Most people around the world are right-handed. This also seems to be true in history. In 1799, scientists studied works of art made at different times from 1,500 B.C. to the 1950s. Most of the people shown in these works are right-handed, so the scientists guessed that right-handedness has always been common through history. Today, only about 10% to 15% of the world's population is left-handed.

Why are there more right-handed people than left-handed ones? Scientists now know that a person's two hands each have their own jobs. For most people, the left hand is used to find things or hold things. The right hand is used to work with things. This is because of the different work of the two sides of the brain. The right side of the brain, which makes a person's hands and eyes work together, controls the left hand. The left side of the brain, which controls the right hand, is the centre for thinking and doing problems. These findings show that more artists should be left-handed, and studies have found that left-handedness is twice as common among artists as among people in other jobs.

No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed instead of left-handed. Scientists have found that almost 40% of the people become left-handed because their main brain is damaged when they are born. However, this doesn't happen to everyone, so scientists guess there must be another reason why people become left-handed. One idea is that people usually get right-handed from their parents. If a person does not receive the gene (基因) for right-handedness, he / she may become either right-handed or left-handed according to the chance and the people they work or live with.

Though right-handedness is more common than left-handedness, people no longer think left-handed people are strange or unusual. A long time ago, left-handed children were made to use their right hands like other children, but today they don't have to.

Now, the VOA Learning English program begins. Today, we are going to talk about one way to solve a problem.

There are many different ways to solve a problem. One way is to be creative. People often think creative thinking is just for artists and designers, but that is not true. Dr. Edward de Bono, an expert in creative thinking and problem solving, has shown the world that using creativity to solve problems is very useful in business and in our communities, and will continue to be so in the future.

One example of creative thinking is the solution (解决办法) to a parking problem in a town center. In the areas close to stores, people can only park for 20minutes. There are parking meters where people pay to park in these areas. However, the problem is that many people leave their cars there for longer than 20 minutes. Dr. Edward de Bono's solution is to make a rule that all cars parked in these areas must keep their headlights on. Of course, drivers will want to return to their cars before their car batteries(蓄电池) die.

According to Dr. Edward de Bono, people will need to use creative thinking more often in the future. To help people think more creatively, he designed the"Six Thinking Hats"system. The system helps people think about a problem in different ways in order to find a solution. In the system, there are six imaginary hats of different colors. Each hat represents (代 表) a different way of thinking. For example, the white hat helps people consider the facts. The black hat is the most logical(有逻辑的) and helps people consider why a possible solution may not work. So, next time you have a problem in your community, you can think about it creatively from different perspectives, and see what best ideas you can get. And that's all for today's program.

I'm Bryan Lynn. Thanks for your listening.

The 31st International University Sports Federation(FISU) Summer World University Games were held from July 28, 2023 to August 8, 2023 in Chengdu, which were more than just medals and sports.

A total of 6,500 student athletes from 113 countries and regions competed at the Chengdu FISU Games. Besides showing their skills in different sports, these athletes also learned about many sides of Chinese culture. Each night in the athletes' village, for example, they could experience activities such as trying on hanfu, playing Chinese chess and playing traditional Chinese music.

They also had the chance to meet one of China's national treasures: the giant panda. On July 31 in a special area of Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, overseas athletes met the 6-year-old Zhi Ma, the panda who inspired (启发) the design of Rongbao—the mascot(吉祥物)of the Games. They were really excited as most of them first met with a giant panda in person. "They are much cuter than they are in videos," Mario Del Basso, a water polo athlete from Italy, said to China Daily. To attract the attention of the giant pandas, many athletes also made an effort to learn how to say "come here" in the local Sichuan dialect(方言).

Chinese and foreign athletes also made good friends during the Games. During the mixed team event in a men's doubles match, Chinese athlete Tan Qiang beat Brazilian badminton player Welton Menezes easily. But the image of Menezes's worn-out shoes stuck with Tan. He asked for Menezes's shoe size immediately after the match and gave his own pair of new shoes to Menezes. "I am very grateful for Tan's help," Menezes said. "It's a great pair of shoes and I love it. After I go back to Brazil, I will also wear the shoes for training."

This event not only provides a stage for competition, but also serves as a platform for cultural exchange and the development of friendship, showing China's positive attitude to the world.

You're standing in the kitchen and a voice says, "put a little more salt to that soup"

Yes, it's always nice to have1 help you when you're2 .

3 this voice is not from a person. Then4 does it come from ?Is it from a ghost ? No, this isn't a ghost kitchen —it's the kitchen of the future. 

Scientists are5 to make everything in the kitchen get better. They are making a system (系统）. It will help us cook a meal.

You don't need cook book s. You can hear how to cook food.

Different countries have their own festivals and holidays. They have different ways {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(celebrate). Take China as {#blank#}2{#/blank#} example. The Dragon Boat Festival is also called "the Double-Fifth Festival" because it {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(take) place on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. The best part of the festival is the dragon boat {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(race). On that day, some riversides are always crowded with people. What's more, eating zongzi is a {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(tradition) culture during the festival. Zongzi in the south of China is usually {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(salt), but it's usually sweet in the north. 

The festival is getting popular around the world. But how can we introduce more {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(festival) in China to foreigners? The answers {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the question are different. In my opinion, we can make posters about festivals or holidays to show {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(we) feelings and put them online. It can make overseas people know more about Chinese culture {#blank#}10{#/blank#} love it. 

let's promote(弘扬) our Chinese culture together!

Whether it's changing jobs, taking care of a sick parent, or moving to a new place, disruptions(混乱) in life can make it hard to maintain moment-by-moment focus and well-being (健康). Long-term goals remain important, but long-term focus can be hard. Daily or weekly habits supporting your long-term goals can keep you on track even when it's hard to think ahead.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

 The first is personal reflection(反思). This can mean keeping diaries, documenting the funny things our friends say, and recording what we are thankful for a few times per week. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

 Second, we need time for professional reflection. For example, you may sit down on a Sunday night and write down the most important to-dos in the coming week. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Instead, it directs your focus to what's most important. Simple, daily or weekly reflection case make a meaningful difference in productivity and focus.

A third area is building and maintaining relationships. It's important to manage our relationships well. For us, right now, the primary relationships are with our parents and teachers. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}These sound like small things, but they matter a lot.

 Finally, we all need to form good habits that encourage physical and mental health. Studies show that people who get at least two days of exercise per week are happier. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}