Our Brain

The brain has two sides, the left side which control logical and rational thinking, and the right side which is more dominant in artistic activities which require imagination.

Psychologists believe that most of us have a lot creative ability, but often we don’t use it because our daily lives are dominated by the organized, analytical left side of brain. And this is particularly true at school where much more time and emphasis is given to left brain activities such as art and music.

What’s more, even when we do activities which are more successful using the right side of brain, we often use the left side instead. An example of this drawing. Many people try to identify the thing they are drawing, e.g. an eye or a nose, and then copy their idea or what an eye or a nose looks like. In other words, they draw what they know and not what they see. This is an example of left brain thinking and the result is usually very childlike.

However, you can switch off the left side of the brain when you are drawing by using the following technique, invented by Betty Edwards, who has written a book about learning to draw the right side of the brain.

( sources : True to Life Personal Workbook for Intermediate Cambridge Press)

Bath

Relaxing in warm bath is one of the best things in life. The Roman Emperor, Gordian had four or five baths a day.

Napoleon Bonaparte used to take very hot baths in the middle of the night, which horrified his doctor. But many people are bath-lovers, lying in the bath long after the washing is finished. When they get out of the bath, they feel relaxed and very much better.

One reasons why that is your body ‘floats’ in water, so your muscles can relax. A hot bath can lower the blood pressure too. But very hot water isn’t so relaxing; in fact, it makes your heart beat faster, and it can take thirty minutes for the body to get back to normal.

Craig Sharp, of the British Olympic Medical Center, says that baths and showers are good for tired muscles, and they make athletes recover from fatigue more quickly.

Sharp did an experiment to see how athletes feel in the different circumstances. He did three different tests:

1. Some athletes went for a run, and then had a cool shower.
2. Some athletes went for a run, but had no shower afterwards.
3. Some athletes had no run, but had a shower.

The best feeling was clearly created by the run followed by a cool shower. But to everyone’s surprise, a shower alone was superior to a run without a shower. The feeling of cool water on the skin is enough; it seems, to create a gentle feeling of euphoria.

But, it seems, the ritual of bathing is important in our territorial instincts. People like to bathe when they move into a new house, or even a hotel room. Or is it just that we are tired, and need the bath to relax us?

(sources : True to Life Personal Workbook for Intermediate Cambridge Press)

Attention From a Gentleman to a Lady

If a lady wishes to go further in her acquaintance with a gentleman she must make the first advance, and he must be ready at all times to meet such advances. If he meets the lady in the street, he should wait for her to bow and then take off his hat. If she stops to speak to him, he must never keep her standing, but must walk with her in the direction in which she is going. If he is riding at the time he must dismount and walk with her. The practice of walking arm in arm in the street is now out of date, but in a crowd it would be right for a gentleman to offer his arm to lady, or go before her to clear the way of her.

A gentleman must always raise his hat when a lady bows to him, even he does not remember who she is.

It is correct for a gentleman to stand up when a lady enters the room, and remain standing until she is seated. He must also stand up when she leaves the room, and should open the door for her. This rule should be observed whether the lady is known to the gentleman or not. A gentleman should follow a lady on going up or downstairs; but he must precede her on alighting from carriage or public vehicle.

A gentleman does not force his attention upon a lady. If she shows by her manner that his presence is not agreeable, he should withdraw at once. On the other hand, it is not etiquette for a gentleman to leave a lady abruptly just because she is bored with his company. He must wait for an opportunity to withdraw without hurting her feelings.

(sources : true to life personal workbook for intermediate Cambridge Press)