A unique laboratory at the University of Chicago is busy only at night．It is a dream laboratory where researchers are at work studying dreamers．Their findings have revealed that everyone dreams from three to seven times a night，although in ordinary life a person may remember none or only one of his dreams．
While the subjects-usually students-sleep，special machines record their brain waves and eye movements as well as the body movements that signal the end of a dream．Surprisingly，all subjects sleep soundly．
Observers report that a person usually fidgets before a dream．Once the dream has started，his body relaxes and his eyes become more active，as if the curtain had gone up on a show ．As soon as the machine indicates that the dream is over，a buzzer wakens the sleeper．He sits up，records his dream，and goes back to sleep-perhaps to dream some more．
Researchers have found that if the dreamer is wakened immediately after his dream，he can usually recall the entire dream．If he is allowed to sleep even five more minutes，his memory of the dream will have faded．
芝加哥大学的梦幻实验室
芝加哥大学的一座独特的实验室只在夜间忙碌。它是一座梦幻实验室，研究人员们在那里对做梦者进行研究。研究成果揭示：每个人一夜做梦3至7次，虽然在日常生活中，一个人对做过的梦可能全然没有记忆，或仅能记住个把而已。
当受实验者——通常是学生——睡眠时，特殊的机器不仅把预示梦将结束的身体动作记录下来，也把受实验者的脑波和眼睛的活动情况记录下来。说也奇怪，受实验者都睡得很香。
观察家们报告说，一个人在做梦前总是要翻身的。梦一开始，身体便呈放松状态，眼睛变得更为活跃，好像一场演出已经启幕一样。要是机器显示梦已结束，蜂音器便唤醒熟睡者。他坐起来，记下他的梦中情景，然后再入睡乡——也许去做更多的梦。
研究人员们发现，假如做梦者在梦后立即被唤醒，通常他能回忆起整个梦的内容；如果让他继续睡，即使只多睡5分钟，他对那梦的记忆也会消失。
A Giraffe That Did Not Believe in Himself
In Africa I heard a story about a giraffe that did not believe in himself．
The giraffe，s mother bad left him when he was a few days old because she couldn，t feed him． For three years he lived in the warden，s house and played with the children．Then he grew too large for the house．
The family decided that he should return to his fellows．They took him to join a herd of wild giraffes．
One look was enough for the giraffe，s small brain．He could not believe that such extraordinary animals existed．Or that he was one of them！He turned and bolted．
The family took him back several times．In the end they gave up．Now their giraffe lives by himself near the warden，s house．
一头不相信自己的长颈鹿
在非洲，我曾听到过关于一头不相信自己形体的长颈鹿的故事。
这头长颈鹿出生后没几天，母鹿因无法喂养它而离去。三年中，它一直住在管理人的家中并与管理人的孩子们一起玩耍。后来，它长得太大了，房子里再也容不下它了。
管理人一家决定让它回到它的伙伴中去。他们把它送到了一群野鹿之中。
这头长颈鹿只看了一眼，它那小小的头脑就受不了啦。它无法相信世上竟有这种异常动物，更难以相信自己还是其中的一员。于是它转身狂逃。
这家人把它送回去好几次，最后只好作罢。现在，他们饲养的这只长颈鹿独自生活在离他们家房子不远的地方。
A Greek to Remember
Diogenes was a famous Greek philosopher of the fourth century B.C.，who established the philosophy of cynicism.He often walked about in the daytime holding a lighted lantern，peering around as if he were looking for something.When auestioned about his odd behavior，he would reply，“I am searching for an honest man.”
Diogenes held that the good man was selfsufficient and did not require material comforts or wealth.He believed that wealth and possessions constrained humanity s natural state of freedom.In keeping with his philosophy，he was perefectly satisfied with making his home in a large tub discarded from the temple of Cybele，the goddess of nature. This earthen tub，called a pithos，and formerly been used for holding wine or oil for the sacrifices at the temple.
One day，Alexander the Great ，conqueror of half the civilized world，saw Diogenes sitting in this tub in the sunshine .So the king，surrounded by his countries，approached Diogenes and said，“I am Alexander the Great.”The philosopher replied rather contemptuously，“I am Diogenes，the Cynic.“Alexander then asked him if he could help him in any way.”
“Yes，“shot back Diogenes，”don，t stand between me and the sun.”A surprised Alexander then replied quickly，“If I were not Alexander，I would be Diogenes.”
记忆中的希腊人
提奥奇尼斯是公元前四世纪一位着名的希腊哲学家，就是他创立了犬儒派哲学。他经常在白天点着灯笼四处走动、张望，像是在找什 么东西似的。哪人们问起他这古怪行为时，他会回答说：“我正在寻找正人君子。”
提奥奇尼斯认为好人是自给自足的，不需要物质享受和财富。他认为财富、财产束缚了人们天生的自由状态。与他的哲学相一致，他拿一个从别人从自然之母的庙里丢弃的大坛作为自己的家，还对此万分满意。这个陶制的大坛叫做圣坛，过去在庙里是用来盛装祭祀用的酒和油的。
一天，征服了半个文明世界的亚历山大大帝看见提奥奇尼斯坐在大坛里晒太阳。于是这位君主在大臣们的簇拥下走过去，对提奥奇尼斯说：“我是亚历山大大帝。”哲学家相当傲慢地回答说：“我是提奥奇尼斯——犬儒学者。”然后亚历山大问他是否需要任何帮助。
“是的”，提奥奇尼斯驳回道，“别站在我和太阳之间。”大吃一惊的亚历山大继而迅速回答道：“假如我不是亚历山大，我就会是提奥奇斯。”
A Large Lake of Asphalt on the Island of Trinidad
At the village off La Brea，on the island of Trinidad，in the West Indies，is a large lake of asphalt called Pitch Lake．
The asphalt is hard and is dug out with a big scoop shovel or a pick，leaving a hole in the surface of the lake．Within a week or two the hole is filled with new asphalt that pushes up from below．The supply of asphalt seems to be endless．
An ancient legend explains how Pitch Lake came to be：Many centuries ago two Indian tribes fought a great battle．The victorious tribe built a village and held a victory celebration，They killed hundreds of beautiful hummingbirds，ate them，and used their feathers to decorate their clothing．The Great Spirit was so angered that the birds had been killed that he caused the entire village to sink into the earth．The crater where the village stood has been filled wish asphalt ever since．
特立尼达岛上的大沥青湖
在西印度群岛特立尼达岛上的拉布利亚村，有一个大沥青湖。
湖中的沥青很坚硬，用大勺铲或锄头挖出后，湖面上便留下了一个洞口。一两周内，洞又被地下涌出的沥青填满了。沥青的供应似乎是源源不断的。
一则古老的传说解释了沥青湖的来历：许多世纪以前，两个印地安人部落打了一次大仗，获胜的部落建立了一个村庄，并举行胜利庆典，他们杀死了数以百计的美丽的蜂鸟，吃了鸟肉，并且用鸟的羽毛装饰他们的衣裳；伟大的圣灵被这些蜂鸟惨遭杀害所震怒，便让全村沉入地下。从此，本是这村子原址的陷口便一直注满着沥青。
A Little Piece of Me
When he told me he was leaving I felt like a vase which has just smashed. There were pieces of me all over the tidy， tan tiles. He kept talking， telling me why he was leaving， explaining it was for the best， I could do better， it was his fault and not mine. I had heard it before many times and yet somehow was still not immune； perhaps one did not become immune to such felony.
He left and I tried to get on with my life. I filled the kettle and put it on to boil， I took out my old red mug and filled it with coffee watching as each coffee granule slipped in to the bone china. That was what my life had been like， endless omissions of coffee granules， somehow never managing to make that cup of coffee.