While it may be unlikely for a computer to write a best seller, a technology expert has created a computer program that writes its own fiction stories with minimal user input. The program, called MEXICA, is the first to generate original stories based on computerized representations of emotions and tensions between characters.

    An Internet survey was carried out to see the popularity of the computer-generated stories, other computerized stories and stories written solely by a human. The result was that readers ranked MEXICA stories highest for flow and coherence, structure, content, suspense and overall quality. Rafael Pérezy Pérez, the creator of MEXICA, explained that a story might begin with something as basic as, “The enemy wounded the knight. The princess cured the knight. The knight killed the enemy. The knight rewarded the princess. The end.”

    The program reads characters as variables (变量) and assigns a numerical value, between a continuum (连续体) from -3 to +3, to emotional connections that are defined as either amorous or non-amorous. The numerical value is equivalent to the degree of emotion, with -3 being intense hate and +3 being intense love. The program also understands story tension, such as linking the word “wounded” with tension. This too is assigned a numerical value.

    Once these clusters of emotional links and tensions are established, the program begins what is called an “engagement reflection cycle”. Basically this involves searching a database of story actions and other happenings, which are called “atoms”, and determines the best match for the characters and contexts for that moment.

    The process repeats itself again and again until the system can no longer make any matches. At this point, the computer analyzes the story for coherence and “interestingness”. The program views a story as interesting when tension levels increase and fall throughout the piece. If the program finds that the story is boring or incoherent in places, it will replace or insert atoms until a version is thought to be satisfactory.

    The sound of a mosquito can mean trouble in many parts of the world. The bite of the mosquito can be deadly. The insects carry serious diseases like malaria (疟疾). It is estimated that almost 630,000 people died from malaria and malaria­related causes in 2012, and most of these cases were in African countries.

    In the United States, a group of California scientists are working to develop a more effective and less costly substance (物质) to protect people from mosquitoes. The researchers are investigating the sense of smell in mosquitoes. They found the insects use the same receptor for identifying carbon dioxide in human breath as they do for the smell of our skin. Anandasankar Ray, who is leading the investigation, says scientists tested more than a million chemical compounds (化合物) until they found a substance called Ethyl Pyruvate. He says Ethyl Pyruvate makes the mosquitoes' receptors inactive. “When we apply Ethyl Pyruvate to a human arm and offer it to hungry mosquitoes in a cage, very few of the mosquitoes are attracted to the human arm because only a few of them are able to smell it out,” said Ray.

    Genevieve Tauxe, a member of the research team, says it was not easy to find the neurons (神经元) of noble cells that recognize both the smell of human breath and skin. “With the device used to examine the mosquito, we are able to insert a very small electrode (电极) into the part of the mosquito's nose, where its smelling neurons are and where the smell is happening,” said Tauxe.

    Anandasankar Ray says a product based on Ethyl Pyruvate may cost less to produce than DEFT, the most effective chemical treatment now in use. He says DEFT is too costly for most people who live in areas affected by malaria.

    “Perhaps by finding smells that can attack other target receptors, we will be able to improve upon DEFT and finally have the next generation of insect behaviour control products,” said Ray.

    Australian cities can keep their native wildlife — but only if they can kick their habit of urban sprawl (扩展). That's the finding of a new study by leading Australian environmental researchers Jessica Sushinsky, Professor Hugh Possingham and Dr. Richard Fuller of The University of Queensland.

    “While urban development usually reduces the number of birds in a city, building more compact (紧凑的) cities and avoiding urban sprawl can slow these reductions greatly,” says lead author Jessica Sushinsky. “Compact housing development leaves birds' homes untouched, leading to fewer losses of birds.”

    The researchers surveyed native and wild birds in Brisbane's urban areas, including living and industrial areas, public parks and gardens, major roadways and airports. They then used statistical modeling to find out what will happen to the birds as the city grows. The first setting was compact growth — where multiple homes are built on land that previously had only one house. The second setting was sprawling growth — a familiar pattern where homes are built here and there beyond the city's current boundaries.

    The team's forecasts showed that a much greater diversity of species was lost over 20 years in the sprawling setting compared to the more compact setting. “Urban sprawl resulted in the disappearance of many urban-sensitive birds — birds that only live in areas where there is native vegetation (植被), such as parklands and woodlands,” Ms. Sushinsky says.

    “On the other hand, we found the city with the compact development attracted more birds because it kept more of its parks and green areas.”

    Now the Queensland Government has adopted the more compact urban growth strategy, which, Dr. Richard Fuller says, is good news for Australia's native birds. These birds are environmental specialists — they need a particular environment to do well. “While compact development means smaller backyards, it can also make our entire cities more biodiverse,” according to Dr. Fuller. “The study shows that we should hold on to our green spaces instead of clearing them for sprawling development.”

    This is the first time science has modeled the effects of different urban growth strategies on birds, the researchers say. “Statistical models like these are important because they help us to understand the ecological consequences of a particular decision,” says Dr Fuller.

How to Set Goals

    Whether you have small dreams or high expectations,setting goals allows you to plan how you want to move through life.Some achievements can take a lifetime to attain,while others can be completed in a day.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Determine your life goals.Ask yourself some important questions about what you want for your life.What do you want to achieve: today,in a year,in your lifetime?The answers to this question can be as general as "I want to be happy,"or "I want to help people."{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Set specific goals.Be specific and realistic about what it is that you want to achieve.Research shows that setting a specific goal makes you more likely to achieve it.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}For example,"Be healthier"is too big and vague to be a helpful goal."I want to eat more vegetables,and I want to run a marathon."is better.

    Write out your goals.Be detailed,be clear,and include your steps.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Keep your list in a place where you can get informed frequently.This will help keep you motivated.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}You may find yourself set in your ways concerning broad life goals,but take the time to re-evaluate your smaller goals.Are you accomplishing them according to your timeline?Are they still necessary to keep you on track towards your larger life goals?Allow yourself the flexibility to make some small changes to your goal.

A.Adjust your goals.

B.Track and measure your progress.

C.Having deadlines will keep you motivated.

D.Consider what you hope to achieve in 10,15,or 20 years.

E.Here are some important ideas that you may find helpful.

F.Writing them down tends to make them feel a little more real.

G.Remember that you may need to break large goals into smaller goals.

    Making employees feel happy and healthy at work is good for many businesses. But it isn't always an easy thing. A research suggests that just 33% of the U. S. employees consider themselves fully engaged (投身于) at work, while 16% are actively disengaged, and 51% are just showing up.

    But there is an exception. When it comes to employee engagement, it seems that employees in small companies are doing better. According to the same research, the largest U.S. companies have the lowest levels of engagement, while companies with fewer than 25 employees have the highest. And in one recent report, 75 percent of small business workers surveyed said they were "very" or "extremely" satisfied with their role as a small company employee.

    Unlike big companies, small companies are often short of resources but the employees can get more surprises there. Small companies offer excellent career opportunities to their employees. The bosses often know their staff very well and understand their personal needs. Employees of small companies are more likely to receive free meals, paid leave, and they can even bring their pets to work.

    But of course, there're many other draws in small businesses. One of the top draws is flexible scheduling (弹性工时). Another is being able to really see the fruits of one's labor. Besides, non­cash award is also a big draw. This could be something small that reflects employees' interests and lifestyles.

    While a parental leave might lead to some financial problems, small companies may do something to improve it. "It may be impossible for a five­person team to be reduced to four for six months," writes Camilla Velasquez, head of HR management platform Justworks. "But it could be possible to allow new parents to take on reduced hours in a work­from­home environment." This kind of method has been realized in some small companies.

Everyone knows that early to bed and early to rise is good for your health.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}It takes a lot of willpower to get out of bed early on a cold winter's day. For this, we specially recommend a "painless early rise" guideline.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}The secret to becoming a morning person is exposure to natural light. Jennifer Martin, president of the board of directors for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, agrees with it firstly. That's because natural light holds back melatonin, a chemical that plays an important role in our bodies. "The sun is the driver of our internal clock," she says.

Ease in gradually. For some people like those who need to drive long distances, those first few days of being tired from switching to a new schedule aren't safe.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}"What I'll suggest to people is to shift half an hour, wait a few days, shift another halt an hour, wait a few days, and then shift another half an hour," she says.

Hold on — even on weekends.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Decide what time you're going to wake up every day. And stick to it without exception.

Plan something to look forward to. To force you out of bed,{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. You're not worrying if you think of that. "Now is the time to go to buy your favourite coffee or pick up some cakes to have when your alarm goes off at 5 a.m.," she says.

A. Adjust yourself to the schedule at night.

B. Seek out as much natural light as possible.

C. Becoming a morning person is a seven-day-a-week job.

D. But the reality is that getting up late is the norm for many of us.

E. In that case, Martin recommends gradually easing into the early-bird life.

F. Martin suggests treating yourself to something special you can enjoy first.

G. You should cut back on how much exposure to bright light you're getting.