Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that in order to achieve contentment, one should "cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously."It turns out Emerson—who explored the meaning of a good life in much of his work—wasn't far off when it comes to What we now know about counting one's blessings. Research is continually finding that expressing thanks can lead to a healthier, happier and less-stressed lifestyle.

How can we, as Emerson advised, be thankful for each thing that contributes to our lives? Below are four habits that could help you cultivate gratitude on a daily basis.

Keep a journal.—Research has shown that writing down what you're thankful for can lead to a range of wellness benefits. Keeping a gratitude journal can reinforce positive thoughts—something particularly helpful as the brain tends to naturally focus on what goes wrong. Putting pen to paper can also help you make more progress as you work toward personal goals. In order to reap the full benefits of keeping a journal, Dr Robert Emmons, gratitude researcher and psychology professor at the University of California, Davis, recommends writing for five to 10 minutes every other day."You really need to commit to doing it, and if you write it down eventually it will become more automatic," Emmons says."It's like exercise—you're not just going to get up one morning and go running, you need to have a plan.

Don't avoid the negative.—Expressing gratitude has been proven to generate more optimism, but thankful people also don't shy away from the negative. Emmons says that while we often associate gratitude with focusing on the good and avoiding the bad, the key to leading a thankful life is embracing setbacks as part of your overall journey. Emmons suggests recalling a hard time you once experienced—chances are, you'll start to feel grateful for your current state and for overcoming former challenges.

Spend time with loved ones.—Thankful people know they didn't get to where they are by themselves—and they make it a habit to spend time with those people who matter most."Gratitude really helps us connect to other people," Emmons says."It actually strengthens relationships and relationships are the strongest predictors of happiness and coping with stress."Expressing appreciation for loved ones can also help create closeness by allowing others to see how you look at them. According to Dr.Michael E.McCullough, a University of Miami researcher, your feelings of gratitude benefit more than just yourself."More than other emotion, gratitude is the emotion of friendship," McCullough told the New York Times in 2011."It is part of a psychological system that causes people to raise their estimates of how much value they hold in the eyes of another person."

Volunteer.—Everyone needs a little help sometimes—and grateful people know there's no other way to acknowledge this than by paying it forward. In his book "Thanks!, "Emmons notes that those who volunteer often feel grateful for the experience to give back."Since service to others helped them to find their own inner spirituality, they were grateful for the opportunity to serve, "he wrote. As recent research published in BMC Public Health points out, volunteering can result in fewer feelings of depression and increased overall well-being. Emmons suggests examining your own talents and use them to help others, noting that people become more grateful as givers rather than receivers.

What will life in the future be like?

   Will it be much better than it is now? And what will we be able to do 10,20 or 30 years later? Letˈs just close our eyes and think !
     Genetic Engineering
    Genetic engineering will help us create the perfect human.  Babies will grow up to do slam dunks like Yao Ming or look like Cecilia Cheung. Also, we will be able to mix(杂交)  plants and animals !  But do you want your dog to be a tree?
     The Dead
          In the future, we will be able to bring the dead back to life.  Then each family can meet and talk with its dead family members. It will be like living with ghosts.
      On television people will see Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, Confucius, Elvis Presley, and

Shakespeare talking with each other!
     Long-Iiving People
      Over the next 20 t0 50 years, it will become harder to tell the difference between human and machine. All body parts will be replaceable. We will then be able to make fake (假的) people.
       We will make a copy of ourselves, so we will appear to be alive long after we are dead.  A few decades later, people will find ways to transfer (转移)  their spirit (精神)  to the new body.
   Nanobots
      We will be able to build nanobots (纳米机器人) to travel through our body. Also, nanobots will be 
used when we are sick.
      For example, when we have a stomachache, we will swallow a very small robot and it will travel 
through our stomach, taking video of whatˈs happening there.  Then we can show the video to help the doctor diagnose (诊断)  our problem.
   Computers
     Computers help us remember, calculate, and enjoy ourselves. In the future, computers will be able to
show their feelings. They will be able to think better than the human mind.
     After television became popular, many people soon became couch potatoes. It is not surprising that
many people have become overweight; and things will get worse in the future !
      We will be more and more interested in computers and the Internet, spending more and more time in
front of computers and forget what our real needs are.  Many of us will become super couch potatoes 
and weight 250kg!

In his book The Tipping Point Canadian author Malcolm Gladwell explains how a trend can take many forms. It can be a general change in social behavior, an idea or a fashion. However, why do some trends catch on and others not? What makes one particular brand of training shoe suddenly become the must-have product? How do people find out about trends and what makes people want to buy into them? Is it simply a question of keeping up with other people?

In his new work, Gladwell explores the moment when something becomes common and how products, ideas, messages and forms of behavior spread. He looks at the reasons why trends are similar in the way they develop to outbreaks of disease, or medical epidemics(流行病) .

Epidemics, like trends, start in a very small way, maybe from a single person with a virus, then spread very quickly until they take over the population and appear to be everywhere. Eventually, they will slow down gradually or die out suddenly. Gladwell shows how these changes happen not gradually but at one sudden moment.

Gladwell identifies three types of people who are influential in the development of these kinds of social epidemics:

Connectors are people in a community who have wide social circles. They know a lot of people and like to introduce people to each other. The people they know often come from a variety of social, cultural, professional and economic circles.

Mavens are people with a lot of knowledge or experts in a particular field. They wish to pass on their knowledge to others. Mavenscollect and gather information, so they are the first to pick up on new trends.

Salesmen are people with charisma. They have a “soft” influence over people rather than actual power. This means they are influential because people want to imitate them.

Overall, Gladwell’s book is a thought-provoking read for anyone interested in the origins of trends. What’s more, he writes in a clear style so even the most difficult ideas are easy to understand.

Silence may be viewed by some cultural groups as extremely uncomfortable;  therefore attempts may be made to fill every gap(间隙) with conversation. Persons 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 maybe 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 udner 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-geivers need to be aware of the possible meanings of silence when they come across the personal anxiety their patients may be expericencing. 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.

You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

Jane Addams (1860-1935)

   Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931. Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

   If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environment movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.

Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)

   When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator and, in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

Rosa Parks (1913-2005)

   On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.

Plan to get to the airport at least an hour early, or two during holidays and other busy times; this will reduce the stress of the flight. If all goes well, you will have time to relax, shop for last-minute items, or have a meal before the flight.

    Flight Delays 

Find out why your flight is delayed. Call the free call numbers. Find out if other airlines are experiencing similar delays. If you believe the delay is due to something other than weather or air traffic problems, then mention your suspicion (怀疑) and ask the airline agent to book you on the next available flight, either on the same air-line or a competing one. This is called “Rule 240”, and all airlines are required to do it.

Flight Cancellations (取消) 

If your flight is canceled, then make a reservation (预订) on the next flight to your destination. Usually, air-line personnel(职员) will try to book everyone on their next flight. Often they will put you on a competitor’s next flight only if you request it.

If on-time arrival is important to you, when you check flights through our reservation system you can rate your choices based on their on-time arrival records. Be sure to also check the weather conditions, as they often affect flight schedules.

Group exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve physical fitness and sustain(保持)a healthy lifestyle.Group exercise is challenging,yet fun and empowering!Of course everyone knows that exercise is good for the body.However,studies have shown that when exercise is performed in groups,it’s not only great for improving physical health but for psychological health.It’s an opportunity to be social,release endorphins(内啡肽),and improve your strength.Additionally,group exercise creates a community feel and the shared common goal motivates participants to work hard.The instrumental support of taking on a fitness journey with others proves more effective than going to the gym alone.

Another beneficial aspect of group exercise is the informational support participants receive from the instructor.Many people fear the gym because they feel lost and don’t want to embarrass themselves.If you feel you can relate,then group training is an even better option for you.It’s a great opportunity to learn more about fitness through the clear instruction and supervision(监管)of a fitness instructor.If you’re tired of wandering around the gym wasting time and becoming bored,you can attend an upbeat group fitness class that’ll keep your workout on track.Don’t let fitness frighten you!

If you’re serious about wanting to live a healthy lifestyle,it’s extremely important to surround yourself with people who’ll provide you with the proper emotional support.I wouldn’t scold anyone for deciding to party on weekends and in turn I wouldn’t expect anyone to give offence to me for focusing on my health.Surround yourself with people who uplift,encourage and understand you!Make fitness even more fun by trying something new or any group fitness class,with a friend.Plan to go for a jog together.Then try a fun healthy restaurant or fresh juice bar!Fitness can be both fun and social!

Surrounding yourself with people who’ll provide you with respect support can be very beneficial while working towards reaching health and fitness goals.First,decide to do it for yourself and work towards staying positive.Then make sure the people you surround yourself with are supportive.Don’t let negativity ruin your motivation.

China is embracing an era of sharing economy. After sharing bikes, sharing books are the next trend. The book-sharing program at Sanxiaokou Xinhua Bookstore in Hefei, capital of Anhui province, has been running for several months since its launch on July 16, 2017. Customers are encouraged to borrow up to two books, from all books available in this store, for free via an app, pay 99 yuan online as the deposit and return the books within 10 days.

A survey of 601 app users conducted by the company in late July found that more than 90 percent of the readers said they may want to keep some of the borrowed books permanently, but they don’t want to visit the store again to complete the purchase. When another nine stores joined the book-sharing program in August, the ability to purchase the borrowed books was made available on the app.

Zhao Shiping, a manager of the Sanxiaokou store, said that the daily customer flow in the first week of the book-sharing program was about 7,000 while the figure for the same period last year was 5,000 to 6,000. So, book-sharing will reduce barriers for book purchasing and increase customer flow, which will increase the business value of the bookstore, its brand value and increase its value as a partner for companies outside the book sales sector.

In addition to bookstores, banks have also joined the trend of book-sharing. Two branches of China Everbright Bank introduced book loan service at the end of this July. The service is free for seven days and 0.1 yuan is charged after that and 0.5 yuan after 21 days. Readers can return borrowed books to any branch of the bank.

This book-sharing project, a cooperation between Everbright Bank and an app called Youshugongdu, which translates as "let’s read books together", will be expanded to other outlets to turn each outlet into a small community library with 1,000 to 2,000 books.

①Increasing the customer flow

②Bringing convenience to the bookstores

③Reducing the barriers for book purchasing

④Increasing the brand value of the bookstores

El Nifio, a Spanish term for “the Christ child”, was named by South American fisherman who noticed that the global weather pattern, which happens every two to seven years, reduced the amount of fishes caught around Christmas. El Nifio sees warm water, collected over several years in the western Pacific, flow back eastwards when winds that normally blow westwards weaken, or sometimes the other way round.

The weather effects both good and bad, are felt in many places. Rich countries gain more from powerful Nifio, on balance, than they lose. A study found that a strong Nifio in 1997-98 helped American’s economy grow by 15 billion, partly because of better agricultural harvest, farmers in the Midwest gained from extra rain. The total rise in agricultural incomes in rich countries is greater than the fall in poor ones.

But in Indonesia extremely dry forests are in flames. A multi-year drought in south-east Brazil is becoming worse. Though heavy rains brought about by El Nino may relieve the drought in California, they are likely to cause surface flooding and other disasters.

The most recent powerful Nino, in 1997-98, killed around 21,000 people and caused damage worth $36 billion around the globe. But such Ninos come with months of warning, and so much is known about how they happen that governments can prepare. According to the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), however, just 12% of disaster-relief funding in the past two decades has gone on reducing risks in advance, rather than recovery and rebuilding afterwards. This is despite evidence that a dollar spent on risk-reduction saves at least two on reconstruction.

Simple improvements to infrastructure(基础设施）can reduce the spread of disease. Better sewers(下水道）make it less likely that heavy rain is followed by an outbreak of the disease of bad stomach. Stronger bridges mean villages are less likely to be left without food and medicine after floods. According to a paper in 2011 by Mr Hsiang and co-authors, civil conflict is related to El Nino’s harmful effects—and the poorer the country, the stronger the link. Though the relationship may not be causal, helping divided communities to prepare for disasters would at least reduce the risk that those disasters are followed by killing and wounding people. Since the poorest are least likely to make up for their losses from disasters linked to El Nino, reducing their losses needs to be the priority.

Did you know that something as simple as the wallpaper on your computer can tell people a lot about you? According to researcher Donna Dawson, our computers say something about what weˈre like because they are part of our “personal space.”

       A picture of a child or family on the screen often means the person cares deeply about their loved ones. A photo of the person surrounded by friends shows they value their popularity and probably work well with other people. On the other hand, pictures showing examples of past successes, like winning a prize may mean a person is only interested in themselves.

       Pictures of nature and natural scenery tell people that you are driven to succeed and use the pictures to relax and remove the pressure in your life. Cityscapes, pictures of cities or towns, show that you enjoy travel and adventure. Most people with cityscapes as their wallpaper are optimistic, happy people who feel even better thinking about the places theyˈve visited or want to visit.

       Pictures of animals show that you are optimistic and kind-hearted. You are often happy and you enjoy life and act young. Cartoons or drawings show that you are a multitasker, someone who does many things at once. You have many responsibilities, but you deal with them well. Thatˈs one reason you like having something to smile about when you look at your computer wallpaper.

       Then, what does plain blue wallpaper tell us about a person? According to Dawson, a person with plain blue wallpaper probably values their privacy and keeps work from becoming too personal.