Writing it down

    Unlike some other European languages, English is a little tricky when it comes to writing. How a word is pronounced and how it is actually spelt can be very different things.

    Same spelling, different meanings

Imagine, then, a situation where two words are spelt and pronounced exactly the same way, but have completely different meanings. Welcome to the world of homonyms（同形同音异义词）. Take, for example, the word "fair"—it can be a kind of festival, an adjective to describe the colour of your hair or how you should play a game. Or "leg", which can be attached to a person, or a table and can also be a distance you travel, or a part of a competition.

Don't take it literally（字面意思）

So how do you know which meaning someone is referring to? You don't, except by the context. Obviously, if someone asks you to "give them a hand", they don't want you to remove what is at the end of your arm.

What's in a name?

    Sometimes even the context doesn't help much—the result can be amusing. These sentences play with the double meaning of a noun:

    Sentence 1: I used to be a banker, but I lost interest.

Sentence 2: A small boy swallowed some coins and had to go to hospital. When his grandmother phoned to ask how he was, the nurse said: "No change yet".

    More ambiguity（歧义）

    Sentence 3 plays with the different meanings of a verb:

    Sentence 3: I wondered why the ball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

Double trouble

    And sometimes a word can be a noun and a verb, but have different meanings. Can you work this one out?

    Sentence 4: Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

    If you like these homonyms, you will be pleased to know that English has plenty more!

    Neither style of thinking is better or worse than the other; they're just different, as Professor Ankush Chopra explains. To be a great artist, musician, or big-picture thinker, holistic thinking is important—it's about context, and intuition (直觉) is important. Many careers like those in science or law, reward analytic thinking, which looks at parts and units, and is specific and logical. Of course, the most successful people will be able to do both kinds of thinking, though generally holistic thinking, linked to creativity, is more difficult to teach than analytic thinking.

    So those people who are analytic thinkers will see a price of $1.99 by looking at the single numbers, and will prioritize the first number when it comes to price. "Holistic thinkers tend to view all price numbers as a whole and are  less likely to be affected by the nine-ending price effect," Lingjiang Lora Tu, Ph. D. , professor of marketing at Baylor and  a study's lead author, told Phys. org.

    However, that the type of thinking allows holistic thinkers to see the whole rather than the parts goes out the window when they're stressed or distracted (分心的).

    "Our findings suggest that regardless of consumers' thinking style, nine-ending prices are most likely to be effective in situations that overuse consumers' resources, such as when shoppers are time-pressured at the checkout counter or distracted by background music or occupied with an interactive product demonstration," Tu said.

    This study was done with the idea that marketers should know about these differences in thinking style and keep them in mind when they're pricing things for different types of people. But anyone who buys things can benefit too, by figuring out what kind of thinker you are, and then keeping that in mind when the signs show "sale" with a loud noise!—and reminding yourself that nobody makes the best decisions when they're distracted.

    Reading may be fundamental, but how the brain gives meaning to letters on a page has been a mystery. Two new studies fill in some details on how the brains of efficient readers handle words. One of the studies, published in the April 30 Neuron, suggests that a visual-processing area of the brain recognizes common words as whole units. Another study, published online April 27 in PLOSONE, makes it known that the brain operates two fast parallel systems for reading, linking visual recognition of words to speech.

    Maximilian Riesenhuber, a neuroscientist at Georgetown University in Washington, D. C. , wanted to know whether the brain reads words letter by letter or recognizes words as whole objects. He and his colleagues showed sets of real words or nonsense(无意义的词语)words to volunteers undergoing FMRI scans. The words differed in only one letter, such as “farm” and “form” or “soat” and “poat”, or were completely different, such as “farm” and “coat”or “poat” and “hime”.The researchers were particularly interested in what happens in the visual word form area, or VWFA, an area on the left side of the brain just behind the ear that is involved in recognizing words.

    Riesenhuber and his colleagues found that neurons(神经元)in the VWFA respond strongly to changes in real words. Changing “farm” to “form”, for example, produced as great a change in activity as changing “farm” to“coat”, the team reports in Neuron. The area responded slowly to single-letter changes in made-up words.

    The data suggests that readers grasp real words as whole objects, rather than focusing on letters or letter combinations. And as a reader's exposure to a word increases, the brain comes to recognize the shape of the word. “Meaning is passed on after recognition in the brain”, Riesenhuber says.

    The researchers don't yet know how longer and less familiar words are recognized, or if the brain can be trained to recognize nonsense words as a unit.

    A Christmas Carol was written by Charles Dickens. The first 6,000 copies of the book were sold out in a week. And the book has inspired many plays and movies. The first play was put on in 1844. The first two movies were silent films made in 1901 and 1908. Since then, the story has been remade more than 60 times for television and cinema. What makes such a tale so attractive? Audiences have always loved a good plot, a villain(反面人物)who harms other people or breaks the law, and the ending of right over wrong. The book offers all three.

    The book tells the story of a man named Ebenezer Scrooge. He is mean and cruel(残忍的)to his clerk and turns away his only living relative. One night, Scrooge is visited by three spirits. The first shows scenes from Scrooge's youth that led to this present state. The second takes him to the homes of his clerk and his nephew. Here Scrooge sees that people can be happy without lots of money. The spirit also shows him the desperate poor people of London. The third spirit shows Scrooge will die alone, and no one will care if he continues to live as he has. At last the message is understood, and Scrooge repents. He becomes generous and caring to all around him, especially to his clerk's sick son, Tiny Tim.

    Every year, thousands of people watch A Christmas Carol. Why? They may be touched by its lessons on the true meanings of wealth and happiness. They may enjoy the special effects and feelings or watching every year may be just a habit. Viewers never seem to grow tired of the old miser(守财奴), Scrooge, and his dramatic message of hope and change.

Graduating is indeed a momentous occasion that calls for a memorable celebration. Here are some destinations that could make your post-graduation vacation truly special:

Iceland

Why Go: Iceland is a land of dramatic landscapes and natural wonders. The chance to witness the ethereal beauty of the northern lights, explore geothermal pools, and admire the majesty of waterfalls makes it a unique destination.

What to Do: Beyond Reykjavik, venture into the countryside to experience the solitude and beauty of the Icelandic wilderness. Consider a road trip to chase waterfalls, explore geysers, and soak in hot springs.

Budget Consideration: While Iceland can be pricey, the experience of its otherworldly landscapes is often considered worth the investment.

Florence, Italy

Why Go: Florence is a city steeped in history and art, offering a rich cultural experience that can be both intellectually stimulating and emotionally satisfying.

What to Do: Visit the Uffizi Gallery to see masterpieces like Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus," stroll through the Boboli Gardens, and enjoy leisurely dinners in the piazzas. Climbing the Duomo for a panoramic view of the city is also a must.

Budget Consideration: While Florence can be costly, the cultural richness and historical significance make it a worthwhile destination for a graduation trip.

Greece

Why Go: Greece is known for its idyllic islands, ancient history, and vibrant culture. It offers a perfect blend of relaxation and exploration.

What to Do: Visit the Acropolis Museum in Athens to delve into the origins of Western civilization, enjoy the sun and sea on the Greek islands, and indulge in the local cuisine.

Pro Tip: Don't overlook Athens. It's not just the capital but also the cradle of Western thought, making it a fitting place to reflect on your educational journey.

Vietnam

Why Go: Vietnam offers a budget-friendly and immersive experience, allowing you to step out of your comfort zone and explore a different culture.

What to Do: Navigate the bustling streets of Hanoi, enjoy local delicacies like pho, and embark on a boat trip through the stunning Halong Bay.

Budget Consideration: Vietnam is an affordable destination that offers a rich cultural experience without breaking the bank.

Each of these destinations offers a unique experience that can help you mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in your life. Whether you're drawn to the natural beauty of Iceland, the historical richness of Florence and Greece, or the cultural immersion of Vietnam, your graduation trip can be a celebration of your achievements and an adventure into the unknown.

 "A moth (飞蛾) to a flame" is often used to indicate an inescapable attraction, yet it is a strange example of animal behavior that continues to confuse people today. Scientists have raised a number of theories over the years to explain why. One holds that insects flying at night are following their nature to fly toward the brightest spot in their field of vision, which they mistake for the sky. Another suggests that insects are trying to warm themselves with the heat produced by the light. The most popular theory, though, is that insects are confusing lights with the moon or other celestial bodies (天体) that they normally use to navigate (导航).

To find out the real reason, the team carried out a first set of experiments in an insect flight area. The researchers used eight high-speed infrared (红外线) cameras equipped with motion-capture technologies to track 30 insects from three moth and two dragonfly species. They also flew lab-raised insects from six different insect orders that were too small for motion-capture technology, including fruit flies and honeybees, to make sure different insects all showed similar responses to light. Working with co-author Pablo Allen of the Council on International Educational Exchange in Monteverde, Costa Rica, the researchers put heavy cameras, lights and tripods in two field sites to gather behavioral data from insects in the wild.

The team was able to confirm that insects were not beelining to the light but rather circling it as they tilted (倾斜) in an attempt to turn their backs toward it. This behavior, known as a "dorsal light response", normally helps insects to remain in an unchanging path of flight that is properly lined to the horizon (地平线). Artificial light that arrives from a point source causes them to fly in unpredictable patterns as they try to turn their backs to what they are mistaking for the sky.

Now research might have finally solved the mystery mentioned first: artificial light confuses insects' ability to turn themselves to the horizon, confusing their sense of what is up and down and causing them to fly in circles.