"Every life is a boat, the dream is the boat sail." Every child has a dream of what they want to be. When Renee Butts was little, her dream was to become a volunteer firefighter because her father was one. Sadly, when she was 14, her beloved father died and she was never able to do volunteer work with him. However, Renee's story didn't end there. She was determined and never gave up, which makes for a good firefighter.

Now Renee is a member of the Carmel Fire Department, where she is required to be an Emergency Medical Technician. She should also be ready to deal with any emergency, like fighting a fire, dealing with a car accident or helping someone who's sick. Sometimes she is in the driver's seat or using the water pump. Renee works nine to eleven days a month on 24-hour shifts. She also has a family to care for, as her husband is also a busy firefighter. Dealing with housework and working so much can show her great determination.

When I asked Renee what the best part of her job was, she replied, "Helping people and saving lives." I think that shows signs of being a true hero. She's always willing to do anything for anyone in need. Renee says that her job is frightening at times, but extremely exciting. "The worst part of my job is that I see death. Actually, sometimes people die in the accident, for which I am very sorry." With 140 people in her station, Renee is one of the only three women, but that doesn't bother her. She says everyone can get a fair shot and do the same jobs.

I was inspired by this because I knew I would be very scared to do her job and didn't know if I could handle seeing people die. We would never live without people like her who have the courage to risk their lives. Renee's determination rubs off on me and makes me believe that I can do anything.

Why do you pull yourself out of bed every morning to go to work or school? What does it take to make you feel like your contribution in those places is truly worthwhile? Knowing what motivates you can help you find meaning in your work and make efforts to reach your goals.

Psychologists have a wide variety of ways of describing and differentiating motivations because people care about so many different things. Psychologist David McClelland identified three main motivations for people: achievement (the feeling of success), affiliation (close relationships) and power (the ability to influence the world). Authors Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton identified 23 motivations, including creativity, challenge and learning.

Some motivations, such as money, social position and praise, are external; these are the tools bosses typically use to encourage their employees to do better. Other motivations, including fun, personal growth and feeling like one's work is significant, come from within the person doing the action. These ideals, called internal motivations, tend to be more reliable than external ones because they represent things that can never be taken away.

Since a wide variety of motivations exist, it's important to understand which ones are persuasive to you. Trying to motivate yourself in a way that doesn't appeal to you will make it difficult to convince yourself to work. When choosing a career, think about what motivates you and make decisions accordingly. If you are motivated by overcoming challenges, look for a career where you can continually try hard to reach a higher level.

People motivated by external rewards sometimes struggle to meet goals they set for themselves that no one else knows about. They can solve this problem by creating external rewards for their personal goals such as finding a friend to hold them accountable.

When you know what motivates you, you will be able to motivate yourself to do the things necessary to succeed. And if you are a leader, knowing what motivates your team will enable you to help them do the same.

There is a saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Although eating properly is important, being kind to others is also good for your health. Recent studies show that people who do kind acts are more relaxed, happier, and healthier than other people.

In one study at Arizona State University, researchers found that many volunteers experienced a sudden feeling of joy, followed by a long period of calmness, after doing a kind act. This feeling, called "a helper's high", may actually help reduce stress as the body produces natural painkillers.

Stress can cause serious health problems. It can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease, and it can also lead to overeating and sleeping problems. However, the study found that volunteers had fewer stress-related health problems when they did helpful things for other people.

The study also found that people who did nice things for others felt better about themselves as well. They had higher self-respect, and were happier. Many believe this is because volunteers spend more of their time with other people. People who are more outgoing are often healthier.

Another study at the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center confirmed the health benefits of volunteering. A ten-year study of 2,700 men in Michigan showed that people who volunteered lived longer than those who didn't. Although you shouldn't need a reason to be helpful, it is nice to know that kindness may help you live longer.

How to Have a Successful Teenage Life

Everyone dreams of success in their life, don't they? Even as a teenager, you can achieve success in your life; it really isn't that hard.

·Do well in school.

No matter how boring it is now, education will help you be a productive member in society. Try your best for excellence in school; listen to the teachers, do your homework, study, and get good grades. Doing so will help you get into a better university, which will enable you to have a bright future.

·Do good in your community（社区）.

Volunteering can not only improve your community's status, but it could make you happier. Studies show that people who volunteer are less likely to develop depression（抑郁）than people who don't. For example, if you love animals, volunteer at an animal shelter. If you love helping the environment, plant trees or pick up litter. When you help others, it will make you feel better about yourself.

·

Remember, they're there to help you be the best that you can be. Respect them and value their opinions, even if they annoy you sometimes. You don't get to choose your teachers or your family, but you still have to put up with them. Learn how to deal with people now, because when you're an adult, you don't get to choose your boss or your co-workers, so learn how to respect them now.

These points can help you enjoy success in your teenage life.

Lillian Hanson, a college junior, expects to graduate in about two years. Mrs. Hanson, a rather unusual student, plans to go on to take more courses after she gets her degree. What makes Mrs. Hanson different from most of her classmates?

What sets Lillian Hanson apart from the college crowd is her age-73 years. She has been going to college, a few courses at a time, for 27 years. When Mrs. Hanson graduated from high school, she went to her local bank and asked for a loan for college tuition and fees. The banker gave her no encouragement. He didn't think that a country girl should be borrowing money to go to college. He thought she should be home doing work in the house or around the farm. So Mrs. Hanson went home and raised a family of nine children instead of going to college. She still lives with her husband on the farm that has been in the family for five generations.

Mrs. Hanson never forgot her dream of getting a higher education. When her children were grown up, she tried again.

She finds the hardest part of going back to school at her age to be sitting in class for long periods of time. Because she is not able to move as quickly and easily as she used to be, Mrs. Hanson often gets up and walks around between classes to keep from getting rigid. At the beginning of a course in using the computer, the other students all stood up to give Mrs. Hanson big applause when she introduced herself and explained why she was there and what her goals were.

How To Exercise Your Brain

Just like your muscles- your brain needs exercise to keep it in good working order.  Although results are mixed on increasing actual cognitive (认知的) function, learning something new, working your memory, and reading are all great ways to work your brain to its limit!

Learn something new. Keep your brain stimulated and active by picking up a new habit. Practising something new forms new neural (神经的) pathways in your brain.If you're learning a new instrument- practise playing it every day. Start with small actions and do them repeatedly to train your brain and make it a habit.

Use your memory. It's not as essential (必不可少的) to commit things to our brain as it once was, but the practice of remembering things can improve brain function.Memorize a few of your closest friends' phone numbers to exercise your memory.

While you may feel like you are accomplishing more by multi-tasking, you are actually more likely to make mistakes and get frustrated when things go wrong. By not multitasking, you can train your brain to focus your attention on one activity at a time and do better work.

Read every day. Reading a thrilling book can actually enhance your cognitive function. Reading also helps to develop language skills and increase attention spans.Pick up a book, magazine, or newspaper and get reading!

The Camp Fire starting at 6:33 a. m. on November 8, 2018 was the most destructive in California history. It was touched off by faulty electrical transmission lines in the town of Paradise. It burned for 17 days and consumed 153336 acres of land, destroying nearly19000 buildings, leaving 50000 homeless, and killing 85. The damage was inestimable.

Shane Grammer, a creative director for Disney's theme parks, followed the news of the fire closely. When his childhood friend Shane Edwards posted photos of his white chimney-the only part of his house to survive-Grammer felt helpless. And then he had an idea.

"I've got to paint that chimney. I'm not trying to say anything and it's just an opportunity for me to express something. " said Grammer.

On December 31, Grammer devoted three hours to spray-painting a black-and-white image of a woman on the chimney-a reminder, perhaps, of the beauty of life, or even just of life itself. He then posted it on Instagram. The victims of the fire, especially, could not contain themselves. "Beautiful and unforgettable," one said. Another posted, "You bring beauty and hope. "

Grammer realized what he had thought was a purely artistic expression had changed into something deeper, the nature of true art. "When the first mural (壁画) moved so many people in this community, I knew I had to come back up, "Grammer told KRCR-TV in Redding. Over a period of three months he returned eight times, painting 17 murals of victims on walls, pickups, and pieces of buildings. "There is hope," he explains. "There is beauty in the ashes."

Grammer's work in Paradise has now initiated a movement. He has traveled the world painting murals in dark places that badly needed some light. "I want to do something powerful and create art that moves people," he says.

On the morning of my Ph.D qualifying exam, I rolled out of the bed and got dressed. Next I did my make-up and put on my heels. I looked at myself in the mirror, feeling confident that I could face the members of my Ph.D committee and answer whatever questions they threw at me during my presentation. It's a strategy that I newly developed due to an unexpected inspiration from Lady Gaga.

As a student, I've always struggled with being confident at school. I especially feared to give presentations about my research. The breakthrough came during the month before my qualifying exam when I listened to Lady Gaga's new album titled Joanne. As a committed fan, I noticed that this album differed greatly compared with her past ones. She had quitted her usual dance-pop and tried country music for the first time, and her clothing had changed as well. Obviously, Lady Gaga was taking a huge professional risk. However, she was confident of the music she released, and the fresh image she adopted.

That got me thinking: Could I do something similar before I stepped on stage? My naturally shy and quiet personality was not exactly ideal for public speaking, so I thought about the features and the image I wanted my professional self to possess. I wore professional clothing and highlighted my features—bravery, grace, and self-assurance—through make-up.

When I walked into the exam room, I was pleased to discover that I had new-found confidence. Sure, I was still nervous, but I had an unfamiliar sense of calm as soon as I began my talk. I was able to reply to questions without the trembling voice, and I took ownership of the work I presented. Thanks to Lady Gaga, I now have a strategy that unlocks the key to my confidence.

A The truth is a different story. According to a new poll, Americans visited the library more often than they did other activities in their free time.

B On the contrary, libraries are free, and so are many of their services like Wi-Fi, in addition to the endless supply of books.

C Although it is not the only reason, cost appears to play a part. Activities at the bottom of the list such as visiting theme parks and zoos are typically expensive.

D Nowadays, people are given a wide range of entertainment options. As a result, visits to the library may seem like an old-fashioned activity.

E The poll surveyed 1025 adults throughout the United States who were asked how many times they participated in nine different pastimes, including visiting a library or attending a sporting event. Library visits came out on top as the favorite.

Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn't matter if the words come from ourselves or someone else. The positive and negative effects are just as lasting.

We all talk to ourselves sometimes.  In fact, we really shouldn't be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit. This "self-talk" helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative.

Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others.   And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. However, critical language may cause anger and defense.

  Many of us regret something we once said. We remember unkind words said to us as well. Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn't pass this test, then it's better left unsaid.

Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things.  The choice is ours.

A. How should I say it?

B. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal?

C. Generally people like positive and pleasant words.

D. We're usually too embarrassed to admit it, though.

E. Words possess power because of their lasting effect.

F. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak encouraging words to ourselves.

G. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange.