Itisageneralbeliefthatthemorebooksonereads,thebetteressaysonewrites.Toalargeextent,thisistrueandcorrect.Ifoneneverreadsandlearnsfromothers,onewillnotbeabletowriteatall,letaloneconveyelegantly.However,whenwetakethisissueafurtherstep,wewillrealizethat"reading"isindeedanextremelyloosewordtodescribeourlearningefforts:1)Onecanreadalotofbooks.However,ifhefailstolearnwhyandhowabookiswritten,forwhatandfor...[
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Thelifeofatypicalbloggerisoftenfilledwithperiodsofrelativeinactivityfollowedbysomepredictedandunforeseeablerushes.
Beforeachildreacheshisschoolage,healmosthastimetoburn.Nexthegoestoprimaryschool,wheremakingnewfriendsanddoingdailyhomeworkoccupymuchofhistime.However,hehasmuchtolookforduringwinterandsummerholidays.
Thenhegetstothenextlevelofschooling,whereparent'sexpectationsandintensecompeti...[
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HavingwatchedlotsofTVandreadmanybooks,My11yodaughteroftensays"Americaisafreecountry,andparentsshouldnotdemandtheirchildrentodothisandthat".Issheright,orissheperhapsbeingmisguidedbywhatshehearsandreads?[
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WhileAustraliaisabigcountrybasedonlandmass,itistinyintermsofpopulationsizeandworkopportunity.AftercompletingmyPhD,Irealizedthatjobmarketformyspecialtywasalmostnon-existentinbigcities.Somyattentionturnedtosmallerpopulationcenterswherethemoreexperiencedorbetterqualifiedwouldnotbewillingtorelocate.Afterattendinganinterviewforaresearchscientistpositioninaregionalresearchinstitutelocated200milesoffabig...[
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AfterfinishingmyPhDstudyinAustralia,Ihandedinmythesisandwaitedaroundfortheexaminers'finaldecision.Withoutmuchtodo,Idecidedtolookforapayingjobtohelppasstime.Ifirstwenttotheuniversitycareerservicecenter,andnoticedafour-monthclerkvacancyinthehighereducationadmissioncenter.Themainresponsibilityofthispositionwastohelpuniversitiesandcollegesmatchandfindprospectivestudentsafterfinalentranceexams.Iwentfor...[
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MyFather
Todayisthe31anniversaryofmyfather'spassing-awayday.Ihavealwayswantedtowritesomethingaboutmyfathersincethatunforgettableday31yearsago,andnowIfinallyhavetheopportunitytodoso.Myfatherwasbornintoabigpeasantfamilyin1923insouthernChina.Hehadthreebrothersandtwosisters.Asaresultofhardworkbyhimandhisbrothers,myfather’sfamilybecamerelativelywelloffin1949,andhadachievedalower-middle-farmer’saf...[
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TheyearwhenIwasborn,ChinawasridinghighinitsGreat-Leap-ForwardMovement,whichwascharacterizedbygreatadvancesinindustrialdevelopmentattheexpenseofotherareassuchasagricultureandeducation.Withthecentralgovernmentsingle-mindedlyencouragingsteelproduction,thewholecountrywasengagedinbuildingfurnaceandmakingrawsteelthroughmeltedhouse-holdfryingpansandwoks.Astellingtruthhadbecomeunfashionable,peopleincharge...[
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WhenIturned7,itwastimetoattendschool.Onmyfirstday,myfathertookmetotheprimaryschoolspecificallyrunforthechildrenoftungstenminersandsupportingstaff.Infrontoftheschoolprincipal,Iwasaskedtocount1-20.Ididthat,andthenIwasofftotheclass.Inthefirstthefewdays,Ididnotknowmyteacher’sname,butrememberedtheteacherhadafewredstripesalonghisneck,possiblyresultingfromatraditionaltreatmentforheatstroke.ThefirstsongI...[
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Inearly1982,asapostgraduatepreparingtogooverseas,IspentafewmonthsinBeijingLanguageInstitute(BLI)toundertakefurthertraininginEnglish.ThefacilitytherewasmuchbetterthanIhadinmyundergraduatecollege.Iwasevenprovidedapersonaltaperecorder,whichwasimportedfromRomania.Thismachinewassomewhatunsophisticated,asitdidnothaveanauto-stopfunction.Wheneveryouforgottoturnoffattheendoftape,itsmotorwouldkeepturningand...[
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Uponpassingthe1977collegeentranceexam,Ireceivedanenrolmentnoticefromacollegewithacourse/majorthatwasnotwhatIoriginallyappliedfor.Iacceptedtheoffernevertheless,asIcouldnotaffordtowaitforanotheryearwhilestayinginthecountrysideasafarmer.Followingmyarrivalatthecollege,Irealizedthatmyundergraduatecoursewastrulynotmycupoftea,sothatIbegantothinkaboutwhatIwoulddoaftergraduation.Consideringmyinterestinlang...[
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