Anne LaBastille was born in New York City and grew up in New Jersey. Her first experience with the wilderness was in the Adirondacks in the northeast of New York, where she worked at a summer resort to earn money for college tuition by caring for the horses, giving riding lessons, and working as a waitress. And she has many chances to begin her adventure in the Adirondack wilderness.

    Anne returned to school in the fall, but she continued to spend as much time as she could in the Adirondacks. She grew to love her time alone in the mountains. Anne graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in conservation of natural resources and began working for the National Audubon Society in Florida as a wildlife tour leader.

    Although Anne took great pleasure in showing people the animals living in the Florida Keys and the Everglades National Park, she longed for the mountains in the northern parts of New York. Eventually, she decided to build a cabin near Black Bear Lake. Over the years, however, more and more tourists began hiking near her cabin. As a result, Anne decided to build another cabin deeper in the woods at Lily Pad Lake.

    Anne lived in the woods for most of her life. She enjoyed living alone in the woods, and her life was far too busy for her to be lonely. When she was not writing books, she wrote articles for National Geographic, Reader's Digest, and other magazines. In her later years, Anne conducted research in Guatemala on an endangered bird called the grebe. She also lectured nationwide about ecology. Besides, Anne worked with a number of organizations dedicated to conservation.

    As a respected guide, author, and conservationist, Anne not only loved the land but also had found a way to become part of it.

    People who play computer games to train their brains might as well be playing Super Mario, new research suggests.

    In a six-week study, experts found people who played online games designed to improve their cognitive(认知的) skills didn't get any smarter.

    More than 8,600 people aged 18 to 60 were asked to play online brain games designed by the researchers to improve their memory, reasoning and other skills, for at least 10 minutes a day, three times a week.

    They were compared to more than 2,700 people who didn't play any brain games, but spent a similar amount of time surfing the Internet. All participants were given an "IQ test" before and after the experiment.

    Researchers said the people who did the brain training didn't do any better on the test after six weeks than people who had simply been on the Internet.

    "If you're(playing these games) because they're fun, that's absolutely fine," said Adrian Owen, assistant director at Britain's Medical Research Council. "But if you're expecting these games to improve your IQ, our data suggests this isn't the case."

    Computer games that are supposed to improve memory, reasoning and other cognitive skills are played by millions of people worldwide, though few studies have examined if the games work.

    "There is precious little evidence to suggest the skills used in these games transfer to the real world," said Art Kramer, a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois, US.

    Instead of playing brain games, Kramer said people would be better off getting some exercise. He said physical activity can help produce new brain cells.

    Other experts said brain games might be useful, but only if they weren't fun.

    "If you set the level for these games to a very high level where you don't get the answers very often and it really annoys you, then it may be useful," said Philip Adey, a professor of psychology at King's College in London.

    If people are enjoying the brain games, Adey said they probably aren't being challenged and might as well be playing a regular video game.

    He said people should consider learning a new language or sport if they really want to improve their brain power. "To stimulate(激发) the intellect, you need a real challenge," Adey said, "Getting smart is hard work."

    I've recently published a book of letters from 32 amazing Australian women about their experiences of new motherhood. Perhaps the most common question I've been asked since publication is why more of the mothers didn't ask for help. If those early months were so hard and so exhausting as they were described, then why didn't more of these women simply ask for help?

Embedded (把……牢牢地嵌入) deep in this enquiry is the assumption that if you ask, you shall receive—and that you shall receive without judgment. And if there is any experience of new motherhood in the 21^st century it is the inescapability of judgment. By asking for help new mothers open themselves up to a wave of quiet—and not-so-quiet—disapproval of why on earth they need it.

    The earliest moments of motherhood are synonymous with sacrifice(等同于牺牲). A mother sacrifices her body for not nine but almost ten long months, sharing her shell with a new being. A mother sacrifices her control, and often her mental and physical health, during the painful process of childbirth. A mother, in the weeks and months that follow, puts the needs of another before her own, sacrificing her sense of self, her ambition and all too often, her happiness.

    We don't normally use the word sacrifice to describe the newborn period. It's supposed to be sweet and milky and warm but a sacrifice is exactly what it is. And when we sacrifice we should be entitled (使享有权利) to mourn—a privilege new mothers are expressly prevented from.

    We have reached the point where being a mother who admits she needs help is like saying your child isn't worth the sacrifice. The suffering has become a badge(徽章) of honor, worn in service to your family.

    The role of mothering is not an easy one, nor will it ever be. But it could be made more manageable if we were all to offer help or support.

    Going back to school can be an anxious time for many students. But one institution in Texas is doing its part to make sure middle schoolers are returning refreshed and inspired to learn.

    Through a process called the "bathroom inspiration project," teachers and administrators at Warren Middle School, spent their summer beautifying the school's restrooms by painting motivational murals (壁画) on each of the stalls (小隔间).Forming messages like "Your mistakes don't define you" and "Scatter (撒播) kindness," the brightly colored words are exactly what a young student needs to see when having a rough day-or any school day for that matter. And now that classes are officially in session, people are already noticing a positive impact.

    Since posting photos of upgrades to the school in July, Principal Joshua Garcia says that the alterations have aroused a great response.

    "Students have been talking about the murals from the moment the pictures had been posted. Some even took the time to find a reason to come up to the campus to see the murals," he says. "I think what makes this small little action so valuable is that it has set the tone for our campus."

    And not only is that important to students, parents, and fellow staff, but it is also vital for the school's new principal, who is trying to gain the trust of the community during a time in which trust is so necessary for schools.

    "Being new to the campus, I think the parents were able to see how much I value their children and have their best interest at heart," Garcia continues. "I have had many parents tell me how they can just feel a difference in the campus climate and how much they are enjoying seeing their children wanting to come here. These murals have put trust back in the campus and its teachers, and by doing so we are able to build a culture in which our students want to be here and learn."

    Through your childhood and, let's be honest, most of your adult life, you may have wondered—how do you get to Sesame Street? After 50 years, the answer has finally been revealed.

    New York City's Official Sesame Street

    In the past, there was guessing about the true location of the street, like Harlem or Alphabet City since both neighborhoods resembled Sesame Street in appearance and population makeup. Recently, in honor of the children's television show's 50th anniversary, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared that West 63rd Street between Central Park West and Broadway will now officially be known as Sesame Street, close to the Sesame Workshop office.

    A Year-long Celebration for the 50^th Anniversary

    Since 1969, the children's television show Sesame Street has been a pioneering force in media and education, dealing with issues like racism, loss, poverty and living with a disability. With a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, Sesame Street has brought the life-changing benefits of early learning to children across the globe for 50 years. Today, we reach kids in 150 countries and 70 languages and we're celebrating our landmark anniversary with fans and families all year long!

    Events and Activities Throughout 2019

    Fans and families around the world can join their favorite furry friends in celebrating Sesame Street's past, present, and future, with:

    A 50th television season which focuses on the power of possibilities, empowering kids to take safe risks and learn from their mistakes.

    A nationwide road trip where Sesame Street characters and friends host community events in ten cities around the country.

    A research report that will explore an important issue facing kids and families today.

    Celebrity and fan-fueled social media campaigns showcasing favorite Sesame Street memories.

    New corporations across fashion, lifestyle, and themed entertainment for fans of all ages.

    A November star-studded prime-time special, whose contents include new takes on classic scenes and visits from Sesame Street icons.

    Can you imagine a world without music？Studies show that public schools across the country are cutting back on music classes to save money. Worse, some schools have never had music classes to begin with. But without them, students' academic growth and emotional health could suffer. In fact, music classes are necessary for all students in schools.

    Recent studies by Brown University have shown that students who received music education classes were better in math and reading skills than those without music classes. Another study by The College Board found that students taking music and art classes got higher points. Students' academic success seems to depend on their taking part in music education.

    Music programs in public schools also help to add to a student's sense of pride and self-confidence. Teens today have too many learning tasks. Besides, they have family problems, self-confidence problems, relationship troubles, and choices about drugs and alcohol. All of these can stop academic success, but music education can help. A study by The Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse found that students who took part in school music programs were less likely to turn to drugs. Music programs encourage students to work together to produce an excellent performance.

    Music crosses language, class, cultural and political boundaries (界限). Music allows students from different countries to connect. For example, at a school talent show, a new Japanese student played a piano duet (二重奏) with an American classmate. Although they could not communicate verbally (口头上), they were able to read the music in order to play the duet. Two students from different cultures worked as a team with self-confidence and common purpose through music.

    The gift of music is priceless. We need to be sure to have necessary music classes for all students. The world is losing its music, and putting music into schools is the first step to get it back.