My mom takes pride in the fact that I was talking in three and four word sentences before I was ten months old. Some say it's a gift while others simply think I talk too much.

    As my thirties came to a close, I found myself reflecting on my life. I'm very happy and have no significant regrets. However, when I looked back on those times of difficulty, I saw a clear common denominator(特征); I didn't seem to know when to stop talking. Whether it was hurting someone's feelings, or having carelessly told a secret, the incident could have been avoided had I closed my mouth sooner. So I decided to practice the power of quiet.

    To take this step, I needed to understand how people could sit comfortably in a group and not talk. Why does my husband feel completely content to say nothing in a conversation? He's highly intelligent and has wonderful opinions but he'll sit quietly and just listen. Even when he's asked a pointed question, he'll answer with few words while still communicating effectively. What a talent!

    Can you imagine being happy just listening? In surveying those I know who talk less than I do, I got two answers—they either didn't feel confident enough to speak up, or they just didn't feel the need to participate in the conversation. Of course there were other reasons for not talking, but these were the two most popular answers.

    The first one didn't work for me. I'm just fine letting people know what I think about them, and hopefully it will make the conversation much more interesting. The second one didn't work either. I do feel the need to participate. I feel it physically like an electrical pulse through my body; sometimes it's so strong that it causes me to behave badly in the form of interrupting or speaking in an unusually loud voice. I had to look further.

    An interesting thing happened on this journey to the power of quiet. During my weekly yoga class, it came to me like an answer so clear that the words rang in my head like soft, heavenly bells.

    I talked too much so people would know I cared about them. It was my way of taking care of those I love. I decided before my fortieth birthday, that from that day forward, those around me would know I loved them, and cared what they thought and felt, but I was going to practice the power of quiet.

    As my forty-second birthday approaches, I can say that deciding to talk less has been more about focusing on quality rather than quantity. I've found that listening more shows those who I care about that I really do care how they feel. Now when I break in, it means more to them. Oh, sure, I still have my short periods of talking too much, but for the most part this has been one resolution that I can call a success.

    Music is magic! Music speaks louder than words and it is a “language” that the whole world can understand. A piece of music can produce a response in the heart and mind. Like feeling an electrical current or receiving a personal radio signal, music has a spiritual effect on a person. Different kinds of music influence people in different ways.

    I have listened to music all my life. When I was twelve years old, the Beatles came to America and my whole world opened up. Maybe young people today cannot understand the influence of the Beatles when they exploded across America. Their influence changed the way we dressed, looked, acted and spoke... even our culture. The Beatles arrived in America from the UK just under three months after the assassination(暗杀) of President John Kennedy, which had put America into a great depression. And the freshness and lively spirit of the Beatles was exactly what the country needed to refresh itself.

    Music links the heart of the hearer with that of the composer. This means that it mixes the spirit of the composer with your spirit when you listen to it. And the music can take your spirit out of your body and transport you into another world. Music has a great way of touching people. Music can make you laugh, cry or shout. It's also a great source of inspiration.

    Try this one day and notice what happens: make yourself a cup of tea, sit on your sofa and play one of your favorite songs. Close your eyes, and soon you'll find yourself creating vivid mental images—matching the music that you are listening to.

    Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May joined the opening ceremony of the 2018 “English is GREAT” activity, which aims to support and encourage more people across China to learn to speak English, during her visit to Wuhan University in Central China's Hubei province, Jan 31.

    Started by the British Council, the UK's international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities, this year-long activity sets out to improve fluency in spoken English in particular.

    Prize-winning online competition

    The activity also marked the start of an online competition, “My Favorite English Word”. You can join by simply posting your word of choice on the China Daily app. The most popular words will be included in a draw to win a variety of prizes, including Kindle, Polaroid camera and Bluetooth speaker. To participate, click here.

    English Teacher Award

    The activity establishes an English Teacher Award to recognise excellence in teaching among Chinese non-native teachers of English. Nominations(提名) will be made by students and English teachers.

    In order to recognise more inspiring teachers, monthly prizes will be presented and the winner of the grand final award will be announced later in the year. The winner will have the opportunity to take a four-week study trip to the UK—supported by the International House London.

    Throughout the activity, the “English is GREAT” website will provide access to free online resources and all kinds of materials for English learners of all levels.

    UK-Mandarin (Standard Chinese) Excellence Program

    The “English is GREAT” activity will reply to the UK-Mandarin Excellence Program, started in 2016, which aims to have 5,000 secondary school pupils in the UK fluent in Mandarin by 2020.

    Camping -Yellowstone National Park

    Camping rules

    Camping or parking in picnic areas, picnic grounds，or any place other than a designated (指定的) campground is not permitted. However, camping is often allowed in neighboring communities and forests outside the park.

    Camping is limited to 14 days between June 15 and September 15 and to 30 days the rest of the year. Check - out time for all campgrounds is 10:00 am.

    Quiet hours

    Camping in Yellowstone is a special experience. Each visitor deserves the opportunity to hear the birds, wildlife, and streams in this beautiful environment. Respect the rights of other campers and obey the law by keeping quiet from 8:00 pm to 8:00 am. No noises will be allowed during this time.

    Golden Age/ Golden Access discounts

    Holders of Golden Age and Golden Access permits will be given about 50% discounts on camping fees.

    Croup camping

    Group camping are permitted at Madison, Grant and Bridge Bay campgrounds from late May till the closing date for large organized groups with a designated leader such as youth groups or educational groups. The fees change per night, depending on the size of the group. Advance reservations (预定) are required and can be made by calling (866) 439 -7375.

    When we think someone is smart，we say they have a big brain．But are there any facts to prove that statement？

    Yes! In a new study done by Michael McDaniel, a psychologist at Virginia Commonwealth University，bigger does mean smarter. "For all ages and sex groups，"he says，"it is now very clear that intelligence has something to do with brain volume（容量）．"

    McDaniel reached his conclusion after measuring the size and volume of 26 brains with the help of some instruments. He then used standard IQ tests to measure the intelligence of the owners of these brains.

    But do IQ tests really reveal intelligence？McDaniel believes that they do，and here are other studies to backup that point of view．One study last year found that IQ is related to the amount and distribution（分布） of gray matter in the brain．The study showed that the amount of gray matter in certain places was strongly related to high IQ．The distribution of gray matter in the brain，which is different for different people，could explain why one person with a high IQ is good at math but poor at spelling，while someone else with the same IQ has just the opposite ability．

    Yet another recent study found that women have more gray matter（compared with white matter） than men！However，the study also showed that in the areas of the brain specifically（特别地） related to intelligence，men had much more gray matter，which is needed for some tasks，such as doing a math problem. Women, on the other hand, had more white matter, which is necessary for collecting information．And the point is that intelligence can be influenced in different ways．

    "On average，"McDaniel says，"smarter people learn more quickly，make fewer mistakes，and are more productive．"He believes in the use of IQ tests to examine those who want to find a job. So, be well, do good work, and…exercise that brain!

    In the US and Britain, the slogan around colleges was "Save water. Shower with a friend." Now, Wuhan University has come up with another system for the campus bathhouse. It charges students for the amount of time in a shower. Before entering the bathhouse, students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower with cash or their student ID card. The clock starts ticking the minute the tape is turned on. It pauses when a button is pressed for soap. An integrated circuit (IC) card reader at each tap shows the time. No money, no water. The benefits of the new system can be seen with the old system, which charged 1 yuan for each person regardless of time in the shower. The university used about 320 tones of water daily under the old system, but only 160 tons now.

    Many students use the new system but opinions on it are divided. Some students say it is bad because bathing had become a sort of race. Many people using it for the first time are not sure how long they need to shower. Some might be embarrassed if their time is up and they're still covered in soap. They have to ask the bathhouse worker to help them buy extra time.

    "It's a flaw in the system that you can not buy extra time on the ID card," said Ren, a freshman in Wuhan University. The university is also considering some students' suggestions that they be allowed to pay after they've finished the shower. Not surprisingly, some are complaining about losing the hour shower. But many students say the move helps them develop a water-saving sense.

    Without the time limits, most students tended to shower for 30 to an hour in the bathhouse.

    Some even used the hot water to wash their clothes. "In my experience, 10-20 minutes is enough," said Dai Zhihua, a third-year student who usually takes 8 minutes.

    A similar system has been installed in other universities. Shanghai Normal University introduced it at its Fengxiang Campus in September. The bathing fee there is 0.2 yuan per minute. One male student responded by setting a record with a two-minute shower.