Drop-undead gorgeous

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#13
Date: 01/02/2009
From: Guardian

Drop-undead gorgeous
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/nov/16/twilight-essential-facts)

My Reactions:
This article talked about the introduction of the movie, “Twilight”. And recently my friend and I went to see that movie. It was a story about love between a vampire and a human girl, and the difficulties vampires and human beings would encounter when they wanted to be together. As a vampire, he had to protect his lover from other vampires’ attacks and he himself should tolerate his inner desire to suck his lover’s blood.

I think it is a cool film because without denying, the actor is so handsome and so charming. This movie makes girls all over the world be crazy, according to many English magazines. Because I was crazy about this movie, I read many reports related to it. And every of the reports all said the actor of the movie made the girls who had seen the movie fall in love with him. Now, the actor became so popular overnight just for acting as an affective vampire, and the result was he made every girl love him. He was even elected as the sexiest man of 2008.

In the movie, he just acted as a prince, so gentle, charming, considerate and handsome. Every girl thought him their prince charming. Many girls said on the magazines, “I would love to let him bite me!”Actually, when I finished seeing the movie, I also didn’t care if he bit me and wanted to be a vampire just as he was, so that we could be together forever. However, it was impossible. Alas! (268 words)

Junk Food County

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#12
Date: 12/26/2008
From: Newsweek

Junk Food County
(http://www.newsweek.com/id/76929)

My Reactions:
I think people may prefer to junk food rather than any other things, because they cannot get enough vegetables and fruit from the groceries near to their house. Because the junk food is sold everywhere and is also easy to get from any store, people will buy it if the vegetables and fruit are not available. I think it is a big problem and is needed to be solved as soon as possible. If people cannot get enough nutrition it may do damage to them, especially to the children. Only let children get enough nutrition can them grow up healthily. So, the adults should make good models to their children, not eating junk food and getting some healthy food to the children.

Speaking of junk food, it makes think of my daily life. Because I moved out of our house, I start to learn how to take care of my body. I think it’s hard for me to adapt living by myself because I have to notice what food to eat will benefit my body and always care about whether my ingestion of vegetables and fruit enough or not. Before, I didn’t have to worry about it. But now, I live alone outside so I have to notice what I eat every day. Maybe we cannot just eat some cookies or deserts for meals anymore. I need to pay more attention to my health because my parents said my complexion was not that good as before.(262 words)

Researchers put a microscope on food allergies

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#11
Date: 12/19/2008
From: International Herald Tribune

Researchers put a microscope on food allergies
(http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/09/healthscience/09allergies.php)

My Reactions:
Scientists nowadays still cannot get a clear picture about why people become allergic to something easily recently. The number of the people being allergic to something gets more and more. However, doctors don’t have the answer why it happens.

People nowadays seem more vulnerable to some normal things, such some kinds of fruits and nuts. And even lipstick can make a baby becoming allergic to it. It is horrible. Something we originally thought they had nothing to do with the allergy but now becoming to have much to do with the allergy. Why it happens? Everybody wants to know the answer.

People now are trying hard to find out why people get allergic so easily. They also did some tests and researches, just wanting to know the reason. If they really understand the secrets of allergy, they can help lots of people around the world. People in the world all are eager to get rid of allergy as soon as possible, because allergy really keeps annoying people for a very long time. If someone can save us from allergy, people will appreciate him so much.

I also have allergy. I am allergic to dust. Every time I go to some places with dirty air, I will feel mu nose itchy and have a running nose. It’s so uncomfortable and annoying. I hope the scientists will soon invent some special medicine to heal my allergy. (257 words)

New study tracks the transmissibility of happiness

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#10
Date: 12/12/2008
From: International Herald Tribune

New study tracks the transmissibility of happiness
(http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/04/healthscience/happy.php)

My Reactions:
After I read this article, I knew that one’s happy or not is not all about himself or herself. If people around him don’t be in good mood, he will maybe be influenced by them. So, it’s not the personal business to decide whether you are happy or not. Instead, a person’s happiness has much to do with others, or even some one he don’t know.

Teachers or books always tell us, “Only you can decide to be happy or not.” However, the research told us one’s happiness depends on many people. So, if our friends’ friends feel happy, we will be happy? And the answer is “Maybe”. Much to my surprise is that we may be influenced by people we don’t know. It’s so weird! I never met those people, but they had much to do with my mood and even influenced my life. So, happiness is not a personal thing.

So, after we read this article, we know if we want to help people, the easiest way is to make yourself happy. Because of if you are happy, your happiness can be spread by friends around you to your friends’ friends. And many people will be happy just because of you. And instead, if you feel unhappy, your bad mood will also influence other people’s mood. To make people and yourself feel fine, all you have to do is always be happy. This behavior not only help yourself, but also help others.(266 words)

A chatterer's guide to easing anxiety

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#9
Date: 12/05/2008
From: International Herald Tribune

A chatterer's guide to easing anxiety
(http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/27/travel/25flier.php)

My Reactions:
I think maybe it is an interesting way to talk to a stranger who sat around you. When the author traveled around, he met many kinds of people. To make his journeys more interesting, he always tries to make a conversation to who sits next to him. By so doing, he can acquaint with more people and know more different stories from others’ lives. Also, almost everyone made a conversation with the author, one became happier or felt more relaxed. So, the author can both make others and himself happier.

In western society, maybe these situations won’t be thought weird. However, in our eastern society, it may be thought strange to talk to a stranger at random. Maybe some people will think you are weird or you just want to sell them some products they are not willing to buy. I think most western people are passionate so you can just make a friendly conversation with them, but in Taiwan, I think it will be harder to find a stranger who really wants to talk to you friendly.

The differences may differ from areas. For example, people live in southern Taiwan are more passionate than those who live in northern Taiwan, and people live in southern Taiwan most are friendly. When you ask them for directions, they will tell you kindly. However, in northern Taiwan, some people will not be willing to tell you anything, even not to talk to you.

After I read this article, I realized the differences from country to country. If I have the chance to travel around, I must try to talk to people sit next to me just as the author always does.(300 words)

What happy people don't do

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#8
Date: 11/28/2008
From: International Herald Tribune

What happy people don't do
(http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/20/healthscience/20happy.php)

My Reactions:
According to this research, it seems that people who are happier spend less time on TV than those who are less happy do. By doing so, people who are happier have more time to socialize with other people, and by socializing with others, people will become happier during their conversations and their participation in many kinds of activities.

Maybe people feel happy when being with a lot of people having fun. If one just stays home all day watching TV then he will lose much time to make new friends or get along with his family members and friends. The research says that “Watching TV” is a single activity. It means that one can watch TV alone without anyone being around. Perhaps people become happier when they have friends around them.

If you want to feel happy, you should make yourself walk outside and enjoy yourself in the beauty of nature, my father tells me that. So when I feel depressed or sad, I always take a walk in the park or just run at the playground for a while, and I will feel better. If I feel unhappy and still make myself stay inside, I will feel I am almost suffocated. So, I have to go out and make myself inhale some fresh air then I feel delight.

So, I always think if people keep staying indoors for a long time, they will soon become unhappy, and all they should do is to go outside and try to feel the power of the beautiful nature.(276 words)

The thrift guide: How to stop shopping

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#7
Date: 11/21/2008
From: Guardian

The thrift guide: How to stop shopping
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/02/fashion)

My Reactions:
When I saw through the news titles on the Internet, this article soon caught my eye. I was always called “shopaholic” by anyone knew about me because I like to buy anything I want, whether it is really useful to me or not. I think maybe I just like the feeling when going shopping. So when I saw this article, I felt happy because I thought maybe it could teach me how to get rid of my desire to shop.
This article provides some tips for the readers to follow and by doing so, maybe the tips can help some people become more thrift and let them know how to save money. So after I read this article, I got more tips about how to stop myself from going shopping and I learned that even if I had to spend money, how I spend it more properly.
The article mentioned that if I want to save my money, I should not browse the online shopping website. It is very easy to stop online and the article ask me stop clicking or I will buy things again. It really corresponds with my recent situation because recently I bought many stuffs from Internet. And after I paid for what I bought, I found I would run out of my money! So, after that, I think I really have to learn how to use my money properly and learn hoe to save money.(260 words)

Warm Your Hands, Warm Your Outlook?

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#6
Date: 11/07/2008
From: National Geographic News

Warm Your Hands, Warm Your Outlook?
(http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/10/081023-warmth-coffee.html)
My Reactions:
According to this article, when people talk with others with some hot drinks in their hands, people are more friendly to get along with. I think the article is right. When I have some hot drinks in my hands, I feel warmer and I can make friends with stranger easily. I consider maybe it’s because that the hot drinks not only warm my hands but also warm my heart.
When I feel tired, my father always tells me drink or to eat something hot, and it can make me feel refreshed. When I feel upset or lonely, I seek something hot, because I think the hot feeling can really warm my heart, just like someone beside me.
I think that the feeling of heat makes people feel great is because the hot feelings are like people’s temperatures, and the hot feelings make people feel like someone is giving them a big hug or someone is with them and is giving them comfort. Many girls give each other a big hug when meeting some obstacles and something frustrating or unhappy. A warm hug really can cheer people up and can give people courage to face every challenge.
So, when there is no one can accompany you, you can just have a cup of hot tea or coffee, and I think it will make you feel much better.(247 Words)

Food allergies increasing in US kids, study says

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#5
Date: 10/31/2008
From: Newsweek

Food allergies increasing in US kids, study says
(http://www.newsweek.com/id/165087/page/1)

My Reactions:
I think it is a big problem. People don’t know the reason why it happened and also cannot find the way to treat it, but only children become more vulnerable from generation to generation. Maybe it is because people nowadays pay too much on their children and forbid them to eat this, forbid them to eat that; in the end, they become more and more vulnerable because they don’t have any chance to touch many things, maybe good, maybe bad, and the body do not know how to deal with it. And when the body meets something bad one day, children get sick easier.
One of my friends is allergic to shrimps. Whenever she eats some shrimps accidentally, she feels itchy everywhere of her body and her body swells. She told me that once her face swelled like a balloon and she even couldn’t see anything. I think it was very terrible and not feel good at all. I think I am so lucky because I don’t have allergies to any kind of food.
So, I think doctors should keep trying and do their best to find the reason why food allergies increase in US kids so fast. Not only in America, people all over the world have problems with food allergies, so if someone can think up some way to solve these problems, he can save a lot of people around the world. And we hope that day will come soon.(263 words)

Brain Region for Overcoming Fear, Anxiety Found

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#4
Date: 10/24/2008
From: International Herald Tribune

Brain Region for Overcoming Fear, Anxiety Found
(http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/07/080709-brain-fear.html)

My Reactions:
I think it would be a great discovery, because with this discovery, doctors can treat many sick people. Knowing which part of the brain controls the feeling of fear helps doctors choose which kind of medicine should be used. In so doing, it can help people recover from the disease more quickly and more efficiently, especially for soldiers who just came back from the battlefield. Many soldiers feel tense or have unsafe feelings toward everything because they think themselves still in the battlefield. And they may have difficulties in adapting the general lives and even cannot come back work, for they always feel they are in the dangerous situations. And with this new discovery, those people can accept useful treatments and after recovery, they live lives just like general people.
As for me, if this kind of medicine is really released, I want to try some. Because I am such a timid girl that I am afraid of many things, like darkness and ghosts, I want to take this medicine to cure my timidity. I consider maybe the medicine can help me not feel scared when being alone in the darkness or make me not too scared to sleep after seeing a scary movie. I think I really need the medicine to let me overcome my fear inside my mind. Although I know the fear in my mind only can be cured by myself, however, I just want to depend some medicine and make me feel better, if that really works.(273 words)

HIV spreads in China

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#3
Date: 10/17/2008
From: International Herald Tribune

HIV spreads in China
(http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/07/healthscience/aids.php)

My Reactions:
When hearing AIDS, people will feel uncomfortable for it has become one of the toughest diseases to deal with by doctors all around the world. It has taken uncountable lives from everywhere. People cannot be cured and what we can do is only to prevent ourselves from it. The spread of AIDS is quite fast, especially in the populated places.
In Taiwan, there are also many people infected with AIDS. Some are just babies who get AIDS from their mothers. They might not live long because they will easily die of some diseases that general people can recover soon by themselves but due to the AIDS, maybe they will just die of a slight cold.
Others are adults, and perhaps they used drugs with many people but only using one pinhead or maybe they are homosexual so they are infected with AIDS. Many people feel regretful while it is too late. All they could do now is to make their lives more meaningful and make themselves more happy. People around them also should help them, accompany them, and cheer for them. They are not scared and we have to makes friends with them.
However, we all still should protect ourselves well from AIDS. AIDS has become a big problem in every country in the world. Governments spend a lot of money every year to help people keep away from AIDS and to take care of the people infected with AIDS. So, we need to help us and others stay away from AIDS. (273 words)

In poverty and strife, Afghan women test limits

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#2
Date: 10/10/2008
From: International Herald Tribune

In poverty and strife, Afghan women test limits
(http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/06/asia/06bamian.php?page=1)

My Reactions:
I think that women living in conservative society are very poor because they don’t have any freedom to decide or choose what they want. They are deprived from accepting education and the freedom to choose who they want to marry. Women’s lives there are miserable. They are always forced to marry to someone they even never see before or have a under-age marriage. They often die when young because of the pregnancy. The life expectancy of women is only 45 years. Men there can live longer than women. However, in Taiwan, the situation is opposite.
It’s not fair at all. Women have done many things for men, but they cannot get anything in return. I think I am so lucky that we all live in a fairer country and we don’t have that much gender discrimination. We girls can choose what lives we want to live, what kinds of education we want to accept, opt what kinds of jobs we want to have, and select who we want to spend our rest lives with. We have much more freedom than those women do. And most important of all, we won’t be regarded as goods. In our country, regardless of men or women, we all will be looked upon as human beings. Everyone has the same importance.
After reading this article, I think that women should not look down upon themselves. Instead, they need try their best to do what they want and get what they desire for. Women should not still be housekeepers, and they should go out looking for jobs then working with men, helping each other. Only we find a balance between men and women can we together create a greater world .(308 words)

Smells Influence Dreams, Study Says

Name: Jane Liu (49712038)
Reaction Article#1
Date: 10/08/2008
From: National Geographic News

Smells Influence Dreams, Study Says
(http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/09/080923-smell-sleep.html)

My Reactions:
What you smell may influence emotions in your dreams, according to a new study.

In my opinion, I think that if it is true ,it would be a great news to everyone although the findings have not been published .If I get up with a positive dream at night ,I would feel happier and more confident in the morning-the beginning of a day .I think it is important to have a positive dream at night because if I do so, I would have a good mood in the morning then starting a new day with happiness .If so ,I would try my best to do everything I am afraid of originally .So, if everyone has a positive dream at night, I believe that everyone would feel the same as I do.

So, if smells can really influence dreams, people will all benefit from it. If one wants to have a good mood tomorrow, all he needs to do is smell some pleasant odor. And the truth is people all want to have a good mood ,so they will also smell some odors they like before sleep . If people feel happy ,they would work harder ,faster, and more efficient, and people would be more progressive ,so does the world. People would be more friendly because they all feel delightful for their sweet dreams. And it also can be used on patients of melancholia, maybe by this therapy, patients would think more positive and then recover from it.(267 words)