Adults are happy to tell their children that crusts (面包皮) will give them curly hair, carrots will help them see in the dark, and spinach will make them strong. Even though adults know it's not totally true, they think it's good for their children's health, a study had found.

    In a study about 31 per cent of adults said they once told their children the curly hair tale, and 36 per cent said they'd been told the same thing by their mother or father. Among the over-50s, almost half said they'd been promised curly hair if they ate their crusts. A quarter of the 2,000 adults questioned in the study told their children carrots would help them see in the dark. This could be true to some extent because of the high levels of vitamin A and beta-carotene in root vegetables.

    Another favorite among parents is that milk will make one strong. A third surveyed said their parents told them this, and about 29 per cent said they told their children the same thing. But while there is plenty of evidence to suggest milk is good for people's health, there are also a lot of scientific papers saying it isn't.

    Thanks to Popeye, spinach is also fed to children, along with the idea that it will make them strong. While there is also some truth in this one, scientists now believe it is not the iron, but the inorganic nitrates (无机硝酸盐) that improve physical power.

    One in seven of the surveyed admitted telling their little ones that runner beans will make them run faster, which is nothing more than wordplay and has no basis in science. Almost one in five adults were subjected to the same tale in childhood.

    Just over one in 10 parents told their children green food would turn them into a superhero, and a quarter admitted hiding vegetables in meals.

    Lyndsay Jones, spokesman for Persil Washing Up Liquid, said, "It's clear that the most persuasive stories about food are passed on from generation to generation. Our research shows that the ideas continue, and we tell our kids the same things our parents told us, even if they're not always entirely true."

    Crusts may not make your hair curly, but there's plenty of research that says crusts contain more of the goodness than the rest of a loaf. Hopefully, as a result of our Cook with Kids promise, more parents will be encouraged to spend time with their children in the kitchen and teach them the truth about food.

    Robot are about to enter our lives. From doing housework, entertaining and educating our children, to looking after the elderly, scientists say we will soon be welcoming robots into our homes and workplaces.

    Researchers believe we are on the cusp (过渡点) of a robot revolution that will mirror the quick growth of the computer revolution. They are developing new laws for robot behavior, and designing new ways for humans and robots to communicate.

    “I think robots will change who we are, just as eyeglasses and fire changed who we were before, says Rodney Brooks, a director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

    Some ideas and technologies may sound like science fiction, but they are fast becoming science fact. Robots scientists invented are already beginning to perform everyday tasks like cleaning our floors. The latest types from Japan are able to help the elderly to get out of bed or get up after a fall. They can also remind them when to take medication (药物), or even help wash their hair.

    “Robot now are not human-like. For example they are things like automatic (自动的) beds and wheelchairs,” says Prof Hiroshi Ishiguro at Osaka University, Japan. He believes the time is coming when robots start looking less like machines, and more like us. “In the near future we are going to use more human-like robots. I really think so, says Prof Ishiguro.

    Prof Maja Mataric at the University of Southern California agrees. “I'm very excited about the fact that today we are trying to make robots that look like human beings,” she says.

    “I believe we love robots because they're reflections (反映) of ourselves,” says Ken Goldberg, director of the Berkeley Center for New Media at the University of California at Berkeley.

    “Robots could be used in education, learning, and healthcare, where social support is important,” says Dr. Cynthia Breazeal, director of the Personal Robots Group at MIT.

    I fondly remember road trips as a child, sitting in the sunny backseat of my mom's car, daydreaming about other worlds and fantastic adventures. As I've grown older, my daydreams have become increasingly occupied less with fantasy but more with the reality of my past and future. Nearly everyone daydreams about their future and reflects nostalgically (念旧地) or negatively on moments of the past. These moments can provide inspiration, but if you spend too much time daydreaming in this fashion, you may be reducing your success in the present.

    If you've ever planned a vacation, you're familiar with the impatient days tapping at your desk, dreaming of the lazy, relaxing days to come. Unfortunately, sometimes you end up comparing the real vacation to your imagined one, and it doesn't live up to the standard. Reflecting nostalgically on the past can also prevent present enjoyment. It is equally fun to reflect on past achievements or fun events, but it's possible to be so consumed with happy memories that you miss opportunities to create more.

    We've all made mistakes that we're ashamed of; reflecting on them is an important step in correcting those mistakes and becoming a better person. But dwelling（细想）too long on your past can also be negative. If you dwell too long on a past mistake, you can begin to equate（使等同）yourself with your past and feel farther away from the person you want to be. Train your brain to think quickly about the past and future, and take only the information and inspiration that you need in order to be the best person you can without resting on your glory moments or your mistakes.

    If your identity is not dependent on the past or future, every experience is new and every day is a blank page for you to write. A fun mental exercise is to always tell yourself that you're experiencing things for the first time. So take advantage of each moment you're given.

    We live in a world where new technologies and new methods are constantly being introduced. As humans, we are learning machines. We are most alive and functioning closest to our potential when we are learning, adapting, adjusting and finding new ways, approaches and techniques to improve our lives or the lives of others in some way.

    Learning does not finish when we leave school. Learning can become a way of life that helps us to achieve our greatest potential. We shall never stop learning, as there is always something new and interesting to discover.

    Lifelong learners never fail, because failure isn't in the vocabulary. Failure is just defined as "a failure to learn".

    When a project does not go according to the plan, lifelong learners ask themselves "What can I learn from this？" and follow up with" How can I do this differently and achieve my outcome？"They do not say, "I did not get to my goal, so I must be a failure."

    There is a wonderful saying: "The only way to fail is to quit！" Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, said, "The only reason I am standing up here and you aren't is that I have failed more often than you have."

    It is sad but true that our greatest lessons come from our greatest failures.The important thing is the lesson. There is no such thing as failure as long as there is a lesson to be learned.

    Learn something new every single day. Three very good reasons for becoming a lifelong learner include promoting your brain's health, giving your life a sense of purpose and promoting your financial security. Any one of these reasons should be enough, but all three combine to a powerful motivation to learn.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are among the most famous awards for student achievement in the literary and visual arts. Past winners include such short story masters as Donald Barthelme, Joyce Carol Oates, and Stephen King.

The contest offers several categories relevant to short story writers: short story, flash fiction, science fiction, humor, and writing collection (graduating seniors only).

Who can enter? The contest is open to students in grades 9 to 12 (including homeschool-ers) in the US, Canada, or American schools abroad.

What do winners receive? The contest offers a variety of scholarships (some as high as $ 10,000) and cash awards (some as high as $ 1,000) at both the regional level and he national level. Winners may also receive certificates of recognition and opportunities for publication.

How are entries judged? The awards have three judging standards: originality, technical skill, and the reflection of a personal vision or voice. Be sure to read past winners to get an idea of what's been successful. The judges change every year, but they always include people who are highly accomplished in their field.

When is the deadline? Competition guidelines are updated in September, and submissions are usually accepted from September through early January. Regional Gold Key winners will automatically advance to the national competition.

How do I enter? All students begin by entering a regional competition based on their ZIP code. See the guidelines for additional information.

When I was three, my parents took me to have an operation in India, which stopped my eyesight from deteriorating(恶化). Several years later we moved to Pakistan, where I received 12 operations within one year and went completely blind. Later, I realized that the doctors used me as an experiment.

I met my husband when he came over from India to study. I wanted to go to India to marry him, but it was almost impossible to emigrate. I made a crazy plan to cross the borders of several countries to get to India. I was arrested in the first country I escaped to. Back in Pakistan, I lost my job and was asked to sign a "never-to-escape" promise. Instead, when I got home, I made a cup of coffee and decided to make a formal application for emigration. The chance was slim, and people who applied to go to India found it hard to find a job in Pakistan while they were waiting. In the end, my husband managed to smooth the way for my emigration. We got married and had children. But after nine years, he died of brain cancer. I was helpless for a while, and then I learned to face reality optimistically. He taught us happiness came from inside us.

Six years ago, I brought home a dog called Moritz from the seeing-eye dog centre. He was short with long ears. No one liked him because of his pathetic(可怜的)appearance. We were almost always together. Moritz could not leave me for even one minute. Now when I walk down the street, not like before, people will come up and say, "What a good seeing-eye dog! ", and have a little chat with me as a normal creature.

I'm now working for the Association of the Blind and I have many good friends, and a special friend in Hamburg. It is a wonderful feeling to speak freely with someone I can't see, to trust one another.