Two heads are better than one. It means that two people working together have a better chance of solving a problem than one person alone. But not everyone likes working in a group.

    There can be a number of reasons why people dislike group work. Some may feel nervous or uneasy in group situations. Others might have had a bad experience with individuals who did not work well as a team. Another comment is that teachers or instructors fail to provide roles for group members. This may create a situation where everyone or no one wants to lead. Whatever the issue, the result is the same: the group does not realize its goal.

    Cooperative (合作的) learning is an educational method that can help to solve this problem. There are many methods of cooperative learning. Today we will talk about one: giving each person in a small group a specific duty to reach a shared goal. For example, if learners are divided into groups of four people each, their roles might be: leader, writer, checker and speaker. This structure helps ensure that everyone takes part equally in group work and allows each member to play a meaningful part in completing the shared goal.

    Before dividing learners into groups, it is a good idea for the teacher or club's instructor to first have knowledge about the language skill levels of participants. The goal is to make each group a mixture of higher- and lower-level language learners. Putting too many people with similar skill levels together could make the work too difficult or easy. Role cards can be a helpful tool in this method of cooperative learning. Their purpose is to remind learners of each person's role.

    Before the cooperative activity, the role of the teacher or activity instructor is to explain two things to the group: the main job for the activity and how the cooperative roles work. The person in charge may appoint these roles or let the English learners choose them. Then, during the activity, the instructor's job is to watch the groups and provide more guidance when needed. After the activity, the instructor may wish to provide feedback to groups on their work and their use of cooperation.

    With this cooperative learning method, you can say that four heads are better than just one.

    Why can some people sleep through noises like a honking car or flushing toilet, while others are awakened by the lightest sound?

    To find the answer, sleep researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital conducted an unusual study of 12 self-described deep sleepers. After tests confirmed that the healthy volunteers were solid sleepers, they took part in a three-night study in the university's sleep laboratory. The participants spent the night in a big and comfortable room. But the room also included four speakers positioned near the top of the bed.

    During the night, the deep sleepers were subjected to 14 different recorded sounds, like street traffic, toilets flushing, and an airplane flying overhead. Next door, the researchers monitored their sleep patterns and brain waves.

    As expected, all of the participants slept relatively well, but there were differences in how they responded to the noisy interruptions. Some of the sleepers didn't wake up even when a sound was blasted at 70 decibels（分贝）; others were awakened by sounds at 40 or 50 decibels.

    The researchers discovered that the difference in a sleeper's reaction to noise could be predicted by the level of brain activity called "sleep spindles（纺锤体）". A sleep spindle is a burst of high-frequency brain activity coming from deep inside the brain during sleep. The source of the spindles is the thalamus（丘脑）, a part of the brain that sends sensory information to the rest of the cortex（皮层）.

    Before the study, the Massachusetts researchers theorized that the spindles are the brain's way of preventing sensory information from passing through the thalamus and waking the rest of the brain during sleep. They found that sleepers who experienced the most sleep spindles during the night were also the soundest sleepers and were least likely to be awakened by noise.

    Scientists already know that most people become lighter sleepers with age, most likely because older people experience less "slow wave sleep", which is the deepest stage of sleep. People also produce fewer sleep spindles as they age. But even when controlling for the stage of sleep a person was in, the number of sleep spindles still predicted their risk for awakening because of noise.

    More research is needed, but the findings suggest that a better understanding of sleep spindles could lead to new behavioral or drug therapies for people with sleep disorders. For example, future studies may try to determine whether diet, exercise or other behaviors may influence the number of sleep spindles a person produces during the night.

    We tend to think of our dreams as being uniquely personal­nighttime stories built from our own experiences that help us process our day-to-day lives. While dreams can give us a look into our personal selves, scientists have collected data that suggests dreams make their way into our cultural fabric(结构), showing themselves in ways that shape beliefs and expose collective anxieties.

    Roger Ivar Lohmann of Trent University conducted research with the Asabano people of the rainforest of Papua New Guinea, a unique group who didn't have outside contact until 1963. His studies looked at how dreams shape their beliefs and actions.

    According to Lohmann's research, dreams act as a sort of motivator or determinant of Asabano behavior. For instance, a dream may affect the way a person hunts or goes about treating medical conditions. The way dreams determine behavior is due to what Lohmann calls the "night residue" effect. This means that specific memories of dreams can affect the way a person acts when awake and inform their belief system.

    Dreams also seem to have an effect on the way many define themselves within their own cultures, and how sometimes reaching a distinct definition can cause anxiety.

    Matt Newsom of Washington State University spoke with college students in Berlin, and found many students had dreams surrounding conflicting views about their own identities(身份) in relation to what they saw as a return of German nationalism, which is a sensitive subject especially when we think of German identity as it's defined even many years after World War Ⅱ.

    Many students had dreams that centered around anxieties like "Where do I belong?" Many students never talked with one another about identity struggles in their dreams, yet many reported having such dreams. Newsom noted that dreams can be helpful "for identifying (识别) unspoken social and historical anxieties present in a given society."

    All of this research suggests that dreams can do more than help explain the thought of a person; we can learn about entire cultures and collective attitudes as well.

    Do you like to show off your expensive items? You could find yourself without friends! Scientists prove that expensive status symbols make you look less socially attractive.

    Items such as a fancy car and a Rolex watch are often thought to increase our social standing(地位) and often come with a high price tag(标签).According to the latest research, however, it has the opposite effect and people would prefer to be friends with someone who places less value on material objects.

    "Often we think that status symbols will make us look more socially attractive to others," says Stephen Garcia, the study's leading author from the University of Michigan. He adds, "However, our research suggests that these status signals actually make us look less socially attractive.

    The researchers conducted six studies which assessed how people presented themselves and how people viewed strangers. People who chose to wear higher status items tended to get a negative response, but people wanted to be friends with people who preferred lower status symbols.

    The study took the role of the luxury(奢侈) item to see if it was possible that the expensive item itself played a part in people's reactions. The definition of a status symbol changed based on a person's socioeconomic status, but the same effect of keeping off potential friends was seen regardless of social position.

    "At a social level, we may be wasting billions of dollars on expensive status symbols that finally keep others from wanting to associate with us, "says Kimberlee Weaver Livnat at the University of Haifa. She says, "And to the extent that close friendships are important to well-being, and we may be unintentionally hurting ourselves."

    However, Patricia Chen of the National University of Singapore said this does not necessarily mean status symbols are a bad thing. She says, "Our findings right now only apply to the formation of new friendships. Status symbols may be beneficial at other times and in other settings, such as when trying to establish new business contacts."

Wilderness Explorers Center Guide

Welcome to the Wilderness Explorers Center, your gateway to the adventure of nature's wonders! With engaging exhibits, wildlife sightseeing, and natural activities, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Discover Nature's Treasures

Don't miss the chance to explore our Nature Gift Shop, located near the entrance of the Wilderness Explorers Center. Here, you'll discover a delightful array of eco-friendly gifts, educational books, and unique handicrafts inspired by the natural world.

Enjoy at Forest Café

After a day of exploration, fuel your energy at the Forest Café. Indulge in a selection of delicious snacks, sandwiches, and beverages sourced from local ingredients. Whether you're craving a refreshing drink or a heart y meal, the Forest Café is the perfect spot to relax and unwind.

Ensure the Accessibility

Ensuring that every visitor can fully enjoy their experience is our top priority. That's why we offer wheelchair and stroller rentals at the entrance, making it easy for everyone to explore our center comfortably. Our staff are also available to ensure that all guests feel welcome.

Support the Conservation

Join us in our mission to protect and preserve the natural world for future generations. Your support plays a crucial role in our conservation efforts. Click our website here to learn more about how you can get involved, from donating to becoming a member of our conservation community. Together, we can make a difference in safeguarding the beauty of our planet.