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　　What most people don’t realize is that wealth isn’t the same as income．If you make $1 million a year and spend $1 million, you’re not getting wealthier: you’re just living high．Wealth is what you accumulate(get together), not what you spend．

　　How do you become wealthy?There, too, most people have it wrong．It’s rarely luck or inheritance or even intelligence that builds fortunes．Wealth is more often the necessary and natural result of a person’s hard work, determination, perseverance and most of all, self- discipline．

　　The most successful accumulators of wealth spend less than they can on houses, cars, vacations and entertainment．Why?Because these things offer little or no return．The wealthy would rather put their money into investments or their businesses．It’s an attitude．

　　The best wealth-builders pay careful attention to their money and seek professional advice．Those who spend heavily on cars, boats and houses, I’ve found, tend to skimp(spend little)on investment advice．Those who skimp on the luxuries are usually more willing to pay top dollar for good legal and financial advice．

　　The self-made rich develop clear goals for their money．They may wish to retire early, or they may want to leave some concrete possessions to their children．The goals are different, but two things are consistent: they have a dollar figure in minds．The amount they want to save by age 50, perhaps?And they work hard toward that goal．One thing may surprise you．If you make wealth---not just income---your goal, the luxury house you’ve been dreaming about won’t seem so attractive．You’ll have the attitude．

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　　Nowadays more and more foreign enterprises and companies are no longer relying on interviews for employment．Years of studying interviewing have made clear that it is not a very objective process．Personnel officers often hire the person they like best, or even the one they think most physically attractive．Looking good is no guarantee of doing the job well, however．Uglies or those who are aesthetically(审美地)challenged, lose heart．

　　To get a more objective view, many companies are also using psychological tests to hire both for relatively routine jobs and for positions at senior levels of management．It is impossible to say how many employers use tests, but estimates of test sales in the UK for 1993 were over 1 million．

　　The basic reason employers use tests is clear: tests claim to be scientific and objective．A large body of research has shown that interviews by themselves are not very reliable as a method of selection．People’s judgements are often very subjective: whether they like the look of someone counts for more than almost anything else．But reliable and valid tests can offer rapid and more objective information about a would-be employee．If a candidate talks well in an interview but his test results suggest that he is a careless person who cannot concentrate, an employer is likely to think twice about hiring him．

　　Taking a serious test for a job is rather different from taking a game-like test．You can spend just a little in answering questions of that kind of test, and you deny the answers and say they are not accurate．But you cannot go to a serious test without enough preparation since you can not afford to be denied and removed again and again．

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　　Generations of children who sat through endless lessons of“chalk and talk”in front of a bossy teacher can take some relief．But the“chalk and talk”method helped them achieve better exam results．Modern classroom techniques may make school days a good deal happier, but contentment(满足)is not the road to success in examinations, according to university researchers．

　　Their three-year study, monitoring the progress of 2,000 teenagers, tried to measure the influence of the“boredom factor”in 17 selected schools in the north of England．The researchers also found that the old-fashioned approach of teachers ordering pupils about is still alive and producing results．Their conclusions were welcomed yesterday by educationists who were worried by the shift to less formal lessons．

　　The pupils in the latest study were asked to award teachers marks to measure how frequently they followed or ignored today’s fashion for“child-centred”education．A five-point scale was given to spot the teachers who always told them what they should know and what to write down．“It was significant and not something you would get by chance or accident．Certainly, when you compare the pupil’s interest and attitude to school, there is a quite definite and highly significant difference,”one of the researchers said．But the rankings were turned upside down when the team of four researchers looked at how the children did in examination．The sort of methods now frowned upon(不赞同)actually improve the final grades．

　　The researchers said,“There is nothing wrong with old-fashioned, didactic(说教性的)teaching in the right place, even if it isn’t the favor at the moment．However,”they insisted,“the best teachers had always mixed the two techniques to match the needs of pupils, although certain examinations forced some to concentrate more on dictation and learning by rote(死记硬背)．”

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　　I made a pledge(誓言)to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage．For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father．Totally loving．No ifs, ands or buts．

　　The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio．The speaker was quoting a biblical(圣经的)passage about husbands being thoughtful of their wives．Then he went on to say,“Love is an act of will．A person can choose to love．”To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband．Well, for two weeks that would change．

　　And it did．Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said,“That new yellow sweater looks great on you．”

　　“Oh, Tom, you noticed,”she said, surprised and pleased．Maybe a little puzzled．

　　After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read．Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach．I started to refuse, but then I thought,“Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me．”We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites．

　　So it went．Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums．Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed．I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love．

　　There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however．Evelyn and I still laugh about it today．On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression．

　　“What’s the matter?”I asked her．

　　“Tom,”she said in a voice filled with distress(悲痛),“do you know something I don’t?”

　　“What do you mean?”

　　“Well…that checkup I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me?Tom, you’ve been so good to me…Am I dying?”

It took a moment for it all to sink in．Then I burst out laughing．

　　“No, honey,”I said, wrapping her in my arms．“You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live．”

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　　In the 18th century New York was smaller than Philadelphia and Boston．Today it is the largest city in America．How can the change in its size and importance be explained?

　　To answer this question we must consider certain facts about geography, history and economies．Together these three will explain the huge growth of America’s most famous city．

　　The map of the Northeast shows that four of the most heavily populated areas in this region are around seaports．At these points materials from across the sea enter the United States, and the products of the land are sent there for export across the sea．

　　Economists know that places where transportation lines meet are good places for making raw material into finished goods．That is why seaports often have cities nearby．But cities like New York needed more than their geographical location in order to become great industrial centers．Their development did not happen simply by chance．

　　About 1815, when many Americans from the east coast had already moved toward the west, trade routes from the ports to the central regions of the country began to be a serious problem．The slow wagon of that time, drawn by horses or oxen, were too expensive for moving heavy freight(货运)very far．Americans had admitted Europe’s canals．In New York State a canal seemed the best solution to the transportation problem．From the eastern end of Lake Erie all the way across the state to the Hudson River there is a long trip of low land．Here the Erie Canal was constructed．After several years of work it was completed in 1825．

　　The canal produced an immediate effect．Freight costs were cut to about one –tenth of what they had been．New York City, which had been smaller than Philadelphia and Boston, quickly became the leading city of the coast．In the years that followed, transportation routes on the Great Lakes were joined to routes on the Mississippi River．Then New York City became the end point of a great inland shipping system that extended from the Atlantic Ocean far up the western branches of the Mississippi．

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　　Dr Wiseman started“the laugh lab”project in September 2001．It is the largest study of humour．Participants(参加者)are invited to log on to the laugh lab website, give a few personal details, tell their favourite jokes and judge the jokes told by other people．

　　The project will last for a year, and the organizers hope to finally discover the world’s funniest joke．But there is also a serious purpose．The researches want to know what people from different nations and cultures find funny．And they want to find out the differences between the male and female sense of humour．The idea is that if we want to understand each other, we have to find out what makes us laugh．

　　This is a subject that has long interested psychologists(心理学家)and philosophers(哲学家)．Most of the time, people are not completely honest．We do things that society expects us to and say things that help us get what we want．But laughing cannot be controlled．When we laugh, we tell the truth about ourselves．By December 2001 over 10, 000 jokes had been submitted．This gave the scientists enough evidence(证据)to make early conclusions．It seems that men and women do have different senses of humour, for instance．

　　“Our findings show the major differences in the ways in which males and females use humour,"said Dr．Wiseman．“Males use humour to appear superior(优越)to others, while women are more skilled in languages and prefer word play．”

　　Researchers also found that there really is such a thing as a national sense of humour．The British enjoy what is usually called"toilet humour”．But the French like their jokes short and sharp："You’re a high priced lawyer．Will you answer two questions for $500?”“Yes．What’s the second question?”

　　The Germans are famous for not having a sense of humour．But the survey found that German participants were more likely to find submitted jokes funny than any other nationality．Perhaps that proves the point．Is this joke funny?I don’t know, but let’s say yes, just to be safe．

　　Dr Wiseman and his workmates also submitted jokes created by computer．But none of those who took part in the survey found any of them amusing．Perhaps this is relief．Computers already seem like they can do everything．At least they should leave the funny stuff to us．

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　　Road research experts, puzzled by“motorway madness”, are to make an attempt to discover why drivers continue to take deadly risks in mist and fog．Studies of motorway accidents have given us surprising fact that 98% of drivers ignore all warning of coming danger, particularly fog．

　　After two years of computerized research into driving and crashes, Dr Peter Lewis, a lecturer at Birmingham University Department of Transportation, says：“the positive fright of a crash appears to be the only thing that will make a driver more careful．”

　　His findings agree with those of experts in the Department of the Environment, who have persuaded R．John Gilbert, Minister of Transport, to give the right to the latest of a series of projects to stop the killer resulting from many crashed on motorways．

　　Next month, a 5000-pound American automatic speed-recording machine that photographs vehicle exceeding a set speed will be installed on a stretch of the M4 near Reading．The machine, called Orb is takes a photograph of the vehicle and its number plate, and records its speed, the time and the date．It can record up to 900 vehicles an hour in a 24-hour period．

　　Similar machines are used in Germany and the USA as speed traps, but Dr Gilbert is determined that Orb is will be used only for experiment by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory．

　　Dr Gilbert said last week,"We shall use the machine to identify drivers who drive fast in fog．"The department will then write to them and invited them to complete a questionnaire and perhaps take part in some physical tests．He added,"One of the most interesting aspects of the research so far is that some motorists can see better than others in fog．”

　　It is already known that the driver who can see best is not necessarily the fastest, but a well-sighted driver frequently gathers behind him a group of vehicles whose drivers are madly trying to keep his tail lights in view, despite the advice which states,"Don’t hang on to someone else’s tail light．It gives a false sense of security．”

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　　Throughout history soldiers have fought bloody battles in order to control the high ground．There is no doubt that this is a tactical(战术的)necessity．Standing above your enemy is an advantage that often leads to victory．

　　Nowadays, high ground does not just mean hill-tops．It also means space, which has become an increasingly important part of military strategy(军事战略)．

　　With its more advanced satellite technologies, America is the major power in space．And now the US Air Force has put into service a new weapon designed to jam enemy satellite communications．It is an important step toward US control of space．

　　The so-called Counter Communications System(反卫星通信系统)was declared operational on November 1．The ground-based system uses electromagnetic radio frequencies(无线电磁波)to stop enemy satellites working on a short-term basis．

　　“A short-term effect ensures that during the time of need, the enemy’s space-based capability(能力)is reduced,"said a US military official．“Following the time of need, their capabilities can return to its original state．”

　　The system is made up of an antenna(天线), transmitters(发射机)and receivers and can be easily transported around in a vehicle．

　　To control space was one of four aims of a national space policy started by former president Bill Clinton in 1996．The goal is to make sure US forces can rely on space-based services and to deny an enemy any similar benefits．

　　The US military has experimented with several"anti-satellite"weapons, including lasers, to destroy or damage enemy units．

　　Theresa Hitchens, vice president of the Center for Defence Information in Washington, welcomed the new system as long as it does not create rubbish that could threaten global use of space．She believed it should not destroy satellites, only stop them working for a while．

　　Unfortunately, it seems that we are not going to limit our goal for'space control'to non-violent systems,"she said, raising the danger of a space arms race．

　　To change the balance of power in space the EU and China are working together on the Galileo project．By 2008 the system will be in place as an alternative to the Americans'global positioning service．

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　　As a youngster, there was nothing I liked better than Sunday afternoons at my grandfather’s farm in western Pennsylvania．Surrounded by miles of winding stone walls, the house and field provided endless hours of fun for a city kid like me．I used to tidy living rooms that seemed to whisper,“Not to be touched!”

　　I can still remember one afternoon when I was eight years old．Since my first visit to the farm, I had wanted more than anything to be allowed to climb the stone walls surrounding the houses．My parents would never approve．The walls were old；some stones were missing, others loose and falling．Still, my idea to climb across those walls grew so strong that finally, one spring afternoon, I had all my courage to enter the living room, where the adults had gathered after Sunday dinner．

　　“I, uh-I want to climb the stone walls,"I said．Everyone looked up．“Can I climb the stone walls?”Immediately voices of disagreement went up from the women in the room．“Heavens, no!You’ll hurt yourself!”I wasn’t too disappointed；the response was just as I’d expected．But before I could leave the room, I was stopped by my grandfather’s loud voice．“Now hold on just a minute,"I heard him say．“Let the boy climb the stone walls．He has to learn to do things for himself．”

　　“Go,"he said to me,"and come and see me when you get back．"For the next two and a half hours I climbed those old walls-and had the time of my life．Later I met with my grandfather to tell him about my adventures．I’ll never forget what he said．“Fred,”he said, smiling,“You made this day a special day just by being yourself．Always remember, there’s only one person in this whole world like you, and I like you exactly as you are．”

　　Many years have passed since then, and today I host the television program Mister Rogers'Neighborhood, seen by millions of children throughout America．There have been changes over the years, but one thing remains the same：my message to children at the end of almost every visit．“There’s only one person in this whole world like you．”the kids can count on hearing me say,“and people can like you exactly as you are．”

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　　How many people have I met who have told me about the book they have been planning to write but have never yet found the time too many．

　　This is Life, all right, but we do treat it like a rehearsal(排演)and, unhappily, we do miss so many of its best moments．

　　We take jobs to stay alive and provide homes for our families always making ourselves believe that this style of life is merely a temporary state of affairs along the road to what we really want to do．Then, at 60 or 65, we are suddenly presented with a clock and several grandchildren and we look back and realize that all those years waiting for Real Life to come along were in fact real life．

　　In America they have a saying much laughed at by the English：“Have a nice day”they speak slowly and seriously in their shops, hotels and sandwich bars．I think it is a wonderful phrase, reminding us, in effect, to enjoy the moment：to value this very day．

　　How often do we say to ourselves, "I'll take up horse-riding(or golf, or sailing)as soon as I get a higher position," only to do none of those things when I do get the higher position．

　　When I first became a reporter I knew a man who gave up a very well paid respectable job at the Daily Telegraph to go and edit a small weekly newspaper．At the time I was astonished by what appeared to me to be his completely abnormal(反常的)mental state．How could anyone turn his back on Fleet Street in central London for a small local area？I wanted to know．

　　Now I am a little older and possibly wiser, I see the sense in it．In Fleet Street the man was under continual pressure．He lived in an unattractive London suburb and he spent much of his life sitting on Southern Region trains．

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