The Friends of Charles Dickens
Dickens was born in 1812. His father, a clerk in the navy pay office, was thrown into debtors' prison. The miserable treatment of children and the institution of the debtors' jail became topics of several of Dickens, novels.
Wilkie Collins (1824-1889)
Although twelve years younger than Dickens Wilkie Collins became one of Dickens best friends. Collins was a popular novelist who developed the mystery novel style. The Moonstone is one of his best. He and Dickens wrote The Frozen Deep. Wilkie was the son of the painter William Collins. He was born in London and lived in Italy and France as a child.
John Elliotson (1791-1868)
Elliotson was Dickens's family doctor for many years and thus they became good friends. Elliotson was an early advocate for the use of the stethoscope (听诊器). He also believed in the use of acupuncture (针灸).
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)
Poe was an American author best known for his poems and short fiction. The Fall of the House of Usher and The Murders in the Rue Morgue are two of his most popular works .Dickens and Poe's friendship began in Philadelphia while Dickens was on his first tour of the United States. They talked about literature and seemed to enjoy one another's company However ， two years later Poe broke off the relationship because he was angry about an article on American poetry. The article was written by Thackeray, but Poe believed that Dickens was behind the article.
William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863)
William Makepeace Thackeray was a novelist His best known work is Vanity Fair. He was also a friend of Charles Dickens. While Dickens and Thackeray were friends, the relation ship wasn't always smooth. They had several serious quarrels. One quarrel involved Dickens siding with Edmund Yates after Yates insulted Thackeray.
The life of an actor appears attractive and many young people dream about becoming one. But the truth is, it is very hard work. If you're successful, there are deadlines to be met, appointments to keep and the press to deal with. If you're not successful, then life is extremely tough.
I remember when I started out, I had to search the advertisement board at my drama school every day to look for acting jobs. Drama school was expensive and I needed extra cash to help pay the fees. I welcomed every small job. I played extras in many crowd scenes and became a confident participant in a lot of TV commercials for hair shampoo, soap and washing powder.
I had been working for about two years before I got my lucky break. One day, as I was passing the drama school, I decided to go in to check the notice board. There was nothing on it and I was just leaving when the secretary came along the corridor with a piece of paper. She asked me how I was and I told her life was hard and work was difficult to find. The next moment, she put the paper in my hand and walked away. My hands were shaking as I unfolded the paper, full of expectation. To my surprise, it was an audition ( 试演) for a clown ( 小丑) for the Canadian circus. I couldn't stop myself from laughing. I had expected an audition with a famous director for a new film!
When I was at drama school, there had been a course in acrobatics and clown tricks. I had gained top marks in this course for originality and daring. Later I went to the audition feeling very strange. This was not what I'd had in mind when I enrolled in drama school. To my surprise, the job as a clown turned out to be exactly what I wanted. I loved every moment of getting dressed up and putting on the make-up. I had the opportunity to travel the world and I was more than an actor, I was an entertainer as well. I had visited over 32 different countries and entertained millions of people.
Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, the aged, and children who have lost their parents, but also friends, workmates, relatives and neighbours whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.
Many years ago, when a Cleveland man noticed that some people, such as children who lost their parents and patients who lay in bed, too often felt forgotten and neglected, he developed in his mind the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this by giving them small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbours, he gave those people small gifts on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed, other Clevelanders began to take part in the celebration, which came to be called "Sweetest Day".
Over time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the poor, the sick and children who had lost their parents was broadened to include everyone, and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small gift. Soon the idea spread to other cities all over the USA.
Sweetest Day is not based on any single group's religious beliefs or on a family relationship. It is a reminder that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning. Because for many people remembering takes the form of gift giving, Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care, in a positive way.
Who was Clara Barton? For most people, the easy answer to that question is that she was a nurse during the Civil War. The truth is that her Work during the war represents a small part of a long, wonderful life. Barton never married and never had children. Instead of devoting herself to one family, she worked much more widely. And while she focused on the needs of humanity, she became famous at a time when women were not expected to have full lives outside their homes and families.
Barton was described as an extremely shy child. But she is remembered today as a fearless advocate for people in need. She also met powerful men-lawmakers, generals, and world leaders-who became supporters in her work to help others.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Henry Wilson met Barton when they both tried to organize supplies and aid for injured soldiers arriving in the nation's capital. As the chairman of the Military Affairs Committee, Wilson knew how the government functioned and how to make things happen. Barton knew she wanted to be actively involved in helping soldiers. Working as a team, Wilson and Barton aided each other in their efforts during the war.
Major General Benjamin F. Butler met Barton during the war, too. He was commander of the Army of the James, which fought in Virginia and North Carolina. He put Barton in charge of nursing in a mobile hospital. When he later became governor of Massachusetts, he appointed Barton in charge of the Massachusetts Reformatory Prison.
During Barton's first visit to Europe, she met Swiss doctor Louis Appia. Appia was one of the founders of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Although Barton had not heard of the organization, Appia was familiar with Barton's work during the Civil War. Their meeting gave Barton the idea to establish the American Red Cross. She spent a decade persuading American leaders to support the organization.
Today, the American Red Cross encourages people to continue to pursue the goal to which Barton devoted her life: Work together and help one another when disaster strikes. That may be Clara Barton's greatest legacy(遗产）.
Most of us haven't been taught how to apologize (道歉). Sometimes our efforts tend to be hurtful and can make people feel even worse. When the apology is absent or it's a bad apology, it puts a crack in the very foundation of a relationship and can even end it. And that's why it is important to get it right. A good and responsible apology can meet the moment and improve our relationships.
Less is more.Keep your apology short and avoid the drama. If you've forgotten to return your friend's bike, you don't have to overdo it as if you've run over her kitten. —it affects the flow of the conversation and shifts ( 转 移 ) the focus away from the person who needs to be paid attention to. You've made the apology all about you
No ifs or buts.When you're apologizing for something, it's essential to show true sadness and regret.. "But" almost always means a criticism, or an excuse. It doesn't matter whether what you say after the "but" is true. The "but" makes your apology false.
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If you always listen for what you don't agree with in order to defend yourself and correct the facts, it will do harm to both sides. Instead, you should keep an open mind and listen with an aim to understand the other person.
. An apology isn't the only chance you ever get to address the existing issue. The apology is also the chance to establish the ground for future communication. When done with attention and care, an apology can be a channel for greater understanding and deeper connection.
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A. Be real B. Drop your defenses C. Over-apologizing is not only annoying D. Here are some tips to offer an apology E. A good apology is a beginning, not an end F. A sincere apology does not include ifs or buts G. It's not "I'm sorry" that fixes the problem, but your deeds |
I hated travelling by plane.1I was on board, I could see the other passengers fear: "Don't let that fat guy sit next to me!" After I2squeezed( 挤 ) into my seat, the seat belt wasn't 3enough to fit around my4. I once wished my life would just end.
I knew I needed to5. A doctor recommended I adopt a dog to6 for exercise. So there he was: a black-and-white dog with a big round body. He looked up at me and then dropped his head with a clear look of7, as if saying "Really? This loser?" I looked at him, 8him in silence. He was a poor thing just like me. I named him Peety.
We walked together every day and it9. I could roll out of bed10. He appeared thinner too.
Then he looked up at me and smiled.
I started taking Peety to different parks. He kept choking( 使呛住，窒息) himself at the end of the11, trying to run ahead. Maybe it was time to let him experience what12really felt like. I removed his rope. Peety took off like a13at the Olympics, beaming(笑容满面) with14and excitement.
At that moment, I realized I loved him. He looked up at me like I was the greatest guy in the world.
He'd come into my life, and he15me. "Want to keep walking?" I asked him.
Caffeine has (it) advantages, but it can cause problems too. If you rely on caffeine(wake) you up and keep you going, you aren't alone. Millions of people take in caffeine every day in order to stay alert (机敏的) and improve concentration. But howis too much?
Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day appears to be safe for (health) adults. That's about the amount of caffeine in four cups of brewed (煮好的) coffee, ten(can) of cola or two "energy shot" drinks. Keep in mind that the actual caffeine content in drinks varies widely, especially among energy drinks.
Caffeine in powder (粉末) or liquid (液体) form can probably provide toxic (有毒的) levels of caffeine, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration(have) warned. Just one teaspoon of powdered caffeine is equal to about 28 cups of coffee. Such high levels of caffeine can leadserious health problems and possibly death.
Although caffeine use may be safe for adults, it's not good idea for children. Children should(prevent) from taking in too much caffeine. Even among adults, heavy caffeine use can cause(pleasant) side effects. And caffeine may not be a good choice for people to take certain medications.
Human activities that have ieffects on animals can be just as harmful. When we build farms or factories, we destroy animal habitats and leave many animals with nto live, or no food to eat. We can also put animals in dwithout entering their habitats. Air, water, noise and light pollution can all have a deep and damaging influence quite ffrom their source. Partly due to pollution caused by ship traffic and other human activities, the dolphin population has dgreatly. As the human population continues to grow, so does the effect we have on animals.
