1 . What makes people so special? Tool use, self-consciousness, language, and culture are high on the list, but in fact all of these characteristics can be found elsewhere in the animal kingdom. Humans and apes are close relatives, so it is perhaps not surprising that chimpanzees use tools or that gorillas (大猩猩) have a sense of fair play, even rejecting carrots (which they normally accept) when they see their neighbors getting grapes. But the qualities that we often think of as uniquely human exist not just on land, but in the ocean as well.

Among the invertebrates, octopuses (八爪鱼) are known for their intelligence, even exhibiting evidence of playfulness, tool use, and personality. But these skilled predators live alone and consequently lack culture. Dolphins, on the other hand, are large-brained, long-living, social- group-based predators, and it is here that we find the greatest similarity to human-like culture and awareness.

Culture depends on the ability of animals to pass on things they have learned to others. Many animals have culture in this sense, but what sets dolphins apart is what they pass on. Some bottlenose dolphins hold sponges in their mouths that they use as tools to sweep for fish hiding on the ocean floor. This ability is handed down through generations (especially in females), with some families — grandmother, mother, and daughter — all feeding in this highly specialized way.

Another characteristic that dolphins share with humans is their ability to recognize themselves in a mirror. When facing a mirror, most animals behave as though they are interacting with another individual. Even in humans, the ability to recognize that the image in a mirror is oneself does not occur before the age of 18 months. Dolphins not only recognize themselves, but if a black mark is put on the body of a dolphin, it will spend extra time at the mirror to look at the mark.

6 . What a day! I started my new school this morning and had the best time. I made lots of new friends and really liked my teachers. I was nervous the night before, but I had no reason to be. Everyone was so friendly and polite. They made me feel at ease. It was like I’d been at the school for a hundred years!

The day started very early at 7:00 am. I had my breakfast downstairs with my mom. She could tell that I was very nervous. Mom kept asking me what was wrong. She told me I had nothing to worry about and that everyone was going to love me. If they didn’t love me, mom said to have a good talk with them. I couldn’t stop laughing.

My mom dropped me off at the school gate about five minutes before the bell rang. A little blonde girl got dropped off at the same time and started waving (招手) at me. She ran over and told me her name was Abigail. She was very nice and we became close straight away. We spent all morning together and began to talk to another girl called Stacey. The three of us sat together in class all day and we even made our way home together! It went so quickly. Our teacher told us that tomorrow we would really start learning and developing new skills.

I cannot wait until tomorrow and feel as though I am really going to enjoy my time at my new school. I only hope that my new friends feel the same way, too.

7 . For people who just can’t seem to pass up the candy in a supermarket checkout line, perhaps grocery shopping online could help reduce these impulse (冲动) purchases, a new study finds. The study suggests that online grocery shopping could help people stick to a healthy diet, said lead study author Jaime Coffino, a public health researcher at the University at Albany, State University of New York.

Previous research shows that people who are more impulsive may be less healthy than less impulsive people, Coffino told Live Science. In a grocery store, that impulsiveness could lead to a shopping cart (购物车) filled with food with little nutritional value.

The new study looked at 60 college students who filled out questionnaires (调查问卷) that assessed their levels of impulsiveness as well as how they respond to the presence of food. The students were then told they had $48.50 for grocery shopping, and were asked to fill an online shopping cart with “nutritious, affordable and tasty” foods. When Coffino calculated the nutritional value of all the foods in each person’s online shopping cart, she found that there was no link between the foods a person chose and how impulsive the person was. “It didn’t matter how impulsive a person was,” Coffino said. “The nutritional outcomes didn’t vary.”

The new University at Albany study dismisses previous suggestions by Britain’s top doctor that buying groceries online is bad for our health. Last June Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer, urged people to keep making trips to the supermarket to boost health. She cited a lack of exercise as a pressing health problem, with many adults failing to meet recommended daily guidelines for staying active.

Often, when people buy groceries online, they need to search for each item they want, as opposed to strolling (闲逛) through a store and saying, for example, “Oh, those cakes look good.” Online, more planning and thought is needed. In addition, online grocery shopping makes people more aware of how much money they’re spending, which could prevent them from adding impulsive picks to their carts, Coffino said.

9 . Joyce LeMay is an associate professor of business at Bethel University. She said that college seniors are always amazed by how much work goes into finding a job. “Many college seniors have great resumes(简历) from internships and other part-or full-time jobs. But they are surprised by how long the interviewing process takes,” Many even become discouraged when they are rejected for a role, too. However, there are a lot of ways to increase your chances of finding the perfect role.

“Don’t just look for jobs online,” said LeMay. “Although it’s easy to find jobs on the internet, over 85 percent of job seekers are also looking at the same jobs. Hundreds of people can apply for each position and employers get inundated with responses,” she said. If you do find a job online, LeMay recommends first looking within your own contacts. “It’s good to find out if you have someone in your network that could help you get connected,” she said.

LeMay also advises writing a separate application for each role. “Your resume needs to stand out from your competition and the best way to do that is to customize(定制) it to the specific job you are applying for,” said   LeMay. In the experience section, be sure to highlight accomplishments that match the job description. This will show a future employer that you’re qualified for the role.

A job search can take three to six months or longer, so don’t take rejection personally. You will not get a job offer from every interview, but don’t let that affect your confidence. It’s important to keep trying. “Many college graduates have their hopes set on one or two companies and when the job doesn’t come through they are devastated(难以承受),” said LeMay. “Keep your mind and your options open—there are many incredible career opportunities you haven’t heard of yet.”

10 . Dad’s car pulled into the driveway. I ran to the door. Dad smiled as if he had a secret. “It feels cold to us, but it’s warm and attractive to see a frog. Are you coming?” he asked. I agreed with excitement and then put on my raincoat.

“Hey, look at this one,” Dad shined his light on a green frog the size of his thumb. The frog jumped, its four legs sticking straight out. I found my first frog on a driveway. A bright-green one with shiny skin. I wondered what it would feel like. I could see the frog breathing.

I could imagine a car running over it. I said, “Dad, can you move this one?” “You do it,” Dad said. I looked at the frog. I didn’t want to touch it. But I didn’t want it to get squashed (压扁的). I reached down. It jumped through my fingers. I tried again. Cupping one hand around the frog, I picked it up with the other hand. Its skin felt cold and soft. The frog moved. I walked to the grass and held out my hand. The frog climbed up my wrist. I laughed. Then I gently placed the frog onto the grass.

We walked a couple of blocks. We found lots of frogs-brown ones, green ones and spotted ones. I got better at finding them. If they were on the road, we moved them when traffic was clear. I actually started to like picking them up.

I was ready to go home. Then I saw something moving near a stone wall. Something bigger than a frog. Dad and I shined our lights and crouched. “Is it a lizard (蜥蜴)?” I asked. “No, it’s a salamander,” Dad said. “Hey, I just realized something,” I said. “The animals out tonight—frogs and salamanders—are amphibians (两栖动物). We’d learned about amphibians in school.” “Great observation,” Dad said.