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Sharpen Your General Knowledge

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Shamim Ansary:
What Are Constellations, How Did Constellations Get Their Names, and How Many Constellations Are There?

Constellations are simply groups of stars that people have named for the sake of convenience.

People have been mapping constellations for thousands of years, usually naming them after mythological characters or common items that the group of stars resembles.

For instance, the constellation Leo looks like a seated lion.

If you were to connect the dots, or stars, you would draw a rough outline of a lion.

There are eighty-eight constellations officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union.

The most familiar may be the Big and Little Dippers, or the Great and Little Bear, respectively, and Orion the Hunter.

Shamim Ansary:
What Is the Difference Between Dissecting Microscopes and Compound Microscopes?

Compared to compound microscopes, dissecting microscopes, also called stereoscopic microscopes-provide a much larger working distance between the lens and stage in order to dissect and manipulate specimens.

The light source on a dissecting microscope is above the specimen since the specimen is often too thick to allow light to be transmitted from a light source below the specimen.

Dissecting microscopes are always binocular, which provides a three dimensional image.

Shamim Ansary:
Is It Normal for My Child to Speak Rudely to Me When He Is Angry?

“Be quiet, Dad. You never let me do anything!” “I don’t like you.” “You’re not fair! Leave me alone!”

When a child is allowed to spontaneously express his anger, he may say rude, hurtful things, because he’s too young to consider his parents’ feelings. In the heat of the moment, he says what he’s thinking, and he doesn’t understand adult reasoning.

Anger at parents is a normal part of growing up. Learning how to express negative feelings in socially acceptable ways takes time. It also takes patience on the part of parents. Yet many parents react harshly. “Don’t you dare talk to me that way!” “I don’t want to hear that tone of voice.” If parents overreact toward their child for his disrespectful words, he may learn that feeling angry is bad and that angry thoughts shouldn’t be spoken.

While some parents overreact, others feel helpless when faced with outbursts. “Should we allow this behavior?” “Why does he talk this way?” “Am I setting enough limits?” Many parents grew up with strong restrictions on their speech. “Don’t ever say that again. It’s not nice.” They may be reluctant to impose similar restrictions on their child’s expressions of anger, yet they feel uncomfortable listening to him say things they would never have said as children.

Your child needs a chance to speak his angry thoughts, but you also need to put limits on how he expresses himself. If certain words or attitudes are unacceptable to you, tell him. “It’s all right for you to be mad at me, but you’ll have to change your tone of voice.” “When you stop name-calling, I’ll be happy to listen to you.” “I don’t like it when you talk to me that way.” “You’ll have to find another way to tell me about being angry.” Not only do such statements guide him toward better ways of expressing anger, but they demonstrate a respectful way of communicating that you’d eventually like him to adopt.

As you help him control the way he speaks to you, consider his age; a young child lacks communication skills. Also, remember that your child is greatly influenced by your behavior. If you expect him to speak respectfully, offer examples. Don’t say, “Get over here this minute!” “Stop acting like a baby.” “You better listen to me!” Instead, talk to him and treat him as you would like him to treat others.

With patience, limits, and guidance, he’ll gradually learn to express most of his feelings appropriately. However, if you become concerned that he can’t control his anger, consider seeking outside help, such as a parenting class. The way you treat this issue now will set the tone for communication with your child later.

Shamim Ansary:
Can Cats See In the Dark and Do Cats Have Night Vision In Complete Darkness?

Cats have excellent night vision and can see at only a fraction of the light level required for human vision.

But even with their powerful night vision, cats cannot see in complete darkness.

No animal can see in the dark without at least a little light, however, cats have a distinct advantage on us in the dark.

For one thing, their pupils can expand three times wider than ours can.

Also, they have a layer of crystalline material behind their retinas that reflects light back out, giving their eyes a second chance to pick up images.

This layer, called the tapetum lucidum, is also the reason that cats’ eyes shine eerily at night when they catch a glint of light.

Unfortunately, what cats gain in night vision they lose in daytime sharpness.

While their eyes are perfectly suited to picking up movement, their overall vision is blurry, so much so that if something stops moving, the cat is likely to lose track of it.

Which is why you sometimes see cats watching television, but almost never catch them reading a book.

Shamim Ansary:
How Should I React When My Child Says “I Hate You Mommy”?

When your young child gets angry with you, she may shout, “I hate you. You’re dumb!” This outburst might come after you’ve said she can’t go outdoors or have a friend over or do something else she wants to do.

A preschooler has a hard time putting her exact feelings into words. She doesn’t know how to say, “Daddy, I think you should let me stay up later tonight because…” or “I’m angry with you because you said…” She’s too young for such articulation and too young to show that kind of respect. Instead she expresses her feelings and anger by saying, “I hate you.”

Some parents accept and understand these words as the beginning of their child’s expression of angry, negative feelings. But all parents can feel betrayed when their child, after receiving love and attention, turns on them over a minor disappointment. It can be frustrating when adult reasoning, logic, and caring fail to keep a child from yelling, “You mean Mom!”

Parents may be tolerant of a three-year-old yelling, “You dumb Mom!” but it’s harder to be understanding when a four-or five-year old says, “I hate you.” A child’s words can feel threatening to parents who don’t like their children to be angry with them. And parents worry that a bad habit could develop.

It is common for parents who hear “I hate you” to say to their child, “That’s not nice! Don’t let me hear those words again.” But a child needs to release her angry feelings somehow, and if she isn’t allowed to express them verbally, she’ll find other, perhaps more destructive ways. She might turn to aggressive behavior such as hitting, or she might take out her anger by becoming deliberately slow, acting excessively silly, or pretending she doesn’t hear her parents. However, if her angry feelings are acknowledged and allowed to be expressed, she’ll eventually learn to state her feelings more appropriately.

If your child says, “I hate you,” offer her other ways to tell you how she feels. Suggest she say, “I’m mad at you,” or “I’m angry,” or “I don’t like what you did.” Acknowledge her feelings, but say, “I want you to tell me in different words.”

And remember, children are natural mimics. Your child uses the word “hate” because she hears it so often. Adults say, “I hate this dress,” “I hate when it rains,” or “I hate it when people do that.” It’s natural for your child to use the word to express her dislike of something or someone, or to point out when you’ve said the word: “Aw, you said hate.” You can take advantage of the fact that she’s a mimic, stop using the word hate, and gradually teach your child to express her anger in acceptable ways.

When your child says, “I hate you,” rather than make an issue of the words, simply restate her words and feelings. Say back to her, “You’re really angry at me, aren’t you? You don’t like it when I say it’s time to come in.” If she hears you express her anger and disappointments in this way, she’ll gradually begin to use similar statements herself.

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