What accounts for the great outburst of major inventions in early America-breakthroughs such as the telegraph, the steamboat and the weaving machine?

　　Among the many shaping factors, I would single out the country’s excellent elementary schools：a labor force that welcomed the new technology; the practice of giving premiums to inventors; and above all the American genius for nonverbal, “spatial”thinking about things technological．

　　Why mention the elementary schools?Because thanks to these schools our early mechanics, especially in the New England and Middle Atlantic states, were generally literate and at home in arithmetic and in some aspects of geometry and trigonometry．

　　Acute foreign observers related American adaptiveness and inventiveness to this educational-advantage．As a member of a British commission visiting here in 1853 reported,“With a mind prepared by thorough school discipline, the American boy develops rapidly into the skilled workman．”

　　A further stimulus to invention came from the“premium”system, which preceded our patent system and for years ran parallel with it．This approach, originated abroad, offered inventors medals, cash prizes and other incentives．

　　In the United States, multitudes of premiums for new devices were awarded at country fairs and at the industrial fairs in major cities．Americans flocked to these fairs to admire the new machines and thus to renew their faith in the beneficence of technological advance．

　　Given this optimistic approach to technological innovation, the American worker took readily to that special kind of nonverbal thinking required in mechanical technology．As Eugene Ferguson has pointed out,“A technologist thinks about objects that cannot be reduced to unambiguous verbal descriptions：they are dealt with in his mind by a visual, nonverbal process…The designer and the inventor…are able to assemble and manipulate in their minds devices that as yet do not exist．”

　　This nonverbal“spatial”thinking can be just as creative as painting and writing．Robert Fulton once wrote,“The mechanic should sit down among levers, screws, wedges, wheels, etc．, like a poet among the letters of the alphabet, considering them as an exhibition of his thoughts, in which a new arrangement transmits a new idea．”

　　When all these shaping forces-schools, open attitudes, the premium system, a genius for spatial thinking-interacted with one another on the rich U．S．mainland, they produced that American characteristic, emulation．Today that word implies mere imitation．But in earlier times it meant a friendly but competitive striving for fame and excellence．

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　　A nine year old schoolgirl single handedly cooks up a science fair experiment that ends up debunking(揭穿……的真相)a widely practiced medical treatment．Emily Rosa's target was a practice known as therapeutic(治疗的)touch(TT for short), whose advocates manipulate patients'“energy field”to make them feel better and even, say some, to cure them of various ills．Yet Emily's test shows that these energy fields can't be detected, even by trained TT practitioners(行医者)．Obviously mindful of the publicity value of the situation, Journal editor George Lundberg appeared on TV to declare,“Age doesn't matter．It's good science that matters, and this is good science．”

　　Emily's mother Linda Rosa, a registered nurse, has been campaigning against TT for nearly a decade．Linda first thought about TT in the late '80s, when she learned it was on the approved list for continuing nursing education in Colorado．Its 100,000 trained practitioners(48,000 in the U．S．)don't even touch their patients．Instead, they waved their hands a few inches from the patient's body, pushing energy fields around until they’re in“balance．”TT advocates say these manipulations can help heal wounds, relieve Pain and reduce fever．The claims are taken seriously enough that TT therapists are frequently hired by leading hospitals, at up to ＄ 70 an hour, to smooth patients' energy, sometimes during surgery．Yet Rosa could not find any evidence that it works．To provide such proof, TT therapists would have to sit down for independent testing-something they haven't been eager to do, even though James Randi has offered more than ＄1 million to anyone who can demonstrate the existence of a human energy field．(He's had one taker so far．She failed．)A skeptic might conclude that TT practitioners are afraid to lay their beliefs on the line．But who could turn down an innocent fourth grader?Says Emily：“I think they didn't take me very seriously because I'm a kid．”

　　The experiment was straight forward：21 TT therapists stuck their hands, palms up, through a screen．Emily held her own hand over one of theirs left or right and the practitioners had to say which hand it was．When the results were recorded, they'd done no better than they would have by simply guessing．If there was an energy field, they couldn't feel it．

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　　Birds that are literally half asleep-with one brain hemisphere alert and the other sleeping-control which side of the brain remains awake, according to a new study of sleeping ducks．Earlier studies have documented half brain sleep in a wide range of birds．The brain hemispheres take turns sinking into the sleep stage characterized by slow brain waves．The eye controlled by the sleeping hemisphere keeps shut, while the wakeful hemisphere's eye stays open and alert．Birds also can sleep with both hemispheres resting at once．

　　Decades of studies of bird flocks led researchers to predict extra alertness in the more vulnerable, end of the row sleepers．Sure enough, in the end birds tended to watch carefully on the side away from their companions．Ducks in the inner spots showed no preference for gaze direction．

　　Also, birds dozing(打盹)at the end of the line resorted to single?hemisphere sleep, rather than total relaxation, more often than inner ducks did．Rotating 16 birds through the positions in a four duck row, the researchers found outer birds half asleep during some 32 percent of dozing time versus about 12 percent for birds in internal spots．

　　“We believe this is the first evidence for an animal behaviorally controlling sleep and wakefulness simultaneously in different regions of the brain，”the researchers say．

　　The results provide the best evidence for a long standing supposition that single hemisphere sleep evolved as creatures scanned for enemies．The preference for opening an eye on the lookout side could be widespread, he predicts．He's seen it in a pair of birds dozing side by side in the zoo and in a single pet bird sleeping by a mirror．The mirror side eye closed as if the reflection were companion and the other eye stayed open．

　　Useful as half sleeping might be, it's only been found in birds and such water mammals(哺乳动物)as dolphins, whales, and seals．Perhaps keeping one side of the brain awake allows a sleeping animal to surface occasionally to avoid drowning．

　　Studies of birds may offer unique insights into sleep．Jerome M．Siegel of the UCLA says he wonders if birds' half brain sleep“is just the tip of the iceberg(冰山)”He speculates that more examples may turn up when we take a closer look at other species．

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　　Tight-lipped elders used to say,“It’s not what you want in this world, but what you get．”

　　Psychology teaches that you do get what you want if you know what you want and want the right things．

　　You can make a mental blueprint of a desire as you would make a blueprint of a house, and each of us is continually making these blueprints in the general routine of everyday living．If we intend to have friends to dinner, we plan the menu, make a shopping list, decide which food to cook first, and such planning is an essential for any type of meal to be served．

　　Likewise, if you want to find a job, take a sheet of paper, and write a brief account of yourself．In making a blueprint for a job, begin with yourself, for when you know exactly what you have to offer, you can intelligently plan where to sell your services．

　　This account of yourself is actually a sketch of your working life and should include education, experience and references．Such an account is valuable．It can be referred to in filling out standard application blanks and is extremely helpful in personal interviews．While talking to you, you could-be employer is deciding whether your education, your experience, and other qualifications, will pay him to employ you and your“wares”and abilities must be displayed in an orderly and reasonably connected manner．

　　When you have carefully prepared a blueprint of your abilities and desires, you have something tangible to sell．Then you are ready to hunt for a job．Get all the possible information about your could-be job．Make inquiries as to the details regarding the job and the firm．Keep your eyes and ears open, and use your own judgment．Spend a certain amount of time each day seeking the employment you wish for, and keep in mind：Securing a job is your job now．

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　　As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have．It is likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven．Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need．You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week．

　　Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for．Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world．They feel that the long hours work culture to make more money is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes．Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them．Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year．

　　One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz．They used to work in central London．He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank．They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny．Most evenings Daniel wouldn’t get home until eight or nine o’clock and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings．They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by．

　　Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales．“I always wanted to have a farm then,”says Daniel,“and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift．It’s taken some getting used to, but it’s been worth it．We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays．However, I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier．

　　Liz, however, is not quite sure．“I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours．I’m not really a country girl, but I suppose I’m gradually getting used to looking after the animals．One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children．My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all．”

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　　YANGON－Myanmar(缅甸)has officially accepted an offer of the United States to send humanitarian aid(人道主义援助)to the country's cyclone(飓风;暴风)victims, state radio reported Friday in a night broadcast．

　　Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Thu gave the assurance Friday, saying that the country is receiving such relief aid from any country without limit at this time according to its policy of dealing with the disaster, the report said．

　　Kyaw Thu denied rumors about Myanmar's turning down such relief materials from Western countries but accepting those from nations in good relations with Myanmar, saying that the country has never done so in this case．

　　Kyaw Thu said that well-wishers abroad may make cash donation through Myanmar embassies(使馆)stationed there, while those who like to donate relief goods may present at the Yangon International Airport and seaports．

　　According to the report, the US relief aid would arrive in Yangon in days．

　　A foreign ministry's statement said earlier on Friday that at this moment, the international community can best help the victims by donating emergency provisions such as medical supplies, food, cloth, electricity generator, and materials for emergency shelter or with financial assistance,“adding that”Myanmar will wholeheartedly welcome such course of action．

　　“The government and the people of Myanmar are grateful to the friendly nations, the United Nations, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, private individuals and others for their sympathy and generosity．”it said．

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　　Researchers have found more evidence that suggests a relationship between races and rates(率)of lung cancer among smokers．A new study shows that black people and Native Hawaiians are more likely to develop lung cancer from smoking．It compared their risk to whites, Japanese-Americans and Latinos．

　　Researchers at the University of Southern California and the University of Hawaii did the new study．The New England Journal of Medicine published the findings．The eight-year research studied more than 180,000 people．They included present and former smokers and people who never smoked．Almost 2.000 people in the study developed lung cancer．

　　Researchers say genetics(遗传学)might help explain the racial and ethnic(种族的)differences．There could be differences in how people's bodies react to smoke．But environmental influences, including the way people smoke, could also make a difference．

　　African-Americans and Latinos in the study are reported smoking the fewest cigarettes per day．Whites are the heaviest smokers．But the scientists point out that blacks have been reported to breathe cigarette smoke more deeply than white smokers．This could fill their lungs with more of the chemicals in tobacco that cause cancer．

　　Scientists know that some diseases effect different groups differently．And some drug companies have begun to develop racially targeted(针对)medicines．Last June, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a drug designed to treat heart failure in black patients．The name is Bidil．The agency called it“a step toward the promise of personalized medicine．”

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　　I began working in journalism when I was eight．It was my mother’s idea．She wanted me to“make something”of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition．

　　With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue．The crowds were there．There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union．For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST．When it was supper time, I walked back home．

　　“How many did you sell, my boy?”my mother asked．

　　“None．”

　　“Where did you go?”

　　“The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues．”

　　“What did you do?”

　　“Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post．”

　　“You just stood there?”

　　“Didn’t sell a single one．”

　　“My God, Russell!”

　　Uncle Allen put in,“Well, I’ve decided to take the Post．”I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel(五分镍币)．It was the first nickel I earned．

　　Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman．I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home．

　　One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind．I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business．

　　“If you think you can change your mind like this,”she replied,“you’ll become a good-for-nothing．”She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines．Whenever I said no, she would scold me．

　　My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember．My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people．But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love．

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　　Exploring space is a dream shared by many people, but few have ever experienced the thrill of space adventure．A few years ago, that field was open only to those who worked for NASA or the space programs of other nations．But now private companies are getting into the space race．

　　Google and the X PRIZE Foundation have joined forces to challenge ordinary people to explore the moon．The first team that successfully soft-lands a robotic rover(天体登陆车)on the moon will receive a ＄20 million prize．The second team to touch down on the moon will win ＄5 million．Teams can also win an additional ＄5 million in bonus prizes for completing tasks such as discovering water ice．

　　To win, contestants(竞赛者)must land their craft on the surface of the moon and let it roam for more than 500 meters, or 1.640 feet．The craft must also send video and Internet clips(片断)back to Earth in real time．

　　Google and the X PRIZE Foundation announced the competition on September 13,2007．“The Google Lunar X Prize calls on entrepreneurs(企业家), and engineers from around the world to return us to the lunar surface and explore this environment for the benefit of all humanity,”said Peter H．Diamandis, the head of the foundation, when the contest was announced．“We hope to bring this historic private space race into every home and classroom,”he added．

　　Teams are already gathering at the first commercial spaceport in the Mojave Dessert in California to work on their spaceship designs．Contestants have until December 31, 2012 to qualify(取得资格)for the contest, which expires in 2014．The last time humans went to the moon， the voyage inspired a generation of scientists and explorers．Google and the X PRIZE Foundation are hoping that their contest will get even more people to reach for the moon, the stars and beyond．

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　　I am an advocate for my son．I made it my responsibility to inform all of his high school teachers and principals that our family goal was for him to attend college．When you, the parent, inform a teacher that the family had high expectations for your child, then that teacher takes on a whole different attitude to him or her．

　　When Chris started high school, I started my habit of keeping track of his absences and tardiness(上学迟到)on my calendar at home．In a way, it pleased him that I cared so much．

　　One semester in his junior year, he came home with a report card that showed three times as many days absent from school as I had on y calendar．When I asked him about it, he looked at the report card and his eyes got very wide．

　　“That must be a mistake, Mom,”he said．“Maybe there was an error in the computer．”He assured me that he had not been skipping school．

　　While I was prepared to believe him, I also needed to check with the school to make sure．The next morning, I went with Chris before school to the vice principal’s office and showed him the report card with the excessive(过度的)number of absences．He spoke up immediately．

　　“Oh, Ms．Chandler, I’m so sorry．We are planning to inform all the parents that there was a glitch in the reporting of the days absent for all the kids．I don’t think any of them went out correct．”Chris was here when he says he was here．

　　I was relieved that everything was all right, and as I left his office the vice principal said to me,“Hundreds of report cards went out with the wrong number of absences, but you’re the only parent who has called or stopped in to check up on it．”

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