Are you happy? Do you remember a time when you were happy? Are you seeking happiness today?Many have sought a variety of sources for their feelings of happiness. Some have put their heart and effort into their work. Too many have turned to drugs and alcohol. Most of their efforts have a root in one common fact，People are looking for a lasting source of happiness.

   Unfortunately，I believe that happiness escapes many because they misunderstand the process and journey of finding it. I have heard many people say，“I'll be happy when 1 get my new promotion,”or“I’ll be happy when I lose that extra 20 pounds.”The list goes on and on,

  This thinking is dangerous because it presupposes that happiness is a“response”to having, being or doing something. In life, we all experience stimulus (刺激) and response. Stimulus is when a dog barks at you and bares his teeth. Response is when you prepare to run. Today, some people think that an expensive car is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. A great paying job is a stimulus. Happiness is a response. A loving relationship is a stimulus. This belief leaves us thinking and feeling，“I'll be happy when…”

 It has been my finding that actually the opposite is true. I believe that happiness is a stimulus and response is what life brings to those who are truly happy. When we are happy, we tend to have more success in our work. When we are happy，people want to be around us and enjoy loving relationship. When we are happy, we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health. Happiness is NOT a response—rather, it is a stimulus.

 Happiness is not something that happens to us after we get something we want—we usually get things we want AFTER we choose to be happy.I have made only one simple rule for my own happiness: Every day above ground is a good day. Therefore, I tend to have a lot of good (and happy) days continually.

In a computer age, a broadband Internet connection is very popular now. Whether cable or mobile broadband, today’s connections are many times faster than those in the early days. Videos play smoothly, complex websites load quickly, and files download much faster than ten years ago. And the files are much bigger too.

There’s a hidden problem: you have to live near enough to a major city to get broadband Internet. If you don’t, it’s slow dial­up access for you. And for those living really far away, there may be no Internet access at all.

Technology experts often talk about the “last mile” problem, which refers to the difficulty of bringing Internet access to remote locations. In cities and suburbs (郊区), it’s relatively easy to provide access for everyone. It is much more difficult to deliver access to those living far from cities, especially in developing countries. Internet service providers, for their part, have been reluctant to provide access to sparsely (稀疏地) populated areas. The handful of Internet users they would reach wouldn’t cover the expense.

But every year, technological advancements allow of more and more Internet users. Most broadband connections today run over existing cable TV and telephone lines although these technologies aren’t available everywhere.

Some companies have delivered the Internet over standard power lines. Advancements in cheaper and more efficient fiberoptic cables (光缆) promise to bring extremely fast Internet connections to more users. Still, the “last mile” problem remains hard to deal with. There will always be somewhere that doesn’t have an affordable broadband connection. But someday that might not matter. If the rapid progress in cellphone technology has any indication, it may not be too long before an Internet connection simply follows you wherever you go.

Last month,Justin Valdez,a college student was shot in subway in San Francisco,the U.S.The surveillance(监控)video showed that before Justin was killed,the killer pulled out the pistol(手枪)several times,and even wiped his nose with it.However,nobody noticed the killer.The surrounding passengers all focused on their cell phones.

We may see the same scene everywhere in the life:in subway,restaurants,elevators,roads,people are watching their mobile phones.From family reunion to date with a friend,people couldn’t stop checking their twitter,WeChat,facebook on the mobile phone and snubbing(拒绝)the persons in front completely.Phubbing(低头症)trends not only involve the young people,but also the elderly and kids.

“Phubbing” is a newly coined term which comes from the words “phone” and “snub”.It describes the habit of snubbing someone in favor of a mobile phone.The word “phubbing” was included in the Australian National Dictionary in 2012.Apparently,the indifference(冷漠)and rudeness of the information age are spreading globally.A Stop Phubbing campaign site has been launched.You can find the slogan of the website as follows:“stop twittering,stop posting photos...enjoy your food,enjoy the music and respect your campaign.”

Phubbing appears harmless;however,it does disturb our life.Jimmy,an epicure,wrote in his blog:“I can no longer focus on what I am eating since I started twittering.My skill of food photography has improved very fast,while my interest in food drops as a result.”

Let us put down the cell phone and re-savor the real taste of food and the warmth of interpersonal communication.

In a world with limited land, water and other natural resources, the harm from the traditional business model is on the rise. Actually, the past decade has seen more and more forests disappearing and globe becoming increasingly warm. People now realize that this unhealthy situation must be changed, and that we must be able to develop in sustainable (可持续的) ways. That means growth with low carbon or development of sustainable products. In other words, we should keep the earth healthy while using its supply of natural resources.

Today, sustainable development is a popular trend in many countries. According to a recent study, the global market for low-carbon energy will become three times bigger over the next decade. China, for example, has set its mind on leading that market, hoping to seize（抓住） chances in the new round of the global energy revolution（革命）. It is now trying hard to make full use of wind and solar energy, and is spending a huge amount of money making electric cars and high-speed trains. In addition, we are also seeing great growth in the global markets for sustainable products such as palm oil (棕榈油), which is produced without cutting down valuable rainforest. In recent years the markets for sustainable products have grown by more than 50%.

Governments can fully develop the potential of these new markets. First, they can set high targets for reducing carbon emissions (排放) and targets for saving and reusing energy. Besides, stronger arrangement of public resources like forests can also help to speed up the development. Finally, governments can avoid the huge expenses that are taking us in the wrong direction, and redirecting some of those expenses can accelerate the change from traditional model to a sustainable one.

The major challenge of this century is to find ways to meet the needs of a growing population within the limits of this single planet. That is no small task, but it offers abundant new chances for sustainable product industries.

There are TV game shows that give people the chance to become millionaires. When asked the

Question “What would you do with a million dollars?” most people give similar answers: “Quit my job,” “Buy my dream house,” or “Go traveling.” Twenty years ago, it was possible to realize these dreams. However, things are not so easy today.                   

In many countries, the cost of living is higher than ever. One of the main reasons is demand.

Over the last twenty years, for example, housing prices in many cities have increased. The main reason is that the population has become large in certain areas, but there is a smaller supply of available housing there for sale or rent.    Apartments in many city centers are also more expensive now than in the past. In the recent past,

people often moved from a city center to the suburbs in order to escape overcrowding and noise. Today, people want to be closer to their workplace, and many are now moving back into the city center because many modem apartments in the city center have indoor swimming pools or movie theaters that allow people to relax or exercise without leaving their building.

In order to live well after you stop working, you should begin saving for retirement early.

Experts suggest that after you retire, you will need 75 percent to 80 percent of your salary to live on every month. And older people now also have to spend more on health care because they live longer.

With increased demand for housing, higher living cost, and longer life expectancy, a million

may not be enough to live on. To be able to retire early, travel the world, and build your dream

home, you may have to appear on that game show and win more than once!

Parents should stop blaming themselves because there’s not a lot they can do about it. I mean the teenager problem. Whatever you do or however you choose to deal with it, at certain times a wonderful, reasonable and helpful child will turn into a terrible animal.

I’ve seen friends deal with it in all kinds of different ways. One strict mother insisted that her son, right from a child, should stand up whenever anyone entered the room, open doors and shake hands like a gentleman. I saw him last week when I called round. Sprawling himself（懒散地躺） on the sofa in full length, he made no attempt to turn off the loud TV he was watching as I walked in, and his greeting was no more than a quick glance at me. His mother was ashamed. “I don’t know what to do with him these days,” she said. “He’s forgotten all the manners we taught him.”

He hasn’t forgotten them. He’s just decided that he’s not going to use them. She confessed (供认) that she would like to come up behind him and throw him down from the sofa onto the floor.

Another good friend of mine let her two daughters climb all over the furniture, reach across the table, stare at me and say “I don’t like your dress; it’s ugly.” One of the daughters has recently been driven out of school. The other has left home.

“Where did we go wrong?” her parents are now very sad. Probably nowhere much. At least, no more than the rest of that unfortunate race, parents.

  Read a lot, I mean a lot! You have to increase your ability for reading. Many students are in the habit of reading only when their exams are coming while some others read only what they are taught or things that must be read because it is in their textbooks. But listen to me now, I am telling you from my own experience that it is a very bad habit and it is not enough to improve your intelligence（智力）.

      You have to learn and get ready to become versatile in your reading. The fact that you are studying medicine in school does not mean that you should not know one or two things on politics.

      Many people have complained（抱怨）to me that they find it hard to read things like novels but I just shake my head in pity for them because it is obvious they have failed to realize the truth in that wise saying by Margaret Fuller that “today a reader, tomorrow a leader!”

      When you read, you get to “see” so many places and it will be as if you have visited those places in real life. This is because reading will improve your imagination, creativity and understanding. You also get experience from learning about how people dealt with their various problems, saving you from going through the pains and difficulties they must have gone through!

NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares.

Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce ,or possibly erase(抹去) the effect of painful memories.

In November, experts tested a drug on people in theUSand France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.

The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.

Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiersˈ troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.

"Some memories can ruin peopleˈs lives. They come back to you when you donˈt want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "This could relieve a lot of that suffering."

But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity (特质). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.

"All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. Iˈm not sure we want to wipe those memories out, "said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist.

After students come home from a tiring day at school, they tend to worry a lot about their homework.

Whether students are working on English or chemistry homework, they are simply working on the assignment in order to get it done, attempting to memorize the concepts for thetime being and do not absorb any of the information afterward. Students are wasting theirtime on insignificant assignments rather than effectively using thattime to achieve other accomplishments. According to www.dailymail.com, many parents are concerned that homework is being assigned rather than being used to integrate what teachers are covering in the classroom. In their eyes, if less homework is assigned, students would have much less stress and could focus more on their passions and hobbies.

Homework gets in the way of participating in community service events as well as opportunities for getting a job or being a part of an extra-curricular activity. These responsibilities are important for teenagers to take on because they prepare the teenagers for the "real world." Without the proper exposure to work that is not school related, students will find themselves lost after they graduate. If homework were no longer given, students would have a lot moretime to mature in other fields rather than being educated only on academics.

In spite of the fact that teachers want students to do better on tests and absorb the material that they are teaching, homework is not accomplishing its purpose. Because school is becoming increasingly more competitive and challenging, homework is becoming a setback rather than extra practice. Its removal would benefit the well being of teenagers as well as encourage them to get out in the "real world" and discover themselves instead of staring at a pile of assignments.