Children start out as natural scientists, eager to look into the world around them. Helping them enjoy science can be easy: there’s no need for a lot of scientific terms or expensive lab equipment. You only have to share your children’s curiosity. When having a science discussion with them, you need to notice at least three things.

Firstly, give them time to think. Studies over the past 30 years have shown that after asking a question, adults typically wait only one second or less for an answer, no time for a child to think. When adults increase their “wait time” to three seconds or more, children give more logical, complete and creative answers.

Secondly, watch your language. Once you have a child involved in a science discussion, don’t jump in with “That’s right” or “Very good”. These words work well when it comes to encouraging good behavior. But in talking about science, quick praise can signal that discussion is over. Instead, keep things going by saying “That’s interesting,” or “I’d never thought of it that way before.” or coming up with more questions or ideas.

Lastly, show, don’t tell. Real-life impressions of nature are far more impressive than any lesson children can learn from a book or a television program. Let children look at their fingertips through a magnifying glass(放大镜), and they’ll understand why you want them to wash before dinner. Rather than saying that water evaporates(蒸发), set a pot of water to boil and let them watch the water level drop.

There are a lot of things to do with old books that you no longer want, depending on their condition. You might choose to sell them to a bookstore, pass them on to friends, or simply throw them out if they are in poor shape.

When you decide to deal with old books, check their condition first. If it is an old book with a torn cover and pages, sell it to the recycle bin. If the book is a hardcover (精装书) and the cover is still in good shape, sell it to a used bookstore or donate (捐赠) it to a charity.

When selling old books to a bookstore, you should know that book buyers are often looking for something special. It is important to know the content of old books if you are taking them to a bookstore. Fiction is usually good, but travel guides are not. If you want to donate old books to a charity, avoid donating books that are in truly poor condition. If a book is dirty or missing the cover, the charity cannot sell it or give it out. Most charities also prefer that you enter the charity with your donation.

You may also want to consider exchanging books with friends. You just need to place a shelf of old books that you don’t want by the door, and encourage your friends to take books that look interesting. If your entire social network follows this practice, a mobile library of old books can be formed. You can also have a book swap party, where everyone brings a box of old books for other people to look through. After the book swap, box up the rest of the books and donate them to a charity.

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