5 . There are some 7,000 languages spoken worldwide, each unique, using different sounds, vocabularies and structures. Charles the Great said: “To have a second language is to have a second soul.” This begs the question: Does the language we speak shape who we are? As it turns out, yes.

In societies such as the United States or Western Europe, self-expression and language precision are valued. Asian cultures, on the other hand, prefer an indirect form of communication. Words like “perhaps” and “maybe” are used more than “yes” or “no”. Americanism takes an informal approach to communication. Therefore, it’s OK to refer to a stranger or the boss as “you”. However, the Thai language has 12 forms of the same pronoun, choosing one depends on status. In this way, languages are essential in leading any culture, be that our own or otherwise.

People who speak different languages notice different things, depending on the constructs of their mother tongue. Take an accident. In English, it’s OK to say: “She broke the glass.” But in a language like Spanish, you’d probably go with: “The glass broke.” The same incident produces two different responses. English speakers will remember who’s at fault, because their language asks them to, while Spanish speakers are more likely to remember it was an accident. This has real consequences, especially when it comes to crime and punishment.

Professor Jim Cummins has written extensively on mother tongues. For Cummins, the stronger our home language, the easier it is for us to learn others. Of course, research also shows that being bilingual gives people many advantages in life. Linguist Julien Leyre writes that learning another language develops our ability to “understand the mental world of another person, based on the language they use, and how that world is different from our own.”

Our mother tongue is central to how we think, what we know and who we are. Like us, languages are living things that change over time and must be cared for to survive. By doing so, we protect not just the linguistic structures or vocabularies we use, but the culture, knowledge and power behind them.

Different countries have wildly different forms of greeting.

In the USA, when you pass by someone you know, a nod is acceptable, and you usually shake hands with someone you first meet. But in Latin countries, a firm handshake    1    (consider) rude. In my home country, Mauritius, when people meet, they usually kiss each other     2     the cheeks. This is also common in France,     3     the act is called faire la bise. However, this is not     4    universal rule.

During my first week in the USA, I kissed every single girl I met. My friends had to tell me that that was inappropriate,    5    (leave) me in great embarrassment. What is common here, however, is for friends    6    (hug) each other – something I was not used to. Hugs always make me     7    (frighten) because I don’t really like that. This may seem strange since even kissing     8    (stranger) is normal in my country. Now that I think about it, I hate cheek-kissing as well.

Wouldn’t it be     9    (enjoy) to have a greeting code that is     10    (wide) acceptable? I’m not saying we should start doing that, but we can surely do something to avoid misunderstanding.

10 . The jobs of the future have not yet been invented.     1     By helping them develop classic skills that will serve them well no matter what the future holds.

Your children need to be deeply curious.     2     Ask kids, “What ingredients (配料) can we add to make these pancakes even better next time?” and then try them out. Did those ingredients make the pancakes better? What could we try next time?

True creativity is the ability to take something existing and create something new from it.     3     There are a dozen different things you can do with them. Experimenting with materials to create something new can go a long way in helping them develop their creativity.

Understanding how others feel can be a challenge for kids. We know what’s going on inside our own head, but what about others? Being able to read people helps kids from misreading a situation and jumping to false conclusions.     4     “Why do you think she’s crying?” “Can you tell how that man is feeling by looking at his face? If someone were to do that to you, how would you feel?”

    5     There are many ways to express thoughts and ideas — music, acting, drawing, building, photography. You may find that your child is attracted by one more than another.