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　　As the railroads and the highways shaped the American West in the past centuries, a new electhical generating(发电)and transmission(输送)systen for the 21^th century will leave a lasting mark on the West, for better or worse．Much of the real significance of railroads and highways is not in their direct physical effect on the scenery, but in the ways that they affect the suurouding community．The same is true of big solar ppants and the power lines that will be laid dowm to move electricity around．

　　The 19^th century saw land grants(政府拨地)offered to railroad companies to build the transcontinental railroads, leaving public land in between privately owned land．In much of the west, some of the railroad sections were developed while others remained undeveloped, and in both cases the landownership has presented unique challenges to land management, with the completion or the interstate highway system, many of the small towns which sprang up as railway stops and developed well, have lost their lifeblood and died．

　　Big solar plants and their power lines will also have effects far beyond their direct footprint in the west．this is not an argument against building then, we need alternative energy badly．and to really take advantage of it we need to be able to move electricity around far more readily than we can now．

　　So trade-offs will have to be made．some scenic sport will be sacrificed．some species(物种)will be forced to move, or will be carefully moved to special accommodations, deals will be struck to reduce the immediate effects．

　　The lasting effects of these trade-offs are another matter．the 21^st century development of the American west as an ideal place for alternative energy is going to throw off a lot of power and money to do a lot of good．but it is just as likely that they will be spent wastefully and will leave new problems behind, just like the railroad and the highway．

　　The money set aside in negotiated trade –offs and the institution that control will shape the west far beyond the immediate footprint of power plants and transmission lines．so let’s remember the effects of the railroad and the highways as we construct these new power plants in the west．

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Students and Technology in the Classroom

　　I love my blackberry－it’s my little connection to the larger world that can go anywhere with me．I also love my laptop computer ，as it holds all of my writing and thoughts．Despite this love of technology, I know that there are times when I need to move away from these devices(设备)and truly communicat with others．

　　On occasion, I teach a course called History Matters for a group of higher education managers．My goals for the class include a full discussion of historical themes and ideas．Because I want students to thoroughly study the material and exchange their ideas with each other in the classroom, I have a rule－no laptop, iPads, phones, etc．When students were told my rule in advance of the class, some of them were not happy．

　　Most students assume that my reasons for this rule include unpleasant experiences in the past with students misusing technology．There’s a bit of truth to that．Some students assume that I am anti-technology．There’s no truth in that at all．I love technology and try to keep up with it so I can relate to my students．

　　The real reason why I ask students to leave technology at the door is that I think there are very few places in which we can have deep conversions and truly engage complex ideas．Interruptions by technology often break concentration and allow for too much dependence on outside information for ideas．I want students to dig deep within themselves for inspiration and ideas．I want them to push each other to think differently and make connections between the course the material and the class discussion．

　　I’ve been teaching my history class in this way for many years and the evaluations reflect student satisfaction with the environment that I create．Students realize that with deep conversation and challenge, they learn at a level that helps them keep the course material beyond the classroom．

　　I’m not saying that I won’t ever change my mind about technology use in my history class, but until I hear a really good reason for the change, I’m sticking to my plan．A few hours of technology-free dialogue is just too sweet to give up．

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ubmission Guidelines

　　Before sending us a manuscript(稿件), look through recent issues(刊物)of the Post to get an idea of the range and style of articles we publish．You will discover that our focus has broadened to include well-researched, timely and informative articles on finance, home improvement, travel, humor, and many other fields．

　　The Post’s goal is to remain unique, with content that provides additional understandings on the ever-evolving American scene．

　　In addition to feature-length(专题长度的)articles, the Post buys anecdotes, cartoons, and photos．Payment ranges from ＄25 to ＄400．

　　Our nonfiction needs include how-to, useful articles on gardening, pet care and training, financial planning, and subjects of interest to a 45-plus, home-loving readership．For nonfiction articles, indicate any special qualifications you have for writing about the subject, especially scientific material．Include one or two published pieces with your article．We prefer typed articles between 1000 and 2000 words in length．We encourage you to send both printed and online versions．

　　We also welcome new fiction．A light, humorous touch is appreciated．We are always in need of straight humor articles．Make us laugh, and we’ll buy it．

　　Feature articles average about 1000 to 2000 words．We like positive, fresh angles to Post articles, and we ask that they be thoroughly researched．

　　We normally respond to article submissions within six weeks．You are free to submit the article elsewhere at the same time．

　　Please submit all articles to Features Editor, The Saturday Evening Post, 1100 Waterway Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46202,(317)634-1100．

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　　“I Went Skydiving at 84!”

　　As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was almost unheard of for a woman to do that．I got a taste of that dream in 2011,when my husband arranged for me to ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday．But the experience turned out to be very dull．Around that time,I told my husband that I wanted to skydive．So when our retirement community(社区)announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream．

　　In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Brush Sr．did it at age 80．Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health．A year went by and I heard nothing．But then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners．I just couldn’t believe it．Inspired by this．I deeided to realize my dream,even though some of my family members and my doctor were against it．

　　On June 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I would land while I headed up in the airplane．My instructor, Jay, guided me through the experience．The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn’t frightened－I was really just looking forward to the experience．When we reached 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out of the plane．When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe．For a second I thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” But then everything got calmer．We were in a free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute(降落伞), then we just floated downward for about five minutes．Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I have ever felt－much better than the hot air ballon．I was just enjoying it．

　　Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life．I hope other people will look at me and realize that you don’t stop living just because you are 84 years old．If there’s something you want to experience, look into it．If it’s something that is possible, make it happen．

　　Human remains of ancient settlements will be reburied and lost to science under a law that threatens research into the history of humans in Britain, a group of leading archeologists(考古学家)says．In a letter addressed to the justice secretary, Ken Clarke, 40 archaeologists write of their “deep and widespread concern” about the issue．It centers on the law introduced by the Ministry of Justice in 2008 which requires all human remains unearthed in England and Wales to be reburied within two years, regardless of their age．The decision means scientists have too little time to study bones and other human remains of national and cultural significance．

　　“Your current requirement that all archaeologically unearthed human remains should be reburied, whether after a standard period of two years or a further special extension, is contrary to basic principles of archaeological and scientific research and of museum practice, ” they write．

　　The law applies to any pieces of bone uncovered at around 400 dig sites, including the remains of 60 or so bodies found at Stonehenge in 2008 that date back to 3, 000 BC．Archaeologists have been granted a temporary extension to give them more time, but eventuallly the bones will have to be returned to the ground．

　　The arrangements may result in the waste of future discoveries at sites such as Happisburgh in Norfolk, where digging is continuing after the discovery of stone tools made by early humans 950, 000 years ago．If human remains were found at Happisburgh, they would be the oldest in northern Europe and the first indication of what this species was．Under the current practice of the law those remains would have to be reburied and effectively destroyed．

　　Before 2008, guidelines allowed for the proper preservation and study of bones of sufficient age and historical interest, while the Burial Act 1857 applied to more recent remains．The Ministry of Justice assured archaeologists two years ago that the law was temporary, but has so far failed to revise it．

　　Mike Parker Pearson, an archaeologist at Sheffield University, said：“Archaeologists have been extremely patient because we were led to believe the ministry was sorting out this problem, but we feel that we cannot wait any longer．”

　　The ministry has no guidelines on where or how remains should be reburied, or on what records should be kept．

Humpback whales

Directions：Read the following three passages．Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements．For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D．Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read．

　　The teacher who did the most to encourage me was, as it happened, my aunt．She was Myrtle C．Manigault, the wife of my mother’s brother Bill．She taught in second grade at all-black Summer School in Camden, New Jersey．

　　During my childhood and youth, Aunt Myrtle encouraged me to develop every aspect of my potential, without regard for what was considered practical or possible for black females．I liked to sing; she listened to my voice and pronounced it good．I couldn’t dance; she taught me the basic dancing steps．She took me to the theatre _________ not just children’s theatre but adult comedies and dramas－and her faith that I could appreciate adult plays was not disappointed．

　　My aunt also took down books from her extensive library and shared them with me．I had books at home, but they were all serious classics．Even as a child I had a strong liking for humor, and I’ll never forget the joy of discovering Don Marquis’s Archy & Mehitabel through her．

　　Most important, perhaps, Aunt Myrtle provided my first opportunity to write for publication．A writer herself for one of the black newspapers, she suggested my name to the editor as a “youth columnist”．My column, begun when I was fourteen, was supposed to cover teenage social activities－and it did－but it also gave me the freedom to write on many other subjects as well as the habit of gathering material, the discipline of meeting deadlines, and, after graduation from college six years later, a solid collection of published material that carried my name and was my passport to a series of writing jobs．

　　Today Aunt Myrtle is still an enthusiastic supporter of her “favourite niece”．Like a diamond, she has reflected a bright, multifaceted(多面的)image of possibilities to every pupil who has crossed her path．

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　　Shay asked, “Do you think they’ll let me play?” Shay’s father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son, mentally and physically disabled, were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence．

　　Shay’s father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much．The boy looked around and said, “We’re losing by six runs(分)and the game is in the eighth inning(局)．I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the final inning．

　　Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart．The boys saw the father’s joy at his son being accepted．

　　In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three．In the top of the final inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the field．Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously joyful just to be in the game and on the field．In the bottom of the final inning, Shay’s team scored again．Now, Shay was scheduled to be next at bat．Would they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

　　Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat．Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible．The first pitch(投)came and Shay missed．The pitcher again again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Shay．As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher．

　　The pitcher could have easily thrown he ball to the first baseman and Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game．Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of　the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates, The audience and the players from both teams started screaming, “Shay, run to first! ”Never in his life had Shay ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked．

　　Everyone should, “Run to second!” Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second．By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team fir the first time, could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, but he understood the pitcher’s intentions and he too　intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head．

　　All were screaming, “Shay, Shay, Shay, all the way Shay．” Shay reached third base when one opposing player ran to help him and shouted, “Shay, run to third．” As Shay rounded third, all were on their feet, crying, “Shay, run home!” Shay ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who the who won the game for his team．

　　That day, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece true love and humanity into this world．Shay didn’t make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully hug her little hero of the day!