To prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, governments at every level in China have been using many different control measures.

In heavily-affected areas, the government has chosen to lock down cities. In Hubei province, for example, after Wuhan’s lockdown on Jan 23, 13 other cities in the province also adopted lockdown measures. The decision proved effective (有效的) in stopping the virus’ spread at its root, China Daily said.

In some villages, people put up red banners (条幅) or used loudspeakers to educate people about the virus. Many communities also set up checkpoints to check people’s temperatures, keep records of their travel history, keep non-residents (非住户) out of the community, and make sure that people quarantine (隔离) themselves after returning from high-risk areas. Some community workers also help those who are quarantined at home by bringing in food or drugs, taking out the garbage, and offering psychological (心理的) advice. As Xinhua Agency noted, the community workers have built the first line of defense (防御) against the virus across China. They do play an important part in this battle.

According to Xinhua Agency, there are millions of community workers in 650,000 urban and rural communities across the country. Many people from all walks of life have volunteered to do this job.

“In the face of an unexpected outbreak, it’s amazing to see that China could mobilize (动员) people on such a large scale (规模),” Li Baoping from the Ningxia Academy of Social Sciences told Xinhua. “Great governance capacity (治理能力) at all levels gives us confidence in winning the battle.”

Can you get free plastic bags from supermarkets now? I’m afraid you can’t. Things have changed. Our government is trying to make litter less, so free plastic bags can’t be offered at shops and supermarkets in China now.

The Chinese once used about 3,000,000,000 plastic shopping bags a day. They are easy to break, and most of them can be used only once. And some people throw them away here and there. If they are burnt, they may cause bigger trouble. They may cause pollution for the environment. Also, they may cause illness for us. So people are encouraged to bring their own bags for shopping. Some students come up with a good idea. They make the shopping bags by themselves. They use old clothes to make cloth bags, and send them to their parents as presents. They also ask their parents and friends to use cloth bags instead of plastic ones. They think it is their responsibility to protect the environment.

Are you feeling hungry? Maybe it’s a while until your next meal, so perhaps now you’re thinking about reaching for a brightly colored packet with something delicious inside. Maybe it’s time for a snack. You’re not alone, we all do it-but do you know how much work we need to develop to make the snacks that we all know and love?

Companies have to work out what people like. Traditionally, they might just have asked people about their snack habits. In today’s digital age, apps can ask customers to choose the tastes they like. Companies can also search the internet for every restaurant menu in a specific market, looking out for the latest taste trends (趋势).

Snack trends also change over time. When British supermarkets were encouraged to take away unhealthy snacks from the shelves, companies were quick to provide healthier snacks. They can also reflect different histories of people from different countries. One British company found that snacks with South Asian tastes sold well in the UK, but not so well in the US, and in the US, there is less traditional Indian food.

Of course, a perfect idea might not be that useful in real life. Ingredients (原料) that work well in a restaurant, might not work well on a biscuit. Snacks with fresh ingredients may have too short a shelf life (保质期) to be good products. Some companies need to spend much money keeping the snacks fresh, and that stops them from making money.

There are many reasons influencing our snacks. Some may reflect our tastes successfully, but can be influenced by their process.