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Personal Growth

　　There are two basic ways to see growth：one as a product, the other as a process．

　　People have generally viewed personal growth as an external(外面的)result or product that can easily be identified and measured．The worker who gets a promotion, the student whose grades improve, the foreigner who learns a new language——all these are examples of people who have measurable results to show for their efforts．

　　By contrast, the process of personal growth is much more difficult to determine, since by definition it is a journey and not the specific signposts or landmarks along the way．The process is not the road itself, but rather the attitudes and feelings people have, their caution or courage, as they gain new experiences and face unexpected difficulties．In this process ,the journey never really ends; there are always new ways to experience the world, new ideas to try, new challenge to accept．

　　In order to grow, to travel new roads, people need to have a willingness to take risks, to confront(敢于面对)the unknown, and to accept the possibility that they may “fail” at first．How we see ourselves as we try a new way of being is essential to our ability to grow．Do we see ourselves as quick and curious ? If so, then we tend to take more chances and to be more open to unfamiliar experiences．Do we think we're shy and indecisive(优柔寡断)?Then we may hesitate, move slowly, and not take a step until we know the ground is safe．Do we think we're slow to adapt to change or that we're not smart enough to cope with a new challenge ? The we are likely to take a more passive role or not try at all．

　　These feelings of insecurity(缺乏安全)and self-doubt are both unavoidable and necessary for us to change and grow．If we do not confront and overcome these internal fears and doubts, if we protect ourselves too much, then we sease to grow．We become trapped inside a shell of our own making．

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　　When people express a need for something——even if that need is imagined rather than real－someone will probably make it to meet that need .For example, from time to time predictions(预报)of a great earthquake upset the people of Tokyo, Japan．This earthquake hasn't happened yet, but people worry that it might .Some scientists warn that a quake as large as the one that destroyed the city on September 1,1923 could happen sometime in the future．Predictions of possible earthquakes make some of the people of the world's largest city quite anxious．To make these people feel more secure, a factory has begun to produce and market a “Quake Kit”, which is made up of a bag with five things in it：

　　1．a map of the city of Tokyo

　　2．a water pot(without the water)

　　3．some sweets

　　4．a flashlight(手电筒)

　　5．a raincoat(one size fits all)

　　On the outside of the kit there is a space for the owner's name, address, blood type, and the name and address of someone to give notice to in case of death．

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　　To Lauder Exchange Program：

　　Gaia Filicori was a student in my Humanities class for the 2002-2003 year．From the first week of classes it was obvious that Gaia was an excellent student and a very sociable young lady．She was always eager to join in class discussion．Gaia's ability to communicate her own ideas is a skill that many of us work for a very long time to achieve．

　　Gaia also has a deep curiosity about the world around her．The simple fact that she desires to spend a year in another country is proof enough．I have also seen her show this curiosity in class．She asked some of the most interesting and thoughtful questions of any of the students in her class．When others were content to accept a point, Gaia would see from a new angle(角度)that none of us had tried．

　　As a student in Humanities, Gaia was required to complete a group project．The project was to write a page for a Humanities textbook using text and multi-midia．It was a chanllenging task and Gaia's group was experiencing some difficulties．Yet, they had an easier time of it because they did not hesitate to come to me with their problems and try to work them out．As a result Gaia and her group had one of the more successful projects．The ability needed to recognize a problem and ask for help to solve it will be of great value if she is selected to be a Lauder Exchange student．

　　Gaia's interest in the world around her will serve her well as a Lauder Exchange student．The ease with which she get along with others and the ease with which she makes new friends will also help her as she tries to learn in a foreign setting．I have no doubt that Gaia would be a wonderful representative of the Lauder Program, Stuyvesant High School, and the United States．

　　Perry Jones

　　Social Studies

　　Stuyvesant High School

　　**If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me．

　　212-312-4800; pjones @stuy.edu

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　　The English, such as a race, are very different from all other nationalities, including their closest neighbors, the French, Belgians and Dutch .It is claimed that living on an island separated from the rest of Europe has much to do with it．Whatever the reasons are, it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed many attitudes and habits which distinguish him from other nationalities．

　　Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, reserved person who is fully relaxed only among peole he knows well．In the presence of strangers of foreigners he often seems embarrassed．You have only to see a city train any morning or evening to see the truth of this．Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or having a light sleep in a corner, no one speaks．In fact, to do so would seem most unusual．An Englishman, pretending to be giving advice to overseas visitors, once suggested, “on entering a railway carriage shake hands with all the passengers”．Needless to say, he was not being serious．There is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior which, if broken, makes the person immediately suspect．

　　In many parts of the world it is quite normal to show openly extremes of enthusiasm, emotion, excitement, etc．The Englishman is somewhat different．Of course, an Englishman feels on less deeply than any other nationality, but he tends to display his feelings far less．This is reflected in his use of language．Imagine a man commenting on the great beauty of a young girl．Whereas a more emotional man might describe her as “an excellent jewel”, “extremely beautiful”, “precious”, the Englishman will flatly state “Um, she is all right .”

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　　Most people feel lonely sometimes, but it usually only lasts between a few minutes and a few hours .This kind of loneliness is not serious．In fact, it is quite normal．For some people, though, loneliness can last for years．Now researchers say there are three different types of loneliness．

　　The first kind of loneliness is temporary(暂时的)．This is the most common type．It usually disappears quickly and does not require any special attention .The second kind, situational loneliness, is a natural result of a particular situation——for example, a family problem, the death of a loved one, or moving to a new place．Although this kind of loneliness can cause physical problems, such as headaches and sleeplessness, it　usually does not last for more than a year．The third kind of loneliness is the most severe．Unlike the second type, chronic(长期的)loneliness usually lasts more two years and has no specific cause．People who experience habitual loneliness have problems socializing and becoming close to others．Unfortunately, many chronically lonely people think there is little or nothing they can do to improve their condition．

　　Psychologists are trying to find ways to help habitually lonely people for two reasons：they are unhappy and unable to socialize and there is a connection between chronic loneliness and serious illness such as heart disease．While temporary and situational loneliness can be a normal, healthy part of life, chronic loneliness can be a very sad, and sometimes dangerous condition．

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　　What causes traffic jams? That's easy：too many cars．No, wrong．Think again．What causes much of the jamming on our streets are traffic lights．

　　Think of all the hours in your life wasted as your car journey is stopped by lights to let non-existent traffic through, and then ask yourself this：who is the better judge of when it's safe to go-you, the driver at the time and the place, or lights programmed by an absent regulator (控制器) ? Traffic lights exist as a “ease” for a man-made problem－the priority rule(优先通行法则)．This rule gives superior rights on main-road traffic at the expense of minor-road traffic and pedestrians．To interrupt the priority streams, lights are “needed”．

　　Before 1929 when the priority rule came into force, a sort of first-come, first-served rule had been common．All road users had equal rights, so a motorist arriving at a crossing gave way to anyone who had arrived first．Motorists had a simple responsibility for avoiding accident, and a duty of care to other road users．

　　In other walks of life the common-law principle of single queuing applies, but the law of the road, based on the priority rule that licenses queue-jumping and bad temper, creates battlegrounds where we have to fight for gaps and green time．

　　But when lights are out of action-when we're free of outer controls and allowed to use our own judgment-harmonious attitudes become common．We approach slowly and find our way in turn．People are kind to each other, but when lights start working, traffic jams return．

　　The traffic lights encourage us to take our eyes off the road to watch the signals, rather than do the safer thing：weigh up what other motorists, cyclists or pedestrians are intending to do．

　　Not only do traffic lights help to lengthen journeys pointlessly, but also the UK's large number of 24-hour traffic lights amounts to GPH(严重的全球性危害)．About 30 percent of our CO₂ output is from traffic．Professor David Hegg, the influential transport expert, admits that 40 percent of that comes from traffic：waiting．Every litre of fuel burnt produces 2.4 kg of our CO₂ and other greenhouse gases．Multiply the minutes of forced waiting at controlled lights by the hours in the day and night, by the days in the year, by the number of vehicles, and the environmental effect becomes clear．

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　　Pat Craig sits down and stares at the tiger．The big cat locks its eyes on Craig and, shoulders bent, moves toward him．Craig flattens his palm against the chain-link fence and leans even closer as the 700-pound tiger approaches．Then, with his top teeth on his lower lip, Craig blows three short puffs(喷气)of air．The tiger brings his face inches from Craig's and blows three puffs back．In tiger language, they have just said hello．

　　After the greetings, Craig strokes the cat's pink nose and soft forehead, and the tiger moans(呻吟)as if his worst itch has been injured．“Hi, Ricky,” Craig said in a loud voice, “You're a good boy.”

　　Ricky lives in the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado, along with 73 other tigers but the sanctuary wasn't their first stop．Many of these tigers were living in dirty conditions while earning their survival in roadside zoos, portrait studios on county fairs．Others served as breeding machines their young were often shipped away in boxes before growing up; and some were owned by private citizens who abandoned them when they outgrew the cute killen stage．

　　The tigers aren't alone at the sanctuary either; African lions, mountain lions, leopards, wolves, and more．Thanks to one man, Pat Craig, who funded and built this 160-acre place of unwanted wild animals, they eat balanced meals and get proper care．

　　By estimates, more than 25,000 wild animals live in cages outside the zoo system in the United States, many in cruel conditions．Owners who use their animals for commercial reasons may have proper legal permits, but the licenses give the animals only minimal protection, and although there are laws against selling wild animals across state lines, in several states there is no prohibition against owning, say a leopard or an African lion．

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　　Dior was born in Normandy in 1905, and his family's original plans for him included a career in the diplomatic service, but by the time he was twenty-three, with his parents' money, he opened a small art gallery in Paris．By 1931, the money had been used up．Dior's friends in the art gallery asked him to draw and he took his first step at designing and drawing．His first job was with Lucien Lelong from whom Dior learned his craft(手艺)．

　　In February, 1947, Dior started the New Look in his first major Paris collection．He was backed by a famous textile producer．Boussac, who looked after the dollars, while Dior looked after the fashions．Dior knew nothing about cutting and sewing, but he was good at fashion design．

　　The New look started an entirely different look to costume, with a tiny waist, a rounded shoulder and a shapely bust(胸围), usually with a low-cut neckline and a long, full skirt．To women who had lived through the war years, the femaleness of the New Look was a great success, for people were tired of the extremely plain, wartime restrictive fashions．

　　It is said that dresses by Dior were “constructed like buildings,” but young people were attracted to his design, and all over the western world, manufacturers plunged(投入)into the production of his new style．Dior's revolutionary designs lighted up a whole cycle of fashion, rounded, gentle, feminine, a delight in elegance．A New Look House of Dior opened in 1948, followed by one in London．Considered as King of Couture(Women's clothing) for years, the Dior empire grew until it covered every country in the western world, and included furs, hosiery, jewelry, perfumes, men's wear and on and on．More than 1,000 people worked at the Paris headquarters then．

　　His sudden death in 1957 when he was 54 years old did not stop the growth of the House of Dior．Even now, so many years after his death, his name is closely connected with fashion throughout the world, and indeed is one of the most recognized names in the world．His first, great New Look, with its long skirts was an expression of freedom in the late 1940s．

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The Hidden Health Issue：Emotional Well-Being

　　The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health has just released the results from the second annual Bay Annual Parent Poll, a telephone survey of nearly 1,800 parents from Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco．San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties in California．

　　For the second year in a row．Bay Area parents have put their children's emotional health at the top of their worry list, highlighting a health risk not usually discussed．Parents across economic, ethnic, and geographic lines say that they worry about stress, depression, weight, and the impact of family stress on their kids．

　　Stress and Depression

　　About 65% of the parents of teenagers say their children experience stress from schoolwork, pressure to compete in school, divorce and family finances．In addition, 25% of the parents worry that their children might be depressed．Comparatively, less than 10% of the parents of the teens are concerned about their children smoking cigarettes, using alcohol or smoking marijuana．

　　Other Results

　　Family Time：More than 25% of the parents say they do not spend enough time together as a family．

　　Media：More than 45% of the parents way that the media have a negative effect on their teens．

　　It is clear from the results of this survey that parents of older teens are more worried about their emotional health, and I would guess that part of this finding reflects parents not feeling “connected” to their teens．We know that stress and depression are predictors for teens participating in many unhealthy behaviors, including drinking and smoking．

　　Not only do these results call for schools and health care to regularly assess the emotional well-being of teens, it is also a wake-up call for parents to “engage” with both the health care and educational systems to support changes to reduce the stress our youth are feeling．

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Equal Inheritance

　　A certain merchant had two sons．The elder son was his favorite, and he intended to leave all his wealth to this son when he died．The mother felt sorry for her younger son, and she asked her husband not to tell the boys of his intention．She hoped to find some way of making her sons equal．The merchant heeded her wish and did not make known his decision．

　　One day the mother was sitting at the window weeping．A traveler approached the window and asked her why she was weeping．

　　“How can I help?” she said．“There is no difference between my two sons, but their father wishes to leave everything to one and nothing to the other．I have asked him not to tell them of his decision until I have thought of some way of helping the younger, but I have no money of my own, and I do not know what to do in my misery.”

　　Then the traveler said to her, “There is help for your trouble, Tell your sons that the elder will receive the entire inheritance(遗产), and that the younger will receive nothing．Then they will be equal.”

　　The younger son, on learning that he would inherit nothing, went to another land, where he served his apprenticeship and learned a trade．The elder son lived at home and learned nothing, knowing that someday he would be rich．

　　When the father died, the elder son did not know how to do anything and spent all his inheritance, however the younger son, who had learned how to make money in a foreign country, became rich．

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