Probably no other musical instrument is as popular as the guitar around the world. Musicians use the guitar for almost all kinds of music. Country and western music would not be the same without a guitar. The traditional Spanish folk music called Flamenco could not exist without a guitar. The sound of American blues music would not be the same without the sad cry of the guitar. And rock and roll music would almost be impossible without this instrument.

    Music experts do not agree about where the guitar was first played. Most agree it is ancient. Some experts say an instrument very much like a guitar was played in Egypt more than 1,000 years ago. Most experts say that the ancestor of the modern guitar was brought to Spain from Persia sometime in the 12^th century. The guitar continued to develop in Spain. In the 1700s it became similar to the instrument we know today.

    Many famous musicians played the instrument. The famous Italian violins Niccole Paganism played and wrote music for the guitar in the early 1800s. Franz Schubert used the guitar to write some of his famous works. In modern times Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia helped make the instrument extremely popular.

    In the 1930s, Les Paul began experimenting to make an electric guitar. He invented the solid-bodied electric guitar in 1946. The Gibson Guitar Company began producing its famous Les Paul Guitar in 1952. It became a powerful influence on popular music. The instrument has the same shape and the same six strings (弦) as the traditional guitar, but it sounds very different. Les Paul produced a series of extremely popular recordings that introduced the public to this music. Listen to this Les Paul recording. It was the fifth most popular song in the United States in 1952. It is called “Meet Mister Callaghan.”

    Every single human being on this planet has a path and purpose to fulfill, whether they realize it or not. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    List what you love and connect the dots. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}It may not make sense at first, but all of the things you enjoy doing are part of your path in one form or another, so grab a pen and a piece of paper and start writing. Once you have your list, take a step back and see how all these brilliant pieces might connect to the work you are meant to do.

    Identify what you do with ease. Often our passion and purpose are staring us right in the face, but it's so natural to us that we don't think anything about it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Just because they are easy for you doesn't mean that's the case for everyone else. By identifying what comes naturally to you, you have the ability to build on your strengths and help others in ways you never thought possible.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Finding your passion is directly related to doing the things that light you up and set your soul on fire. If you love to teach, run, and host live events, then please, do them all! Who says your life purpose has to be just one thing? You are meant to experience life and all that it has offered.

    Ask others to help. If you are still feeling stuck in finding your passion and purpose in life, it might be time to ask others for help. It can be difficult for you to see where you truly shine because you are simply too close to connecting the dots on your own. Friends, family members and professionals have a view that you don't. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Do what makes you happy.

B. Find what you do with ease.

C. Don't overlook the things that are easy for you.

D. They can help you to see things within yourself.

E. You cannot count on others to help you completely.

F. Here are ways to find your passion and purpose from now on.

G. Identifying the things you love is the best way to find your passion and purpose.

    Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Brain-computer interface (界面) (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.

    Recently, two researchers, Jose Milan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic schooling Lausanne, Switzerland, demonstrated(展示)a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person's thoughts.

    In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand. He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts.

    "Our brain has billions of nerve cells. These send signals through the spinal cord(脊髓)to the muscles to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the muscles," Tavella says.  "Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external world and also to control devices."

The researchers designed a special cap for the user. This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp(头皮) and sends them to a computer. The computer interprets the signals and commands the motorized wheelchair. The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path. They help the computer react to commands from the brain.

    Prof. Milan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain signals and turns them into simple commands. "The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices. One example is this wheelchair."

    He says his team has set two goals. One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from. And the other is to guarantee that they can use the technology over long periods of time.

    The human body is designed to move. But modern lifestyles and office jobs rarely give us the chance to move around. As we know, we're sitting while we're eating; we sit in the car and we sit while we watch TV. And many of us sit for many hours at work.

    New research shows that sitting less than three hours a day might extend your life by two years. Peter Katzmarzyk, a scientist at the University of Louisiana in the southern United States, says that sitting is ubiquitous in our lives, meaning it is something we do all the time, everywhere.

    However, Mr. Katzmarzyk says that does not mean you can sit for the rest of your waking hours. He also says you may exercise often, "We can't throw away physical activity. It's extremely important. We have 60 years of research showing us that."

    Mr. Katzmarzyk and his colleagues are part of a new generation of researchers studying how sitting all day affects length of life. "Studies that have assessed the relationship between sitting and mortality (死亡率) or television viewing and mortality are very rare. There's only been a few of them, actually five or six now, in the last four or five years." They found that cutting television time to less than two hours a day could add one point four years to life.

    Luckily, change is already coming to some offices, especially in the design of desks. A "standing desk" lets people stand while they work. Another new design is called the "treadmill desk." A treadmill is an exercise machine that lets you walk in one place. Even some U.S. schools are beginning to experiment with desks that are part bicycle to keep children moving. That's one of the strategies that many companies are using now.

    Mr. Katzmarzyk also says studying this problem has inspired his team to make a few changes in their own lives.

    Chrysanthemums (菊花) are to the fall what tulips are to the spring.

    In ancient China chrysanthemums (or 'mums' for short) were first planted thousands of years ago. People chose the chrysanthemum as their Flower for October a symbol of the rest and ease that followed the season's final harvest. Then they symbolized a scholar in retirement (隐居) and were one of the four noble(高贵的) plants along with bamboo, the plum flower(梅) and orchid(兰).

    The Japanese hold the chrysanthemum as a symbol of the sun. They consider the orderly unfolding of its petals(花瓣) to be a symbol of perfection. They also think that a single chrysanthemum petal placed in the bottom of a wine glass encourages a long and healthy life. The Japanese even have a National Chrysanthemum Day on September 9 known as the Festival of Happiness.

    In the United States during colonial times its popularity grew such that mums now reign as "Queen of the Fall Flowers." Mums remain the most widely grown pot plant in the country and the largest commercially produced flowers. Chrysanthemums generally represent cheerfulness and rest. So they are welcomed throughout the British Isles and North America for any occasion such as football games and parties.

    In other countries such as Italy Belgium and Austria however their association with the dead makes chrysanthemums acceptable only for funerals and graves.

    If you think American cooking means opening a package and throwing the contents into the microwave oven (微波炉), think again. On the one hand, it's true that many Americans have cold cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and instant (方便的) dinners. From busy homemakers to working people, many Americans enjoy the convenience of fast food that can be ready to serve in 10 minutes or less. On the other hand, many Americans realize the importance of cooking skills. Parents—especially mothers'—see the importance of training their children—especially daughter's. Most Americans think that there's nothing better than a good home-cooked meal. But with cooking, as with any other skill, good results don't happen by accident.

    Probably every cook has his or her own way of cooking. But there are some basic skills that most people follow. For example, baking is a main method of preparing food in America. For that reason, Americans would find it next to impossible to live without an oven. American cooks pay special attention to the balance of foods, too. In planning a big meal, they try to include meat, a few vegetables, some bread and often a dessert. They also like to make sure the meal is colorful. Having several different colors of food on the plate usually makes for a healthy meal.

    For those who need guidance in their cooking, or for those who have just run out of ideas, recipes are a great help. Recipes list all the ingredients for a dish (generally in the order used), the amount of each to use, and a description of how to put them together.