Inventions help make our life better. But not all of them are helpful. Of the three inventions below, which one would you like to have?

	Fish on Wheels Common fish tanks(鱼缸)are just sitting there. That’s a big problem for a pet fish that wants to see the world (or at least the next room).This invention can solve the problem. A fish tank sits on top of a robotic car. A camera watches the fish, and the car goes in the same direction as the fish swims.
	IIlumiBowl Getting up at night to go to the washing room can be uncomfortable. If you turn on the light, you will be blinded by the light. Wouldn’t it be great if the toilet could sense(感觉到)your movement and then give out soft light? That’s the idea behind IllumiBowl.
	The Ostrich pillow Your eyes are heavy, but the hard desk in your office isn’t comfortable. You need a pillow to put your head on when sleeping in your office. This invention fits over the whole head-with a breathing hole by the nose and the mouth.

China, with Four Great Inventions, in ancient times, has once again showed its ability to change the world with its “new four great inventions”: high-speed railways, electronic payments, shared bicycles and online shopping.

The four innovative ways of life are most popular among young people, according to a survey by the Belt and Road-Research Institute(一带一路研究院) of Beijing Foreign Studies University.

“The ‘new four great inventions’ are all related to China’s high-tech (高科技), which made the lives of people easier in China,” said Wu Hao, the director of Beijing Foreign Studies University.

“My wallet is no longer in use. I can buy and eat whatever I want simply with my phone,” said Lin Jinlong, a foreign student from Cambodia, adding that “Even pancake sellers are using Alipay (mobile payment). We can also order food at home, which is super convenient. If I were at home in Cambodia, I would have to go outdoors.”

As a big fan of bicycles, he also showed his love for China’s shared bicycles, saying that “shared bikes are bringing cycling (骑单车) back to people’s lives---and they are making public transport(公共交通) more convenient and less crowded, and encouraging people to be more active.”

Rebacca Fannin, the founder of Silicon Dragon(硅谷之龙), noted that China is beginning to lead in innovation in some ways.

“It is increasingly clear that China is inventing and no longer copying western ideas. It is also increasingly clear that China is leading in many ways such as social messaging app WeChat,” she said.

How much paper do you use every year? Probably you can’t answer this question quickly. In 2022, the world’s use of paper was about fifty-eight kilograms for each person in a year. “The amount (数量) of paper a country uses shows how far advanced the country is,” some people say. Countries like the United States, England and Sweden certainly use more paper than other countries.

The Chinese first made paper about 2,000 years ago. At that time Chinese paper was not made from the wood of trees. It was made from the hair-like parts of certain plants. Today in Finland, which makes the best paper in the world, the paper industry (制造业) is the biggest in the land. The biggest machine can make a piece of paper 8,300 meters long and 6 meters wide in one minute.

Each year, more and more things are made of paper. But only half of the paper that is made is used for books and newspapers. There are many other uses. We have had paper cups, plates, and dishes for a long time. But now we hear that chairs, tables, and even beds can be made of paper. With paper boots and shoes, you can wear paper hats, paper dresses, and paper raincoats. When you have used them once, you throw them away and buy new ones. Paper is also good for keeping you warm. The latest use in paper seems to be paper houses. There are not small houses for children to play in, but real, big houses for people to live in. You can buy a house with three main rooms for about ¥500. You can put it up yourself in a few hours, and you can use it for about five years.

People have made paper boats, but they have not yet made paper airplanes or cars. Just wait—they probably will.