At thirteen, I was diagnosed with kind of attention disorder. It made school difficult for me. When people else in the class was focusing on tasks, I could not.

    In my first literature class, Mrs. Smith asked us to read a story and then write on it, all within 45 minutes. I raised my hard right away and said, “Mrs. Smith, you see, the doctor said I have attention problems. I might not be able to do it.” She glanced down at me through her glasses, "you are no different from your classmates, young man.”

    I tried, but I didn't finish the reading when the bell rang. I had to take it home.

    In the quietness of my bedroom, the story suddenly all became clear to me. It was about a blind person, Louis Braille. He lived in a time when the blind couldn't get much education. But Louis didn't give up. Instead, he invented a reading system of raised dots（点）,which opened up a whole new world of knowledge to the blind.

    Wasn't I the “blind” in my class, being made to learn like the “sighted” students? My thoughts spilled out and my pen started to dance. I completed the task within 40 minutes. Indeed, I was no different from others; I just needed a quieter place. If Louis could find his way out of his problems, why should I ever give up?

    I didn't expect anything when I handled in my paper to Mrs. Smith, so it was quite a surprise when it came back to me the next day-with an “A” on it. At the bottom of the paper were these words: "See what you can do when you keep trying?”

    It might be something that you miss unless it's pointed out to you. Next time you go to a public bathroom, take a look before you sit down on the toilet seat. You won't see a circle shape, but something designed not connected in the front part: a U.

    This is an open-front toilet seat, and thanks to the American Standard National Plumbing (水管装置) Technology, it's the go-to for most public restrooms. This technology was created in 1955 and further developed by the Uniform Plumbing Technology in 1973, according to Mental Floss.

    As to the plumbing rules which fit water seats, the first two requirements are as follows:

    Toilet seats shall be of smooth, non-absorbed material.

    All Toilet seats, except those within apartment units, shall be either of the open front type or have an automatic seat cover.

    This part of the rules also clears up why you won't meet fur toilet seats in truck stop bathrooms. The reason for both of these rules comes down to health. With an open front, there's less surface area that can make incidental touch with your private regions. But what about the toilet seat covers you can use? Unfortunately, those don't offer as much protection against bacteria as you think they do.

    They were also designed with women in mind, according to Lynne Simick, the senior vice president of technology development at IAPMO. The open front of the seat is fairly good for women.

Now that you know why the public toilet seat is shaped the way it is, learn which one is the cleanest you can use.

    If you ever visit an English village, make sure to look out for morris dancing. Undoubtedly one of the strangest of English culture, morris dancing is a form of folk dancing that dates back to the 15th century. If you ever get the opportunity, you really have to see it.

    Men and women wearing old-fashioned, tattered(褴褛的)clothing dance in the street of towns and villages across the country during  the holiday periods. Women wear long，frilly (有 褶皱边的）skirts and men wear short trousers with bells attached to them. They dance to traditional folk music which is often played on traditional musical instruments.

    Some groups carry heavy black sticks which they bash (击打）against each other while they dance. Other groups wave handkerchiefs in the air whilst they perform. The dances are usually performed near a pub so that when it's over, the dancers and spectators (观众）can sing some traditional folk songs over a pint of beer. The festivities (欢庆）will often continue long into the night, by which point most people are too drunk to think about performing again.

    Morris dancing is a great English tradition but it's facing a big crisis (危机).As the years go by, fewer and fewer young people are joining morris dancing groups. The dancers are getting older and older and eventually, if nothing is done to change this trend, the tradition will die out within the next few decades.

    If you've ever had the fortune to see morris dancing, you may understand why teenagers aren't rushing to sign up. Putting it bluntly (直截了当地)，it's not exactly the coolest thing for an 18-year-old to be doing. Why dress up in bells and funny costumes when you could be going clubbing (逛夜店)？ Or playing sport? Or doing anything else?

    However, it would be a great shame to lose such a fun and vibrant (有活力的)part of England's history and culture. It's important to look after some traditions and customs especially when it's something as harmless and happy as morris dancing. So here's a toast to the next generation of would-be morris dancers! Let's hope they don't leave it too late.

    The National Day holiday is a great opportunity to do something a little different. Many people use the National Day for a getaway, a short trip to leave the stress of their everyday lives behind and explore, learn, or relax.

    Hotel Romance

    Many hotels and resorts feature something special to start the getaway, such as champagne, flowers, or a fruit basket in the room on arrival. Getaway packages usually include a room with something special, a heart shaped bed, for example. Additional benefits could be room service meals or other private dining, plus tickets or discounts for local attractions.

    Visit a Spa

    Spa getaways can take place at a location that focuses only on spa services or at a hotel that offers a spa as one of its features. Some spas emphasize treatments fit for their geographic area or a local attraction. A spa in a grape growing region might provide grape juice masks, or a hotel near a hot spring could offer mineral baths. Most spas offer a range of massage, health and beauty treatments, so a spa getaway can be relaxing with other benefits.

    Learn a Skill

    The National Day holiday may not be enough time to become an expert at something new, but it provides a way for people to begin their explorations. Some organizations offer intensive courses that last five or six days. People with special interests can get away from their routines while learning such things as how to make beer, speak a new language, or take better photos.

    Help Others

    Some organizations cooperate with businesses to have accommodations and activities for short-term volunteers. Most volunteer vacations involve ecology friendly or charity activities. A volunteer getaway is a way to relieve stress and help others at the same time.

    Stay in a National Park

    For those who want to relax in a rural environment, a national park fits the bill. Most national parks provide camping areas for tents and trailers. Several have cabins within the parks available to rent. A getaway to a national park provides privacy, stress relief, and the time to get to know some important natural resources.

    A killer whale(虎鲸) that can copy words such as “hello” and “bye-bye” is thought to be the first of its kind to copy human speech.

    The female killer whale learned to “speak” some human words by copying a trainer at a park in France. The animal's ability includes speaking the name “Amy” and “one, two, three”.

    Whales and dolphins are among the few animals except humans that can learn to produce a sound just by hearing it. “It is not often seen,” said Dr Josep Call, a co-researcher on the study. “Humans are good at it…Interestingly, the animals that can do best are marine mammals(海洋哺乳动物).” The researchers start to find out whether killer whales could learn new words by copying others. They studied a female named Wikie at Marineland Aquarium in Antibes, France. She was taught to speak human words.

    Dr Jose Abramson, a co-researcher on the study, said basic “conversations” with Wikie may one day be possible. He said,” It has been done before with a famous grey parrot and dolphins using American sign language(手势语).” However, he said they have to be careful about introducing human ideas on animals, as there is more to learn by trying to understand the natural way each kind communicates in its own environment. Wikie made sounds in water, which may be quite different.

    Dr Alex Thornton, senior speaker at the University of Exeter, said they still don't fully understand why some animals learn to copy. Some animals copy sounds to attract possible partners, while others copy sounds to become a member of a group. “Some whales, for example, learn their calls from one another to mark them out as members of their social group,” said Dr Thornton, who doesn't join in the research.

    A Latin phrase beloved by every old-fashioned British schoolmaster was mens sana in corpora sano—a healthy mind in a healthy body. Greater physical activity is associated with better mental, as well as physical health. And it might also be linked to greater worker productivity, and thus faster economic growth. That is the conclusion of a new report from a European think tank — RAND.

    The RAND study looks at different measures: absenteeism (when workers take time off for illness) and presenteeism (when they turn up for work but are less productive because of sickness). The latter measure was self-reported by employees, who were asked whether their work was negatively affected by health issues. The survey suggests that between 3 and 4.5 working days each year are lost as a consequence of workers being physically inactive. This is between 1.3% and 2% of annual working time. Most of this was down to presenteeism.

    Another potential gain from improved fitness is reduced health-care costs. In America, where health care is often provided through employment-based systems, firms could benefit. RAND estimates that total American health savings could be $6bn a year by 2025. But the study's authors conclude that if people met certain exercise targets, global GDP could be around 0.17-0.24% higher by 2050. Nothing to laugh at in a world of slowing growth.

    How to encourage workers to become more active? Rewards are useful but only if they have conditions; giving all employees free gym membership does not seem to work. Another RAND Europe study examined an experiment in which workers were each given an Apple watch, payable in instalments (分期付款) at a discounted price—but only to those who agreed to have their physical activity monitored. Monthly repayments depended on how much exercise they took.

    The problem is that many people are too optimistic about their health, ignoring the risks they face. This means that participation in workplace exercise plans tends to be low, around 7% in the sample studied by RAND. Firms are not the only ones that can encourage a healthier lifestyle; friends and families are likely to be more important. But businesses can play a bigger role.

    If RAND is right, this may bring them financial benefits. Company taskmasters may yet grow fond of an adapted saying: mens sana in corporate sano.