Multitasking

    What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a shop? The products displayed (展示) at the entrance? Or the soft background music?

    But have you ever notice the smell? Unless it is bad, the answer is likely to be no. But while a shop's scent may not be outstanding compared with sights and sounds, it is certainly there. And it is providing to be an increasing powerful tool in encouraging people to purchase.

    A brand store has become famous for its distinctive scent which floats through the fairly dark hall and out to the entrance, via scent machines. A smell may be attractive but it may not just be used for freshening air. One sports goods company once reported that when it first introduced scent into its stores, customers' intension to purchase increased by 80 percent.

    When it comes to the best shopping streets in Pairs, scent is just as important to a brand's success as the quality of its window displays and goods on sales. That is mainly because shopping is a very different experience to what it used to be.

    Some years ago, the focus for brand name shopping was on a few people with sales assistants' disproving attitude and don't touch what you can't afford displays. Now the rise of electronic commerce (e-commerce) has opened up famous brands to a wider audience. But while e-shops can use sights and sounds, only bricks-and-mortar stores (实体店) can offer a full experience from the minute customers step through the door to the moment they leave. Another brand store seeks to be much more than a shop, but rather a destination. And scent is just one way to achieve this. Now a famous store uses complex man-made smell to make sure that the soft scent of baby powder floats through the kid department, and coconut (椰子) scent in the swimsuit section. A department store has even opened a new lab, inviting customers on a journey into the store's windows to smell books, pots and drawers, in search of their perfect scent.

    Zhang Kui first learned he could perfectly mimic(模仿)the sounds of animals when he was a child. The 29-year-old, who grew up in a poor family in Qiyang, Human province, today is a full-time performer of kouji.

    Zhang was 15 when his father died in 2003. He dropped out of school and joined his uncle's theater. Zhang bought CDs to study how to mimic the sounds of musical instruments and animals. He performed shortly afterward at a small theatre. “Although I wasn't that skilled, I got a lot applause(掌声). It was my first time on the stage. And then more and more audience came to watch my performances.” he said.

    He moved to Guilin in 2004, where he found work as a waiter at a karaoke bar. In 2005, Zhang went to Guangdong province and performed outside supermarkets to sell shampoo. “They paid me less, so I had to perform at bars at night.” said Zhang. He also worked as a condtruction worker. In 2007, he went to Beijing to learn from Niu Yuliang, a Beijing Kouji master. He worked as a gatekeeper to pay his way. He went to Niu on weekends and during the holidays to learn.

    Zhang's skills improved and he has since performed on more than 20 television programs. In September 2013, he was invited to Switzerland, in 2004, he performed in Africa, Europe and North America.

    Last year, he made a short film about the art and said it was the first film on the subject. The film will be on this year, and he said he hoped to draw more attention to the art. He also plans to give lectures on this traditional art at universities.

Tips to stay safe and make smart choices

    Even if you're a genius (天才) at school, you still might be lost when it comes to getting from point A to point B. Don't get caught in a strange place without these basic safety tips.

    Know where you're going.

    Before you set out in an unfamiliar area, go to Google Maps to plan your journey and print it out. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Make sure that the location services are turned on your phone, just in case you get lost.

    Know where your stuff is.

    Never leave your backpack or shopping bags out of your sight. Carry your wallet in your front pocket or keep it close to your body. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} A fun day out can turn into the worst headache ever if you realize you've left something behind.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    If you have the choice between a busy street and a deserted one, always pick the busy one. You are more likely to be attacked on dark, empty sidewalks than on ones with a crowd.

    Travel in packs.

    Don't go anywhere — especially an unfamiliar place — without a friend or two. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Don't let your music drown you out.

    There's nothing wrong with listening to your iPod as you walk around town, but keep it at a low enough volume (音量) so you can still hear passing cars. Losing concentration puts you at risk from accidents, attacks and getting lost. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Don't do it. Keep your head up and pay attention to the people and things going on around you.

A. Pick your streets smart.

B. Always choose your own ways.

C. Be sure you've got everything at all times.

D. Take out your phone and call the police.

E. This also goes for texting while walking.

F. You can also use your phone's GPS to map the route.

G. If you must go out alone, be sure to tell someone where you're going.

    In a study recently published in the journal Neuron, researchers found that super memorizers don't have unusually large brain regions that allow them to remember a lot of information. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are a few of their favorite tricks that can help you to remember things in your everyday life.

    To Remember: New words

    Technique: Change routine

    In a study, a group of students studied a list of words in two separate sessions. Some studied in a messy room ant some in a neat space. One group of students spent both sessions in the same room, while the other split the sessions between the two environments. During a test, the students who studied in multiple places remembered much more. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} That includes the time of day, the music in the background, whether you sit or stand, etc.

    To Remember: Your PIN

    Technique: Count it out

    You could use your birthday, or your phone number, but identity thieves have a way of figuring those numbers out. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Write a four- wort sentence. Then count the number of letters in each word. For instance, "This is my PIN" =4223.

    To Remember: Faces

    Technique: Focus on noses

    White some super memorizes specialize in associating names with faces, the memory-palace technique doesn't work as well if the image of the face is changed in any way. Rather than focusing on eyes, as most people do, focus on the centre or to the left of a person's nose. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    To Remember: Facts & figures

    Technique: {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

    To learn and remember statistics, reviewing the material repeatedly over a longer time is far more effective than repeating it in a shorter one. If your exam is in a week, study today and then again in a day or two. If it's a month away, study today and then wait a week before your second session.

A. Value exams

B. Give yourself time

C. This allows you to take in their whole face.

D. Their brain structures are in fact the same as the rest of ours.

E. Instead, try this tip from Dominic, an eight-time World Memory Champion.

F. The theory is that your brain links the words to the environment around you.

G. Studies showed that varying other aspects of your environment can also help.

    In recent years, China has witnessed the growth of luxury (奢侈品) brands. In this market, Chinese consumers are now the largest spenders. It's clear that a new generation of young, materialistic people is increasingly relying on luxury brands to improve its self-image.

I am a fashionist too, at least in spirit—I love to look at clothes and shoes. But I don't understand why people spend lots of money on designer labels.

    When a young woman buys a handbag that costs two months of her salary, that's a scary thing.

    What's interesting is that scientists have found that having luxury things doesn't lead to happiness.

    Study after study has shown that although we want material things, when we get them we don't suddenly become "happy" people. In fact, a series of studies by Leaf Van Boven at the University of Colorado, US, has shown that individuals who spend money on travel and similar experiences get more pleasure than those who invest it in material things. That's because experiences are more easily combined with a person's identity. If I travel to Yunnan, that adventure affects how I think in the future. My memories become a part of me.

    Moreover, as Van Boven has observed, young people who pursue happiness through "things" are liked less by their peers. People prefer those who pursue happiness through experiences.

    It's natural to want to express yourself through your appearance. So my advice is: create a look that isn't tied to a designer label. Convey your own message. Take some lessons from the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. He was always in Levis jeans and a black turtleneck. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, routinely appears in hoodies and sneakers. These people, successful people, have style. You don't have to break the bank to send a message about who you are.

    Take a trip. Go out into the world. Then come back and confidently create your own signature look.

We know that choosing a college major can be stressful.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}! Here's what you need to know about college majors before you commit.

Career prep

Choose a major because it will prepare you for a specific career path or advanced study. Maybe you already know that you want to be a nurse, a physical therapist, or a web developer.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Make sure you're ready for the coursework required for the career of your dreams.

Earning potential

Future earning potential is worth considering. After all, college is such a big investment. The majors that lead to the highest salaries include just about any type of engineering, mathematics, computer science, and economics. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. That six figure salary may not be worth it if you're not happy at the office.

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Some students choose a major simply because they love the subject matter. If your love is philosophy, don't write it off just because you're not sure about what the job market holds for philosophers. Many liberal arts majors provide students with critical thinking skills and writing abilities that are highly valued by employers.

Explore your interests

If you truly have no idea what you want to study, that's okay.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. That gives you four semesters to play the field. Make the most of any required general education courses—choose ones that interest you. Exploring your interests will help you find your best fit major—and maybe even your ideal career.

A. Many schools don't require students to declare a major until the second year

B. The most exciting aspects of college life is that it fosters new passions

C. A double major provides you with an understanding of two academic fields

D. However, keep your quality of life in mind, too

E. But have no fear

F. Before you decide, check out the curricula

G. Subjects you love