Disability

Disability refers to the condition of being physically or mentally disabled or challenged. The
physically disabled are those physically handicapped such as the crippled, the blind, the mute as
well as those having some form of physical deformities. Those mentally disabled suffer from
mental retardation such as cerebral palsy and down syndrome among others.

There are thousands of disabled people in Asia and many face discrimination on a regular basis
which takes many forms. Very few employers hire disabled people as the latter is considered
more a liability than an asset in the organization. However, these fears are completely
unfounded. Many blind and hearing impaired persons have contributed tremendously to
organizations they are attached to. In fact, there are many cases of how disabled personalities
have done themselves proud by being their own bosses. Their success stories include those who
run their own business such as shops, restaurants, handicraft centers in addition to those who
have become teachers and professionals through sheer hard work and determination. Many have
even become successful sports persons participating in Paralympics Games and winning medals.
It is a folly to think that only physically able people can make one's country and nation proud.

However, those who are successful are only a handful. Since many encounter discrimination,
they tend to alienate themselves from society as they feel unwanted and rejected. Our mind set
has to change to accept these people and integrate them into our society.

The government should introduce steps to ensure all the disabled people have access to education
and employment. In fact, special legislations and laws ought to be introduced that makes it
compulsory for employers to allocate a certain number of jobs for the disabled. The Welfare
department too should provide financial assistance and medical access to disabled persons who
come from poor backgrounds.

Ongoing campaigns to educate society on the need to accept and live in harmony with the
disabled, rather than treat them as burdens or pariahs, need to be launched. In fact, the awareness
should start from a young age. Instead of setting up special schools for the disabled, the
government should institute regulations that abolish such schools and the disabled children sent
to regular schools. this would enable the regular students to understand and accept their peers
despite the latter being obviously disadvantaged. the disabled children too would not suffer from
low esteem or even feel embarrassed mixing with regular children.

In addition, most of our public infrastructure, public transport and government buildings are not
disabled-friendly. There has to be a concerted effort to ensure the disabled have access to these
places and not feel hampered in any way.

Thus, it is high time that we accept the disabled as an important component of our society.
Despite their handicap, they play an important role in our lives and at the same time they need
our respect, acceptance and understanding.
 Write a story about a girl who had to quit school to support her
family
Jocelyn dropped out of school to sell vegetables at the market place in order to earn a living. She
was only fourteen years old, with too many family problems to cope with. Jocelyn comes from a
family of four. She has a younger brother and sister whom she has to care for in the little free
time that she has of her own. Their father died when they were very young.

The sole breadwinner of her family was her mother who had to hold two jobs just to pay the bills
and send the three children to school. That was when Jocelyn decided to quit school and sell
vegetables at the market.

She worked for her uncle's friend who owned the market stall. The owner did not treat her well at
all. He was always shouting at her to get things done. He sapped Jocelyn for all that she was
worth and even then, he never seemed happy with her work. There were difficult and choosy
customers to handle too, but Jocelyn thought about her family and toiled continuously.

Two months after Jocelyn dropped out of school, the principal, Sister Magdeline, paid her a
surprise visit. She had a grave talk with Jocelyn and her mother. In that two months that Jocelyn
was away, Sister Magdeline had managed to get help from some generous donors who had
learned of Jocelyn's plight. They were willing to help.

Thanks to the people who helped by donating money to Jocelyn and her family, Jocelyn is now
back in school. She hopes to get a good education and then a good job to support her family.

sapped Drained

toiled Worked

plight unpleasant condition

The Dilemma of Adolescents
Adolescence must be one of the most traumatic and turbulent stages of human development.
Often still childish and immature, adolescents are nevertheless eager to become adults. However,
some adolescents want to be adults without the responsibilities that come with being one.
Perhaps that is why we hear so much of adolescents being involved in cohabitation, pre-marital
sex, illegal abortions, cases of abandoning babies, smoking, and the list goes on.

An adolescent wrote to a local newspaper, "I suppose there are some advantages in being over 18
-- no parental signature needed on application forms, having your own driving license, coming
home late, having my views heard and being consulted when family decisions are made. But I
dislike the prejudiced looks thrown at me just because I dress differently, wear black nail polish
and numerous earrings. I feel I am being forced to conform to norms and standards imposed
upon me by society. So on behalf of all young people struggling to maintain our individuality, I
beseech to be understood. I may dress differently and appear to be eccentric and crazy ... but it's
all part of growing up."

The cry for compassion and understanding of this girl who wrote the letter echoes similar cries of
many adolescents. While they enjoy some of the privileges of adulthood, they also find the adult
norms and expectations restrictive.

Newspapers usually publish articles of juvenile delinquency, giving the impression that today's
adolescents are far more notorious than those of their parents' generation. What is often forgotten
is that the sins of today's adolescents receive more media attention and coverage than, for
example, the case of an unwed pregnant small town girl of yesteryear.

Making mistakes is a part of growing up. Regardless of the magnitude of their mistakes, the most
important thing for adolescents is to learn from their mistakes and to lead successful and
productive lives -- just as most adults have done.

If adults were honest with themselves, they would admit that they too have stumbled along the
way. So they should not condemn the younger generation when they make mistakes. It was said
that the great inventor, Thomas Edison, who had 10000 failures before discovering the light bulb
claimed that he learned 10000 things that did not work from those failures which provided him
vital information. The information eventually led to his success.

Therefore adults should always be sympathetic to the dilemma that adolescents go through. They
should not condemn adolescents when they make mistakes. Instead adolescents should be given
the space to grow and to learn from their mistakes.
The usefulness of examinations

Examinations have been part and parcel of formal education for centuries. From this long
history, it is obvious that examinations are thought to be necessary in education. Today,
however, there are some arguments against the use of examinations alone to gauge the ability of
a student. In my opinion, examinations have both advantages and disadvantages.

To begin with, examinations provide a convenient way of measuring what students know. To my
knowledge, there is no easier method of checking how much a student has learnt. The students'
performance in an examination also allows a teacher to check the effectiveness of his or her
teaching methods. If necessary, the teacher can improve their methods in order to ensure that the
students learn better.

Examinations are also a motivation for students to work hard, to learn. Every parent is familiar
with how difficult it is to get a child to study if there are no upcoming examinations to make
them work. Without examinations, most students would not see the need to study. Besides the
fear of failing examinations, the promise of rewards from teachers and parents for excellent
results also serves as a powerful motivation for students to put more effort into their studies.

Nevertheless, examinations are limited in what they can test and are therefore not perfect as a
means of gauging a student's ability. For one thing, examinations tend to evaluate a rather small
part of learning. For example, an examination can test whether a student knows the steps in
carrying out a scientific experiment, but it cannot find out if the student has any problem actually
doing the experiment. Furthermore, there is no way that a written examination can test a student's
skills such as social skills and the ability to work in a team.

In conclusion, examinations have had a long history in formal education, and it is unlikely that
they will stop being used. They are useful for checking on what has been learnt and as a form of
motivation for students to study. However, examinations have limitations. Hence, it is only
logical to use other methods of gauging a student's ability along with examinations.
The advantages of the Internet

The world today is very different from that of fifteen years ago. This difference is largely due to
the Internet. The Internet is a true wonder of the modern age. It allows us to connect to others
around the world. In order for us to use the Internet effectively, we must understand its
advantages.

First of all, the Internet allows us to access information from around the world. It is better than
any printed encyclopedia. The information is always up to date and easily found. There are many
websites that one can visit to gain information. The websites range from general databases like
Encyclopedia Britannica and Wikipedia to more specific resources like the Mayo Clinic website
which provides a huge library of medical information.

Furthermore, the Internet enables us to communicate with people around the world easily and
quickly. Formerly, we could only send mail through the postal service. We also used to have to
rely on expensive phone calls to communicate with people in other countries. Thanks to the
Internet, we can now use free e-mail services like Hotmail to send letters and messages. We can
also speak to people anywhere in the world using Internet chat software like Skype. Even more
amazingly, the Internet lets us talk to a few people in full video at the same time as though
everyone were in the same room.

Another advantage of the Internet is that it allows us to find new friends and social groups.
Before this, I would have few chances to get to know people beyond schoolmates and neighbors.
Today, I can meet people who share my interests on online forums and social groups. For
example, I can join special interest groups such as ChessCube to meet others who share my
interest in chess. This would not be possible without the Internet.

In conclusion, I would like to state again that the Internet is a marvelous tool that has many
advantages. It allows us to get information easily, to communicate with people around the world
conveniently and to meet new friends. Life is better today thanks to the Internet.
The Olympics
Every four years, athletes around the world gather to show off their talents at the Olympic
Games. Dating back hundreds of years to Ancient Greece, the Olympics is the biggest and most
prestigious combined sporting event in the world. A wide variety of sports is featured, ranging
from athletics to Wushu.

The Olympics always begins with the opening ceremony. This ceremony starts with the raising
of the host country's flag, together with the singing of its national anthem. The host country then
presents a variety of artistic displays showcasing its culture. This is followed by a march past.
Each country's representatives march in bearing their national flag and a placard carrying their
nation's name. Next, the country's head of state declares the opening of the games, and the
Olympic Torch is brought into the stadium. Finally, the Olympic cauldron is set ablaze, signaling
the start of the games.

The day after the opening ceremony, the actual sporting events begin. The athletes proceed to
their sports venues, which can range from stadiums to open fields. There, they compete to see
who the best is. After the competitions, the results are tallied, and the athletes are awarded
medals based on their performances. The winner is given a gold medal, the first runner-up gets a
silver medal, while the second runner-up obtains a bronze medal. During the games, the athletes
stay in the Olympic Village. Here, there are ample facilities available for them to train and
practice for their events.

There is a closing ceremony at the end of the Olympic Games. Traditionally, the event begins
with the Parade of Flags, where flag bearers representing each participating nation enter the
stadium in single file. Behind them, in no particular order, march the athletes, who gather as one
united group. Next, the flag of Greece and the flag of the next host country are raised, while the
corresponding national anthems are played. Then, while the Olympic Anthem plays, the Olympic
Flag is folded and carried out of the stadium. Another special Olympic Flag is then handed over
to a representative of the next host of Olympic Games, who waves the flag eight times. The next
host nation proceeds to introduce itself with a number of artistic displays. Finally, the Olympic
flame is extinguished, marking the end of the Olympic Games.

At the beginning of each Olympics, the athletes all agree to do their best. At the end, they all
agree to return in four years to try again. The spirit of sportsmanship unites all these
representatives of the nations of the world and strengthens the goodwill between them.
The usefulness of the mobile phone

Almost everyone has one these days. It is light. It can fit in your pocket. It keeps you
connected to people. It takes photographs. It is one of the most useful inventions of the modern
age. What is it ? It is the mobile phone.

The mobile phone, also known as the cell phone, is first and foremost a tool for
communication. It functions like a telephone. However, its small size makes it possible for us
to carry it with us wherever we go. Its portability allows us to contact others and allows others
to contact us no matter where we are. It makes it convenient for people to communicate for
both social and business purposes. This device is especially useful in the event of emergencies
such as when we get lost or when we need to tell someone something urgently.

Another useful function of the mobile phone is that it allows us to send and receive short
messages. To convey a message, we only need to type out the message and press `send'. The
message will be stored in the recipient's phone and he or she can choose when and whether to
read it. After that, the message can be kept for future reference, sent to someone else to read or
deleted. This feature is really useful for people to share information and to keep in contact.

Mobile phones today have multi-functions. They do not only function as telephones. Most
models of mobile phones now have another useful feature which is the built-in camera, so now
we can take photographs anytime we want. Cameras are bulky so people do not usually carry
them around all the time. A phone with camera function is handy. We can take photos of
friends we meet unexpectedly, or capture pictures of funny and unusual situations. Some
mobile phones even have a video function so we can record an event. Best of all, we can share
these photos and videos with others via the Internet.

In conclusion, the mobile phone is one of the most useful devices ever invented. It is useful for
communicating in normal circumstances and also in emergencies due to its portability. Its
additional features also enable people to share information and even photographs easily.
Hence, it is no wonder that everyone, from the young to the old, regard the mobile phone as a
must-have.
The school of the future
In the decades to come, schools will be very different from what they are today. Much of this is
because of advances in technology, which will be used to make school more fun and effective. In
my opinion, there are three key things that the school of the future will have that we do not have
now. They are mobile learning, use of multimedia learning, and learning designed to fit each
student.

Mobile learning will enable us to learn even without coming to school. The main tool that we use
to do this is the Internet. The Internet, when integrated into the school, will enable teachers and
students to communicate with each other instantly, no matter where they are. This concept also
includes the virtual classroom, where everyone can see and speak to each other within a virtual
environment. This lets schools provide education to students in any place, removing the
limitations of travel time and distance.

Technology will also allow the school of the future to increase the use of multimedia instead of
textbooks. In future, schools will be equipped with screens or even holographic displays, which
will be used to show students videos, pictures, and sound in order to teach students a topic.
Examples of this would include showing videos of historical events instead of just reading about
them in a textbook. This would certainly improve learning among students.

Finally, technology will allow teachers to design lessons to suit each student. Using computer
software, teachers would be able to monitor a student's progress quickly and easily, and make
more advanced topics available to the student if he or she is capable of handling more. This
would ensure that no weak student would be left with an incomplete understanding of a topic,
and no strong student would be frustrated by a lack of more challenging topics to learn.
Technology would also make it easier for teachers to test each student according to his ability
level, removing the frustration of competition in today's standardized examinations.

In conclusion, the schools of the future will be quite different from the schools of today largely
because of technological advances. Nevertheless, all we can do for now is guess, as no one
knows for certain what will happen in the future.
Maria Curie

Maria Curie was born in Warsaw on the 7th of November, 1867.

Her father was a teacher of science and mathematics in a school in the town, and from him little
Maria Sklodovska — which was her Polish name — learnt her first lessons in science.
Maria wanted to study at the Sorbonne in Paris, and after many years of waiting she finally left
her native land for Paris in 1891.

In Paris Maria began a course of hard study and simple living.

She determined to work for two Master's degrees — one in physics, the other in mathematics.
So she had to work twice as hard as any other student.
Yet she did not have enough money to live on, and soon her strength was weakened, because she
had no proper food and warmth.
She lived in a small room in the poorest part of Paris.
Night after night, after her hard day's work at the University she would climb to her poorly
furnished room and work at her books for hours.
Her meals were poor, sometimes no more than a few cherries, which she ate as she studied.

Though she was often weak and ill under this hard life, she worked in this way for four years.
Nothing could turn her from the way she had chosen.

Among the many scientists Maria met and worked with in Paris was one — Pierre Curie.
Pierre Curie, born in 1859 in Paris, was the son of a doctor, and from his childhood he was
interested in science.

At sixteen he was a Bachelor of Science, and he took his Master's degree in physics when he was
eighteen.
When he met Maria Sklodovska he was thirty-five years old and was already famous in Europe
for his discoveries in magnetism.
But in spite of the honour he had brought to France by his discoveries, the French Government
could only give him a very small salary, and the University of Paris refused him a laboratory of
his own for his research work.

Pierre Curie and Maria Sklodovska loved science more than anything else.
Very soon they became the closest friends.
They always worked together and discussed the many problems of their work.
After a little more than a year they fell in love with each other, and in 1895 Maria Sklodovska
became Madame Curie.

By this time Maria Curie had got her Master's degree in physics and mathematics, and was busy
with research on steel.
She now wanted to get a Doctor's degree.

For some time Pierre and Maria Curie were interested in the work of a French scientist named
Becquerel.
There is a metal called uranium which, as Becquerel discovered, emits rays very much like X-
rays.
These rays made marks on a photographic plate when it was covered in black paper.
The Curies kept wondering about these rays of uranium.
There were many questions that puzzled Maria Curie and her husband.
Here, they decided, was the subject for Maria's Doctor's thesis.

The research was carried out under great difficulty.

Madame Curie had to use an old store-room at the University as her laboratory — she was
refused a better room.
Here it was cold, there was no proper apparatus and the room was too small for research work.
But Maria Curie had to make the best of it.
Soon she discovered that the mysterious rays of uranium were much more peculiar than she
believed.
They were like no other known rays.

Maria Curie began to examine every known chemical body.

After repeating her experiments time after time she found that a mineral called pitchblende
emitted much more powerful rays than any she had found.

As Maria Curie had examined every known chemical element and none of them had emitted
such powerful rays as pitchblende, she could only decide that this mineral must contain some
new element.
Here was a mystery.
Scientists had said that every element was already known to them.
But all Maria Curie's experiments proved one thing.
Pitchblende must contain some new and unknown element.
There was no other explanation for the powerful rays which it emitted.
Scientists call the property of giving out such rays 'radio-activity', and Madame Curie decided to
call the new element 'radium', because it was more strongly radio-active than any known metal.

Madame Curie-Sklodovska died in 1934.

She was the leading woman scientist, the greatest woman of her time and was the first person
who received the Nobel Prize twice.
Water, Air and Soil Contamination
Pollution is an environmental concern for people throughout the world. One university study
suggests that pollutants in the water, air, and soil cause up to 40% of the premature deaths in the
world's population. The majority of these deaths occur in developing countries.

Water in many developing countries is contaminated with toxic chemicals, also known as
toxins. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.1 billion people have little or no
access to clean water. In many of these regions the water that is used for drinking, cooking, and
washing is the same water that is used for dumping sewage and hazardous waste. Most
developing countries cannot afford water treatment facilities. Approximately 80% of infectious
diseases in the world are caused by contaminated water.

Air pollution is a growing problem throughout the world. Indoor air pollution is one of the
leading causes of lung cancer. Families in developing countries use open stoves for cooking and
heating their homes. These homes do not have proper ventilation. The smoke, which is full of
chemicals and carcinogens, gets trapped inside where families eat and sleep. Outdoor pollution
also causes disease and illness, especially in industrial cities such as Beijing, China, where
cancer is the leading cause of death. China relies heavily on coal, which is considered the dirtiest
source of energy. According to the European Union, only 1% of urban dwellers in China breathe
clean air on an average day. Neighbouring countries including Japan and Korea receive much of
China's pollution in the form of acid rain. This pollution results mainly from the coal powered
factories, which produce inexpensive goods for North American and European consumers.
Outdoor air pollution is also a concern in many wealthy countries. Those who live and work in
urban centres such as Los Angeles or Toronto experience many warm days beneath a layer of
smog.

Soil pollution is also a major concern, both in industrial and developing countries. Pollutants
such as metals and pesticides seep into the earth's soil and contaminate the food supply. Soil
pollution causes major health risks to entire ecosystems. This type of pollution reduces the
amount of land suitable for agricultural production and contributes to global food shortages.
Dumping of industrial and domestic waste products produces much of the world's soil pollution,
though natural disasters can also add to the problem. In wealthy countries such as the US,
protection agencies monitor the food supply. The public is generally warned before major
disease outbreaks occur. Developing countries do not have this luxury. Farmers in poor nations
grow food in contaminated soil both to earn a living and to avoid starvation.

As more people move to urban centres, premature deaths caused by pollution are expected to
increase worldwide. Today, the developed nations who achieved their wealth at the expense of
the environment will be held accountable for protecting the earth's resources for future
generations.
The story of Coca-Cola
What is the most recognizable object in the world? Could it be a football? Or a Big-Mac? No, the answer
is a Coca-Cola bottle. The famous Coca-Cola bottle is almost 100 years old !

Footballs and big macs are certainly part of life for lots of people; but Coca-Cola is now a permanent
part of world culture. People know and drink Coca-Cola all over the world.
It is said that the Coca-Cola bottle is the most recognized object in the world. Hundreds of millions of
people can recognize a Coke bottle by its shape, even if they cannot see it! And the famous Coca-Cola
logo is the most famous logo in the world. Unlike any other famous commercial logo, it has not changed
in 100 years!
But the story of Coca-Cola is even older than that. It was in 1886 that John Pemberton, a druggist in
Atlanta, Georgia, invented a new type of syrup, using coca leaves, sugar and cola nuts, plus a few other
secret ingredients! Pemberton sold it as a medicine; and with its coca (the source of cocaine), it must
have made people feel good!
Nevertheless, Pemberton's medicine was not very successful, so he sold his secret formula to another
druggist, Asa Candler. Candler was interested, because he had another idea; he thought that
Pemberton's "medicine" would be much better if it was mixed with soda.
Candler was thus the man who really invented the drink Coca-Cola. At first he sold it in his drugstore;
then he began selling the syrup to other drugstores, who used it with their soda fountains. Candler also
advertised his new drink, and soon people were going to drugstores just to get a drink of Coca-cola.
Before long, other people became interested in the product, including a couple of businessmen who
wanted to sell it in bottles. Candler sold them a licence to bottle the drink, and very quickly the men
became millionnaires. The famous bottle, with its very distinctive shape, was designed in 1916.
During the First World War, American soldiers in Europe began asking for Coca-Cola, so the Coca-cola
company began to export to Europe. It was so popular with soldiers, that they then had to start bottling
the drink in Europe.
Today, Coca-Cola is made in countries all over the world, including Russia and China; it is the world's
most popular drink.
As for the famous formula, it is probably the world's most valuable secret! The exact ingredients for
making Coca-Cola are only known to a handful of people. And as for the "coca" that was in the original
drink, that was eliminated in 1903. It was a drug, and too dangerous. Today's Coca-Cola contains
caffeine, but in 1903 it was a drug, and too dangerous. Today's Coca-Cola contains caffeine, but not
cocaine!
 Blue Jeans, the all-American fashion.
Blue jeans are the most popular type of clothing in the world; but they are not modern! In fact, jeans
have existed for over 140 years.

In 1996, someone found some very old clothes in an old mine in Nevada, USA; they included a pair of
dirty old jeans. Today, those jeans are very valuable, and they are now in the Levi Strauss Archival
Collection, in San Francisco. The jeans, which are over 120 years old, are the oldest pair of Levi's 501
jeans in the world.
They are almost the same as a modern pair of 501's; there are just some small differences in the
detail. For instance, today's 501's have two back pockets, the old pair just has one.

THE STORY OF JEANS

Jeans were the classic clothes of the American West.
In 1853, a young tailor from Germany, called Levi Strauss, began working in San Francisco; Levi sold
thick canvas to miners; the miners used the canvas to make tents.
One day, a miner told Levi that he could not find trousers that were strong enough for work in the
gold mines. Levi decided to make some trousers out of canvas.
Very soon, he had sold all the canvas trousers he had made! They were just what miners wanted.
However, the canvas was rather heavy and stiff. Levi therefore began to look for a different textile;
soon he found a heavy textile from France; it was called serge de Nimes. Americans just called this de
Nimes, and this name soon got reduced to denim.
Denim was a bit lighter than canvas, but it was very strong; it was ideal for miners.
However, original denim was almost white, and miners did not like the color! Their denim trousers got
dirty as soon as they began working!
Levi Strauss therefore decided to use colored denim, and he chose dark blue. In 1873,he began to
make denim trousers with metal rivets to make them stronger. This was a radical new idea: "Blue jeans"
had arrived!
Levi's jeans were so popular, that his company got bigger and bigger; soon, other firms were making
blue jeans too. Miners liked them, but so did cowboys and other working men. Blue jeans became
classic American working trousers.
After the Second World War, jeans became popular all over the world. Today, blue jeans are made
over the world – most of them in Asia. Very few jeans are now made in the USA, because of the cost: but
it is still possible to buy blue jeans that are made in San Francisco.... if you have a lot of money to spend.
Today there are hundreds of different brands of jeans. Many top fashion brands, like Armani or
Benetton, make their own blue jeans. But for real authentic jeans, "Levi's" are still the most popular
brand.

JEANS for EVERYONE ?

In America, everyone wears jeans as leisure wear. Some people wear jeans all the time, even for work.
But Americans are perhaps less formal than other nations.
 At the "G7" summit in Denver, in 1997, American President Bill Clinton gave all his visitors jeans, for a
"Western evening". Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, put them on, but other European leaders,
including Chancellor Kohl of Germany and Jacques Chirac, the President of France, refused. Some people
still think that jeans are not respectable clothes!
Not the young! Jeans are now the international uniform worn by young people. Why? That is a good
question!
 Women's Rights

Women won their present status through struggle and sacrifices rather than through men's
kindness. Women and their supporters have fought and in some places continue to fight for the
same rights as men. Laws were made to replace local customs which denigrated and suppressed
women's rights. Women have gained higher positions in the world at all levels: political,
economic and social.

Historically, whether in Hindu, Greek or Roman civilizations women were always minors and
subject to men. It was only during the Islamic civilization, between 610 and 661, that the early
reforms were undertaken. The reforms gave women greater rights than Muslim women in pre-
Islamic Arabia and medieval Europe.These reforms included greater rights in marriage, divorce
and inheritance. Women were not accorded with such legal status in other cultures until centuries
later.

During the middle ages women were enslaved and were denied all rights in Europe. In the late
18th century, however, women's status became a subject of political debate. In the 19th century
women started their fight for equal rights. In the late 19th century they won the right to vote
(suffrage) in various countries in the world. More gigantic steps were taken during the following
years. Women gained more economic, social and political status in various degrees and in
different countries.

In spite of all the success women still suffer from discrimination at various levels. For example
women work more and earn less than men. In addition to that, the majority of the world's poor
and illiterate are women. The road to real equality is still long.
A big mystery: the tremendous benefits of laughter.

Humor, the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide
amusement, affects how we perceive and respond to life. It enhances the quality of life and may
relieve the body from so many health problems. In fact, humans are the only creatures on earth
that are endowed with the ability to laugh.

The difference between humor and laughter is that humor is a perceptual process while laughter
is a behavioral response. People of all ages and cultures respond to humor. The majority of
people are able to experience humor, i.e., to be amused, to laugh or smile at something funny,
and thus they are considered to have a sense of humor. The hypothetical person lacking a sense
of humor would likely find the behavior induced by humor to be inexplicable, strange, or even
irrational. Though ultimately decided by personal taste, the extent to which a person will find
something humorous depends upon a host of variables, including geographical location, culture,
maturity, level of education, intelligence and context.

Regular laughter sessions can have important effects on our health and well being. For instance,
laughter is considered to be a stress buster and researchers found a direct link between laughter
and healthy function of blood vessels. Laughter causes the dilatation of the inner lining of blood
vessels, the endothelium, and increases blood flow. It also has been shown to lead to reductions
in stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine. When laughing the brain also releases
endorphins that can relieve some physical pain. Laughter also boosts the number of antibody-
producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T-cells, a type of cells that lead to a stronger
immune system.

Since laughter does affect the body, mind and spirit the only thing you have to do to lead a happy
life is LAUGH, as simple as that.
 Tips to succeed in your career

Because the world has become so competitive, you will have to do your best to secure your share
of success. The following are tips to get you ahead in your career.

1. Priorities and goals

What are your priorities of the day? Make a list of your priorities and plan your day. The tasks of
the day must be outlined with the most important and urgent ones on top.

Likewise determine your short-term and long-term goals and evaluate your progress frequently.

2. Be focused

Are you really present physically and mentally? Try to block out all distractions so that you have
the time to truly focus on your tasks and career.

3. Broaden your skills

Nothing remains the same and so do job requirements. Update your knowledge and skills. Seek
improvement of your know-hows. Attend seminars, conferences, read books, be an eternal
learner.

4. Socialize

Be ready to participate in social functions. Be open to new acquaintances. Meet new people and
deal with them respectfully and enthusiastically. Be an active listener; you will surely learn
something new...

5. Know your merits

Know your strengths and weaknesses. If you think you deserve a position or promotion, claim it.

6. Accept challenge

Through challenge you will reach areas of your personality you have never discovered before. It
is a good idea to step away from your comfort zone to explore new horizons. If you settle into a
routine and play it safe all the time, you will never get ahead in your career. 'If you always do
what you've always done, you'll only get what you've already got'

7. Communication

Learn to communicate effectively. Listen to what others are saying and focus on how to give and
receive constructive feedback, to persuade effectively and to ask for help and collect
information.
8. Avoid gossip

Avoid office gossip about colleagues and the boss. Be respectful and work for the good of the
company.

9 Relax

Relax and do something different, a hobby that you love doing. Take time off for yourself. This
will help boost your productivity during week days.

10. Seek satisfaction

If you are disappointed with what you are doing, try to transform it into something you love. If
you fail, it might be a good idea to do something different. As Confucius said: 'Choose a job you
love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. '
The common cold

The common cold, also known simply as the cold, is a viral infectious disease of the upper
respiratory tract that primarily affects the nose. It is also possible that the throat, sinuses, and
voice box get also affected. It is the most frequent infectious disease in humans. The average
adult gets two to four colds a year, while the average child may get six to eight. They occur more
commonly during the winter. These infections have been with humanity throughout history.

Signs and symptoms

Signs and symptoms may begin less than two days following exposure. They include coughing,
sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, headache, and fever. People usually recover in seven to ten
days. Some symptoms may last up to three weeks. In those with other health problems,
pneumonia may occasionally develop.

Cause

Well over 200 virus strains are implicated in the cause of the common cold; the rhinoviruses are
the most common. They spread through the air during close contact with infected people and
indirectly through contact with infected objects. Risk factors include going to daycare, not
sleeping well, and psychological stress. Symptoms are mostly due to the body's immune
response to the infection rather than to tissue destruction by the viruses themselves.

Influenza versus the common cold

In the early stages of infection, it can be difficult to distinguish between the common cold and
influenza. The latter is commonly referred to as the flu and is usually a more severe disease than
the cold. In fact, influenza is a mixture of symptoms of common cold and pneumonia. Influenza
patients may suffer from fever, body aches, headache, diarrhea, sore throat, runny nose,
vomiting, and fatigue.

Treatment of the common cold

There is no vaccine for the common cold. The primary methods of prevention are the following:

 hand washing;
 not touching the eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands;
 and staying away from other sick people.

Some evidence support the importance of using face masks.

No cure for the common cold exists, but the symptoms can be treated. Nonsteroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen may help with pain. Antibiotics should not be
used. In addition, evidence from research does not support any benefit from cough medicines.
Computer addiction can be defined as the excessive or compulsive use of the computer which
persists despite serious negative consequences for personal, social, or occupational function. The
addiction involves online and/or offline computer usage and consists of at least three subtypes:
excessive gaming, sexual preoccupations, and e-mail/text messaging".

Offline and online computer addiction

The concept of computer addiction is broadly divided into two types, namely offline and online
computer addiction. The term offline computer addiction is generally used when speaking
about excessive gaming behavior, which can be practiced both offline and online. Online
computer addiction, also known as Internet addiction, gets more attention in general from
scientific research than offline computer addiction, mainly because most cases of computer
addiction are related to the excessive use of the Internet.

Symptoms

The symptoms of computer addiction include

 Being drawn by the computer as soon as one wakes up and before one goes to bed.
 Replacing old hobbies with excessive use of the computer and using the computer as one's
primary source of entertainment and procrastination
 Lacking physical exercise and/or outdoor exposure because of constant use of the computer.
This could contribute to many health problems such as obesity

Causes and effects

Researchers link internet/computer addiction with existing mental health issues, most notably
depression. Studies showed that the majority of those who met the requirements of
internet/computer addiction suffered from interpersonal difficulties and stress and that those
addicted to online games specifically responded that they hoped to avoid reality.

There are many consequences resulting from computer addiction. For example, excessive
computer use may result in lack of face to face social interaction. It may also lead to Computer
Vision Syndrome (CVS), a condition that results in headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, fatigue,
eye strain, dry eyes, irritated eyes, double vision, vertigo or dizziness.
 Technology

What is technology?

Etymologically the term technology comes from the combination of these two Greek morphemes
tékhnē, (meaning “art”) and -logía (meaning “study”). It refers to the collection of techniques,
skills, methods and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the
accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation.

The human species' use of technology began with the conversion of natural resources into simple
tools. The prehistoric discovery of how to control fire and the later Agricultural Revolution
increased the available sources of food. Likewise, the invention of the wheel helped humans to
travel in and control their environment. Later developments in historic times, including the
printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication
and allowed humans to interact freely on a global scale. The steady progress of military
technology has brought weapons of ever-increasing destructive power.

The Greeks view about technology

Technology has been a subject of discussion in philosophy since the Greeks. The Greek
philosopher Democritus, for example, believed that technology is an imitation of nature. House-
building and weaving were first invented by imitating swallows and spiders building their nests
and nets, respectively.

Aristotle held the same view that technology is the consequence of imitation of nature, but he
added in his book Physics Book II that:

"generally art in some cases completes what nature cannot bring to a finish."

Aristotle also distinguishes between natural things and artifacts. According to Aristotle, the
former have their principles of generation and motion inside, whereas the latter, insofar as they
are artifacts, are generated only by outward causes. For example, animals, which are natural
things, can grow, move and reproduce. A wooden bed, which is an artifact made by a human,
cannot move, grow, or reproduce itself.

Contemporary view about technology

Today, technology is a subject of debate because it is considered to be a double-edged sword.

While it has helped humanity in extending its potential with outstanding inventions, it is
nonetheless threatening humankind through some other destructive ones. In addition to polluting
the earth in unprecedented ways, wars have become more and more devastating due to
technological inventions. Ethical dimensions of recent technological developments, such as DNA
engineering, have become a focal point of questioning and discussion. Philosophical debates
have arisen over the use of technology, with disagreements over whether technology improves
the human condition or worsens it.
To make matters worse, a consensus definition of technology has become more difficult to find
due to recent evolution in science and its applications. It is especially confusing to decide
whether technology refers to the machines (or more precisely the hardware), the rules that
govern or make them work, the system that operates them or the different applications of science
that are related to them. What is sure is that technology has shaped societies and adapted itself to
people's changing needs.

Tools made by animals

Until recently, it was believed that the development of technology was restricted only to human
beings, but 21st century scientific studies indicate that other primates and certain dolphin
communities have developed simple tools and passed their knowledge to other generations.
Robots

A robot is a mechanical or virtual artificial agent, usually an electromechanical machine that is

guided by a computer program or electronic circuitry. When robots are virtual software agents,
they are usually referred to as bots.

The word 'robot' was first used to denote a fictional humanoid in a 1920 play R.U.R. by the
Czech writer, Karel Čapek but it was Karel's brother Josef Čapek who was the word's true
inventor. In an article in the Czech journal Lidové noviny in 1933, he explained that he had
originally wanted to call the creatures featured in the play laboři ("workers", from Latin labor).
However, he did not like the word, and sought advice from his brother Josef, who suggested
"roboti". The word robota means literally "corvée", "serf labor", and figuratively "drudgery" or
"hard work" in Czech and also (more general) "work", "labor" in many Slavic languages.

The branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of
robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information
processing is robotics.

Using robots

In general robots can be autonomous or semi-autonomous and are now used in different fields.
They have replaced humans in performing repetitive and dangerous tasks which humans prefer
not to do, or are unable to do because of size limitations, or which take place in extreme
environments such as outer space or the bottom of the sea. For instance, robots can now be used
in industry, as in car manufacturing, or they can be used in homes to do the housework. Some
robots may respond to speech or be even medical operating tools.

New functionalities

In 2008, Caterpillar Inc. developed a dump truck which can drive itself without any human
operator. Many analysts believe that self-driving trucks may eventually revolutionize logistics.
By 2014, Caterpillar had a self-driving dump truck which is expected to greatly change the
process of mining. In 2015. Some analysts believe that within the next few decades, most trucks
will be self-driving.

A literate or 'reading robot' named Marge has intelligence that comes from software. She can
read newspapers, find and correct misspelled words, learn about banks like Barclays, and
understand that some restaurants are better places to eat than others.

Baxter is a new robot which is different from other industrial robots because it can learn. A
worker could teach Baxter how to perform a task by moving its hands in the desired motion and
having Baxter memorize them. Extra dials, buttons, and controls are available on Baxter's arm
for more precision and features. Any regular worker could program Baxter and it only takes a
matter of minutes, unlike usual industrial robots that take extensive programs and coding in order
to be used. This means Baxter needs no programming in order to operate. No software engineers
are needed. This also means Baxter can be taught to perform multiple, more complicated tasks.

Concerns

There are concerns about the increasing use of robots and their role in society. Robots are
blamed for rising unemployment as they replace workers in increasing numbers of functions. The
use of robots in military combat raises ethical concerns. The possibilities of robot autonomy and
potential repercussions have been addressed in fiction and may be a realistic concern in the
future.

Coffee

Coffee is a popular brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Coffee plants are
cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in the equatorial regions of the Americas, Southeast
Asia, India and Africa. Once ripe, coffee beans are picked, processed, and dried.

Green (unroasted) coffee beans are one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world.
Once traded, the beans are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor, before
being ground and brewed to create coffee. The two most commonly grown coffee beans are the
highly regarded arabica, and the less sophisticated but stronger and more hardy robusta.

The drink

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. It is slightly acidic and can have a
stimulating effect on humans because of its caffeine content. It can be prepared and presented in
a variety of ways. The effect of coffee on human health has been a subject of many studies;
however, results have varied in terms of coffee's relative benefit. The majority of recent research
suggests that moderate coffee consumption is benign or mildly beneficial in healthy adults.

History

Coffee cultivation first took place in Southern Arabia. The earliest credible evidence of coffee-
drinking appears in the middle of the 15th century in the Sufi shrines of Yemen. In the Horn of
Africa and Yemen, coffee was used in local religious ceremonies. As these ceremonies
conflicted with the beliefs of the Christian church, the Ethiopian Church banned the secular
consumption of coffee until the reign of Emperor Menelik II. The beverage was also banned in
Ottoman Turkey during the 17th century for political reasons, and was associated with rebellious
political activities in Europe.

Economy

Coffee is a major export commodity: it was the top agricultural export for twelve countries in
2004, the world's seventh-largest legal agricultural export by value in 2005, and "the second
most valuable commodity exported by developing countries," from 1970 to 2000. Further, green
(unroasted) coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Some
controversy is associated with coffee cultivation and its impact on the environment.
Consequently, organic coffee is an expanding market.

Democracy

The term Democracy comes from the Greek words dêmos (people) and Kratos (power). In its
literal meaning, democracy means the "rule of the people". In fact it is a form of government in
which all eligible people have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Democracy as
a political systems existed in some Greek city-states, notably Athens following a popular
uprising in 508 BC.

Equality and freedom have both been identified as important characteristics of democracy since
ancient times.These principles are reflected in all citizens being equal before the law and having
equal access to legislative processes. For example, in a representative democracy, every vote has
equal weight, no unreasonable restrictions can apply to anyone seeking to become a
representative, and the freedom of its citizens is secured by legitimized rights and liberties which
are generally protected by a constitution.

There are several varieties of democracy, some of which provide better representation and more
freedom for their citizens than others. However, if any democracy is not structured so as to
prohibit the government from excluding the people from the legislative process, or any branch of
government from altering the separation of powers in its own favor, then a branch of the system
can accumulate too much power and destroy the democracy. Separation of powers is a model of
governance under which the state is divided into branches, each with separate and independent
powers and areas of responsibility so that no one branch has more power than the other branches.
The normal division of branches is into an executive, a legislature, and a judiciary.

What is smoking?

Smoking is one of the most common forms of recreational drug use. It is a habit which consists
of breathing in a smoke from a burned substance. This substance contains the active alkaloid
nicotine which is absorbed into the bloodstream. It may cause various diseases and dysfunctions.
Tobacco smoking is the most popular form of smoking. It is practiced by over one billion people
globally, of whom the majority are in the developing world. Less common drugs for smoking
include cannabis and opium. Some of the substances are classified as hard narcotics, like heroin,
but the use of these substances is very limited as they are usually not commercially available.

History of smoking

The practice of smoking can be dated to as early as 5000 BC, and has been recorded in many
different cultures across the world. Early smoking evolved in association with religious
ceremonies; as offerings to deities, in cleansing rituals or to allow shamans and priests to alter
their minds for various religious purposes. After the European exploration and conquest of the
Americas, the practice of smoking tobacco quickly spread to the rest of the world.

Smoking and health problems

Smoking has negative health effects, because smoke inhalation inherently poses challenges to
various physiologic processes such as respiration. Diseases related to tobacco smoking have been
shown to kill approximately half of long term smokers when compared to average mortality rates
faced by non-smokers. A 2007 report states that, each year, about 4.9 million people worldwide
die as a result of smoking. It is among the leading causes of many diseases such as lung cancer,
heart attacks, erectile dysfunction, and birth defects. The health hazards of smoking have caused
many countries to institute high taxes on tobacco products, run ads to discourage use, limit ads
that promote use, and provide help with quitting for those who do smoke.

Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it
may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health
problems. Body mass index (BMI), a measurement which compares weight and height, defines
people as overweight (pre-obese).

Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes,
breathing difficulties during sleep, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is most
commonly caused by a combination of excessive dietary calories, lack of physical activity, and
genetic susceptibility, although a few cases are caused primarily by genes, endocrine disorders,
medications or psychiatric illness. Evidence to support the view that some obese people eat little
yet gain weight due to a slow metabolism is limited; on average obese people have a greater
energy expenditure than their thin counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an
increased body mass.

The primary treatment for obesity is dieting and physical exercise. To supplement this, or in case
of failure, anti-obesity drugs may be taken to reduce appetite or inhibit fat absorption. In severe
cases, surgery is performed or an intragastric balloon is placed to reduce stomach volume and/or
bowel length, leading to earlier satiation and reduced ability to absorb nutrients from food.

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults
and children, and authorities view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the
21st century. Obesity is stigmatized in much of the modern world (particularly in the Western
world), though it was widely perceived as a symbol of wealth and fertility at other times in
history, and still is in some parts of the world.
Education

Education encompasses both the teaching and learning of knowledge, proper conduct, and
technical competency. It thus focuses on the cultivation of skills, trades or professions, as well as
mental, moral & aesthetic development.

Formal education consists of systematic instruction, teaching and training by professional

teachers. This consists of the application of pedagogy and the development of curricula.

The right to education is a fundamental human right. Since 1952, Article 2 of the first Protocol to
the European Convention on Human Rights obliges all signatory parties to guarantee the right to
education. At world level, the United Nations' International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights of 1966 guarantees this right under its Article 13.

Educational systems are established to provide education and training, often for children and the
young. A curriculum defines what students should know, understand and be able to do as the
result of education. A teaching profession delivers teaching which enables learning, and a system
of policies, regulations, examinations, structures and funding enables teachers to teach to the best
of their abilities. Sometimes educational systems can be used to promote doctrines or ideals as
well as knowledge, which is known as social engineering. This can lead to political abuse of the
system, particularly in totalitarian states and government.

Primary (or elementary) education consists of the first years of formal, structured education. In
general, primary education consists of six or seven years of schooling starting at the age of 5 or
6, although this varies between, and sometimes within, countries. Globally, around 70% of
primary-age children are enrolled in primary education, and this proportion is rising.

In most contemporary educational systems of the world, secondary education consists of the
second years of formal education that occur during adolescence.It is characterized by transition
from the typically compulsory, comprehensive primary education for minors, to the optional,
selective tertiary, "post-secondary", or "higher" education (e.g., university, vocational school) for
adults.

Higher education, also called tertiary, third stage, or post secondary education, is the non-
compulsory educational level that follows the completion of a school providing a secondary
education, such as a high school or secondary school. Tertiary education is normally taken to
include undergraduate and postgraduate education, as well as vocational education and training.
Colleges and universities are the main institutions that provide tertiary education. Collectively,
these are sometimes known as tertiary institutions. Tertiary education generally results in the
receipt of certificates, diplomas, or academic degrees.
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still images on a strip of plastic
which, when run through a projector and shown on a screen, creates the illusion of moving
images. A film is created by photographing actual scenes with a motion picture camera; by
photographing drawings or miniature models using traditional animation techniques; by means
of CGI (Computer-generated imagery) and computer animation; or by a combination of some or
all of these techniques and other visual effects. The process of filmmaking is both an art and an
industry.

Films usually include an optical soundtrack, which is a graphic recording of the spoken words,
music and other sounds that are to accompany the images. It runs along a portion of the film
exclusively reserved for it and is not projected.

Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures. They reflect those cultures, and, in turn,
affect them. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular entertainment,
and a powerful medium for educating—or indoctrinating—citizens. The visual basis of film
gives it a universal power of communication. Some films have become popular worldwide
attractions by using dubbling or subtitles to translate the dialog into the language of the viewer.

The individual images that make up a film are called frames. During projection, a rotating shutter
causes intervals of darkness as each frame in turn is moved into position to be projected, but the
viewer does not notice the interruptions because of an effect known as persistence of vision,
whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been
removed. The perception of motion is due to a psychological effect called beta movement.

The name "film" originates from the fact that photographic film has historically been the medium
for recording and displaying motion pictures. Many other terms exist for an individual motion
picture, including picture, picture show, moving picture.The most common term in the United
States is movie, while in Europe film is preferred. Terms for the field in general include the big
screen and cinema; the latter is commonly used in scholarly texts and critical essays, especially
by European writers.
Citizenship is a sacred honor, a plaque we carry proudly on our chests and a burden pressing
hard on our backs. A citizen is a member of a country. He has the right to ask for its protection,
and the duty to protect it and obey its laws and rules. In other words, citizenship is the
relationship between an individual and a state in which the individual belongs, and owes
allegiance to the state and in turn is entitled to its protection.

Fortunately, being a good citizen doesn't stop at the exchange of rights and duties, it requires a
lot of civilized behavior, and responsible acts.

Simple acts to do in your daily life

All the members of our community, from the youngest to the eldest, have to cooperate. By
cooperating, I don’t mean giving huge efforts. Simple acts and easy behavior can help us
ameliorate our level of life. As citizens, and students in particular, all we have to do are the steps
below :

 Start with your own home, clean it regularly, and take care of your front door area.
 Being a good neighbor by caring about others.
 Don’t overuse water and electricity.
 Respect your neighbors, help them if necessary, and act politely.
 Don't litter, or throw trash in the street.
 Don't spit in the street, it doesn't only bother the other passers-by, but it also affects your
discipline, and it's very far from being civilized.
 Try to cross the street in the crossing passage. The town will look organized, and it lowers the
level of accidents.
 Let’s try to walk in the sidewalk, or the pavement, because it causes fewer difficulties to drivers
in the city.
 Respect your school, especially its doors, walls and windows. They are not yours ; you only
borrow them for a year or more.
 Being a citizen is a source of pride. Don’t try to ignore your origins in front of foreigners. Have
you ever seen any of them deny being who s/he really is ?
 Act nicely with tourists. If we want our country to receive millions of tourists , try to be nice.
 If you can study about your country, it would be great. See the extreme diversity you have (the
desert, the sea, the mountains, the different dialects, the traditions, the traditional clothes).
 If you don’t vote, who will ? A simple act can place the right person in the right place.
 In emergencies, don’t be afraid. Help the people in need. (Blood donations, call the police, the
ambulance, and help a lady in the street...) Imagine you were in their place, wouldn't you like to
have other people standing by your side ?

When you become a parent, teach this to your children. Citizenship starts from childhood, and
only ends by the time you die. It’s only by practicing those really simple acts that our daily life
can get better. I hope this will help us understand another meaning of good citizenship.
Are celebrities bad for you?
Celebrities are everywhere nowadays: on TV, in magazines, online. Is this preoccupation with
famous people harmless fun or is it bad for us? How many people are truly obsessed with
modern media idols? And on the other side of the coin, can fame be harmful to the celebrities?

Studies suggest that the vast majority of teenagers do not really worship celebrities. Researchers
have identified three kinds of fans. About 15% of young people have an ‘entertainment-social’
interest. They love chatting about their favourite celebrities with friends and this does not appear
to do any harm.

Another 5% feel that they have an ‘intense-personal’ relationship with a celebrity. Sometimes
they see them as their soulmate and find that they are often thinking about them, even when they
don’t want to. These people are more at risk from depression and anxiety. If girls in this group
idolise a female star with a body they consider to be perfect, they are more likely to be unhappy
with their own bodies.

That leaves 2% of young people with a ‘borderline-pathological’ interest. They might say, for
example, they would spend several thousand pounds on a paper plate the celebrity had used, or
that they would do something illegal if the celebrity asked them to. These people are in most
danger of being seriously disturbed.

What about the celebrities themselves? A study in the USA tried to measure narcissism or
extreme self-centredness, when feelings of worthlessness and invisibility are compensated for by
turning into the opposite: excessive showing off. Researchers looked at 200 celebrities, 200
young adults with Masters in Business Administration (a group known for being narcissistic) and
a nationally representative sample using the same questionnaire. As was expected, the celebrities
were significantly more narcissistic than the MBAs and both groups were a lot more narcissistic
than the general population.

Four kinds of celebrity were included in the sample. The most narcissistic were the ones who had
become famous through reality TV shows – they scored highest on vanity and willingness to
exploit other people. Next came comedians, who scored highest on exhibitionism and feelings of
superiority. Then came actors, and the least narcissistic were musicians. One interesting result
was that there was no connection between narcissism and the length of time the celebrity had
been famous. This means that becoming famous probably did not make the celebrities
narcissistic – they already were beforehand.

So, what can we learn from this? People who are very successful or famous tend to be narcissists
and are liable to be ruthless, self-seeking workaholics. As we can see from celebrity magazines,
they are also often desperate and lonely. They make disastrous role models.

http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/reading/upper-intermediate-b2-reading
Leaving home
Going away to university is always a tricky time, both for the students who are leaving home and
their parents who are staying behind. We got advice on how to cope from a student daughter and
her dad.

A daughter’s advice to parents, by Kerry Price

My parents drove me to uni at the beginning of the first term. That was great, but then they hung
around, so it was hard to chat to the people in the rooms near mine. It’s best if you leave us to
unpack ourselves.

Don’t ask us to come home during term time. There’s a lot going on at weekends, there just isn’t
time.

Get another interest or a pet if you feel lonely without us. Don’t make us feel guilty about
leaving home!

It is quite interesting to hear about your experiences at uni, but remember that it was a LONG
time ago so don’t go on about it so much. Things have changed a lot. Now we have a lot more
debt and it’ll be harder to find a job in the future.

Please don’t check up on us or our friends on Facebook. I know it’s a public site, but we have the
right to some privacy.

Don’t change anything in our bedrooms. We have only half left home - we’ll be back in the
holidays, so please don’t touch anything.

We’d still like to come on family holidays with you. Don’t forget to include us just because
we’re not there all the time.

A father’s advice to students, by Stuart Price

Don’t complain so much about how much work you have to do. We work a lot too. You’re an
adult now, get used to it.

Put up with the fact that we refused to get a dog while you were at home, then suddenly bought
one as soon as you moved out. We miss you!

Just because you’re at university studying very complex subjects, it doesn’t mean that you’re
more intelligent than everybody else. Don’t treat your family as if they were stupid; we’re really
not.

Let us come and visit you now and again. We promise to try not to embarrass you in front of
your friends. We just want to see you for a short time and take you out for a meal.
Don’t waste so much time on Facebook. You need time for all that work you have to do,
remember?

We might make a few changes to your room, so deal with it. It’s great to have a guest room at
last, but we won’t change things too much, promise.

Don’t forget to call home from time to time and don’t get annoyed if we phone you. It’s not
pestering. If we didn’t call, you wouldn’t know that we care.

Your digital footprint

Every time you go online you leave a trail. This is just like a real footprint. It
reveals where you’ve been, how long you stayed and what you’ve been doing
there. Every time you register for an online service, send an email, download a
video or upload a photo, the information can be accessed and your digital footprint
can be revealed. This shouldn’t necessarily be worrying but it is advisable to be
aware of your digital footprint and to be cautious and sensible when you are online.

Six top tips for taking care of your digital footprint

1. Don’t forget to log off when you leave a website, especially if you are using
a shared computer. If you don’t, someone can easily pretend to be you!
2. Don’t tell anyone your passwords and don’t write them down in an obvious
place. Make them more complex by using a combination of letters,
numbers and punctuation marks.
3. Tell an adult if you come across anything online that makes you upset,
anxious or concerned. There are ways to report inappropriate or abusive
content and in most cases web managers respond rapidly.
4. Remember your favourite websites by using the history button and the
bookmark function on your computer or mobile device. This is a way that
your digital footprint can work in your favour, but remember to clear your
browser history regularly.
5. If you want to post comments online, you don’t have to use your own
name. Invent a nickname to use instead. You can also use a picture instead
of a real photo.
6. Protect your identity online. Be careful about who you share personal
information with and always think twice before sharing details like your
email, home address, school or phone number with someone.
Think about the future

All kinds of people are interested in your digital footprint. It's now quite common
for colleges, universities and employers to check out the online profiles of possible
candidates as part of their application process. There are cases of people having
missed out on jobs and places in college because their digital footprint didn’t
impress the recruiters. So, remember: keep safe, don’t put too much personal
information online and always think carefully before you post something. Ask
yourself, ‘Would I be happy for absolutely everyone to see this?’

The end of life on Earth?

It weighed about 10,000 tons, entered the atmosphere at a speed of 64,000km/h

and exploded over a city with a blast of 500 kilotons. But on 15 February 2013, we
were lucky. The meteorite that showered pieces of rock over Chelyabinsk, Russia,
was relatively small, at only about 17 metres wide. Although many people were
injured by falling glass, the damage was nothing compared to what had happened
in Siberia nearly one hundred years ago. Another relatively small object
(approximately 50 metres in diameter) exploded in mid-air over a forest region,
flattening about 80 million trees. If it had exploded over a city such as Moscow or
London, millions of people would have been killed.

By a strange coincidence, the same day that the meteorite terrified the people of
Chelyabinsk, another 50m-wide asteroid passed relatively close to Earth. Scientists
were expecting that visit and know that the asteroid will return to fly close by us in
2046, but the Russian meteorite earlier in the day had been too small for anyone to
spot.

Most scientists agree that comets and asteroids pose the biggest natural threat to
human existence. It was probably a large asteroid or comet colliding with Earth
which wiped out the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago. An enormous object, 10
to 16km in diameter, struck the Yucatan region of Mexico with the force of 100
megatons. That is the equivalent of one Hiroshima bomb for every person alive on
Earth today.

Many scientists, including the late Stephen Hawking, say that any comet or
asteroid greater than 20km in diameter that hits Earth will result in the complete
destruction of complex life, including all animals and most plants. As we have
seen, even a much smaller asteroid can cause great damage.
The Earth has been kept fairly safe for the last 65 million years by good fortune
and the massive gravitational field of the planet Jupiter. Our cosmic guardian, with
its stable circular orbit far from the sun, sweeps up and scatters away most of the
dangerous comets and asteroids which might cross Earth’s orbit. After the
Chelyabinsk meteorite, scientists are now monitoring potential hazards even more
carefully but, as far as they know, there is no danger in the foreseeable future.

Types of space rocks

 Comet – a ball of rock and ice that sends out a tail of gas and dust behind it.
Bright comets only appear in our visible night sky about once every ten
years.
 Asteroid – a rock a few feet to several kms in diameter. Unlike comets,
asteroids have no tail. Most are too small to cause any damage and burn up
in the atmosphere. They appear to us as ‘shooting stars’.
 Meteoroid – part of an asteroid or comet.
 Meteorite – what a meteoroid is called when it hits Earth.
Adventure travel
Time for an adventure?

Are you a bit bored with your nine-to-five routine? Have a look at our exciting range of holidays
and decide what type of adventure you’d like.

Activity holidays

Our activity holidays are for everyone, people who love danger or who just like sports. We have
a huge variety of water, snow or desert holidays. We’ll take you SCUBA diving in the Red Sea
or kayaking and white water rafting in Canada. If you prefer snow, you can try skiing or
snowboarding in the Alps or even igloo-building. For those who like warmer weather, we also
have sandboarding (the desert version of skateboarding) or camel safaris.

Polar expeditions

Take a cruise to Antarctica or the northern Arctic; explore a land of white natural beauty and
wonderful wildlife. Our experts will explain everything about the two poles as you watch the
penguins in Antarctica or whales and polar bears in the Arctic. There's no greater adventure than
travelling to the ends of the earth. A once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Cultural journeys

Our cultural journeys will help you discover ancient civilisations: India, Thailand, Egypt and
many more. Visit temples, palaces and ancient ruins – just remember to bring your camera! Get
to know local ways of life by exploring markets, trying exotic foods and meeting local people.

Trekking tours

We have trekking holidays to famous places such as Machu Picchu or the Everest Base Camp
Trek, as well as some nearer to home in the Highlands of Scotland. You don’t need to be very
sporty, just fairly fit. You’ll have a great time enjoying nature with a group of new friends. Some
of the holidays include camping, but we’ll transport the tents for you!

Wildlife holidays

We organise small-group tours to get closer to nature in Africa, Asia or South America. Go on
safari in Africa and watch lions and giraffes. Meet the famous turtles of the Galapagos Islands.
Look for tigers in India, or take an elephant safari in Sri Lanka. We use local guides and stay in a
range of accommodation, from tents to tree houses.
The history of graffiti
The first drawings on walls appeared in caves thousands of years ago. Later the Ancient Romans
and Greeks wrote their names and protest poems on buildings. Modern graffiti seems to have
appeared in Philadelphia in the early 1960s, and by the late sixties it had reached New York. The
new art form really took off in the 1970s, when people began writing their names, or ‘tags’, on
buildings all over the city. In the mid seventies it was sometimes hard to see out of a subway
window, because the trains were completely covered in spray paintings known as ‘masterpieces’.

In the early days, the ‘taggers’ were part of street gangs who were concerned with marking their
territory. They worked in groups called ‘crews’, and called what they did ‘writing’ – the term
‘graffiti’ was first used by The New York Times and the novelist Norman Mailer. Art galleries in
New York began buying graffiti in the early seventies. But at the same time that it began to be
regarded as an art form, John Lindsay, the then mayor of New York, declared the first war on
graffiti. By the 1980s it became much harder to write on subway trains without being caught, and
instead many of the more established graffiti artists began using roofs of buildings or canvases.

The debate over whether graffiti is art or vandalism is still going on. Peter Vallone, a New York
city councillor, thinks that graffiti done with permission can be art, but if it is on someone else’s
property it becomes a crime. ‘I have a message for the graffiti vandals out there,’ he said
recently. ‘Your freedom of expression ends where my property begins.’ On the other hand, Felix,
a member of the Berlin-based group Reclaim Your City, says that artists are reclaiming cities for
the public from advertisers, and that graffiti represents freedom and makes cities more vibrant.

For decades graffiti has been a springboard to international fame for a few. Jean-Michel Basquiat
began spraying on the street in the 1970s before becoming a respected artist in the ’80s. The
Frenchman Blek le Rat and the British artist Banksy have achieved international fame by
producing complex works with stencils, often making political or humorous points. Works by
Banksy have been sold for over £100,000. Graffiti is now sometimes big business.

What is art?

Art refers to a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing
artifacts. These artworks express the author's imaginative or technical skill. Art is intended to be
appreciated for its beauty or emotional power. In their most general form these activities include
the production of works of art, the criticism of art, the study of the history of art, and the
aesthetic dissemination of art.

Functions of arts

Art has had a great number of different functions throughout its history, making its purpose
difficult to abstract or quantify to any single concept. This does not imply that the purpose of Art
is "vague", but that it has had many unique, different reasons for being created.
Art can have a personal function, it is an expression of basic human instinct for harmony,
balance, rhythm. Art at this level is not an action or an object, but an internal appreciation of
balance and harmony (beauty), and therefore an aspect of being human beyond utility. Art also
provides a way to experience one's self in relation to the universe. This experience may often
come unmotivated, as one appreciates art, music or poetry.

On the other hand art may have a social function. Art is a form of communication. It seeks to
entertain and bring about a particular emotion or mood, for the purpose of relaxing or
entertaining the viewer. Art may also be an expression of social protest, seeking to question
aspects of society.

Types of art

The oldest form of art are visual arts, which include creation of images or objects in fields
including painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and other visual media. Architecture is
often included as one of the visual arts; however, like the decorative arts, it involves the creation
of objects where the practical considerations of use are essential, in a way that they usually are
not in a painting, for example.

Music, theater, film, dance, and other performing arts, as well as literature and other media such
as interactive media, are included in a broader definition of art or the arts.

History

Until the 17th century, art referred to any skill or mastery and was not differentiated from crafts
or sciences. In modern usage after the 17th century, where aesthetic considerations are
paramount, the fine arts are separated and distinguished from acquired skills in general, such as
the decorative or applied arts.

Characteristics of art

Art may be characterized in terms of mimesis (i.e. its representation of reality), expression,
communication of emotion, or other qualities. During the Romantic period, art came to be seen
as "a special faculty of the human mind to be classified with religion and science". Though the
definition of what constitutes art is disputed and has changed over time, general descriptions
mention an idea of imaginative or technical skill stemming from human agency and creation.

Aesthetics

The nature of art, and related concepts such as creativity and interpretation, are explored in a
branch of philosophy known as aesthetics.
 Health Benefits of Fasting

Fasting is part and parcel of the practices of many religions including, Islam, Judaism and
Christianity. Today many are trying to dig up the benefits of fasting. Some people fast for
spiritual reasons while others fast as a way to physically discipline the body. Whatever reasons
one might come up with, it has been scientifically proved that fasting has tremendous health
benefits.

First, fasting is said to play an important role in the detoxification of the body. Detoxification is a
normal body process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys,
lungs, lymph glands, and skin. This process starts when fasting. Food no longer enters the body
and the latter turns to fat reserves for energy. These fat reserves were created when excess
glucose and carbohydrates were not used for energy or growth, not excreted, and therefore
converted into fat. When the fat reserves are used for energy during a fast, it releases the
chemicals from the fatty acids into the system which are then eliminated through the body
organs, leading to the cleansing of the whole body.

An other known benefit of fasting is the healing process that is obvious in the body during a fast.
When fasting energy is diverted away from the digestive system due to its lack of use and
towards the metabolism and immune system. The healing process during a fast is made easy by
the body's search for energy sources. Abnormal growths within the body, tumors and the like, do
not have the full support of the body's supplies and therefore are more susceptible to disappear.

Fasting also leads to a feeling of rejuvenation and extended life expectancy. This might be due to
the detoxification effect of fasting. A study was performed on earthworms that showed the
extension of life thanks to fasting. The experiment was performed in the 1930s by isolating one
worm and putting it on a cycle of fasting and feeding. The isolated worm outlived the other
worms by 19 generations, while still maintaining its freshness and youthful physiological
characteristics.

Tips on How to Improve Your Conversation Skills

The art of conversation, like any art, is a skill of elegance, nuance and creative execution.

I happen to believe that there is an art to everything we do and why not? Without flair and panache most
things become drudgery. Why settle for drudgery when you can have art?

When it comes to the art of conversation we've all met people who seem to have the knack for it. They
can talk to anybody about anything and they seem to do it with complete ease. And while it's true that
there are those who are born with the gift of gab, luckily for the rest of us, conversation skills can be
developed and mastered.
Conversation is a form of communication; however, it is usually more spontaneous and less formal. We
enter conversations for purposes of pleasant engagement in order to meet new people, to find out
information and to enjoy social interactions. As far as types of conversation, they vary anywhere from
intellectual conversations and information exchanges to friendly debate and witty banter.

While there is more to having good conversation skills than being a comedian, dramatic actor, or a great
story teller, it is not necessary to become more animated, or outgoing. Instead, you can develop the
ability to listen attentively, ask fitting questions, and pay attention to the answers - all qualities essential to
the art of conversation. With diligent practice and several good pointers, anyone can improve their
conversation skills.

Tips on How to Improve Your Conversation Skills

Show interest and be curious. People who are genuinely interested in others are usually interesting
themselves. Why? Because they are more open to learning about and understanding new things.
Showing interest also encourages the other person to be relaxed and share information more freely.
Display attentiveness by keeping good eye contact and listening actively.

If you happen to be shy and need time to warm up before you share your own views, you can ask open-
ended questions or encourage the other person to elaborate on their insights. This starts the conversation
and before you know it you are engaged in a good conversational flow.

Ensure there is a balance of give and take. A conversation can get boring quickly if one person is
doing all the talking while the other is trying to get a word in edgewise. When that happens whoever is not
talking begins to tune out and there is no conversation!

There can be many reasons for a lack of give and take. Sometimes nervousness can get in the way .Or,
nervousness can make you freeze and you don't know what to say next. If you find yourself freezing up,
take a deep breath and do your best to focus; smile, and then reflect on what you want to say.

Determine whether your tendency to dominate a conversation is due to nervousness or self-involvement.

Be interesting and have something to say. While you don't have to be a comedian, entertainer, or
brilliant raconteur, you do need to be interesting otherwise what would you say? If you are not well
informed, tend not to read much, or have very few interests, you will have very little to talk about except
yourself. Unfortunately, no one wants to hear about your latest troubles, conquests, or daily routine. Yet
so many dull conversationalists believe that's what people want to hear from them. Who hasn't been stuck
with someone at a social event who blathers on about their family history, latest job interview, or the like?

To avoid being that person, become knowledgeable about world events, people in the news, or what's
going on locally. Take time to keep up with the latest music, new technological discoveries, or recent best
sellers. No one can know everything, so if you can enlighten someone during the course of a
conversation, you'll be a hit! By the same token, you can learn something new as well.

Be relaxed, be yourself. If you are on edge, or trying to be someone you're not, it will show and
therefore doom a conversation to failure before it starts. Admittedly, if you are not relaxed it's hard to
appear as if you are. Slow down and take a deep breath. If you don't do your best to relax, you will end up
saying something silly, unintelligible, or unrelated to the conversation. Also smile warmly; it will make you
appear pleasant and therefore, more approachable.
To improve, practice and then practice some more. The art of conversation, like any skill, takes
practice. Do not expect to be adept after your first few attempts. It will take practice as well as exposure to
many different social situations. A good way to get practice before you venture out to an event is with
family members and people you are comfortable with. They can give you helpful and supportive
feedback, which in turn, gives you something to work on. You can never have too much practice!

Quick-Tips for The Art of Conversation

 Do not dominate a conversation or make it all about you. A monologue is not conversation.
 Show interest and curiosity in others.
 Strive for a balance of give and take.
 Be an active listener by maintaining good eye contact and asking pertinent questions.
 Train yourself to relax by using visualization, meditation, or other relaxation methods. Being
relaxed is vital for good conversation.
 Do not interrupt and cut in with your own ideas before the other person is finished speaking.
 Maintain an open mind; everyone has a right to express themselves even if you don't agree with
what they are saying.
 Although this is cliché, try to avoid topics such as sex, religion and politics. You would be
surprised at how many people get trapped by them and end up in verbal battle, not conversation.
 Be prepared by staying on top of the latest news, developments and world events.
 Be approachable by staying relaxed, smiling and maintaining a friendly attitude.

Possessing the art of conversation improves personal, social and work relationships. It gives you the
opportunity to meet interesting new people and introduces you to various new topics and subject matter.
With practice and application anyone can improve their conversation skills.