This brief book is aimed at high school students, but speaks to anyone learning at any stage of life.

    Its formal, serious style closely matches its content, a school-masterly book on schooling. The author, W. H. Armstrong, starts with the basics: reading and writing. In his opinion, reading doesn't just mean recognizing each word on the page; it means taking in the information, digesting it and incorporating it into oneself just as one digests a sandwich and makes it a part of himself. The goal is to bring the information back to life, not just to treat it as dead facts on paper from dead trees. Reading and writing cannot be completely separated from each other; in fact, the aim of reading is to express the information you have got from the text. I've seen it again and again: some one who can't express an idea after reading a text is just as ineffective as someone who hasn't read it at all.

    Only a third of the book remains after that discussion, which Armstrong devotes to specific tips for studying languages, math, science and history. He generally handles these topics thoroughly and equally, except for some weakness in the science and math sections and a bit too much passion (激情) regarding history to his students, that was a hundred times more than my history teachers ever got across. To my disappointment, in this part of the book he ignores the arts. As a matter of fact, they demand all the concentration and study that math and science do, though the study differs slightly in kind. Although it's commonly believed that the arts can only be naturally acquired, actually, learning the arts is no more natural than learning French or mathematics.

    My other comment is that the text aged. The first edition apparently dates to the 1960s—none of the references(参考文献) seem newer than the late 1950s. As a result, the discussion misses the entire computer age.

    These are small points, though, and don't affect the main discussion. I recommend it to any student and any teacher, including the self-taught student.

    There's no doubt that our character has a profound effect on our future What we must remember, however, is not merely how powerful character is in influencing our fate, but how powerful we are in shaping our own character and, therefore, our own fate. Character may determine our fate, but character is not determined by fate.

    It's a common mistake to think of character as something that is fully formed and fixed very early in life. It calls to mind old proverbs like "A leopard can't change its spots." and "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

    This perspective that our character is "etched in stone" is supported by a great deal of modern psychology emphasizing self-acceptance. As Popeye says, "I am what I am." The hidden message is: Don't expect me to be more, better, or different.

    Ultimately (最后), these views of humanity totally undervalue the lifelong potential for growth that comes with the power of reflection and choice.

    How depressing it would be to believe that we can't choose to be better, more honest, more respectful, more responsible, and more caring. None of us should give up the personal seeking to improve our character. Not because we're bad, we don't have to be sick to get better, but because were not as good as we could be.

    There are so many things in life we can't control, whether we' re beautiful or smart, whether we have good parents or bad, whether we grow up with affirmation (肯定) or negation. It's inspiring to remember that nothing but moral will power is needed to make us better.

    No it isn't easy. But if we make a great effort to become more aware of the habits of heart and mind that drive our behavior, we can begin to place new emphasis on our higher values so that we become what we want our children to think we are.

    MCDONALD'S drew ridicule（嘲笑）in China when it changed its registered name to Jingongmen, or “Golden Arches” in October, after it was sold to a Chinese company. Some on Weibo, a microblogging site, thought it sounded old-fashioned and awkward, others thought that it had hidden meanings of furniture. The fast-food chain was quick to reassure customer that its restaurants would continue to go by Maidanglao, a rough transliteration（音译）that has, over the years, become a recognizable brand name. But for most companies now entering Chinese markets, transliterations are a thing of the past, says Amanda Liu, vice-president of Labbrand, a consultant firm based in Shanghai that advises firms on brand names.

    Companies are instead choosing Chinese names with meanings that capture people's imagination. That often involves going beyond a direct translation. New entrants are taking inspiration from BMW, which is Baoma, or “treasure horse” in China, and from Coca-Cola, which is Kekoukele, or “delicious happiness”.

    The naming process is forcing companies to think harder about the image they want to project in China, says Ms Liu. LinkedIn, a professional networking site owned by Microsoft, chose the name Lingyin, or “leading elite（精英）” in 2014, meaning more uniqueness than its Western name. Her other corporate customers have included Airbnb, Marvel Comics and Haribo. Labbrand tests proposals with focus groups, ensuring that the name has no negative associations in any of the major Chinese dialects.

    A vital part of the process is checking that candidate names have not already been snapped up. The Chinese are energetic trademarkers: in 2015 there were 2.8 million trademarkapplications in China, more than three times those in America and the EU combined. Companiesconsidering entering the Chinese market might often find that their products have already beengiven local names, thanks, for example, to coverage in the press.

    Some even find that their Chinese name has already been trademarked, says Dresden of Harris Bricken, a law firm, either by their own distributors, competitors seeking to block its entry, or counterfeiters（伪造者）taking advantage of soundalikes, etc.

    Perhaps thanks to these mishaps, foreign firms are getting wiser to the importance of naming in China. More Chinese firms are also seeking advice on foreign names, says Ms Liu, as they seek to conquer Western markets. Both know that if they make a mistake, the social-media critics will be waiting.

    What's On?

    Happy Reunion

    July 17—27(not on Saturdays and Sundays), 7: 30 pm PG Theater

    Presented by theater director Li Tsung-hsi, “Across the Sea to See You” tells a story of a couple who have a touching reunion after years of separation on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Li says the idea of the drama comes from the story of his grandmother. She reunited with her sister when cross-strait relations became warmer. Following the performances in Shanghai, it will tour around China.

    Post-War Art in Rome

    August 7—27(closed on Mondays), 10 am-8 pm Prada Rong Zhai

    Over 30 paintings and sculptures by Italian artists including Carla Accardi and Afro Basaldella are on display in the “Roma 1950-1965” exhibition at Prada Rong Zhai. The exhibition explores the cultural and art scene that developed in Rome after World War II.

    Storage Memory

    July 8—18, 11 am-7 pm Power Station of Art

    The solo exhibition of works by French artist Christian Boltanski aims to inspire emotional connections through a series of videos, sounds and shadow theater. Boltanski has had a far-reaching influence on the development of contemporary art in Europe.

    Traditional Operas

    August 20, 7: 15 pm STA Experimental Theater

    Classic excerpts(节选) from “The Palace of Eternal Youth” and “The Orphan of Zhao” will be performed in memory of Peking and Kunqu Opera artist Yu Zhenfei. Performers include Peking Opera artist Shang Changrong and Kunqu Opera artist Cai Zhengren.

    It's school time again! You're probably feeling excited and maybe a little sad that summer is over. Some kids feel nervous or a little scared (害怕的) on the first day of school because of all the new things: new teachers, new friends, and even a new school. Luckily, these "new" worries only stick around for a little while. Let's find out more about going to a new school.

    Most teachers kick off the new school year by introducing themselves and talking about all the stuff you'll be doing that year. Some teachers give students a chance to tell something about themselves to the rest of the class, too. When teachers do the talking on the first day, they often go over classroom rules and school rules so you'll know what's allowed and what's not. Please pay close attention.

    You might already know a lot of people in your classes on the first day, but it's a great day to make new friends, so try to say hello to kids you know and new ones that you don't. Make the first move and you'll be glad, and so will your new friends!

    Seeing friends you haven't seen in a while can make the first day a good one. You can make the day feel special by wearing clothes that you really like. Maybe you got a great T-shirt on one of your vacations, or a pair of sneakers (运动鞋). It also can make you feel good to be prepared and have all the things you need, such as pencils, folders, and whatever else you'll be needing. But make sure that you pack them the night before in case you don't have time in the morning.

    Owning a smartphone may not be as smart as you think. They may let you surf the Internet, listen to music and snap photos wherever you are…but they also turn you into a workaholic, it seems. A study suggests that, by giving you access to emails at all times. The all-singing, all-dancing mobile phone adds as much as two hours to your working day.

    Researchers found that Britons work an additional 460 hours a year on average as they are able to respond to emails on their mobiles. The study by technology retailer Pixmania, reveals the average UK working day is between nine and ten hours, but a further two hours is spent responding to or sending work emails, or making work calls.

    Almost one in ten admits spending up to three hours outside their normal working day checking work emails. Some workers confess they are on call almost 24 hours a day, with nine out of ten saying they take work emails and calls outside their normal working hours. Nearly two-thirds say they often check work emails just before they go to bed and as soon as they wake up, while over a third have replied to one in the middle of the night.

    Ghadi Hobeika, marketing director of Pixmania, said:" The ability to access literally millions of apps, keep in contact via social networks and take photos and video as well as text and call has made smartphones valuable for many people. However, there are drawbacks. Many companies expect their employees to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and smartphones mean that people literally cannot get away from work. The more constantly in contact we become. The more is expected of us in a work capacity."