【推荐1】Filled with much housework, meals and childcare at home, many people feel that being at work sounds more like having a picnic. Even for those who have a happy family life, they feel actually more stressed at home than at work.

Recently, a study carried out by the researchers at a university in the USA found lower levels of hormone (荷尔蒙) released in response to stress in a majority of subjects when they were at work compared to when they were at home. This was true for both men and women, and parents and people without children.

Both men and women showed less stress at work. But women are more likely to report feeling happier there. Men were more likely to feel happier at home. Experts say there are other reasons why work is less stressful than home for many. “Paid work is more valued in society,” said Sarah Damaske, the lead researcher on the study, “Household work is boring and not particularly rewarding.”

We get better at our job with time and the increased competence means less stress and more rewards. Yet none of us, no matter how long we’ve been doing it, ever truly feels like an expert at parenting or even at marriage.

The support and friendship of co-workers also offer stress relief. At home, meanwhile, stress spreads and increases quickly. “That’s the reason why most housewives wish they were the bread earners,” Dr. Damaske says.

Much of the advice to families and couples includes the warning to “leave work stress at office” and even to change our mind-set from work to home, for example, a walk around the block. The recent findings, though, suggest our home life, not our attitude, might be due for some change.

【推荐3】The Jewish(犹太人）family-had-just finished supper and the woman had placed the dishes in the sink.The kitchen was quite damp and even gloomier than in the main room.It was their third apartment since the start of the war,they had abandoned the other two in a hurry.The woman came back into the room and sat down again at the table.The 3-year-old boy sat with his back straight,his eyes fixed on his father,but it was obvious that he was so sleepy that he could barely sit up.

The man was smoking a cigarette.His eyes were blood-shot and he kept blinking in a funny way.This blinking had begun soon after they fled the second apartment.

It was late,past ten o'clock and they could have gone to sleep,but first they had to play the game that they had been playing every day for two weeks.Even though the man tried his best and he moved very quickly,the fault was his and not the child's.The boy was.marvelous.Seeing his father put out his cigarette,he opened his blue eyes even wider.The woman,who didn't actually take part in the game, stroked the boy's hair.

“We'll play the key game just one more time only today.Isn't that right?"she asked her husband.

He didn't answer because he was not sure.They were still two or three minutes off. He arose and walked towards the bathroom door.Then the woman called out softly,“Ding-dong."At the sound of the bell ringing so musically from his mother's lips,the boy jumped up from his chair and ran to the front door,which was separated from the main room by a narrow corridor.

“Who's there?"he asked.

The woman,remaining in her chair,shut her eyes tight as if feeling a sudden, sharp pain.

“I'll open up in a minute,I'm just looking for the keys,"the child called out. Then he ran back to the main room,making a lot of noise with his feet.He ran in circles around the table,pulled out one of the sideboard drawers,and slammed it shut.

“Just a minute,I can't find them,I don't know where Mama put them,"he yelled,then dragged the chair across the room,climbed onto it,and reached up to the top of the shelf.

“I found them!”he shouted triumphantly.Then he got down from the chair, pushed it back to the table,and calmly walked to the door and opened it.

“Shut the door,darling,"the woman said softly."You were perfect.”

The child didn't hear what she said.He stood in the middle of the room,staring at the closed bathroom door.

“Shut the door, the woman repeated in a tired flat voice.Every evening she repeated the same words,and every evening he stared at the closed bathroom door.

At last it opened.The man was pale and his clothes were streaked with lime and dust.He stood there,eyes blinking in that funny way.

“Well?How did it go?"asked the woman.

“I still need more time.He has to look for them longer.I slip in sideways all right,but then...It's so tight in there that when I turn...And he's got to make more noise-he should stamp his feet louder."

The child didn't take his eyes off him.

“Say something to him,"the woman whispered.

＂You did a good job,little one,"he said mechanically.

“That's right,”the woman said,“you're really doing a wonderful job,darling. You act just like a grown-up.And you do know that if someone should really ring the doorbell when Mama is at work,everything will depend on you?And what will you say when they ask you about your parents?”

“Mama's at work.”

“And Papa?"He was silent.

“And Papa?"the man screamed in terror.The child turned pale.

“And Papa?”the man repeated more calmly.

“He's dead,”＂the child answered and threw himself at his father,who was standing right beside him,but already long dead to the people who would really ring the bell.

【推荐1】The deepest friendship spans(跨越) time and space.     1    . So we asked some people how they’ve managed to make their bonds unbreakable.

Honesty is always the best policy. Heather Hopkins credits her long-lasting friendship to her honesty. “Never be scared to tell your best friends how you are really feeling about any situation.     2    ”

Just keep calling, even if there’s nothing to really say. Nicki Bandklayder’s 20+ year friendships are going strong because she’s always willing to get on the phone. “Pick up the phone! You don’t need a reason to call. This is what keeps some of my 20+ year friendships alive and strong.     3    ”

Just be a good listener. “My best friend in world is from freshman year in college,” shares Judy Gropen. “She says that it is because I actually listen to her, and I am shocked by how smart and kind she is and different from anyone I know.”

    4     “My best friend Helen and I are going on 32 years, and we never call out the other person on being an absentee friend,” shares Angela Randall. “Life happens and when you are in different places and going through different things, just pick up where you both are.”

    5     “It’s said that technology is destroying relationships, but there are few things as nice as being connected with you best friends since elementary school by an ongoing group text,” says Lauren Schwwartz Gamsey. “We are busy working mums across seven cities in three states, and we can still share everyday thoughts, big news, and silly stories as if we had never moved away from each other.

【推荐3】How to Make Small Talks to Make You Happier

Small talks are the short conversations we have at parties, while we wait in line at the store, at family events or work. And small talks may make us happier, according to researchers from the University of Essex in Britain! However, some people are not good at small talks.     1    

Have some conversation starters ready.

If you have seen a really good movie or have read a really good book, you can talk about that. You can talk about something that you recently learned.     2    , it’s easy to start a conversation. You simply notice and comment on what’s going on around you. For example, if you are at a party and a song comes on that you like or that reminds you of something, you can talk about that.

Ask open-ended questions.

    3    . If you ask questions that need more details to answer, the conversation will go on longer. For example, if you are at a summer pool party, don’t ask a person if they like summer. Instead, ask them what they like or dislike about summer. So, instead of getting a one-word answer, you might have the chance to share in a memory.

Become a student.

Nobody knows everything.     4    , they bring up something about which you know nothing. So, tell them! This lets the other person become the teacher. They feel good about sharing their knowledge and you get to learn something. It’s a win-win situation.

    5    .

Like anything, getting good at making small talk takes practice.