Teachers agree about the value of praise. One teacher writes that instead of drowning students' compositions in critical red ink， the teacher will get far more constructive results by finding one or two things which have been done better than last time， and commenting favorably on them. "I believe that a student knows when he has handed in something above his usual standard，" writes the teacher， "and that he waits hungrily for a brief comment in the margin to show him that the teacher is aware of it， too."

    Behavioral scientists have done countless experiments to prove that any human being tends to repeat an act which has been immediately followed by a pleasant result. In one such experiment， a number of schoolchildren were divided into three groups and given arithmetic tests daily for five days. One group was consistently praised for its previous performance； another group was criticized； the third was ignored.

    Not surprisingly， those who were praised improved dramatically. Those who were criticized improved also， bus not so much. And the scores of the children who were ignored hardly improved at all. Interestingly the brightest children were helped just as much by criticism as by praise， but the less able children reacted badly to criticism， needed praise the most. Yet the latter are the very youngsters who， in most schools， fail to get the pat on the back.

    To give praise costs the giver nothing but a moment's thought and a moment's effort - perhaps a quick phone call to pass on a compliment， or five minutes spent writing an appreciative letter. It is such a small investment - and yet consider the results it may produce. "I can live for two months on a good compliment，" said Mark Twain.

    So， let's be alert to the small excellences around us - and comment on them. We will not only bring joy into other people's lives， but also， very often， added happiness into out own.

    PHRASRS & EXPRESSIONS

    make out

    write out； complete or fill in 开出；填写

    only too

    very 极，非常

    not much of a

    not a very good 不十分好的

    fish out

    bring out after searching 掏出

    shrug off

    dismiss as not deserving attention or as sth. unimportant 耸肩表示对……不屑理睬

    pat on the back

    word or gesture of praise or encouragement 赞扬；鼓励

    pass on

    convey （to another） 传递

    live on

    depend upon for support 靠……生活