This Way to Dreamland

Daydreaming means people think about something pleasant, especially when this makes them forget what they should be doing. Daydreamers have a bad reputation for being unaware of what's happening around them. They can seem forgetful and clumsy. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} ey annoy us because they seem to be ignoring us and missing the important things.

         But daydreamers are also responsible for some of the greatest ideas and achievements in human history.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Can you imagine what kind of world we would have without such ideas and inventions?

         So how can you come up with brilliant daydreams and avoid falling over tree roots or otherwise looking like a fool?

First, understand that some opportunities(机会) for daydreaming are better than others. Feeling safe and relaxed will help you to slip into daydreams.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} And if you want to improve your chances of having a creative idea while you're daydreaming, try to do it while you are involved in another task—preferably something simple, like taking a shower or walking, or even making meaningless drawings.

It's also important to know how to avoid daydreams for those times when you really need to concerntrate. “Mindfulness”, being focused, is a tool that some people use to avoid falling asleep. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

            Finally, you never know what wonderful idea might strike while your mind has moved slowly away.  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

           Always remember that your best ideas might come when your head is actually in the clouds.

A. Having interesting things to think about also helps.

B. They stare off into space and wander by themselves.

C. Without wandering minds, we wouldn't have relatively, Coke or Post-it notes.

D. At one time, daydreaming was thought to be a cause of some mental illnesses.

E. It involves slow, steady breathing for self-control that helps people stay calm and attentive.

F. Daydreams are often very simple and direct, quite unlike sleep dreams, which may be hard to understand.

G. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep a notebook or voice recorder nearby when you're in the daydream zone.

    We all see and hear about extraordinary people around us and wonder why we can't be more like them. It's not the big things that make someone extraordinary. Here are some small things that extraordinary people do every day:

    ●{#blank#}1{#/blank#}That you're the boss doesn't mean you are right every time. Learn to back up your decisions with reason. Use logic(逻辑) to explain things, not authority. By doing this your decisions might invite criticism, but you will also get an opportunity to improve.

    ●They are generous with compliments（恭维）. Remember the time, when you worked really hard but got nothing in return? Not even a thank- you. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} So every chance you get to praise someone, do it. A simple, “That was some great work, keep it up,” can go a long way in making the employees feel great about themselves. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ●They are helpful. Never hesitate to help someone. It's fairly simple but it goes a long way. Don't say something vague（含糊）like, “Can I help you?” because they might just say, “No, I'm good.” {#blank#}4{#/blank#} “I had the same problem with this coffee machine in the morning. I think I have figured a way to make it work.” Offer in a way that feels mutually beneficial .

    ●They're in charge of their emotions. Sometimes it is very important to stay silent. Especially when you're angry, you don't want to end up saying things you didn't really mean to. So they take their time to think about what happened, and then come to a decision about how to deal with it. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Never be too casual with words or actions.

    Most American students go to traditional public schools. There are about 88, 000 public schools all over the US. Some students attend charter schools.

    Charter schools are self­ governing. Certain companies operate some charter schools. They are similar in some ways to traditional public schools. They receive tax money just as other public schools do. Charter schools must prove to local or state governments that their students are learning. These governments provide the schools with the agreement called a charter that permits them to operate.

    Charter schools are different because they do not have to obey most laws that govern traditional public schools. Each school can choose its own goals and decide what to teach and how to teach them in their own way. Class size is usually smaller than in traditional public schools.

    The government strongly supports charter schools as a way to re­organize public schools, which are failing to educate students. But some education unions are against charter schools. One teachers' union has just released the results of the first national study, which compared the progress of students in both traditional schools and charter schools.

    The results of the study show that charter school students performed worse on math and reading tests than the students in traditional public schools.

    Some experts say the study is not fair because students in charter schools have more problems than students in traditional schools. Other education experts say the study results would make charter school officials realize that they should help their students make greater progress .

    It is necessary for us to improve our problem-solving abilities.If you don't properly understand the problem, your solutions may be ineffective or fail entirely.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}For example,is there one problem or actually several?Can you restate the problem in your own words?By spending time with the problem you will better understand it and be equipped to generate（产生）solutions.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Collect data,ask people or experts connected to the problem,look for resources online,in print,or elsewhere. Once you have data,organize it.Try to do this by rewording or summarizing it.Perhaps you could even map it out in a chart.You may not need to bother with this step for simple problems,but it will be essential for those of a more complex one.

    The first step in finding a solution is to look at data that you have gathered about the problem and to analyze its importance.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Start with the raw data.Sometimes,information will need to be broken into smaller,more manageable parts or to be ranked for its importance.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.You might do this on a limited,trial scale at first to test the results.Or,you might go all in.Keep in mind that unpredictable problems which you did not plan can arise at this stage.

    Keep in mind that problem-solving works in a cycle.It will generate a number of different solutions that each should not be ignored.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}If not,then you must look for another solution and start the process over again.So make small changes if necessary.

A.If you fix the problem,you have found a suitable solution.

B.Once you have chosen the best solution,put it into practice.

C.You should focus on the problem and your problem-solving process.

D.Gather as many acts as you can about the problem to get a clear picture of it.

E.A hobby is another way that you can continue to improve your problem solving skills.

F.To define the problem clearly,you will have to ask questions and look at different angles.

G.When analyzing,you will look for links and relationships for better understanding the overall situation.

    The Silk Road was a historical network of trade routes that connected China and the Mediterranean Sea, allowing cultural and economic interaction between the East and the West. Begun in the 2nd Century B C, the Silk Road carried goods, ideas, and even illness for thousands of miles between great civilizations for more than a thousand years. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It was the creation of Germany's Ferdinand von Richthofen, who traveled to China several times in the second half of the 19th Century.

    China's powerful Han Dynasty began expanding its trade routes towards the West in the years around 100 B.C. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Some shipments made it through to Europe and to northern and eastern Africa, through the port of Alexandria.

    As its name suggests, the Silk Road was home to large amount of silk, which made its way from China to the Mediterranean and, to Rome. It wasn't only silk, however, that was carried along the Silk Road  {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Chinese traders brought delicate porcelain plates and thin but durable paper money. Romans brought delicately carved pottery (陶器）and jewelry to China.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Merchants carried shipments from major center, and then others carried the foods farther on the route. Many merchants traveled in groups, called carvans (商队). Many carvans and individual merchants traveled with bodyguards because theft along the routes was not uncommon.

    Several cities along the Silk Road became major trading centers. Some of the more famous of these were Alexandria, Karakorum, Antioch, Constantinople, and Persepolis. Local taxes placed on goods traveling along the route were quite common. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. The name, however, is a modem idea.

B. Diseases also spread along the Silk Road.

C. It sent silk and other goods to other civilizations.

D. Merchants would prepare some supplies in advance.

E. Goods did not travel with the same person all along the route.

F. As a result, many goods traveled only part of the way due to the high cost

G. Many other things made their way from the East to the West, or from the West to the East.

    At 88, my grandmother Vera has dementia and barely recognizes me. But I'm determined to help her age with dignity and grace in her home for as long as she can.

    Since 2015, I've been a manager at Honor, a technology company that uses a website and an app to pair professional caregivers (we call them Care Pros) with loved ones who need a hand. I want to make sure we are offering all our clients (客户), including my grandmother, a service that is affordable, with people who are reliable, diverse and skilled. On Sundays. Amy, my grandmother's most-loved Honor professional caregiver, comes over to get her dressed for church. She loves the time she spends with Amy. That's the best gift I can give her and the best gift I can give myself. Care giving can exhaust a family emotionally and physically. At Honor, we're trying to create something that makes it easier for women to be moms, daughters, and sisters all at once. That's why this company was built.

    What sets Honor apart from other care giving services is that we're equally focused on treating the Care Pros well. We pay higher-than-average rates and they can get health benefits and sick leave. Most of our Care Pros are women, and a lot of them arc single mothers. The technology behind our app allows Care Pros to set parameters (参数) based on when, where, and how much they want to work so they can control their schedules. The company also allows continuity of care. Each Care Pro notes in the caregivers' app how the client is feeling or what should happen on the following shift. That way, the client's family can stay up to date on their loved one's health.

    When I was working with my team at Honor, I wanted to create opportunities for people who looked like me. I'm proud to say that there are single moms and other women without traditional educational training who lead teams here. The makeup of this company proves that people with diverse backgrounds can be part of a successful tech company. This has to be a model for the future.

    I'm confident it will happen.