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　　In today's world of cell phones, mini laptops and MP3 players, most people have at least one time-telling tool with them．Since these devices are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, yes．New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is "an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function．" Many young adults agree－and use their cell phones to tell time．Louis Galie, a senior vice president at Timex, said that fewer young people wear watches today than five years ago．As a result, some people claim that the watch industry is at a crossroads．

　　However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches regain popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s．By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality timepiece that doesn't just keep good time．Fifty years ago, watchmakers boasted(自夸)about their products' accuracy．But in recent years, the watch industry has transformed itself into an accessory(附件，配件)business．And for many today, the image(外形)a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells．

　　"Complications"－features that go beyond simple timekeeping－are an important part of a watch's image．Today's watches offer a host of features that suit almost any personality．These features include altitude trackers(追踪器), compasses(指南针), lunar calendars, USB drives, and even devices that measure the effectiveness of golf swings!

　　Creativity is also a key element in today's watches．For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don't even look like watches．The company's popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell the time．It looks more like a futuristic bracelet(手镯)than a watch．Another Japanese watchmaker, EleeNo, makes a "handless" watch．Using a ring of circles to keep time, this watch makes an excellent conversation piece．

　　Whether a watch communicates fashion sense, creative flair or a love of sports, consumers want their timepieces to stand out．Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what's on their wrists(手腕)．Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!

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　　Americans are proud of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general．Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?

　　Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian(百姓的)clothes．People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform．The television repairman who wears a uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes．Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic(技工)is increased by a uniform．What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity(身份)than to step out of uniform?

　　Uniforms also have many practical benefits．They save on other clothes．They save on laundry(洗衣店)bills．They are tax-deductible(可减税的)．They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes．

　　Primary(主要的)among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them．Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement．When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least．

　　Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems．Though they are long-lasting, often their initial(最初的)expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes．Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain(维持, 维护), requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering(洗涤)possible with many types of civilian clothes．

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　　Phys ed(physical education)is making a comeback as a part of the school core curriculum(核心课程)，but with a difference．While group sports are still part of the curriculum, the new way is to teach skills that are useful beyond gym class．Instead of learning how to climb a rope, children are taught to lift weights, balance their diets and build physical endurance(忍耐力)．In this way，kids are given the tools and skills and experiences so they can lead a physically active life for the rest of their life．

　　Considering that 15 percent of American children aged 6 to 18 are overweight, supporters say more money and thought must be put into phys ed curriculum．In many cases, that may mean not just replacing the old gym-class model with fitness programs but also starting up phys ed programs because school boards often "put P．E．on the chopping block(砧板), cutting it entirely or decreasing its teachers or the days it is offered，" says Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, the executive director of Action for Health Kids．The difference in phys ed programs is partly due to the lack of a national standard．"Physical education needs to be part of the core curriculum，" she added．

　　The wisdom of the new approach has some scientific support．Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have showed how effective the fit-for-life model of gym class can be．They observed how 50 overweight children lost more weight when they cycled and skied cross-country(越野)than when they played sports．The researchers also found that teaching sports like football resulted in less overall movement, partly because some reluctant(不情愿的)students were able to sit on the bench．

　　Another problem with simply teaching group sports in gym class is that only a small percentage of students continue playing them after graduating from high school．The new method teaches skills that translate to adulthood．

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　　Last year, I lived in Chile for half a year．I lived with a Chilean family and had the responsibilities of any Chilean teenager．I had good days and bad days I didn’t understand．

　　Chuquicamata, my host community, is a mining camp．When I arrived there, I was scared．It was so different from what I was used to．There were lots of dogs on the streets, and there was no downtown, few smoothly paved streets, and little to do for entertainment．Rain was not seen very often, earthquakes and windstorms were frequent．

　　I had studied Spanish for two and a half years and was always one of the best students in my class．But in my first week in Chile I was only able to communicate and needed one person to whom I could explain my shock．I couldn’t speak the thoughts in my head and there were so many．

　　Most exchange students experience this like me．Culture shock presents itself in everything from increased aggression(敌对心理)towards the people to lack of appetite(食欲)．I was required to overcome all difficulties．

　　As time passed, everything changed．I began to forget words in English and to dream in Spanish and love Chilean food．I got used to not depending on expensive things for fun．Fun in Chuquicamata was being with people．And I took math, physics, chemistry, biology, Spanish, art, and philosophy．

　　But the sacrifices were nothing compared to the gain．I learned how to accept and to succeed in another culture．I now have a deeper understanding of both myself and others．

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　　Edward Wilson is America's, if not the world's, leading naturalist．In The Future of Life, he takes us on a tour of the world's natural resources．How are they used?What has been lost?What remains and is it able to continue with the present speed of use?Wilson also points out the need to understand fully the biodiversity(生物多样性)of our earth．

　　Wilson begins with an open letter to the pioneer in environment protection, Henry David Thoreau．He compares today's Walden Pond with that of Thoreau's day．Wilson will use such comparisons for the rest of the book．The problem is clear：man has done great damage to his home over the years．Can the earth, with human help, be made to return to biodiversity levels that will be able to support us in the future?

　　Biodiversity, Wilson argues, is the key to settling many problems the earth faces today．Even our agricultural crops can gain advantages from it．A mere hundred species are the basis of our food supply, of which but twenty carry the load．Wilson suggests changing this situation by looking into ten thousand species that could be made use of, which will be a way to reduce the clearing of the natural homes of plants and animals to enlarge farming areas．

　　At the end of the book, Wilson discusses the importance of human values in considering the environment．If you are to continue to live on the earth, you may well read and act on the ideas in this book．

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Holidays

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　　It is often necessary to release a fish, that is, set it free after catching, because it is too small, or you just don't want to take it home to eat．In some cases, releasing fish is a good measure that will help keep fish variety and build their population size．The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries(DGIF)encourages fishermen who practice catch-and-release fishing to use a few simple skills when doing so．The advice provided below will help make sure that the fish you release will survive to bite again another day．

　　－When catching a fish, play it quickly and keep the fish in the water as much as possible．

　　Don't' use a net in landing the fish and release it quickly to prevent it from dying．

　　－Hold the fish gently．Do not put your fingers in its eyes．Don't wipe the scales(鱼鳞)off the fish because it might cause it to develop a disease and reduce its chance of survival．

　　－Remove your hook quickly．If the hook is too deep or hooked in the stomach, cut the line and leave the hook in．The hook left inside will cause no serious problem to the fish．

　　－Take good care of the fish by moving it gently in water．Release the fish when it begins to struggle and is able to swim．

　　－Do not hold fish in a bucket or some other containers and later decide to release it．If you are going to release a fish, do so right away．

　　With a little care and by following the suggestions given above, you can give the released fish a better chance of survival．

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　　More than 10 years ago, it was difficult to buy a tasty pineapple．The fruits that made it to the UK were green on the outside and, more often than not, hard with an unpleasant taste within．Then in 1966, the Del Monte Gold pineapple produced in Hawaii first hit our shelves．

　　The new type of pineapple looked more yellowy-gold than green．It was slightly softer on the outside and had a lot of juice inside．But the most important thing about this new type of pineapple was that it was twice as sweet as the hit-and-miss pineapples we had known．In no time, the Del Monte Gold took the market by storm, rapidly becoming the world's best-selling pineapple variety, and delivering natural levels of sweetness in the mouth, up until then only found in tinned pineapple．

　　In nutrition it was all good news too．This nice tasting pineapple contained four times more vitamin C than the old green variety．Nutritionists said that it was not only full of vitamins, but also good against some diseases．People were understandably eager to be able to buy this wonderful fruit．The new type of pineapple was selling fast, and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a fixture in the shopping basket of the healthy eater．

　　Seeing the growing market for its winning pineapple, Del Monte tried to keep market to itself．But other fruit companies developed similar pineapples．Del Monte turned to law for help, but failed．Those companies argued successfully that Del Monte's attempts to keep the golden pineapple for itself were just a way to knock them out of the market．

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　　Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson, Arizona．He moved there a few years ago, and I was eager to see his new place and meet his friends．

　　My earliest memories of my father are a tall, handsome, successful man devoted to his work and his family, but uncomfortable with his children．As a child I loved him．He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A's and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as “successful” as he was．Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard．

　　On the first day of my visit, we went out with one of my father's friends for lunch at an outdoor café．We talked along that afternoon, did some shopping, ate on the street table, and laughed over my son's funny facial expressions．Gone was my father's critical air and strict rules．Who was this person I knew as my father, who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around?What had held him back before?

　　The next day dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood．Although our times together became easier over the years, I never felt closer to him at that moment．After so many years, I'm at last seeing another side of my father．And in so doing, I'm delighted with my new friend．My dad, in his new home in Arizona, is back to me from where he was．

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　　Burn rate is the speed at which a startup business consumes money．My rate was ＄75,000 a month．Four months after my company was set up, I had only a quarter of the starting capital left in the bank．

　　Looking for guidance, I went to talk to my friend, Arthur Walworth about my new venture．“Times of great change always bring out the risk-takers,” he said．“And they leave winners and losers．My grandfather invested a lot of money in a project of Thomas Edison' s that ended up in failure．”

　　I was lost in thought at the notion(an idea or belief about something)of a Thomas Edison project ending in failure．Damn．It could happen to anybody!I must continue．

　　At that time CD-ROM sales had bombed, so investors were fleeing from the field．I didn't turn away from mine entirely, but instead linked it to the internet．

　　My plan was to offer consumers descriptions of home-design products by using a special software and let them modify the designs．Then we can enable them to get online professional and constructional help to have their houses built, decorated and furnished according to their own choice．

　　To realize my plan I needed investors, so I continued to meet regularly with venture capitalists．One said I had a great idea．But I needed to test it．Get the money somewhere．To get this money from a venture capitalist is going to cost my wife and my children!He turned down my request．

　　Wife?Children?I hardly remembered them．

　　I was working nonstop－struggling to turn the key in the lock, to find the right way ahead．The pressure was terrible．It was just at this time that my parents and sisters stepped up．Two hundred thousand dollars．A lot of money to them, invested in this crazy son and brother without a moment's hesitation．Dad and Mom had driven out from Chicago and seen the passion in my little office and the trouble at home．

　　With their help my company survived and has been prospering ever since．