A long time ago, there was a farmer who had ten donkeys (驴). One evening, after a long day of hard work, the farmer returned home with the donkeys and began to tie them to the stakes(桩). When he finished nine donkeys, he found that the tenth rope was gone.

What now? He could not let the last donkey run around all night. It would surely run away. Suddenly, he saw that, under a tree, there was a monk(和尚). The farmer ran to the monk and asked for advice. The monk said, “The only thing you have to do to the tenth donkey is make the movements (动作) you would have made with a rope in your hands. Pretend (假装) to tie the donkey. That’s all.”

The farmer returned to the tenth donkey, pretended to fasten (拴紧)a rope around its neck and then to tie the rope to a stake. He then entered his little house, half trusting the monk’s advice, half worried that his donkey would run away in the middle of the night.

When he went outside very early the next morning, all the donkeys were still standing nicely next to their stakes, even the tenth one. The farmer untied the donkeys and wanted to take them to the field. But to his surprise, donkey number ten refused to move an inch. The farmer pulled and shouted, but the animal just didn’t move.

Suddenly, the farmer thought of what he had done to the donkey the night before. With a great “ah ha”, he returned to donkey number ten, and just after a simple movement the donkey happily walked with him to the field.

A recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that in Europe and the United States, many people drink coffee and tea at temperatures around 60 degrees Celsius. Tea-drinkers in Iran and maté-drinkers in South America enjoy drinks at close to 70 degrees Celsius. Maté is made by putting near-boiling water into the cup with leaves of the plant.

Some researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the WHO, carried out, studies in Iran, China and South America, where hot tea and coffee were often served. They noted it was even more worrying that many people also drank through straws(吸管).This sent the extremely hot liquid directly into the throat.

The researchers found evidence that having drinks at temperatures above 65 degrees Celsius can cause esophagus cancer(食道癌).They once linked it to smoking and alcoholic drinks. However, this form of cancer is more common in areas where people prefer drinks at very high temperatures.

The findings, however, are good news for coffee drinkers. In 1991, the WHO listed coffee as a carcinogen(致癌物).The officials have changed their position on that listing. They now suggest that having very hot drinks is one probable cause of esophageal cancer and that it is the temperature, rather than the drinks themselves, that appears to be responsible.

Health experts said that esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer worldwide. The cancer kills about 400,000 people every year. Next time you make yourself a cup of hot tea or coffee, you'd better let it cool down a bit before drinking.

How often do you use the phrases “please” and “thank you”? Do you use these polite words with your parents? Do you use them with your children? Do you use them when you are angry? You need to use these words in your home every time they are proper; that includes with your parents and child even if you are angry. It also includes your friends who may call during dinner. Being polite - for example, "Please don't call here again. Thank you." ----works very well with them, in fact.

Start teaching manners to your child when he is very young. Even though a baby does not understand what you are saying, he knows you're saying something. As he grows, you will be pleased to find that he has included these words in his vocabulary. In fact, if you've started this right away, "please" and "thank you" will be among the first twenty words he says regularly.

There are a few times that your child may choose not to use these polite phrases. Sometimes it is on purpose and sometimes it is a mistake. For example, when meeting someone who is a stranger, he may become very quiet and not speak. Some support and a gentle reminder will work here. Or, he may get angry with his siblings(兄弟姊妹)and not use his manners on purpose. You'll need to remind him that being angry is no excuse for being rude.

When your child is invited to do something with another family, remind him to always say “please” and “thank you”. Simple reminders for everyday manners go a long way. Don't warn him; just remind him. Your child is often just as busy as you are and with the excitement of going out with a friend, he may just simply forget.

A confident child with a certain level of self-respect is all parents' hope. Building a child's confidence is a process, and it's not a one-day job. The task may need to start from early childhood. Effective parenting(教养方式）can help make your child confident.     16    

Help your child set goals. It is very important that your child can achieve his goals to get confidence. He feels a sense of accomplishment (成就感) once he masters a goal. This is perhaps the best way to improve a child's confidence.

    17     When your child tries lots of different things, he'll get to know what he's good at and what he enjoys. Then he'll get better at what he enjoys. He'll also learn that most people do well in some things and not so well in others. After all, we can't all be Olympic athletes or rock gods!

Encourage your child to keep trying. If your child makes a mistake, help him understand that everyone makes mistakes.     18     You also could share some examples that you have made mistakes to encourage him.

Practice social skills.     19     For example, you could teach him something about body postures (姿态). Besides, showing interest in others' activities and joining in conversations can also help build confidence.

Praise your child's efforts. Sometimes an exam, interview or game doesn't work out the way your child hopes.     20     And suggest some ideas about what he could do next time.