A Dutch artist and designer has come up with a device which he hopes will get rid of pollutants from Beijing's smog skies, creating clean air for the city's mask-wearing people.

    An electromagnetic field（电磁场） will pullparticles（微粒） in the smog to the ground where they can be easily cleaned.

“It's like when you have a balloon which has static（静电） and your hair goes toward it. Same with the smog,” says artist Daan Roosegaarde.

    His studio has reached an agreement with the Beijing government to test the technology in one of tile capital's parks.

    With its skies regularly covered by dirty gray smog, Beijing this week announced a series of emergency measures to handle the problem.

    Roosegaarde says an indoor model device has already proven it works and is confident that the results — with the help of a team of scientistsand engineers — can be replicated outside.

  “Beijing is quite a good place because the smog in Beijing is quite low. It lies in a valley so there's not so much wind. It's a good environment to explore this kind of thing.”

  “We'll be able to purify the air and the challenge is to get the top of the smog so you can see the sun again.”

    Roosegaarde acknowledges that projects like this are a way of drawing attention to the problem, rather than a practical solution to Beijing's awful air pollution.

  “This is not the real answer for smog. The real answer has to do with clean cars, different industry and different lifestyles.”

    However, he hopes the project will make a “fundamental statement” by allowing the city's people to realize the difference between breathing clean and smog-filled air.

    Britons may like to complain a lot, but they rarely do so right now, explains BBC writer Ruth Margolis. They would rather grumble (发牢骚) afterward. This is because Britons hate to put someone out and cause any embarrassment. Margolis writes, “For instance, I'm much more comfortable just leaving that piece of raw chicken on my plate instead of complaining to restaurant staff. But beware: if this kind of thing happens when you're dining with an American, they will most likely speak up on your behalf and not understand why you find this ashamed.”

    In a BBC blog post comparing cultural differences between the UK and the US, Margolis mentions a few other things that Americans like to do that are offensive to Britons.

● Not making introductions

    Margolis says most Britons dislike this approach because “talking to strangers without being introduced gives them a stomachache”. Americans rarely introduce a new friend to their friends at parties. Strangers are supposed to introduce themselves.

● “Quite” good

    Using “quite” to mean “very” happens a lot in the US. But if you are invited to a dinner party in Britain, don't describe the meal as “quite good” if you want to express high praise. To Britons' ears, “quite” detracts from the “good”: the meal was OK but could have been better.

● Money Talk

    Americans can talk about money subjects for hours without feeling uncomfortable. For Britons, says Margolis, “Talking about how much we make is unthinkable — even 1ess so than discussing our feelings.”

● Over-politeness

    “It's not that I want shop assistants to be actively rude. But neither do I want to expend energy responding to someone who's been paid to ask: ‘How are you today?'” says Margolis. In the US, it is not unusual to be greeted by a perfect stranger as “honey” or “sweetie”. But Margolis says Britons find put-on friendliness, especially in stores, deeply irritating.

    Many Americans think of driverless cars as a futuristic technology that will revolutionize travel in cities and along state highways. But recent experiments are proving that autonomous vehicles also have the potential to improve the quality of life for millions of Americans underserved by traditional modes of transportation, such as the elderly and disabled, so long as lawmakers make smart policies that pave the way for innovation.

    A retirement community in San Jose, Calif. , which has been transformed by a small fleet of driverless taxis, shows the potential of self-driving cars to transform people's lives. Built by a tech start-up called Voyage, the modified Ford Fusions are currently limited to a two-mile road, but residents are already having the benefits of these autonomous vehicles, which allow them to participate in social activities they would otherwise be unable to enjoy simply because they could not get to them.

    When the trial run finally expands to 15 miles of road, these residents—whose average age is 76—will also have a convenient and reliable new way to appointments. As these cars continue to serve residents there, it is easy to understand why California is moving to simplify regulations for the industry.

    In Michigan, forward-thinking policies have the potential to unlock other hidden benefits of autonomous vehicles, especially for those with physical disabilities. The Michigan Disability Rights Coalition has strongly advocated for the development of this technology, saying that it could give people with disabilities greater opportunities in the workforce and enable them to lead more fulfilling, independent lives.

    Many recognize that autonomous vehicles will be the future of transportation, but it is too often overlooked that this future cannot arrive fast enough for millions of Americans who are forced to depend on others for day-to-day travel. The policymakers should follow the lead of places like California and Michigan, and pass rules and regulations to unlock these hidden benefits of driverless cars.

    Unemployment in the United States is still high at 6.7％. But for job seekers, especially those with college educations, researchers say finding a job can be as easy as logging(登录)on to a computer. It used to be that looking for a job meant hurrying around, knocking on doors and turning to ads. But that's changing, thanks to the Internet. A new report says, for college graduates, looking for a job is getting easier. More than 80 percent of the jobs are available online.

    At the height of the depression(萧条), in the U. S. the highest unemployment rate was 10％, just a little more than two million jobs were being posted each month. But as the recovery takes hold, the job picture looks increasingly bright.

    That's great news for Hamilton. Only once has he ever applied in person for a job at a shopping mall. He said, "I think my generation—the idea of going door to door, out knocking and saying, hey are you hiring? —like that—doesn't exist anymore…those days are gone. Just go online.''

Kim Dancy recently graduated with a master's degree in Public Policy. She found her dream job as an education policy researcher. But she says finding the perfect job online takes a lot of perseverance. She said, "It can be really frustrating and it takes a long time, but if you applied for enough positions and really do your homework you will get somewhere.

    The report's findings suggest careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math provide the greatest opportunities, with salaries that range between $30 to $45 an hour. But for maximum income and satisfaction, workers must be prepared to move and change jobs at least every five years.

    NASA has a new job listing, and it's no joke. The US space agency is looking for a "joker" to join their planned mission to Mars.

    A mission to Mars is no laughing matter. On average, the red planet is 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) away from Earth. A trip there would take around eight months in a small spacecraft. And Mars has a communications delay of 20 minutes. This means that astronauts will have to wait 20 minutes for a reply, when an emergency happens.

    "When you're living with others in a confined space for a long period of time, such as on a mission to Mars, problems are likely to occur," Jeffrey Johnson, a scientist at the University of Florida, told The Guardian.

    This is probably why NASA wants an astronaut with a sense of humor. "These are people that have the ability to pull everyone together," Johnson said.

    In stressful situations, perhaps humor is a way to know we aren't alone. By laughing together, we share our stress. Then we can focus on our jobs instead of just worrying.

    There are other examples of team "clowns". One example is the journey to the South Pole led by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. It was a difficult journey full of danger. Adolf Lindstrom, a cook at Amundsen's team, was a "clown". He made people laugh through the whole journey. Amundsen later wrote that Lindstrom was the most valuable member of the team.

    But if you're hoping that your favorite TV comedian will fly to Mars, that probably won't happen.

    "Being funny won't be enough to land somebody the job," Johnson said. "They also need to be an excellent engineer."

    Besides, they must be in top physical condition.

It is believed that Chinese knotting, also known as zhongguojie, originated for recording information and exchanging messages {#blank#}1{#/blank#} writing was invented. Over the past thousands of years, knots {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (play) an important part in the life of Chinese. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (initial), Chinese knots acted as good -luck charms to drive away evil spirits. Today, Chinese knots are widely used to decorate homes during festivities.

A major characteristic of Chinese knots is that they are often tied from a single continuous length of string. The knots are commonly named {#blank#}4{#/blank#} the shape it takes. Chinese knots are created in a {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (various) of colors such as gold, green, blue, or black, though the most commonly used color is red, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} symbolizes good luck and prosperity.

Crafting the Chinese knot is a three-step process {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (involve) tying knots, tightening them and adding the finishing touches. The knots {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (pull) tightly together and are strong enough to be used for binding or wrapping, making them very practical.

Today, most of such knots are often mass manufactured in factories. Skilled knot artists weave complex knots that you might see {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (sell) as souvenirs that you can take back with you. If you have time, why not try your hand at it? Perhaps these age-old charms can add {#blank#}10{#/blank#} touch of good luck to your daily life?