Around the world, girls do better than boys at school. These are the findings of a recent study that looked at the test results of 1.5 million 15-year-olds in 74 regions across the globe. The level of gender equality in those regions made no difference to the results. Other factors, such as the income level of the region also had little impact on the findings. In only three regions - Colombia, Costa Rica and the Indian state Hunches Pradesh- was the trend reversed with boys doing better.

So what are the causes of girls’ stronger performance? In the UK, girls outperform boys in exams that are taken at the age of 15 or 16, called GCSEs. According to education expert Ian Toone, this is down to the way girls and boys are brought up. “Boys are encouraged to be more active from an early age, while girls are encouraged to be quieter… Therefore, girls develop the skill of sitting still for longer periods of time, which is used for academic pursuits like studying for GCSEs.”

He goes on to say that boys often cluster together in larger groups than girls. Because of this they are more likely to be influenced by peer pressure and develop a gang mentality. He says that GCSEs require a lot of solo work and are not viewed as ‘cool’ in boys’ culture.

This is backed up by research in the UK that says girls are out-performing boys at the age of five. So, what is the answer: Should girls and boys be educated separately? Or do exams and school curricula need to be changed to better reflect boys’ skills? These are the questions facing educators in many countries.

Jason, a straight-A student from the University of Pennsylvania, uses the term “pseudo-working” to describe how many of us study. The pseudo-worker looks and feels like someone who is working hard-he or she spends a long time in the library and is not afraid to push on late into the night —but, because of a lack of focus and concentration, he or she doesn't actually achieve much.

This phenomenon can be seen on most college campuses. For example, at Dartmouth there was a section of the main library that was open twenty-four hours a day, and the students I used to see in there late at night crowded in groups, drinking coffee, were definitely pseudo-working. The roommate who looks through her chemistry notes on the couch while watching TV is pseudo-working. The guy who brings three meals, a blanket, and six-pack of Red Bull to the study zone in preparation for an all-day paper-writing marathon is also pseudo-working.

By placing themselves in distracting environments and insisting on working long hours, these students are damaging their brain’s ability to think clearly and efficiently achieve the task at hand. In the end they get half the results with twice the effort.

The bigger problem here is that most students don’t even realize that they’re pseudo-working. To them pseudo-working is work—it’s how they’ve always done it, and it’s how all of their friends do it. It never crosses their mind that there might be a better way. Straight-A students, on the other hand, know all about pseudo-working. They fear it, and for good reason. It not only wastes time, but it’s also mentally tiring.

In fact, the most important skill in becoming a straight-A student is the ability to get work done quickly and with a minimum of wasted effort. So how do these students achieve this goal? To understand their secret to success, consider the following simple formula (公式): work achieved = time spent × intensity of focus

Pseudo-working features a very low intensity of focus. Therefore, to achieve something by pseudo-working, you need to spend a lot of time. The straight-A approach, on the other hand, increases intensity in order to use less time.

As the global population grows and shifts towards urban living, the land available in our cities is being under increasing pressure.In order to be sustainable, cities need to find ways to minimize their urban expansion.One option is to build upwards; another is to dig down.

In Montreal, constructed underground to relieve overcrowding in the city streets is RESO —one of the largest underground complexes in the world.It is a network connecting everything from shops and banks to flats and hotels.This shows how going underground can meet human needs whilst also bringing certain environmental benefits.Underground transport can reduce traffic jam above ground, thereby improving air quality.Furthermore, thanks to their relatively constant climate throughout the year, underground spaces consume less energy for heating and cooling.

When planning underground construction projects, developers must consider existing structures on or near the site, such as the remains of historic buildings.Designers must also ensure any underground space intended for human use has good air quality.One example is the forthcoming LDN Hotel,an underground hotel beneath the streets of London.Designers are using a wide range of plans to help keep the air inside clean,together with a state-of-the-art ventilation system (通风系统).

Light is another key consideration.In New York, plans for the world's first underground park Demonstrate novel ways of bringing natural rays beneath the surface.By employing solar technology light is to be reflected down through a series of pipes into the terminal below.This light would be sufficient for photosynthesis (光合作用) to occur and the park's plants to grow naturally.

Today's architects are developing innovative ways to make underground spaces functional and comfortable.The question remains whether they can provide sustainable and realistic options for the future.Besides practical considerations, there exists the challenge of building a positive perception of “going underground".Yet, the obvious challenges of constructing habitable underground spaces must be weighed against the urgent issue of housing the world's ballooning population.One day, it will feel as natural to live and work underground as it does to do so over 100 storeys high.