If you were like most kids, your mother told you there were three no-no's when it came to your fingers: Don't put them in an electrical outlet, don't stick them up your nose ( at least not in public ), and don't use them when you are counting.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But experts in education and cognition now believe that using your fingers to do math is not only a perfectly good idea but may even help children become superior students.

    It certainly makes sense. When children count on their fingers, they take an abstract concept— mathematics—and translate it into the most basic and visual form.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Even when we aren't actually counting on them, they still can help us on math problem,

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}It activates when we respond to heat, pressure, pain, or the use of a given finger. Studying brain scans, researchers discovered that when students aged 8 to 13 work on subtraction (减法) equations, this region “lights up” on the scans, even if the students aren't using their fingers. The more complex the problem, the more activities are detected.

    The connection between finger use and math ability has been shown on old-fashioned math tests as well. With their eyes closed, first graders were asked to identify which of their fingers a researcher was touching,{#blank#}4{#/blank#}When college students were given the same quiz, the highest scores once again performed best on calculation tests.

    So what does all this mean? For one thing, parents and teachers shouldn't discourage children from counting on their fingers.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Memorizing the multiplication tables may help, but it is not the best option. “I would like to see interesting and creative representations of ideas.” says Jo Boaler, a professor of math education.

    Recently, a series of activities have been designed to strengthen students' perception of their fingers. Maybe in the near future, there will be only two no-no ¹s regarding the use of fingers.

A. The first two laws of fingers are as true as ever.

B. There is a section of the brain, called the somatosensory finger area.

C. Researchers also stress that students simply learn better using visual tools.

D. Researchers are unimpressed by those students who finish quickly as well.

E. In fact, experts believe the brain is able to “see” a representation of our fingers.

F. That may sound simplistic, but the researchers offer an interesting explanation.

G. Researchers found those scoring highest on the finger-ID questions scored higher on a math test.

Ways To Manage Stress Creatively

    Stress is a huge problem for us all. Here's what I've learned and applied to manage stress using my creativity.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Putting my creativity and my work first, I often neglected to eat, exercise, even stand up from my desk. I now realize that how I feel physically (and mentally) is more important than the work I create. Taking care of myself includes all natural remedies(疗法). I'm learning how to say no to social pressures, in favor of my own well being.

    Don't worry about what other people think of you.

    This is easier said than done, but I promise it does come with age{#blank#}2{#/blank#}A lot of people do offer unsolicited(自发的) advice. It is human nature to want to help other people. But if that advice is coming from a place of control or judgment, RUN in the opposite direction.

    Don't compare.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Most people are not as happy as they describe themselves to be. The best advice I ever heard was this：Don't compare your inside to other people's outside. Be open to new experiences, be kind to yourself and accepting of the journey which is life. Being present means not thinking into the future, or harping(唠叨) on the past. The coolest thing about being present is that CREATIVITY LIVES IN THE MOMENT.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Your intentions matter.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}What was your intention? I remind myself to enjoy the process of my creative fun stuff, it's for me. If others like it, great, but it's the enjoyment of my creative intention, in the moment, that I treasure.

A. Stop judging

B. Each moment is UNIQUE

C. We have to work in order to live

D. Take care of yourself--Mind AND Body

E. Stress is often caused by comparison to others

F. It's important to remember why you started doing something

G. No one cares about what you're doing unless what you're doing affects them

    Do you know what may make you seem to be not confident enough?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Giving reasons for your actions. Suppose you are having lunch with a group of people, and suddenly you drop your glass of coke on the floor. What will you do? Well, some people will just start to explain why it has happened.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you drop a glass or make a mistake, it won't change who you are. It's your right to make a mistake because you are a human being.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You may have experienced a situation where you told a friend his performance wasn't that good and then he replied back immediately by saying, “No, no, no, it's just because I was tired” or “I was just thinking of something else”. Confident people listen to criticism and see whether it's true or not.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} However, if they know it's not true, they don't care much about it.

    Becoming a perfectionist. A perfectionist thinks that he lives in a perfect world so he tries to do everything perfectly.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Confident people are not perfectionists. If they get a “B”, they may try to get an “A” next time, but if they get 99/100, they won't be unhappy about not getting a full mark because they know they're not perfect.

A. Confident people don't give reasons for their actions.

B. Read the following information and you'll know the answer.

C. Accepting criticism immediately.

D. Replying back immediately to criticism.

E. If the criticism is true and can help them, they accept it.

F. He may become very unhappy if he gets 99/100 in an exam.

G. He may become very unhappy if he can't pass the exam.

    By sitting at home you can now buy anything from knives to cars. The worry you may have about traveling and parking can be avoided while you shop online. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Online shops have no holidays, closing times or any other problems. You can shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}So you can easily find out what other customers think about the product before buying it. When you go for real-world shopping, you can actually touch and feel it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Also if you are shopping online, you have to be careful with your credit cards.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Once you find the required product, put it in a “shopping cart” and continue shopping. After you have got enough in your “shopping cart”, check out the product. You can add or take out the products in your shopping cart. The next step is to login (登录） using a username and a password. Enter the address where you want the product to be sent. Some sites even ask for your email, phone numbers, etc. Then wait for the confirmation (确认) of your order. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Online shopping is a different experience and you can make shopping online easy when you get used to it.

A. You can also cancel the order if needed.

B. Online shopping started not so long ago.

C. If you plan to do any shopping online, do it at home.

D. However, in online shopping you can only see the pictures.

E. With online shopping, you need not worry about the weather.

F. Some online shops also keep customers' opinions about each product.

G. The first step in online shopping is to search for what you want to buy.

    How to keep healthy? It's easy for us to catch a cold in winter and spring because the weather changes a lot in spring and it is too cold in winter. But if we take care in our life, all of us can keep healthy without any cold.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}This will stop germs passing from one person to another. When you finish your work or before you eat, you'd better wash your hands.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Use a tissue, and then throw it into dustbins at once. When others around you are coughing, I advise you to turn your head away from the people so that their viruses won't reach you.

    Get more fresh air. Germs like staying around in dry and warm rooms. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Don't stay too long in the places with too many people.

    If flu is going round house or school, you should try to stay away from those who are ill. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Boil your toothbrush for about a minute. This kills germs.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} If you have used the toothbrush for three months or so, throw it away and buy a new one.

A.     Have a shower everyday.

B.     Wash your hands often.

C.     Don't use your hands when coughing.

D.    Don't go out often when you are coughing.

E.     Besides, don't use the same toothbrush too long.

F.     In this way, you won't be infected by these people.

G.    So you'd better stay in the places with more fresh air.

    Nowadays, there is a trend that more and more people spend their holidays in foreign countries. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So read our travel tips that are simple and practical, and you can always enjoy your travels.

    On a business card, write down the emergency contact's information and place it in your wallet. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Give your emergency contact a copy of your travel plan, a passport data page, and the visa information. Give each piece of your luggage a unique look: tie a bright handkerchief to a handle or purchase a colored luggage tag. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}If you don't speak the local language, carry a matchbox, or a brochure with the name and address of your destination. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    To avoid being a target of crime, don't wear eye catching clothing: dress conservatively (保守地), and don't wear or carry obvious signs of wealth (gold watches, expensive jewelry and etc.) and don't carry more cash than necessary. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    To make sure of a safe journey and avoid some unnecessary trouble when traveling in foreign countries, you could never be too careful.