Videos and livestreams with beauty tips are quite common nowadays. But if the tutor is just 5 years old, we should think twice about accepting the trend.

In an age where online celebrities and influencers control so many social platforms, chances are children are being exposed online to endless beauty products. There, child celebrities are pushing lipsticks, mascara, rouge and foundation in their makeup courses. “I just celebrated my 5th birthday, and now I am about to do this peach blossom makeup,” said a 5-year-old in a voiceover for her online video beauty tutorial.

Cosmetics for kids sends a negative message about self-worth by putting too much emphasis on outer beauty at too early an age. Sometimes, in some of the online beauty courses, makeup equals a hypersexualization which can have dangerous long-term effects. On the other hand, there are a great number of beauty products across many categories. It takes a lot of energy for kids to get familiar with using a certain type of cosmetics, depriving them of time better spent studying or playing outside. Moreover, in many cases, social media gets addictive. Exposing children early on to makeup and “online fame” could become an unhealthy indulgence.

Many online influencers often say, “Your kindergarten peers are using these products, so ask your mother to buy them for you as well.” Upon hearing such guidance, children as young as kindergarteners are quick to follow the fashion. Seeing beauty trends at such a young age also means youngsters face the anxiety and self-esteem issues surrounding body image far too early in life. Though reminding children they are beautiful just as they are can’t always compete with the attraction of the steady stream of marketers and influencers promising virtual perfection, parents and schools should still serve as guides for kids, teaching them a more multidimensional perspective that instead gets to the heart of what real beauty involves.

It may not come as a surprise but the world as a whole is getting richer. Some people have more disposable(可自由支配的)income to spend on luxuries such as holidays, cars, TVs and smart phones. Recent data has shown that the number of people living in extreme poverty has halved in recent decades. So should we celebrate the fact that more of us now have a better standard of living?

Maybe not. While the gap between the rich and the poor in some countries is narrowing, there is still a lot of inequality in other places-some people have a lot of money and opportunities and others don't. A recent report by Oxfam and Credit Suisse revealed how divided many of us are when it comes to wealth. A lot of the money in the world is in the hands of very few people. In fact, 48% of global wealth is owned by the richest l% of the population.

But some countries are attempting to reduce this inequality and make the poor, less poor. According to David Bryer from Oxfam, Brazil has been taking "some really sensible measures--measures around having more progressive tax, around investing in a higher minimum wage and investing in central public services." Having a higher minimum wage can help people eat better and seek a better education. And more people with more money buy more things-and factories can produce more. In turn, a factory which produces more will need more workers. So, more jobs are created.

Other wealthy individuals are doing their bit to help reduce inequality. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, earned a lot of money from his company but when he retired, he and his wife Melinda, created a foundation to help the poor. He thinks that rich people should, of course, pay their taxes but he also advises that they should all "look at taking their wealth and being philanthropic (乐善好施的 ) , both in their own country and to help the global poorest."

Bill Gates feels that giving money to help poor people is "fulfilling". But if other super-rich people don't want to experience this fulfillment then, according to Oxfam, very soon the wealthiest l% will soon own more money than the rest of the world's population. Do you think that is fair?

China has a long history of farming and a tradition of intensive cultivation. It has succeeded in producing one-fourth of the world’s grain and feeding one-fifth of the world’s population with less than 10% of the world’s arable (可适于耕作的) land. 【小题1】 Currently, China ranks first in the world in terms of the production of cereals, cotton, fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs and fish.

China is taking various measures to develop its agricultural industry. 【小题2】 By increasing the utilization (利用) efficiency of fertilizers and pesticides, agricultural waste treatment and agricultural plastic film recycling, China hopes to see more successful harvests while also preserving the land that supports their sustainable agricultural industry.

【小题3】 Agriculture has always been a driver of innovation in China with the purpose of achieving a self-sufficient food supply. To create several agricultural silicon valleys and improve the regional economy, China has established several national-level agricultural technology innovation centers promoting modern agriculture in Nanjing, Taigu, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Wuhan.

Private business has also started promoting agricultural innovation and AgriTech solutions together with local governments to advance agricultural digitalization in China. Previously, Alibaba launched a program called ET Agricultural Brain. 【小题4】 Alibaba’s product helps to share information about new technologies and methods that have helped produce a high yield. 【小题5】 This platform customizes an exclusive ID Card for each agriculture commodity, allowing that the whole process of the products is traceable. Moreover, agricultural technologies like tractors, irrigation technology and more are still imported to keep up with China’s quickly modernizing industry.