What is “Dads Make a Difference”?

    A service-learning opportunity for teens that deals with fatherhood, parenting, and so on.

    Older teens, grades 10—12, teach younger teens, grades 6—9, about the importance of fathers in children's lives, the legal and financial responsibilities of parenting.

Teen teacher training goals & objectives

    The goal of the teen teacher training is to better understand the complex problems surrounding legal fatherhood in our society. By discussing what makes healthy families, explaining the meaning of paternity（父亲的身份）, and examining the risks people take in their lives, teens will develop the skills needed to make informed decisions in their own relationships and, finally, teach this information to others.

What's in it for me?

An opportunity to:

Learn life skills like communication, decision making, and problem solving.

    Get the chance to use knowledge in meaningful and effective ways.

    Develop leadership, planning, teamwork, time management, and organizational skills to help you in every aspect of your life.

    Forming lasting relationships with adult mentors（导师）.

Comments from teen teachers

    “ 'Dads Make a Difference' made me realize how permanent and expensive parenthood is.”

    “Speaking in form of groups and directing people in activities, I feel, is a valuable skill to have that I will use throughout my life.”

    “I wish I would have gone through this program when I was in Junior High. I know it would have helped me to really think about the future and to make good decisions.”

    “ 'Dads Make a Difference' has helped me to know the effects of my actions before I take them and I know what risks not to take to protect my future.”

    There is a breakthrough in building aircrafts. Bendable wings covered with overlapping(部分重叠) pieces resembling fish sizes could be used to build swifter, fuel-efficient aircraft, a new study finds.

    Nowadays, conventional aircrafts typically rely on ailerons (副翼) to help control the way the planes tip as they fly. However, when the Wright brothers flew the first airplane, Flyer 1, over a century ago, they used no ailerons but wires and pulleys that twisted the wood-and-canvas wings, to control the plane.

    Scientists have long sought to develop aircrafts that can alter their wings during flight, just as birds can. However, most previous attempts have failed because they relied on heavy mechanical control structures within the wings. These structures were also complex and unreliable, said Neil Gershenfeld, a physicist and director of the Center for Bits and Atoms at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

    The new wing consists of a system of tiny, strong, lightweight modules. The shape of the wing can be changed uniformly along its length using two small motors, which apply a twisting pressure to each wingtip. These wings are covered in “skins” of overlapping strips of flexible material resembling fish sizes. These strips move across each other as the wings alter, providing a smooth outer surface, the researchers explained.

    Wind-tunnel tests of these wings showed that they at least matched the aerodynamic properties of conventional wings, at about one-tenth the weight. Initial tests using remotely piloted aircrafts made with these wings have shown great promise, said Benjamin Jenett, a graduate student at the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT.

    The new modular structures the scientists developed could be manufactured quickly in mass quantities and then installed by teams of small robots. These modular structures also can be disassembled more easily, making repairs simpler.

    “Still, the first aircraft built using this strategy will not be a passenger jet, ”Gershenfeld said. “Instead, the technology will likely first be tested on unmanned aircraft, leading to drones (无人机) that can fly for a long time, to help deliver internet access or medicine to remote villages and do some rescue works.”

    Many young people want to be a driver. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Fortunately, there are things that you can do to help your teen become a more confident driver.

    Teach your teen the rules of the road

    Before your teen gets behind the wheel of a car, he or she should know well the rules of the road.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If your teen understands the basic rules and how the car works, then he or she will feel a little better about getting on the road.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Actions speak louder than words. Many people will tell you that they learned how to drive by watching one of their close family members drive. You should show good driving skills with examples.

    Practice

    Practice makes perfect. The more your teen practices, the more confident he or she will become. Your teen should start off by driving in a place that is free of barriers (障碍).{#blank#}4{#/blank#} After your teen has gotten comfortable about this, he or she can start practicing on the road.

    Drive in different conditions

    In order for your teen to become a good driver, he or she has to practice driving in different conditions.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Get car insurance (保险)

    Many teens are worried about how much their parents would have to pay if an accident occurs. You should explain to your teen that car insurance can help one save a lot of money.

A. Model good driving

B. Teach your teen by yourself

C. Then he or she can start to drive on the road.

D. An empty parking lot is a good place for a new driver to practice.

E. This includes things such as heavy traffic, bad weather and freeways.

F. However, some of them are nervous about actually getting out on the road.

G. You should have your teen review the driver's handbook and the vehicle's instructions.

    Do you believe in the power of music? If you're like most kids these days, you probably have an electronic device loaded with hundreds or even thousands of your favorite songs. At any moment in time, you can fill your headphones with the sounds of a particular song that suits your mood at that exact time.

    Are you getting ready for a big soccer match or do you need to get excited? Maybe some hip hop with a strong beat will do the trick! Besides, you might be ready to study for a big exam the next day. To calm your nerves and help you concentrate, a little bit of Mozart might make memorization more manageable.

    But is there any scientific evidence of these effects that music seems to have? You bet there is! Scientists have long recognized the power of music. Over the years, many studies have been conducted to examine in greater depth the nature and extent of the effects music has on people.

    For example, scientists at the University of Missouri have found that listening to music can have a positive effect on your mood. Their research gives scientific credibility(可信性) to the behavior that many people have already experienced on their own: listening to upbeat music can brighten your day and boost your mood.

    Other studies have shown that upbeat music isn't the only type of music that can be helpful, however. When people are sad or have suffered a personal loss, sad music can be helpful because people identify with the tone and lyrias(歌词) of the music. Likewise, people under a lot of stress or experiencing upsetting situations can benefit from listening to angry music. Although angry music might not help you if you're in a normal mood, its tone can benefit you when you are dealing with stressful and upsetting situations.

    Things only people who have worked overseas can understand

    If you have ever worked or lived overseas, I'm pretty sure you can understand the following things!

    We do not automatically become fluent (流利的) in another language. A lot of people believe that changing your geographic location can improve your language learning skills quickly. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Language application takes time and has a number of factors that play into a person's level of fluency.

    We feel extremely lonely at times. Yes, living abroad can be wonderful. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Sometimes, we think that no one back at home understands our true feelings and life challenges, but a lot of other people travel long term and work abroad. Maybe they are not facing the same problems as you, but they know exactly how you feel.

    We don't really like our birthdays. Usually, your special day ends with the last phone call you get from home and then you can look through all your greetings on social media. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You may throw a small party with some of your new friends, but it's going to be nothing compared with the good­old feasts you used to have with your loved ones back at home.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Too often we simply can't tell you if we will be coming home for holidays this season. Sometimes, our working/living permits require us to stay in the country for at least a year. Adding up the flight costs and additional travel expenses, traveling home becomes quite a challenge for us.

    We will change. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You become more mature, independent and open­minded. Usually, you return home as a better person than the one you left as.

A. The truth is: it isn't like that.

B. We may not plan to move back home.

C. We don't know when we'll come home next.

D. However, it can get extremely lonely on some days too.

E. Living abroad makes us value the little things a lot.

F. Living and working abroad shape your personality a lot.

G. After that, you just act as if it's another ordinary day in your life yet.

Given the fact that chemical pesticides and artificial fertilisers can fight crop diseases and increase production, they{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) in wide-spread use since the 1950s. When they were first introduced,many farmers considered them as a great way.However, with time {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(go) by, they have been proved harmful to the environment and people's health if{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(use) for a long time.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (tackle) this problem, some farmers have switched to organic farming{#blank#}5{#/blank#}an alternative. And organic food has become{#blank#}6{#/blank#}favorite for many customers. Farmers who grow organic products rely on it that{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(nature) means could keep their soil fertile and free of disease. Different organic methods have come up,{#blank#}8{#/blank#} goal is to grow good food while avoiding damage to the environment or to people's health. However, organic farming cannot replace chemical farming{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(instant) for it's feeding a huge number of people worldwide now. There is still a long way to go before scientists find a suitable{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(solve) that can serve the high demand for food around the world while protecting the environment.