This Way to Dreamland

Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing. Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what's happening around them. They can seem forgetful and clumsy. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} ey annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things.

         But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?

         So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?

First, understand that some opportunities(机会) for daydreaming are better than others. Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you're daydreaming, try to do it while you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings.

It's also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concerntrate. “Mindfulness”, being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

            Finally, you never know what wonderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

           Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds.

A. Having interesting things to think about also helps.

B. They stare off into space and wander by themselves.

C. Without wandering minds, we wouldn't have relatively, Coke or Post-it notes.

D. At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses.

E. It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive.

F. Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand.

G. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep a notebook or voice recorder nearby when you're in the daydream zone.

    Every animal sleeps,but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

    One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} We  know that, while awake,fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加强)connections between brain cells, but the  memory processes that take place while we sleep  have been unclear.

    Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons(神经元)in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day.  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep,showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

If Tononi's theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night's, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information —our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

    Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapscs become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  “You keep what matters,” Tononi says.

    Nail-biting(咬指甲) is one of the most common annoying habits in children. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But you needn't worry too much and as soon as you realize what's causing nail-biting, you can help your child overcome and stop it. So, here's what you can do about it.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}In some cases, children won't even realize they are biting their nails, let alone know why they are doing it. So make sure you have a conversation with your child (if he/she is old enough) and make him/her realize he/she is doing it and try to figure out why it's happening.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} It's important to agree on the level of your involvement. If he/she wants help, create a secret reminder that will make him/her stop without embarrassing him/her.

    Give alternatives (替代物).{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Depending on the age of the child, there are several things that you can offer such as a small ball, Play-Doh games, or any kind of other small toys.

    Use bitter solutions(溶液). Forcing a child to keep this solution on his/her fingers may feel like a punishment.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Everything else will only lead to embarrassment and discouragement. Furthermore, some of these solutions contain pepper which burns if it enters a child's mouth or eyes. But if you have an adolescent child who wants to quit biting his/her nails, you may suggest and try out this solution.

A.It's also likely to continue as the child grows up.

B.Help the child become aware of the habit.

C.You should also consider asking for professional help.

D.Make an agreement on how you're going to stop it together.

E.The best thing children can do is communicate with their parents.

F.The child needs to go through the process painlessly and in agreement with you.

G.That will keep his/her hands occupied when he/she is likely to bite his/her nails.

    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 mon 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.

    Why do we go to zoos? Millions of people around the world visit zoos each year, but the reason is hard to explain .{#blank#}1{#/blank#} But the animals they see in zoos are little like the toys, cartoons, and decorations that fill their homes. For such children, meeting with real animals can be confusing, even upsetting.

    The great interest that children have in animals today might lead one to suppose that this has always been the case. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}That was also when zoos became an important part of middle-class life.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}They lived together with our ancestors in a shared natural environment. In the Industrial Era, the human domination (支配)of animals could be seen in the popularity of real-looking animal toys. Children rode rocking-horses that had realistic features, and they slept with bears, tigers, and rabbits that looked and felt almost real. The Twentieth Century marked a further development--the change of animals into people.

    This was the age of Babar the Elephant, Hello Kitty, and the Lion King. Parents and children had previously wanted animals that looked like animals.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    In a zoo they hope to see the living breathing versions of their character friends. They find instead unfamiliar creatures who cannot speak, smile, or interact with them. For this reason, a visit to the zoo can be disappointing for children today.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Meeting real animals reminds us forcefully of the boundary between imagination and reality.

    When we visit animals in a zoo, perhaps we will recall our true relationship not only to animals but to the entire world.

A. Animals are the best friends of the human beings.

B. Most of children are looking forward to visiting zoos.

C. Perhaps that disappointment is the best gift a zoo can offer.

D. But now they want animals that look and act like humans

E. Yet, it was not until the Industrial Era that animals became part of childhood.

F. In prehistoric times, there had been no zoos, as animals were a real part of the human world.

G. Many of those visitors are children, whose lives are already surrounded by animals' images.

    Have you ever kept your eyes groundward while otherwise presenting yourself well at a job interview? People who do often wonder why they fail to get the job despite having made full preparations and taken into consideration every possible interview question. To a large degree, the problem is not about your verbal preparation but rather your body language at an interview, Preparing your body language for an interview is crucial (至关重要的)，because it has various meanings in different cultures.

    And how does the language of gestures vary between Chinese and Western society? Instead of examining the theory, let's focus on handshake, the most practical gesture that easily escapes our attention. Patti Wood once said, “Most of the hiring decisions are made in the first 10 seconds of an interview.” The way you shake the interviewer's hand could create the first impression you make. A weak handshake implies lack of confidence. But is it wise to use a powerful handshake? It depends. This would not be a problem if you were shaking hands with a Westerner as they appreciate a firm handshake. But for Asian people a gentler handshake is better, as an over-powerful grip might seem offensive.

    Hand gestures are another major difference. Western prospective employers are likely to appreciate interviewees who use their hands expressively, and to assume that those who keep their hands hidden are either distrustful or lacking in confidence. The opposite applies in Asia. Be sure, therefore, to keep your hand gestures to a minimum at interviews with local companies in China.

    There are, apart from these two differences, other elements of body language that could ruin your interview wherever you are. You should make eye contact with your interviewer. That doesn't mean you should glare directly into the interviewer's eyes. The best point of focus would be a little lower than the middle point. Secondly, you shouldn't touch your nose, lips or forehead. This tells the interviewer that you are either extremely nervous or lying. Lastly, never jiggle (抖动)your legs or fold your arms. Leg jiggling delivers clearly the message that you feel uneasy and want to escape as quickly as possible. Likewise, crossing your arms implies that you are either defensive or bored.

    A research entitled “Non-Verbal Clues in Job Interviews” found that interviewers spotted a high connection between motivation, social skills and employment. Job seekers hence communicate their motivation and social skills through their body language. This crucial factor determines your fate in any job interview, which is why I cannot overemphasize (过分强调)the significance of body language and gestures. If you now recall your last failed interview, perhaps it is easier to understand why you didn't get the job.