The Science of Risk-Seeking

    Sometimes We decide that a little unnecessary danger is worth it because when we weigh the risk and the reward, the risk seems worth tasking. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Some of us enjoy activities that would surprise and scare the rest of us. Why? Experts say it may have to do with how our brains work.

    The reason why any of us take any risks at all might have to do with early humans. Risk-takers were better at hunting, fighting, or exploring. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}As the quality of Risk-taking was passed from on ration to the next, humans ended up with a sense of adventure and a tolerance for risk.

    So why aren't we all jumping out of airplanes then? Well, even 200,000 years ago, too much risk-taking could get one killed. A few daring survived, though, along with a few stay-in-the-cave types. As a result, humans developed a range of character types that still exists today. So maybe you love car racing, or maybe you hate it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    No matter where you are on the risk-seeking range, scientists say that your willingness to take risks increases during your teenage years. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}To help you do that, your brain increases your hunger for new experiences. New experiences often mean taking some risks, so your brain raises your tolerance for risk as well.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#},for the risk-seekers a part of the brain related to pleasure becomes active, while for the rest of us, a part of the brain related to fear becomes active.

    As experts continue to study the science of risk-seeking, we'll continue to hit the mountains, the waves or the shallow end of the pool.

    ID systems are used as a means for people to prove their identity, as a means of access control, or for many other situations. ID cards also contain a lot more information than simply the name of the holder. All ID cards contain information that is relevant to the institution that released them, so there is no single model that applies to all ID cards.

    Different institutions have different rules when it comes to ID cards, and ID cards used by students, in universities, will not have the same security features as those used in the military, for example. The more important the institution is, the more important the security is, and the more security features will be used to prevent duplication(复制) of an ID card.

    Anyone with a printer that can print ID cards can duplicate in ID card, if it does not have any security measures. There have been lots of cases, especially in low security institutions, where ID cards have been duplicated and this was not noticed, since the person holding the card usually flashed it when it was requested, and that was not enough to notice that it is a fake.

    That may not be extremely important when it is simply a case of a student trying to enter the campus of another university, but it can be of vital importance if it happens in a military institution. Checks in military institutions are much stricter and the personnel checking the card are always trained to spot fakes in a short amount of time.

    Some may think that creating an ID card is extremely difficult, but it is not. All it takes is a special printer that can print ID cards, a model and a photo ID. The fact that such printers can be freely ordered online has raised security issues with lots of companies and institutions, and most have decided to either create their own ID cards, or simply use more advanced security features that regular home-users do not have access to. This includes magnetic stripes(磁条), chips, barcodes(条形码),and other methods. This does increase the cost of the card per person, so the total cost of the cards increases based on the number of employees the company has, but it also reduces security risks to a minimum.

    So ID systems, as basic as they seem, are an excellent security measure for any institution. To ensure that the IDs look good and function properly, the company that handles the card printing services should be top-class. Trying to save some money by choosing a cheaper provider is not really wise. While some companies offer bonuses for large orders, if the quality provided is not of the highest standard, it is not worth it.

    People in the United States have many ways to get news, some of which are available 24 hours a day. In a recent survey（调查）, about 15 percent of American interviewees said that they spend less than one-half to two hours per day watching, listening to, or reading the news. News comes from every source, not only from printed ways, but from TV, radio, and the Internet as well.

    With the increased availability of news, serious questions have been raised about the role of the news media in society. Should the media report every detail about every story, even when the information does not seem timely or valuable? Some researchers are concerned that by focusing on everything at once, the media increasingly ignore the more important social, political and economic problems that we face. We cannot concentrate on what's important by reading about what is not. One extreme example of this is the type of information covered by the tabloid（小报）media, which focus on negative stories of violence and crime.

    How can people deal with all the news that is available to them? Some become “news resisters” and choose to turn their backs on news, resisting their desire to turn on the TV and read the paper every day. They argue that although daily news reports may provide us with many facts, they do not include the background or some information that we need to understand news events. They suggest that, instead of daily reports, we look for information that has more in-depth analysis of the news, such as monthly magazines.

    Homework

    Do arithmetic problems 15 through 25. State the different forms of the verbs on page 50 of your French workbook. Read pages 12 through 20 of the Shakespeare play, and don't forget to fill in the missing chemical symbols on the worksheet.

    Sound like a list of your homework for the next few nights － or maybe even just for tonight? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}It's your teachers' way of evaluating how much you understand what's going on in class. And it helps strengthen important concepts.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It's inviting to start with the easy things to get them out of the way. However, you'll have the most energy and focus when you begin, so it's best to use this mental power on the subjects that are most challenging. Later, when you're more tired, you can focus on the simpler things. If you get stuck on a problem, try to figure it out as well as you can － but don't spend too much time on it because this can mess up your homework schedule for the rest of the night.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}But don't pick someone whom you'll be up all night chatting with, or you'll never get it done!

    Most people's attention spans aren't very long, so take some breaks while doing your homework. Sitting for too long without relaxing will make you less productive than if you stop every so often. Taking a 15-minute break every hour is a good idea for most people.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Once your homework is done, you can check over it if you have extra time. Be sure to put it safely away in your backpack － there's nothing worse than having a completed assignment that you can't find the next morning or that gets ruined by a careless brother or sister.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Now you're free to hang out.

A. Homework is a major part of going to school.

B. Luckily, you can do a few things to do less homework.

C. When you start your homework, deal with the hardest tasks first.

D. But if you're really concentrating, wait until it's a good time to stop.

E. If you need to, ask an adult for help or call or email a classmate for advice.

F. And no teacher still believes that "chewed by the dog" line － even when it's true!

G. In conclusion, no one is expected to stay long, and people have very different learning styles.

    The universe has never failed to catch human's attention. The ancient humans came up with stories to explain the presence of the suns and other planets. As time went by, humans set their sights on exploring the vastness of space. In 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon's surface.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    It allows people to know more about the universe.

    Undoubtedly, space exploration has answered the question of whether the earth is round or not and proved the earth does circle around the sun and not the other way around.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It gives people a deeper understanding about the universe and provides them with more information about the world they live in.

    It paves the way to advanced technology.

    Scientists are always developing new technology for space programs, but the good news is that these new innovations(创新) aren't just useful for astronauts and space programs.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} In fact they have already led to the development of modern products and devices that many people use such as the GPS systems, and breast cancer test imaging, to name a few.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Space exploration doesn't just involve scientists and astronauts; it also requires the skills and labor of many engineers, research assistants, technicians, mechanics, and other professionals. If space exploration would be stopped today, these people would become jobless, and they wouldn't have the means to support themselves and their families.

    It can offer a solution to many problems.

    Aside from collecting information about the outer space, many space exploration programs are used to solve some of the problems with our modern society. Some programs, for example, help scientists learn more about the earth's atmosphere and know how to better predict weather and natural disasters.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} This may be the solution to the earth's growing population.

    Space exploration is one of the biggest achievements of humans as a whole, and it has paved the way to greater scientific understanding and technological advancement over the years. I can see no reason why we should stop our exploration.

A. It creates many jobs.

B. But it does much more than that.

C. It was a big step in space exploration.

D. They can also be used in other industries.

E. They also help scientists know more about the earth.

F. Others focus on looking for planets that can support human life.

G. Since then, space exploration has been going on and brought many benefits.

Why Do People Enjoy Extreme Sports?

    In recent years, the term extreme sports has evolved on grand scale. It can be divided into three main types: Air, Land and Water. Now you'll start wondering how they work and why people enjoy them.

    Often popular in younger-than-average crowd, the extreme sports are not organized by schools. These sports are practiced mostly on individual level, while in many cases professional coaching is also available.

    Now we tell you the secret recipe of their popularity:

    Control and Physics: The reason why people enjoy these sports is that they are normally played, exercised or practiced in free or uncontrolled environment like base jumping and sky diving. It means while traditional athletes play in controlled environment like fields and gyms, extreme athletes have to operate and display their skills in free-flowing natural environment. For this reason, the understanding of laws of physics and how to apply and use them are really crucial for success.

    Thrill: This is the single most attractive factor in people's interest in extreme sports. It makes extreme sports different from any other type of sports. The thrill one can get from extreme sports is the highest. But the athletes are fully exposed to direct danger. Thus, you have to fully understand the consequences before you decide to enjoy the thrill.

    Pushing the Limits: Extreme sports, as the name goes, is about pushing the limits. The response, nerves and the control over the un-controllable are the main reasons why people enjoy it.

    Man against Nature: As we mentioned earlier that it is about natural elements—Air, Water and Land, these games are loved because the natural elements react to human extreme. The passion of man to overcome the natural barriers is an addiction for these athletes.

    Some of the mainstream extreme sports are base jumping, bungee jumping, sky diving, gliding, extreme skiing, mountain biking, cliff diving, scuba diving and wind surfing. No matter what extreme sports you may enjoy, the No. 1 rule is to know your limits, or you'll be pushed.