1 . In comparison to many closely-related species, the human child takes a long time to grow up and requires a high degree of parental investment(亲情投资). Human children need more time to reach maturity(成熟)than other closely-related species.

A new study finds that one reason is the large amount of energy that the brain requires as it grows.

Christopher Kuzawa, first author of the study, explained: “Our findings suggest that our bodies can’t afford to grow faster during the toddler(幼童)and childhood years because a huge quantity of resources is required to fuel developing the human brain. As humans we have so much to learn, and that learning requires a complex and energy-hungry brain.”

Data from the study shows that at the moment when children’s bodies are growing the least-on average, at four years old-their brains are using the highest percentage of glucose(葡萄糖). That means that 40% of the child’s total energy expenditure is being used by its brain.

The findings support the theory that children take so long to mature because of the energy-intensive task of growing a massively over-sized brain in comparison to the brain-to-body weight ratio of other species.

Kuzawa continued: “After a certain age it becomes difficult to guess a toddler or young child’s age by their size. Instead you have to listen to their speech and watch their behavior. Our study suggests that this is no accident.”

Body growth nearly stops at the ages when brain development is happening at a lightning pace, because the brain is using up the available resources.”

“The mid-childhood peak in brain costs has to do with the fact that there are a huge number of synapses(神经元突触), connections in the brain, at this age, when we learn so many of the things we need to know to be successful humans.”

2 . Dog walkers should show consideration, not just for the dog in their home or car, but also for their environment. Doing so will help keep the local area clean and pleasant, especially for people out walking their dog or taking children to the park.

A considerate dog walker will take steps to prevent their pets from producing waste wherever they want to. Dog waste is particularly unpleasant and should be avoided at all costs. Not only is it nasty to walk in a dirty area, but it is also a serious health risk. Dog fouling ( 污垢) is a criminal offence in the UK and carries a maximum fined ￡1,000 if the case goes to court (法庭). Dog walkers should always be prepared to pick up after their dog by carrying dog waste bags or even plastic carrier bags that can be used. Do not run the risk of allowing your dog to make a public area dirty by always having a steady supply of bags with you during dog walks. Carrying a single bag during a walk is not always enough, as some dogs will need to go twice or perhaps even three times during walks.

Some dog owners are not willing to admit that their pets is a challenge or troublesome. Rather than dislike the suggestions that dogs should be kept under control, you should see it as your duty to protect other dogs, children and anyone else from harm. Do know troublesome behaviors such as aggression (攻击) towards other dogs or children and make every effort to keep your dog under control. Avoid areas where you know other dogs or children will be. They can do this by showing respect for other people’s property, picking up after their dog and by keeping challenging dogs under control.

4 . Very far away from the city lived a poor farmer and his wife. In front of their house was a small dirt road. Very few cars drove on this road because it was so far from the city. On the dirt road, there was a big hole filled with water. The hole was very deep, but drivers on the road didn’t know just how deep. Drivers always drove into the hole, but they never drove out.

One day, a man in a new car was driving down the road. He saw the hole with the water, but he didn’t think it was very deep. He drove into the hole, but he couldn’t drive out. The man saw the farmer on his tractor working in the field, and he signaled to the farmer. The farmer drove over to the man in the new car.

“Is there a problem?” asked the farmer.

“Yes,” said the man. “My car is stuck in this hole. Can you help me?”

“Maybe,” said the farmer. “But I’m very busy.”

“If you help me, I’ll pay you,” said the man.

“OK,” said the farmer. The farmer pulled the car out of the hole with his tractor, and the man paid him a lot of money. The man looked at the farmer and said, “You must make a lot of money pulling cars out of this hole day and night.”

“Actually, no,” said the farmer.

“Why not?” asked the man.

“The hole is very deep, and a lot of people get stuck and ask for help. But I don’t make money day and night because I don’t pull cars out at night.”

“At night I’m busy filling the hole with water,” answered the farmer.

5 . A sense of humour, God’s greatest gift to mankind, is universally considered the most valuable personality. It is born within every person’s heart, but has to be cultivated (培养). A person without humour is just like a spring without flowers, or like a dish without seasoning (调味品). In a sense, your personality lies in your sense of humour.

Humour can improve physical as well as mental well-being. It helps us bear our burdens, reduce our tension, overcome our frustration. With a piece of joke, all our worries and sadness disappear like smoke, and we are all full of energy once again.

Humour helps us live in harmony with others. It is unavoidable to have misunderstanding and tension with others during work and study. But humour can help us solve these problems more quickly than angry words or quarrels. With it you can always keep on good terms with others.

A sense of humour is really one of the keys to happiness. It gives fun and interest to life to make it worth living.

Here are five ways to improve your sense of humour.

1. Begin to cultivate an atmosphere of humour and laughter in your relationships.

2. Start association with humourous, fun loving people.

3. Learn to laugh at yourself.

4. Collect cartoons and jokes and share them with others.

5. Use humour to deal with conflict in your relationships:

Remember that a sense of humour is learned, not inherited (遗传). You can sharpen your sense of humour if you really want to.

8 . Christmas is long gone and Valentine’s Day is a distant memory. That means it’s a slow time for jewelers, and a good time for you to make a purchase. Whether you’re out shopping for gold, or silver, here are a few things you need to know:

The purity of the metal is one of the elements that determines the price. Gold purity is indicated with a stamp of 10K, 14K, 18K, or 24K. And different countries have their own standards. For example, for a piece to be considered gold in the US, it must be at least 10K. In Britain and Canada: 9K. In Italy and France: l8K. Anything over l8K is really too soft for everyday wear. That’s why jewelry stores in the US sell mostly 14K.

That depends on the weight of the metal and the gemstone(宝石). So keep that in mind, especially when buying online. To keep yourself from getting ripped off, ask yourself the following:

●How long has the company been around?

●What is its return policy?

● Is the jewelry featured on the website visible from all directions?

● Is the company transparent with the gram weights and the size of the gemstones?

Yes, it’s confusing, and while this is largely a personal decision, there are a few things to keep in mind. For starters. white or rose gold costs about l 0% more than yellow gold. If you want the “look for less”, consider gold plated jewelry. “Gold plated” and “gold overlay” mean the same thing and guarantee a thicker layer of finish than “vermeil” which is a flash finish that is thinner and less consistent, but more affordable. Buy vermeil finished pieces you want for a season or two just to follow the fashion. For pieces you want to wear for a lifetime, solid gold is best.

Sterling silver has been an alternative for white gold during the difficult economy, and while it used to be more popular with just the younger these days it has much more mass appeal. So much so that retailers are now offering fine gemstones with silver-something you used to see only with gold.

Keep in mind that in the US. the sterling silver standard is 92.5% real silver. Don’t buy it if there isn’t a “925” stamp on it. And keep in mind that the lower price you’re paying for silver means more maintenance. To keep silver jewelry from becoming less shiny, consider keeping a piece of chalk in your jewelry box.

10 . IT was a 12-minute walk into the unknown, and it changed the history of space exploration forever. The first-ever spacewalk by former Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, 50 years ago on March 18, was also the first big test of space suit technology.

The old Soviet-style space suit was not quite ready yet, however. It was affected by the lack of atmospheric pressure in space. When Leonov had completed his space walk, he realized that his space suit “had inflated like a balloon, preventing him from getting back inside the spacecraft”, according to the BBC. The cosmonaut let half of the air out of his spacesuit and survived despite losing oxygen.

Nowadays, of course, this type of incident does not happen. But the problem of what to wear in space is still important, as space travel may soon be available to more people than ever.

In 2017, Space X and Boeing may become the first private companies to put people in space. What should the new, rich space travelers wear?

Well, their outfits won’t be like the white, boxy suits in the film Gravity. Those types of extra-vehicular activity (EVA) suits will be for professionals working outside a spacecraft. The average space traveler will instead need something to wear inside in case of an emergency when getting up and down again in a rocket or during docking.

These are called IVA (intra-vehicular activity) pressure suits, which should be effective, comfortable, and perhaps even fashionable. The best-known example is the orange “pumpkin suit” made famous by NASA, but more fashionable options may later be available.

In fact, fashion and space have been together for years. The first space suits for the Apollo moon program were built by Playtex, an underwear maker, and the company still works with NASA.

Nowadays in Brooklyn, New York there is a company called Final Frontier Design that makes the latest in space suit technology. All of their staff have backgrounds in show business, making Broadway musical and circus costumes. They are currently looking to introduce their space tech, like vibrating belts that can give directions by feel, to people on Earth.

The walk into unknown space fashion is just beginning. How would you show off in space?