The term “to extend an olive（橄榄） branch” means to make an offer of peace or reconciliation(和好). This term has Biblical（圣经的）origins, coming from the section of the Old Testament that deals with the flood; the sign that the flood is over is an olive branch brought back to the ark(方舟) by a dove. Olive branches were also symbols of peace in Ancient Greece and Rome, and they continue to be used in various works of art that are meant to suggest peace.

    Some people have suggested that the olive was a very deliberate and well-considered choice as a metaphor(比喻）for peace, because olive trees famously take years to mature. War is typically very hard on the trees because people cannot take the time to nurture them and plant new ones. Therefore, the offer of an olive branch would suggest that someone is tired of war, whether it is an actual war or a falling out between friends.

    In Ancient Greek and Roman times, people would offer actual olive branches. In Rome, for example, defeated armies traditionally carried olive branches to indicate that they were giving in, and the Greeks used them into weddings and other ceremonies. In the modern era, the branch is usually metaphorical, rather than actual, not least because the plants can be a bit difficult to obtain.

    Many people agree that peace negotiations at all levels of society are a good idea. Between nations, obviously, it is important to extend an olive branch to ensure mutual safety and to help the world run more smoothly. This act can also be important on a personal level, as resolving conflict and learning to get along with others is viewed as an important life skill in many cultures.

    At some point in their lives, many people will be advised to extend an olive branch to settle a dispute or resolve an issue. Some people believe that it takes an immense amount of courage to take this action, as it often comes with an admission of wrongdoing and regret.

    Some people make you feel comfortable when they are around. You spend an hour with them and feel you are already close friends. They are always good talkers. Here are several skills that good talkers have in common. If you follow the skills, they'll help you put people at their ease, and make friends with them quickly. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    First of all, good talkers ask questions. Almost anyone, no matter how shy he is, will answer a question. One well-known businesswoman says，“At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}” From there you can move on to other matters—sometimes to really personal questions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen to the answers. Your questions should have a point and help to tell what sort of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully. Real listening at least means some things. If someone sticks to one topic, you can take it as a fact that he's really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to tones of voice. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Finally, good talkers know well how to “say goodbye”. If you're saying goodbye, you may give him a firm handshake and say, “I've really enjoyed meeting you.” {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Let people know what you feel, and they may walk away, happy and satisfied.

A. It's polite to listen to others with a smile.

B. You'd better change the subject if the voice sounds dull.

C. Don't be afraid to say so if you want to see that person again.

D. Common as the question is, it will get things going.

E. You can become a popular person.

F. And how he answers will let you know how far you can go.

G. These people have something in common.

    Research finds out why some people are constantly under attack from the bloodsucking insects while others walk free.

    For those unfortunate enough to feature highly on the mosquito hit list, summer nights can be synonymous with mosquito bites. Yet others hardly ever get bitten. So how do the bloodthirsty insects select their victims?

    The insects' tastes may seem arbitrary. However, research shows that when mosquitoes make their choices between potential victims, it all comes down to scent (气味).

    “Mosquitoes are attracted by carbon dioxide and heat, which everyone gives off. But mosquitoes are also attracted by certain scents,” says Karl-Martin Vagn Jensen, the head of research at the Department of Agricultural Science at Arhus University.

    According to Jensen, it has not yet been confirmed exactly what the scents in question are. But research does indicate that some scents are more attractive to mosquitoes than others.

    “All the lab employees rubbed petri dishes (培养皿) against their stomachs. In that way, their scents were put on the dishes, which were then put in a container full of mosquitoes,” he says. “The mosquitoes repeatedly landed on some of the petri dishes, but didn't go anywhere near the others.”

    Perhaps taking inspiration from popular fiction, there are also those who consider garlic as an excellent repellent (驱虫剂) against the winged bloodsuckers. According to the researcher, this strategy may not be entirely fruitless. “As far as I know, there is no scientific proof that eating garlic works. But there may be something to the theory that it's possible to mask scent with garlic,” he says. The only reliable method of protection against mosquitoes is to use repellents that are sold over the counter. It contains some smells that can confuse the mosquitoes. When the mosquito comes closer, it uses smell, heat and carbon dioxide to decide whether to bite. But if it is confused by a repellent, it will never get that far.

Great women

    When it comes to changing the world, these women have invented, researched and collected their way to a place in scientific history.

    Hedy Lamarr

    More widely known as a Hollywood star during the 1930s and 1940s, Hedy Lamarr（1914－2000）was much more than a pretty face. After her home country Austria was taken over by the Nazi, highly intelligent and fearless, Lamarr worked with scientist and inventor George Antheil to develop a secret communication system. Without her work, wireless（无线的）technology as we know it today would not exist. Today she is considered as the mother of WiFi.

    Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

    Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was born in 1959 in Mauritius, the country for which she now serves as the first woman president. She is a scientist who has spent many hours researching the local plants of Mauritius and their values as medicine. She has held many high positions in the fields of both politics and science and was awarded（授予）the 2007 UNESCO Award for Women in Science.

    Mae C. Jemison

    On June 4,1987, Mae C. Jemison became the first African-American woman to enter the space program. On September 12,1992, she joined several other astronauts on the Endeavour, becoming the first African-American woman in space. Born in Decatur, Alabama in 1956 and raised mostly in Chicago, Jemison holds many awards and degrees, As a child, Jemison spent a lot of time in her school library ,reading especially books space.

    Most dog owners are convinced that their four-legged friends know exactly what they mean when they use certain words like sit, stay or treat. However, researchers have always wondered whether dogs really understand human speech or if they rely on other information to get the meaning. For example, does the word “fetch” form a picture of a stick or ball in the dog's mind, or does the dog bring back the object based on the owner's voice or gesture? A new study by scientists at Atlanta's Emory University seems to indicate that “man's best friend” does indeed know what the owner is saying.

    The researchers began by asking the owners of twelve dogs of various kinds to train their pets to identify two toys of different materials, such as a toy animal and a ball. Once the dogs had mastered the task, they took turns inside a special scanner. The owners then tested their dog's language skill by first calling out the names of the toys they had been trained to recognize and then saying meaningless words such as “bobbu” and “bodmick” while holding up random objects the dogs hadn't seen before.

    The scans suggested that the parts of the dogs' brains responsible for processing of sounds showed different brain patterns when they heard words they were familiar with, compared with the ones they had never heard before. While that was not enough to prove that the dogs were picturing their toys when they heard the word, it did indicate some sort of recognition. The researchers believe this is an important step forward in understanding how dogs process language.

    Even more interesting was that the dog's brains showed a higher level of neural(神经)activity at the sound of unknown words. This is the exact opposite of what happens in human brains, which get more active at the sound of familiar words. The researchers say the dogs may become cheerful at the sound of new words to try to understand them in the hope of delighting their masters. “Dogs want to please their owners, and perhaps also receive praise or food,” says Empty neuroscientist Gregory Burns, senior author of the study.

    However, though your pet may understand human speech, the scientists recommend using visual signals and smell for training. “When people want to teach their dog a trick, they often use spoken command because that's what humans prefer, ”Prichard says.“ From the dog's view, however, a visual command might be more effective, helping the dog learn the trick faster.”

    The greatest recent changes have been in the lives of women. During the twentieth century there was an unusual shortening of the time of a woman's life which was spent in caring for children. A woman marrying at the end of the 19th century would possibly have been in her middle twenties. They would be likely(可能) to have seven or eight children and four or five of them lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years. During the twenty years, chances and health made it unusual for her to get paid work.   

    Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman's youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty five and is likely to take paid work until they are sixty. Even while she has to take care of children, her work becomes easier by eating fast foods and using washing machines , cleaning robots and so on.

    This important change in women's way of life has only recently begun to play a role in their position.   Even a few years ago most girls left school at the first chance and most of them took a full- time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school -leaving age is sixteen. Many girls stay at school after that age, and though women are likely to marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until their first child is born. Many people return to full or part-time work after that. Such changes have caused a new relationship in the family, with both the husband and the wife accepting a great share of the duties and satisfactions of family life, and with both the husband and the wife sharing more equally in supporting the family, according to the abilities and interests of each of them.