There is one thing which can be easily learnt in only five minutes, and it can have a great influence on your life and the lives of your children or students. It is called the "Growth Mindset" (成长型思维). It is simple, powerful, and confirmed by a lot of scientific1.
In a series of experiments, the Stanford researcher, Carol Dweck,2 students into two groups and gave them relatively 3 maths tests. The students all did 4 in the tests—half of them were praised for having a great gift, and half were praised for working hard.
After that, they were given harder maths tests. The ones who were praised for 5 performed better in the more difficult exams. They quickly 6what Dweck calls the "Growth Mindset". When they 7 more difficult problems, they think "hard work got me this far, so I just 8 to work a bit harder and I will work out the problems."
However, students who were praised for being clever acted 9. They might think "perhaps I'm not that clever after all, 10 I can't work out these harder problems." As a result, they would quickly 11and develop the bad habit of avoiding any difficult situation or avoiding learning something 12!
So, what can you do? If you are a parent or a 13, praise efforts rather than the innate (先天的) ability. And for yourself, you'd better owe (把……归功于) your own 14 to efforts rather than the innate ability. Believe that it is a 15 of your efforts rather than some innate gift. It is really that simple!
You may charge (充电) your phone every day, but do you clean your phone as much? Whatever your hands touch, your phones touch. It has been discovered that some phones have 18 times more bacteria (细菌) and viruses (病毒) than any surface in a public restroom. So it won't surprise you that a 2011 University of London study found that one in six of our phones have bacteria and viruses on them.
The research on bacteria and viruses led to the invention of PhoneSoap. It is not actually liquid (液体). It is a phone charger that uses the electromagnetic radiation (辐射) to kill 99. 9 percent of bacteria and viruses, cleaning your phone while it charges.
The founders are cousins Wes LaPorte and Dan Barnes, "Certain types of bacteria and viruses are really on our phones," says Barnes. "It would be the fastest, most powerful way to kill them."
PhoneSoap looks like a little metal suitcase. Your phone rests in to charge and get cleaned at the same time. Instead of plugging your phone into the wall, you'd plug it into the PhoneSoap charger box. The process only takes a few minutes but, Barnes says, "The idea is that you can leave it in there overnight if you want to keep charging and it cleans the phone fully."
The founders found the right companies and then started shipping (推向市场) the product in late November. By last week's International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, PhoneSoap was very popular with people. The founders have left their present jobs and are selling PhoneSoap without a stop. "We sell out Phonesoap every day, and we will try to provide enough PhoneSoap," Barnes says. "It's been a great challenge."
On a sunny day last January, people got together at a parking lot in Las Vegas to see small vehicles that look more like colourful eggs than ordinary cars. These vehicles are electric, run on two wheels instead of four and hold only passengers. Thanks to their tiny size, six of the vehicles would fit in a parking spot. If the idea of parking such a small car makes you nervous, don' worry: these cars can park themselves. And they can return to their owners when controlled by a button on a cellphone.
The vehicle is called the EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle). It is built by General Motors, or GM, and it points to what future vehicles might be like. It is designed to be energy-saving, solve environment problems and help ease traffic jams, parking and safety concerns. The automaker says its next concept car (概念车) will help drivers get whatever they want. According to GM, the company has also designed an electric vehicle named Lean Machine. However, it is a small three-wheeler and this single-seater vehicle looks like a motorcycle. One day, such small, electric vehicles might safely carry people around, especially in crowded cities.
Scientists and engineers are finding new ways to make cars safer, smarter and more efficient, or use less energy. New cars may help you keep track of your health by reminding you to take medicine. If it's electric, your car may send you a message reminding you to recharge it. Cars will talk to other cars, your computer, your phone and your iPad. They'll help drivers save energy, watch out for other drivers and avoid walkers on the streets.
This is the future of vehicles: safer, smarter and more energy-saving. Beside they might even drive themselves down the highway through a city. You can sit back and enjoy the ride.
(an extract from a detective story)
"Sit down," Henderson said, sitting down in an armchair himself and looking at Logan. "What are you here for?"
"I understand you had a party last night," said Logan, a police officer.
"Yes," said Henderson. "Oh! I hope the neighbours haven't been complaining about the noise again. "
"Not that I know of," said Logan. "But a young girl, Fran, who came to the party hasn't been home yet."
"Fran!" said Henderson. "Yes, she was here. She left early, as I remember—about one o'clock. I happened to notice what the time was when she came to say goodbye. But nobody else left until about four in the morning."
Henderson looked quite relaxed.
"Did you know Clare?" asked Logan suddenly.
"Oh, God!" Henderson sat forward. "You don't think…the same thing has happened to Fran?"
"We're keeping an open mind," said Logan, watching him carefully, "but we're giving it our full attention."
"Well, yes. I can understand that," replied Henderson, getting comfortable in the armchair again.
"So," repeated Logan, "did you know Clare?"
"Well, sure. I knew who she was. But we never had anything to do with each other," said Henderson, giving Logan a big smile.
"Who else was at your party?" asked Logan.
"People from the university," said Henderson. "Students, teachers."
"David?" asked Grant, Logan's partner.
"Yes, David was here for a time," Henderson smiled again. "But he's not really a party animal. He probably left early."
"What do you mean, probably?" asked Grant. Henderson looked at Grant. Grant was sixty with thick black hair and large moustache. His clothes, as always, looked rather old: a blue jacket and grey trousers. He did not look much of a party animal either.
"Well, I don't check when my guests arrive and leave," said Henderson. "And some people just leave when they want to go home. They don't come and say goodbye. Anyway, sometimes I can be difficult to find." Again he looked at Logan, raised his eyebrows and gave her a big smile. "I sometimes end up in the bedroom."
Fourteen-year-old girl Du Lin was walking towards her home. Suddenly, a man stopped her and shouted, "Give me your money!" Du's hands were caught by the man. But in one quick movement. she took back her arms and started to scream for attention. The man ran away without getting any of her money.
Du is a student from Beijing No. 25 Middle School. Her teacher Chen Han has started giving his students an unusual lesson: self-protection. Luckily, Du has just learnt how to escape from an attack or a bad person. The school has taught self-protection for four years. About 5,000 students have learnt how to protect themselves.
According to a new survey, students' safety has been a big problem. Nearly 50 percent of the students say they are worried on the way to and from school.
This school is not the only one to care about students' safety. Many other schools in China also have lessons like this.
Student Ma Xiang said, "I learn how to save lives and most such courses tell students how to avoid dangerous situations." Students practise what to do if they are attacked by a bad person.
They are taught how to save lives if someone is hurt and how to stop danger before it really happens. They also learn how to work together and build team spirit.
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heavy, breathe, miss, safe, tidy |
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guard, bleed, try, hide, travel |
We confirmed that Jim was locked in the hut. We spent two nights digging a h under the hut. We came up under Jim's bed. He was very s to see us. We promised Jim to free him when we were ready. Then we climbed through the hole back to our bedroom and talked about a plan.
Tom wanted to make an adventure. He w a letter to Uncle Silas telling him somebody was planning to steal Jim. I put the letter under the front door. We waited for the c to free Jim.
The next night, some men were in Uncle Silas's sitting room—all with guns! We jumped out of the bedroom window and c into the hut. "Come on, Jim!" Tom whispered. "Huck, you go f. Then you, Jim. I'll go last. "
We heard somebody shouting, "The thieves have s Jim!" We quickly climbed out and ran towards the fence.
We kept running like our f were on fire. We made it to the fence. I jumped over the fence and Jim followed me. Tom was right behind us. Unluckily, he caught his trousers on a nail. He pulled them free but the men h the noise. They started shooting. We ran to the river and jumped into the canoe. We lay down, out of breath.
"Jim! You're a free man!" I said. We were all h and Tom was the happiest.
"It was a great adventure," Tom said. "And look! I got a bullet in my leg!"
It was true. His leg was bleeding badly but he considered it as part of the adventure.
—Taken from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
