Advantages of School Uniforms

Many public school systems across the country are instituting school uniforms in an effort to improve overall school performance and to reduce negative behavior. Standardized school clothing has become a heated national debate. 【小题1】.

Cost

In some cases, the use of school uniforms is more affordable to families because there is not as much pressure as to buy expensive, trendy clothing. 【小题2】. After the initial cost of buying uniforms, there is no need to spend more money on clothing.

Behavioral Outcomes

【小题3】. They believe that uniforms form a stricter atmosphere and that students who wear uniforms are more likely to follow school rules. The US Department of Education maintains that the mandatory（强制的）use of standardized dress reduces violence within the school.

【小题4】

Many educators believe that students who wear school uniforms perform better academically in school. Students are often so focused on their clothes that they distract themselves from learning. Many parents find that their children spend a great deal of time planning and choosing their daily clothing and that uniforms allow students to use this period of time to study.

Social Outcomes

【小题5】. Some experts believe that school uniforms improve the social outcomes in a school environment as well. People sometimes judge others by their clothing. Children are often laughed at by other children because of the way they dress. Many children use clothing to express and define themselves. School uniforms relieve students from the pressure to fit in.

   How to be successful in school

Success in school is based on your grades as well as the friends you make. Be attentive in class and raise your hand to answer questions. Most students in school are successful, but some aren’t. 【小题1】

Remember you are in school to learn. Study more about the stuff you are learning. 【小题2】 To start with, ask your mom or your dad to give you some questions about what you’re learning. If any is wrong, try to redo it. If you get high grades you will be able to get a scholarship (奖学金) to any college of your choice. Even if you are not planning to go to college, a good high school report card will get you a better job.

【小题3】 A true smile brings out your kind quality! Give them honest praise when you talk to them. Show them you are interested in making friends with them. Do not talk about others, do not gossip, but be helpful to others if they need you.

Be polite at all times. 【小题4】 How you act in high school is also showed on your high school records. These records remain with you forever and could be the difference between becoming highly successful and unsuccessful.

Be sociable. Study is important, but don’t forget your friends because of it. 【小题5】 If you are always busy whenever your friends want to chat with you, it will be a huge warning sign.

   Researchers are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert in the human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people’s depression, physical activity, and life satisfaction. “No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated (刺激), ”Edwards points out. “The problem is how we promote that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution.”

In the study, the robotic dogs, called AIBO, are placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activities before and after AIBO being placed. Then, the researchers will study the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.

“I talk to it all the time, and it responds (回应) to my voice,” says a seventy-year-old lady. “When I’m watching TV, it’ll stay in my arms until it wants to go down. It has a mind of its own.”

The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.

“At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog because it is metal and not furry,” Beck says. “But it’s amazing how quickly we have given up that belief.”

“Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more valuable health helper. They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people’s minds.”

   Everyone struggles writing. 【小题1】 Writing is hard. All writers struggle at some point. And even if writing has come easily for you, at some point in your work as a student ,eventually you're going to hit a roadblock（路障）. 【小题2】 When the writing was going well, what was happening? When the writing wasn't going well, what was happening?

 【小题3】 Most people's negative writing experiences happened because of some specific requirements like an exact length. They focus on and worry about what the final product has to look like, like how many pages for a research essay, or if it is in the second or third language, or grammar, like whether it gets communicated in the right language.

Another problem can arise when the need to do well on a paper is extremely important, like a timed essay exam, or a college application essay, or a research paper at the end of the term, and it's tied to the entire grade for the class. So worrying about what will happen if they don't do well- get bad grades, or don’t get into college - creates anxiety.  【小题4】

Try to move to more positive projects. Usually when writing comes easily, the writers feel they have something important to say. 【小题5】 What personal understanding of the subject can you bring to your paper? Why is this subject important? For whom is it meaningful? Who will be reading it? What is it that you really want to say to readers? Those thoughts can cause writing's change for all writers.