A Pacific Science Center Guide

◆Visit Pacific Science Center's Store

    Don't forget to stop by Pacific Science Center's Store while you are here to pick up a wonderful science activity or souvenir to remember your visit. The store is located(位于) upstairs in Building 3 right next to the Laster Dome.

◆Hungry

    Our exhibits will feed your mind， but what about your body? Our café offers a complete menu of lunch and snack options, in addition to seasonal specials. The café is located upstairs in Building 1 and is open daily until one hour Pacific Science Center closes.

◆Rental Information

    Lockers are available to store any belongings during your visit. The lockers are located in Building 1 near the Information Desk and in Building 3. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent at the Information Desk and Denny Way entrance. ID required.

◆Support Pacific Science Center

    Since 1962 Pacific Science Center has been inspiring a passion(热情) for discovery and lifelong @ in science, math and technology. Today Pacific Science Center serves more than 1.3 million people a year and brings inquiry-based science education to classrooms and community events all over Washington State. It's an amazing accomplishment and one we connect achieve without generous support from individuals, corporations, and other social organizations. Visit pacificsciencecenter.org to find various ways you can support Pacific Science Center.

    The kids in this village wear dirty, ragged clothes. They sleep beside cows and sheep in huts made of sticks and mud. They have no school. Yet they all can chant the English alphabet, and some can make words.

    The key to their success : 20 tablet computers(平板电脑) dropped off in their Ethiopian village in February by a U.S. group called One Laptop Per Child.

    The goal is to find out whether kids using today's new technology can teach themselves to read in places where no schools or teachers exist. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers analyzing the project data say they're already amazed. “What I think has already happened is that the kids have already learned more than they would have in one year of kindergarten,” said Matt Keller, who runs the Ethiopia program.

    The fastest learner—and the first to turn on one of the tablets—is 8-year-old Kelbesa Negusse. The device's camera was disabled to save memory, yet within weeks Kelbesa had figured out its workings and made the camera work. He called himself a lion, a marker of accomplishment in Ethiopia.

    With his tablet, Kelbasa rearranged the letters HSROE into one of the many English animal names he knows. Then he spelled words on his own. “Seven months ago he didn't know any English. That's unbelievable,” said Keller.

    The project aims to get kids to a stage called “deep reading,” where they can read to learn. It won't be in Amharic, Ethiopia's first language, but in English, which is widely seen as the ticket to higher paying jobs.

    How is it that siblings (兄弟姐妹) can turn out so differently? One answer is that in fact each sibling grows up in a different family. The firstborn is, for a while, an only child, and therefore has a completely different experience of the parents than those born later. The next child is, for a while, the youngest, until the situation is changed by a new arrival. The mother and father themselves are changing and growing up too. One sibling might live in a stable and close family in the first few years; another might be raised in a family crisis, with a disappointed mother or an angry father.

    Sibling competition was identified as an important shaping force as early as in 1918. But more recently, researchers have found many ways in which brothers and sisters are a lasting force in each others' lives. Dr. Annette Henderson says firstborn children pick up vocabulary more quickly than their siblings. The reason for this might be that the later children aren't getting the same one-on-one time with parents. But that doesn't mean that the younger children have problems with language development. Later-borns don't enjoy that much talking time with parents, but instead they harvest lessons from bigger brothers and sisters, learning entire phrases and getting an understanding of social concepts such as the difference between “I” and “me”.

    A Cambridge University study of 140 children found that siblings created a rich world of play that helped them grow socially. Love-hate relationships were common among the children. Even those siblings who fought the most had just as much positive communication as the other sibling pairs.

    One way children seek more attention from parents is by making themselves different from their siblings, particularly if they are close in age. Researchers have found that the first two children in a family are typically more different from each other than the second and third. Girls with brothers show their differences to a maximum degree by being more feminine than girls with sisters. A 2003 research paper studied adolescents from 185 families over two years, finding that those who changed to make themselves different from their siblings were successful in increasing the amount of warmth they gained from their parents.

    Goodreads recommends the following books you want to read for the event to come.

    1).The Lyrics: 1961-2012

    By Bob Dylan

    Simon & Schuster,$60

    What it's about: This heavy,well-timed publication contains lyrics by the songwriter who just won the Nobel Prize in Literature,from his first album,Bob Dylan,through Tempest.

    What's to love: The times may be changing,but Dylan's fans are a constant,traditional devotees who will want this epic collection for their shelves,to sit beside those beloved old large papers.

    2).Taylor Swift: This Is Our Song

    By Tyler Conroy

    Simon & Schuster,$28

    What it's about: An elegant fanzine celebrating all things about Taylor Swift,especially the pop star's countless fans. What's to love: Mom and/or Dad,the fan of Taylor Swift,will think you're pretty cool if he or she discovers this temple to Taylor under the Christmas tree (even if it is a book).

    3).Misty Copeland

    By Gregg Delman

    Rizzoli,$39.95

    What it's about: Star-figure female ballet dancer Misty Copeland strikes a pose(95,to be exact) in photos taken between 2011 and 2014,in the casual setting of dance studios.

    What's to love: Since becoming the first African American woman to be named a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre,Copeland has become a cultural phenomenon,and Delman's arresting pictures capture（捕捉）her muscular power and elegance.

    4).@ NatGeo: The Most Popular Instagram Photos

    By National Geographic

    National Geographic,$19.95

    What it's about: National Geographic's popular Instagram account(nearly 63 million followers) comes to book form in this title filled with eye-popping images from around the world.

    What's to love: Here's proof that NatGeo's talented photographers have conquered social media while maintaining the usual quality of their work.And for fans of more traditional coffee-table-size books,check out National Geographic's Wild,Beautiful Places:Picture-Perfect Journeys Around the Globe ($40).

    A farmer grew some vegetables in his garden. One day his wife was ill and he had no money. He had to sell some cabbages and carrots in the market. The next morning he took two baskets of vegetables to town, but it was raining hard that afternoon and there were few people in the street. When his vegetables were sold out, it was dark. He bought some medicine and hurried to his village.

    On his way home he saw a person lying on the ground. He placed his baskets on the ground and was going to help the person to get up. At that time he found it was a dead man and there was much blood on his body. He was so afraid that he ran away quickly, without taking his baskets.

    The next afternoon the farmer was sent to the police station. Having shown the baskets, an officer asked, “Are these yours?" “Yes, sir." The farmer answered timidly（胆怯地）. “Have you killed the man?” “No, no, sir.” The farmer said in a hurry. “When did you see the dead man?” “About seven last evening." “Did you see who killed the man?” “No, sir." The officer brought out a knife and asked, “Have you seen it yet?” “No, sir." The officer became angry and told the policemen to beat him up and sent him into prison(监狱)。

    That evening the officer went on trying. Pointing to the knife, he asked again, “Have you seen it yet?” "yes, sir.” The officer was happy and asked, “When and where?” “I saw it here this afternoon, sir.”

Public libraries are an excellent resource for research, literacy(读写能力)education, and reading-centered events. Most towns have one or share library services with other towns through a mobile library, and the use of a public library is free to people who are willing to apply for a library card.

There are several primary sources of library funding(资金)， starting with national funds which are distributed to states or provinces. These regions send the funds on to public libraries. Local governments also play an important role in providing funding for libraries, and most librarians apply for grants(拨款). Finally, private donations help to maintain libraries—most libraries have an association of Friends of the Library which organizes fund-raising sales and pays annual dues to help maintain the library.

Grants and private donations can also be used to provide a large amount of funding for public libraries, and some large libraries maintain a separate staff to increase the amount of funding that they can obtain through these sources. Grants include technology grants which allow libraries to install and upgrade computer systems, grants which focus on a particular topic such as science, fiction, children's books, or local history, and education grants which support locally-based community efforts such as after-school reading programs. Many private donors are pleased to support their local public libraries by donating funds or including some library in their wills, and libraries reward their donors with treats like after-hours visits or privileged access to special collections.

By combining multiple resources, creative librarians can keep their libraries useful, informative, and fun for browsers. When it comes to supporting public libraries, every little bit counts: if you cannot afford to donate to a local library, think about volunteering time to help shelve, lead after-school programs, or organize fund raisers. Being active with your public library is a very important way to contribute to your local community.