If you think American cooking means opening a package and throwing the contents into the microwave oven (微波炉)，think again. On the one hand, it's true that many Americans have cold cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and instant (方便的) dinners. From busy homemakers to working people, many Americans enjoy the convenience (方便) of fast food that can be ready to serve in 10 minutes or less. On the other hand, many Americans realize the importance of cooking skills. Parents—especially mothers'—see the importance of training their children- especially daughter's. Most Americans think that there's nothing better than a good home-cooked meal. But with cooking, as with any other skill, good results don't happen by accident.

    Probably every cook has his or her own way of cooking. But there are some basic skills that most people follow. For example, baking is a main method (方法) of preparing food in America. For that reason, Americans would find it next to impossible to live without an oven. American cooks pay special attention to the balance of foods, too. In planning a big meal they try to include meat, a few vegetables, some bread and often a dessert. They also like to make sure the meal is colorful. Having several different colors of food on the plate usually makes for a healthy meal.

    For those who need guidance in their cooking, or for those who have just run out of ideas, recipes are a great help. Recipes list all the ingredients for a dish (generally in the order used), the amount of each to use, and a description of how to put them together.

    Libraries are doing well in the digital times. Here are some of the most awesome examples.

    ⒈Freiburg University Library, Germany

    The original library of the Freiburg University was rebuilt in 2015 following the project of Degelo Architects. The new building has 41,000 square meters and looks like a cut diamond. Inside, there are 1,200 workspaces in four reading rooms plus 500 work areas. The library offers in the basement a system of automated checkout machines and 700,000 volumes that can be borrowed.

    ⒉Microlibrary at Taman Bima, Indonesia

    This wonderful little public library is located in a Kampung neighborhood near the Bandung airport, Indonesia. The building was designed by the Bandung office of SHAU architect studio. It has 160 square meters and is built upon a preexisting stage that was already used by the local community for events and gatherings. The Bima public library is the first of a series of similar microlibraries that are planned to be built across Indonesia.

    ⒊Public Library of Constitución, Chile

    The city in Constitución, Chile, was devastated by 8.8 degrees earthquake in 2010. The new public library, designed by Sebastian Irarrázaval, is a part of the initiative to rebuild the city. Constitución is one of the biggest clusters of wood production in Chile. This heritage is reflected in the construction of this post-disaster library. It's made almost entirely of wood, and only the firewalls are done with exposed poured concrete. The internal area of the library exceeds 350 square meters. The building was opened in 2015, five years after the earthquake.

    ⒋LiYuan Library, China

    Built in 2011 in a small village of Huairou on the outskirts（郊区）of Beijing, this beautiful nature-inspired library was designed by Li Xiaodong. The 175-square-meter building's interior is spatially diverse by using steps and small level changes to create distinct places. The wooden sticks temper the bright light and spread it evenly throughout the space to give a perfect reading environment. The library closes at dusk because there is no electricity in it.

    Car companies are developing vehicles that will plug into electric sockets(电源插座), just like many laptops, digital cameras, cell phones and MP4 do. Called "plug-in vehicles", these cars will get most of their power from electricity. Their drivers won't have to stop at gas stations as often as usual.

    The technology is more than just cool. In our car-filled world, plug-in vehicles could reduce the amount of gas we use, which keeps rising in cost now and then. Besides, driving around in these vehicles may even help the environment. Gas-burning cars produce a lot of greenhouse gas, which causes global warming.

    The first company-produced plug-in vehicles could hit the roads by 2020. But engineers still have a lot of work to do to make the technology practical and inexpensive.

    Batteries are the biggest challenge. In the plug-in-vehicle world, Li-ion(锂离子)batteries are getting the most attention. These batteries can store a large amount of energy in a small package, and they last a longer time between charges. Li-ion batteries can fit laptops, cell phones, heart instruments and other similar pocket ones.

    But because cars are so big and heavy, it would still require a suitcase-sized Li-ion batteries to power about 12km of driving. What's more, the batteries are much expensive.

    "A car filled with batteries could go a long distance," says Ted Bohn, an electrical engineer in Chicago. "But it couldn't pull any people, and it would cost $100,000." So researchers need to work out how to make batteries smaller and cheaper, among other questions.

    "The answers don't exist yet." Bohn says, "As a kid, I thought someone someplace knows the answer to everything. All of these questions haven't been decided. But that's what engineering is about--making a guess, running tests and getting fine results."

    Of all the things that will make life entirely happy, the greatest is the possession of friendship. One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives. Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.

    On the first Sunday in August, it's time to recognize your friends and their contribution to your life. The first Sunday in August was fixed as National Friendship Day by the U.S. Congress in 1935, and remains a tradition observed in many countries and cultures. In 1997, the United Nations named Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship.

    Apparently, there are several friendship holidays, all of which fall on fixed dates.

    National Friendship Day is on the first Sunday in August

    Women's Friendship Day is on the third Sunday in September

    International Friendship Month is February

    Old Friends, New Friends Week is the third week of May

    People show their appreciation for friendship in various ways. Some expressions may be practical ones, such as flowers, particularly the pink friendship roses, cookies, chocolates, souvenirs from their vacations, a tape of favorite songs, farewell dinners, and welcome balloons.

    Recipe for Friendship  2 cups of patience, 1 heart full of love, 2 handfuls of generosity, 2 cups of loyalty, 1 cup of understanding, A dash of laughter. Mix them all well. Spray generously over a lifetime and serve everyone you meet.

    Friendship helps to bring peace and positivity to the globe, another great reason to celebrate! Although our friends certainly deserve thanks on more than just one day of the year, what better day to honor them than Friendship Day!

    As the temperature rises, sweaty humans are making a response that is further worsening the problem of climate change. At present, the world just has 1.6 billion air conditioning units, but these units use a surprising total of ten percent of all global electricity supply. While less than a third of families globally are so equipped, the most AC-addicted countries are Japan (in 91 percent of families), the US (90 percent) and South Korea(86 percent).

    New research by the International Energy Agency (IEA) guesses that the total number of AC units is likely to increase to over 5.6 billion by 2050－equal to ten new units being sold every second for more than 30 years－with sales driven particularly by India, China and Indonesia. This will make the use of air conditioning one of the world's largest demands for energy.

    "Growing electricity demand for air conditioning is one of the most critical blind spots in today's energy debate," argues Faith Birol, executive director of the IEA. "With rising incomes, air conditioner ownership will skyrocket, especially in the developing world. While this will improve daily lives, it is quite necessary that efficiency performance be prioritized."

    Birol and the IEA stress the need for new efficiency standards to ensure that consumers are at least buying units that require significantly less power to function, therefore decreasing the total energy demand. Variations on the traditional "vapor compression" technology, which has formed the basis for AC units for more than a century, may appear really important. A water-based system was recently developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS), which uses 40 percent less electricity and produces only one by-product: drinkable water.

    "Our cooling system can be tailored for all types of weather conditions, from wet climate in the tropics to dry climate in the deserts," says associate professor Ernest Chua at NUS. "While it can be used for indoor living and commercial spaces, it can also be easily used to provide air conditioning for blocks of buildings in an energy-efficient manner."

How to keep yourself safe from newvirus?

After a new-type coronavirus(冠状病毒)was found in viral pneumonia(肺炎)cases,more cases have been reported in recent days.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}:

Wear masks outdoors

●Wearing a mask is one of the most effective ways to protect you from getting infected.

●Make sure to wear it properly by tightening up the nose clip and pulling the bottom of it over your chin (下巴).

●{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, a mask is also needed to prevent you from spreading germs to others.Cover your coughs and sneeze with tissue (纸巾) 

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or you can cough or sneeze into your sleeve, but avoid covering with your hands directly.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Wash your hands with soap and running water thoroughly for at least 15 seconds.

● Before eating and after using the toilet

● After returning home

● After touching trash or garbage

● After contacting with animals or handling animal wastes Strengthen your immune system and exercise regularly

● Exercise regularly is one of the most important ways to help you stay away from catching any infections.

● Make sure that shared spaces have good air flow and avoid going to crowded places such as hospitals, railway stations and airports.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

● Seek medical attention immediately if you have symptoms(症状) of fever and respiratory(呼吸的) infection.

● Avoid close contact with people who have flu or cold-like symptoms.

●{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.Avoid contact with wild animals or farmed livestock(牲畜) without any protection.

A.If your hands are not visibly dirty

B.Eat thoroughly cooked meat and eggs

C.If you are not feeling well or having a fever

D.Wash your hands frequently and properly

E.Visit your friends and relatives often as usual.

F.Wear a mask if transport or movement is necessary

G.To prevent catching the infection, here's what you can do