A new study finds that getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night may help you tame (驯服) your sweet tooth.

Researchers at King's College London recruited "short sleepers" — people routinely sleep less than seven hours per night. The participants were trained (extend) their sleep time in many ways, such as cutting back on caffeine, reducing screen time and  (stick) to a regular bedtime each night.

With the training, the short sleepers began to sleep about one hour more per night. And here's the interesting thing: They also changed their diets — without (ask).

"We found that these people also reduced their intake of added sugars by about 10 grams per day," explains one of the study's authors. That's about 40 calories' worth of sugar,  is not a huge change. But time, a small, daily decline in sugary foods can make a difference.

The study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Its findings serve up more evidence our sleep can influence our eating habits and waistlines.

A study published in 2013 also found that just five days of (shorten) sleep can lead to weight gain. In that study, people (allow) to sleep for just five hours for a five-day period. They gained, on average, almost two pounds.

And as reported, the timing of meals can also influence our bodies respond to all the calories we eat. For instance, a study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that people who ate their main meal early in the day were more successful at losing weight, compared with people who ate a heavy, late-night meal.

Life isn't easy for families of children with special needs. Faced with responsibility of a family member requiring extra attention and care, many families feel lonely,  and hopeless. In many cases, the families feel a sense of  because their children are not "perfect". But Taiwan Sunshine wants to change that.

Founded in 2009, Taiwan Sunshine believes that all children have characteristic value, and by supporting the families who care for children with special needs, it can change the understanding. In doing so, it hopes to help these children become useful members of society.

The Taipei-based, non-profit organization seeks to  these goals in three ways. First, it offers in-school programs, often centered on events like Christmas. Second, it develops conferences for use in schools, churches and other organizations. These conferences raise of the issues that families with special-needs children face and encourage organizations to develop programs to support these families. Third, Taiwan Sunshine works with other groups to put together and  the "I Am a Hero Games."

During the games, children compete in different  activities, such as the ball throw and running race. When children aren't , they enjoy other activities, such as playing with dogs from a local therapy program. Each game includes a prize-awarding ceremony in which all the children are formally with medals to celebrate their accomplishments.

Through like the Hero Games, Taiwan Sunshine is working hard to meet the needs of families with special-needs children.

Music produces profound and lasting changes in the brain. Schools should add classes, not cut them. Nearly 20 years ago a small study advanced the 1 that listening to Mozart's Sonata could boost mental functioning. It was not long 2 trademarked "Mozart effect" products appealed to anxious parents aiming to put toddlers (刚学步的孩子) on the fast track to the famous universities like Harvard and Yale. Georgia's governor even 3 giving every newborn there a classical CD or cassette.

The 4 for Mozart therapy turned out to be weak, perhaps nonexistent, although the 5 study never claimed anything more than a temporary and limited effect. In recent years, 6, scientists have examined the benefits of a continuous effort to study and practice music, as opposed to playing a Mozart CD or a computer-based "brain fitness" game 7 in a while.

Advanced monitoring 8 have enabled scientists to see what happens inside your head when you listen to your mother and actually practice the violin for an hour every afternoon. And they have found that music 9 can produce profound and lasting changes that 10 the general ability to learn. These results should 11 public officials that music classes are not a mere decoration, ready for being given up in the budget crises that constantly troubles public schools.

Studies have shown 12 instrument training from an early age can help the brain to 13 sounds better, making it 14 to stay focused when absorbing other subjects, from literature to mathematics. The musically experienced are better able to 15 a biology lesson despite the noise in the classroom or, a few years later, to finish a call with a client when a colleague in the next office starts screaming at a subordinate (下属). They can be engaged in several things at once, which is an essential skill in this era of multitasking.

Are you a media addict who would go mad after two hours without TV, friend requests, exciting online games and your mobile—or would you easily survive?

Recently, university students around the world were asked to volunteer in a global experiment called Unplugged. It was designed to see how young people would react if they were asked to observe a total media ban by unplugging all forms of media devices for 24 hours.

Unplugged is being run by Dr Roman Gerodimos, a lecturer in Communication and Journalism at Bournemouth University. The experiment is now over but he doesn't yet know the full findings. However, during the experiment, Dr Gerodimos said there were already signs of how much the exercise affected volunteers. He said: "They're reporting withdrawal symptoms, overeating, feeling nervous, isolated and disconnected."

During their 24-hour painful experience, three of the experiment's guinea pigs had to endure one intrusion from the media: a BBC reporter plus cameraman who followed them around for the day. They were asked to write down 100 lines about their day offline, but of course, they all waited until the next day when they had access to their laptops.

Elliot Day wrote: "Today, my whole morning routine was thrown up into the air. Despite being aware of the social importance of the media, I was surprised by how empty my life felt without the radio or newspapers."

And Charlotte Gay wrote: "I have to say the most difficult item for me to be without has been my mobile; not only is it a social tool, it's my main access point of communication."

Earlier in the year, a UK government study found that in the UK we spend about half our waking hours using the media, often plugged into several things at once. And a recent study by Nielson found that on average, US teenagers send and receive over 3,000 texts per month-that's about six texts per waking hour.

So, with technology continuing to develop at an alarming rate, how much time will you set aside for sleep in the future?

School Clubs or Sports?

bha8102

Asked July 20, 2020

I am a high school freshman. Should I participate in high school clubs or sports? By clubs I mean clubs like Habitat for Humanity or Math Team. I have heard that taking up a sport in 9th grade can help you get into a better college. I am equally interested in both.

Replies

southernbelle16

Answered July 21, 2020

Get involved with extracurricular clubs. Sports don't matter that much unless you:

a) play one continuously for years;

b) are going to college to play sports.

Clubs that involved academics, volunteer work and leadership are excellent. If you have time to play sports, then do that as well. Colleges want well-rounded people.

thinkingtoohard

Answered July 21, 2020

If you're looking to get into a highly competitive college, yes! I wish someone had told me freshman year that by the time I was a senior, I should have founded at least one club, been a leader in two others, and done tons of volunteer work. I might be exaggerating a little bit but you get the idea ... check out what students have done to get accepted into their colleges. But make sure that your clubs/sports fit your interests. College admissions officers can easily tell when they're just fillers.

bha8102

Asked July 22, 2020

I am interested in sports but not good at them. What if I involve myself in a club I am interested in but don't become officer? 

Replies

@intparent

Answered July 22, 2020

One of my kids got accepted to every place she had applied to two years ago, and she had no "named" leadership positions. However, she was a very strong contributor in some team activities. Leadership isn't always about standing in front of the room with a title. It can be about leading your team in terms of performance, for example, or in helping younger teammates make progress.

I think the leadership title positions are overrated in the college admissions process. Colleges don't want "lone wolves" who can't get along with others. They want students who are sincere, try the best to do the things that are important to them, and perform at a high level in the things that they set their minds to. Pick the things that you love and put a lot of effort into them. If you have good grades and test scores, the rest will follow.

Studying for Success: Born or Made?

"What are we to do?" Two Chinese parents asked helplessly, throwing their hands up in the air. With two bachelor's degrees, a master's degree, and a Ph.D. earned by the couple from top universities in China, you would think that even if they couldn't solve a problem, they might be able to find someone who could. So, what "problem" gave them so much trouble?

Their son, 10 years old, has been the center of their lives. They have thrown all of their resources into his education. They have taught him themselves and provided all kinds of extra tutorial classes, but to no avail. Their son continues to perform poorly in examinations, even though he studies very hard. Eventually, the mother accepted that her son is below average and said he may be able to live a comfortable life with an ordinary job.

Is the mother right?

I don't think so. I have taught thousands of students before, and I can tell you with certainty that talent is not distributed evenly. What is talent? It is strictly defined as "natural skill," but I would like to narrow that definition further: the speed with which one can master new skills. Some students simply learn material faster. But is your ability to learn limited by your talent from birth? I think the answer to that question is really up to you. If you do not learn as fast as your classmates, then you must study harder. For example, if you spend more time and effort improving your reading speed and comprehension, you will almost certainly be able to learn more over the course of your life from reading — if you continue to read books.

However, some would argue that if you tell a student that they are average, it will hurt their self-esteem. And low self-esteem could mean less motivation to learn. Research, however, has failed to show any relation between self-esteem and task performance. Instead, realizing his/her lack of talent may stimulate the child to put in more effort.

In the case of this student, the mother has accepted the fact that her son is average. But as far as I am concerned, as a role model for her son, she should continue to work hard, to show her son that being average is certainly no reason to be lazy — if anything, it should be a reason to work harder!

In learning, the work of a diligent fool doubles that of a lazy wit. So get cracking and you will do much better than that "lazy wit"!

iPad vs textbooks

What if you could have your whole backpack at the touch of your fingertips? In the first month of the Apple iPads release, 25 million were sold! People all over the world use iPads for all sorts of different things, but one of their finest qualities is the ability to be a textbook.

To begin with, iPad are less expensive. Textbooks become outdated and schools have to buy new books, but with an iPad schools can update them for free.  Schools don't have to spend $500 every year for iPads because they last a while and can be updated.

Moreover, in high school, textbooks have an average of 4.8 pounds each. Students usually have multiple classes, which results in multiple textbooks. Heavy backpacks filled with books can cause back problem. A solution to that is an iPad, which only weighs 1.33 pounds and can hold all of a student's textbooks.

Thirdly, schools should get rid of their textbooks and get iPads because they have more capabilities. Some might think all of the apps are distracting, but the apps actually make iPads more efficient.  Textbooks cannot do those tasks, but iPads can easily do them with just a tap of the fingertip.

Lastly, iPads are a better choice for schools instead of textbooks because these devices allow students to access their learning anywhere at any time.  With iPads, they find it easier to get their homework done.

In conclusion, schools should get rid of their clumsy textbooks and switch to iPads. iPads have allowed this generation to have their entire backpack in the palm of their hands.

A. These tablets are perfect for busy students.

B. Secondly, iPads cost less and are more popular.

C. Therefore, they can use the saved money for other programs.

D. iPads have already replaced textbooks in over 600 American counties.

E. iPads absorb the need to buy calculators, dictionaries, and other items that are found within the device.

F. Schools have every reason to do away with their school books and switch to iPads.

A new study of 8,000 young people in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily, it is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love (早恋) may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression. The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.

The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is "loss of self". According to the study, even though boys would say "lose themselves in a romantic relationship", this "loss of self" is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won't tell that to their parents.

Dr Marianm Kaufman, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression.

She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.

Parents should watch for signs of depression—eating or mood changes—and if they see signs from their daughter or son, they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.

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