I grew up in a small town where elementary school was a ten-minute walk from my house and in an age, not so long ago, when we children could go home for lunch and find our mothers waiting. At the time, I didn't consider this to be so important, although today it certainly would be. Actually, our lunch time together in the past years had had a great influence on my life before I realized it.

Our lunch time when I was in the third grade will stay with me always. I had been picked to be the princess in the school play, and for weeks my mother had painstakingly practiced my lines (台词) with me. But no matter how easily I delivered them at home, as soon as I stepped onstage, every word disappeared from my head. Finally, my teacher took me aside. She explained patiently that she needed a narrator and had written a narrator's part to the play, and asked me to play the role of the narrator. Her words, kindly delivered, still hurt me especially when I saw my part go to another girl.

I didn't tell mother what had happened when I went home for lunch that day. But she sensed my upset, and instead of suggesting we practice my lines, she asked if I wanted to walk in the yard. It was a lovely spring day and the rose vine (藤) was turning green. Under the huge trees, we could see yellow dandelions (蒲公英) appearing unexpectedly through the grass in bunches, as if a painter had touched our landscape with small amounts of gold. I watched my mother casually bend down by one of the bushes. “I think I'm going to dig up all these weeds,” she said, pulling a blossom up by all its roots. “From now on, we'll only have roses in this garden.'' I immediately argued, "But I like dandelions. All flowers are beautiful — even dandelions."

“Do you mean that every flower has its own beauty?” asked my mother thoughtfully.

Having learned what had happened, Mom patted me on the back gently and said, “but you will be a beautiful narrator.”

Much time and effort has been devoted to researching the mental health benefits of flexible work environments, but can the ability to leave work early to watch your son’s soccer game, or arrive at the office a bit later in the morning in order to see to some personal matters, have physical health benefits besides making you feel a bit relaxed?

According to new research published in the Cochrane Library Database of Systematic Reviews, it seems so. In a review of 10 previous studies examining the health effects of unfixed work conditions for more than 16,000 people, researchers from the U.K.. Durham University and University of Newcastle, as well as the University of Montreal, found that flexible work schedules, for instance, when employees can shift their starting times, were associated with improvements in a person’s overall health. In addition, perhaps, unsurprisingly, in all of the studies included in the review, researchers found no evidence for negative effects of more flexible work schedules.

This initial analysis was intended to throw light on the potential health benefits of flexible work options, which are increasingly popular throughout Scandinavia, and have recently gained some ground in the U.K. For example, last April, the British government implemented a policy that allowed parents of children aged six and under to request flexible work arrangements to include parents of children aged 16 and younger. In the U.S., the phenomenon is a bit slower to catch on. Yet, the economic slowdown of recent years may have contributed to growth in workplace flexibility—as companies unable to reward employees with bonuses or raises may turn to other forms of compensation, Reuters reported early last year.

Original analysis too, of course, indicated the benefits of flexible work environments toward positive mental health outcomes. And while these latest findings are promising, the researchers stress that more study is vital to understanding the detailed relationship between flexible work and improved health outcomes. To truly grasp the benefits of flexible working conditions, the researchers say, additional study analyzing health outcomes among a wide range of workers—from high-ranking executives to hourly employees – is critical, which helps to gain a deeper understanding of the issue, and to shape future workplace policy.

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Of the thousands of different kinds of animals that exist in the world man has learned to make friends with an enormous number. Some are pets，and offer him companionship; some give protection，and some do hard work which man cannot do for himself. Dogs，which serve man in all three capacities，are found in various species in all countries of the world. The Husky can live in the cold polar regions，and the Saluki is at home in the hottest parts of Central Africa. The people of certain countries are dependent for their very lives on the camel. In the West Indies the little donkey，strong and sure－footed，carrying heavy loads even in mountainous places，is a familiar sight.

Trained and tamed for many generations，domestic (驯养的)animals are not accustomed to wandering in search of food and shelter. They look to their masters to provide for their needs，and as long as these are supplied，they are content to do what their masters require.

All domestic animals need proper food. It must be suitable for them，enough in quantity，fresh and clean. Some people feed a pet dog or cat on odds and ends of table scraps (吃剩的东西)，and then wonder why the animal seems tired and dull. The quantity of food depends on the size of the animal and the amount of exercise it takes. Overfeeding is as bad as underfeeding. Containers for food and water must be washed regularly if the animal is to maintain good health.

Even well－cared for animals may sometimes fall ill. If this happens，the wise master seeks the best advice he can get. All sorts of medicines and treatments are available for sick animals，and in some countries organizations exist to provide them free or at a cheap price. Useful，friendly，hardworking animals deserve to have some time and money spent on their health.