Alice Moore is a teenager entrepreneur (创业者), who in May 2015 set up her business AilieCandy. By the time she was 13, her company was worth millions of dollars with the invention of a super-sweet treat that could save kids’ teeth, instead of destroying them.

It all began when Moore visited a bank with her dad. On the outing, she was offered a candy bar. However, her dad reminded her that sugary treats were bad for her teeth. But Moore was sick of missing out on candies. So she desired to get round the warning, “Why can’t I make a healthy candy that’s good for my teeth so that my parents can’t say no to it?” With that in mind, Moore asked her dad if she could start her own candy company. He recommended that she do some research and talk to dentists about what a healthier candy would contain.

With her dad’s permission, she spent the next two years researching online and conducting trials to get a recipe that was both tasty and tooth-friendly. She also approached dentists to learn more about teeth cleaning. Consequently, she succeeded in making a kind of candy only using natural sweeteners, which can reduce oral bacteria.

Moore then used her savings to get her business off the ground. Afterwards, she and her father secured their first business meeting with a supermarket owner, who finally agreed to sell Moore’s product — CanCandy.

As CanCandy’s success grows, so does Moore’s credibility as a young entrepreneur. Moore is enthusiastic about the candy she created, and she’s also positive about what the future might bring. She hopes that every kid can have a clean mouth and a broad smile.

Meanwhile, with her parents’ help, Moore is generally able to live a normal teenage life. Although she founded her company early on in life, she wasn’t driven primarily by profit. Moore wants to use her unique talent to help others find their smiles. She donates 10% of AilicCandy’s profits to Big Smiles. With her talent and determination, it appears that the sky could be the limit for Alice Moore.

My main reason for coming here was the Human Rights course. When I was at school I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer, but having decided to be a lawyer, I then had to choose which first degree I should take before starting law school in another city. I’ve always wanted to help people and I figured that taking Human Rights would allow me to learn about how I can make a real difference in the world.

I love maths. I was torn between two possibilities: I could become an engineer and apply maths at a practical level. Or I could become a maths teacher. I needn’t have worried because in the end I didn’t have to choose! I got everything I wanted thanks to my university, which will qualify me to be a high school teacher while gaining a general engineering degree at the same time.

One of the reasons I chose this university was because of the effort that they put into organising the open day. The lecturers and current students provide an enthusiastic overview (概述) of their courses and of life in the city. This was in contrast to other universities I visited, which just let their reputation do the talking. Although I chose not to live on campus (校园), the rooms there seemed comfortable and very reasonably priced.

When the time came to select the university, I had three possibilities, but I still could not decide. So it was time to schedule campus tours. They all had their advantages, but this place instantly appealed to me. As soon as I arrived, I was struck by the smiles everyone gave me. What I value most here is the feeling that I am part of a supportive community.

5 . English Schools

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Burlington School, London

Burlington School is located in Parsons Green, 15 minutes by underground from the centre of London. Our standard of teaching is high, with courses in General and Specialist English. The coffee bar is open all day serving freshly-cooked meals, and the school organizes a range of social activities to complement (补充) the classes. Students live either in homestays or in one of our hostels.

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University of Liverpool, English Language

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Interactive English School, Brighton

We are a small friendly school. Being a small school means we can cater for your individual needs more easily than larger schools can. All of our teachers are native speakers, qualified and experienced. Our prices are very affordable and start from £60 per week for Full-time courses of 20 lessons.

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New School of English, Cambridge

The New School of English is located in the beautiful city of Cambridge. The school is open all year and provides a range of English language courses for adults from all over the world (minimum age 16). These courses cover General English as well as courses for professionals looking to focus on specific topic areas. They have a range of accommodation choices for students.

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6 . On November 7, Lewis Pugh completed a one-kilometer swim in the freezing waters of King Edward Cove, off South Georgia in Antarctica. He was wearing only his swimming glasses, cap and Speedos!

Pugh is an advocate for our oceans and seas, working to protect these ecosystems with their large diversity of marine (海洋的) life. When asked why he doesn’t wear a wetsuit (防寒泳衣), Lewis says, “I ask world leaders to do everything they can to protect our oceans. Sometimes the steps they need to take are difficult and unpopular. If I’m asking them to be courageous, I must also be. Swimming in a wetsuit would not send the right message.”

It took Pugh about 19 minutes to complete the one-kilometer swim in Antarctica where the water averaged about 1. 6℃. He says that his body can only tolerate about 20 minutes in the freezing waters before it starts shutting down. As he swims, his body temperature steadily drops, which in turn causes his muscle control to drop, slowing him down. When he is done with his swim, his support team rushes him to a hot shower and it takes almost an hour for his body temperature to return to normal.

Doctors and Pugh caution that one must receive months of training to swim in such cold waters. Even expert swimmers who are unused to freezing water can drown within minutes because of the physical shock experienced by the body. Pugh says he trained for six months before this swim.

This is not the first time that Lewis has swum in dangerous conditions. In 2007, he swam one kilometer in the North Pole to draw attention to the melting Arctic ice due to climate change. In 2015, he swam in the Bay of Whales in Antarctica’s Ross Sea as part of his successful campaign to help set up a marine reserve there.

7 . It was the week before Christmas, and the line at the post office snaked twice around the lobby(大厅). It seemed that no one was moving. The office looked like an exhibit in the Postal Wax Museum. I came to the self-service machine where the line was much shorter.

I don't like self-service. I tell people it's because I don't approve of taking jobs away from people, but the real problem is that I'm no good at it. The machine always asks me something I don't know the answer to. I hate this. I am a retired letter carrier, and we moved mail the old-fashioned way: hand to hand, human to human. We were fast, friendly, and frequently accurate.

The woman in the front of the line was clicking away at the screen. And the clicks were surprisingly loud. Any signs of hesitation on her part were telegraphed to the whole lobby. I felt sorry for her: The machine could smell fear. The next person took a long time, too. I breathed deeply. By the time it was my turn, I had the heart rate of a yogi(瑜伽修行者).

Under the weight of concern from the people in line behind me, I felt a growing obligation to minimize the seconds between clicks. Finally it was time to slide in a credit card. The machine didn't take it. “Try putting it in the other way,” the gentleman behind me suggested. No good.

“I've got a different card,” I said, and fished around for that one, beginning to sweat. The machine wanted a PIN, but not the one I suggested.

“Start over,”I clicked, intending to try the first card again.

Oh no. I had to start all over again.

“I'm sorry,“ I said, looking back, sheepish. “I guess I don't know what I'm doing. You all go ahead.”

“Don't give up,” said the nice man behind me.“ Try it again. We're all friends here, right?”

Smiles were blooming(绽放)all down the line. I tried again, clicked with deliberation and sincerity, and introduced my credit card as though I were presenting it to the queen. Finally, I made it!

I couldn't have been happier. Everyone burst into applause. Comfort and joy!

8 . When was the last time you went to your local library? Last week? A month ago? A year ago?

For many reasons, borrowing books from libraries seems to be in decline. With advances in technology, it is now possible for people to download and read whatever they like on electronic devices such as Kindles.

Call me old-fashioned, but I've never got into the e-book: I like to have printed books lining my bookshelves; I love the smell of a new book; and I enjoy leafing through paper pages—as long as I avoid the paper cuts! Also, what would I do with my vast bookmark collection if everything I read was electronic?

I prefer paper books to e-books, and I also prefer to own them myself. Libraries only lend books, so of what use are they to someone like me, or to someone who prefers e-books?

Personally, I still love libraries. They offer a quiet space to sit, read, think, do research…a real escape from the outside world. When I was at university, I frequently spent hours at the school library and borrowed numerous printed materials, as it was just too expensive to buy brand new books every week to read for seminars and lectures. Libraries are free!

Libraries often organize interesting activities as well. At home, my local library hosted actors, historians and other speakers during the town's annual art and literature festival. Well-known authors are also invited to libraries to give speeches or lead discussions about their work. Events such as these are a great way to appeal to people of all ages in the community and encourage the use of libraries.

Since moving abroad to work in Quebec for a year, the importance of libraries has become clear to me on an even more personal level. The school I work in has an incredible library, which is proving invaluable when I want a good book to read but am feeling conscious that everything I would want to read during the year is unlikely to fit in my suitcase by the time l go home!

There are still many fantastic ways to use libraries—maybe we just need to be more awake to them!

When I was a kid, the thing I enjoyed most about New Year’s Eve was trying to stay awake until midnight. My parents didn’t force me to go to bed early. However, I usually fell asleep before the New Year arrived. It wasn’t until my 10th birthday that I reached the finish line and was able to cheer with the rest of the family. When I woke up the next morning, my mom asked me if I wanted to make a New Year’s resolution(决心要做的事).

I had no idea what a New Year’s resolution was. After she explained it to me, I said I would try to fight less with my older brother. This got me a smile and a pat on the head from my mom. Unfortunately, the resolution lasted only until dinner time. The reason is that my brother and I got into an argument about who would set the table.

A New Year’s resolution is a decision to do or not do something in order to accomplish a personal goal or break a habit. It comes at a time when people look back at the past year and make an effort to improve themselves as the new year begins.

Adults often make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight or exercise more. Kids make resolutions to get along better with others or to do their homework right away.

Remember that it takes work to keep a New Year’s resolution. Don’t worry if you fail to make it once or twice. As long as you stay committed to what you want to accomplish, you’ll be proud of yourself in the end. And you’ll be a better person at the end of the year than you were at the beginning!

10 . "While extroverts (性格外向者) often make great first impressions with their outgoing manner and lively personalities in interviews, that value and reputation at work diminish (削减) over time,” says Corinne Bendersky, an associate professor of management.

“Extroverts disappoint us over time when they're part of a team,” Bendersky says. “On a team you're expected to work hard and contribute a lot. But they're often poor listeners, and they don't collaborate.”

“On the other hand, introverts (性格内向者) work hard on a team because they care what others think of them. They don't want to be seen as not pulling their weight or contributing 100%,” Bendersky says.

So while companies may be attracted to hiring extroverts because they impress managers greatly in job interviews, bosses also may want to consider whether the extrovert they are considering will be a valuable team player, Bendersky says.

Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins, two writers, agree and say managers should recognize the strengths of introverted employees, such as their ability to put themselves in someone else's shoes.

“These team members are often easygoing, which can make them exceptional mentors (良师益友) to more junior staff or particularly good sounding boards when you interact with them in one-on-one situations,” Su says.

“Managers must try to help introverts find their voice,” Wilkins says. “Help them see that speaking up is not about self-promotion or being in conflict but rather about offering the team key insights, making better decisions or increasing the efficiency for all.”

What about those extroverts who never seem to be at a loss for words? Should managers cut them off? Managers definitely should weigh in on how an extrovert is affecting others. Wilkins suggests saying something in private to make adjustments.