英语每天5分钟

每天5分钟
开放式提问
让对话继续下去的方法之一是让别人说。

而让别人说的最好方法就是开放式提问。

开放式问题不能只用肯定或否定来回答，开放式问题的答案丰富多彩。

Ask open ended questions.
One way to keep a conversation going is to get the other person talking. And the best way to do this is by addressing her open ended questions. These are questions which require more than simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers, and offer the possibility of much richer answers.
让对方打破沉默
大多数人不喜欢对话中的沉默。

一旦沉默发生了，它们会很快说点什么。

你可以利用这一点让对话继续下去。

比如，你在派对上遇到一个人，你们的对话中止了。

这时候不要去拿食物，而把对方晾在那里。

相反，你应该呆在原地。

大部分时候，对方会打破沉默，接上话茬。

Let the other person end the silence.
Most people are uncomfortable with silences in a conversation. When one occurs, they immediately try to fill it by finding something to say. You can use this to keep a conversation going. When for example, yo u’ve just met a person at a party, you’re talking and the conversation is stalling, do not leave that person and go find the peanuts or something like that. Instead, hang in there and let the silence work for you. Most of the time, the other person will eventually pick up the conversation and end the silence.
知道如何谈论你最喜欢的话题
我们都有自己热爱的东西：某些活动、爱好、项目、目标、思想或者工作。

花点时间列一个简短的清单，让它们成为对话时的好话题。

Find what to say in your favorite topics.
We all have things we are passionate about: activities, hobbies, projects, goals, ideas or jobs. Take some time to make a short but relevant list with the things you are most passionate about, and would make easy conversational topics for you.
脱口而出
常常我们觉得对话难以进行下去，并不是因为我们不知道说什么，而是因为我们担心对方对我们想说的话题没兴趣。

但是，大多数时候这个担心是多余的。

试着开口吧，然后你会发现大家并没有那么挑剔，很多话题都是受欢迎的。

Blurt.
Often, we find it hard to keep a conversation going not because we can’t think of anything to say, but because we fear the other person won’t enjoy that particular subject, fact or opinion we have in mind. However, most of time, this fear is not anchored in reality. Give it a try, and you’ll discover that people are not that harsh and they can enjoy a lot of things in a conversation.
讨论:你有什么好的方法分享给大家吗?
'Double edge' in alcohol and energy drinks
发布时间：2012-09-03
文章出自：.au
原文链接：点击查看
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol could keep you more alert as you get drunk, but it can also lead to heart palpitations, a new Australian study has found.
A team from the University of Tasmania report their findings today in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
"Drinking energy drinks and alcohol together may provide a double-edged effect, " the researchers write.
"The increased stimulation from energy drinks may negate some intoxication-related sedation side effects by increasing alertness. However, it could also lead to negative physiological side effects associated with over-stimulation."
The researchers surveyed 403 Australians aged 18 to 35 and compared their consumption of alcohol and energy drinks (AmEDs), with their consumption of alcohol only, in the preceding 6 months.
In Australia, an energy drink contains a similar amount of caffeine to a cup of instant coffee (about 80 milligrams of caffeine per 250 millilitres), says Amy Peacock, who worked on the research as part of her PhD in the School of Psychology. She says the recommended maximum daily intake is two energy drinks per day.
Peacock and colleagues found when people consumed AmEDs they drank, on average, 2.5 energy drinks with 7 standard drinks of alcohol in one sitting. Maximum consumption levels were 10 energy drinks and 20 standard drinks of alcohol.
They found when people drank AmEDs they were more likely to have symptoms of
over-stimulation including heart palpitations, sleep difficulties, agitation, tremors, increased speech speed, irritability and tension.
"Those side-effects are prominent symptoms of caffeine overexposure, " says Peacock.
She says these findings are in keeping with the overall results from previous international research.
The researchers also found AmED consumption countered the sedative effects of alcohol, with users having less speech and walking difficulties, confusion, exhaustion and sadness.
Risk-taking behaviour
The researchers also investigated the link between AmEDs and alcohol and risk-taking behaviours, including those involving driving, sexual behaviour, aggressive behaviour, illicit drug use and gambling.
Interestingly, they found that people drinking AmEDs were less likely to engage in these risky behaviours - despite drinking half a standard drink more than when drinking alcohol only.
These findings fly in the face of the main message coming from previous international findings, which suggest AmED consumption is associated with greater risk taking.
"It was a very surprising outcome for us, " says Peacock.
Peacock and colleagues are currently carrying out laboratory studies to investigate further the effects of AmEDs and alcohol use on the ability to carry out computer tasks that assess risk taking.
Study limitations
Professor Steve Allsop of the National Drug Research Institute says he is not sure why the latest study has found less risky behaviour associated with AmED drinking.
But, he says, the most likely explanation is the selection bias that occurs in studies of this design, which rely on self-selected survey respondents.
"People interpret past behaviours differently, " says Allsop.
But he says the findings do suggest there are no significant benefits to mixing energy drinks and alcohol, whereas there are significant risks, particularly for people drinking large amounts.
"The key message from all of the studies is caffeine is not an inoculation against the effects of alcohol, " he says.
Wide awake drunk
Allsop says AmEDs may keep people awake longer so they drink more, and are likely to feel less drunk than they really are.
"They could then take the risks of driving or whatever in the misunderstanding of how intoxicated they actually are precisely because of the effects of the energy drinks, " says Allsop.
"The best description is wide-awake drunk, " he says.
Dr Sharlene Kaye of National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre agrees with the comments made by Allsop.
She says previous studies suggest that while energy drinks may increase subjective alertness they do not improve objective performance.
"The perception of intoxication is a bit distorted when you add energy drinks in, " says Kaye.
A few weeks ago, we had some friends over we hadn't seen in a while. While catching up,
they asked my husband, Alejandro, how his new business was going.
Alejandro shuffled and shrugged and stared at the floor.
'Up and down, you know. Money come in, money goes out. Lots of problems,' he muttered.
Our friends glanced at each other, avoided eye contact with us and uncomfortably changed the topic. I could tell they feared they had touched a raw nerve.
I spoke up.
'His company is going great!' I volunteered. 'Way better than his projections. He's doing a great job. This guy is amazing,' I said, pointing at my husband, who looked completely mortified and slipped away to fiddle with the music.
The whole evening I wanted to have a talking-to with Alejandro, and after they left I did.
'Why won't you tell our friends how your business is going? You gave them the impression it's awful when it's actually going really well,' I complained.
Turns out he was equally annoyed with the way I'd responded.
'It sounds like you're bragging. I don't want to go around telling people I'm some kind of big
shot and I'm making all this money,' he said.
The topic of money is such a divisive theme in many marriages, I'm relieved that Alejandro and I have so much common ground. But this incident brought to my attention a little-discussed relationship wrinkle: The difference in how we talk about our financial status with the outside world. I realized that my husband and I have never come to an agreement about what we are comfortable revealing, or shielding, about our economic situation. Instead, we regularly annoy each other by following what we are sure is
common sense.
One example of the tension arises during our annual trips to Uruguay, Alejandro's home country. When we get there, I refuse to sleep on friends' living-room floors or in cheap hotels as Alejandro wants to do. Instead, at my insistence, we've rented large apartments or comfortable houses at the beach. With Alejandro pushing back every step of the way, we have had many arguments. His complaint: 'People here will think we have more
money than they do.'
I know tons of people who have more money than I do, and I like them anyway, I answer.
It's always been hard for me to understand how this could be a problem.
On the flip side, I find it so frustrating when I hear Alejandro rattling off his business
worries and liabilities to my dad, without sharing the upsides and triumphs. My dad, a former stockbroker, loves business and is so excited about Alejandro's trucking company. He goes with him to inspect the big rigs, quizzes the drivers about their lives and tabulates gas expenses. I fantasize that Alejandro will call up his father-in-law some day and share the news about a banner month. But let's be realistic: Alejandro could hardly imagine
anything more embarrassing.
***
With the 'how's the business' question coming up so frequently, we decided to talk through
our positions and create some ground rules.
In Uruguay, Alejandro explained, the highest praise you can give a person is to say they 'have a low profile.' Rich people, Alejandro says, are assumed to have cheated someone on the path to wealth and are often viewed with suspicion. Thus, Uruguayans will often go out of their way to assure you they are flat broke and everything is going terribly. I've often marveled at how in Uruguay, whenever someone lets slip something positive about their lives, the words 'por suerte,' meaning 'by luck,' immediately follow.
Things could hardly be more different in the U.S., I told Alejandro, as I defined the term 'poor-mouthing' and how harshly it is looked down upon in this culture. Success is such a deeply ingrained expectation in this society that we loathe burdening our family or friends with admissions of hardship. When I indicate to family and friends that we're doing well and all is calm on the financial front, I don't feel I'm bragging but rather putting them at
ease.
We both conceded that talking about money is generally in bad taste and to be avoided when possible. Alejandro agreed that when discussing his company with our closest friends and family, he will be more transparent and upbeat when the news warrants it. Around Uruguayans, I've agreed to be more respectful of the 'low profile' gold standard: I'll stay in a cheap hotel or two in Uruguay and make sure I'm not painting our lives too rosy.
And if someone asks us how things are going overall, I'm going to try to be mindful to downplay a bit and Alejandro to up-play a bit. It's a happy medium. Por suerte.
Katy McLaughlin
Many parents of 20-somethings worry that their offspring haven't yet found a career path, gotten married or become financially independent.
These parents should chill out, experts say.
Recent research into how the brain develops suggests that people are better equipped to make major life decisions in their late 20s than earlier in the decade. The brain, once thought to be fully grown after puberty, is still evolving into its adult shape well into a person's third decade, pruning away unused connections and strengthening those that
remain, scientists say.
'Until very recently, we had to make some pretty important life decisions about education and career paths, who to marry and whether to go into the military at a time when parts of our brains weren't optimal yet,' says neuroscientist Jay Giedd at the National Institute of Mental Health, whose brain-imaging studies of thousands of young people have yielded many of the new insights. Postponing those decisions makes sense biologically, he says.
'It's a good thing that the 20s are becoming a time for self-discovery.'
Such findings are part of a new wave of research into 'emerging adulthood,' the years roughly from 18 to 29, which psychologists, sociologists and neuroscientists increasingly see as a distinct life stage. The gap between adolescence and full adulthood is becoming ever wider as more young people willingly or because of economic necessity prolong their education and postpone traditional adult responsibilities. As recently as the 1960s, the average age of first marriage for women in the U.S. was 20, and men 22. Today, the
average is 26 for women and 28 for men.
'It should be reassuring for parents to know that it's very typical in the 20s not to know what you're going to do and change your mind and seem very unstable in your life. It's the norm,' says Jeffrey J. Arnett, a professor of psychology at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., who coined the term 'emerging adulthood' in 2000.
For young adults, it can be a stressful time. High rates of anxiety, depression, motor-vehicle accidents and alcohol use are at their peak from 18 to 25, trends that tend to level out by age 28, studies show. And a recent survey by Clark University, which polled more than 1,000 young adults nationwide, found that 72% said this time of life was stressful and 33% said they were often depressed. Still, 89% believed they would
eventually get what they want out of life.
At age 28, Nikki Cohen has explored more careers than many people do in a lifetime. After a year as a pre-med student at Emory University, the Long Island native moved back to New York to attend Parsons School of Design. 'I decided fashion was more exciting than science and a little more 'me,' ' Ms. Cohen says.
She opened a clothing boutique when she was 23 and starred in a short-lived reality show, 'Downtown Girls,' on MTV. When the show was canceled and her store fell victim to the economic downturn, Ms. Cohen decided she was passionate about health issues after all and is now completing her master's thesis in health education at Columbia University.
'It's definitely a scary time,' says Ms. Cohen. 'I'm fearful that I'm not going to get a job or meet a man that makes me happy for more than a month. But I'm also happy that I get to
try out different things.'
Researchers are just beginning to study how different experiences in adolescence and young adulthood may impact brain development. In one recent study, Dr. Giedd and his team compared brain images of teenage mothers with teens who hadn't given birth, but the researchers didn't find any clear differences. Yet other studies have found that skills such as playing an instrument or speaking another language are easier for young people whose brain connections are still forming. Adults also can learn new languages, but with
more difficulty and often with an accent.
The fact that the brain stays unfinished during early adulthood 'is the best thing that ever happened to humans' because it allows us to adapt to changing environments, says Dr. Giedd. 'We can figure out what kind of world we live in and what we need to be really good
at.'
The front part of the brain, called the prefrontal cortex, is one of the last brain regions to mature. It is the area responsible for planning, prioritizing and controlling impulses.
By the late 20s, 'there's better communication between parts of the brain that process emotions and social information -- like what people think of you -- and the parts that are important for planning ahead and balancing risk and reward,' says developmental psychologist Laurence Steinberg of Temple University.
How can emerging adults maximize their brain potential in this period? 'Things that are cognitively stimulating are important,' says Dr. Steinberg. 'Watching talking cats on
YouTube isn't as good for cognitive development as reading or taking classes.'
Even young adults who are financially dependent on their parents can practice independence in other ways. 'My advice is, if your parents are currently doing things for you that you could do for yourself, take the controls. Say, 'No. Mom, Let me get my own shampoo,' ' says Jennifer Tanner, a developmental psychologist and co-chair of the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood, an academic organization.
Physically, the body is at its peak during emerging adulthood and the chronic diseases of
later adulthood won't start for a while.
The top 10 causes of death in young people -- including motor vehicle accidents, homicides and suicides -- are all preventable issues relating to judgment, not illness.
Adolescent and 20-something brains are also particularly vulnerable to trauma, abuse, alcohol and drugs. Brain scans have shown that heavy drinking, defined as 20 or more drinks a month, in young people can lead to decreased cognitive function, memory and
attention.
Some 20-somethings also are laying the groundwork for later health problems. About three-quarters of young adults are overweight, raising their risk of later obesity, and about
25% smoke cigarettes.
Some severe mental illnesses also become apparent between ages 15 and 25. Early warning signs of schizophrenia include hallucinations, sudden hostility and suspiciousness, blank stare and incoherent conversation. Bipolar disorder involves cycles of depression with recklessness and impulsivity, such as excessive spending.
Parents who suspect their grown children could have a mental-health problem should get an assessment right away. 'It's extremely complicated even for professionals to parse out what's developmental and what's a mental-health problem in this age period,' says Dr. Tanner. 'If your kid won't go, go yourself and get professional advice. You can't even start working on the developmental stuff if there's a mental-health issue,' she says.
Rates of depression, anxiety and other mental-health issues are higher in the teens and 20s than in any other decade except the 80s. Some experts blame the roller coaster of change and uncertainty during the youthful years. 'Most emerging adults find it very exciting to be in this time of life, but some find it overwhelming. They wonder, 'How do I find out who I am, or what I want to do?' Or they want to be a doctor or own a business and they find the doors closed to them,' says Dr. Arnett.
'There's also a lot of loneliness and making and breaking of romantic relationships in this
period.'
Many of those issues ease by the late 20s. By then, the vast majority of emerging adults find work, relationships, along with higher self-esteem and life satisfaction, studies show. And most achieve financial independence. The Clark University survey found that while 28% of 18-to-21-year-olds get regular support from their parents for living expenses, the rate declined to 6% among 26-to-29-year-olds.
Meanwhile, says Dr. Arnett, 'It pays to relax and not panic because your 21-year-old or even your 26-year-old doesn't know what he or she is going to do. Almost nobody still has that problem at 40 or 50. We all figure it out eventually.'
Melinda Beck
对额外工作说“不”：：哈佛
商业评论：：每日管理小贴士
译者：YingyingZ
如果老板不断给你工作加码（甚至有些任务跟你的工作目标完全不相关），那么你需要学会对他说“不”。

不过，做出拒绝可能是非常棘手的一件事，所以你必须要小心行事：
∙
不要急不可耐地表示拒
绝。

你要控制住自己马上
说“好”或“不好”的冲动。

相反，问问他这个项目的
要求，并说你需要一点时
间考虑一下。

告诉她你什If your boss continually piles work on your plate, even when it's not related to your goals, learn to say no. Pushing back can be tricky, so handle the request carefully:
∙
Don't commit right away.
Resist the urge to say "Okay"
or "No" immediately.
Instead, ask about the
project and request some
time to think it through.
Give a date when you'll get
back to her.
∙
么时候会给她回复。

∙
准备怎样回应。

利用你赢
得的时间想想该怎样回
答。

你在回应的时候，需
要给出老板其他的可行方
案，以便她的任务也能得
到解决。

∙
回复你的老板。

跟她解释
说，这个附加工作可能怎
样影响你的目标和正在进
行的其他项目。

之后，向
老板提出你事先准备好的
方案，并解释为什么那个
方案更可行。

Prepare a response. Use
your bought time to think
about your answer. You want to present an alternative
plan that will enable your
boss to get what she wants. ∙
Go back to your boss.
Explain how the added
project might jeopardize
your ability to get your
other projects done and
meet your goals. Propose
the alternative and explain
why you think it will work
better.
今天的管理小贴士改编自哈佛管理大师在线课程《时间管理》。

Today's Management Tip was adapted from the Harvard ManageMentor Online Module: Time Management.
Success is actually simple: when you are about to fail to hold, you just need to hang on a bit longer.
成功其实很简单，就是当你坚持不住的时候，再坚持一下。

They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.
人们总说时间会改变一切，但是实际上你需要自己努力去改变。

The instinct of a man is to pursue everything that flies from him, and to fly from all that pursue him.
人的本能是追逐从他身边飞走的东西，却逃避追逐他的东西
Life has a value only when it has something valuable as its object.
目标有价值，生活才有价值。

Is Multitasking Bad for the Brain?
发布时间：2012-09-20
文章出自：
原文链接：点击查看
Question: What happens to the mind when we get used to paying partial attention?
Gary Small: We all know we multitask. I mean this is a common part of everyday life and you know I like t o drink my coffee in the morning and read the newspaper, so that’s a form of multitasking. Now of course I don’t do that when I’m driving because that is dangerous, so we know of many dangers of multitasking. We know that middle-age people who
multitask do n’t do as well as people who are focusing on one task and we also know that
young people who multitask, they can complete the task more rapidly, but they make more errors, so we’re becoming faster, but sloppier when we multitask, but there is another menta l process related to multitasking that’s often called partial continuous attention. Here we’re not just doing two or three tasks at the same time, we’re scanning the environment for new information at any point and this is a process that I think is becoming very popular now that we have all these new electronic communication gadgets, cell phones, PDAs, computers, the internet, so many people are at their workstation or at home in bed because we don’t have much demarcation these days between leisure life and work life, and they may be having a conversation on the phone or with someone next to them and they’re waiting for a little ding or a little sound or a new message that might be more interesting and exciting than whatever mental activity they’re engaged i n at that time. Now there's dangers to that I think. Certainly there are social dangers. You can certainly insult someone if you answer your cell phone in the middle of a conversation, but I think it also may be a state of heightened mental stress because we’re constantly scanning the environment and we know from other studies that chronic stress is not good for the brain. In fact, laboratory animals under stress have smaller memory cells in the hippocampus. Human volunteers injected with stress hormones like cortisol have temporary impairment in learning and recall, so I think partial continuous attention it’s hard to resist, probably our dopamine circuits that are involved in reward systems drive it because we want that exciting new bit of information, but we have to be aware of it and try to manage it better.
Question: How can we counteract the effects of partial continuous attention?
Gary Small: I think the first step to managing partial continuous attention, or PCA if you want to give it an acronym, is to be aware of it and to certainly be aware of how it affects our face-to-face communication skills, how it can affect somebody personally. Not long ago I said to my teenage daughter, “You know, Rachel, when I’m talking to you and you’re texting at the same time I just don’t get the sense that you’re paying attention to my conversation.” So she looked up at me and said, “Don’t worry Dad, I don’t do this with my
teachers.” And then looked right down and continued her texting. Now I can laugh about that, and s he is an adolescent and it’s a different culture to some extent. It’s tolerated more in their age group, but I think there are still social gaffes that people get into as a result of partial continuous attention. I think another thing that’s important to d o is to take breaks from the computer and if we’re having a face-to-face meeting maybe turn off some of the gadgets and not be tempted to be distracted by them.
33 Painless Ways to Save Money Now
轻松省钱33招
In a difficult economy, most of us are looking for ways to put more money in our pockets, but we don’t want to feel like misers. We don’t want to drastically alter our lifestyles either. We want it fast and we want it easy. Small savings can add up and big savings can feel like winning the lottery, just without all of the taxes.
经济不景气之时，大多数人都会想方设法在口袋里存下更多的钱，但又不想把自己弄得跟守财奴似的。

我们不想颠覆原有的生活方式，希望能够通过快捷的途径省钱。

省点小钱可以积少成多；省下大钱就好比买彩票中了大奖，而且还不用交税。

Some easy ways to save money:
以下是一些简单实用的省钱之法：
Online rebate sites. Many online sites offer cash back rebates and online coupons as well.
返利网站：许多网站都会推出现金返还、折扣以及优惠券等让利活动。

Sign up for customer rewards. Many of your favorite stores offer customer rewards on products you already buy. Take advantage.
参加客户回馈活动：你经常光顾的商店可能会有产品回馈活动，好好把握机会吧。

Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. The extra cost up front is worth the energy savings later on.
换用小巧的荧光灯：虽然要付出一点额外的投资，但灯泡节省下的电能可以给你省下不少钱呢。

Turn off power strips and electronic devices when not in use.
电插板和电器不用时，务必关掉电源。

Buy a programmable thermostat. Set it to lower the heat or raise the A C when you’re not home.
购买温度自动调节器：离家之时，用它来降温或者提高交流电压以省电。

Make coffee at home. Those lattes and caramel macchiatos add up to quite a bit of dough over the year.
在家做咖啡：在家做拿铁咖啡和焦糖拿铁，一年下来可以省下不少钱。

Switch banks. Shop around for better interest rates, lower fees and better customer perks. Don’t forget to look for free online banking and ease of depositing and withdrawing money.
更换银行：货比三家，选择那些利息高、业务办理费用少、客户服务优质的银行，除此之外，别忘了考虑网银是否免费，存取是否便利。

Clip coupons: Saving a couple dollars here and there can start to add up. As long as you’re going to buy the products anyway, why not save money?
（从报纸、杂志上）剪下优惠券：买东西时随买随省，这样便可积少成多。

既然你是要买这些东西的，何不省一些是一些呢？
Pack your lunch. Bring your lunch to work with you a few days a week, rather than buy it.
自带午餐去上班：每周有几天选择自带午餐去上班，而不是买别的地方的东西吃。

Eat at home. We’re busier than ever, but cooking meals at home is healthier and much cheaper than take-out or going out. Plus, with all of the freezer and pre-made options, it’s almost as fast as drive-thru.
在家吃饭：工作虽忙，但在家做饭毕竟会比出去吃更有益于健康，也可以省下更多的钱。

此外，现在有那么多速冻和半成品食物可供选择，做起来绝不慢于快餐。

Have leftovers night. Save your leftovers from a few meals and have a “leftover dinner.” It’s a free meal!
晚上吃点剩菜：没吃完的饭菜留着晚上吃，美其名曰“剩餐”，免费的！
Buy store brands: Many generic or store brands are actually just as good as name brands and considerably cheaper.
对“名牌”说不：许多杂牌或者商场自有品牌的产品在质量上与名牌产品并无差别，价格却要便宜一大截。

Ditch bottled water. Drink tap water if it’s good quality, buy a filter if it’s not. Get a reusable water bottle and refill it.
远离瓶装纯净水：如果饮用水水质好，就直接饮用；若水质不佳，可以购买过滤装置，以可重复使用的瓶子盛装饮用。

Avoid vending machines: The items are usually over-priced.
避开自动售货机：自动售货机里的东西定价通常过高。

Take in a matinee. Afternoon movie showings are cheaper than evening times.
电影尽量选择午场：午后的电影票通常都比夜场要便宜些。