so good at it that he can ride a bicycle in traffic. He and his group, World Access for the Blind, teach others how to use sonar. In this interview with National Geographic, Kish explains how the process works.

    How does sonar work?

    "When I make a clicking sound, it makes sound waves. These waves reflect(反射) off surfaces all around and return to my ears. My brain then processes the sounds into images(图像). It's like having a conversation with the environment

    When you click, what do you see in your mind?

    "Each click is like a camera flash. I make a 3D image of the things around me for hundreds of feet in every direction

    What is it like riding a bike using sonar?

    "It's exciting and enjoyable but requires a lot of focus. I click up to two times per second, much more than I usually do."

    Is it dangerous to move around the world in this way?

"Much of the world lives in fear of things that we mostly imagine. I have a habit of climbing anything and everything, but I never broke a bone (骨头) as a kid."

    How challenging is it to teach people to use sonar?

    "Many students are surprised how quickly results come. Seeing isn't in the eyes, it's in the mind."

    "We only had one recess (课间休息) today!" a girl from Connecticut said sadly to her mom. The mother, Lucy Dathan wishes her daughter had more recess time. "It helps kids build relationships and be creative thinkers," Dathan is working to pass a state bill(议案). The bill would require at least 50 minutes of recess every day.

    Advantages of recess

    There was a report about recess in 2017. It said that playtime encourages kids to be active. It can build healthy bodies. It also helps kids make friendships. Last year, the state started requiring two recess periods a day. Most U.S. schools offer 27 minutes. But some schools offer none at all.

    Powerful Voices

    At least six states have laws that require primary schools to provide recess. Other states are considering the same thing. Kids can help. In Arkansas, they asked lawmakers to consider a state bill. This bill requires 40 minutes of recess. Izzy Kopsky is one of those kids. Playing with his friends is his favorite part of recess, but he felt like he didn't have enough time to do that. He spoke in front of lawmakers and told them that more recess time could help students pay attention in class. The governor of Arkansas signed the state's recess bill on April 1st.He likes the kids' efforts. "Young people can have a powerful voice."

    Test Case

    Many schools have to make sure students do well on state tests. That's why some schools have shorter recess. It makes more time for class. But cutting back on recess may not be the right choice. Recess can improve a child's memory and focus.