Supermarket Morrisons today announced to launch an online shopping operation within two years in a move to catch up with its web-savvy rivals .

The UK 's fourth biggest supermarket said Morrisons.com would offer grocery and non-food products but would take time to build from zero .

As part of its online development , Morrisons - the only one of the `` Big Four '' grocers to have a significant internet business - revealed it had invested PS32 million in a 10 % stake of a New York-based online grocer .

The announcement came as Morrisons posted a 13 % increase in underlying pre-tax profits of PS869 million in the year to January 30 .

Morrisons is implementing a growth strategy which is focused on expanding its e-commerce business and moving into the convenience store market .

It has earmarked PS3 billion in investment over the next three years .

The supermarket floated the idea of launching its own website last year and today is the first firm commitment to realising that goal .

Last month , the company took its first major step to launching an online operation with the acquisition of internet retailer Kiddicare for PS70 million .

The company said this move , along with the 10 % `` strategic '' stake in American online grocer FreshDirect announced today , would help it launch its own website in the future .

FreshDirect was launched in 2002 and serves 600,000 customers in New York , New Jersey and Connecticut .

The deal will see Morrisons chief executive Dalton Philips join the company 's board .

Morrisons also revealed it would open three convenience stores , around 3,000 sq ft in size , in July under the name M Local .

The shops will be located in Morrisons ' heartland in the north of England , in neighbourhoods around the M62 motorway .

The company said the convenience business was the second-fastest growing part of the market .

Rival models include Tesco Metro and Sainsburys Local .


The temperature must be between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit .

Coffee must have shade from nearby trees , but it also requires at least two hours of sunlight each day .

It was in the 18thand 19thcenturies that coffee seeds from the Middle East were taken to Latin America , the Carribean , and Africa .

It spread fast , with demand for the coffee growing in the northern part of the world .

Millions of acres of rainforest and jungle were planted with coffee trees .

Because of coffee 's need for shade and its ability to be grown alongside other crops , the small coffee trees did n't require any forests to be cleared .

But this took a bad turn in 1970 when US agricultural scientists decided to develop a new coffee plant that grew only in the full sun .

Farmer agreed to grow this new coffee because they could produce five times more coffee than before .

With the support of local governments , it is n't difficult to understand why many traditional coffee fields quickly became modern ones .

As a result , over the past 40 years , Central America has lost two-thirds of its rainforests at a rate of 40 million acres per year .

These modern coffee plantations are very harmful as nothing can grow in the fields besides the coffee bushes .

As the rainforests disappear , so do the animals .

Sun plantations also contribute to soil erosion .

The coffee trees must face not only the heat with no protection , they must also face heavy rains , which slowly washes much of the soil away .

Sun coffee field are actually risky for farmers in the long term .


Little Tommy was doing very badly in math .

His parents had tried everything -- tutors , cards , special learning centers -- in short , everything they could think of .

Finally they took Tommy to a catholic school .

After the first day , little Tommy came home with a very serious look on his face .

Instead , he went straight to his room and started studying .

Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Tommy was hard at work .

She called him down to dinner and as soon as he finished eating , he went back to his room , without a word .

In no time he was back hitting the books as hard as before .

This went on for some time , day after day while the mother tried to understand what was happening .

Finally , little Tommy brought home his report card .

He quietly put it on the table and went up to his room and hit the books .

His mom looked at it and to her surprise , little Tommy got an A in math .

She could no longer hold her curiosity .

She went to his room and asked , `` Son , what was it ?

Little Tommy looked at her and shook his head , `` No. ''

Little Tommy looked at her and said , `` Well , on the first day of school , when I saw that man nailed to the plus sign , I knew they were n't joking . ''


The International Voluntary Service runs a number of Youth Exchanges throughout the year .

Youth Exchanges give small groups of 4-5 young people the opportunity to take part in volunteering trips abroad for an average of two weeks .

These young people are joined by 4-5 young people from 3-4 other nationalities and are a wonderful intercultural experience in a safe environment .

Other nationalities : Ireland , Spain , Italy , Hungary

Theme : Focuses on the topic of community reconstruction and community activities -- exploring how local issues facing our communities are connected to global issues .

The group will also learn about the eco-village as an example of a community and take part in team-building activities .

Other nationalities : Bulgaria , Italy , France

Theme : Organic gardening & continual living .

This project will take place in a natural park , where the group will take part in gardening activities and games/workshops about continuous development .

Other nationalities : Serbia , Turkey , Ireland

Theme : Foster social inclusion and motivate personal development of young people through sports and outdoor activities .

Promote outdoor activities as a tool to help inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities .

Other nationalities : Italy , Bulgaria , Greece

Theme : A sociaI-environmental project that intends to promote social inclusion and continuable development , regarded as a process of civil rights and active citizenship .

Over 10 days , the group will participate in activities to raise awareness about the effect of our behavior on the environment .


Dear Degree-doing International Students ,

According to the University 's regulations governing the Curriculums of General Education , the curriculum-choosing procedures are as follows :

All degree-doing international students are required to choose the curriculums related to Chinese Language and Culture .

Refer to Item 3 for different arrangements for undergraduate students , master and doctor students .

You are required to choose two curriculums related to Chinese Language and Culture that suit your own level and program .

The curriculum consists of Elementary Chinese , Intermediate Chinese , and Chinese Culture ( Taught in Chinese and English ) .

Please refer to Attachment 1 for details .

You are required to complete 6 credits for each curriculum within a term .

A. Undergraduate students : you are required to complete the curriculum selection process ( The system will be reopened next week ) by 5:00 p.m. on June 22 , 2013 .

About how to choose the courses , you can refer to Attachment 2 ( It is in Chinese ; turn to your Chinese friends or teachers for help if you can not follow the procedures of the attachment ) for the instructions .

Master and Doctor Students : you wo n't have to complete the curriculum selection until early September ; please wait for further notice on the arrangement .

Your cooperation will be highly appreciated .

Attachment 1 : Chinese Language & Culture for International Students

Attachment 2 : Handbook for Curriculum Selection


In Victorian times , certain flowers expressed meanings because the flower selection was limited .

Therefore , flower as a gift was an effective tool in social communication .

With so many choices today , we have no rules in flower choosing .

However , people tend to give a certain flower their own personal meaning -- - maybe it can remind them of some particular friends or events .

Here I would introduce the traditional meanings of some gift flowers as a reference for your flower choosing .

Carnation is a good gift for your female teacher or mother , but not all kinds of carnations men respect and love .

Different colours have different meanings .

Generally , carnation means `` fascination and woman love '' .

Specifically , pink carnation means `` I 'll never forget you '' and red carnation says `` I admire you '' .

But some carnations have very negative meanings .

If you want to say goodbye to your girlfriend , you can send her a bunch of striped carnations or yellow ones , because it means `` Sorry I ca n't be with you .

Rose is no doubt the best gift for girls in love .

Basically , it relates to the love between men and women , but roses with different colours stand for different stages of love .

Red rose is man 's best friend when he wants to show his love to a girl .

In the peak of his love , pink rose is more suitable because it means `` perfect happiness and please believe me '' .

While the love gets into trouble , yellow rose seems to be the best symbol .

It means `` the decrease of love and jealousy '' .

Though you are free to choose any kind of flower as long as it is beautiful , I think this breif introduction can help you avoid making mistakes .

Besides , the receivers must be happier if he or she gets to know the good will you convey in flowers .


Most Americans receive at least two or three credit card applications in the mail every month .

Why have credit cards become so popular ?

For a merchant , the answer is obvious .

By putting charge slips in a bank , the merchant can change credit card sales into cash .

In return for processing the merchant 's credit card transactions , the bank charges a fee that ranges between 1.5 and 5 percent .

The easiest way to establish credit is to open checking and savings accounts at your local bank .

Then apply for a gasoline or store credit card .

These cards are fairly easy to get because retailers want you to buy their goods and services .

The third step , and the most dangerous one , is obtaining a major credit card like Visa , MasterCard , or American Express .

It is important to choose a credit card carefully because terms and conditions vary widely .

Annual fees range from $ 15 to $ 75 a year , but some credit card companies charge no annual fee at all .

If you will be one of the growing number of people who do n't pay off their credit card debts in full each month , look for the card with the lowest interest rate .

Interest rates generally range from 12 to 18 percent , though it is possible to find cards with lower rates .

A credit card can be your friend because it can get you through unexpected emergencies .

And if there is a problem with the products or service you purchase with your credit card , you have an opportunity to hold back payment by asking the credit card company to `` charge back '' to the retailer until the argument is settled .

Monthly credit card statements can also help you keep your records in order .

Finally , if you make payments on time , the card helps you to establish a good credit history .

A credit card can be your enemy because it is an invitation to purchase items you really do not need .

The credit card companies ' continuous offers of minimum payments , cash advances , and even months without payments may seem like a way to skate through a money crisis .

In reality , your finance charges and fees only increase , and you go deeper into debt .

If you do find yourself in trouble , do not ignore the bills .

Contact your creditors to explain your problem and express your desire to pay down your card balance .

If that fails , a nonprofit organization like Consumer Credit Counseling Service can assist you in getting back on your financial feet .


Active vacations are often the most relaxing of all .

It 's all in defining what an active vacation is .

We do n't expect you to take up jogging , backpacking , or hang gliding .

we ask the sedentary vacationers to spend two to four hours a day doing things , such as walking the city streets , exploring a nature preserve , or taking a leisurely rowboat ride .

These kinds of activities are n't just good for your physical health .

They improve your mental health , even your spiritual health .

And they make vacations memorable and worthwhile .

Here are some fresh ideas for active and healthy vacation .

At that time it is most likely that the weather will be friendlier , your energy level higher , and your schedule emptier than later in the day .

Try to make this a daily routine of life away from home , and you will guarantee yourself both physical and spiritual youth .

Do n't allow yourself to spend your entire time sitting in front of the water .

Whether it is the ocean , a swimming pool , or a tree-lined lake , make sure you get into the water for swimming or games or even walking .

Merely standing in waist-high water is a good workout , thanks to the action of the water .

It 's amazing how active you can be being stuck on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic .

Most cruise ships offer numerous options for seaworthy exercise .

During your sea and land trips you can burn calories as you swim , hike , dive , and horseback ride .

Many of us spend a large part of our vacations on the road , either getting to and from our destinations , or using the car for sightseeing .

But no matter how beautiful the scenery is , great and memorable vacations do n't happen in a car seat .

Do n't wait for tiredness or nature 's call to get you to pull over .

Frequently get out and stretch , walk , picnic , shop , visit , and have fun .

It 's important for your health and energy , and it makes traveling a lot more active and interesting .


People have been talking about health for a long time because people know the importance of it .

People 's understanding of health also becomes deeper with the progress in scientific research .

Recently the term `` health '' has come to have a wider meaning than it used to .

It no longer means just the absence of illness .

Today , health means the well-being of your body , your mind and your relationship with other people .

This new concept of health is closely related to another term-quality of life .

Quality of life is the degree of overall satisfaction that a person gets from life .

Why has the emphasis of health shifted from the absence of disease to a broader focus on the quality of a person 's life ?

One reason for this has to do with the length and conditions of life that people can now expect .

Medical advances have made it possible for people today to live longer , healthier lives .

Imagine for a moment that you were born in the year 1900 .

You could have expected on average to live until about the age of 47 .

In contrast , if you were born in the year 1999 , you could expect to live to the age of 75 .


I once thought that outer beauty is the only factor to become a great person .

When I was young , I read many kinds of books , most of which described characters who are handsome or beautiful .

So I think that being beautiful is the only way to become a success .

As I grew up , the story of my best friend made me realize that outer beauty was not so important to make a person successful .

She is so beautiful a girl that every classmate liked to chat with her , but she was very arrogant .

In her opinion , she could get all she wanted because of her beauty , but all of her friends left her one by one !

Only then did she come to know the importance of the beauty in a person 's heart , which changed her attitude and she made friends again .

Turning on TV , we can see many advertisements , most of which seem to give us a feeling that , physical attractiveness is the most important thing .

It is surprising that more and more people , especially girls and women , try it like the first man-made beauty in China , Hao Lulu .

It is a common sense that attractive people can easily find work .

Most good looking guys , usually get higher scores in the job interviews .

I want to say that is inner beauty because those who have beauty in their soul are really beautiful persons .

As is known , the beauty judged with eyes is temporary , so we should concentrate on inner beauty .

And if we make the efforts to make our minds beautiful , we 'll live a happier life .


A girl with blue eyes is a blue-eyed girl .

A man with long legs is a long-legged man .

A woman with white hair is a white-haired woman .

Children who have good looks are good-looking children .

What do you do when you want to buy clothes ?

If you can find clothes that are the right size for you , and if they are ready to wear , you will probably buy them .

If you can not find clothes that are the right size , you will go to a tailor 's shop .

He will measure you carefully and will then make clothes for you .

Such clothes are called tailor-made clothes .

What do we call a man who is dressed badly ?

A woman who is dressed well is called a well-dressed woman .

What do you wear when it rains heavily ?

You wear a coat that will keep the rain out .

It is made of waterproof cloth -- cloth that does not let water pass through .

If you come to England , bring a raincoat and an umbrella .

If the floor , walls and ceiling of a room are made so that sound can not pass through the wall , we say that the room is sound-proof .

There are sound-proof rooms in all broadcasting stations .


General English in all four skills : listening , speaking , reading and writing .

* 3-month ( 700 yuan ) , 6-month ( 1,200 yuan ) and one-year ( 2,000 yuan ) courses .

* Choice of morning or evening classes , 3 hours per day , Mon .

* Experienced college English teachers .

Special courses in English for business , travel , banking , hotel management and office skills .

* Small classes ( 12~16 students ) on Sat .

* Native English teachers from Canada and the USA .

* 3-month course : 1,050 yuan ; 6-month course : 1,850 yuan .

Add : Modern Language School , 675 Park Road , 100056

The 21st Century English Training Center

We specialize in effective teaching at all levels .

* We offer morning or afternoon classes , both of which last three months and a half at a cost of 800 yuan .

* We also have a six-week TOEFL preparation class during winter and summer holidays

A six-month English course for students of all levels at very low cost : 60 yuan for 12 hours per week .

*Well trained Chinese and foreign teachers experienced in teaching English as a second/foreign language .


This makes us pay more attention to our environment and the need to protect it .

When Wang Baoxuan , a Beijing high school boy , finishes his exercise books , he does not throw them away .

He puts them in the big box in the corner of his classroom .

Then the exercise books are sold to a paper-factory in Beijing .

The paper is collected and used again by students and teachers in the school .

At the same time , the money made from selling the paper goes towards schools in Inner Mongolia for planting trees and grass .

During spring time , the sandstorms often attack here .

Wang 's school is one of the schools in the capital that take part in the `` green promise '' environmental protection activity .

So far , nearly 210,000 students have taken part in the activity , collecting more than 174 kilograms of waste paper .

`` There are some environment problems in the city , such as sandstorms .

We should do our duty and encourage others to do so as well . ''

Vice-premier Zeng Peiyan has written a letter to the teachers and students to encourage them to go on taking part in the environmental protection .


A 400-pound adult male gorilla escaped from his cage at the Buffalo Zoo on Monday .

He bit a female zookeeper before being caught .

The 24-year-old gorilla came out of his living quarters through an unlocked door on Monday morning .

He ran into the space which was used by zoo workers but closed to the public .

A keeper who has cared for Koga since he arrived in 2007 was bitten on her hand and leg .

Zoo officials said it was an act of excitement .

`` He was probably just as surprised coming face to face with her as she was with him , '' Buffalo Zoo President Donna Fernandes said .

The keeper took refuge inside the habitat of a female gorilla and her newborn baby .

The keeper 's decision to lock herself inside the separate habitat likely kept her from being further harmed .

The keeper had a good relationship with the mother who , like Koga , is a west lowland gorilla , native to West Africa and the Congo River Basin , according to Fernandes .

Several locked doors prevented Koga from running wildly through the zoo and beyond .

The police sent in a team to make sure the area was safe while a vet used a pipe to sedate Koga .

The gorilla was dragged by the zoo staff back to his cage once the drugs took hold .

Visitors to the zoo were moved indoors and stayed there for about 45 minutes while the team was trying to catch the gorilla and send it back to his cage .

`` That was the scariest thing I 've ever done in my career , '' said the team 's captain Mark Maraschiello .

Nobody knew what harm he could do to us .

He could have bitten my arm off easily , '' Maraschiello added .


It was 1961 and I was in the fifth grade .

My marks in school were miserable and , the thing was , I did n't know enough to really care .

My older bother and I lived with Mom in an ugly multi-family house in Detroit .

The background noise of our lives was gunfire and horses ' hoofs from `` Wagon Train '' or `` Cheyenne '' , and laughter from `` I Love Lucy '' , or `` Mister Ed '' .

After supper , we 'd lie on Mom 's bed and stare for hours at the TV screen .

But one day Mom changed our world forever .

Our mother had only been able to get through third grade .

But , she was much brighter and smarter than we boys know at the time .

She had noticed something in the suburban houses where she cleaned books .

So she came home one day , switched off the TV , sat us down and explained that her sons were going to make something of themselves .

`` You boys are going to read two books every week , '' she said .

`` And you 're going to write a report on what you read . ''

We moaned and complained about how unfair it was .

Besides , we did n't have any books in the house other than Mom 's Bible .

But she explained that we would go where the books were : `` I 'll drive you to the library . ''

So pretty soon there were these two peevish boys sitting in her white 1959 Oldsmobile on their way to Detroit Public Library .

I wandered reluctantly among the children 's books .

I loved animals , so when I saw some books that seemed to be about animals , I started leafing through them .

The first book I read clear through wasChip the Dam Builder .

For the first time in my life I was lost in another world .

No television program had ever taken me so far away from my surroundings as did this virtue visit to a cold stream in a forest and these animals building a home .

It did n't dawn on me at the time , but the experience was quite different from watching TV .

There were images forming in my mind instead of before my eyes .

And I could return to them again and again with the flip of a page .

Soon I began to look forward to visiting this quiet sanctuary form my other world .

I moved from animals to plants , and then to rocks .

Between the covers of all those books were whole worlds , and I was free to go anywhere in them .

Along the way a funny thing happened : I started to know things .

I got to the point where I could n't wait to get home to my books .

Now my older brother is an engineer and I am chief of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins Children 's Center in Baltimore .

Sometimes I still ca n't believe my life 's journey , from a failing and indifferent student in a Detroit public school to this position , which takes me all over the world to teach and perform critical surgery .

But I know when the journey began the day Mom switched off the TV set and put us in her Oldsmobile for that drive to the library .


One of the most famous basketball-players in the New Castle 's history was paralyzed in a wheelchair one day ... and was walking the next .

Citizens of New Castle simply refer to it as `` The Miracle '' .

Joel Haler woke up in his dorm room at Hope College last October totally paralyzed from the waist down .

Four hospitals later , the only way he could walk was through Robotic Walking Treatment .

`` This past Tuesday , I was doing the Robotic walk and lasted ten minutes , '' Joel said .

Joel wanted to accept the inevitable and cancelled his next Robotic Walking Treatment appointment .

Then , the night before his cancelled appointment , he woke up to a terrible pain .

An hour and a half later , the serious pain left him with an unusual feeling in his legs .

`` As it continued to move up my legs , it became more and more painful and it took an hour and a half to reach my hips , '' Joel recalled .

`` I stood up and walked into my parents ' room .

`` He said something and I was like , 'Joel !

We jumped out of bed , cried and hugged , '' Joel 's mom Karen remembered .

It 's hard seeing your son not be able to walk , but he was standing there , walking , '' Joel 's father Eric said , tearfully .

It was Thursday , January 23 , when he could finally walk .

He had dreamt of a calendar that only said `` J 23 '' .

He did n't know what to make of it until `` a little boy at church , four years old , came up to me and said , 'you will walk on a Thursday ' , '' Joel recalled .

So the 20-year-old college student , who could only walk with the aid of robot on Tuesday , was walking on his own .


Dreaming is a natural part of who we are .

We explore our dreams and develop personal dreams .

For the most part our dreams and wishes focus on the end result .

We see ourselves in love , married , driving a great car , on vacation , with tons of money , in a great career , etc .

Dreaming about the end result is just fantasizing and wishing .

Wishing relies on some magical force to make our dreams turn into reality , and we become unhappy as we 're not living our dreams .

So how can we make our dreams come true ?

That is a question we all often struggle with .

Even though we struggle with the answer , the answer is not that clear .

We make our dreams come true with the action we take .

In my opinion , if you dream about being in good health , then change your dream to see yourself working out and eating right day by day .

See the beginning of the dream and let the dream build day by day with all the action that gets you to the end dream of you being in good health .

If you want riches , then change the dream .

Dream of yourself going to school , developing a career , working hard and taking the steps to arrive at the destination .

Love yourself and the journey to find love .

Make all your dreams include the beginning , middle and end .

Then when you are doing the action instead of thinking to yourself , `` This is a drag .

I do n't like working out , '' or if you are having any negative thoughts about doing the work it takes to create your visions , realize then that every step of the way you are living your dream .

You are living your dream because you made the action and journey part of your dream .


The St. Louis Arch , Statue of Liberty and Golden Gate Bridge are great tourist sites .

But if you prefer offbeat destinations , check out the following roadside attractions .

In 1977 , Michael Carmichael set out to create the biggest ball of paint anywhere .

Starting with a baseball as center , he painted layer after layer of paint day after day , year after year .

The ball weighs more than 1,300 pounds , with more than 20,000 coats of paint , which is recognized by Guinness World Records .

Visitors can paint the ball themselves and become part of history .

The museum is the idea of Glenn Johnson .

Labeled glass bottles contain such treasures as dirt from the Great Wall of China , as well as sand from a desert in Saudi Arabia and Omaha Beach in France .

Best of all , the cost of seeing this museum is dirt cheap : It 's free .

This museum claims to have the world 's largest collection of prepared mustard .

Its more than 4 , 100 bottles of spices come from 60 nations , including Turkey and China .

Visitors learn the history of mustard , from how it 's made to how it 's advertised and sold .

The museum 's creator , Barry Levenson , loves mustard so much that he even puts it on ice cream !

Swedish immigrant Ellis Stenman was much ahead of his time in 1922 , when he started to build a two-room house almost entirely out of newspaper .

At the time , people did n't give much , if any , thought to recycling paper .

In fact , `` recycling '' was n't even a word yet .

The house is framed with wood , but the walls are made of 215 layers of newspaper .

In all , he used about 100,000 newspapers .


Do you know of anyone who uses the truth to deceive ?

When someone tells you something that is true , but leaves out important information that should be included , he can give you a false picture .

For example , some might say , `` I just won a hundred dollars on the lottery .

Itook that dollar ticket back to the store and turned it in for one hundred dollars ! ''

We then discover that he bought $ 200 worth oftickets , and only one was a winner .

He did n't say anything that was false , but he left out important information on purpose .

Half-truths are not technically lies , but they are just as dishonest .

Let 's say that during Governor Smith 's last term , her state lostone million jobs and gained three million jobs .

One of her opponents says , `` During Governor Smith 's term , the state lost one million jobs ! ''

However , anhonest statement would have been , `` During Governor Smith 's term , the state had a net gain of two million jobs . ''

Advertisers will sometimes use half-truths .

It 's against the law to make false statements , so they try to mislead you with the truth .

An advertisement might say , `` Nine out of ten doctors advised their patients to take Yucky Pills to cure toothache . ''

It fails to mention that they only asked ten doctors and nine of them work for the Yucky Company .

This kind of deception happens too often .

It 's a sad fact of life : Lies are lies , and sometimes the truthcan lie as well .


Here 's a pencil box , it 's orange , it 's my pencil box , it 's on the desk .

And this is an eraser , it 's blue and white .

This is a ruler , it 's red , it 's on the pencil box .


You may know the saying : An apple a day keeps the doctor away .

A recent study by the Chinese University of Hong Kong has discovered another saying : An apple a day keeps old age away .

The study involved fruit flies ( g ) , as they share many genes with humans .

Researchers gave one group of fruit flies normal food , and another group of fruit flies got the same food including apple .

The results showed that flies that ate apple lived an average of 55 days longer than the flies that did n't eat apple .

The study also found that apple-eating flies were more able to walk , climb and move about as they became old , the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reports .

The researchers believe that the antioxidants found in apples are good for health .

In another experiment , researchers studied the diets of thousands of women .

They found that those women who often ate apples were 20 percent less likely to have heart disease .

Scientists have recently discovered the apple 's genetic code .

This allows scientists to make new kinds of fruit that are healthier .

Researchers are already using this information to grow apples with added antioxidants .

Antioxidants help to keep eyes and joints healthy and protect against heart attacks and cancer .

Apples that help people lose weight may be in supermarkets in just four or five years .

They are said to be `` extra healthy '' apples that can stop people from overeating .


Our teachers are going to take us to Blue Sky Park .

There are many trees , a football field , a big playground and a small lake in it .

It 's a sunny day today , but there are not many people in the park .

Han Mei and Lu Lu are playing on the playground .

All of us have a good time in the park .


A rare butterfly has been discovered in Britain for the first time in 60 years , having moved from Eastern Europe .

The only previous record of a wild yellow-legged Tortoiseshell in Britain was in 1953 , when it was seen just once in Sevenoaks , Kent .

Several weeks ago , there were already four confirmed sightings , along the East coast in Norfolk , Suffolk and Kent , and six further reports of the butterfly in coastal areas .

Conservationists are very excited about the sightings , which are rare in the butterfly world .

The butterflies are thought to have flown on easterly winds across Europe in the last few weeks .

The large and colourful insect mainly lives in Eastern Europe .

In recent years , it has spread into Scandinavia and its number increases rapidly during warm weather .

Also known as the Scarce Tortoiseshell , it has an orange and blue colour and is about one third bigger than our own Small Tortoiseshell .

Butterfly Conservation was starting its annual Big Butterfly Count , a yearly survey of the butterflies across the nation .

Sir David Attenborough , President of the charity , said , '' The UK is a nation of amateur naturalists and we have a proud tradition of celebrating and studying our wildlife .

By taking part in the Big Butterfly Count this summer , you can contribute to discovering the fantastic butterflies and other wildlife that share your garden , parks and countryside .

`` He added , '' Butterflies fought back last year after a terrible 2012 but despite this , butterfly numbers were still below average .

Three quarters of the UK 's butterflies are in decline and one third are in danger of dying out .

This is bad news for the UK 's birds , bees , bats and other wildlife .


Future success depends on the ability to learn .

Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by parents , teachers , business trainers and by students themselves .

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Kevin said to his father , `` I like living here in New York City .

Mr. Black said , `` I have a new job on the island* .

After a few weeks , the Black family left the city by plane .

`` I do n't care* what it is like , '' said Kevin , `` I wish I could go back to New York City now ! ''

They lived in their new home near the sea .

When the sun came out again , they could see a rainbow* every day .

People in the neighborhood came to visit them .

The visitors brought fruit from their farms .

Weeks went by*.One day Kevin wrote to Bob and in the letter he said , `` I still miss my old friends .

But I think these are our happy islands .


Yes , autumn is a great time for fruit and vegetables .

Let 's find out about some of the best .

Apples : You can eat apples all the year round , but they are better and cheaper in autumn .

People say `` An apple a day keeps the doctor away '' .

Apples have a lot of vitamin C and fiber in them .

They are good for the heart and can make your mouth fresh .

Pears : Pears are in season from autumn to mid winter .

They have minerals and vitamins C and E in them .

They are good for the heart and can keep cancer away .

Pumpkins : Pumpkin is a nice vegetable in autumn .

They are rich in beta carotene , which is turned into vitamin A in our bodies .

Pumpkins also have calcium , iron and vitamin C in them .

Eating pumpkins can make us look young .

Sweet corn : Sweet corn is in season near the end of the year .

Try to eat as much fruit and vegetables as you can .


Last Sunday afternoon , I was having dinner in a restaurant when my friend Poor came in .

Poor is working in a bank and is quite rich , but he is always borrowing money from his friends and never pays it back .

Poor saw me and came to sit at my table .

He had never borrowed any money from me .

When he was eating , I asked him to lend me two dollars .

To my surprise , he gave me the money at once .

`` I have never borrowed any money from you , '' Poor said , `` So you can pay for my dinner . ''

Read the passage and choose the best answers. ( , . )


Child labor -- the employment of children in industry , often against their will -- has been a problem for many years .

Over a hundred years ago , Charles Dickens shocked many of his readers when he described the conditions under which young children worked in British factories .

The conditions Dickens described continue almost unchanged today in many parts of the world .

The only difference is that today employment of children is confined ( limited ) to small industries and family businesses , such as hotels , restaurants and particularly farms , rather than to large factories .

Girls suffer more from child labor practices than boys .

Many of them are forced to start work when they are only ten years old .

Although the work they are given to do is often light , it is often harmful to the health .

Recently , children as young as six years were found to be working in Asian factories , and the children were working from eight to fourteen hours a day in overcrowded and unhealthy working conditions .

Sometimes a whole family group is employed , with the payment going to a parent or older relative .

The children not only receive nothing or very little for their long hours of work , but also they are prevented from attending school .

Therefore , when they become older they are unable to do any other kind of work .

The solution to the problem of child labor is clearly better laws to protect young children , greater supervision of industry and heavier fines for those who break the laws .

Only in this way can young boys and girls be allowed to enjoy the most valuable time of their lives -- childhood .


Daniel Brown was just five years old when he climbed into the family car and let it roll away down the road .

He was only three when he flooded the kitchen .

His mother , Angela Brown is very busy looking after her new baby , a little girl called Laura , as well as Daniel .

She told us , `` Daniel is so full of curiosity . ''

At that moment , we hear a loud noise and then silence .

We go upstairs and find Daniel getting out of a wardrobe which he has pulled over onto the floor , with a book in his hand .

`` It 's for you , Mum , '' he says and looks up at his mum and smiles .

Seven-year-old Daniel has a lovely face .

He has golden hair , big brown eyes , and a friendly smile .

I have to admit that Daniel does n't look like a naughty boy .

Angela told me all about it , `` Once I found him as he was about to put Jasper in the washing machine . ''

Jasper , she explained , is the Browns ' dog .

`` When I asked him why , he said that he thought Jasper was dirty !

It 's amazing how one little boy can cause so much trouble .

Another time he cut off all the hair of the little girl next door .

She was going to attend her sister 's wedding and the neighbors have n't spoken to us since . ''

Angela told me about Daniel 's most expensive crime .

`` I was about to do the washing up when the baby started crying .

Daniel decided to help and filled the kitchen sink with water .

When I came in , the water was already flooding the kitchen and was about to flood the hall .

The carpet was ruined and had to be replaced .

I hope things will get better as he gets older . ''

Amazingly , Daniel is quite well behaved in school .

This may be because he is seldom bored .

Meanwhile he continues to be the naughtiest little boy in England .

Will his baby sister Laura grow up to be the naughtiest little girl ?


The first time I went abroad was when I went to London .

It was in the summer holidays about five or six years ago and I went with three friends .

The plane and train were quite expensive , so we decided to travel by coach .

We left at five o'clock in the morning and the journey to London took about sixteen hours but we did n't mind : we were all very excited because for all four of us it was our first time away from home .

We stayed in London for three days , in a youth hotel not far from the centre .

First , we went to see all the famous sites -- Big Ben , Piccadilly Circus , Buckingham Palace , then we went shopping in Oxford Street .

On the last morning my friends stayed in bed late , but I got up early and went to Camden Market .

You can buy all kinds of jewelry and clothes there , and I bought a silver ring for my sister .

It was really hot in the afternoon , so we went to Hyde Park for a game of football .

Unfortunately , I think the ring fell out of my pocket during the game , because I could n't find it when I got on the coach that evening !

I 've been back to London several times since then , but I do n't think I 'll ever feel as excited as I did that first time .


Yeah , yea , Doubting Thomas may have had a point in his day , and life may not be what you want it to be , but if you constantly doubt yourself , how can you accomplish anything ?

What possible good can come from taking the negative aspect of any situation and growing it into acceptance ?

Purpose of achievement is to attain a goal .

So , if you set your goals and strive to get there , it should be assumed that you are moving toward your goal no matter what you are doing , right ?

When watching a football game , one of those great high school starter games , set to determine who starts when the real games begin , I noticed the coach called `` defense '' only when the team was `` protecting '' their goal .

As long as the team was fighting for more ground they played `` offense '' .

Along the same lines , I 've heard the phrase , `` a strong defense requires a good offense . ''

Simply put , if you concentrate more on gaining ground than on protecting your goals , your accomplishments will be greater .

Time spent protecting your goals is wasted time , when you could be working toward attaining your goals rather than preventing others from reaching their goal .

In business , if you waste your time focusing on what your competitor is doing rather than working toward meeting your goals , you wo n't get very far .

Focus your attention on where you 're going .

Do n't waste time worrying about where your competition is .

You will gain ground while they are watching you .


Welcome to our club l Our club is a good place to have fun for students .

We have ten sports teachers and five art teachers .

Here you can learn to play tennis and you can learn to draw .

On October 5th , we have a trip in the morning .

And on October 20th , we have two games , a tennis game and a baseball game .

Your parents can come to the club to watch the games .

On December 18t '' , we have a music festival .

And on December 23nd , we have an English party .


The actress and 3-year-old Pax Thien Jolie , whom she adopted last weekfrom an orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City , left Hanoi 's Noi Bai Airport in a private jet on Wednesday , bound for home -- and , for Pax , a new life - in the U.S .

Jolie , 31 , understands the challenges her new son will face as the latest addition to the world 's most famous multicultural family .

`` You can imagine what courage it takes to be in all new surroundings , with new people and a new language , '' she tells PEOPLE in its new issue .

But she is committed to making his transition as smooth as possible .

`` It will take him a while to realize he has a family , '' she says , `` and that his new life is permanent and that it wo n't keep changing . ''

The boy with the sweetly shy smile and the big brown eyes joins big brother Maddox , 5 ( adopted from Cambodia ) , sister Zahara , 2 ( adopted from Ethiopia ) and 10-month-old Shiloh , the daughter born to Jolie and Brad Pitt , 43 , in May .

As for Dad , because Vietnamese regulations do n't allow unmarried couples to co-adopt , Jolie adopted Pax as a single parent while Pitt remained inprefix = st1 /Los Angeles , where he is filmingThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button .

`` He has specific days on the movie that could n't be changed or production would run over , '' says his rep .

But Jolie still made sure to bring a welcoming committee : Joined by Maddox and Zahara - Shiloh has been on theButtonset every day with her father -- the new mom used her first few days with Pax to begin gently bonding with him and to ask her other kids to do the same .

`` We are slowly beginning to build his trust and bond , '' Jolie says , `` but it will feel complete only when we are all together . ''

For exclusive photos - plus details on Angelina and Pax 's first moments together , what Pax 's life was like at the orphanage and more - pick up this week'sPEOPLE , on newsstands Friday .


There are sixteen girls and twenty -- two boys in my class .

We have lessons in the morning and two in the afternoon .

We study Chinese , English , math , history , biology , music and art .

We like Chinese and English because they are very interesting .

I do my homework at seven every evening .


It is the goal of politicians everywhere -- -- -how to win and keep the trust of voters .

Now researchers at the University of St Anurew 's in Scotland say they may have the answer .

They believe politicians could learn a lot from recent advances in science .

A growing number of studies have shown that people do judge a book by its cover .

Researchers say most of us make quick judgments about a person on the basis of how they look .

Studies suggest that people are less likely to trust those with particularly masculine features , such as a square jaw , small eyes or a big nose .

`` They are considered dominant and less trustworthy , '' says Ms Cornwell .

`` It does n't mean that men who look more masculine are less trustworthy -- -- -it 's just our first impression . ''

Those with less masculine features -- -- -larger eyes , a smaller nose and thinner lips are thought to be more trustworthy .

The researchers are putting their science to the test at the Royal Society 's annual summer exhibition in London .

They have copied the faces of Prime Minister Tony Blair , Conservative leader Michael Howard and Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy stressing their dominant and trustworthy features .

`` We have used a computer program to change the shape of their faces and features .

We hope it will help people to understand our work . ''

So should we expect to see them at the exhibition getting tips ?

`` I do n't think it 's something they will want to try , '' says Ms Cornwell .

`` It 's not really possible with television .


A woman with a baby in her arms is trying to open the door , but fails .

Finding no way , she rushes into her bedroom and there they survive the earthquake .

In a factory building , as the workshop floor swings under the terrible shaking , workers run for safety .

Some hide under the machines and survive , but others who try to run outside are killed by the falling ceilings .

These scenes , played by actors and actresses , are from a film of science education Making a Split Second Decision shown in 1998 on China Central TV in memory of Tangshan Earthquake .

By studying actual cases in the earthquake areas and scientific experiments , experts find that buildings remain untouched for the first 12 seconds of an earthquake .

In this short time , one has the best chance of surviving an earthquake by staying near the inside walls , in bedrooms and under beds , experts concluded in the film .

`` Earthquakes seem to catch the lives of those who run , '' said many survivors in the earthquake areas , describing how their friends were killed on the doorways or along the stair steps as they tried to get out of the building .

Their advice was proved in the film , `` Take a hiding-place where you are rather than run , unless you are sure you can reach a safe open place in ten seconds . ''


Thomas Brodie-Sangster 's cars and action figures were n't just toys .

`` They would always be characters , and I would always put on stupid voices , '' says Thomas ( Born on 16 May 1990 ) .

For him , acting was just a matter of moving childhood games to a set .

Maturity and independence came to Thomas early as he started work at ten .

After his first audition , he learned about rejection .

Though hurt and disappointed , he took a part in a tiny , unknown TV film in 2001 .

No one noticed his performance - no one except screenwriter Richard Curtis .

Two years later , he played Sam , a twelve-year-old in love in Curtis 's Love Actually .

After that hit film , he played actor Colin Firth 's son in Nanny McPhee .

Firth then joined a film called The Last Legion and supported Thomas for its lead role .

As a result , the boy played Rome 's final ruler in the action-adventure .

At about 16 , Thomas had to make a decision .

Did he really want to devote his life to acting ?

Many people in the public `` are n't letting you be you because they see you as something special '' , he says .

Also , friendship made during filming was often broken soon after the project finished .

Despite these things , he found enough joy and satisfaction in the work to continue .

Actually , Thomas seems to find joy in difficulty itself .

He played 10-year-old Adolf Hitler in a TV movie and a teenage Paul McCartney in Nowhere Boy .

The subject of his film Death of a Superhero made it his most challenging film .

Still , he found a positive message in its story of a schoolboy with cancer .

Thomas now enjoys roles in Game of Thrones and the upcoming Maze Runner films .

Popular as those projects may be , most still recognize him as Sam in Love Actually .

Sam seems to run after Thomas , just as he ran through Heathrow airport to his sweetheart .


When he was small , Hill was a famous bad boy .

At the age of 9 , his father married his stepmother .

At that time they lived poor in the countryside while his stepmother was from a wealthy family .

His father introduced Hill to his stepmother as he said , `` Dear , I hope you notice in the entire shire this is the worst boy , who has made me have no other way .

Maybe before tomorrow morning he will throw a stone at you , or do a bad thing you will never ima gine . ''

To Hill 's surprise , his stepmother went up to him with a smile , held up his head and looked at him carefully .

She then turned around to tell her husband , `` You 're wrong .

He is not the worst boy in the entire shire , but the cleverest and creative boy .

Only he does n't find a place to show himself . ''

His stepmother 's words warmed his heart , his eyes full of tears .

With this , he started building friendship with his stepmother .

And this became the drive of his life , making him create 28 successful golden rules , which helped tens of thousands of ordinary people walk on the road to success .

Before his stepmother came , no one praised him smart , and his father and neighbors considered him as a bad boy .

However , his stepmother 's words changed his life .

When Hill was 14 years old , his stepmother bought him a used typewriter and said to him , `` I believe you will become a writer . ''

Hill accepted his stepmother 's gift and expectation , and started writing things to a local newspaper .

He understood his stepmother 's strong feeling of interest in his family while he saw with his own eyes she had changed his family .

Therefore , he would do as well as she expected him to .

The strength from his stepmother made him a rich man and famous writer in the United States and one of the most important persons in the 20th century .

Praise will never be unnecessary , especially for children .

A sincere ( > praise may be better than 10 , 000 bad words .


Jones worked so hard that made the sparks fly from his hammer .

The son of Mr. Smith , a rich neighbor , used to come to see the blacksmith and he would enjoy himself watching how the tradesman worked .

`` Why do n't you try your hand to learn to make shoe tacks ? ''

`` Who knows , one day , it may be of use to you . ''

The lazy boy began to see what he could do .

But after a little practice he found that he was becoming very skilled and soon he was making some of the finest tacks .

Old Mr. Smith died and the son on account of the war lost all his goods .

He had to leave home and was forced to take up residence in another country .

It so happened that in this village there were numerous shoemakers who were spending a lot of money to buy tacks for their shoes and even at times when they paid high prices they were not always able to get what they wanted , because in that part of the country there was a high demand for soldiers ' shoes .

Young Smith , who was finding it difficult to earn his daily bread , remembered that he had learned the art of making tacks and had the sudden idea of making a bargain with the shoemakers .

He told them that he would make the tacks if they would help to get him settled in his workshop .

The shoemakers were only too glad of the offer .

`` How funny it seems , '' he used to say , `` even making tacks can bring a fortune .

My trade is more useful to me than were all my former riches . ''


Since the beginning of time , man has been interested in the moon .

The Romans designed a special day to show admiration and respect to the moon .

They called it `` Monday '' , or `` Monday '' , as we know it today .

Later , the great mind of Leonardo da Vinci studied the moon and designed a machine to carry a human to the moon .

Leonardo said that one day a great machine bird would take a person to the moon and bring great honour to the home where it was born .

Four and a half centuries later , Leonardo 's idea was realized .

Apollo II took three Americans Collins , Aldrin , and Armstrong to the moon .

The mission did fill the whole world with great surprise , as Leonardo had said it would .

Numerous ( many ) essays , articles , and books were written about man 's first moon mission .

But perhaps the most interesting story was one written before the event over 100 years before .

In 1865 , French author Jules Verne wrote a story about the first journey to the moon .

His story was very similar to the 1969 Apollo II mission .

Verne 's spacecraft also contained three men -- two Americans and a Frenchman .

The spacecraft was described as being almost the same size as Apollo II .

The launch site in Verne 's story was also in Florida .

The spacecraft in Verne 's story was named the `` Columbiad '' .

The Apollo II command ship was called `` Columbia '' .

His account description of sending the spacecraft into the space could easily have been written about how Apollo II was sent into the space .

Verne 's story was the same as the actual event in several other respects .

The speed of Verne 's spacecraft was 36,000 feet per second ; Apollo 's was 35,533 feet per second .

Verne 's spacecraft took 97 hours to reach the moon ; Apollo 's time was 103 hours .

Like Apollo 's spacemen , Verne 's spacemen took pictures of the moon 's surface , relaxed on their seats , cooked with gas , and experienced weightlessness .

They two came down in the Pacific and were picked up by an American warship .

What were the reasons for Jules Verne 's extreme accuracy in describing an event 100 years or more before it actually occurred ?

He based his writings on the laws of physics and astronomy .

Nineteenth-century science and the vivid ( clear ) Verne 's imagination gave people an unbelievably accurate ( exact ) prediction of one of the greatest events of the 20th century .


Milk can become homemade ice cream in five minutes by using a bag !

This homemade , creamy treat is a summertime delight for your kids and you alike .

1 tablespoon of sugar ; 1/2 cup of milk ; 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla ; 6 tablespoons of rock salt ; 1 small-sized plastic food storage bag ; 1 gallon-sized plastic food storage bag ; ice cubes .

l Fill the large bag half full of ice , and add the rock salt .

l Put milk , vanilla , and sugar into the small bag , and seal it .

l Place the small bag inside the large one , and seal it again carefully .

l Shake until the mixture turns into ice cream , which takes about five minutes .

l Wipe the top of the small bag , and then open it carefully .

1/2 cup of milk will make about one spoon of ice cream , so double the recipe if you want more .

But do n't increase the amount more than that -- a large amount might be too big for kids to pick up because the ice itself is heavy .

Here is another version of the homemade ice cream recipe from another parent !

These are the homemade ice cream ingredients :

1/4 teaspoon of vanilla butter and nuts ; 1 tablespoon of sugar ; 1/2 cup of milk .

Plastic sandwich bag ; 12 salt pellets ; 1 dish of ice ; large plastic bag .

Put the ice cream ingredients in the small bag , and then put the bag , salt and ice in the big bag .

Hold the bag shut and move it around on the floor for about 5 minutes .

When I made ice cream at home last time , although the salt pellets did n't really dissolve that well , I still got ice cream .

It was not smooth ice cream , probably because of the low-fat milk .

It was incredible that it could be ready in 5 minutes ( not counting preparing the ingredients )

Next , I changed the recipe , using a tablespoon of cocoa , a tablespoon of sugar , and a cup of milk .


I have only once been in trouble with the law .

The whole process of being arrested and taken to court was a rather unpleasant experience at the time , but it makes a good story now .

What makes it rather disturbing was the arbitrary circumstances both of my arrest and my subsequent fate in court .

It happened in February about twelve years ago .

I had left school a couple of months before that and was not due to go to university until the following October .

I was still living at home at the time .

One morning I was in Richmond , a suburb of London near where I lived .

I was looking for a temporary job so that I could save up some money to go traveling .

As it was a fine day and I was in no hurry , I was taking my time , looking in shop windows , strolling in the park , and sometimes just stopping and looking around me .

It must have been this obvious aimlessness that led to my downfall .

It was about half past eleven when it happened .

I was just walking out of the local library , having unsuccessfully sought employment there , when I saw a man walking across the road with the obvious intention of talking to me .

I thought he was going to ask me the time .

Instead , he said he was a police officer and he was arresting me .

At first I thought it was some kind of joke

But then another policeman appeared , this time in uniform , and I was left in no doubt .

'Wandering with intent to commit an arrestable offence , ' he said .

'Milk bottles , ' he said , and with a perfectly straight face too !

It turned out there had been a lot of petty thefts in the area , particularly that of stealing milk bottles from doorsteps .

At the time I was nineteen , had long untidy hair , and regarded myself as pan of the sixties ' 'youth counterculture'.As a result , I wanted to appear cool and unconcerned with the incident , so I said , 'How long have you been following me ?

in the most casual and conversational tone I could manage .

I thus appeared to them to be quite familiar with this sort of situation , and it confirmed them in their belief that I was a thoroughly disreputable character .

A few minutes later a police car arrived .

'Put your hands on the back of the front seat and do n't move them . '

At the police station they questioned me for several hours .

I continued to try to look worldly and familiar with the situation .

When they asked me what I had been doing , I told them I 'd been looking for a job .

'Aha , ' I could see them thinking , 'unemployed ' .

Eventually , I was officially charged and told to report to Richmond Magistrates ' Court the following Monday .

I wanted to conduct my own defense in court , but as soon as my father found out what had happened , he hired a very good solicitor .

We went along that Monday armed with all kinds of witnesses , including my English teacher from school as a character witness .

But he was never called on to give evidence .

The magistrate dismissed the case after fifteen minutes.1 was free .

The poor police had never stood a chance .

The solicitor even succeeded in getting costs awarded against the police .

And so I do not have a criminal record .

But what was most shocking at the time was the things my release from the charge so clearly depended on .

I had the 'right ' accent , respectable middle-class parents in court , reliable witnesses , and I could obviously afford a very good solicitor .

Given the obscure nature of the charge .

I feel sure that if I had come from a different background , and had really been unemployed , there is every chance that I would have been found guilty .

While asking for costs to be awarded , my solicitor 's case quite obviously revolved around the fact that I had a 'brilliant academic record ' .

Meanwhile , just outside the courtroom , one of the policemen who had arrested me was gloomily complaining to my mother that another youngster had been turned against the police .

'You could have been a bit more helpful when we arrested you , ' he said to me reproachfully .

Probably that I should have looked outraged and said something like , 'Look here , do you know who you 're talking to ?

I am a highly successful student with a brilliant academic record .

Then they , probably , would have apologized perhaps even taken off their caps , and let me on my way .


You think that we have a great life , right ?

Do you ever think about what a dog does all day ?

Our owners are busy , you know , working , going to school , away from home all day .

That is like watching paint dry or grass grow .

That 's why we get so excited when our owners come home .

We bark and run around and act as if we are very happy .

But we only do this because we are bored all day .

If we are lucky , our owner take us for a walk .

We eat the same food , meal after meal , day after day , week after week , month after month .

Would you like to eat the same thing all the time ?

So what makes you think we dogs like it ?

Our owners watch these stupid programs , hour after hour , night after night .

Are there any programs for dogs on television ?


Here is some must-know information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries .

They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder .

People often greet each other ( particularly women ) with light cheek kisses .

Schedules tend to be flexible , with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned .

Meals can stretch for hours -- there 's no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil .

Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon .

Brazilians are social , preferring face-to-face communication over emails or phone calls .

Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small , polite bow .

Business cards should be offered and received with two hands .

Arriving late is considered disrespectful .

Efficiency is the goal , so meetings and dealings often are fast-paced .

Singaporeans are direct in their discussions , even when the subject is about money .

Rank is important and authority is respected .

This determines how people interact in meetings .

For example , people avoid disagreeing outright with someone of a higher rank .

In the UAE , status is important , so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles .

The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere .

So do not pull away from the handshake .

Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress .

Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows and down to the knees .

People do not avoid entertaining in their homes , but they also hold business meals at restaurants .

Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided .

When meetings are one-to-one , if your host offers you coffee , you should refuse .

It might seem odd , but it is a cultural tradition .

Coffee should only be accepted if it is already set out or presented .

The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name .

They also are respectful of private lives .

You should be careful not to ask about personal topics .

Punctuality is vital , something that comes from a deep respect for others ' time .

Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe .

They also have clear structure in their companies .

Higher-ups make the final decisions , even if others might disagree .

They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table .

It is polite to finish the food on your plate .


If you have to miss a meal a day , which meal will cause you fewest health problems if you do n't eat it ?

If you have to make a decision of this type , most people ( especially very busy people ) will choose to skip breakfast .

However , many experts in the field of health consider breakfast ( the meal which `` break '' you `` fast '' ) to be the most important t meal of the day .

If we eat a good breakfast , they say , we will have the energy and nutrients we need to begin our working day with vigor and stay hopeful with good honor .

However , many people skip breakfast or substitute a cup of coffee for a well balanced meal .

What happens if we ignore the importance of breakfast ?

One recent study conducted in the United States tested a large number of people .

Participants included both males and females who ranged in age from 12 to 83 .

The results showed that if a person eats an adequate breakfast , he or she will work more efficiently and more productively than if he or she skips breakfast or eats a very poor breakfast .

This fact appears to be especially true if a person 's work involves mental activities .

The study showed that if school-children eat fruit , eggs , bread and milk before going to school , they will learn more quickly and will be able to concentrate on their lessons for a longer period of time than if their breakfast is inadequate .

The study also showed that contrary to what people believe , if you skip breakfast , you will not lose weight .

This is because people become so hungry if they skip breakfast that they eat too much for lunch and end up gaining weight instead of losing .

So remember , if you want to lose weight , skipping breakfast will not help you .

You will likely lose more weight if you decrease your other meals .


As prices and building costs keep rising , `` the do-it-yourself '' ( DIY ) trend in the US continues to grow .

`` We needed furniture for our living room , '' says John Kose , `` and we did n't have enough money to buy it . ''

So we decided to try making a few tables and chairs .

John got married six months ago , and like many young people these days , they are struggling to make a home when the cost of living is very high .

The Koses took a 2-week course for $ 280 at a night school .

Now they build all their furniture and make repairs around the house .

Jim Hatfield has three boys and his wife died .

He has a full-time job at home as well as in a shoe-making factory .

Last month , he received a car repair bill for $ 420 .

Now I 've finished a car repair course .

I should be able to fix the car myself . ''

Most families in the country are doing everything they can save money so they can fight the high cost of living .

If you want to become a `` do-it-yourself '' , you can go to DIY classes .

And for those who do n't have time to take a course , there are books that tell you how to do things yourself .


America 's child movie star Shirley Temple Black died late Monday evening at the age of 85 .

Her fans in China are also deeply saddened .

Temple is just one example of movie stars that China adored , and still adores .

Here 's our editor 's pick of the top movie stars who have influenced China .

The first strong American man that China knew .

His accented English , easily recognizable even for someone who does n't speak English , and his eyes that never seemed to smile , makes him someone whom can not be forgotten .

He represented the strong American image , and even stirred a boxing and bodybuilding fever in China .

In the 20th century , it is not too much to say that Einstein made the greatest contributions to science , and not many would disagree that Chaplin did the same for film .

He was the first actor that introduced comedy to most Chinese viewers , and politically , he was also a close friend of China 's .

His silent films broke the barrier of language and his form of art was recognized by all .

It will be a difficult task to find a person in China who does not recognize Chaplin , even today .

Shirley Temple ( April 23 , 1928 - February 10 , 2014 )

When Chinese audiences saw this adorable child star for the first time on screen , Shirley Temple had already lived for more than half a century .

In her movies , she was always alone or in trouble , but this adorable little blonde could always resolve anything with her kindness , push away the fogginess and bring about light .

The brand `` Shirley Temple '' was a product of the Great Depression .

People watched her act to forget their hardships as Temple entertained the poor , the rich , adults and children alike .

Several decades later , when her films were screened in China , the effects were the same .

Audrey Hepburn ( May 4 , 1929 - January 20 , 1993 )

She will forever be the princess in Chinese people 's hearts .

Even to this day , a large number of tourists go to Rome to visit the Mouth of Truth with their lovers and eat ice cream on the Spanish Steps .

Her sense of style seems to never go out of style .

When she was alive , she was living perfection .

Even after her death , she has remained an icon .

That 's something that only Audrey Hepburn is capable of .


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The Leaning Tower of Pisa was straight like a pole when the construction began in 1173 .

It started to shift direction soon after construction because of poor foundation in addition to the loose layer of subsoil .

At the beginning , it leaned to the southeast before the shaky foundation started to shift leaning towards the southwest .

After the period of structural strengthening at the beginning of the 21stcentury , now the Leaning Tower of Pisa leans at an angle of 3.97 degrees .

In 1178 , the shift in direction was observed for the first time when the construction had progressed further to the third floor .

The tower was heavy for the three-meter foundation that was built on a weak area of land .

For compensating the leaning position , the builders started to construct the upper floors with one side higher than the other one .

This caused the tower to lean in the other direction .

This unusual structure led to the tower being actually curved .

In spite of these efforts , the tower kept on leaning .

The government of Italy started to plan prevention of the complete collapse of the tower in 1964 .

However , a request was put forward by the authorities to keep the leaning position because of the tourism industry of the region .

After nearly two decades of careful planning by engineers , historians and mathematicians , the stabilization efforts for the Leaning Tower of Pisa started in 1990 .

The tower was closed for the general public and the people living nearby moved away .

For reducing the total weight of the tower , its seven bells which represented the seven musical notes were removed .

The tower was reopened for the general public on December 15 , 2001 .

In May 2008 , after removing another 70 metric tons of earth , the engineers announced that the tower had been finally stabilized and it would remain stable for at least 200 years .


Stephen Hawkins was born in Oxford , England on 8thJanuary , 1942 .

He went to school in St. Albans -- a small city near London .

Although he did well , he was never top of his class .

After leaving school , Hawking went first to Oxford University where he studied physics , then he went to Cambridge University where he studied cosmology .

As he himself admits , he did n't work hard .

He was a very lazy student , and did very little work .

It was at the age of 20 that Hawking first noticed something was wrong with him .

When he visited his family at Christmas time , his mother was so worried that she made him see a doctor .

Hawking was sent to hospital for tests .

Doctors said they had no way to help him .

At first , Hawking became very sad , after a while , though , he began to see his life in a different way .

As he later wrote , `` Before my illness was diagnosed , I had been very bored with life .

There had not seemed to be anything worth doing .

But shortly after I came out of hospital , I suddenly realized that there were a lot of worthwhile things I could do . ''

Hawking married , found a job at Cambridge University , and had three children .

He also went on to do some of the most important scientific research .

Today , Hawking still works at Cambridge University as a professor .

He strongly believes that his story shows that nobody , however bad their situation is , should lose hope .

`` You just have to do the best you can in your own situation . ''


Nick Vujicic was born with no arms or legs , but he does n't let this stop him .

The brave 26-year-old man plays football and golf , and swims , in spite of the fact that he has no arms or legs .

Nick has a small foot on his left side , which helps him balance and makes him able to kick .

He uses his one foot to type , write with a pen and pick things up .

`` I call it my chicken drumstick , '' joked Nick , who was born in Melbourne , Australia , but now lives in Los Angeles .

When I get in the water I float because 80 percent of my body is lungs and my drumstick acts as a propeller . ''

`` He 's very modest , but he gets marriage proposals from women all the time , '' said Nick 's friend Steve Appel .

`` He would love to get married and start a family , but he 's waiting for the right girl to come along . ''

When Nick was born his father was so shocked that he left the hospital room .

His distraught mother could n't bring herself to hold him until he was four months old .

His disability came without any medical explanation , which was a rare case .

Nick and his parents spent many years asking why this cruel trick would happen to them .

`` My mother was a nurse and she did everything right during pregnancy but she still blamed herself , '' he said .

`` It was so hard for them , but right from the start they did their best to make me independent .

My dad put me in the water at 18 months and gave me the courage to learn how to swim . ''


If you wish to dance with a certain lady , go to her , bow , and say , `` May I have the pleasure of a dance ? ''

If it is a formal dance with programs , she will tell you which dance she will have with you ; if there are no programs , she will either rise and dance with you , or she may say , `` I have this dance taken . ''

Or she may say , `` I am sorry , I am not dancing this dance . ''

This may be a polite way of saying that she does not want to dance with you , or it may be that she is tired and wants to rest ; you will have to judge which is her attitude .

Do not expect a lady whom you have invited to dance in advance for a dance to make any attempt to find you .

It is her part to remain seated until you find her .

Bow and say , `` I believe this is my dance . ''

At the end of a dance , thank your partner , but do not leave her until you have led her to a seat .

Then , if you wish , you may excuse yourself , and go in search of your next partner .

If you can not dance very well , it is always permissible to ask a lady if she is willing to “ sit out ” a dance with you .

Sometimes during the evening , your hostess , the daughter of the hostess , and any guest of honor should all be asked by you to dance .


The students come from different countries .

Others come from Canada , Japan , Australia and England .

They speak different languages , but all of them can speak English .

They study together , play together and live together .

All the teachers of this class are Chinese , but they can speak English .

The students in this class study Chinese cooking and Chinese gongfu .

They say China is a great country and the Chinese people are very friendly .


Lately I 've been busy in Beijing having meetings to discuss my new movie .

I also attended John Wu 's ceremony of his new movie , Red Cliff , which took two years to complete .

I 'm good friends with the director John Wu and the main actor Tony Leung .

Today I went to record a television program for Beijing TV calledVolunteers Across China .

This TV program is a large-scale reality show that is based on the idea that `` good people reap good rewards '' and it hopes to encourage people to be more aware and help the `` good people '' who are in difficult situations .

I 'm very pleased to announce that my Jackie Chan automobile website is set up and officially operating !

I hope that through this automotive website , I can get in touch with more people who want to buy cars .

Today , I went to record a song calledZhongguo Nian .

I sing this song together with Tan Jing .

Chang Shilei is a naturally talented musician .

When he wakes up , he plays the piano until he 's tired , and then he lies down on his bed to sleep .

Today I met with the producer and director ofLongwei Xiaozi , and I also brought along my friend 's daughter for a screen test .

Although my friend 's daughter grew up in China , her English is very good and it just happened by chance that this movie needs a young actress for a part , so I took her along to audition .


Water is the most common substance found on the earth , but less than 1 % of the earth 's water is suitable for drinking .

More than 1,000,000,000 people around the world survive on just over 1 galon of water a day .

Probebly more than 3,000,000,000 people may suffer from not having enough water by the year 2025 .

You are considered lucky if you live in a country where you can drink water out of your kitchen tap or bathroom tap .

People in some countries have to pay for drinking water at home .

So clean water is one of our most valuabe natural resources .

In fact , peole waste so much clean water today .

At home many people are not taking showers but still baths , and many are brushing their teeth with the tap turned on .

Children are no longer taught how to save water ... .

For example , if you keep gold fish , the tank water excellent for graden plants .

And when you wash a milk bottle , pour the water on your house plants .

Putting a brick or a water into your toilet tank many help use less water , saving many gallons over a long time .

Using rainwater is another simple way to save clean water .

You can use rainwater to wash your hands after gardening , flush the toilet , and wash your car , your pet , your driveway when they are dirty .

For the same reason , people in Malaysia are encourageed to use rainwater .

If one has a house with a small garden , he would buy a huge plastic tank to keep rainwater for their daily life .


Getting electricity has always been a problem for the 173 people living in Nuevo Saposoa , a small village in Peru , South America .

However , things went from bad to worse in March 2015 after heavy rains damaged the only power cables in the area .

The villagers were forced to use oil lamps , which are not only expensive but also dangerous because of the harmful gases they produce .

Luckily , researchers at the University of Technology ( UT ) in Lima , Peru heard about their problem and found a wonderful solution .

They made a lamp that can be powered by plants and soil , both of which can be easily found in the Amazonian rainforest where the village lies .

The lamp takes energy from a plant growing in a wooden box and uses it to light up an LED light bulb .

While that may sound amazing and even impossible , the science behind the ides is quite simple .

As plants create their food ( using the sun 's energy , water and chemicals from the soil ) , they also produce waste which they return to the soil .

Tiny animals in the soil eat this waste and they produce electrons - the building blocks of electrical energy .

The UT team put special sticks inside the soil to capture the energy and keep it in the lamp 's batteries for later use .

The researchers say a single charge can power a 50-watt Led light for two hours - enough time for local villagers to get their evening work done .

The university gave ten Plant Lamps to the villagers of Nuevo Saposoa in October 2015 .

So far , they have been a huge success !

Elmer Ramirez , the UT professor who invented the lamp , believes the Plant Lamp could help improve the lives of many people , especially small rainforest communities , 42 % of whom have no electricity .


It is very important for children to get to school safely and on time every day .

Luckily , there is a new program called Free Home to School Transport .

It gives children free rides to school .

Children can take free home to school transport if they :

No matter how far away children live from school , they Can take the free transport if they have walking problems or there is no safe road for them .

A safe road usually has crossings , lights and should be clean .

Also , there are still free home to school travel policies for children in poor families and children with special educational needs , you can find out more on the Internet and see if your children are qualified .


Children today would rather read , do housework or even do homework than play outside -- - and they get out half as much as their parents did when they were young .

According to a UK study , those growing up during the 1970s and 1980s enjoying more than two hours of outdoor activities each weekday , and nine hours on weekends -- whatever the weather is .

But their children play outside for just over one hour each weekday , and fewer than five hours on Saturdays and Sundays .

So , the UK started an activity to encourage children to give up 30 minutes of screen time a day to play outdoors .

The Wild Network , born on September 25 , 2013 , is joined by more than 300 organizations , large or small .

It tries to attract children away from television and computer screen and into woods and parks .

It is the biggest ever activity to reconnect children with nature and outdoor activities , and it plans to help improve children 's health .

Suggestions on how to get more time in nature including collecting fruits , camping , watching autumn colour on trees and so on .

This is not the first time the message of less screen , more play has been brought up .

Children in the 1980s were encouraged to do the same by BBC TV show Why Do n't You , which encouraged children to `` turn off your TV set , and go to do something less boring instead '' .

You can learn more about the activity by visiting Http : //www .


Now a lot of families keep pets in their houses .

Most pets are small animals , such as cats , dogs , fish , snakes , birds and so on .

The second favorites are cats and the third favorites are birds .

These small animals are very cute and friendly .

People usually have them as their family members .

They look after them very well , they let them wear beautiful clothes and their pets have nice names .

They also afford their pets nice food to have .

They buy food for their pets in pet shops .

They often go out to relax and take a walk with people in the park in the morning .

Some children like pets because they need a friend to play with at home .

Many old people do n't live with their children , and they keep pets at home just because they often feel lonely .

They have them as their children and they love them very much .


Television in the United States is free .

To pay for programs , there are many advertisements .

Often these advertisements are short plays with actors .

The following television advertisement is like many others that Americans see daily .

We see a man and his wife at the breakfast table .

They have been married for a long time .

They have n't spoken to each other at the breakfast table for years .

The wife looks very bored as she pours a cup of coffee for him .

Today , she is using a new kind of coffee for the first time .

He looks at his wife and says in amazement ,

`` Doris , when did you cut your hair ? ''

Doris asks , `` Herbie , when did your hair begin to turn gray ? ''

Has a new kind of coffee changed their lives ?


I think that a great friend is a great artist who can change my feeling about life greatly .

When I talk about the person who influenced me most .

I must think of my best friend quickly .

When I was in my university , one of my classmates sat beside me .

He is my unforgettable friend in my life .

Everyone knows that he is a genius of my university .

He is kind hearted and is always ready to help others .

But he does n't like others to praise him , because he think what he did is common .

There is an old saying : A friend in need is a friend indeed .

Wang Tao sets a good example in many parts in my life .

I remembered that my mathematics was mediocre at that time , but he was excellent in solving mathematics questions .

Of course , I wished I could reach at his level .

Since we talked all day long , he was patient and polite to answer my mathematics questions .

Slowly , I made great progress in mathematics .

And now , I still remember his strong will to study .

We know that we live in a society , so we need a lot of friends .

There are two kinds of friends , good and bad , bad friend may make our life failed , while good ones make our life successful .

To me , Wang Tao is a very good friend .

I learned so many advantages from him , and I changed more and more excellently .

Now I miss him very much , and I hoped that our friendship will continue to be just as strong after we graduate .


He begins life with a cry and ends it in stillness .

In between he does all he can to make a noise in the world , and he fears silence more than anything else .

Even his conversation is an attempt to prevent a fearful silence .

If he is introduced to another person , and a number of pauses occur in the conversation , he regards himself as a failure , a worthless person , and is full of envy of the emptiest- headed chatterbox .

He knows that ninety-nine percent of human conversation means no more than the buzzing of a fly , but he is anxious to join in the buzz and to prove that he is a man and not a waxwork figure .

The aim of conversation is not , for the most part , to communicate ideas ; it is to keep up the buzzing sound .

There are , it must be admitted , different qualities of buzz ; there is even a buzz that is as annoying as the continuous noise made by a mosquito ?

But at a dinner party one would rather be a mosquito than a quiet person .

Most buzzing , fortunately , is pleasant to the ear , and some of it is pleasant even to the mind .

He would be a foolish man if he waited until he had a wise thought to take part in the buzzing with his neighbors .

Those who hate to pick up the weather as a conversational opening seem to me not to know the reason why human beings wish to talk .

Very few human beings join in a conversation in the hope of learning anything new .

Some of them are satisfied if they are only allowed to go on making a noise into other people 's ears , though they have nothing to tell them except that they have seen two or three new plays or that they had food in a Swiss hotel .

At the end of an evening during which they have said nothing meaningful for a long time , they just prove themselves to be successful conservationists .


A thief who dropped a winning lottery ticket at the scene of his crime has been given a lesson in honesty .

His victim , who picked up the ticket , then claimed the PS25000 prize , managed to trace him , and handed over the cash .

The robbery happened when maths professor Vinicio Sabbatucci,58 , was changing a tyre on an Italian motorway .

Another motorist , who stopped `` to help '' , stole a suitcase from his car and drove off .

The professor found the dropped ticket and put it in his pocket before driving home to Ascoli in eastern Italy .

Next day , he saw the lottery results on TV and , taking out the ticket , realized it was a winner .

Then he began a battle with his conscience .

Finally , he decided he could not keep the money despite having been robbed .

He advertised in newspapers and on radio , saying : `` I 'm trying to find the man who robbed me .

I have 60 million for him -- - a lottery win .

Professor Sabbatucci received hundreds of calls from people hoping to trick him into handing them the cash .

But there was one voice he recognized -- - and he arranged to meet the man in a park .

The robber , a 35-year-old unemployed father of two , gave back the suitcase and burst into tears .

He could not believe what was happening .

The professor replied : `` I could n't because it 's not mine . ''

Then he walked off , spurning the thief 's offer of a reward .


Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on the simplicity and power of friendship .

It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching vulnerable young people ( ages 7-17 ) with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend .

Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life -- married , single , with or without children .

Big Brothers and Big Sisters are not replacement parents or social workers .

They are tutors : someone to trust , to have fun with , to talk and go to when needed .

A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months .

They enjoy simple activities such as a picnic at a park , cooking , playing sport or going to a football match .

These activities improve the friendship and help the young person develop positive self-respect , confidence and life direction .

Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations exist throughout the world .

It is the largest and most well-known provider of tutor services internationally and has been operating for 25 years .

Emily and Sarah have been matched since March 2008 .

Emily is a 10-year-old girl who has experienced some difficulties being accepted by her schoolmates at school .

`` I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me . ''

Emily 's mum came across Big Brothers Big Sisters and thought it would be of benefit to Emily by `` providing different feedback about herself other than just relying on schoolmates to measure her self-worth. ''

Sarah wanted to get involved in a volunteer program .

`` I paid close attention to it and found out how to be a part of it .

I thought it would be fun for me to get involved in making time to do something because sometimes it 's all work and no play . ''

Big Brothers Big Sisters has been of great benefit and enjoyment to both Emily and Sarah .

They love and look forward to their time together and the partnership has certainly helped Emily be more comfortable in being the wonderful , happy and unique girl she is !


A new law helps people with disabilities .

The law says that people with disabilities must be able to get into and out of all public buildings .

It also says that business must offer special services to people who have special needs .

Companies can not refuse to hire disabled workers .

Many businesses may have to change their buildings and services .

-- Ramps must be built so people can get into buildings .

-- Movie theatres must have space for people in wheelchairs and seats for their friends to sit near them .

-- Elevators must have floor number in Braille .

One woman who has been in a wheelchair for many years said , `` It is like a dream . ''


So their clothes are always very dirty .

Mrs. Black has to wash clothes for them .

Mrs. Black is washing clothes for her sons .

Dean comes in and asks her , `` Mom , when is your birthday ? ''

`` May 15th , '' says Mrs. Black , `` and it 's in next month . ''

`` Will we have a birthday party , Mom ? ''

`` We will have a big and great party at home . ''

`` What presents do you want for your birthday ? ''

Then I will have another four brothers !

And we can play soccer together , '' the boy says happily .


Jean Francis Grander was perhaps the most daring man who ever lived and perhaps the craziest .

His greatest desire was to entertain and amaze people .

He measured his success by the number of people who fainted dead away after witnessing his death-defying feats .

Grander , a blond Frenchman , toured North America in 1850 , billing himself as `` Blondin '' .

coupled with a great desire to surprise and shock his audiences , made Blondin an incomparable performer .

His most famous feat was walking acrossprefix = st1 /Niagara Fallson a tightrope .

Blondin 's `` stage '' consisted of a rope tied 1,100 feet across the falls .

The rope hung some 160 feet above the rocks and boiling water below the falls .

Simply walking across the falls was not exciting enough for Blondin ; he later had to ride across on a bicycle .

Then , in another performance , he calmly walked across blindfolded .

At still another time , he carried his terrified manager on his back and walked over the falls before thousands of breathless audience .

But Blondin was undoubtedly his own worst critic .

He was never satisfied with hfs act and always tried to attract his audience with his balancing feat .

One of his most daring walks was made in the darkness of night .

Blondin became so famous on his tour through North America that his last performance was attended by an admiring Prince of Wales .


One afternoon Mike went to the city park .

She was sitting there , watching pigeons .

Little Mike went up and sat next to her .

He took out his food and drinks and gave some to her .

She smiled at him and seemed to like him .

Her smile was so sweet , just like Mike 's grandma 's .

They sat there all the afternoon , eating and talking .

When it 's getting dark , Mike had to go home .

Before he left , he hugged the old lady and she gave him her sweetest smile .

When Mike got home , he said to his mother , `` I met a granny in the park .

The old lady also went back to her home happily .

She told her son that she had food and drinks with a little boy .

`` He was so lovely just like Brittany . ''

Her son was surprised , because he never saw her so happy after Brittany , her grandson , died weeks ago .