In the United States alone,over 100 million cell-phones are thrown away each year.Cell-phones are part of a growing mountain of electronic waste like computers and personal digital assistants.The electronic waste stream is increasing three times taster than traditional garbage as a whole.

Electronic devices contain valuable metals such as gold and silver.A Swiss study reported that while the weight of electronic goods represented by precious metals was relatively small in comparison to total waste,the concentration（含量）of gold and other precious metals was higher in So-called e-waste than in naturally occurring minerals.

Electronic wastes also contain many poisonous metals.Even when the machines are recycled and the harmful metals removed,the recycling process often is carried out in poor countries,in practically uncontrolled ways which allow many poisonous substances to escape into the environment.

Creating products out of raw materials creates much more waste material,up to 100 times more,than the material contained in the finished products.Consider again the cell-phone,and imagine the mines that produced those metals,the factories needed to make the box and packaging（包装）it came in.Many wastes produced in the producing process are harmful as well.

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency notes that most waste is dangerous in that"the production, distribution,and use of products-as well as management of the resulting waste-all result in greenhouse gas release." Individuals can reduce their contribution by creating less waste at the start-for instance,buying reusable products and recycling.

In many countries the concept of extended producer responsibility is being considered or has been put in place as an incentive（动机）for reducing waste.If producers are required to take back packaging they use to sell their products,would they reduce the packaging in the first place?

Governments' incentive to require producers to take responsibility for the packaging they produce is usually based on money.Why,they ask,should cities or towns be responsible for paying to deal with the bubble wrap（气泡垫）that encased your television?

From the governments' point of view,a primary goal of laws requiring extended producer responsibility is to transfer both the costs and the physical responsibility of waste management from the government and tax-payers back to the producers.

How to Make Friends

Friendship is a very important human relationship and everyone needs good friends. Good friendship has many benefits. It offers companionship, improves self-worth and promotes good health. There are times in our lives such as when we have recently moved into a new town, or changed our jobs or schools. Such changes often leave us without a friend.【小题1】But for many of us the process is difficult and requires courage. Below are some helpful suggestions on how to make and keep friends.

1. Associate with others.

The first step to making friends is associating with other people. You can go to public places to meet new people. Besides, you will need to make yourself known by becoming an active member of such places.

2. Start a conversation.

Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends.【小题2】 You can always start the conversation. Being able to make small talk is a very useful skill in relating with other people.

3. 【小题3】

Choosing friends with common interests is important in building friendship as these interests would always bring you and your friend together. Hanging out will always be a pleasant experience.

4. Let it grow.

It is a good thing to stay in touch. However, try not to press your new friend with calls, messages or visits as this would likely wear him or her out and finally you may lose your friend.【小题4】The best friendships are the ones that grow naturally.

5. Enjoy your friendship.

The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves.【小题5】Try not to change them from who they are to what you want them to be. Become the kind of friend you will want your friend to be to you.

   A few changes about how a teacher runs a classroom can make a huge effect on how concentrated students will be in that classroom. It’s an issue every teacher has to face. 【小题1】 Here are just a few of my methods.

●Rearrange (重新布置) Seats.

I did the seat rearrangement because class conversation had become dull, and students just seemed to be there but not actually there. 【小题2】 I had all of my students pick new seats at the tables. The rules were simple. They could not sit with more than one other person they’d already sat with, and it had to be at a different table.

● Take over a Lesson.

Once in a while, it can be fun to let the students take over a lesson in a unit. Let them become the teachers, and the teacher becomes the student. You can provide the topics they need to cover. 【小题3】

● Have Open Projects.

Open projects have been very successful in my class. 【小题4】 I used to dictate (指定) every part of my project tasks. Students would ask to do things a little differently. And I’d give in, surprised that their ideas were better than mine.

● 【小题5】

Sometimes teachers forget to bring the fun to the classroom. We try so hard to cover the courses for our students until they break down. Sometimes it’s good to just set things aside for a day or two and have some fun.

Four Ways to Beat Summer Weight Gain

When we think of the summer holiday，most of us think of outdoor fun. So it seems like we should naturally lose weight over the summer holiday. In reality，the summer holiday isn’t all beach volleyball and water sports. Therefore，we can gain weight easily in the summer holiday.【小题1】 Here are four ways to beat summer weight gain.

1.【小题2】 When we don’t have a plan，it’s easy to spend the summer holiday moving from the couch to the computer，with regular stops before the fridge. Avoid this by aiming for a specific goal，like volunteering，mastering a new skill，or working at a job. Just be sure to plan for some free time so you can relax a little！

2. Stay busy. When we’re bored，it’s easy to fall into a trap of doing nothing and then feeling low on energy. In addition to helping you avoid the cookie jar， filling your days with stuff to do can give you a sense of accomplishment.【小题3】

3. Beat the heat. Don’t let summer heat put your exercise plans on hold.【小题4】 If a gym isn’t your scene， try bowling or an indoor climbing wall. If you love being outdoors， move a regular run or soccer game to early morning or evening.

4.【小题5】 With school out， we lose our daily routines. If you don’t have a specific job or an activity to get up for，it’s easy to sleep late， watch too much TV，and snack more than usual. Make sure your summer days have some structure—like getting up at the same time each day. Plan activities for specific times，like exercising before breakfast.

   We all go through times when we feel we are not good enough. We might feel that way at work or in school or even as a parent. Here are some things to remember when you feel like that.

【小题1】 When I started my Ph.

【小题3】 It doesn’t exist. What’s perfect to me is not perfect to you. So if you think that there is some objective measurement of perfection and that the rest of the world is judging you on that，then you are wrong. Most people are too worried about their own lack of perfection to judge you.

【小题4】 Our sense of self-worth is based on our thoughts. We have been programmed for many years with thoughts about ourselves. Messages come from our parents，our peers，teachers，the media and our own labels. But guess what？They are only thoughts. Just because you think these thoughts，it doesn’t make them true.【小题5】