It's true to say that technology makes our lives easier. However, increasingly scientists are saying that we need to give ourselves a break—--otherwise we put ourselves at risk(风险) of developing hundreds of health problems. Over the summer the days are longer and sunnier. Why not put this free time to good use and do something away from technology?

    You could learn a new skill. There are hundreds of possibilities: cooking, a musical instrument or a new sport. Haven't you always wanted to learn how to knit(编织)? You could use your free time to practice these new things, which might lead to an exciting opportunity in the future.

    If you just want to relax, why not head to a beach? Take along your favorite book and relax on the sand, or go for a walk along the coastline. If you don't live near a beach, you could go to your local park. Why not have a picnic, or try to explore some of the local wildlife? You could even get involved in the latest craze(狂热): adult coloring books! Coloring is a surprising thing to help you relax, and it can be a nice way to escape from the stress of modern life!

    Whatever you choose to do, try something new! You might surprise yourself and find a hidden gift within you; you might make new friends along the way. Next time you find yourself changing TV channels(频道) from one to another without a clear purpose, think about what else you could spend your time doing.

    China has more than 30 intangible cultural heritage recognized by the UNESCO, including paper-cutting, the Dragon Boat Festival, Peking Opera, acupuncture(针灸)and so on. The organization adopted a decision that China's “The Twenty-Four Solar Terms” (二十四节气)should be put on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016 in Ethiopia.

    The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge of time and practices in agriculture, starts from the Beginning of Spring and ends with the Greater Cold, moving in cycles. It developed through the observation of the sun's annual movement in China. In ancient time, the method of tugui, earth sundial(日暑), was used to measure the shadow of the sun for determining the solar terms.

    The Twenty-Four Solar Terms came into being and developed in close relationship with Chinese agricultural production. At the initial stage of agricultural development, people began to explore the seasonal rules in the agricultural production to meet the needs in seeding, harvesting and other activities. Gradually, they formed the concept of “seed in spring, grow in summer, harvest in autumn and store in winter”. During the spring and autumn periods, the agricultural production was highly influenced by the seasonal changes, thus forming the concept of Solar Terms.

    As a traditional Chinese knowledge system of time with a history of thousands of years, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms clearly expresses the concepts of respect for nature, and harmony between man and nature. Created by Chinese ancestors, it have functioned as a complete set of weather calendar(日历)to guide the agricultural production in China. It has also been introduced into North Korea, Japan and other neighboring countries and still used in Japan. The Chinese heritage has provably influenced the people's way of thinking and behaving and will continue to be an important carrier of Chinese cultural identity.

    When I was in the fifth grade and Mr. Gardner asked a question, my hand would often shoot up in enthusiasm. After giving me a few opportunities, he would try to give other students a chance. My hand, though, would remain in the air, and after some time, I'd start waving it around. Then, there was the time I entered drumming classes. But all we were allowed to do in the first class was practice one beat over and over again. I never went back.

    I would have done terribly in the Stanford Marshmallow(果浆软糖) Experiment. In this classic study, researchers gave children a choice between one marshmallow right away and two later. The results showed that those who could wait 15 minutes ended up scoring 210 points higher on the SAT, an examination that American high school students take before they go to college.

    So clearly, delaying(延迟的) gratification or bearing up under pain have their benefits. It needs patience, which keeps us from being stuck to ideas formed previously, and helps us let go of our strong desire for consequences. We come to accept that we don't always or immediately know what is best, and learn to recognize that our reality is in constant changes. Patience improves our understanding of deeper truths and helps us expand our views.

    The journey of patience is rooted in knowing that our present reality will finally give way to changes. But changes won't always happen when we think they should, and patience with ourselves comes from accepting that there are things we can control and things we can't. And though we must make great efforts to keep pushing the boundaries of our awareness and to improve our ability to rest in comfort in the present moment, how fast we develop isn't up to us.

    That same fifth grader who couldn't wait to speak out answers now sees the value of meeting questions with a heart of patience.

    In general, people talk about two groups of colors: warm colors and cool colors. Researchers in psychology think that there are also two groups of people: people who prefer warm colors and people who prefer cool colors.

    The warm colors are red, orange and yellow. Where there are warm colors and a lot of light, people usually want to be active. People think that red, for example, is exciting. Sociable people, those who like to be with others, like red. The cool colors are green, blue and violet. These colors, unlike warm colors, are relaxing. Where there are cool colors, people are usually quiet. People who like to spend time alone often prefer blue.

    Red may be exciting, but one researcher says that time seems to pass more slowly in a room with warm colors than in a room with cool colors. He suggests that a warm color, such as red or orange is a good color for a living room or restaurant. People who are talking or eating do not want time to pass quickly. Cool colors are better for offices or factories if the people who are working there want time to pass quickly.

    Researchers do not know why people think some colors are warm and other colors are cool. However, almost everyone agrees that red, orange, and yellow are warm and that green, blue, and violet are cool. Perhaps warm colors remind people of warm days and the cool colors remind them of cool days. Because in the north the sun is higher during summer, the hot summer sunlight appears yellow.

    Since 50 years ago, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.

    Recently, two researchers, Jose Millan and Michelle Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic School in 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. Millan, 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.

You should try your best to create your own family library so that you and your family are always learning. "It is a great mistake to think that education is finished when young people leave school. Education is never finished even if you grow older," said Mrs Child in The Mother's Book. "Collecting a library of books in your home is really helpful to your family.”

"What is really interesting about having so many books in your home is that a book you purchase has a chapter about the deeper knowledge of your favorite subject at school," said a university graduate. Researchers in a study tries to identify what parents do has an influence on how well their children do on standardized tests. One positive aspect they find is the availability of a large number of books at home. This has a stronger connection, especially when you read to your children every day. The more books your older kids have access to at home, the more likely they are just to be reading for fun, rather than having to wait for weekly trips to the library.

John Henry, one educated parent, said, "I have been homeschooling my children using the philosophy of A Thomas Jeffer son Education. This philosophy of learning is based on the reading of classic books." Clinton Fadiman said, "When you reread a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in you than before." Classic books also make you smarter and wiser! The wisdom comes in the examples in the lives of the characters.

"It is within your power to guide your youth in their reading and to cultivate in their hearts a desire for good books. It is the most unfortunate if a person is not possessed with the desire for good reading. The reading habit, like charity, should begin at home," said Mrs Child.