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Safety and Security Procedures

   Your safety and the security of your personal property(财产) are of the primary concern to those of us who welcome you as our guest. We urge you to take advantage of the following suggestions.

    Making a good job choice is almost as good as choosing a good life. So, choosing a job is one of the most important decisions to make in life.

    For my job, there are three important things that I will consider: The first one—that I must work in an area I like—is most important to me. Someone once said if you find a job that you enjoy, then you won't have to work another day. I would like to work in an area where I can be more creative. I would like to be the most valuable member there. All this is possible only if I like what I do.

    The second one is that the area of my work must lead me to solve some new and hard problems. I would like to stay in the same area for a long time. In order for this to happen, the work must provide enough problems. More than just working to live, I enjoy making a difference and trying my best for the whole progress. I would also like to be well remunerated for my hard work, so I can lead a comfortable life with this hard-won money. Then I can provide the best for my family.

    The third important thing is that I would like to work in an area that would help other people. The work in my mind is in fields such as the army, training or management. In such areas, I can help to develop the abilities of others and bring out their best. It would be a most satisfying job to help young people to become the best that they can be. When I become old, I would like to look back with a great sense of satisfaction that thousands of people have become better persons through my work.

    I accept the idea that no one should make a choice of a job suddenly or quickly. He should decide what he wants to be in the long run. Then, he should decide how he works towards it. He should study the proper courses, read the books and speak to knowledgeable persons in that field before making a job choice. A good choice will most probably lead to a better life.

    Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup (基因构成) as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.

    Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.

    Exploration also allows minerals and other potential (潜在的) resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products (副产品) of technological developments in space.

    While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human beings to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.

    While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.

    Two years ago, something happened that changed the way I look at the world. On my birthday, my grandfather, walking home with his hands full of groceries, fell and hit his head on the sidewalk. Just as we were leaving to meet him for dinner, we got the call that he was in the hospital. At first, I thought nothing of it, but when I heard the whole story, I couldn't believe it. He hit his head so hard that he had a blood clot in his brain and it had to be operated on immediately. Everyone thought he would die.

    Although my grandfather survived emergency brain surgery, he had complications (后遗症). He could hardly talk and he couldn't walk. Shortly after, he was admitted to a nursing home. Today, he lives at home with my grandmother and is doing much better, but this isn't about him. It's about what I saw at that nursing home.

    I saw something that many people haven't seen, and some do often choose to ignore it, I saw more sadness in those days visiting the nursing home than I thought. In that one place were hundreds of old people who were alone and forgotten.

    So what as to be done with the situation of the old? This is not an easy question, but something must be done. Perhaps groups in the community could assign each member to one nursing home patient with whom they could keep in regular contact. Maybe a school could focus on a nursing home and send cards, pictures and letters to residents. If periodic visits were arranged, I'm sure that for some, if not many, those students would be the only visitors they had all month. These are just a few ideas; we all need to work together.

    I hope everyone to tour a local nursing home I further expect you to do something about it. You'll brighten someone's day, or maybe even his or her life.

    Researchers are often interested in how culture changes over time. All cultures go through periods of change and some cultures change faster than others. For example, in the past 10 years, Chinese culture has changed rapidly as western products have become popular. Other countries, such as France, have created rules to prevent their culture from changing too quickly.

    Even though cultures change at different paces, the causes of cultural change are quite similar around the world. One of these is technology and medicine. In the United States the invention and development of birth control pills and other measures helped parents to limit the size of their families. As a result, families grew smaller and parents could give more attention to fewer children.  On the other hand, new technology has also created emotional distance among families.

    Cultures also change when they come into contact with other cultures. Immigration, for example, often results in cultural change for both immigrants and the host culture. Immigrants often bring with them different ideas, food, music, language, and manners when they move to a new culture. In Canada, for example, the government has a policy of multiculturalism where immigrants are encouraged to share their background cultures with Canadians while adopting and accepting Canadian culture.

    Cultural change can occur due to larger events. For example, economic depression, war, and disaster can endanger societies, which must adapt to these challenges and events. Because of these changes in society, ideas and ways of life also affect the entire culture. For example, during World War II, many American men were sent far off to fight. Consequently, women were suddenly needed to work in the factories. As a result of this change, it is no longer culturally acceptable to believe that they should not have the right to work.

    Brecon Beacons YAC has an amazing opportunity for budding (崭露头角的) archaeologists of all ages, in Sunderland in Tyne and Wear. Thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, professional archaeologists from Wardell Armstrong will be investigating an archaeological mystery and they need your help.

    Romans?

    "The site is a bit of a mystery", Frank Giecco from Wardell Armstrong said. "There is a very nice cropmark recorded on the site that has got lots of people very excited. Geophysicists failed to find anything relating to the cropmark. There is anecdotal evidence of Roman material being found, but nothing is officially recorded. We hope to finally answer the question of what is in this field, during the two weeks on site. Is there evidence of any Roman occupation on the site? Can you help us find out?"

    Get involved

    This is an opportunity for both adults and children to take part in field walking and trial trenching (small hand-dug test pits for children). No experience is necessary, training will be provided by the professional archaeologists from Wardell Armstrong, and all equipment will be provided. Volunteers can attend for as few or as many days as they wish, but they do need to book a place.

    For more information, and to book your place, please contact Norman Kirtlan at sunderlandforgottenstones@gmail.com.