ans The causes of sleep deprivation in America: a nation of walking zombies When we operate a machine, we need to make sure that all of its parts are in good working order so that it will function efficiently. If we are careless, the machine will break down when we least expect it, The same can be said about the most complex of machines, the human body. When the body is sleep-deprived, it is ike @ car running on a haif-empty gas tank. Peopie usually do not know when their bodies will run out of fuel — and the results can be disastrous. In fact, sleep deprivation has caused tragedy: it is the second leading cause of all car accidents in the United States. At least one-third of Americans sleep only six of the seven to eight hours that sleep specialists say is needed each night. According to James Maas, a sicep specialist, this situation has created “a nation of walking zombies’. If people siept eight nours, they wouid be less drowsy, they wouid be more aiert and productive at work. and they wouid have more creative and joyful lives. In addition, they would have fewer accidents, making the world a safer piace for us all. We clearly need to sieep more and educate people about the thrse majcr causes of sleep deprivation: modem technology, insomnia, and sleep apnea. In our society, sleep deprivation has developed along with advances in technology and our longer schedules. Before the invention of the light bulb, people woke when the sun rose and went to sleep when the sun set. Today the division between daytime and nighttime is less clear” Because people can work at night with the help of artificial light,‘daytime is no longer the only time when people can be awake and productive.’Many people lead sleepy lives*because they work nighe site at places such as hospitals and factories. in the past two iiddecades. the computer, the fax machine, and the ceil phone have extended our schedules around the cick. In adcitioncur lives are filled with complex cbligations both on the job and in the family *and sleep seems to be the first thing we sacrifice when we have too much to co. Although millions of years cf biological evolution indicate that nighttime is a time fer rest, many of us simply ignore the rules of the naturai sieep cycle. In addition to technology. insomnia causes sleep deprivation. Insomnia is the Psychological inability to fall or stay asleep. insomnia can be divided into two categories: short-term insomnia, which is temporary, and long-term insomnia, which is a chronic condition.*People who suffer from stress due to a problem at home or pressure et work often “develop short-term insomnia.*People can have short-term insomnia also as a result cf environmental factors, such as living in a noisy environment. or from habits like drinking too much coffee and taking stimulants. On the other hand, people develop long-term insomnia from a chronic condition, such as a clinical depression. The third major cause of’sleep deprivation is @ physical problem rather than a psychological one.°Approximately 20 million Americans suffer sleep apnea. which is the most ‘common physical disorder that prevent people from getting a good night's rest. Sleep aonea creates an obstruction in the nose or throat that stops the sleeper from breathing fer several seconds.*The sleeper gasps for air to keep from choking and, therefore, rarely enjoys 2 deep sleep. Sleep apnea results in snoring — the most familiar symptom of this disorder. Only recently have scientists realized that ‘shoring is not only an individual's annoying slesp behaviour, but a sign of his or her difficulty in breathing and an indicaticn that medical attention is needed. Most Americans regard sleeping as a waste of time. This is the attitude that sleep specialists are trying to change. Many people are still unaware of the restorative power of ‘sleep, Although not everything is known about sleep, doctors believe that it is essential for our physical and mental well-being. We need to reduce sleep deprivation, which is caused by 24-hour schedules, insomnia, and sisep apnea, because one person's sicepiness can result in the next person's tragedy. Sacrifice a vb wos (x pure MW — lager lee? jowarly fe, thee Janda tomy / esd ¢ srvobs of sleep yy jreme, prewar a7) la : ‘ed Wonk oft abe “gt? sh ape BSPCulture Shock Moving to a new country can be an exciting experience. In a new environment, you somehow feel more alive: seeing new sights, eating new food, hearing the foreign sounds of a new language, and feeling a different climate against your skin stimulate your senses as never before. Soon, however, this sensory bombardment becomes sensory overload. Suddenly, new experiences seem stressful rather than stimulating, and delight turns into discomfort, This 1s the phenomencn known as culture shock. Culture shock is more than jet lag or homesickness, and it affects nearly everyone who enters a new culture — tourists, business travelers, diplomats, and students alike. Although not everyone experiences culture shock in exactly the same way, many experts agree that it has roughly five stages. In the first stage you are excited by your new environment. You experience some simple difficulties such as trying to use the telephone or the public transportation, but you consider these small challenges that you can quickly overcome. Your feelings about the new culture are Positive, So you are eager to make contact with people and to try new foods Sooner or later, differences in behaviour and customs become more noticeable to you. This is the second stage of culture shock. Because you do not know the social customs of the new culture, you may find it difficult to make friends. For instance, you do not understand how to make “small talk’, so itis hard to carry on a casual, get-acquainted conversation. One day in the cafeteria, you overhear a conversation. You understand all the words, but you do not understand the meaning. Why is everyone laughing? Are they laughing at you or at some joke that you did not understand. Also, you are not always sure how to act while shopping. Is this store seif- service, or should you wait for a clerk to assist you? If you buy a sweater in a wrong size, can you exchange it? These are not minor challenges; they are major frustrations. In the third stage, you no longer have positive feelings about the new culture. You feel that you have made a mistake in coming here. Making friends has not been easy, so you begin to feel lonely and isolated. Now you want to be with familiar people and eat familiar food. You begin to spend most of your free time with people from your home country, and you eat in restaurants that serve your native food. In fact, food becomes an obsession, and you spend a lot of time planning, shopping for, and cooking food from home. You know that you are in the fourth stage of culture shock when you have negative feelings about almost everything. In this stage, you actively reject the new culture. You become critical, suspicious, and irritable. You believe that people are unfriendly, that your landlord is trying to cheat you, that other people do not like you, and that the food is making you sick. In fact, you may actually develop stomachaches, headaches, sleeplessness, lethargy, or other physical symptoms. Finally, you reach the fifth stage. As your language skills improve, you begin to have ‘some success in meeting people and in negotiating situations. You are able to exchange the sweater that was too small, and you can successfully chat about the weather with a stranger on the bus. Your self-confidence grows. After realizing that you cannot change your surroundings, you begin to accept the differences and tolerate them. For example, the food will never be astasty as the food in your home country, but you are now able to eat and even to enjoy many dishes. You may not like the way some people in your host country dress or behave in public, but you do not regard their clothes and behaviour as wrong — just different Concluding paragraph A To sum up, culture shock is a very real phenomenon that has been studied for more than 30 years by psychologists and anthropologists. Its five phases are (1) postive feelings towards the new culture, (2) awareness of small differences, (3) growing discomfort and need for contact with home culture, (4) negative feelings, and (5) acceptance and adjustment. Symptoms may vary, and not all people experience all fivé phases. In the end, however, people who suffer culture shock are stronger from having overcome the difficulties and frustrations of edapting to life in a new land Concluding paragraph B In conclusion, nearly everyone moving to a new country feels some degree of culture shock. ‘Symptoms may vary, and not all people experience ail five stages. Newcomers with a strong support group may feel at home immediately in the new culture, while cthers may take months to feel comfortable. Staying in touch with friends and family, keeping a positive attitude, and, above all, learning the language as soon as possible are ways to overcome the difficuties and frustrations of adapting to life in a new land.Education in the East and the West “Americans have often asked me why I came from Taiwan to study in the United States, They expect me to say something like “to learn English’. However, tome, coming here to study involves more then just learning, Zt involves the opportunity to experience completely different educational system. Becouse T have studied in both countries, I have seen several areas in which education in Taiwan and education in the United States are different. students expectations in the classroom in Taiwan are different from those in the United States. Generally speaking, Taiwanese students are quieter and participate Tees in class. They are not encouraged to express their ideas unless asked. They are taught thet asking teachers a question is seen as a challenge to the teacher's authority. There is little emphasis on developing student creativity and thinking skills. Students are expected to memorize everything they are assigned. However, in the United States the curriculum emphasizes individuel thinking, group discussion, and self-expression. Unlike their Taiwonese counterparts, American students cre encouraged to ask questions, express their own opinions, ond think for themselves. In addition, there is a great disparity in the educational gocls of Taiwanese and “Amerigan schools. After twelve yeors of compulsory education, Toiwanese students have to pass an entrance exam in order to get into a university. The higher students score on this test, the better the university they can enter. Toiwanese culture puts a strong emphasis on university admission, becouse getting into the right university con guarantee future success. AS a result, schools often “teach to the test", instead of providing more moral, socicl, and physical education. In contrast, the goals of the vAmericon educational system include tecching students how to learn and helping them reach their maximum potential. American teachers give their students the freedom to think and solve problems on their own: they do not merely prepore students to answer questions for an entrance exam. The last obvious difference between the two countries’ educational system is the role of extracurricular activities such as sports programs and special interest clubs. Even though every Taiwanese school claims that it pays equal attention to moral, intellectucl, and physical education, the real focus is on passing the university admission exam. Little emphasis is placed on activities cutside of the classroom. Teachers can even borrow time from extracurricular activities to give students more practice in the areas where they have weaknesses. On the other hand, American educational institutionsconsider the development of social and interpersonal skills as important as the development of intellectuel skills. Tt is believed that by participating in these outside activities, students can demonstrate their special talents, level of maturity, ond leadership qualities. Education is vital to everyone's future success. While it may take ten years to grow a tree, a sound educational system may take twice as long to take root. Although ‘Taiwan and the United States have different educational systems, both countries have the same ultimate goal: to educate their citizens as well as they can. This goal can be reached only if people take advantage of all the educational opportunities given to them. That is why I came to the United States to study, grow, and become a better person.Native American Influences on Modern U.S. Culture When the first Europeans came to the North American continent, they encountered the completely new cultures of the Native American peoples of North America. Native Americans, who had highly developed cultures in many respects, must have been as curious about the strange European manners and customs as the Europeans were curious about them. As always happens when two or more cultures come into contact, there was a cultural exchange. Native \ First of all, Native Americans left a permanent mark on the English language. The early English-speaking settlers borrowed from several different Native American languages words for Places in this new land, All across the country are cities, towns, rivers, and states with Native ‘American names. For example, the states of Delaware, lowa, Illinois, and Alabama are named after Native American tribes, as are the cities of Chicago, Miami and Spokane. in addition to place names, English adopted from various Native American languages the words for animals and plants found in the Americas. Moose, skunk, tobacco and squash are just a few examples. Although the vocabulary of English that shows the most Native American influence, itis Not the only area of U.S. culture that has been shaped by Native Americans. ‘Artis another area ‘of important Native American contributions. Wool rugs woven by women of the Navajo tribe in Arizona and New Mexico are highly valued works of art in the United States. Native American jewelry made form silver and turquoise is also very popular and very expensive. Especially in the westem and southwestem regions of the United States, native crafts such as pottery, leather Products, and beadwork can be found in many homes. Indeed, native art and handicrafts are a treasured part of U.S. culture. |n addition to language and art"agriculture”is another ‘area in Which’ Native Americans had @ great and lasting influence on the people who arrived from Europe, Africa, and Asia. Being skilled farmers, the Native Americans taught the newcomers many things about farming techniques and crops. Every U.S. schoolchild has heard the ‘story of how Native Americans taught the first settlers to place a dead fish in a planting hole to provide fertilizer for the growing plant. Furthermore, they taught the settlers irrigation methods and crop rotation. Many of the foods people in the United States eat today were introduced to the Europeans by Native Americans. For example, com and chocolate were unknown in Europe. Now they are st staples in the US. diet, ‘ seine eR oes were Finally, it may surprise some people to leam that citizens of the United States : “indebted to the native pe le for their form of govemment. The Iroquois, who were an extremely large tribe with many branches called “nations”, had developed a highly sophisticated system of government to settle disputes that arose between the various branches. Five of the nations had joined together in a confederation called “The League of the Iroquois". Under the league, each nation was autonomous in running its own intemal affairs, but the nations acted as a unit when dealing with outsiders. The League kept the Iroquois from fighting among themselves and was also valuable in diplomatic relations with other tribes. When the 13 colonies were considering batawhat kind of government to establish after they had won their independence from Britain, someone suggested that they use a system similar to that of the League of the Iroquois. Under this system, each colony or future state would be autonomous in managing its own affairs but would join forces with the other states to deals with matters that concemed them all. This is exactly what happened. As a result, the present form of goverment of the United States can be traces directly back to a Native American model. In conclusion, we can easily see from these few examples the extent of Native American influence on our language, our art forms, our eating habits, and our govemment. The people of the United States are deeply indebted to Native Americans for their contributions to U.S. culture.Effects of computers on higher education People have always created conveniences to make life easier. One such modem invention is the computer, which has improved many aspects of our lives. One example is in the field of education. (Therefore / Becalisé 6) Compulér tectinology, higher education’ today hs three major conveniences: ace variety, easy researc, and time-saving writing. Orfimportant effect of computer technology on higher education is the availabilty of lectures. (For this reason / As a result of) the development of computer networks, we can access lectures from many universities in real time, We are now able to sit down in front of a digital screen and listen to a lecture being given at another university. In addition, by utilizing interactive media, we can question the lecturer and exchange opinions with other students via e-mail. Such computerized lectures give us access to knowledge that Previously we did not have. (For this reason / Because), we can learn from professors in specialized fields, regardless of where they are teaching, ‘The development of computers also makes it possible for us to have access to more information via the Intemet and databases. (Since / Consequently), when we research a topic, we don't necessarily have to go to the library to find information because the computer has many resources. It is easy to use the Internet and databases since all we have to do is type in a few key words and wait 8 few moments. In addition, we can do. this research at home, making it convenient for busy students. On*miore effect of computer technology on higher education is time-Saving Writing (techniques. E-mail assignments are becoming more common at universities. (As @ result / Due to), the assignments are much quicker and easier to finish than before, When itis, time to hand in our assigned papers or homework, we simply send them via e-mail to our professors. This method is beneficial for students and convenient for teachers, who won't risk losing their students’ work in a mountain of papers. Another time-saving device is the word processor. (Thus / Because of) improved word-processing programmes, we have the added benefit of spell-chécking and grammar-checking programmes. If we type & grammatically incorrect sentence, one of these programmes highlights the incorrect parts of the sentence and corrects them. In addition, without using a dictionary, we ean write Papers that have no spelling mistakes. (Since /As_a result of) these two functions, e-mail ‘and word processing, both teachers and students can save a great deal of time. Te computer technology has three main positive effects on higher educate een, easy research, and time-saving writing. (Because /Because of the advent of computers in education, we can advance our knowledge and save precious time. Academic life wil never be the same!Why do we lie? As little children, most of us were taught the virtue of honesty from fairy tales and other stories. The story of chio, who begins life as a puppet, teaches us the importance of telling the uth viho lied by crying “wolf” too many times lost all his sheep as well as the trust of his fellow villagers. In the story of young George Washington, who lied about cutting down the cherry tree, we learn that he earns his father’s pride only when he admits what he has done. Even though we know that “honesty is the best policy”, why do we often lie in our everyday lives? The fact is that we lie for many reasons. , We sometimes lie to minimize our mistakes. While it is true that we all make isle — blunders sometimes, some of us do not have the courage to admit them because we might be blamed for the errors. For example, students might lie to their teachers about - unfinished homework. They might say that they left the work at home when, in fact, they did not even do the work. These students do not want to seem irresponsible, so they make up an excuse - a lie - to save face. Another reason we lie is to get out of situations that we do not want to be in. If we just do not want to attend a family meeting early on Saturday morning we might give this excuse: “I have been fighting off a cold all week, and I need to steep on Saturday morning, but | will be sure to attend the next meeting.” We lie because we believe that telling the ~ truth will cause problems. We may feel an obligation to maintain good relations with our relatives. When we do not know how to say no and face whatever problems that may cause, we often use lies to avoid difficulties. However, lies are not always negative; in fact, two kinds of lies can yield positive results. The first is commonly referred to as a “white lie”. We tell lies when we do not want to hurt other people’s feelings. For example, if a good friend shows up with an unflattering new haircut, we could be truthful and say: “That haircut looks awful. It does not suit you at all!” Instead, we are more likely to tie and say: “I like your haircut. It Looks geod on you,” and spare our friend’s feelings. The second kind of positive lie is the “protective lie”. This one can help us get out of or avoid dangerous situations. Parents often teach their children to use this kind of tie. For example, parents tell their children not to say that they are home alone if they receive phone calls from strangers. In this situation, lying can prevent harm or disaster. People lie for many reasons, both good and bad. However, before we resort to lying to cover up mistakes or to avoid unpleasant situations, perhaps we should rethink our motives for lying. We never know when our lies might be exposed and cause us ‘embarrassment or the loss of people's trust.