Over the years, Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, has studied such things as how far Americans typically drive to buy food, how many times we refill our plates at all-you-can-eat buffets and how we organize our kitchens. In the mid-2000s he famously coined the phrase "mindless eating"(and wrote a book by that name) to focus attention on all the bad dietary decisions we make without really thinking about them.

    His new book, Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life, aims to change the design of restaurants, school lunchrooms, office cafeterias and homes so that the mindless choices we make will be more healthful ones. Some examples:

    Keep kitchen counters clear. No visible snack food, no bread, no nuts — not even breakfast cereal. In Wansink's research, "women who had even one box of breakfast cereal that was visible — anywhere in their kitchen — weighed 21 pounds more than their neighbor who didn't."

    Trick yourself into drinking less wine. "We tend to focus on the height of what we pour and not the width, so we pour 12 percent less wine into taller wineglasses than we pour into wider wineglasses." And the shape of the glass is not the only variable that affects how much we drink. Wansink writes: "Because red wine is easier to see than white wine, we pour 9 percent less red wine whenever we pour a glass."

    Wansink said his researchers also found that people ate less at restaurants when sat in well-lighted areas near windows and doors, than in darker areas or in the back. They ate less if they were offered a doggie bag, or to-go box, before they got their meals: apparently the idea of getting a "free" second meal outweighed the impulse (冲动) to clean their plates. Workers who frequently ate at their desks weighed 15.4 pounds less, on average, than those who didn't. Fruits and vegetables kept on the top shelf of the refrigerator were eaten at higher rates than those on lower shelves.

    The point, Wansink says, is to consider findings like those and change your environment or habits. Then you won't have to think about it: You'll just eat less.

    All over the world, children in hospital are being treated with a new kind of medicine：Laughter. Lucy is 23 and works for Theodora Children's Trust. She is one of many clown (小丑) doctors who bring a smile to the faces of sick children.

    “I'm a Theodora clown doctor. I call myself Dr Looloo. I spend two days a week in children's hospitals, making funny faces, telling jokes, and doing magic tricks. As I walk into the wards(病房) I blow bubbles, shake hands with the kids, and make up nonsense songs for those children well enough to sing. I take special balloons to make 'balloon animals' and tell funny stories about them.

    I'm naturally a very cheerful person. I've always been a clown. In fact my father's a clown and I started working with him when I was eight years old. I knew it was just the job for me and I became a clown doctor because I think it's a great way to cheer up sick, frightened children in hospital.

    Being a clown in hospital is very tiring both physically and emotionally. We have to learn not to show our feelings, otherwise we'd be useless. Clown doctors are sensitive but this is not a side most people see. To the children we're happy all the time. I'm still learning to allow myself to feel sad occasionally. There working with a very sick little girl from Bosnia who speaks no English, so our only common language is laughter.

    At weekends I participate in events to raise money for Theodora Children's Trust. It's a charity, so we are paid with the money people give. Being a clown doctor makes the worries of everyday life seem small. All in all I feel honoured to do this job.”

    Teachers say the digital age has had a good influence and a not-so-good influence on this generation of American teenagers. More than 2,000 middle and high school teachers took an online survey. Researchers also spoke with teachers in focus groups.

    Three-quarters of the teachers said the Internet and digital search tools have had a "mostly positive" effect on their students' research habits and skills. But 87 percent agreed that these technologies are creating an "easily distracted generation with short attention spans (持续时间)". And 64 percent said the technologies "do more to distract students than to help them academically(学业上)". Many students think "doing research" now means just doing a quick search on Google.

    The Pew Internet Project did the survey with the College Board and the. National Writing Project. Most of the teachers came from Advanced Placement classes, which provide college-level work for high school students.

    Judy Buchanan is director of the National Writing Project and a co-author of the report. Ms. Buchanan says digital research tools are helping students learn more, and learn faster. Teachers really welcome these tools because they are ways to make some of learning exciting and engaging. Young people welcome these tools. And the goal is to really help them become creators of content, and meaningful content, and not just sort of consumers.

    But one problem the survey found is that many students are lacking in digital literacy. In other words, they trust too much of the information they find on the Internet. Another problem the survey found is blamed on something that might not seem like a problem at all: being able to quickly find information online.

    Teachers say the result is a reduction in the desire and ability of their students to work hard to find answers. They say students are depending too much on search engines and do not make enough use of printed books or libraries. Many teachers are also concerned that the Internet makes it easy for students to copy work done by others instead of using their own abilities.

    “Has anyone seen Charge?” I asked, only half expecting a reply. The kids were running around the house, each doing their own thing, and my husband was watching the football game. Since she had only been out of sight for a few hours, I wasn't overly concerned. I thought she must be under one of the kids' beds, hiding from all the mess that was normal for a Sunday afternoon in our home.

    ①

    Charge was not good-looking, to put it kindly. It wasn't her fault; she was simply gifted with the worst appearance traits（特征）in her background.

    My husband had found Charge wandering along the freeway one day on his way home from work. She looked as though she hadn't eaten in weeks, so he stopped and fed her with bits of his leftover lunch. Not knowing what to do, he brought her home with the hope of finding her owners or at least a loving family that would take her. However, once she was in the house, the kids were determined not to let her go. After a day or two of begging, we unwillingly gave in and told them we could keep her.

    After observing her actions for days, I found she was extremely distrustful and afraid of everyone. In time, though, she came to love the kids and slept on their beds every night. I wondered if what she had experienced had conditioned her to be protective of those who were hurting. Every time the kids cried, Charge would run to them and gently offer her comforting paw（爪子）. Unlike our cat, who had recently given birth to five kittens, Charge would have been a great mother.

    ②

    When I was finally able to get everyone's attention at the dinner table, I asked again if anyone had seen Charge. After a unanimous（异口同声的）“No”, I decided to take a look around the neighborhood.

    ③

    “Charge!” I cried, because there she was in the closet! She looked up at me from inside the little cats' box as if to say,“ Shhh, I just got them to sleep!”

    We usually kept the closet door open a bit so our mamma cat could go in and feed her kittens, but she always left as soon as she finished nursing. Obviously, Charge knew they needed more mamma time and was more than willing to help out.

    ④

    The kids smiled upon seeing the dog with the kittens. My husband shook his head and said, “Only you, Charge. Only you!”

    Charge continued to mother the kittens until they were placed in their new homes. Charge may not have been an attractive dog, but she truly had her inner beauty.

All Aboard for a Family Trip by Train

    If you're looking for a family vacation idea, look no further. Explore America with Amtrak. On the train, your family will have plenty of room to spread out and relax.

    Once on board, the family can take in the scenery from the Sightseer Lounge（观景车厢）. Plus, most of our overnight trains feature Dining cars that serve three meals a day, with full menus and table service. If you're looking for lighter fare, grab a bite to eat or a drink in the Café car. You can also reserve Sleeping car accommodations and let the gentle rhythms of the train sway you to sleep. It's the best way to arrive at your destination rested and ready to go.

    Learn More about the Onboard Experience on www.amtrak.com

    A Dining Experience like No Other

    From full sit-down meals to more informal food service, many trains have one or more option for onboard dining. If you're not hungry, you might start to hear your stomach rumbling（腹鸣） after looking at our menus. We provide you with more dining choices, onboard dining reservations and the different types of dining cars, like long distance dinning car, lounge car and café car.

    Sleeping Accommodations

    Sleeping accommodations are available on most long-distance routes. Amtrak trains traveling on long-distance routes typically use either two-level Superliner or one-level Viewliner train car equipment, each of which include bedrooms arranged in various configurations and private and public bathrooms and showers.

    Seating Accommodations

    On most Amtrak trains, you have three options for seating accommodations. The availability of these options varies depending on your route and the type of train equipment in use:

    Coach Class: Designed for You to Relax.

    Business Class: More Amenities. More Comfort.

    First Class: Exclusively on Acela Express.

    The cost of living in countries like the U.S., Britain, Australia or France has skyrocketed (飞涨) in recent years. However, if you are willing to leave your country and explore life in other areas, there are many countries boasting an extremely cheap and low cost of living. Check out the following countries when planning your next move.

    Ecuador

    Ecuador is similar to the United States in many ways, and as a result has become a popular American getaway. They even use the U.S. dollar for their currency. In this country, it is cheaper to eat out every day than cook for yourself on a budget in the U.S. You can even buy a property for around $50,000 and hire someone to tend to it while you are away.

    Mexico

    Although the country is known for its poverty-ridden streets, there are many wealthier areas that provide every facility you might need. You can live off a mere $700 to $800 a month in Mexico, and this includes rent for a nice place, facilities, food, and any sightseeing.

    Argentina

    Argentina has been a popular tourist destination for many years. It has great restaurants, a rich history, and many places to explore. Not to mention, it is not very expensive to live there. A decent sized home can cost around $139,000, which is relatively cheap in relation to homes in the United States.

    Vietnam

    Vietnam has also become a popular tourist destination in recent years. There are many million dollar luxury homes by the beach, but you can find a modest flat or small home for around $25,000 to $50,000 if you search in the right areas.