One day, I was sitting in a local coffee shop, and staring at this man in a wheelchair. He could move his head and parts of his fingers but nothing else. He had a servant who cut up his food and placed it on a special mechanically powered fork that he would use to eat.
He saw me staring at him and invited me to join him at his table. His name was Stephen. For several hours we sat at that table and we got to know each other on a deeply personal level. I had never known a man who was more radiant(容光焕发), more energizing to talk and get to know than Stephen.
Stephen used to be a very successful businessman in Denver. He was in the natural gas business. Thirteen years before, when he was forty, he was waiting for news of a natural gas discovery to occur any moment.
He said, ”I had so much nervous energy. I saw the storm clouds gathering, and I decided to clean out the gutters(檐沟）rather than sitting around waiting for this gas well to come in.”
He climbed up the ladder to clear the piles of pine needles on the roof. As he backed up, he accidentally fell off the roof. He landed on his back. He was paralyzed(瘫痪）for the rest of his life, except for his head and his hand.
I asked him, “How do you do it all? How do you suddenly stop hiking, fishing, and running marathons?”
He said, “There are three things you have to do when something like this happens. The first thing you have to do is adjust. The second thing you do is adjust. And the third thing you do is adjust.”
He said, “By adjusting to your abilities, Bill, you have to change your self-expectations. If you can't be a physical athlete any longer, then perhaps you can be a spiritual athlete.” He was.
At least 40% of Australian households now have at least one home “Internet of Things” device. These are fridges, window blinds, locks and other devices that are connected to the Internet.
While the Internet of Things (IoT) may lead to more efficiency in our daily lives, my research shows that consumers are exposed to many risks by the use of IoT devices, ranging from disclosure of private information, to physical injury and problems with the devices themselves.
Australia has no specific laws aimed at addressing IoT issues, and current laws intended to protect consumers have gaps and uncertainties when dealing with IoT devices. Many IoT device manufacturers and suppliers show little regard for customers' privacy. Some even make money from customer data.
Consumer electronics company Vizio recently agreed to pay US regulators US $ 2.2 million, after failing to get appropriate permission from users to track their TV viewing habits.
Late last year, the Norwegian Consumer Council found that a children's doll recorded anything said to it by children and sent the recordings to a US company. The company reserved the right to share and use the data for a broad range of purposes.
IoT devices have the potential to collect more private data about individuals than was possible with previous devices. All this data can then be used to study consumers, predict our behavior, and sell us products at times when our willpower is lowest. Some companies are currently using technology to track consumers through stores and send their messages to mobile phones. This may be linked to our purchase history.
Consumers are exposed to significant risks from IoT devices, from the use of data, to security flaws and devices no longer being supported. They should think long and hard about the risks they are taking on with IoT devices. Do you really need that internet-connected hairbrush?
The quality of our seafood has been in the news a lot lately. A new study has found that people who eat seafood are also eating plastic — 11,000 pieces of microplastic per year to be exact.
Researchers at the University of Ghent in Belgium found that seafood eaters are consuming plastic at a concerning rate.
“Per serving of mussels (贻贝), which contains about 300 grams of mussel meat, you get 300 pieces of plastic inside your body,” researchers wrote. Researchers don't yet know the implications of eating microplastic, but they worry that it could have negative consequences on our health.
While we don't know what microplastic does yet to humans, we do know what it does to sea animals. In earlier studies, scientists have found that when fish eat microplastics, it prevents their growth and changes their feeding patterns. In fact, fish will stop eating natural sources of nutrients, and only go for plastic.
When you're done using plastic, a small portion (部分) may be recycled. However, more than likely it's in a landfill or making its way towards the ocean. Once rubbish hits the water, sea creatures may mistake it for food. This often leads to poisoning or death. If they get caught for human's food, the plastic may very well make its way back to you — on your dinner plate.
According to a study published in Science magazine, eight million tons of plastic go into our waterways every year. The problem is so serious that scientists say that by 2050 the weight of plastic in our oceans will outweigh fish. And just because it's out of sight, it doesn't mean it should be out of mind.
There's no immediate way to prevent microplastic from ending up in your body. However, you can help reduce the amount of plastic reaching rivers, lakes and oceans in the first place. You can make a difference with your choices every day. Even small changes will add up. While your dinner may contain microplastic, you can help prevent the future generations from having that same problem.
Eyesight plays a very important role in our daily life. Every waking moment, the eyes are working to see the world around us. Over forty percent of Americans worry about losing eyesight, but it's easy to include steps into our daily life to ensure healthy eyes. Here are five suggestions for a lifetime of healthy eyesight:
Schedule yearly exams. Experts advise parents to bring babies 6 to 12 months of age to the doctor for a careful check. The good news is that millions of children now can have yearly eye exams and following treatment, including eye- glasses.
Protect against UV rays . Long-term stay in the sun creates risk to your eyes. No matter what the season is, it's extremely important to wear sunglasses.
Give your eyes a break. Two-thirds of Americans spend up to seven hours a day using computers or other digital products. Experts recommend that people practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away.
As part of a healthy diet, eat more fruits and vegetables each day. Vitamins C and E help protect eyesight and promote eye health.
Practice safe wear and care of contact lenses (隐形眼镜). Many Americans use contact lenses to improve their eyesight. While some follow the medical guidance for wearing contact lenses, many are breaking the rules and putting their eyesight at risk. Otherwise, you may have problems such as red eyes, pain in the eyes, or a more serious condition.
A. Eat your greens. B. Eye care should begin early in life. C. They can properly protect your eyes. D. Stay in good shape by taking more vitamins. E. Parents usually don't care about their own eyesight. F. Always follow the doctor's advice for appropriate wear. G. This frequent eye activity increases the risk for eye tiredness. |
At the age of three, I was discovered to be totally deaf. Having consulted many specialists, my parents made a(n) 1 that would forever change my future. 2 sending me to a special education school for the deaf, they chose an ordinary one for me. All of my schoolmates and teachers there would have 3 hearing.
I experienced great 4 throughout my primary school because, in addition to the problems of 5 with the other students, I also 6 with most of my school work. I seemed to spend every spare moment doing homework just so I could7.
8 for me, Mrs. Jordan, my 5th grade teacher, changed all of that with a simple three-word phrase.
One morning, she asked the class a question. I 9 her lips and immediately raised my hand. Here was an opportunity to impress the powerful teacher and even my classmates. Although a little afraid when I heard my named called, I felt unusually 10 because I was sure I had the right answer. I took a deep breath and 11 answered Mrs. Jordan's question.
Her response12 all of us. Mrs. Jordan enthusiastically13 her right foot on the floor and turned her right hand around in a full circle 14 it pointed directly at me. With shining eyes she cried, "THAT'S RIGHT, STEPHEN!"
For the first time in my young life, I was an instant star. My heart burst with 15. Smiling widely, I sat a little taller in my chair. My confidence 16 like never before. I decided right then and there that I would make a(n) 17 in this world. No matter how many 18 I might come across in life, I knew I could overcome them.
The very three-word phrase entirely 19my young life. From that day on, my grades and speech improved greatly, my 20 among my classmates increased, and my viewpoint on life did a complete turnabout.
Recently, with the increasing popularity of social websites and personal online blogs, the potentially harmful practice of oversharing (become) much more common. Oversharing is the act of sharing too much information, or TMI, people who are not necessarily prepared or qualified to receive it. Telling a co-worker you don't want a piece of birthday cake may be acceptable, adding the fact that you're on a diet to lose 50 pounds would be oversharing. There are some (person) facts others may not need or want to know.
Some oversharing is the result of a poorly (develop) social filter (过滤器) or “shut up button”. Different people may have different ideas over constitutes (构成) oversharing or TMI, so they may not realize they are making others feel (comfortable).
Other times the oversharing may be an attempt (break) the ice socially. By sharing a few embarrassing (moment) with strangers, the oversharer lets others know it's okay to let down their guards and be more open themselves.
While some oversharing may be OK, is generally a good idea to develop a sense of propriety (得体) in order to avoid sharing far too much information.
1）开启空调的时间； 2）空调设置的温度； 3）其他注意事项。
注意：1）词数80左右，2）可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯，3）开头已给出。
Regulations For Air-conditioner Use
To make the best use of the air conditioners in each classroom, ….
Science can't explain the power of pets, but many studies have shown that the company of pets can help lower blood pressure(血压) and raise chances of recovering from a heart attack, reduce loneliness and spread all-round good cheer.
Any owner will tell you how much joy a pet brings. For some, an animal provides more comfort than a husband/wife. A 2002 study by Karen Allen of the State University of New York measured stress(紧张) levels and blood pressure in people—half of them pet owners—while they performed 5 minutes of mental arithmetic(心算) or held a hand in ice water. Subjects completed the tasks alone, with a husband/wife, a close friend or with a pet. People with pets did it best. Those tested with their animal friends had smaller change in blood pressure and returned most quickly to baseline heart rates. With pets in the room, people also made fewer math mistakes than when doing in front of other companions. It seems people feel more released (放松) around pets, says Allen, who thinks it may be because pets don't judge.
A study reported last fall suggests that having a pet dog not only raises your spirits but may also have an effect on your eating habits. Researchers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital spent a year studying 36 fat people and their equally fat dogs who were put on diet-and-exercise programs; a separate group of 56 people without pets were put on a diet program. On average, people lost about 11 pounds, or 5% of their body weight. Their dogs did even better, losing an average of 12 pounds, more than 15% of their body weight. Dog owners didn't lose any more weight than those without dogs but, say researchers, got more exercise overall—mostly with their dogs—and found it worth doing.
