During ancient times, children didn't have much to enjoy themselves. However, they came up with interesting games to play in their childhood.
Kicking stone balls During the Qing Dynasty, kicking a stone ball around was a popular game in the northern part of China, and it was often played in winter to keep warm. |
Playing hide-and-seek Hide-and-seek is a traditional game for children, popular around the nation. There are two ways to play: covering a child's eyes while other kids run around to tease(戏弄) him or, more commonly, others hide and one child must try to find them. |
Flying kites Kites have quite a long history. The earliest kites were made of wood, instead of paper. The three most famous kites are the Beijing kite, Tianjin kite and Weifang kite. Each has its own feature. For example, the bird-shaped kite with long wings is a special kind of the Beijing kite. |
Watching shadow plays(皮影戏) The closest thing to watching a film during ancient times was going to see a shadow play. The artists control puppets(木偶) behind the screen and tell stories to the music. |
When I was in high school.I worked part-time helping Dad sell fruits and vegetables at a matket. One day，as I was preparing the fruits. A little boy came by with his mom and sister. He was about eight years old，and the girl.five or six. They were looking the fruits in front of me. I heard the kids say to their mom(in French),"They're good!" I knew it was French. Because I can speak and understand it.
Then I noticed how mom was picking the fruits.At first I thought she was really looking at the fruits because she was facing them. But then I noticed how much she had to feel and smell each one as she picked them out. And often asked her son if it looked okay, but looked way above where his face was. Putting what I saw together,I was sure she was blind.
Both of the kids continued to help their mom pick out the fruits .The son made sure the fruits were not obviously bad, and the daughter handed them to her mom. The woman then felt each one and smiled, and the daughter would put them into their basket .The kids were smiling while helping their mom pick the fruits out.
Their smile and gentle manner moved me in a way that never happened before .It was so beautiful to see such young kids so willingly help. Most kids that age would be picking out candies or toys in a store for themselves, instead of helping their mom pick out fruits as the two kids did.
It was great to witness the moment, but not so great because I didn't tell the mom how beautiful her children were in their language .this is what I regret to this day.
It's a cold, grey Sunday afternoon in March. The British are all working in their gardens. They're digging, cutting leaves and planting new seeds(种子). By summer, their gardens will the full of bright colours.
The British love their gardens. A British newspaper recently asked people for their opinions about them. Around 70% of the people felt it was important to spend time in the garden, and over 50% of these described gardening as the most enjoyable thing they ever did.
Only one in ten houses in Britain do not have a garden. People who live in houses without gardens often rent(租用) land from the government.
At first, only very rich people had gardens. You can still see the gardens around houses with a long history, such as Chatsworth House or Castle Howard. In the early twentieth century, however, gardening became a hobby. People bought different kinds of seeds and plants for their gardens. Although roses, sunflowers and tomatoes are often grown in British gardens, they originally(起初) grew wild in other countries.
Every year, there are competitions for the largest vegetables, but don't expect to win: Britain's biggest carrot is almost six meters long.
We often reach a point in our life when we should be ready for change that will help us unlock our self-improvement power. However, there's always something staring at us right under our nose but we don't see it. The only time we think of unlocking our self-improvement power is when everything gets worst.
When do we realize that we need to change diets? When none of our shirts and jeans would fit us. When do we stop eating candies and chocolates? When all of our teeth have fallen off. When do we realize that we need to stop smoking? When our lungs have gone bad. We see the warning signs and signals when things get rough and difficult.
The only time most of us ever learn about unlocking our self-improvement power is when the whole world is falling apart. We think and feel this way because it is not easy to change, but change becomes more painful when we ignore(忽视) it，
Change will happen, like it or hate it. At one point or another, we are all going to finally unlock our self-improvement power not because the world says so. But because we realize it's for our own good.
Happy people don't just accept change; they embrace (拥抱)it. Unlocking our self-improvement power means unlocking ourselves out of the box of thought that is just the way we are. It is such a poor excuse for people who fear change.
Jane always tells everyone that she doesn't have the courage to be around groups of people. She heard her family tell the same things about her to other people. Over the years, that is what Jane has believed. Every time a great crowd come, she steps back and locks herself up in a room. Jane not only believes in her story, but lives it!
Self-improvement may not be everybody's favorite word, but if we look at things in a different way, we might have greater chances of enjoying the whole process instead of counting the days until we are fully improved. Three sessions in a week at the gym would result in a healthier life. Reading books every day would build up knowledge. And only when we are enjoying the whole process of unlocking our self-improvement power will we realize that we're beginning to take things light and become happy.
Job interviews can be very different from country. An interviewer's “body language” and questions, and the form of an interview are not the same around the world.
If you're at a job interview in Japan, don't look directly into the eyes of the interviewer. It is considered impolite. But if you're at an interview in the US, you should make eye contact(交流) with the interviewer. If you don't, the interviewer may think you are not sure about your ability.
In the US and some other countries, interviewers aren't supposed to ask questions about family and personal information. In most countries, however, personal questions are very common during job interviews.
In Germany, your interview might begin with a very short conversation followed by a formal(正式的) interview. In Mexico and many other countries, the whole interview might not be formal.
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In 2017, when the high speed train. Furing, left Beijing for shanghai at a speed of 350 km/h, it amazed the world. It is China's newest high-speed train and also the fastest train in the world.
There were 2, 959 high-speed trains running across China by 2016. They make up60 percent of the world's total high- speed trains. Chinese companies have also built more than 10 high-speed railways in Europe, Southeast Asia and South America. And the high speed trains has become a new name card for China.
Besides the high-speed trains, many other innovations(创新)have also changed people's lives in China.
For example, though bike sharing is not new itself China has made it much more convenient. And popular. When the Chinese bike sharing companies reached Singapore and Britain months ago, users there excited and couldn't wait to post photos of themselves riding the bikes on social media(媒体).
Cashless payment has become a lifestyle choice in China it is common that people in China go shopping with no cash(现金)in pockets. Many people just pay with their bile phones by scanning a quick respond code(QR，二维码)from the seller. Even a person selling vegetables has a QR code.
Many foreigners have experienced lives without carrying any cash in China. They say they can't do it when they are back home in Europe.
China is now in a great time. It has made great achievements in innovation. They are true pictures of national strength. It seems that China is really leading in some ways. And Chinese people have every reason to believe in an even brighter future.
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When you travel in England you can't miss the visit to Windsor Castle, the family home to british kings and queens for over 1,000 year.
Opening Times at Windsor Castle:
The castle opening hours
◆1 Mar 2018-31 Oct 2018(Monday-Sunday 09: 30-17: 15)
◆1 Nov 2018-28 Feb 2019(Monday-Sunday 09: 45-16: 15)
Prices
Adult ticket:￡21.20
Family ticket(2 adults &3 children between 5 and 17 years old ): ￡54.70
Senior/ College student ticket: ￡19.30
Under 17 years old /Disabled ticket: ￡12. 30
Castle Closing Dates
The castle will be closed on the following dates
◆17&18 Jun 2018
◆12 Oct 2018
Top tips:
◆Buy your ticket on the Internet before you arrive to save some time.
◆If you want to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony, get to the Castle grounds at 11: 00. During the summer it happens every day, if the weather is good.
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Dear sir,
I ordered a skirt from you last month, but there are some problems with it. First, the color is not as green as it is shown on your website. I understand that the picture does not always show the real color, but it should not be that different. Second, I asked for Size M because it is the size I usually wear. But your Size M is so small that I have to give it to my younger sister.
I think you should be more serious about your business.
Truly
Susan Rosen
Dear Ms. Rosen,
Thank you for telling us the problems with your order. We hope we can give you better service. We are sending you another skirt with this letter. It is Size L, and its green color is brighter than the one you had. We hope you like it.
Our office hours are 9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Please call us if you have any more questions.
Yours truly
Victor Smith
C
Where can you learn about the cultural relies(文物)of our country? You may visit museums or read books, but now a CCTV show may give you a more fun way to learn about them.
The show is called National Treasure, it has 10 episodes (集) it shows 27treasures from 9 museums across China. In order to make ancient culture relics come alive, the show uses different ways to explain the story history and culture behind them.
Although it's a show about old relics, it looks modern and technical(技术的). An IMAX-sized LED sired screen on the stage shows the treasures in detail.
The treasures are presented(呈现) by National treasure keepers(守护者), both famous people and common people. Instead of just telling the stories and history behind the treasures, the show invites famous actors to be national treasures keepers. And they act out, this stories on the stage. The actors even use the funny words to make their performances interesting and alive. For example, on the show, actor wang Kai played Emperor Qianlong TV viewers loved his performances.
While telling the stories behind the treasures, National treasure keepers also tell their own stories. For example, an old man named Qiu Qingnian is good at making natural paints for repairing ancient paintings. For many years he has been looking for mines(矿) deep inside mountains. On the TV program, he shows TV viewers how to make natural paints.
The show has become widely popular with its interesting plots(情节), good performances and funny words. It has promoted (推广)ancient cultural relics and has encouraged more people to visit museums.
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“Volunteering makes you look at the world differently. You see how little things can change a person's life for the better, which makes everyone a better person.” Mason, a volunteer said.
National Volunteer Week started in 1974 and is held every April. It is a time to thank volunteers for their achievements. It is also a perfect opportunity (机会) to encourage others to take their first step toward becoming a volunteer. Making the decision to take the first step can be the biggest problem, because they often wonder if they will be able to meet the organization's expectations (期望). Some people fear not knowing anyone else in the group. Not having enough time also prevents some from sharing their abilities.
The following tips can help if you have some of these worries.
★Start out slowly, don't add too much pressure. Even a few hours a month can make a big difference in someone's life.
★Choose an organization with the same interests and common values.
★Take part in a training meeting for new volunteers, even if it is not asked.
★Work with a veteran volunteer. He volunteered a lot, he can help you increase the confidence and completely understand the organization's expectations.
★Invite a friend or family member to serve. It is a good experience to volunteer with them.
★Finally, it is most important to enjoy the volunteer experience and to remember that not all volunteer experiences are perfect. If one experience doesn't work, don't give up and you'll surely find the right opportunity.
Spend some time on volunteer work and you will see great changes in people's lives. As Mason discovered during his volunteer experience, “…little things can change a person's life.”
D
My father was German, but he worked in England. He married my mother, who was English. Her family name was Robinson, so when I was born in 632, in England, they called me Robinson, after her.
My father did well in his business and I went to a good school. He wanted me to get a good job, and live a quiet, pleasant life. But I wanted adventure and an exciting life.
"I want to be a sailor and go to sea", I told my mother and father. They were very unhappy about this.
"Please don't go." my father said, "You won't be happy you know. Sailors have a difficult and dangerous life." and because I love him, and he was unhappy, I tried to forget about the sea.
But I couldn't forget, and about a year later, I saw a friend in town. His father had a Ship and my friend said to me," we are sailing to London tomorrow. Why don't you come with us?"
On September 1", 1651, I went to Hull and the next day we sailed for London.
But, a few days later, there was a strong wind. The sea was rough and dangerous, and the ship went up and down up and down. I was very ill, and was very afraid.
"Oh, I don't want to die!" I cried," I want to live! If I live, I will go home and never go to sea again!"
The next day the wind stopped, and the sea was quiet and beautiful again.
Well, Robinson, my friend laughed," How do you feel now? The wind wasn't to bad."
"What!" I cried. "It was a terrible storm."
"Oh, that wasn't a storm, "my friend answered, "just a little wind. Forget it, come and have a drink."
After a few drinks with my friend, I felt better. I forgot about the danger, and decided not to go home. I didn't want my friend and family to laugh at me!
I stayed in London for some time, but I still, wanted to go to the sea. So, when the captain(船长)of a ship ask me to go with him to Guinea in Africa, I agreed, And so I went to the sea for the second time.
It was a good ship, and everything went well at first, but I was very ill again. Then when we were near the Canary Islands, a Turkish pirate(海盗)ship came after us. They were famous thieves of the sea at that time. There was a long, hard fight, but when it finished, we and the ship were prisoners. The Turkish captain and his men took us to Sallee in Morocco. They wanted to sell us as slaves(奴隶)in the market. But in the end, the Turkish captain decided to keep me for himself, and took me home with him. This was a sudden and terrible change in my life. This Turkish captain was now my master.
a. One of Robinson's friends invited him to sail to London
b. The Turkish captain took Robinson home
c. A captain asked Robinson to go with him to Guinea
d. Robinson drank with his friend
e. A long and hard fight happened
A
| A school in Hunan has changed its playground into a garden full of fruit and vegetables, so that its students can grow and eat their own food. So far the fruit and vegetables have been used in school meals. |
| A great coin collection is going on show in Guangzhou in July, 2018. The exhibition has more than 1,000 kinds of coins. It is said to have taken 10 years to collect. It will have a world tour in March, 2019. |
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DIY Your Own Desserts
We offer different kinds of classed to you all. A very popular class we are offering these
10 days is the class named “DIY Your Own Desserts”.
Can you imagine how happy your beloved one will be happy when you give him/her your
DIY desserts on the special days like birthday, Mother's Day and Father's Day? Come to our class and make your own desserts. Give your beloved one some surprises!
The class runs daily and it is a completely hands-on personal cooking experience lasting up to 4 hours learning 3-4 recipes (食谱) each lesson. The teacher will first show how to cook different recipes in front of you. And then he will guide you on how to prepare and make the food.
At the end of the class you can either eat the meal prepared during the class or take it home with you. What's more, you'll be able to take home the copies of all the recipes.
Costs: ＄30 each lesson. You can start at any time.
Go to our website to get more information about the class.
You can either e-mail us or come to our office for attending it.
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Indoor Water Park | |
Opening time | ◆9: 00a.m.--6:00p.m. from Monday to Friday ◆8: 00a.m.- 10: 00p.m. from Saturday to Sunday |
Ticket price | ◆Adults: 150 yuan/person: 130 yuan/member ◆Children: above 1.2 meters, 75 yuan/person; 60 yuan/member under 1.2 meters. free |
Should not take | food, pets, knives, rings |
Things to remember | ◆Children under 1. 4 meters and old people above 60 should stay with other adults ◆You should follow the rules in the water park. ◆If you have some health problems and aren't suitable for water activities, you'd better not come in |
Some primary schoolchildren have been raised in homes with more green space around. They are likely to come with larger volumes of white and grey matter in certain areas of the brain. These differences are associated(关联) with beneficial effects on cognitive function (认知功能). This is the main conclusion of a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.
The study was performed among 253 schoolchildren in Spain .Lifelong exposure(接触) to green space in the living places was recorded—using the information on the children's addresses from birth up through to the time of the study. Brain structure was studied using 3D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Working memory and inattentiveness(注意力不集中)were graded with computers.
“This is the first study that shows the association between long-term exposure to green space and brain structure.” Says Dr. Payam Dadvand, the leading researcher of the study, “Our findings suggest that exposure to green space early in life could result in beneficial structural changes in the brain.”
The findings show that long-term exposure to greenness is positively associated with white and grey matter volumes in several parts of the brain. Some of them are related to higher scores on cognitive tests. Moreover, larger volumes of white and grey matter in those parts might lead to better working memory and less inattentiveness.
Exposure to nature has been thought to be necessary for brain development in children. Another study of 2,593 children shows that children in school with more green space have a greater increase in working memory and a greater decrease in inattentiveness.
Humans are believed to be tied to nature. Playing in greener areas offers children opportunities to search and learn. Accordingly, green space is thought to prompt important exercises in discovery, creativity and risk taking. These exercises in turn positively influence brain development.
Dr. Dadvand's study suggests how such structural changes could bring about the beneficial effects of green spaces on cognitive development, it also adds to the proof that suggests the lasting effects of early life exposure to greenness on our health and the benefits of increasing greenness in cities.
Further studies are needed to prove the findings in other populations, settings and climates. And researchers need to examine differences according to the nature and quality of green space.
C
You have been working hard to learn English. Do you know foreigners are trying to learn Chinese? According to a survey, one in four American young men would like to learn it. There will be over 150,000,000 people learning Chinese around the world in the early 2019.
"Because of Chinas fast development, Chinese has become more useful. More and more people begin to learn it. "said Scott McGinnis, a Washington language expert.
For example, in 2010, only 30 schools in America had Chinese lessons. This year, more than 300 schools there have Chinese lessons during school days. Last year, China gave 3,000 textbooks to a school in America because they had done a good job.
Although Chinese is becoming more and more popular, it is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Usually, an English speaker takes about 1, 320 hours to become good at Chinese. He needs only 480 hours for French, Spanish or Italian.
:Hi, there！It was my 15th birthday last Saturday. Some of my friends and Alan.my cousin，came to celebrate it. Everyone brought me a gift, we played games，sang songs and had a big birthday cake. It was really a wonderful day! Did you do anything special last week?
:Yes. My class were on a school field trip last week. First, we went to the University of North Carolina to learn about the history of its basketball team. Many basketball stars were students there. Then we visited a museum. We learned about how the plane was invented and took many pictures there.
:Well, I was lucky enough to go to a conference（会议） on charity(慈善) last Wednesday. I was excited to meet a lot of kind people there. One of them was a boy named Richard. He spoke at the conference about the charity work that he had done in the past few years.
:It was a different week than usual. Last Thursday, my school band（乐队） went to Atlanta to perform in a competition. I played the violin and we won a prize! On Friday we went to the Georgia Aquarium and got to see different kinds of sea life from over the world. It was really cool!
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Nowadays, phone calls and messages help us communicate with others more often. It means that we seldom write letters now. But a TV show. Letters alive, is bringing back this old habit.
Letters Alive invites famous actors and actresses but there are no funny jokes or different competitions. Instead, only one person walks up to a microphone and reads a letter. The letters were written by people from different times in history. For example, in one episode(集), they read a letter written by the famous writer Xiao Hong to her younger brother in 1941. The letter shows that Xiao Hong missed her brother so much and had great hopes for his future.
“Every letter opens another world for us, " said Guan Zhangwen, the director of the TV show. “It seems that we can experience the real lives and feelings of the writers". Since its first episode on December 5, 2016, Letters Alive has been widely praised. Many audiences(观众)say that it has provided a breath of fresh air to today's TV shows.
Besides Letters Alive, some other cultural TV shows have also attracted(吸引)Chinese audiences. They include the Chinese Poetry Conference, a traditional Chinese poetry competition and Readers, a program that invites people to read poems and articles they like or wrote. It suggests that cultural values and true feelings are becoming our interest.
