Medical advances on the rise

Medical advances are on the rise around the world. Here are five to watch.

People in fact, get very enthusiastic about 3D printers and many believe it won’t be long before kids are using them to print out their personally signed toys. But medical researchers have already turned to 3D printing to create human body parts. Last year, Cornell scientists printed out an artificial(人造的) outer ear that looks and works like the real thing. But it isn’t suitable to put into human body.

   Another surprising breakthrough is in gene therapy, in which a person’s genes are re-engineered to fight diseases and put back into his or her body. This therapy is still considered experimental, but it’s been effective recently in treating patients with some cancers. And researchers think that one day it can become a new way to treat early stages of the disease, without requiring surgery, chemotherapy(化疗) or radiation.

   Gut reaction(本能反应) research is another breakthrough that it showing a lot of promise and has to do with our guts(肠), specifically with all the bacteria staying. Researchers have suggested there may be a direct physiological connection between the mix of bacteria in our digestive tract(消化道) and how our brain functions, and that the mix can also be a factor（因素） in whether a person is thin or fat.

   In regard to cancer research, there have been definite breakthroughs. Cancer immunotherapy (免疫疗法)is using drugs that encourage the body’s immune system to battle cancer cells directly. Researchers discovered that have been able to cover themselves in a protective shield. New drugs are being tested that have been able to empower the immune system to break through that protection and allow the body to fight cancer cells on its own.

   There are also already plenty of devices and apps out there that track you steps, you sleep, and your calorie consumption. But the next wave of wearable health tech will focus on gathering personal data more meaningful to a doctor and send the data directly to his or her office.

   Also, devices that monitor our personal behaviour will be getting more and more advanced. For example, a device being developed by TellSpec will supposedly be able to analyze the chemical composition of food in real time and let you know on your smart phone just what you’re eating.

My name is Clara.I still remember that chilly December day,sitting in science class.I’d finished a worksheet early and picked up a TIME for Kids magazine. A piece of news caught my eye:NASA was holding an essay contest to name its Mars rover(火星探测器).Before I even knew anything else about it,a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind,Curiosity.

　I couldn’t want for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay.That afternoon,I raced home,sat down at the computer,and typed until my fingers ached. “Curiosity is an everlasting flame that burns in everyone’s mind...”

　　Five months later, my mom received a phone call,and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face.

　　On August 5,2012,at 10:31 p.m,the rover named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars,and I was honored to have a front-row seat in NASA.

Curiosity is such an important part of who I am.I have always been fascinated by the stars,the planets,the sky and the universe. I remember as a little girl,my grandmother and I would sit together in the backyard for hours.She’d tell me stories and point out the stars,Grandma lived in China,thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas,but the stars kept us together even when we were apart.They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them.That’s what I love so much about space.

People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mares.My answer is simple because we’re curious.We human beings do not just hole up in one place.We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.

(1)How did Clara get the new about the essay contest?( no more than 10 words)

(2)Why did Clara have a front-row seat in NASA?( no more than 10 words)

(3)What does Clara remember about the time spent with Grandma?( no more than 15 words)

(4)What does the underlined phrase “hole up”mean?(1 word)

(5)In your opinion,why is curiosity important?( no more than 20 words)

Do you know the pretty girl? Her name is Tian Wei. She was born on April 5, 1986. She was from Beijing. She had two big eyes and short hair. She was good at Chinese. And she loved writing.

She was unlucky. When she was in Grade 8, she was seriously ill. Her doctor said she would lose her life anytime. But she wasnˈt afraid of death. She kept on studying and writing. She died on August 13, 2007. She smiled till the end of her life.

Tian Wei had a great dream. She hoped that people could read her book in the bookshops. In March, 2009, her only book Hua Tian Ban Mu came out. it had more than five thousand words. In her book she said, " Iˈm always aching. If possible, Iˈll let my right eye weep but the other one smile."

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Population Change

Why is the world’s population growing? The answer is not what you might think. The reason for the explosion is not that people have been reproducing like rabbits, but that people have stopped dropping dead like flies. In 1900, people died at the average age of 30. By 2000 the average age was 65. But while increasing health was a typical feature of the 20^th century, declining birth rate could be a defining one of the 21^st.

Statistics show that the average number of births per woman has fallen from 4.9 in the early 1960s to 2.5 nowadays. Furthermore, around 50% of the world’s population live in regions where the figure is now below the replacement level (i.e.2.1 births per woman) and almost all developed nations are experiencing sub-replacement birth rate. You might think that developing nations would make up the loss (especially since 80% of the world’s people now live in such nations), but you’d be wrong. Declining birth rate is a major problem in many developing regions too, which might cause catastrophic global shortages of work force within a few decades.

A great decline in young work force is likely to occur in China, for instance. What does it imply? First, China needs to undergo rapid economic development before a population decline hits the country. Second, if other factors such as technology remain constant, economic growth and material expectations will fall well below recent standards and this could invite trouble.

Russia is another country with population problems that could break its economic promise. Since 1992 the number of people dying has been bigger than that of those being born by a massive 50%. Indeed official figures suggest the country has shrunk by 5% since 1993 and people in Russia live a shorter life now than those in 1961.Why is this occurring? Nobody is quite sure, but poor diet an above all long-time alcoholism have much to do with it. If current trends don’t bend, Russia’s population will be about the size of Yemen’s by the year 2050.

In the north of India, the population is booming due to high birth rates, but in the south, where most economic development is taking place, birth rate is falling rapidly. In a further twist, birth rate is highest in poorly educated rural areas and lowest in highly educated urban areas. In total, 25% of India’s working-age population has no education. In 2030, a sixth of the country’s potential work force could be totally uneducated.

One solution is obviously to import foreign workers via immigration. As for the USA, it is almost unique among developed nations in having a population that is expected to grow by 20% from 2010-2030. Moreover, the USA has a track record of successfully accepting immigrants. As a result it’s likely to see a rise in the size of its working-age population and to witness strong economic growth over the longer term.

In a recent business magazine article, a president said, Laughter in the workplace is a waste of time. This is a place to do business, not to laugh, some researchers, however, disagree with his words. As scientists have learned more about the brain, they’ve discovered that smiles and laughter stimulate the brain, which can help increase happiness and reduce pain.

   Why do we need laughter in our lives? Laughter is a powerful tool for our health．In a number of studies that were carried out, it was shown that people who are more humorous have stronger immune systems(免疫系统)while people who feel stressed have weaker immune systems．Humor can help make your immune systems stronger

    Here are some tips to add more humor to your life：

   ·Laugh at yourself. Don’t  take yourself too seriously. Have a positive attitude towards yourself and your worries will become lighter too.

     ·Don’t  worry why people laugh--just appreciate it．Be funny．Look for the humorous side of and otherwise difficult situation．

    ·Prepare a first-aid laughter source．11Iis could include books，cartoons，CDs or videos．Write down the amusing things that happen and save them for a sad day．

    ·Be open to silly things．Humor the child within yourself．

   ·Laugh with others for what they do，rather than what they are．

   Research has shown that laughter is indeed the best medicine，so make time for humor now．

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Every year on my birthday, from the time I turned 12, a white gardenia was delivered to my house. No card came with it. Calls to the flower shop were not helpful at all. After a while I stopped trying to discover the sender’s name and just delighted in the beautiful white flower in soft pink paper.

But I never stopped imagining who the giver might be. Some of my happiest moments were spent daydreaming about the sender. My mother encouraged these imaginings. She’d ask me if there was someone for whom I had done special kindness. Perhaps it was the old man across the street whose mail I’d delivered during the winter. As a girl, though, I had more fun imagining that it might be a boy I had run into.

One month before my graduation my father died, I felt so sad that I became completely uninterested in my upcoming graduation dance and I didn’t care if I had a new dress or not. But my mother, in her own sadness, would not let me miss any of those things. She wanted her children to feel loved and lovable. In truth, my mother wanted her children to see themselves much like the gardenia—lovely, strong, and perfect with perhaps a bit of mystery(神秘).

My mother died ten days after I was married. I was 22. That was year the gardenia stopped coming.

Issues around children learning to read arc rarely out of the news, which is hardly surprising—becoming a successful reader is of vital importance in improving a child’s life chances. Not is it surprising that reading creates a virtuous circle: the more you read the better you become. But what may come as a surprise is that reading to dogs is gaining popularity as a way of addressing concerns about children’s reading.

Underachievement (学业不良) in groups of children in the UK is. recognize in international studies--and successive governments have sought to address the issues in a range of ways. Reading to dogs, so far, has not been among them, but ifs time to look at the strategy more seriously.

 Many children naturally enjoy reading and need little encouragement, but if they are struggling, their confidence can quickly decrease—and with it, their motivation. This brings about the destructive cycle, and therefore reading ability fails to improve.

So how can dogs help?

A therapeutic (疗法的) presence

Reading to dogs is just that—encouraging children to read alongside a dog. The practice originated in the US in 1999.

The presence of dogs has a calming effect on many people—hence their use in Pets as Therapy schemes (PAT). Many primary schools are becoming increasingly pressurized environments and children (like adults) generally do not respond well to such pressure. A dog creates an environment that immediately feels more relaxing and welcoming. Reading can be an independent activity, but can also be a pleasurable, shared social event. Children who are struggling to read benefit from the simple pleasure of reading to a loyal, loving listener.

Children who are struggling to read, for whatever reason, need to build confidence and rediscover a motivation for reading. A dog is a reassuring, friendly audience who will not mind if mistakes are made. Children can read to the dog, uninterrupted; comments will not be made. Errors can be addressed in other contexts at other times. For more experienced or capable readers, they can experiment with intonation and “voices”, knowing that the dog will respond positively—and building fluency further develops comprehension in readers.

For children who are struggling, reconnecting with the pleasure of reading is very important As Marylyn Jager-Adams, a literacy (读写) scholar, noted in a seminal review of beginner reading in the US: “If we want children to learn to read well, we must find a way to attract them to read lots.”

Reading to a dog can create a helpful balance, supporting literacy activities which may seem Jess appealing to a child. Children having difficulty with reading, for example, need focused support to develop their understanding of the alphabetic code (字母代码).But this needs to be balanced with activities which support independent reading and social enjoyment or the child can become less motivated.

Creating a virtuous circle   

Breaking a negative cycle will inevitably lead to the creation of a virtuous circle—and sharing a good book with a dog enables children to apply their reading skills in a positive and enjoyable way.

Research evidence in this area is rather limited, despite the growing popularity of the scheme. A 2016 systematic review of 48 studies—“Children Reading to Dogs: A Systematic Review of the Literature” by Hall, Ge and Mills--demonstrated some evidence for improvement in reading, but the evidence was not strong. There clearly is more work to do. but interest in reading to 3 t of to have grown through the evidence of case studies. The example, often given in the media, is that of Tony Nevett and his pet dog Danny. Tony and Danny’s involvement in a number of schools has been transformative, not only in terms of reading but also in promoting general well-being positive behavior among children with a diverse range of needs.

So, reading to dogs could offer many benefits. As with any approach, it is not a cure-a within a language-rich literacy environment, there appears to be little to lose and much to gain.

Title: How Dogs Could Make Children Better (1)

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Do People in Public Life Have a Right to Privacy?

People, famous or not, have a right to privacy, which is a basic human right. Although some of them have voluntarily made themselves known to the world, they are still entitled to live a life without others following them all the time.

However, we have to distinguish between famous people. Basically, there are those who were seeking a public life—or at least knew to some extent what they were going into—and those who were not. Politicians, athletes, actors, musicians and entertainers belong to the former. The latter are ordinary citizens who become significant, because of their extraordinary experiences, for example, victims of crimes or tragedies, but also criminals.

The number of ordinary citizens who receive their celebrity(名人) status unwillingly is quite big and the privacy of those people needs to be especially respected and maintained. Names, addresses or pictures that could lead to the identification of a person should never be made public. It is not of interest for the readers, and it usually does not make a difference for them, what the name of someone is, but for the one concerned publication of identity could mean embarrassment and harassment(骚扰). Suspected criminals, for instance, could lose their jobs, their families could break up or their whole lives could get destroyed, even when they are innocent. Apart from that, as soon as someone is well known, they are pursued and harassed by journalists demanding interviews. Also in cases where a family just had to experience the loss of a dear person, the press usually shows little respect for that.

In the case of politicians or other powerful people, the right to privacy comes into conflict with another right, the publicˈs right to know. Therefore, the right to privacy of certain politicians sometimes has to be neglected to ensure a rightful running of the country. But do we need to get informed about everything there is?

Actually, the position of politicians in the eye of the public is especially difficult to judge. On the one hand politicians use their happy family and home in campaigns; on the other hand, we know personal behaviors have nothing to do with competence in running a country and private details, even if completely irrelevant, can still ruin careers. Sometimes only due to the intrusion(侵入) of privacy, corruption or similar crimes can be made public, but at the same time not everything in oneˈs life is connected to oneˈs office.

When personal morality and family values are deliberately used by politicians as a reason for them to be elected, they have chosen to make it a public issue rather than a private one. This is a sad fact, but it does not justify intrusion of the personal lives of all politicians. A politician still is, like everyone else, entitled to privacy.

Exercise is often suggested for sleeping difficulties, and it does have a beneficial effect. However, experts say the influence is not immediate, and can take up some time to take effect.

   Dr. Kelly Baron said: "If you have insomnia（失眠），you won't exercise yourself into sleep right away. It's a long-term job. You have to keep at it and not get discouraged."

   Dr. Baron decided to carry out her own research after hearing her patients with insomnia complain that the exercise didn't help them right away. She said: "They'd say, ' I exercised so hard yesterday and didn't sleep at all'. It's thought that exercise improves sleep, but I thought it probably wasn't that simple for people with insomnia.

   Most previous studies have been carried out on healthy sleepers. Dr. Baron's research is the first one. She looked at the data from older women with insomnia over a 16-week period. She said: "People have to realize that even if they don't want to exercise, that's the time they need to dig in their heels (决不妥协) and get themselves out there. The key message was persistence(坚持). Write a note on your mirror saying ' Just Do It!', and you can see wonders in four months. Most importantly, it will help in the long run." Dr. Baron also warned that insomnia could also make people less willing to exercise.

   Rather than medicine treatments, exercise may be a healthier way to improve sleep because it couldaddressthe potential（潜在的) problems. This study shows exercise and sleep affect each other in both directions: regular long-term exercise is good for sleep, but poor sleep can also lead to less exercise. So in the end, sleep still works better as far as health is concerned.

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