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　　Yellow fever is a disease in warm lands that is found mainly along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean．It was first noticed in America, but may have come from Africa and reached the New World soon after Columbus．Yellow fever was one of the most feared diseases in the United States, where many died in repeated outbreaks．An outbreak, which was to lead to surprising development, was one that happened in Cuba during the Spanish-American War．

　　An army group under Walter Reed was sent there in June 1900 with orders to give special attention to questions about the cause and prevention of yellow fever．In many experiments, he proved the truth of an idea advanced in 1881 by a Cuban doctor that the city type of mosquitoes passed on the disease．They are born in pools of quiet and warm water, within a short distance of people's homes．

　　So a general came to Havana with orders from the United States government to dry up these pools．He carried out the task so well that the mosquitoes disappeared．Yellow fever never returned to Havana．A few years later the same general successfully repeated this operation in Panama and in this way made the building of the Panama Canal possible．It all seemed so simple．End the mosquitoes, end the disease．Man even began to dream of getting rid of yellow fever from the world．

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　　With petroleum reserve(石油储量)decreasing, the search is on to replace gas with a cleaner, greener alternative．Though much eco-talk has centered on biofuels from corn and soybeans, the biofuel that looks more likely to replace petroleum comes from a most unlikely source：algae(藻类)．

　　Algae, like corn, soybeans, and other crops, grow via photosynthesis(光合作用)and can be processed into fuel oil．However, they yield 30 times more energy than land crops such as soybeans, according to the U．S．Department of Energy．Many algae species also can grow in saltwater and polluted water－while corn and soy require arable(适于耕种的)land and fresh water that will be in short supply as the world’s population balloons．

　　“If you replaced all the diesel(柴油)in the U．S．with soy biodiesel, it would take half the land mass of the U．S．to grow those soybeans,” says Matt Caspari, chief executive of Aurora Biofuels, a Berkeley, Calif-based private firm that specializes in algae oil technology．On the other hand, the Energy Department says that if algae fuel replaced all the petroleum fuel in the United States, it would require only l5, 000 square miles, which is a few thousand miles larger than Maryland(12,407 squaree miles), the 42^nd state in land area．

　　Another advantages：Because algae can be grown just about anywhere in a closed space, they’re being tested at several power plants across the nation as a carbon absorber．Smokestack emissions(烟囱排放物)can be pumped directly into the ponds, feeding the algae while keeping greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere．

　　Although processing technology for algae fuel－also known as “oilgae” in some environmentalist circles－is improving, it’s still years away from reaching your local gas pump．“It’s just a question of cost, because no large-scale facilities have been built yet,” Caspari says．

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　　It’s really true what people say about English politeness：it’s everywhere．When squeezing past someone in a narrow aisle, people say “sorry”．When getting off a bus, English passengers say “thank you” rather than the driver．In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things．After all, squeezing past others is sometimes unavoidable, and the bus driver is only doing his job．I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles and came to appreciate some more polite ways of interacting(交往)with people．

　　People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time．When people buy something in a shop, customers and retail assistants in most cases thank each other twice or more．In Germany, it would be exceptional to hear more than one “thank you” in such a conversation．British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room．English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, as opposite to Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough．

　　Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize others．Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers emphasized(强调)several times that none of their words were intended as criticism．It has been my impression that by avoiding criticism, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable．This is also shown in other ways．British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat women to a meal than German men．However, I do need to point out here that this applies to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men! Yes, the latter(后者)are a bit tightfisted．

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　　I was in a terrible mood．Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me．I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in．“Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It’s a beautiful day．”

　　“No! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning．

　　My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later．I forgot to be mad at them and when I came home to find a note on the table．My mother put it where I would be sure to see it．“Dad has had an accident．Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”．

　　When I reached the hospital, my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive．“Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there’s no telling what might have happened．A broken rib(肋骨)might have pierced(穿透)a lung…”

　　My mother may have said more, but I didn’t hear．I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words：Leave me alone．My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more．How much had I hurt him when I hurled those words at him earlier in the day?

　　It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation．I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him．

　　“Daddy…I am so sorry…”

　　“It’s okay, sweetheart．I’ll be okay．”

　　“No,” I said, “I mean about what I said to you that day．You know, that morning?”

　　My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly．He looked at me and said．“Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident．I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though．”He managed a weak smile．

　　My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power．They can hurt or they can heal．And we all have the power to choose our words．I intend to do that very carefully from now on．

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　　When you do some minor image editing(修正)on your computer screen, you may make some mistakes, so from time to time you’d click undo(撤消)．

　　There are things in life we cannot undo as easily and completely as we would with our computer files．A wrong turn, a hurtful word said to a loved one, a bad move－these we all commit as we walk our life’s journeys, no matter how careful we are in our steps．Once committed, we can no longer undo many of these mistakes, especially because unlike with our computer documents, each thing we do and say has vast impact as they involve not just us－the file that we are working on－but also others, the unopened files and computer programs in our system．

　　So I guess our life’s mistakes are not like our pencil scrawls(潦草书写)that can be effectively corrected with an eraser, or errors on our computer works that can be undone with an undo button．But there are effective and reliable tools we can use－APOLOGY and FORGIVENESS．Simply click the APOLOGY button when you have committed a mistake that has hurt a loved one and the words “I’m Sorry” will flash on the other person’s screen．But, you have to be truly sorry and you must be prepared not to commit the same mistake again for your APOLOGY to work．Sincerity is definitely a necessary part．

　　When someone clicks the APOLOGY button and the words “I’m sorry” flash on your screen, all you have to do is click back the FORGIVENESS(原谅)button．It means that you have wholeheartedly accepted the other person’s APOLOGY．But not only that．You also have to click it when someone has sent you back the message “It’s okay．Forget about it．”．It means that you are also forgiving yourself for your mistake; that you won’t keep feeling so bad having committed it．

　　And lastly, don’t forget to keep clicking the SAVE button．Going through the whole process of editing－of doing and undoing, of apologizing and forgiving－is useless if you fail to save the LESSON for future use．Let the saved file be a reminder of the healing process you once went through to make yourself better; for you not to forget the lesson; and for others to access and learn from．

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　　A sunflower is a sunflower．A mobile phone is a mobile phone．But can you combine the two to do something for your local environment? As early as next year it may well be possible．When you have finished with your mobile phone you will be able to bury it in the garden or a plant pot and wait for it to flower．

　　A biodegradable(生物可降解的)mobile phone was, this month, introduced by scientists．It is hoped that the new type of phone will encourage consumers to recycle(再利用)．Scientists have come up with a new material over the last five years．It looks like any other plastic, but overtime it can break down into the soil without giving out any poisonous chemicals．British researchers used the new material to develop a phone cover that contains a sunflower seed．When this cover turns into waste, it forms nitrates(硝酸盐)．These feed the seed and help the flower grow．“We’ve only put sunflower seeds into the cover so far．But we are working with plant experts to find out which flowers will perform best．Maybe we could put roses in next time．” said one scientist．

　　As phone technology is developing so quickly people are constantly throwing their mobiles away．This means producers are under pressure to find ways of recycling them．Some 650 million mobile phones have been sold this year．Most of them will be thrown away within two years, adding plastic, heavy metal and chemical waste to the environment．A biodegradable cover can offer some relief for nature, according to the scientists．“The seed is released and the flower grows in the pot so you don’t have to concern yourself with the phone when you have finished using it,” said Kerry Kirwan, the leader of the research team．

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　　The UK has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities in the world．But to those who are new to it all, it can be something confusing．

　　October is usually the busiest month in the academic calendar(学习日程表)．Universities have something called Freshers’ Week for their newcomers．It’s a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life．

　　However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be uneasy．Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?

　　Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you are worried about starting their university social life．So just take it all in slowly．Don’t rush into anything that you’ll regret for the next three years．

　　Here are some top tips from past students on how to survive Freshers’ Week：

　　·Make sure you know something about the British social customs．Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends．

　　·Sometimes cups of tea or even sweets can give you a head start in making friends．

　　·The more active you are, the more likely you’ll be to meet new people than if you’re someone who never leaves his rooms．

　　·Keep your door open when you’re in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you’re friendly．

　　So with a bit of clever planning, Freshers’ Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you’ll be passing on your wisdom to next year’s newcomers．

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　　For years I wanted a flower garden．I spent hours and days thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together．

　　But then we had Matthew．And Marvin．And the twins, Alisa and Alan．And then Helen．Five children．I was too busy raising them to grow a garden．

　　Money was tight, as well as time．Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I’d have to say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know．”

　　Finally, all five children got through high school and college and were off on their own．I started thinking again about having a garden．

　　I wasn’t sure, though．I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on a pretty poor, no-frills budget(预算)．

　　Then, one spring morning, on Mother’s day, I was working in my kitchen．Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by．I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard．I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on all its branches．Then I put my glasses on－and I couldn’t believe what I saw．There was a money tree in my yard!

　　I went outside to look．It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, tied all over the tree．Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached：“IOU eight hours of digging time．Love, Marvin．”

　　Marvin kept his promise, too．He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me．And my other children bought me tools, a trellis(绷架), a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books．

　　That was three years ago．My garden’s now very pretty, just like what I wanted．When I go out to weed or tend my flowers, I don’t seem to miss my children as much as I once did．It feels like they are right there with me．

　　I live up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short．But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out of my window and think of the flowers I’ll see next spring in my little garden．I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes－every time．

　　I’m still not sure that money grows on trees．But I know love does．

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　　A small town in southwest Britain is banning(禁止)plastic bags in an attempt to help the environment and cut waste－a step that environmentalists believe is a first for Europe．

　　Shopkeepers in Modbury population 1,500, agreed to stop handing out disposable plastic bags to customers on Saturday．They said paper sacks and cloth carrier bags would be offered instead．

　　Last month, San Francisco became the first U．S．city to ban plastic grocery bags．Internationally, laws to discourage the use of plastic bags have been passed in parts of South Africa and Ireland, where governments either tax shoppers who use them or fine companies that hand them out．Bangladesh already bans them, and so do at least 30 remote Alaskan villages．

　　Modbury, about 225 miles southwest of London, has also declared a bag ammesty(宽限期), allowing local people to hand in plastic bags that have piled up at home．They will be sent for a recycling．

　　The Modbury ban was the idea of Rebecca Hosking, who saw the effect of bags on marine life while working in the Pacific as a wildlife camerawoman．She said response in the town so far had been “really positive”．

　　“Modbury is quite an old-fashioned town and a lot of people have wicker(柳条)baskets to go out shopping anyway, ”Hosking told Sky News Television．

　　The World Watch Institute, an environmental research agency, states that 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away each year in the United States alone．More than 500 billion are used yearly around the world．