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Devi had never been to a swimming lesson in her life. But now that her mother had found a new job in the city, Devi faced a new 1 —school field trips to the local pool.

The first time Devi went with her class to the pool, she had no 2  what she was in for. Devi 3  into the water and held onto the side of the pool, expecting to be able to touch the 4  with her feet. But when Devi 5  the side of the pool, she sank under the water. Devi soon 6  the cement ledge (水泥平台) to prevent herself drowning. Then, seized by 7 , she just sat on a bench, too embarrassed to try again.

When she came home, her mother 8 right away that Devi was upset. "Honey, I made a call to the local pool, and you start lessons this weekend." Devi felt 9 that lessons would help, but she had to 10 her fear.

11 , when the time came to take her first lesson, Devi was even more embarrassed than before. "I'm 13, and I'm taking lessons with all little kids! This is 12 !"

When she was standing there, her 13 came over and said, "Hi, Devi! I'm Angela. You know what, I didn't learn to swim until I was 20, and now I'm a swimming teacher!"

Angela's words put Devi 14 . She couldn't help but smile, realizing that she might never be a fearless swimmer, but she would sure have fun 15 .

The chicken or the egg—which came first? It's probably one of the most commonly cited paradoxes—a chicken hatches from an egg, so the egg came first, right? The two ideas seem contradictory, and that's exactly what a paradox is—a problem that seemingly has no definitive solution and can't be logically solved.

How can work be flexible but maintain structure? How can we switch off if we're working from home? Two contrasting ideas could cause people stress, but what if we accept the contradiction and change the way we look at it? This is what some experts call the'paradox mindset'.

A paradox consists of two realities that exist at the same time—even though that seems impossible.  For example, embracing change may lead to burn-out, while embracing stability may lead to boredom. Some experts have found the acceptance of both realities and a willingness to embrace them can improve both creativity and productivity by allowing you to navigate a path through the contradictions.  Consider Einstein. The theory of relativity was born out of the paradox that something could be moving and stationary at the same time, depending on perspective.

So, having a'paradox mindset' and accepting the bigger picture may help you better understand problems. It could also make you happier knowing that contradictions exist. As a result, it may lead you to improving your productivity and creativity.

A. But then what laid the egg?

B. However, some say the chicken came first as it laid the egg.

C. If it worked for Einstein, maybe it could be good for you too.

D. And paradoxes don't just exist in philosophical debates but also in our daily lives.

E. Studies have found that the application of a paradox can bring enormous benefits. 

F. If you embrace just one of those realities and ignore the other, it can cause problems.

G. A 1996 study of geniuses found those thinkers spent time considering opposites.

Expecting the worst to avoid feeling bad later is known as "bracing". It may help people prepare for emotionally challenging situations, particularly in the moments before these situations occur. People brace for the worst while waiting for potentially negative outcomes. Someone might also brace for the worst in anticipation of stressful events like giving a presentation at work.

Some psychological theories suggest that bracing should help. For example, "decision affect theory" proposes that how we feel about a situation is determined partly by comparing what actually happened with what could have happened. Based on this, people should be happy when an event goes beyond their expectations, and disappointed when an event falls behind. Therefore, by anticipating the worst, one can safeguard themselves against future disappointment, as any result is likely to surpass their expectations.

But other psychological theories undermine the idea that bracing will be helpful. It has been theorized and scientifically established—that expectations can powerfully influence reality. There are two key ways that expectations can shape reality.

First, people may behave in ways that fit with their expectations. If you expect to fail an upcoming test or interview, then you might not invest efforts in preparation, which in turn reduces your chances of doing well. Second, people may interpret a situation in line with their expectations. Imagine you believe you are insufficiently qualified for a job you've applied for. During the job interview, you're likely to interpret blank expressions from the interviewer in line with this belief, which could negatively affect your performance. In fact, the interviewer did not want to give anything away.

Drawing together the scientific studies, it seems that expecting the worst is anything but a wise way to prepare for upcoming news or results. It might be better to hold positive expectations than to brace for the worst.

Honking cars, blasting stereos, babbling neighbors: consider it all part of the symphony that plays daily on New York City streets. Everyone knows the city is loud, and politicians have waged a long, losing war against noise. Now they have a new weapon: noise cameras.

The cameras, which are paired with a sound meter to detect noise of at least 85 decibels (分贝) from a source 50 ft or more away, have recently been fixed on certain streets in Manhattan's wealthy Upper West Side. It's part of a program run by the city's department of environmental protection.

It's not just New York City. Knoxville, Tennessee; Miami; and sections of California are working with the UK-based company SoundVue to add noise detectors on streets. SoundVue is owned by Intelligent Instruments Ltd, and Reuben Peckham, a director, said the baseline infraction (违规) of 85 decibels that the cameras register is "similar to the noise level from a lawn mower at the operator's position".

Peckham said the basic structure uses a microphone and algorithm (算法) to detect noise, and then logs the offender's license plate.

Erica Walker studies the relationship between community noise and health. She believes most noise comes from poor city planning rather than individual bad actions, and that noise cameras are merely Band-Aids for a more systemic issue. "I just think noise cameras are a very lazy and superficial (表面的) solution," she said. "A better noise mitigation (缓解) strategy should be a pro-peace perspective, where everyone has to come to the table and agree to a solution, rather than the city just shutting down the acoustical (声音的) culture of a community."

According to Audrey Amsellem, a lecturer at Columbia University, "the regulation of noise had more to do with the identity of the noisemaker than the sound itself." She also expressed concern about the surveillance (监视) capabilities of noise cameras. "Once these devices are fixed, they rarely come down," she said. "These are AI-driven, meaning capabilities can be added over time. We know that noise cameras are equipped with—at least—sensors and cameras. What other kind of data, apart from traffic noise, can they gather? Does this present a privacy risk for residents of the city?" 【The Guardian (October 5,2023)】

Elephants are endangered animals because of efforts to hunt them for their ivory tusks. Selling ivory has been illegal for more than 30 years worldwide. So, 17-year-old Anika Puri was astonished to see a market filled with rows of ivory jewelry and statues on her visit to India 4 years ago.

Curious, Anika did some research and discovered a shocking statistic: Africa's forest elephant populations declined by about 62 percent between 2002 and 2011. Years later, the numbers continue to drop. As a wildlife lover, Anika wanted to do something to help protect the animals still threatened by illegal hunting.

"Drones (无人机) are currently used to detect and capture images of hunters, but they are hot that accurate," Anika explained. However, after watching videos of elephants and humans, she saw how the two differed in their movements and speed. She realized she could use it to "increase the detection accuracy of potential illegal hunters".

Over the next two years, Anika worked on inventing a software, which can classify a figure as either an elephant or a human based on the speed, group size, how it turns and other patterns in videos.

The software is four times more accurate than existing detection methods and is much cheaper. It uses a $250 camera that plugs into a smart phone, which is then attached to a drone. The camera records thermal infrared (红外线的) videos using heat, not visible light. This allows the device to produce real-time inferences as it flies over parks as to whether objects below are humans or elephants, no matter in daylight or at night.

"Research isn't a straight line or a smooth sailing," Anika said. "It has made me more resourceful. It also helped me develop into a more innovative thinker. I have learned a lot along the way."

Shy Parents, Shy Children—Parent workshop Series

The workshop is designed for shy parents of shy children, with the unique emphasis on teaching specific methods of building your child's self—respect and social comfort level, while at the same time building your own. Participants are chosen before being admitted to the workshop to help make sure the workshop is a good fit for your needs.

Where: Karman Executive Center, Bellevue, Washington

When: From 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, from November 8th to 12th

Fee: $435

Shake Your Shyness: Intensive Weekend

The workshop is intended to meet the needs of adults who are unable to attend the Parent Workshop Series due to distance or scheduling limits. It'll help you learn the basic skills that help overcome shyness. Be prepared to come to class early and set aside time for homework on Saturday night.

Where: Karman Executive Center, Bellevue, Washington 

When: Saturdays & Sundays in spring

Fee: $1,150

Parenting the Shy Child

Shy children need our help. In this class, we'll cover the basics—the origins of shyness, methods of overcoming shyness, social skills you can teach in your home, and tips for working with teachers to help your child fit in at school, etc.

Where: Karman Executive Center, Bellevue, Washington

When: From 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, from November 16th to 18th

Fee: $95

Overcoming Shyness: Skills-Training for Adolescents: Workshop

This is a special class for adolescents designed to teach social skills shy people are afraid to use. We'll cover everything from how to start conversations with strangers to ways to calm your nerves when you do. You'll learn what makes some people more popular than others and simple things you can do to feel more like you fit it.

Where: Karman Executive Center, Bellevue, Washington

When: From 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm, on December 18th

Fee: $75