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However, over the next few days, it turned out that we needed more than a chair and a bucket which were not quite comfortable. Donna decided we needed a bench. After dismissing unsuitable options from local stores, she found a perfect one online. The next day it arrived. Excitedly, she opened the box and started putting it together. We proudly high-fived each other as the pieces joined up and the bench started to look like one. After a few minutes' assistance from a neighbour, it was complete. What's more, it was the perfect fit for two 70-somethings to carry on late afternoon chats.

Soon, the bench attracted other neighbors. One day, someone called out from the sidewalk, "What do you do on that bench?" Quick-thinking Donna called back, "It's our ‘Thinking Bench'! We think about important things happening in our lives." Then, the name gradually evolved—after one neighbor sat alone deep in thought, he declared it a "Decision-Making Bench"; another time, when Donna was caught napping, she insisted she was "meditating (冥想)", adding yet another name.

Last fall, with the temperature falling, we came to the end of sitting outdoors. Were we faced with one dilemma-what to do about it in the winter? Well, we sat down and thought and meditated and decided to put it in Donna's garage for the winter.

When I glimpsed it a few times over the next months, the bench sat lonely, holding empty flower pots and some flat, old boxes. But now, after a long winter, spring flowers are ready to bloom in the warm sunshine, and we neighbours are ready to welcome "The Bench" back into our lives.

For most scientists, however, nature gives out something more—the ideas to improve people's life. They study bees to work out how small robots might "talk" to report the weather. They look at geckos' (壁虎的) feet to find how to make tape. They study fruit flies to help doctors save people's lives.

"There are so many fun ways that animals develop to solve problems, and some of them are ones we never think of," says Lisa Manning, a professor of the bioinspired (生物启发的) center. Zhenyu Gan is a robot engineer in the center. He makes robots with four legs or more, instead of robots with wheels.

To find out how legged robots could stand or walk, Gan looks to animals such as horses and mice. "The first thing we have to understand is how they move." Gan says.

"Usually, robots with two legs like people are clumsy. Just think about how a baby learns to stand and walk. But my robots have four legs or more, just like horses, making the robots walk or run easily and fast." says Gan.

Gan's robots have lots of uses. They can explore the moon. Hospitals use doglike robots to work with doctors. Police use legged robots to search fallen buildings for missing people.

First, knowing your strengths is key. Think about your skills, hobbies and past experiences—like volunteer work or school projects. For example, if you're good at communicating with others, jobs in customer service or education might be a good fit. Second, prepare a clear resume. A resume should briefly introduce your personal information, skills and experiences. Avoid long paragraphs; keep it simple and easy to read. Third, practice for interviews. Many employers ask common questions like "Why do you want this job?" or "What can you bring to our company?" Practicing answers with friends or family helps you feel more confident.

Remember, job hunting often takes time. Don't get discouraged if you don't get an offer right away. Learn from each experience—if you don't get a job, think about what you can improve next time. Being honest and polite during the process also leaves a good impression on employers.

I've seen people like me who just2 their situation. You can3 your whole life saying "It's too hard. I'm not going to do it," or "I'll start tomorrow."

But the good news is, six months is4 to turn your life around for the better.

A few years ago, I went to see one of my teachers in college, thinking I had a couple of courses left5 I graduated. It turned out that I had nine courses left.

I just wanted to6 on getting my degree (学位). But then a friend of mine said, "Well, you can either complain about your courses or you can get them done."

I took more7 than I ever had, and within six months I was finished.

After graduating, I didn't have the experience to get an incredible (极好的)8 right away.

Six months of volunteering got me the references (推荐信) I needed to change that. And a few months at a low-paying job got me into a second job that was much better.

Some people may have thought, "I don't want to waste my time volunteering—it won't9 me out." But the truth is, even just six months of volunteering can make a10—not only in others' lives, but in ours.

The bottom line is this: six months isn't that long, but it's long enough to make some incredible changes.

In just half a year, you can change your whole life.

—________.

—________. And ________.