Another New Space, in Space NOT MANY girls try their hand at designing rockets, and even fewer female rocket engineers get to go into space. Wang Haoze, however, has done both.Wang was born in Luanping (滦平), Hebei, in 1990. As a student, she worked hard and did well in almost everything. In her zhongkao exams, she scored second highest in her county (县). Wang later entered Southeast University (东南大学). There, she continued to shine. She led not only in the classroom but also on the track; she was a regular top finisher in long-distance races.As a high achiever, Wang was no stranger to new fields of research. Discovering unexplored paths could be exciting, but it wasn’t always a walk in the park. Wang once complained about all the struggles. Her professor, Gu Fan (顾璠), stepped in with encouraging words. His advice has stayed with Wang ever since: “Always do your best, even when you don’t enjoy it. If you get used to cutting corners (图省事) now, you might struggle to give your best when you finally find something you love.”Under Professor Gu’s influence, Wang kept breaking into unknown spaces. After graduation, she began her career as a rocket engine designer. Space science was completely new to Wang, but she was eager to learn and use her new knowledge to solve problems. It felt like an exciting game! Within a few months, she had developed a new product. It won high praise from a famous expert. Over time, Wang became a key member of her team.Wang never thought about flying into space until May 2018. That was when China began selecting its third generation of astronauts. She felt it was a precious chance and signed up. After three rounds of tests, Wang, along with 17 men, stood out from 2,500 applicants (申请人) — thanks to her strong body and mind. At the Astronaut Center, Wang set out on yet another journey into the unknown. She faced countless challenges but never once considered giving up.On October 30, Wang and two other astronauts blasted off into space aboard the Shenzhou-19 spaceship. Now, in her latest “new space” — the Tiangong space station — she is more than ready for all the unknowns and challenges!California Takes on Fashion Waste California recently passed a new law. It requires the state’s clothing companies to help clothing get reused, repaired and recycled. The law is the first of its kind in the United States. It aims to deal with the growing problem of fashion waste.Every year, millions of tons of unwanted clothes end up in landfills across the state. Some of them get burned. Some are given to thrift stores. When thrift stores can’t resell these clothes, they’re often shipped in bulk (大批地) to developing countries. In Ghana and Chile, for example, unwanted clothes are piled up in deserts and along rivers. The problem of clothing waste has been getting worse with the trend of “fast fashion.” Under this trend, low-cost clothing moves quickly from design to retail stores. Such items are only worn or used a few times on average (平均).“We are hopeful this nation-leading law will reduce clothing waste,” said Fiona Hines. She has worked hard to support the passing of the law. “We also hope that, in the future, companies will produce quality clothes. We could repair and reuse them, and recycle when they reach their end of life.”Under the new law, companies that make clothing and other textiles sold in California are required to create an organization by 2026. This non-profit (非盈利的) group would set up hundreds of collection sites at thrift stores. People can drop off unwanted clothes at these locations. They could also choose to mail them back. The group will take other steps in all of California’s 58 counties to take back and recycle their products by 2030.People of the Seine by Ernest Hemingway THERE WERE many ways to get down to the Seine (塞纳河) from the top of Rue du Cardinal Lemoine. The shortest one was straight down the street, but it was steep. It brought you out, after you hit the flat part, onto a dull place: a dark, windy area by the river.Across the branch (支流) of the Seine was the Île St-Louis, with its narrow streets and old, beautiful houses. You could go over there, or you could turn left and walk along the quais with Notre Dame (巴黎圣母院) opposite.I used to walk along the quais when I had finished my work or when I was trying to think something out. It was easier to think when I was walking and doing something or seeing people doing something. At the head of the Île de la Cite, there was the statue (雕像) of Henri IV. The island ended in a point like the sharp bow (船头) of a ship, and there was a small park on the water’s edge (边缘). In the currents of the Seine, there were excellent places to fish. You could go down a stairway (台阶) into the park and watch the fishermen there. The good spots to fish changed with the height of the river. The fishermen always caught some fish, and often they made excellent catches of goujon fish. They were delicious fried whole, and I could eat a plateful.I knew several of the men who fished in the fruitful parts of the Seine. Sometimes, if the day was bright, I would buy some wine, a piece of bread and some sausage and then sit in the sun and read one of the books I had bought and watch the fishing.With the fishermen, the life on the river and the beautiful boats with their own lives on board, I could never be lonely along the river. You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches (树枝) were bare against the wind and the cold. But you knew there would always be spring, just as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. This article has been edited by the SSP for length and ease of reading.
