Getting less sleep has become a bad habit for most American kids. According to a new survey(调查) by the National Sleep Foundation, 51% of kids aged 10 to 18 go to bed at 10 pm or later on school nights, even though they have to get up early. Last year the Foundation reported that nearly 60% of 7- to 12-year-olds said they felt tired during the day, and 15% said they had fallen asleep at school.

How much sleep you need depends a lot on your age. Babies need a lot of rest: most of them sleep about 18 hours a day! Adults need about eight hours. For most school-age children, ten hours is ideal(理想的). But the new National Sleep Foundation survey found that 35% of 10- to 12-year-olds get only seven or eight hours. And guess what almost half of the surveyed kids said they do before bedtime? Watch TV.

“More children are going to bed with TVs on, and there are more opportunities(机会) to stay awake, with more homework, the Internet and the phone,” says Dr. Mary Carskadon, a sleep researcher at Brown University Medical School. She says these activities at bedtime can get kids all excited and make it hard for them to calm down and sleep. Other experts say part of the problem is chemical. Changing levels of body chemicals called hormones not only make teenagers’ bodies develop adult characteristics, but also make it hard for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 pm.

Because sleepiness is such a problem for teenagers, some school districts have decided to start high school classes later than they used to. Three years ago, schools in Edina, Minnesota, changed the start time from 7:25 am to 8:30 am. Students, parents and teachers are pleased with the results.

In our modern world, when something wears out, we throw it away and buy a new one. The    (1)   is that countries around the world have growing mountains of    (2)    because people are throwing out more rubbish than ever before.

   How did we    (3)   a throwaway society? First of all, it is now easier to    (4)     an object than to spend time and money to repair it.      (5)     modern manufacturing (制造业) and technology, companies are able to produce products quickly and inexpensively. Products are plentiful and     (6)     .

  Another cause is our     (7)    of disposable (一次性的) products. As    (8)    people, we are always looking for    (9)    to save time and make our lives easier. Companies     (10)   thousands of different kinds of disposable products: paper plates, plastic cups, and cameras, to name a few.

   Our appetite for new products also    (11)    to the problem. We are    (12)    buying new things. Advertisements persuade us that     (13)    is better and that we will be happier with the latest products. The result is that we     (14)     useful possessions to make room for new ones.

   All around the world, we can see the    (15)    of this throwaway lifestyle. Mountains of rubbish just keep getting bigger. To    (16)    the amount of rubbish and to protect the    (17)     , more governments are requiring people to recycle materials.     (18)   , this is not enough to solve our problem.

   Maybe there is another way out. We need to repair our possessions   (19)   throwing them away. We also need to rethink our attitudes about      (20)   . Repairing our possessions and changing our spending habits may be the best way to reduce the amount of rubbish and take care of our environment.

  It was just one word in one email, but it caused huge financial losses for a multinational company. The message, written in English, was sent by a native speaker to a colleague for whom English was a second language. Unsure of the word, the receiver found two contradictory meanings in his dictionary. He acted on the wrong one. Months later, senior management investigated why the project had failed, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

    When such misunderstandings happen, it's usually the native speakers who are to blame.Ironically, they are worse at delivering their message than people who speak English as a second or third language.

    A lot of native speakers are happy that English has become the world's global language. They don't feel the need to accommodate or adapt to others. They often talk too fast for others to follow, and use jokes, slang, short forms and references specific to their own culture. "The first time I worked in an international institution, somebody said 'ETA 16:53' and I thought 'What the hell is ETA?'" says Michael Blatter, an executive in an international company.

    And then there's cultural style. When a British reacts to a proposal by saying "That's interesting", a fellow British might recognize this as "That's rubbish." But other nationalities would take the word "interesting" on face value.

    Also, lots of the information is not fully understood because of the complex language native speakers use. Too many non-native speakers, especially the Asians and the French, are too concerned about not "losing face" and nod approvingly ,while not getting the message at all, because of which, the native speakers continue delivering information that makes little sense to them. The information gap is unnoticed and keeps widening.

    Native speakers should communicate efficiently with simple language. When trying to communicate in English with a group of people with different levels of fluency, it's important for native speakers to make the same point in a couple of different ways and ask for some acknowledgement, reaction and action, to know whether they've been understood or not.

The meaning of silence varies among cultural groups．Silences may be thoughtful, or they may be empty when a person has nothing to say．A silence in a conversation may also show stubbornness, uneasiness, or worry．Silence may be made to fill every gap (间隙) with conversation．Person in other cultural groups value silence and view it as necessary for understanding a person's needs．

    Many Native Americans value silence and feel it is a basic part of communicating among people, just as some traditional Chinese and Thai persons do．Therefore, when a person from one of these cultures is speaking and suddenly stops, what may be implied (暗示) is that the person wants the listener to consider what has been said before continuing．In these cultures, silence is a call for reflection．

    Other cultures may use silence in other ways, particularly when dealing with conflicts among people or in relationships of people with different amounts of power．For example, Russian, French, and Spanish persons may use silence to show agreement between parties about the topic under discussion．However, Mexicans may use silence when instructions are given by a person in authority rather than be rude to that person by arguing with him or her．In still another use, persons in Asian cultures may view silence as a sign of respect, particularly to an elder or a person in authority．

    Nurses and other care-givers need to be aware of the possible meanings of silence when they come across the personal anxiety their patients may be experiencing．Nurses should recognize their own personal and cultural construction of silence so that a patient's silence is not interrupted too early or allowed to go on unnecessarily．A nurse who understands the healing (治愈) value of silence can use this understanding to assist in the care of patients from their own and from other cultures．

Everyone needs friends. We all like to feel close to someone. It is nice to have a friend to talk, laugh and do so many things together with. Surely, there are times when we need to be alone. We donˈt always want people around. But we would feel lonely if we never had a friend.

No two people are the same. Sometimes friends donˈt get along well. That doesnˈt mean that they no longer like each other. Most of the time they will go on being friends. Sometimes friends move away. Then they feel very sad. We miss them very much. But we can call them and write to them. Maybe we would never see them again. And we can make new friends. It is surprising to find out how much we like new people when we get to know them. Families sometimes name their children after a close friend. Many places are named after men and women, if they are friendly to people in town. Some libraries are named this way. So are some schools. We think of these people when we go to these places.

Thereˈs more good news for people, if they have friends. These people live longer than those who donˈt have friends. Why? It could be that they are happier. Being happy helps you stay well. Or it could be just knowing that someone cares about you. If someone cares about you, you take better care of yourself.

    Vacation is a time for refreshment. In work, we are often called to think. Sometimes, it’s good to give our brains a rest. Without a break, we may not be able to perform up to our potential. This can be a problem, not only for the employee, but for the employer as well.

    “The main benefit of vacation is for the worker to come back energized,” says Weaver. “If they haven’t had a break, then they’re not coming back with new energy. They haven’t had a chance to step back and get perspective (远景), and come back with renewed enthusiasm.”

    Long working hours without a break, insecurity (不安) about one’s job, and other work-related worries can lead to burnout and stress. Humans can usually adapt to pressure, but not for a limitless amount of time.

    “It is a problem of relating good workers and having them loyal to the firm while they’re there,” says David Maume, PhD, professor of sociology at the University of Cincinnati. He says burnout can also affect employees’ productivity, creativity, and effectiveness.

    In addition, high levels of stress are likely to be precursors (前兆) to depression, which can hit both the employer and employee’s pocketbook. Even people who manage to remain productive at work can have problems. If they’re always at work, then they’re not with their family and friends. If they’re working while on vacation, for the time that they’re on the job, they’re not really present.

    An unbalanced emphasis on work can strain family and social life. When you come up for air, you may see that you’re alone, or that your relationships have gone on without you.

 The latest study by the University of Florida has found that eating from smaller, less beautiful, and even paper plates will help prevent overeating. Eating with a fork instead of a spoon can help you lose weight, the researchers say. Much to their surprise, they find that putting mirrors in the dining room will also help reduce weight.

   The researchers asked 185 college students to choose a chocolate cake or a fruit salad, and evaluated the taste. Those who ate in a room with a mirror scored the taste of junk food much lower than those in a room without a mirror. But the taste of fruit salad remained the same in any case.

   Lead scientist, Dr. Ata Jami, says that a glance in the mirror tells people more than just about their physical appearance. It enables them to view themselves objectively (客观地) and helps them to judge themselves and their behavior in the same way that they judge other people.

   The mirrors were found to push people to compare and match their own behavior with accepted social standards. The researchers believe it proves that people don’t want to look in the mirror when they feel they are following the social standards. When they look in the mirror with mouths full of junk food, feelings of discomfort and failure can be increased. Therefore, the presence of the mirror lowers the taste of unhealthy food.

   However, researchers say this is only the case if people select the food they are eating, because they are responsible for that choice. The researchers suggest that mirrors be placed in dining rooms and other eating spaces, so that people will start eating more healthily.

　　It is a plain fact that we are in a world where competition is going on in all areas and at all levels. This is exciting. Yet, on the other hand, competition breezes a pragmatic(实用主义的) attitude. People choose to learn things that are useful, and do things that are profitable. Today’s college education is also affected by this general sense of utilitarianism(功利主义).

　　Many college students choose business not computing programming as their majors convinced that these professions are where the big money is. It is not unusual to see the college students taking a part-time job as a warming up for the real battle. I often see my friends taking GRE tests, working on English or computer certificates and taking the driving tests to get a license. Well, I have nothing against being practical. As the competition in the job market gets more and more severe, students do have reasons to be practical.

　　However, we should never forget that college education is much more than skill training. Just imagine, if your utilitarianism becomes the main trend on campus, leaving no space for the cultivation(培养) of students’ minds, or development of their soul. We will see university is training out well-trained spiritless working machines. If utilitarianism controls society, we will see people lost in the money-making adventures; we will see humanity losing their grace and dignity, and that would be disastrous. I’d like to think society as encouraging and people regard profit or fame only as a horse that pulls the courage. Yet without the driver picking direction the courage would go straight and may even end out in a dangerous situation.

　　A certificate may give you some advantage, but not broad horizons, positive attitudes and personal integrities(正直), which are the wealth you cannot acquire through any quick fixed way. Although in today’s world, the highest level of competition may not be that of skills or expertise(专业技术), but vision and strategy, your intellectual quality largely determines how far you can go in your career.

My challenge for you is this: to read a book for 15 minutes every single day for a month.

Let me explain a bit, by telling you where the challenge came from. I have many things in common with my dad, like music taste and sense of humor, but sadly reading isn’t one of them. I can happily spend a whole day with a book, but my dad can’t read a book for longer than about 5 minutes. He reads emails, websites and papers for work, but not books. He’s busy, so I think sitting down to read for just 15 minutes a day is a good way to relax and to introduce him to reading.

My dad is by no means the only person who avoids books. I know lots of people would rather relax on their computers or in front of the TV. Everyone is different and has their own interests, but I think there’re lots of benefits to reading, which screen-based activities don’t have.

Firstly, it’s better for your eyes. Looking at screens can be very stressful for your eye muscles, and clearly you should avoid looking at screens for an hour before bed, to get a good night’s sleep.

One thing I personally love reading, is being transported(运送) to another world—I often forget the time or things around me! Reading is a great way to switch off before you go to bed, because you think more about the world of the book, rather than the real world, so you can truly relax. I know you can be transported to a different world in a film or a TV show, but I think books do it better.

I also enjoy hearing what people are doing and finding out what they think. Reading gives me the chance to get to know hundreds of new people! It also teaches you to see things from other people’s point of view, and understand other people’s decisions or opinions. With a book, you can hear everything a character is thinking or feeling— you really can be inside someone’s head!

So give it a go! Take 15 minutes when you’re waking up, going to bed, eating lunch, or having a coffee. If you read a lot, why not try 15 minutes of an English book, or pass the challenge to someone else? Good luck, and happy reading!

It is common and usual to see people freak out when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere.

How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them.

Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side.

Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens­, they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that you are loved wherever you are.