Love, joy and the warm feeling of getting together don't cost a thing. But gifts do cost money. So what's a poor family to do?
Before New Year, I told my mother that the only thing I 1 was a pogo stick (弹簧单高跷). However, my mother said they were so expensive that we couldn't 2 one.
On a Saturday before New Year, my family3 together. While my mother and I were picking out the gifts, my dad said, "I'll be back soon— I need to see something in the tool area." A little later, he came back with a long box. I remember wondering if there was a 4 in it.
When we arrived home, my dad put the box in the garage. While my parents were busy with their chores, I 5 walked out to the garage and found the box. I was so 6 and I knew as soon as I opened that magical box, my bright, shiny pogo stick would appear. No such 7! Inside the box was a 8 old broom（扫帚）.
That New Year morning, I got some nice gifts 9 I didn't get the present that I really wanted.
After cleaning up the room, my dad went to the garage. When he came back in, he was 10 a beautiful pogo stick. I couldn't 11 it! My parents probably got quite a laugh from the trick they played on 12.
Although we didn't have much 13, my parents gave me the most important gift of all: lots of 14. That was over 60 years ago and I still think about those15 memories. I will never forget all the joy my parents brought into my life.
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RED BANK, New Jersey(January 31, 2020). These days, women go to space. They sail (航行) around the world. They have all kinds of adventures (冒险). This wasn't true hundreds of years ago. Back then, women were expected to stay home. But that didn't stop these three women from taking off and doing big things. Jeanne Baret (1740—1807): Baret was a French scientist. She studied plants. And she was the first woman to sail around the world. In 1766, Baret wanted to set sail with a group of scientists. But they were all men. Women weren't allowed to travel on French navy ships. So Baret dressed up like a man. And she sailed away. Lady Hester Stanhope (1776—1839): Stanhope was from England. She wanted to travel. She traveled throughout the Middle East by herself. And she led an archeological dig there. She was the first woman to do this. |
The first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang, completed a huge number of projects during his rule. Between 221 and 210 B. C. , he started the building of the Great Wall. The emperor also ordered the building of a huge army of life-sized terracotta soldiers (士兵). These, he hoped, would protect his tomb after his death.
Lost in Time
The soldiers in Xi'an's terracotta museum are today light brown, but they weren't always. They began as an army of red, blue, yellow, green, white, and purple. Sadly, most of the colors did not last to the present day. After being exposed (暴露) to air during digging, the coating under the paint began to fall off. The paint disappeared in less time than it takes to boil an egg, taking away with it important pieces of history.
New Technology
Now new technology is starting to show the army's true colors. Archeologists (考古学家) have recently discovered an area with more than a hundred soldiers. Many of these still have their painted features, including black hair, pink faces, and black or brown eyes. Chinese and German researchers have developed a chemical liquid (液体) to help save the soldiers' colors. After finding a soldier or another art piece, archeologists put the liquid on it. They then cover it in plastic.
Back to Life
Archeologists are also finding colors in the dirt around the soldiers. It's important not to do anything with the dirt, so the colors won't be lost. "We are treating the dirt as an art piece, "says Rong Bo, the museum's leading archeologist. The next challenge, says Rong Bo, is to find a way to use the colors onto the army-again. Once that happens, artists can bring Emperor Qin's army back to its full, bright colors.
Why is it that the people you meet when backpacking (背包旅行) seem to be more interesting and outgoing than your friends at home? That's my experience, anyway. Very often, you'll meet people that are fun to travel with and worth getting to know. I've spent time with people of many countries and have found out some interesting things about their cultures. It's a great way to learn more about the world.
It's often easy to make new friends while you're traveling, and you'll be able to hang around with them for a few days, until one of you leaves for the next exciting place. Relationships of this kind are shorter but can be just as strong as friendships back home, because you do so much together in that short time. I often find I like to share things about myself that I'd never say to my close friends. It is safe, I think, because we probably won't meet again, except online.
One thing that's important when you're backpacking is to make sure you carry only basic needs, so your backpack isn't too heavy. I travel" "light" these days. One good tip someone gave me is to take old clothes and just throw them away when you move on, instead of washing and waiting for things to dry. Many hostels (小旅社) don't provide shampoo and shower gel. You can get mini bottles in supermarkets.
I've discovered that many backpackers visit little places other tourists don't go to, and by using local shops and guest houses, they help those places with much-needed financial (经济上的) support. Most small guest houses allow you to stay for unlimited time, so you can spend as long as you like exploring the local area. Backpackers are also kinder to the environment, because they use trains and buses rather than cars. So, what are you waiting for? (By Andy Robinson)
Masa walked slowly towards the house, stopping now and then to cut off dead leaves or fading flowers. There were few weeds (杂草). Yuki had spent many hours of her two-week visit weeding in the garden. Masa wondered if Yuki had spent so much of her time outside because she wanted to avoid talking to her.
But Yuki must have wanted very much to see us, Masa told herself. She had visited in the last weeks of June, as soon as her college was out for the summer.
She said she wanted to stay longer but couldn't because she had to work. Besides, she needed to use the studio at her college for photography and she had to go to the library to read,
"Why do you have to go to college to study art?" Masa asked her. "All the great artists didn't go to college."
Yuki shook her head. "That was a different time. It's hard to explain. "
"I was thinking you could live with us all year round and still be an artist. This is a nice quiet place to live. "
"I don't know. How would I support myself here?" "You can always give lessons." Masa said.
"But I don't want to spend a long time looking at kids' drawings."
"What will you do after you graduate, anyway? Will you become a teacher somewhere else then?"
"Grandma, I don't know." Yuki sighed.
"What is the use of going to college if you don't know what you're going there for?" "Maybe I'm going because I don't know. I just want to study art now. I don't want to think that far ahead. "
The minute Masa was going to point out that this was too careless a way to live, Yuki suddenly stood up and put on her straw hat.
"I'm going to the garden to weed your flowerbed", she said, "Let me know if there's something else I can do"
On Yuki's visit, Masa felt strained when they talked, and she was sure Yuki also felt it. But Yuki was never rude or irritable (易怒的). Even when they disagreed, her face was always full of patience.
Things Spotter
If you often lose things, you'll be happy with a new (发明) called Things Spotter. It'll look like a small key tag that can be put on your objects. The tag will (连接) to your mobile phone through BlueTooth technology. When you find something missing, don't (担心) !Just press a button on your mobile phone and a map on your screen will tell you where to look.
Fire Recharger
It's really fun to (扎营) in the wild! But what can you do if the batteries (电池) on your mobile phone are empty? Some (工程师) are working on a Fire Recharger. It (生产) electricity from the heat of fire. This means you can use a small fire to charge (充电) your mobile phone. It is very useful and will be (广泛地) used in the future.
DigGoggles
Those lively underwater photos are so beautiful, but not easy to take. Besides, underwater cameras are not (便宜的) enough. But soon you will have the (机会) to buy a pair of DigGoggles. That's the name of a (特殊的) diving mask that can take photos. Open and close your eyes twice and your camera will go 'click'!
Your dog is barking, but you can't hear it! Your best friend is telling you joke, but you can't catch it! terrible! The people who have hearing loss (consider) deaf.
It's not easy being deaf, and although some kids are born deaf, many others lose their hearing later on. So it's important to know how (be) a good friend with anyone in the Deaf community. Here are some ways.
Be patient and do not give up on a friend hearing loss. If you repeat what you are saying (loud), and it isn't helping your Deaf friend, try to write it down or use signals instead.
Also, remember that deafness isn't the same as being stupid. Deaf kids are just as smart as anyone else. Don't treat your Deaf friends like they are not very smart. they can't hear you, there's nothing wrong with their brain.
Don't forget about texts, (email), and so on. These are much (good) ways to keep in touch with your Deaf friend than phone calls. If the two of you can sign, a video call is great!
It's fun to communicate with others. We should support all of (we) friends, and make new ones!
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ARTICLES WANTED! Being Healthy ●Which do you think is more important, doing exercise or eating healthy food? ●What do you do to stay healthy? Tell us what you think!
Write an article answering these questions and we will publish the best ones in our magazine. |
Nellie Bly (1864-1922): Bly was a reporter. In 1887, she wrote a story about hidden problems at a hospital. She dressed up like a patient at the hospital. Then she wrote an alarming six-part report. The story made Bly well-known. It also led the way for other women reporters. Two years later, Bly set a world record. She traveled around the world in seventy-two days! 
