Look on the Bright Side (2)

Positive versus negative

It seems strange to think that a state of mind can have such effects. But there are a couple reasons why a positive attitude is better than a negative one. Negative emotions are good for giving us focus on tasks, such as running from danger, for example. Positive emotions, however, open us up to a world of possibilities and aid skill-building. The broader results of positive thinking naturally last longer as well.

Strategies for positivity
A positive attitude comes easier for some than others because it’s an inherited characteristic. Still, anyone can try a few things to bring out the positive:

Reframing: See positives through negatives, such as being glad the subway is cheap even when crowded.

Distance: When making a big decision, act like you’re giving a friend advice.

Smile: Real or not, smiles are shown to decrease heart rate and blood pressure.

In the end, a positive attitude requires not only positive thinking but also positive action.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Names of Rapid Transit Systems 教學主題: 大眾捷運系統的稱呼
If you live in a large city, chances are your city has a mass rapid transit system. In Taipei we call it, the MRT for short. But depending on the city, such a system may go by different names.

That’s right; a common name for a rapid transit system is subway. The New York City subway is one of the most famous subways in the world.

But the word subway initially means an underground path, so if you’re referring to a rapid transit system that is built above ground, and then it wouldn’t really qualify as a subway.

And that’s probably why Chicago’s transit system is called the L, which is short for elevated. A big part of Chicago’s L system is above ground, elevated over the roads.

Another common name for rapid transit system is metro, the rapid transit systems in Washington D.C., Paris, Moscow, are all called the Metro.

And finally there’s the London underground. Now being underground, this transit system does qualify as a subway, but most locals just call it the Tube.

Language Lab
versus preposition
used to indicate the two people, teams, etc., that are fighting or competing against each other or that are opposed to each other in a legal case
- The article is a thorough study of private schools versus public schools.
- Tomorrow's game is France versus Germany.
— abbreviation vs., v.
- The Italy vs. Brazil game was well-matched.

naturally adv.
used to describe something that happens or exists by itself without being controlled or changed by someone
- After the company merged, lay-offs came naturally.
in a way that is relaxed and normal
- Models need to know how to pose naturally in front of different kinds of people.
natural adj.
- natural reaction

strategy n.
a planned series of actions for achieving something:
- We need to develop new marketing strategies to increase our sales.
strategic adj.
- The general is good at strategic planning.

reframe v.
frame or express (words or a concept or plan) differently.
- The movie offers the audience an opportunity to reframe their family values.
- The company is reframing ways to gain a dominant position in the field.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151024baa5fcc9875d4a9699050cfe21a109420cc51e02f63dfa715e5b42fbde69e5bcb25.wma