Released on Aug 30, a three-episode web series titled Escape From the British Museum has gone viral online for its touching and innovative narrative (叙事). The series follows the journey home of a Chinese jade teapot that has come to life as a girl. She runs away from the British Museum and comes across a Chinese journalist who helps the artifact return to China. The series, created by two Chinese vloggers, aims to raise broader awareness of Chinese artifacts that were stolen or looted (掠夺) from China and are displayed or stored in the British Museum. 

The video series echoes the Chinese people's call for the British Museum to return these Chinese artifacts. However, some UK media outlets said that the video series promotes nationalism (民族主义). In fact, every country whose artifacts are displayed or stored in the British Museum wants them back. These countries, such as Greece, Nigeria and Sudan, have already issued their demands for the return of artifacts. It's fair enough to say these demands are shared. They can correct centuries-old wrongs by having the UK return artifacts to their rightful homes.

An opinion in the UK newspaper The Telegraph said that if the British Museum gives back its collection of artifacts, then nationalism will win over humanity's common heritage. It also said that the artifacts were "lawfully acquired (合法取得) " by the UK. By "lawfully acquired", does the writer mean the artifacts were acquired with the "help" of machine guns and warships? Or does he mean that the cultural artifacts of African, Asian and American countries should be kept in the hands of looters, rather than in their land of origin?

    I have a special place in my heart for libraries. I have for as long as I can remember. I was always an enthusiastic reader, sometimes reading up to three books a day as a child. Stories were like air to me and while other kids played ball or went to parties, I lived out adventures through the books I checked out from the library.

    My first job was working at the Ukiah Library when I was 16 years old .It was a dream job and I did everything from shelving books to reading to the children for story time.

    As I grew older and became a mother, the library took on a new place and an added meaning in my life. I had several children and books were our main source(来源) of entertainment. It was a big deal for us to load up and go to the local library, where my kids could pick out books to read or books they wanted me to read to them.

    I always read ,using different voices ,as though I were acting out the stories with my voice and they loved it !It was a special time to bond with my children and it filled them with the wonderment of books .

    Now, I see my children taking their children to the library and I love that the excitement of going to the library lives on form generation to generation.

    As a novelist, I've found a new relationship with libraries. I encourage readers to go to their local library when they can't afford to purchase a book. I see libraries as a safe haven(避风港) for readers and writers, a bridge that helps put together a reader with a book. Libraries, in their own way, help fight book piracy(盗版行为) and 1 think all writers should support libraries in a significant way when they can. Encourage readers to use the library. Share library announcements on your social media. Frequent them and talk about them when you can.

Isn't it nice to always have a lovely dog follow you around and respond when asked to sit down or shake hands? What if the dog has some unique skills, such as standing on one leg while resting on a piece of doufu without destroying it, or continuously making back turns? This would be even better.

In fact, a life-like robotic dog developed by Chinese tech company Xiaomi Corp seems like that special one. Weighing 8.9 kilogram, about the size of a Doberman, CyberDog 2 is the latest push by Xiaomi to popularize quadrupedal (四足动物) robotics.

With a black, fantastic, futuristic design, CyberDog 2 can trot along at speeds of 3.2 meters per second, analyze its surroundings in real-time, create navigation al maps, plot its destination, and avoid obstacles.

"Coupled with human posture and face recognition tracking, CyberDog is capable of following its owner and darting around barriers," said Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi. Behind such functions are Xiaomi's self-developed CyberGear Micro-actuator, which further enhances the robot's mobility and supports high difficulty movements. CyberDog 2 is equipped with a combination of sensing and decision-making system, offering 19 sensors for vision, touch and hearing. Lei said CyberDog 2 is designed more for engineers and robotic enthusiasts than ordinary consumers. It is priced at 12,999 yuan ($1,800) and greater efforts are needed to make it multifunctional.

Xiaomi is not alone in showing an interest in quadrupedal machines. US company Boston Dynamics had pioneered the quadrupedal format for robots. Last year, the company brought out Spot for $74,500and the robot has been put to a wide range of uses, from surveying dangerous mines to helping doctors connect with patients remotely. It has also been tested by both law enforcement and the military, though not as a weapon. Earlier this year, Chinese robotics firm Unitree also released a quadrupedal bot to popularize the machines.

We learn about the world through the knowledge accumulated (积累) over  thousands of years. Standing on the shoulders of great men, we don't have to experience endless trial and error, just as the wheels do not have to be reinvented each time to run a car. But where does our ability to learn from others come from?

A study led by Markus Paulus, professor at Loyola Marymount University, shows that the ability has its roots in earliest childhood. "I's generally assumed that children's ability to imitate (模仿) is in born, but according to our observation, children imitate because they themselves are imitated by caregivers. This interaction enables a cultural transfer of knowledge, which, through generations' efforts, consequently leads to the development of human beings," says Markus Paulus.

In this research, Paulus recorded the interaction between mother and child over several months. The babies came into the lab for the first time at the age of 6 months, while their final visit was when they were 18 months old. As they engaged in various play situations, the interactions and imitations of mother and child were analyzed. The long-term study showed what the more sensitive a mother was in her interactions with her six-month-old child and the more often she imitated the baby, the greater the child's overall ability was at the age of 18 months.

Paulus' research shows that mutual imitation is the keystone of knowledge transfer, through which children successfully learn various skills, such as how to use objects, waving and acquisition of language. "This interaction is the nucleus of learning and, finally, gives rise to evolutionary success of human," says Paulus.

"Culural learning is an essential part of human evolution, and it is rooted in the imitation of others, particularly oun caregivers during our earliest childhood," says Paulus. "Through this, we learn from each other and pass on knowledge to the next generation, so certain actions or techniques do not have to be constantly invented again."

A Letter from Willa Cather to President TomaS Masaryk

Honored Sir, 

Your letter, sent to me through your Legation at Washington, confers upon me great honor and gives me great pleasure. I am glad to have carried a message from the Bohemian (波希米亚) neighbors, whom I grew up with, to their home country of the

Czech Republic.

I have just returned to New York, where I had the pleasure of taking Annie Pavelka, the living "Antonia" in my book My Antonia, and six of her children to the first screening of A Lost Lady. I have the good fortune to proserve relations with most of my characters. "Antonia" and her splendid children are flesh and blood realities. Every time I go back to them, I feel how much more interesting and lovable they are than my picture of them. I wish I could present them to you in person.

I regret that I cannot satisfactorily meet your kind request for biographical (传记的) material. I avoid biographers, asking them to wait until I get my work further along. My first novel was published in 1912, and a period of twelve years is hardly long enough for a writer to find the form best suited for writing. I was not young when I began to write, and though living is a good preparation for writing, I do need more time to acquire a simple and modest way of presenting my work, however well I know what I wish to present.

I am able to send you a very good photograph taken recently. I enclose a short biographical account which my publishers use for publicity purposes, and some casual reviews. Biographies usually begin to come along just about the time a writer has no more to say, and I do not feel that time has yet come to me.

I beg you, President Masaryk, to believe in my grateful appreciation of your letter.

Respectfully yours,

Willa Cather

For all programmers and processor industry participants, the RISC-V website is almost a must-visit as an open standard. Instruction Set Architecture, which is defined as the design of a computer from. the programmer's perspective, enabling a new er a of processor innovation through open cooperation.

Unlike X86 and ARM, which are owned by certain enterprises, RISC-V is an open one, allowing anybody to download its instructions handbook and use it. Maybe that is why some US lawmakers are targeting RISC-V. Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Mark Warner have reportedly been urging US President Joe Biden to take action regarding RISC-V, because, they fear that Chinese companies might make use of the open-source platform to improve their chips(芯片) technology.

Maybe the legislators(立法者) do not realize that by targeting RISC-V they are targeting not only a company or a platform but the idea of openness itself. Being a US company. RISC-V has a global membership, with a number of Chinese and US enterprises as members. It has for long been known as an open-minded institution promoting technological cooperation despite the political tensions, and the US lawmakers targeting it seem to be closing one of the last channels of technology communication between China and their nation.

By doing so they are harming the United States' own interests and its technological leadership in the world. Open source is a good computing tool that benefits those who share programs as well as those who learn from it. The Android smartphone system, for example, has developed largely because Google decided to make it an open-source system, which attracted worldwide smartphone businesses to adopt its standard.

The US lawmakers might next target GitHub, or, some day, even forbid programmers from accessing the Internet. That will only lead to the US losing its technological edge, never to get it back again.

Every order of takeout comes with a side of single-use plastics and each plastic fork. knife, spoon and straw-whether or not you wanted it or used it-ends up in the trash.

New research found that 139 million metric tons of single-use plastic waste was generated in 2021-six million metric tons more single-use plastics compared to 

2019. A hunger for takeout meals during the pandemic contributed to the surge. 

An estimated 60% of Americans order takeout or delivery at least once a week and online ordering is growing 300% faster than in-house dining; that means millions of single-use plastic utensils (餐具) are going out with every order. 

New laws aim to address the problem. Some of the recent bills are thanks to The National Reuse Network, part of the environmental nonprofit Upstream, which launched a national Skip the Stuff campaign to work out policies that require restaurants to include single-use plastic utensils, straws, and napkins only when customers request them. 

The bills also require meal delivery and online apps like Uber Eats, GrubHub and Door Dash to add single-use extras to their menus; customers can choose the items and quantities to have them included in the order. Customers that don't order the single-use plastics won't receive them. The goal of the bills is to reduce the 40 billion plastic utensils sent to the landfill (垃圾填埋场) every year. 

"Most of the time, people are taking food home or to their offices where there are reusable utensils so these utensils wind up in a drawer or get thrown out," says Alexis Goldsmith, national organizing director for a nationwide project Beyond Plastics. "Some people do need utensils, but for the most part, they're not needed."

To date, Skip the Stuff bills have been passed in several cities, including Denver, Washington, D.C. and Chicago, California and Washington state passed statewide bills that make single-use plastic "accessories" available with takeout orders only upon request. 

Organizations like Upstream, Beyond plastics and NRDC have created toolkits to help additional communities launch their own Skip the Stuff campaigns. 

Currently, the ability to speak English fluently has become a necessity for individuals and countries to participate in the global economy. This is particularly true for countries that heavily rely on international trade and investment. Singapore is a perfect example of such a country. 

Singapore is a small city-state located in Southeast Asia. Despite its small size, it has become one of the most prosperous and innovative economies in the world, This nation has gained a reputation for having a good quality of life, well-developed infrastructure (基础设施), and a favorable climate for businesses, While there are four official languages in Singapore, English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil, English is the most commonly used language in business, education, and government. 

English has played a crucial role in Singapore's economic development. The country's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, acknowledged the significance of English in the international business environment and made it a priority to promote English learning in Singapore. He saw English as a tool to connect Singapore to the world and attract foreign investment. The government carried out policies to promote English learning, such as making English the medium of instruction in schools and providing financial support for teachers to teach English. 

As a result of these policies, Singaporeans have become proficient in English, and this has given them a competitive edge in the global economy. Singapore is home to many multinational corporations, and English proficiency is a critical factor for these companies when selecting employees. Singaporeans' proficiency in English has also made it easier for them to conduct business with other countries, particularly those in the Western world. As a consequence, the country started marching forward steadily towards prosperity. 

One destination is always on trend: the beach, People ready to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life are looking to discover tranquility (宁静) along a picturesque beach. Check out the list below to discover beaches you like. 

Baby Beach in Maui. Hawaii

It scores the top spot for the calmest beach in the world with its calm waters. "Baby Beach is an ideal beach for families with toddlers," Betts said. "Since the waters are so calm and shallow, it provides the perfect opportunity for children to splash around in the ocean."

Browne's Beach in Bridgetown, Barbados

This famous half-mile expanse of white sand draws crowds with its calm, crystal-clear waters. It is celebrated for its natural beauty and historical significance, boasting landmarks like the Barbados Yacht Club and the Barbados Cruising Club. 

Mauna Kea Beach on Hawaii Island, Hawaii

Fronting the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Hawaii Island, Mauna Kea Beach is ideal for visitors to peacefully enjoy the Pacific Ocean. With its calm and clear conditions, it's an ideal destination for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. 

Playa LaEntrega in Oaxaca, Mexico

Situated along the Oaxacan coastline in a protected bay, Playa La Entrega offers a peaceful mix of natural beauty and adventure. Translating to "the delivery" in English, the beach was once a delivery point for goods during colonial times. It's a popular place to snorkel along coral reefs filled with marine life. Visitors can rent snorkel gear or buy fresh fruit from local vendors. 

Thanks to this new hands-free suitcase, carrying around heavy luggage may soon become a thing of the past. Designed by an Israeli company NUA Robotics, this "smart" suitcase will follow you everywhere you go.

The carry-on suitcase, currently a prototype (雏形), connects to a smart phone app via Bluetooth. It has a built-in camera sensor that can "see" you and follow you around on flat surfaces like airport floors. It comes with an anti-theft alarm to prevent someone carrying it away when you're not looking and it has a backup battery that you can use to charge all your devices.

"It can follow and carry things for people around while communicating with their smart phone, and avoiding obstacles," explained Alex Libman, founder of NUA Robotics. "We're combining sensor network, computer vision, and robotics. So if you download our app, press the follow-me button, the luggage recognizes the specific user and knows to follow and communicate."

NUA is still testing the device and trying to improve features like speed and customization (定制), but they hope to make the suitcase available to customers in a year's time. If it proves successful, they want to use the Bluetooth pairing technology to automate lots of other devices, like shopping carts at the supermarket. These devices are especially meant to be useful to the physically disabled and elderly. "Any object can be smart and robotic," Libman said, "We want to bring robots into everyday life."

The Israeli tech company made it clear that the finished product will look just like a regular suitcase. They're planning to partner with a carry-on luggage maker, since the device that makes it "smart" weighs just 2.5 pounds and can be fitted on old-fashion luggage.

With NUA's smart suitcase, carrying round heavy luggage isn't a burden. But how their invention will handle tough obstacles like stairs? It will be interesting to wait.