E-reading and e-books are slowly conquering the world. Compared to traditional paper books, e-books in some schools and universities attract more interest because the information flow seems much easier to manage and comes in a greatly higher quantity.

    Japan is known for the reform-minded attitude towards the gadget(精巧装置)world and for the fact that it is one of the first countries that encouraged in the educational system the emailing of homework.

    The digital textbook looks like the logical step in the world of learning. It is natural but it is also completely untraditional.

    The plan of the largest publishing companies to get in line with the trend is to save a large quantity of paper and make the kids become interested in learning using a cool gadget. Many USA universities and colleges have made students be used to the procedure of downloading the courses and of course the procedure involves interactive software and also the chance of using the computer.

    The traditional education system is still unwilling when it comes to giving up books. The standard approach of information taught out of a book and Shakespeare read out of an old school novel makes studying English as traditional as it can be.

    In a world where kids would rather see the movie than read a book, the digital age has brought along a completely different flavor to reading. Bringing that flavor in school will make teaching a greener and also a completely different matter.

    James Cook, at the age of forty, was sent by England to explore the Pacific Ocean. On his third voyage, as captain in charge of two ships, the Discovery and the Revolution, he came upon a group of unknown islands which he named the Sandwich Islands after his friend, the Earl (伯爵) of Sandwich. Today the islands are known at the Hawaiian Islands.

    When Cook sailed into a protected bay (海湾) of one of the larger islands, the natives greeted him with curiosity and respect. Some historians said that the islanders welcomed him, believing he was the god, protector of peace and agriculture.

    The islanders were short, strong people with a very well-organized social system. The men fished and raised crops. The women prepared for the children and made clothing for the men and short skirts for the women.

    Many people wrongly think that cities don't have farms and fruits and vegetables are only grown in the country. Believe it or not, there are more urban farms popping up in cities all over the world.

    Alexandra Sullivan, a food systems researcher in New York, studies urban agriculture. Urban agriculture is another name for farming and gardening in a city environment. Ms. Sullivan studies everything from tiny gardens in empty lots between buildings to bigger fields that have been planted and grown. According to Ms. Sullivan, “Urban agriculture has existed since cities have, across the world.”

    The number of humans living in urban areas, or cities, is increasing. The amount of people who wanted to garden in urban areas is also rising. Ms. Sullivan says, “In small gardens, on rooftops and indoors, city residents grow fruits, vegetables, grains, and herbs, and raise animals to produce milk, eggs, honey, and meat. City residents use these foods as supplements to food produced by rural agriculture.” Even though some people who live in urban areas grow crops, urban residents still need to rely on food grown in rural areas. This is because a city doesn't have enough space to grow enough food for everyone living in it.

    In New York City, urban farmers have come up with many different ways to grow their own produce, even though there isn't a lot of room. For example, Brooklyn Grange is a farming operation that has two rooftop vegetable farms in New York City. All together, the farms are made up of 2.5 acres of rooftop space. This makes Brooklyn Grange one of the largest rooftop farming operations in the world.

    Brooklyn Grange grows all kinds of things. The farming company sells its vegetables to local residents and restaurants. And because the farms are on rooftops, they are specially adapted to their urban location. They use available space that is not needed for anything else. As more urban farmers find ways to grow food in cities, urban residents will be better able to get fresher materials for their meals.

    A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to the audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired. “How heavy is this glass of water?”

    Different answers are called out from the audience.

    She replied, “The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

    She continued. “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happen. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt you. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed and be incapable（无能力的）of doing anything.”

    It's important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night.

    Remember to put the glass down!”

    Comments:

    Aye Chan Aung－February 27, 2017 at 11:37am

    Short but valuable! It clearly teaches me how to deal with stresses.

    Nelson Malicdem－February 28, 2017 at 8:23 pm

    Wow! Thank the author and the one who submitted the article. I am experiencing a challenge when I read this. It gives me peace. What exactly is in the article is what I am doing. My burden actually paralyzes me without my knowing it. I put down the glass of water that I am holding. Thank you so much!

    During this shopping season, salesmen will come up with different strategies to get your business. Many product companies use specific colors to cause positive emotions and compete for a sale. However, sight is not the only sensory (感官的) retail that companies use. Sounds and smells can also influence consumers' purchasing decisions.

    Nobel Prize-winning research shows that our sense of smell has great power to cause an emotional response. A study published earlier this year compared purchasing in a French flower shop when the smell of lavender (薰衣草) was given off and when it wasn't. It found that the smell increased the number of consumers' purchasing items and the amount of their purchases. An earlier study using Nike shoes found that consumers desired the shoes more, and were willing to pay more, when the room had a mixed smell of flowers. Realizing the subconscious impact of smell, many stores apply artificial scents (气味) through their heating and air-conditioning vents (通风口) or place scent machines above their doors. For instance, a coconut scent might make that bikini more appealing as you long for a vacation.

    Ever felt frenzied due to a store's fast-paced music? Or calmed by a piece of light music? A retailer's choice of music can have a big impact on consumers' moods. One study found that when subjected to loud music, consumers will spend less time in a store. But interestingly, the researchers did not find a difference in sales or customers' satisfaction. Another interesting finding from a recent study was that customers actually shop longer when exposed to unfamiliar music. Just as department stores use different scents in certain departments, many use different music in some areas to appeal to varying consumers.

    Well, you could always leave the store and take a break, but the food court probably isn't your best choices as brands like Cinnabon and Panera Bread also use scents as part of their customers' experience. Online retailers (零售商) use a variety of other strategies to get your business, but you can always neglect those and enjoy the familiar scents of home.

    When you live in total messiness—cookies in your pants draws, and some old New Yorkers or apple seeds in your bed—it's hard to know where to look for when you lose your keys. The other day, after two weeks of searching, I found my keys in the refrigerator. I can't say I was surprised. But I was surprised when I was diagnosed with ADHD(多动症), when I was a junior at Yale.

    According to a new study, 11% of school-age children have received an ADHD diagnosis, a 16% increase since 2007. And rising diagnoses mean rising treatments—drugs like Adderall are more accessible than ever. However, the consequences of misuse and abuse of these drugs are dangerous.

    Yet also harmful are the consequences of ADHD undiagnosed, an all-too-common story for women like me, who have symptoms, like disorganization and forgetfulness, which look different from those typically expressed in males.

    Dr. Ellen, author of Understanding Girls with ADHD, has found around 4 million females with ADHD are not diagnosed. "The main reason is that the diagnostic criteria were developed based on those hyperactive（过度活跃）young boys taken to clinics, making it difficult for girls to be diagnosed unless they behave like hyperactive boys." Ellen says.

    Besides, the idea that young women actually have ADHD often causes skepticism. As a top student, I didn't believe my diagnosis at first. My friends were also confused, and rather certain my doctor was misguided.

    "Often, if girls are smart or in supportive homes, symptoms are masked," Dr.Ellen says. "Girls will hide their inability to meet social expectations. They see their trouble organizing, and concentrating as character flaws(缺陷)."

    These years, I am both embarrassed and exhausted by my struggles to keep track of objects, but drug has helped it and made it more bearable.