Welcome to Old Town. To make you better understand this special small town, we have four programs for you.
Program 1 Going back to the past: Spend a day in an old house. Have a cup of tea under old trees. Enjoy food and toys from Grandma's time. | Program 2 Buying old things: Shop at second-hand stores. Visit the weekend market. Buy an old-time party dress |
Program 3 Learning from the past: Visit the history museum. Meet the town's old people. See the movie Good Old Times. | Program 4 Looking to the future: Visit old farms with new machines. Dance with the teenagers of Old Town. Watch the video program A Modern Life in Old Town. |
service@oldtownprograms.com | |
Using two fans he found at a market, the 15-year-old Hussam AI-Attar has made electricity to light up his family's tent. He and his family have been living in the tent since the start of Israel's attack(袭击) on Gaza(加沙).
Because of his talent, his neighbors in the tent camp called him "Gaza's Newton".
"Newton was sitting under an apple tree when an apple fell on his head. And we here are living in darkness and tragedy(悲剧), and rockets are falling on us, so I thought of creating light, and did so," AI-Attar said to Reuters.
The AI-Attar family have connected their tent to the side of a house, allowing the boy to climb onto the top of the house and set up his two fans to produce electricity. Then, he linked(连接) the fans to switches(开关), lightbulbs(电灯泡) in the tent to make lighting for his family.
It took him a while to succeed finally after his first two tries failed.
"I was very happy that I was able to make this because I reduced the suffering(痛苦) of my family... and everyone here who is suffering from the conditions that we live in during this war," AI-Attar told the media.
AI-Attar is still holding on to his dreams and hopes when this is probably the most difficult time of his life.
"I am very happy that people in this camp call me ‘Gaza's Newton', because I hope to achieve my dream of becoming a scientist like Newton and creating an invention that will benefit(利益) not only the people of the Gaza Strip but the whole world," he added.
B . 
C . 
In the fifth grade, there came my sudden fashion moment. One day, I was really feeling myself. I put on a black skirt and colorful tights (连裤袜), a yellow T-shirt with dark purple flowers. Then I added my final touch: a pair of green rain boots (雨靴).
I climbed onto the school bus, smiling and thought I was a super star. But when I got off, my friend John looked me up and down and said, "What are you wearing?" Everyone turned and looked at me, laughing. I was discouraged. To be honest, John wasn't trying to make me disappointed. He was just shocked.
But while my ego (自尊) took a minute to return, a rebellious (反叛的) voice appeared in my mind and I said, "No, I'm not showing up like everyone else."
Style has always lit me up. And through all my years, that voice has remained.
But the truth isn't about clothes. It's about a powerful need to be accepted by the world as my true self. Personal style isn't about drawing attention. It is a strong wish not to be looked at but to be taken in as a whole by others.
However, society sometimes fails to understand this. There is a saying, "To be yourself in a world that is trying to change you into something else is the greatest achievement." Wear the clothes you love and be yourself.
On a sunny morning, a group of people got together in front of Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Burj Khalifa is the world's tallest tower. There, people were dressed in traditional Chinese martial arts(武术) clothes.
Tai Chi is a series of slow and smooth movements. It is very popular all over the world. Many people practice it to improve their health and reduce stress.
In recent years, weekly Tai Chi practice has become quite popular among local people in Dubai. He said that they began offering online Tai Chi classes several years ago. A lot of local people learned Tai Chi from them. After they started to offer offline classes, more and more local people began joining to learn Qigong, Tai Chi, Tai Chi Sword and Tai Chi Fan.
Liu further explained, "Every weekend, we organize martial arts events in South Ridge Park, which is located in the heart of Dubai. There, we show the traditional beauty of Chinese martial arts and culture to people from all corners of the world," said Liu.
Robert is a Tai Chi lover from the United Kingdom and he plays Tai Chi whenever he is available. He said, "By learning Tai Chi, I have a deep understanding of traditional Chinese culture. "
A. Liu Huajin is the organizer of the event. B. It also gave me a new understanding of myself. C. Practicing Tai Chi has greatly improved Robert's health. D. Now, nearly 200 people from over 50 countries usually take part in these activities. E. With the sounds of peaceful music, they performed some Tai Chi movements happily. |
Was there a moment when you would stop, take a good look and get lost in thought? For me, it was last Sunday. My friend 1 me to visit a European art exhibition(展览会) in Shanghai.
To be honest, I'm not interested in art paintings at all. I know very little about European art. So, at first, I 2 to go to the exhibition. But finally I became excited to see the artworks of the famous 3 like Monet(莫奈) and Van Gogh(梵高). The exhibition included 52 artworks. It was really a special 4 to see them face to face.
My friend was happy to see so many 5 painting styles in one place. The visit made her remember the trip to Paris several years ago. She told me that 6 could be found in every corner of the city.
Most of the visitors, I thought, had limited(有限的) knowledge about art, too. They were just busy taking pictures, and then 7 everyone on Wechat that they had been there. Under the influence of my friend, who is an art lover, I began to 8 the paintings carefully. One painting that moved me most was Van Gogh's Long GrassWith Butterflies. Those things such as grass, butterflies were quite 9 in my life. However, I had never thought they were worth attention. I had 10 followed the crowd to see what was "special". Actually, we should pay more attention to the "common" things around us.
Sometimes we are supposed to have a careful look, think for a while, then we will find the beauty in our life.
In the Shiniuzhai Scenic Area in Hunan Province, there is very special convenience store(便利店). Hanging on the side of a cliff(悬崖), it is probably the world's most inconvenient convenience store. This small (wood) store is located 120 meters above the ground. The cliffside store has been open for several years, it has only recently caught the public's attention.
In the past, the store (regard) as a resting point for rock climbers through their climbs. Now it has become a convenience store unlike any other. (it) special location(位置) — right next to a protected climbing route(路线) — makes it a top place for climbers to stop for (eat) something.
During the busy Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day holidays, the convenience store mostly serves (tour), giving them a chance to relax during the breathtaking climbs. In addition, the store sells cakes and drinks, providing much-needed energy them.
Because of the small space of the store, only one visitor can be served at a time. For those who love excitement, this unusual convenience store allows them (experience) special convenience and adventure at the same time.
"The store is so cool, as you do not find such a store (easy) in your daily life," a visitor said. "I will recommend my friends to go rock climbing here. It is challenging and also brings a great sense of achievement."
Taking care of old people seems an unlikely choice for many young people. However, this is what Tashi Wangmo, a 34-year-old from Barkam, Sichuan, decided to do at the age of 17.
"I saw that Barkam Nursing Home was recruiting(招聘) in 2008, and I thought this was the best way to realize my dream," Tashi Wangmo said. Tashi Wangno grows up as an orphan(孤儿) supported by those around her so she has always wanted to give back to society.
Tashi Wangmo's love for the elderly she cares for has grown day by day. "When I first started here, I was just a young girl while some of the old people were in their 50s or 60s. They had no children, and I had no parents, so we kept each other company(互相陪伴) and loved each other," she said.
In 2023, Tashi Wangmo was chosen as an NPC deputy(全国人大代表). When realizing that the senior care industry(老年护理行业), especially in mountainous areas, has not received enough attention from society, she called on more young people to care for the elderly. "How we treat seniors now is how we are going to be treated when we are old," she said. She noticed that the key to getting along with old people is that you need to treat them like kids.
She also said that being an NPC deputy was not as difficult as it might seem. "NPC deputies are a bridge between the country and the people," Tashi Wangmo said. "I want to bring hope back to the people from the mountains."
My Unforgettable Experience
Hunan enjoys great popularity across the country nowadays.
