If you want to live longer and lower the risk of heart disease , a move to the mountains may help .

Research by scientists in Greece shows that living in the mountains is good for the heart and longevity .

People living at higher altitude have lower possibility of dying from heart disease than those closer to sea level , even if they have factors that could increase their risk .

`` Residence in mountainous areas seems to have a 'protective effect ' from heart disease , '' said Dr Nikos Baibas of the University of Athens .

He and his colleagues suspect that the increased exercise from walking up mountainous area gives the heart a good workout and enables it to cope with lower levels of oxygen .

Researchers studied the health records and death rates of 1,150 Greeks who lived in three villages near Athens over 15 years .

One village was 1,000 meters above sea level and the other two were in low-lying areas .

Although men and women living in the mountainous village had higher blood pressure rates and other risk factors than people in the other villages , they had a lower rate of death from heart disease and other causes after a fifteen year follow-up .

`` The contrast was more evident among men than among women , '' Baibas added in a report in theJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health .

Heart disease is one of the world 's top killers .

Smoking , high blood pressure , raised cholesterol levels , being overweight and a family history of the illness increase the possibility of developing the disease .


BEIJING , Feb. 10 ( Xinhua ) -- China 's economic planning agency Thursday announced a rise in minimum rice purchase prices this year to encourage farmers to grow more grain .

A statement on the National Development and Reform Commission ( NDRC ) website said the government would continue the policy of minimum purchase prices in major rice-growing regions in 2011 .

The rises in the minimum rice purchase price had been approved by the State Council , China 's Cabinet , said the statement .

The purchase prices for japonica rice will rise 21.9 percent to 128 yuan ( 19.4 U.S. dollars ) per 50 kilograms , while prices for early and middle-late rice will increase 9.7 percent and 10.3 percent to 102 yuan and 107 yuan per 50 kg respectively .

Rice and wheat are two major grain crops in China .

The State Council pledged Wednesday to step up efforts to boost grain production as drought continues to wreak havoc in north China 's wheat growing regions .

China 's main wheat-growing regions , including Shandong , Henan , Hebei , Anhui , Shanxi , Shaanxi , Gansu and Jiangsu provinces , have been plagued by drought since October last year .

Drought has affected about 7.73 million hectares , or 42.4 percent , of the total winter wheat crop area in the country 's eight key producing provinces , the Ministry of Agriculture said Wednesday .

China 's grain output rose 2.9 percent last year to 546.41 million tons , marking the seventh consecutive year of growth .


Here is the tour that 's voted `` 3rdbest tour in London '' on the Best Things to Do -- TripAdvisor !

Hairy Goat is the best and most original tour company in London .

Do you like walking around a city and discovering something that makes a great photo ?

London is full of interesting photo chances and maybe you need someone to lead you to them .

families , groups of friends and school or college classes .

Bring : A fully charged camera and plenty of memory cards or film , a drink and wear comfortable walking shoes .

Dress for three hours ' walking outside .

Price : PS45 per adult ( 18yrs and over ) , PS40 per child ( 12-15yrs ) and full-time students ( student ID required ) .

Some tours to be booked and paid in advance .

Please follow the links on the website or call Corinna at +44 ( 0 ) 7540832771 .

Meet : Meet in front of the Royal Exchange Building at Bank Underground Station .

Take Exit 3 or 4 from the underground station .

When : See the website for scheduled dates .

Duration : Three hours , at a comfortable walking pace .

Finish : By an underground station within the city .


One morning , Sam went to school by bus .

It was a long way , so he wore a Bluetooth earphone to listen to music .

Suddenly , an old woman went up to him and said quietly , `` Good morning , sir ! ''

He was surprised but asked in a friendly way , `` What 's up , Madam ? ''

But she looked happy and turned to an old man next to her and said loudly , `` You see .

I said in a quiet voice , but he could still hear me . ''

Just then , the old man moved quickly to him and asked : `` Excuse me , young man .

In which store can I buy the audiphones you 're using ? ''


It goes without saying that human intelligence is very advanced as opposed to plants and other living creatures .

People 's capacity to fully understand , reason , organize , solve problems , display emotional intelligence , learn , communicate and think abstractly is outstanding .

It is believed to be much more emphasized nowadays , when bright folks are normally one level higher than everyone else .

Nowadays many people are of the view that a high intelligence quotient ( IQ ) is an excellent assistance in pulling through life .

Statistics reveal that whatever activity enabling the brain to function and operate , no matter whether in the form of difficulties or other obstacles that can be overcome by this specific body area , has a positive effect on it .

So every time you are making full use of your mind for right answers in a quick crossword or if you are answering difficult riddles , you might be , in fact , raising the probabilities of increasing your intelligence .

You could play effective brain games like crosswords , chess , riddles , puzzles , Internet games , word games and other games .

These are useful in raising your intelligence primarily because they let you think in a different way as you make an effort to uncover answers to certain problems .

Aside from this , this form of brain training continually encourages the brain to function and widen its capacity to concentrate and learn .

Needless to say , you 've to make sure that you make the most of these brain exercises by not cheating yourself .

Lastly , if you progress to a much more complicated level , try your best to answer difficult problems with no hints or clues so that you are able to further force your brain to work on its own .


It is never too late to try to make your dreams come true .

This could be Mary Moe 's motto -- the expression that best presents her spirit .

Mary Moe has done a lot during the past 91 years .

For much of that time , she wanted to fly , but never had the chance -- until now .

She recently achieved her life-long dream .

Mary just learned how to fly an airplane , a dream she has had since she was a little girl .

Growing up , she was inspired by two American pilots : Charles Lindburgh Amelia Earhart .

Lindbugh made the solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 .

Five years later , Earhart became the first woman to make the flight .

But Mary Moe could not find time to make her dream come true .

At age 34 , she was just too busy -- busy fighting cancer .

She was also busy with her job in advertising and busy raising her family .

There was simply no time to think about flying a plane .

And it was difficult for her to drive to the airport .

Everything seemed to be working against Mary .

`` I had actually gone out to that airport in the 1980s to see about flying lessons and it was such a long drive out and expensive and I thought , 'No , I have to put this on the back burner for a while . ' ''

Then , at age 91 , her wish finally came true .

Ms Moe learned about Wish of a lifetime .

Wish of a Lifetime is a non-profit organization whose goal is to change the way our society thinks about aging and older adults .

Wish of Lifetime helps older people , senior citizens , enjoy a dream .

It also sends the message that it is never too late for a dream .

So they really try to look for those stories that are inspiring and can show people that older Americans can achieve things just like younger Americans can .


I carry a Rubik 's Cube in my backpack .

Solving it quickly is a terrific conversation starter .

They just turn the cube over in their hands , not even knowing where to begin .

That 's exactly what it was like for me to learn how to read .

Nothing made sense because I am dyslexic .

The Rubik 's Cube has made me believe that sometimes you have to take a few steps back in order to move forward .

This was a reflection of my own life when I had to leave public school after the fourth grade .

It 's embarrassing to admit , but I still could n't always spell my full name correctly .

As a fifth-grader at a new school specializing in what 's called `` language-processing disorder '' , I had to start over .

I then spent the next four years learning how to learn and find strategies that allowed me to return to my district 's high school with the ability to communicate my ideas and express my intelligence .

I discover that just before it is solved , a problem can look like a mess , and then suddenly you can find the solution .

Early in my Rubik 's career , I became so frustrated that I took the cube apart and rebuilt it .

I believe that sometimes you have to look deeper and find answers in unexpected places .

The Rubik 's cube taught me that to accomplish something big , it helps to break it down into small pieces .

I learned that it 's important to spend a lot of time thinking , to try to find connections and patterns .

I believe that there are surprises around the corner .

Like life itself , the Rubik 's cube can be frustrating puzzle .

So everyday I carry a Rubik 's cube in my backpack as a reminder that I can achieve my goals , no matter what obstacles I face .


Humankind has tried to improve its standard of living since the very beginning of civilization .

Back then , as well as today , providing food and security was the basic task for a person .

However , nowadays the range of required goods has expanded significantly .

People feel the need for not only some primary things , such as a piece of bread and a roof over their heads , but also for various facilities and luxuries .

Providing humanity with these things is connected to the use of natural resources , which requires energy .

In turn , the common sources of energy we use today cause pollution , so economic growth is almost unavoidably associated with environmental damage .

Economic growth is the increase in numbers of goods and services produced over time by an economy , and it is calculated in terms of real Gross Domestic Product ( GDP ) .

Before growth is calculated , inflation is adjusted in order to take into account its misleading effect on the price of goods and services .

Economic growth can also be explained as the increase in expected output , which results from an increase in actual output , or total demand .

There are certain aspects of economic growth which affect the environment .

The first of these is the fact that in order to produce more goods and products , at a faster rate , the construction of large industrial plants is required .

These plants produce a lot of waste , leading to the pollution of water and the atmosphere , which may cause negative long term health effects to nearby populations of animals , or people .

Industrial manufacturing leads to the constantly increasing energy consumption .

The traditional energy sources , which are commonly used nowadays , are considered to be the greatest polluters to the environment .

There also exist so-called eco-friendly sources of energy .

They are sometimes preferred but replacing the traditional sources with them also requires time , during which people have to make some sacrifices to support these undertakings .

In order to produce economically practical energy , a sometimes significant transformation of the natural site is often inevitable .

This is expensive and , has harmful effects on the environment .

Application of wind energy would block airflows ' natural speed which is the reason for their decrease in strength , after crossing the windmill .

Consequently , the pressure balance that is brought about by this current will be affected , and it is important to remember that the environment and weather conditions are directly affected by atmospheric pressure .

For these reasons , bringing about economic growth without any resulting environmental damage , whatsoever , is impossible .


Have you ever heard someone use the phrase `` once in a blue moon '' ?

People use this expression to describe something that they do not do very often .

For example , someone might say that he tries to avoid eating sweets because they are unhealthy , but will eat chocolate `` once in a blue moon '' .

Or someone who does not usually like to go to the beach might say `` I visit the shore once in a moon . ''

While many people use this phrase , not everyone knows the meaning behind it .

The first thing to know is that the moon itself is never really blue .

In fact , the phrase `` blue moon '' has to do with the shape of the moon , not the color .

As the moon travels around the earth , it appears to change shape .

We associate names with certain shapes of the moon .

For example , when we can see a small part of the moon , it is called a crescent moon .

A crescent is a shape that looks like the tip of a fingernail .

When we can not see the moon at all , it is called a new moon .

When we can see the whole moon , it is called a full moon .

Usually , there is only one full moon every month .

Sometimes , however , there will be two full moons in one month .

When this happens , the second full moon is called a `` blue moon '' .

Over the next 20 years , there will only be 15 blue moons .

As you can see , a blue moon is a very rare event .

This fact has led people to use the expression `` once in a blue moon '' to other very rare events in their lives .


The 2015 Winter Camp opens between 9 : 30 a m and 11:30 a. m .from Feb.5thto Feb. 15th .

Each child can take part in only one of the following activities and needs to pay , Y=150 for it

Sports ( basketball , football , table tennis , etc )

Internet Groups ( painting online , piano-learning , computer study , etc . )

English World ( English songs/games/plays , English speaking contest etc . )

Some American children are coming to the camp .

If you really want to spend an interesting winter holiday , please join us for learning with fun .

Book your seat as soon as possible either by phone or by e-mail Pay before Jan. 25th , then you can have a Mickey T-shirt as a member of the camp ,


BEIJING -- Seven prestigious universities in China announced Sunday that they would begin using the same independent exam -- besides the national one -- to test students hoping to gain entrance to them in 2011 .

The seven are Peking University , Beihang University , Beijing Normal University , Nankai University , Fudan University , Xiamen University and Hong Kong University .

Students who want to gain entrance to any of the seven universities will only have to sit one independent exam , according to the joint announcement .

`` This will help lighten the students ' load , otherwise they must take several exams for different universities , '' said the announcement .

Passing the exam could result in more than one interview chance , giving the students more opportunities to choose their favorite universities .

China ' s college entrance exam system is undergoing reform as universities aim to select students based on independent criteria rather than just using the results of the national exam .

In 2003 , Peking University and another 21 universities were allowed to pilot the reform by using their own criteria to independently select five percent of their students .

Now nearly 80 universities across the country have the right to select talented students based on their own exams .

Education experts regard universities selecting students according to independent examinations as conducive to better understanding where the students ' talents lie .

Although this may be the case , it has also created problems as students may sit many different exams as they often apply for a number of universities .

To relieve students from such pressures , the national education outline ( 2010 -- 2020 ) released in July this year encourages high-level universities to group together to use the same exams .


To a large degree , the measure of our peace of mind is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment .

Regardless of what happened yesterday or last year , and what may or may not happen tomorrow , the present moment is where you are -- always !

We allow past problems and future concerns to control our present moments , so much that we end up anxious , frustrated , depressed , and hopeless .

We often convince ourselves future will be better than today .

John Lennon once said , `` Life is what 's happening while we 're busy making other plans .

`` When we 're busy making other plans '' , our children are busy growing up , the people we love are moving away and dying , our bodies are getting out of shape , and our dreams are slipping away .

Many people live as if life were a dress rehearsal for some later date .

In fact , no one has a guarantee that he or she will be here tomorrow .

Now is the only time we have , and the only time that we have any control over .

When our attention is in the present moment , we push fear from our minds .

Fear is the concern over events that might happen in the future -- we wo n't have enough money , our children will get into trouble , we will get old and die , whatever .

To struggle against fear , the best strategy is to learn to bring your attention back to the present .

Mark Twain said , `` I have been through some terrible things in my life , some of which actually happened . ''

I do n't think I can say it any better .

Practice keeping your attention on the here and now and your efforts will pay off .


The man sitting opposite Robert was the Financial Controller .

Everybody called him `` the FC '' for short .

In fact , they had always disliked each other .

`` Your request is out of the question , '' the FC said .

Robert had difficulty in controlling himself , but he managed somehow .

He explained that he wanted the money in order to make more programmes .

`` Because more and more people are listening to my department 's programmes .

There 's great demand for them , '' he answered .

But Robert had a report on the numbers of listeners to all EBC programmes .

Robert threw the report down on the table and told him to read it .

The figures proved that he had been wrong , but he did not want to admit it .

`` Well , '' he finally said , `` I may have made a small mistake . ''

But he had the feeling that he would get the money after all .


When was the last time you did something really fun with one of your parents -- just the two of you ?

Parents who take their young children to music , swimming and art classes often stop arranging such activities once their kids are older and in school all day .

Doing something enjoyable with your kids just might make you look at each other in a whole new way , especially if you do it through a class or an event .

When parent and child become students together , it puts them on the same level , at least for a while .

`` I really like parents to come to class with their kids -- they start sharing things and talking about what they 're doing and what they like , '' said art teacher Pyper Dixon .

However , finding something new in common is a big choice for them , especially when kids get involved in sports and other after-school activities .

But it 's possible to learn a new skill or hobby together .

That 's certainly true of Lauren , 11 , of Silver Spring , who is in Dixon 's class with her father , Dennis .

`` I was just going to drop her off , '' Dennis said , `` but Dixon persuaded me to stay . ''

Now Lauren gets to `` nag '' her father about doing his art homework .

`` He always leaves it to the last minute , '' she said .

`` But then he 'll turn around to do amazing drawings , '' she added , `` We have different styles of drawing , so it 's interesting to talk it over with him . ''

Without the Saturday morning art class , Dennis said , he would be reading the paper , and Lauren would be on her own in her room or on the computer .

`` I ca n't think of an experience where you communicate with your kid so closely , '' he said .


The numerical skills of children develop so early that it is easy to imagine an internal clock of mathematical maturity guiding their growth .

Not long after learning to walk and talk , they can set the table with impressive accuracy -- one plate , one knife , one spoon , one fork for each of the five chairs .

Soon they are capable of noting that they have placed five knives , spoons and forks on the table , and a bit later , that this amounts to fifteen pieces of silverware .

Having thus mastered addition , some people expect that if a child were on a desert island at birth and brought back seven years later , he or she could enter a second-grade mathematics class without any serious problems of intellectual adjustment .

Of course , the truth is not so simple .

This century , the work of psychologists has cast light on the unnoticeable forms of daily learning on which intellectual progress depends .

Children were observed as they slowly grasped -- or , as the case might be , came across -- concepts that adults take for granted , as they refused , for instance , to admit that quantity is unchanged as water pours from a short thick glass into a tall thin one .

Psychologists have since proved that young children , asked to count the pencils in a pile , readily report the number of blue or red pencils , but must be persuaded into finding the total .

Such studies have suggested that the most basic parts of mathematics are mastered gradually , and with effort .

They have also suggested that the very concept of abstract numbers -- the idea of a oneness , a twoness , a threeness that applies to any class of object and is a prerequisite for doing anything more mathematically demanding than setting a table -- is itself far from natural born .


Top student Lin Yijian had a problem recently .

The 14-year-old boy from Xiamen used to get marks of over 110 points ( out of 120 possible points ) on his math tests .

But during last semester 's final exams , his math score was only 90 points .

`` I did n't know what happened , '' said Lin , who kept feeling nervous and frustrated about math during the following month .

Like Lin , many of us have setbacks in life .

What would you do to deal with these setbacks ?

Would you just let them be and give up ?

His parents and teacher also gave him help .

After some hard work he now gets marks between 100 and110 points on his math tests .

Although he still is n't at his original level , Lin does n't panic anymore .

`` Do n't be scared by setbacks , '' he said .

Chen Xingzhu in Shenzhen also has a story to tell .

The 15-year-old girl is not good at doing sit-ups , which is necessary for the coming high school PE entrance exam .

One has to do at least 35 sit-ups in a minute to pass the test .

Feeling worried , Chen decided to do something .

She did sit-ups for half an hour every day after school .

Now , after a month , she can do 30 sit-ups a minute .

`` I finally found what made me slow through continuous practice and then improved little by little , '' said Chen .

`` I believe next month I will be able to do 40 ! ''


You may be able to save 100 % of your money .

The best way to develop good saving habits is to make saving a regular part of your life , along with spending .

Here is the rule you should remember : save before spending .

Whenever some money gets into your hands , from a job or your pocket money or whatever , take your savings out immediately , before spending any of the money .

The beauty of this system is that if you take away your savings , you are free to spend the rest .

Here are some more suggestions on how to successfully get into the saving habit from teens .

Tony,13 : I put my money in a bank instead of my wallet , so the money is not there .

And I have to take an extra step to get it .

Bill,14 : When considering a major purchase , wait a week or so , at least .

This will help you make sure if you still want it , and the price might go down .

Dick , 13 : Carry very little money always .

You ca n't spend money if you do n't have it .

A cake would be nice , but without a dollar , you ca n't get it .

Little things like that really add up quickly .

Steve,16 : I used to be weak when it came to money .

I bought something whenever I went into a store .

I taught myself discipline by keeping a $ 20 bill in my pocket while waking around the mall all day and not buying anything .

Now I have no strong wish to buy things when I go into a store .

These ideas should help you get started .

If you have some questions about anything you 've read here , or would like to share your ideas about saving money , please write to us .


The Olympic Games were being held in Berlin .

I had trained , sweated and disciplined myself for 6 years on the running broad jump .

A year before , as a college student at the Ohio State , I 'd set the world 's record of 26 feet 8 1/4 inches .

When the time came for the broad-jump trials , I was shocked to see a tall boy hitting the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps .

He turned out to be a German named Luz Long .

He had easily qualified for the finals on his first attempt .

A nervous athlete is an athlete who will make mistakes .

Walking a few yards from the pit , I kicked at the dirt disgustedly .

I turned to look into the friendly blue eyes of Luz Long .

Then , trying to hide my nervousness , I added , `` How are you ? ''

You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed . ''

He seemed to understand my nervousness , and took pains to reassure me .

Finally , seeing that I had calmed down somewhat , he said , `` What does it matter if you 're not the first in the trials ?

All the tension left my body as the truth of what he said hit me .

Confidently I qualified with almost a foot to spare .

Luz broke his own record and pushed me on to a peak performance .

The instant I landed from my final jump -- the one which set the Olympic record of 26 feet 5 1/16 inches -- he was at my side , congratulating me .


London is the capital of the United Kingdom and the largest city in the European Union .

It is the world 's largest finacial center and one of the most important cultural centers and its influence on politics , education , entertainment , media , fashion , and the arts contributes to its status as a major global city .

Central London is the headquarters of more than half of the UK 's top 100 listed companies ( the FTSE 100 ) and more than 100 of Europe 's 500 largest companies .

The city is a major tourist destination for both domestic and overseas visitors .

London hosted the 1908 and 1948 Summer Olympic Games and will host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games .

London contains four World Heritage Sites : the Tower of London , the historic settlement of Greenwich ; the Royal Botanic Garden , Kew ; and the site comprising the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret 's Church .

London currently has a wide range of peoples cultures and religions and more than 300 languages are spoken within the city .

On July 2007 , it had an official population of 7,556 , 900 within the boundaries of Greater London making it the most populous municipality in the European Union .

Since the 2001 the Greater London Urban Area has been the second largest in the EU after Paris with a population of 8,278,251 , and the metropolitan area is estimated to have a total population of between 12 million and 13 million , the largest population area in the EU .

The public transport network , administered by Transport for London , is the most intensive in the world .

Heathrow Airport is the busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic and the air space is the busiest of any city in the world .


The Pew report , which was based on surveys carried out in Britain , France , Germany , Italy , Spain , Greece , Poland and the Czech Republic , said that the European Union was `` the new sick man of Europe '' .

The percentage of Europeans with a good view of the EU has fallen from 60 percent last year to 45 percent now .

The UK may be considered the most Eurosceptic country , but its support for the Union has barely changed in the past 1 2 months , falling only two points to 43 percent .

But , France 's backing for the EU has fallen sharply , from 60 percent last year to 41 percent today .

On the question of whether to remain in the EU , 46 percent of the British want to leave the Union and surprisingly , the same percentage want to stay .

The Pew report 's authors said , `` The long-term economic crisis has created bad forces that are pulling the European apart , making the French away from the Germans and the Germans away from everyone else .

The effort over the past half century to create a more united Europe is now the main disaster of the euro crisis . ''

The only European leader supported highly by their own voters was the German Chancellor Angela Merkel , with 74 percent voters .

Prime Minister David Cameron was the next highest with a positive score of 37 percent among the British public , and he can take some comfort from the fact that 58 percent of the Poles and half of all French people think he is doing a good job .

Besides the dark economic future and the growing question of the EU , there were more than 60 percent in favor of keeping it .


( Enough for two big glasses of milk shake )

Do n't ask your mother for help with this one !

It 's very easy and it takes two minutes to make .

Put the bananas , the icecream and milk in the blender .

Put some cream , chocolate and fruit on top .

It 's nice and cold with that icecream in it -- so enjoy it !


You have a job , a family and you 're about 40 old .

Getting ready for work , you pause in front of the mirror , `` Turn red , '' you say .

Your shirt changes from sky blue to deep red .

Tiny preprogrammed electronics are rearranged in your shirt to change its color .

Looking into the mirror , you find it hard to believe that you are 40 .

With amazing advances in medicine , people in your generation may live to be 150 years old .

As you go into the kitchen and prepare to pour your breakfast cereal into a bowl , you hear : `` To lose weight , you should n't eat that , '' from your shoes .

They read the tiny electronic code on the cereal box to find out the nutrition details .

`` Kitchen , what can I have for breakfast ? ''

A list of possible foods appear on the counter as kitchen checks its food supplies .

In 2005 only specially trained astronauts went into space -- and very few of them .

Today anyone can go to space for day trips or longer vacation .

Handing your children three strawberries each , your add , `` The doctor said you need these for space travel . ''

Thanks to medical advices , vaccination shots are a thing of the past .

Ordinary foods contain specific vaccines .

With the berries in their mouths , the kids head for the front door .

Your car checks your fingerprints and unlocks the doors .

Your car drives itself down the road and moves smoothly into traffic on the highway .

You sit back and unroll your e-newspaper .

The latest news downloads and fills the viewer .

Looking through the pages , you watch the news as video films rather than read it .


The resignation letter of Gu Shaoqiang , a teacher from Henan , `` The world is so big ; I want to see it . ''

Many people say that it spoke the minds of millions of people who feel they have been in a boring and normal life and want to do something different to change it .

Whatever the teacher may be able to achieve with her life , it is meaningful for people to make their dream come true .

Should we praise the teacher for resigning and following her dreams ?

Yes -- -All of us have dreams that ca n't come true right now .

First , Too many people waste their lives by doing things they do n't love simply because it is what people expect them to do .

They are not happy and they also affect people around them .

The earlier they can break free , the more meaning they can make out of their lives .

Second , It is a waste of people 's talents and social resources if they do n't get to do the things they are most talented at .

Some people do n't want to be white-collar workers all their lives .

They should have the freedom to change their lives .

Third , As our country develops so fast , people have greater freedom to change their lives as long as they put in the time and effort .

No -- -People ca n't change their lives overnight .

First , `` Seeing the world '' is not good enough an excuse to leave one 's job and life .

This kind of attitude could actually be a bad example for young people .

Second , Everyone has a place in society and life .

People may not have achieved their wildest or most ambitious dreams , but where they end up is the result of their and society 's decisions .

Unless they offer to make lots of efforts and sacrifices , people ca n't change their lives overnight .

Third , The reason why the teacher gave up her job is too unclear .


It is well-known that the `` prom '' , a formal dance held at the end of high school or college , is an important date in every student 's life .

What is less well-known is that the word `` prom '' comes from the verb `` to promenade '' , which means to walk around , beautifully dressed , in order to attract attention .

The idea is that you should see and be seen by others .

The prom is not just an American tradition , though most people believe that it started in America .

In Canada the event is called a `` formal '' .

In Britain and Australia the old fashioned word `` dance '' is more and more frequently being referred to as a `` prom '' .

Most countries have some form of celebration when students finish high school : after all , it means the end of life as a child , and the beginning of life as an adult .

The prom is expensive to organize and the tickets can cost students a lot of money .

The tradition is that students themselves have to raise the money to pay for it .

Selling the students newspapers is one way to raise money ; so is taking a part-time job at the weekend .

Although the prom should be the experience of a lifetime , it also worries many students .

There is the problem of what to wear , who to take as your partner , who will be voted `` prom queen '' , etc .

And it is not only students who feel worried .

What many parents find difficult is the realization that their children 's school days are almost over .

However , for most people at the prom , once the music starts playing , everyone relaxes and stops worrying .


To make sure that you enjoy your visit to the Harper Hot Springs and that you are safe during your visit , please take time to read the following :

Do not put your head under the hot water because it may be bad for your eyes .

Do not run around because the floors may be slippery

Just ask one of our workers to look after your things .

Do not eat or drink anything in the area because we want to keep the area clean .

There is a place for you to eat and soft drinks when you need to have a rest .

Do not bring anything made of glass into the area , because it maybe easily to broken when you fall .

Do not bring any hard drinks into the area .

Do not stay in the sunlight for too long .

We hope that you will enjoy your visit here


CHICAGO -- -- For working parents and heavily scheduled school kids , family mealtime is out of fashion .

But supermarkets are trying to attract families back to the dinner table .

There is a cost if family members have meals apart : research shows that teenagers who do n't eat with their parents face a greater risk of drug and alcohol problems .

`` The more often kids have dinner with their parents , the less likely they are to smoke , drink or use drugs , '' said Joseph Califano Jr. , head of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse , which did the research .

Stores are familiar with the idea and will start telling shoppers about the findings and encouraging them to share meals together at home , instead of separately or at restaurants .

The food marketing Institute will give $ 25,000 to the center and help stores promote the center 's Family Day in September .

Many stores have grab-and-go dinners and recipe cards .

Some have kiosks where people can taste a main dish , then pick out side dishes .

`` Our members have worked hard to try to have easily prepared food either ready to eat or ready to take home , '' said Tim Hammonds , the institute 's president and chief executive .

Los Angeles-based Contessa Premium Foods makes frozen delicious meals , which a family can heat in 10 minutes to 12 minutes .

`` That 's nearly as fast as a TV dinner , '' said president and chief executive John Z. Blazevich , `` but is healthier and makes people feel like they actually cooked . ''

`` The preparation is the hardest part , so we try to combine a variety of tastes and flavours from around the world and make it fast and easy , '' he said .

`` Eating at home helps keep meals healthy and teaches kids how to eat right .

If we can get people back to having family dinners , parents back to being engaged with their kids , it will have a surprising impact , '' he said .


You could feel sorry for Alberto Torres , who is blind .

The last thing he remembers seeing was his daughter being born 13 years ago .

Then the world went blank ; he can only imagine what his only child looks like now , as a teenaged honor student .

Bad luck is no stranger to this warm and thoughtful 37-year-old man .

His mother died of cancer when he was 4 , and his father , who was often ill , had to give him up to the care of the state when he was 11 .

He later worked for 19 years in a workshop making household goods , deathly boring work .

Earlier this month , Alberto Torres 's wife , who had just been laid off from her job , had to have a breast removed due to cancer and now faces a year of radiation treatments .

Things seemed always to go from almost incredibly bad to worse .

Even Mr. Torres 's good luck has a dark side : Five years ago , his lovely guide dog pulled him out of the path of a truck .

But Mr. Torres does not feel sorry for himself .

`` These are just little bumps you have to go over in your life , '' he said .

At 5 a.m. on a recent morning , we caught up with Mr. Torres at a subway stop in Brooklyn , New York , near where he lives in a third-floor apartment ( with no elevator ) .

He had been up since 3 a.m. , feeding his new dog , making coffee , getting ready .

`` When you 're blind , it takes a little longer to do things , '' he said .

Mr. Torres was beginning his two-hour trip to his job developing film in the X-ray department of the emergency room of the Bronx hospital .

He would take the G train to Queens Plaza station to the R train , heading towards Manhattan .

He would then ride the R train to 59th Street where he would walk upstairs to switch to the Number 6 train .

At one point along the journey , he might chat with a stranger .

At another , someone would pat his dog , calling him by name .

People offered assistance , even seats .

At 125th Street , Mr. Torres would transfer to the Number 4 train by crossing the platform .

At 149th Street , he would go down to the Number 2 .

He would take that to East 180th Street where he nearly always has a long wait for his final train , to Pelham Parkway .

Then he and his dog would walk 20 minutes to the hospital .

Before he got the job , Mr. Torres was determined to escape the workshop run by an organization dedicated to help people who ca n't see .

He wanted a job developing X-ray film , something that everyone must do in the dark .

He had to handle the long trip , as well as the work .

`` Our philosophy here is that blind people can do just about anything except drive buses , '' it was the thinking about disabled people at the Bronx hospital .

`` We find what a person can do rather than what he ca n't do , '' said the hospital 's director .

One day a while ago marked the first anniversary of Mr. Torres 's hiring .

He developed 150 or so X-rays , his usual output , to celebrate .

Mr. Torres works by himself in a small , dark room that smells of chemicals .

He can not wear gloves , because he needs to feel .

It is hard work , related to emergency of lives .

His immediate supervisor says he trusts him 100 % .

`` If I start feeling like a victim , that makes me bitter .

That makes you go into a hole and stay there . ''

`` I 'm not doing anything out of the ordinary , '' insisted Mr. Torres as he quickly completed the task .


Jenny went to visit her friends in New York last weekend .

Her friends met her at the airport on Friday afternoon and drove her to the hotel .

They had dinner at a Chinese restaurant and went to see a film after that .

Jenny and her friends set out early on Saturday morning for a farm and stayed there until Sunday morning .

During their stay , they went fishing and swimming in the small river on the farm .

They played football in the field and enjoyed a big meal around a camp fire , singing and dancing till late into the night .

Nobody could get up early on Sunday morning .

So when they got back to New York City , it was about three o'clock in the afternoon .

They drove right to the airport because Jenny did n't want to miss her plane back home .

Jenny only stayed in New York for two nights but she had a great time with her friends .


Soon Tommy 's parents , who had recently separated , would arrive for a conference on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior .

Neither parent knew that I had called the other .

Tommy , an only child , had always been happy , cooperative and an excellent student .

How could I convince his father and mother that his recent failing grades represented a broken-hearted child 's reaction to his parents ' separation and pending divorce ?

Tommy 's mother entered and took one of the chairs .

At least they were concerned enough to be here in time .

As I gave a detailed account of Tommy 's behavior and schoolwork , I prayed for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son .

Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty , carelessly done papers ?

I found a sheet in the back of his desk .

Writing covered both sides : not the assignment , but a single sentence scribbled over and over .

She read it and then handed it to her husband .

At last he folded the paper carefully , placed it in his pocket , and reached for his wife 's hand .

She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him .

He helped her with her coat and they left together .

In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family .

He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain out pouring of a small boy 's troubled heart .

The words are `` Dear Mom ... Dear Daddy ...


Do you have a high school announcement to make ?

Are you hosting a high school sports event or tournament ?

Let us know , and we 'll share it with `` Tribune '' readers .

August 21 -- -- Sacred Heart is looking for two assistant baseball coaches immediately .

Practices and games are held after school at 3:30 pm .

Some experience in playing or coaching is preferred .

If interested , e-mail Ron Schwartz at ramsad1 @ aol.com .

August 7 -- -- - Loyola Academy will host its 12th Rambler Baseball Winter Workshop for students in fourth through eighth grades on Aug. 26. the early registration fee is $ 70 and registration at the door is $ 85 .

contact Loyola coach Bill San Hamel at 847-920-2523 to register early .

July 17 -- -- - St. Patrick will host a Youth Holiday Baseball Camp for boys in grades three through eight Aug. 26 through Aug. 28 from 6:30 pm to 9 pm in St. Pat 's gym .

stpatrick.orgor contact Coach Kusinski at ( 773 ) 282-8844 ext .

June 12 -- -- - The Marist Girls ' basketball team is looking for a game for the new season .

If interested , please contact Mary Pat Connolly at ( 773 ) 881-5318 , or e-mail

June 1 -- -- - Bartlett is hosing a high school football camp June 13-30 and July 11-28 from 8-11 am .

to register go to www.athletic2000.com/bartlett .

Contact coach Tom Meaney with questions at 630-372-4700 ext .

May 27 -- -- Hinsdale is hosting youth wrestling camps June 20-23 and June 27-30 .

Even wrestlers in kindergarten are eligible to participate .

The cost of registration is $ 80 per person .

Contact head wrestling coach Jason Hayes at 815-762-1568 or e-mail jhayes @ hinsdale86.org for more information .


Soon after you have your first child , the question of having a second one is raised by friends and family .

However , as the pattern of having two children in a family is challenged by modern family units , there are a few reasons why it is not selfish to want only one child .

Today , the role of women has changed a lot .

But nowadays , a wife has to help her husband earn the bread and butter as well as well as looking after her family .

In demanding times like these , a woman has to put in more physical and emotional effort than any other member of the family .

Raising a child comes at a cost that remains only heard of , until you find yourself paying it .

The good reality of double income with no kids suddenly comes crashing down when there is a child involved in the picture .

When one parent ( the mother ) needs to take some time off to look after the newborn , only one person becomes the earning member .

Of course , the expenses went up rapidly .

According to Susan Newman , PhD , a social psychologist , the average cost of raising a child is $ 227,000 from birth to college .

Most young mothers also think that having one child would mean that there is more income for the child , and thus , better facilities can be provided .

It is much easier to educate a single child at a good school , and give him/her better life with more resources at hand .

With several children in the house , it becomes increasingly difficult to find ways to spend time with all of them .

Dividing your time with just one child means that you can devote a little more time to doing the things you want to .

In a single child unit , there are less comparison and more chances for positive motivation to learn new things .

A happy child , who deserves the rightful attention , love , care , and time from both the parents , always gets a meaningful childhood , for both the parents and the child .


With two teenage boys and three little boys , our family is restless -- to the baseball field , track field and piano lessons .

Even though we 've limited each boy 's activities and try our best to defend our family time , it seems that we 're in a constant state of flight .

Roll with it , '' my husband , Lonny , says , `` It 's going to be like this for a while . ''

It 's likely that life will continue to go forward before it slows down .

But I remembered the still , quiet days that our family used to enjoy .

I missed long walks through the park when we held the boys ' little hands .

I longed for lazy Saturday afternoons under the tree in our backyard .

I wanted to slip back a few years , when busyness was the exception and not the rule .

One night , after a particularly full day and evening games , our family gathered on the porch for ice cream .

Two parents , two teens , and three small boys piled on one old swing and a couple of rocking chairs .

We were together , in one place , for a small slice of time .

The Mississippi River , flowing past our home , was smooth as glass .

I wrapped my own arms around the son who sat on my lap and breathed deeply to inhale his little-boy scent -- dirt and sweat .

I realized that while crazy is our new normal happiness is as usual .

They may look different from before , but they are still there -- even if they 're in the form of a single moment on the porch .


Today we all go on a bus tour of the city and visit the Eiffel Tower .

There is so much to see and so many to ride .

My brother and I love the fast rides like Thunder Mountain .

My little sister loves all the Disney cartoon characters .

The most famous ones are Minnie and Mickey Mouse .


Most lives saved from sinking ferryCao Min could n't believe she was experiencing exactly what she had seen years ago in the film `` Titanic '' .

Cao and her two children from Anhui Province were traveling on board the `` Liaoludu 7 '' on February 22 .

They were among the first people on the ship who were rescued by lifeboats .

Cao 's one-year-old son was the youngest passenger on board .

The `` Liaoludu 7 '' was traveling in the Bohai Straits from Lushun in Liaoning Province to the port city of Longkou in Shandong Province .

It suddenly lost its power at 2:30 pm and tilted on its side .

With 81 people on board , the ferry began to sink .

`` I was so scared that my legs could n't move forward .

They kept shaking even when I was asked to jump onto a `` lifeboat . ''

Upon receiving the urgent appeal , China Marine Search and Rescue Center immediately informed the State Council .

The center sent eight lifeboats to the sinking ship and asked for help form the Ministry of Agriculture , the Navy and nearby fishing boats .

After more than four hours of fighting against strong winds and freezing ocean water , the passengers were recovered .

These four died after spending too long in the freezing waters , according to a spokesperson for the Beijing-based center .


Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father , `` But , Dad , you ca n't be healthy if you 're dead . ''

Dad , in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run , had forgotten to wear his safety belt -- a mistake 75 % of the US population make every day .

There have been many myths about safety belts ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago .

The following are three of the most common .

Myth Number One : It 's best to be `` thrown clear '' of a serious accident .

Truth : Sorry , but any accident serious enough to `` throw you clear '' is also going to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing .

And chances are that you 'll have traveled through a wind shield or door to do it .

Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times greater in cases where people are `` thrown clear '' .

Myth Number Two : Safety belts `` trap '' people in cars that are burning or sinking in water .

Truth : Sorry again , but studies show that people knocked unconscious due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents .

People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situations , not to be trapped in them .

Myth Number Three : Safety belts are n't needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour .

Truth : When two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other , an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 meters .


What will higher education look like in 2050 ?

That was the question addressed Tuesday night by Michael Crow , president of Arizona State University .

`` We 're at the end of the fourth wave of change in higher education , '' Crow began , arguing that research universities followed the initial establishment of higher education , public colleges , and land-grant schools in the timeline of America .

In less than a half-century , he said , global market competition will be at its fastest rates of change ever , with several multitrillion-dollar economies worldwide .

According to a recent projection , the nation 's population could reach 435 million , with a large percentage of those residents economically disadvantaged .

In addition , climate change will be `` meaningfully uncontrollable '' in many parts of the world .

The everyday trends seen today , such as declining performance of students at all levels , particularly in math and science , and declining wages and employment among the less educated , will only continue , Crow maintained , and are , to say the least , not contributing to fulfilling the dream of climbing the social ladder mobility , quality of life , sustainable environment , and longer life spans that most Americans share .

`` How is it that we can have these great research universities and have negative-trending outcomes ? ''

Crow said in a talk `` I hold the universities accountable .

Among the `` things that we do that make the things that we teach less learnable , '' Crow said , are the strict separation of disciplines , academic rigidity , and conservatism , the desire of universities to imitate schools at the top of the social ranks , and the lack of the computer system ability that would allow a large number of students to be educated for a small amount of money .

Since 2002 , when Crow started being in charge at Arizona State -- which he calls the `` new American university '' -- he has led more than three dozen initiatives that aim to make the school `` inclusive , scalable , fast , adaptive , challenge-focused , and willing to take risks . ''

Among those initiatives were a restructuring of the engineering and life sciences schools to create more linkages between disciplines ; the launch of the School of Earth and Space Exploration and the School of Sustainability ; the start of a Teachers College to address K-12 performance and increase the status of the Education Department at the university ; and broadened access , increasing the freshman class size by 42 percent and the enrollment of students living below the poverty line by 500 percent .

Universities must start , Crow noted , `` by becoming self-reflective architects figuring out what we have and what we actually need instead of what legend tells us we have to be . ''

Research universities today have `` run their course , '' he added .

During a discussion afterward , Crow clarified and expanded on some of his points .

He discussed , for example , the school 's distance-learning program .

`` Nearly 40 percent of undergraduates are taking at least one course online , '' he said , which helps the school to keep costs down while advancing interactive learning technologies .

He said that Arizona State is working to increase the transfer and completion rates of community-college students , of whom only about 15 percent , historically , complete their later degrees .

`` We 've built a system that will allow them to track into universities , '' particularly where `` culturally complex barriers '' beyond finances limit even the most gifted students .


Most people think of zoos as safe heavens for animals , where problems such as difficulty finding food and avoiding predators do n't exist .

Therefore , animals in zoos should live to a ripe old age .

But that may not be true for the largest land animals on earth .

Scientists have known that elephants in zoos often suffer from poor health .

They develop diseases and they are even unable to have babies .

To learn more about how captivity affects elephants , a team of international scientists compared the lifespans of the zoo-born elephants with the lifespans of thousands of wild elephants .

They also compared some Asian elephants living in zoos with some Asian elephants which work in logging camp , over almost the same time period .

The team found that elephants born in zoos lived an average of 16.9 years , but elephants that died of natural causes lived an average of 56 years .

Asian elephants followed a similar pattern .

In zoos , they lived 18.9 years , while those in the logging camp lived 41.7 years .

Scientists do n't yet know why wild elephants seem to live so much better than their zoo-raised counterparts .

Georgia Mason , a biologist at the University of Guelph in Canada , who led the study , thinks stress and obesity may be to blame .

Zoo elephants do n't get the same kind of exercise they would in the wild .

Elephants ' social lives are also much different in zoos than in the wild , where they live in large family groups .


When you are invited to attend a party in the West , the first important thing you need to know is that you should arrive late .

It is a great embarrassment to arrive at a party early or even on time .

Therefore , unless you are the host of the party , you never want to be the first person present at a party .

Because others may think that you have no life or nothing better to do than wait for a party to start .

Many people try to project an image of always being busy , which , whether true or not , has something to do with success .

So , by arriving late , you are implying : `` I live a full life and it 's really exciting . ''

Therefore , an 8 o'clock party usually does n't really start until maybe 9 o'clock , as everyone wants to be thought of as a busy and important person with lots of things to do .

In other words , a party is one of those rare occasions in which your punctuality can actually hurt you .

It 's quite a strange thing , is n't it ?


If it really is what 's on the inside that counts , then a lot of thin people might be in trouble .

Some doctors now think that the internal fat surrounding important organs like the heart or liver could be as dangerous as the external fat which can be noticed more easily .

`` Being thin does n't surely mean you are not fat , '' said Dr Jimmy Bell at Imperial College .

Since 1994 , Bell and his team have scanned nearly 800 people with MRI machines to create `` fat maps '' showing where people store fat .

According to the result , people who keep their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat , even if they are slim .

Even people with normal Body Mass Index scores can have surprising levels of fat deposits inside .

Of the women , as many as 45 percent of those with normal BMI scores ( 20 to 25 ) actually had too high levels of internal fat .

Among men , the percentage was nearly 60 percent .

According to Bell , people who are fat on the inside are actually on the edge of being fat .

They eat too many fatty and sugary foods , but they are not eating enough to be fat .

Scientists believe we naturally store fat around the belly first , but at some point , the body may start storing it elsewhere .

Doctors are unsure about the exact dangers of internal fat , but some think it has something to do with heart disease and diabetes .

They want to prove that internal fat damages the body 's communication systems .

The good news is that internal fat can be easily burned off through exercise or even by improving your diet .

`` If you want to be healthy , there is no short cut .

Exercise has to be an important part of your lifestyle , '' Bell said .


Some kinds of mental skills naturally decrease as people get older .

Yet research seems to show that some training can improve such skills .

A recently published study also appears to demonstrate that the good effects of training can last for many years after that training has ended .

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland wanted to learn how long memory and thinking skills would last in older people who trained to keep them .

The people were part of the ten-year research project .

They were taught methods meant to improve their memory , thinking and ability to perform everyday tasks .

More than 2,800 volunteered for the study called ACTIVE - short for Advanced ( Cognitive ) Training for Independent and Vital Elderly .

Most studied when they were more than 70 years old .

The volunteers took one of several short training classes meant to help them keep their mental abilities .

One class trained participants in skills including how to remember word lists .

A third group received help with speed-of-processing - speed of receiving and understanding information .

A fourth group - the control group did not get any training .

Earlier results had established that the training helped the participants for up to five years .

Now , lead study writer George Rebok says , the research showed most of the training remained effective a full ten years later .

Professor Rebok and his team found that the people trained in reasoning and speed-of-processing did better on tests than the control group .

`` We are wondering whether those effects which endured over time would still be there ten years following the training , and in fact , that 's exactly what we found . ''

The effect on memory , however , seemed not to last as long .

Still , the old people in any of the three classes generally reported less difficulty in performing daily activities than the control group .

The total training time for the older people was between 10 and 15 hours .


Do you have three years ' experience as an English teacher ?

Do you have free time on Saturdays and Sundays ?

We need a woman teacher for our daughter .

My daughter is twelve and she is not good at English .

We live in Beihai Road , Garden District .

If you want to know more information , please call Mrs. Yang at 82569876 .


Every day we meet people in a number of business and social situations .

And the way we meet and greet them creates an impression .

It 's important to do so in a proper way , no matter whether you are introducing yourself to someone , or introducing two people .

To keep you aware of this , we have gathered tips on how to make a proper introduction .

*Always stand when making an introduction .

When you are seated and someone comes up to greet you , make the effort to stand up .

By doing this , you show respect for yourself and for the other person .

*Always keep eye contact while making an introduction .

Many people are not aware of the value of this simple action .

When you make eye contact , you are giving a confident image .

*Always introduce a person of lesser authority to one of greater authority .

The most important thing to remember is to say the most important person 's name first .

For example , when introducing your supervisor to a job candidate , you would give your supervisor 's name first .

`` Bob Jones , may I introduce Susan Lee , who has just graduated from ABC University ? ''

*In a situation where rank is unimportant , an introduction is based on sex and age .

A man is presented to a woman and a younger woman to an older woman .

What if you find yourself in a situation where you have forgotten the other person 's name ?

Start with a handshake and reintroduce yourself .

When doing this , you will usually cause the other person to do the same .

However , if the other person does not take your suggestion , it is OK simply to apologize and let the person know that you can not remember her or his name .

This is not the ideal situation , of course , but it does happen to all of us .


Silk production has a long and colourful history unknown to most people .

Scientific discoveries have shown that silk production existed in China from around 2500 B.C. , although it could be much older .

For hundreds of years , China kept the secret of silk to itself as one for the most closely protected secrets in history .

Anyone revealing the secret of silkworms or trying to take silkworm eggs out of ancient China was punished by death .

At one time silk was reserved only for the Chinese emperor .

In addition to being used for clothing , silk came to have industrial uses in ancient China , something that happened in the West only in modern times .

Silk was used to make musical instruments , fishing lines , weapons , ropes and even paper .

During the Han Dynasty silk became a form of money .

Farmers paid taxes in both rice and silk .

The prices of goods were calculated in lengths of silk just as they had once been calculated in gold .

The importance of silk is even reflected in the Chinese language .

For example , of the 5000 most common Chinese characters , around 500 have silk as their `` key '' .

In spite of their secrecy , the Chinese eventually lost their monopoly on silk production .

when immigrants from China arrived there .

Silk production came to India in 300 A.D..

It was not until 500 A.D. that silk production came to Europe when travellers smuggled out silkworms in hollow tubes of bamboo .

These were used to establish silk industry in Rome ( modern-day Italy ) , although Chinese silk was still considered to be the best .

Silk was brought to Rome from China by means of the Silk Road .

There were actually two Silk Roads , one over land and one on the sea .

The land route in particular had a huge effect in history .

All sorts of trade goods -- silver , gold , jade , porcelain -- passed along this road .

For example the religion of Buddhism was carried to China from India by traders on the Silk Road .

The Silk Road created the first international culture , exposing many people to the ideas and treasures of both Western and Chinese cultures .


There was a little boy with a bad temper .

His father gave him some nails to drive into the fence when he lost his temper .

The first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence .

He found it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence .

Finally the day came when the boy did n't lose his temper at all .

He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy should now pull out one nail for each day that he held his temper .

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone .

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence .

He said , `` You have done well , my son , but you look at the fence .

When you say things in anger , they leave a scar just like this one .

You can put a knife in a man and draw it out .

It wo n't matter how many times you say I 'm sorry , the wound is still there .

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one .


All parents know that one of their most important tasks is to prepare their children for an independent life , but any parent can tell you that it 's hard to let go of your children .

That balance between keeping your children safe and allowing them to learn from their own mistakes can be heartbreaking .

Years of experience means that parents often do know best , but on the other hand , the young , being less bound by tradition , are often more creative , more able to find new solutions to old problems .

Good teachers make the growth of critical thinking easier in their students , only to find that this can lead to a questioning of the teachers ' basic beliefs .

Schools encourage parents to become involved , but are often embarrassed when parents have reservations about some of the educational methods being used .

Governments encourage unimportant groups to empower themselves in order to participate fully in the development process .

And they are often surprised when the new leaders of these groups turn around and attack the policies of that same government .

The rebellions young and the newly unimportant groups are important in social development .

They are not necessarily representatives of those they want to represent or not realistic in their demands , but their voices must be heard .

Good parents know that just forbidding particular behaviors does not prevent their children from finding ways to engage in these forbidden activities .

Indeed , sometimes the forbidden fruit is more inviting , just because it is not accepted by authority .

Parents must work with their children to educate them on the facts , know as much as possible about he lives of their children , provide a good example , encourage more wholesome activities but also support their children when they do n't follow what is expected of them .

But the most important point is that they also need to learn how to let go .


Should doctors ever lie to benefit their patient -- -to speed recovery or to cover the coming of death ?

In medicine as in law , government , and other lines of work , the requirements of honesty often seem dwarfed by greater needs : the need to protect from brutal news or to uphold a promise of secrecy ; to advance the public interest .

What should doctors say , for example , to a 46-year-old man coming in for a routine physical check up just before going on vacation with his family who , though he feels in perfect health , is found to have a form of cancer that will cause him to die within six months .

If he asks , should the doctor reject that he is ill , or minimize the gravity of the illness ?

Should they at least hide the truth until after the family vacation ?

At times , they see important reasons to lie for the patient 's own sake ; in their eyes , such lies differ sharply from self-serving ones .

Studies show that most doctors sincerely believe that the seriously ill patients do not want to know the truth about their condition , and that informing them risks destroying their hope , so that they may recover more slowly , or deteriorate faster , perhaps even commit suicide .

But other studies show that , contrary to the belief of many physicians ; a great majority of patients do want to be told the truth , even about serious illness , and feel cheated when they learn that they have been misled .

We are also learning that truthful information , humanly conveyed , helps patients cope this illness : help them tolerate pain better , need less medicine , and even recover faster after operation .

There is urgent need to debate this issue openly .

Not only in medicine , but in other professions as well , practitioners may find themselves repeatedly in difficulty where serious consequences seem avoidable only through deception .

Yet the public has every reason to know professional deception , for such practices are peculiarly likely to become deeply rooted , to spread , and to trust .

Neither in medicine , nor in law , government , or the social sciences can there be comfort in the old saying , `` What you do n't know ca n't hurt you . ''


The preventive measures for forest fires include some preemptive methods that can help reduce the risks of fires and control their severity and spread , and thus , maintain ecological balance and protect resources .

Close monitoring of forest fires caused by natural factors can help prevent their spread to a large extent .

To contain forest fires , fire departments usually use water and chemical fire retardants that can be dropped from planes and helicopters .

To control the spread of a wildfire.firefighters usually create a control line by removing all fuel from an area so that the fire can not travel across it .

Controlled burns are often employed by government authorities to reduce fuel buildup , and clean up the fallen leaves , and thus , prevent the spread of forest fires to a vast area .

Regular controlled burns can also help maintain biodiversity , as the smoke and heat produced in the process can facilitate the growth of seeds of certain plant species .

Apart from these , responsible human behavior can help reduce the number of forest fires to a great extent .

In fact , we can reduce the number of wildfires dramatically by not leaving behind any source of fire in the forest .

Forest fires can affect climate and weather to a great extent , besides causing severe damage to valuable trees .

Wildfires can increase the level of greenhouse gases ( water vapor , carbon dioxide , etc ) , and therefore increase pollution and global warming .

However , they are also an important part of the ecosystem , and many plants depend on the heat and smoke generated by wildfires for their growth and reproduction .

But large wildfires can cause extensive damage to the ecosystem , which again highlights the importance of effective control and prevention of forest fires*


When was the last time someone did something unexpectedly nice for you ?

Not someone you knew , but a total stranger ?

It 's happened to me a few times , but two instances really stand out .

A few years ago , I was dining out with a person who kept going on and on about himself , completely unaware of the fact that I was sitting there in misery .

It was n't his company that disappointed me .

I was recovering from a bad grade in my study .

I could have collapsed in tears right there at the table .

When we picked up the check , the waitress said , `` Your meal was already paid for . ''

My friend and I did n't have a clue how it happened .

Then I remembered a man coming in out of the corner of my eye .

He was dressed in mostly white , sat down at the bar , had a glass of wine , stayed for maybe ten minutes and then left .

The waitress said , `` Yes , the gentleman who was in here a while ago paid for you . ''

Just last year , I was running a half-marathon .

With just 0.1 miles to go , I was out of gas .

Runners call it `` hitting the wall '' ; I thought I could n't move another muscle .

Out of nowhere , a teenager jogged up next to me and said , `` What 's your name sweetie ?

And he ran with me until I picked up my pace .

I found him at the finish line to thank him for the encouragement only to learn he was n't even supposed to be in the race that day .

He was running in place of someone else .

I still shake my head when I think of these momentary angels that came to me at my point of need .


There , my team and I are trying to learn more about the American black duck , a kind of water bird .

And now we are using an exciting piece of equipment called a `` night vision scope '' .

By using it , we can see the ducks in the dark .

We 're worried about black ducks mainly because their numbers are falling hugely .

And we do n't know whether there 's enough food on the east coast for these birds .

There 's lots of information about their daytime activities , but nothing about what they do at night , because we do n't have the equipment .

But this new `` scope '' will make really clear pictures , even on moonless nights , so we will be able to find out more about the ducks .

There are four of us , and we each work six hours every day .

We study ducks in different places , and I sometimes have to take a boat to where I need to work.the weather is not helpful because most of the time it 's wet .

Oh , and it 's so quiet that sometimes I need coffee to stop me from falling asleep .

Over the summer , we will spend hours in a lab , where we will look at our results together .

It will be hard to stay there every day because of the hot weather -- but it is very important to do this !


Do you know that girls are seven times more likely than boys to be unhappy and twice more likely to commit suicide and that girls are three times more likely than boys to have a negative attitude ?

Twenty percent of the girls in the US between the ages of 12 and 17 drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes .

Mental health is how we think , feel , and act in order to face life 's problems .

A young girl 's mental health affects her daily life and future .

Like physical health , mental health is important at every stage of life .

Caring for and protecting a young girl 's mental health is important to ensure that she grows up to become the best she can be .

Many children experience mental health problems that are painful and can be serious .

Mental health problems affect at least one in every five young people at any given time .

Unluckily , about two thirds of all young people with mental health problems are not getting the help they need .

Mental health problems can lead to school failure , alcohol or other drug abuse , family violence , or even suicide .

There are many signs that may point to a possible mental health problem in a child or teenager .

If you are worried about a child or have any questions , look for help at once .

Talk to your doctor , a school teacher , or other mental health experts who are trained to know whether your child has a mental health problem .

You can also call 18007892647 for a list of warning signs .


When we see well , we do not think about our eyes very often .

It is only when we can not see perfectly that we realize how important our eyes are .

People who are near-sighted can only see things that are very close to their eyes .

Everything else seems blurry ( unclear ) .

Many people who do a lot of work , such as writing , reading and sewing become near -- sighted .

People who are far-sighted suffer from just the opposite problem .

They can see things that are far away , but they have difficulty in reading a book unless they hold it at arm 's length .

If they want to do much reading , they must get glasses , too .

Other people do not see clearly because their eyes are not exactly the right shape .

This , too , can be corrected by glasses .

Some people 's eyes become cloudy because of cataracts .

Long ago these people often became blind .

Now , however , it is possible to operate on the cataracts and remove them .

Having two good eyes is important for judging distances .

Each eye sees things from a slightly different angle .

To prove this to yourself , look at an object out of one eye ; then look at the same object out of your other eye .

You will find the object 's relation to the background and other things around it has changed .

The difference between these two different eye views helps us to judge how far away an object is .

People who have only one eye can not judge distance as people with two eyes .


In 1996 , a rocket broke into about 300,000 small pieces .

So far , scientists have found over 10,000 man-made pieces flying around in space .

Only 6-7 % of them are satellites and space probes .

Astronauts also lose small things while working in space .

In 1965 , during the first American spacewalk , astronaut Edward White lost a glove .

For a month , the glove stayed in space , travelling at a speed of 28,000 kilometers per hour .

It became the most dangerous piece of clothing for the Earth in history it flew away .

If they hit one another , it can be dangerous .

A little piece of paint from a satellite once made a hole in a spacecraft window .

Last year two US spacecraft dropped some bolts , and scientists on the Earth worried a lot .

Luckily the bolts floated away into space .


Eleven-year-old Evan Green does n't want to save just one tree-he wants to save a whole rainforest !

In the Redwood City , Calif , a boy started a group called the Red Dragon Conservation Team four years ago to do just that .

So far , the team 's members have raised $ 4,500 .

That 's enough to purchase and protect more than 16 acres of rainforest in Costa Rica through the Center for Ecosystem survival .

Every year , thousands of square miles of rainforest are destroyed worldwide .

Logging and farming are mostly likely to blame , scientists say .

The loss is terrible news for animals and people .

Even though rainforests cover less than 2 percent of the earth , they are home to half the world 's plants and animals .

Rainforests also provide water and help control the earth 's climate .

Evan 's work to save the rainforests recently earned him a Barron prize for Young Heroes .

The prizes are given to children or teenagers who have made a positive difference in the world .

Evan 's goal is `` to save enough rainforests to last forever '' .

His actions have already inspired other kids to chip in .

One girl asked for donations instead of presents on her birthday .

Other kids are starting their own conservation teams .

Evan says everyone can help the planet-even by taking small steps such as recycling .

He and his family try to make a difference every day .

`` We recycle , we try to limit our garbage ... we 've been walking a little more , and we buy local food , '' Evan said .


There 's a guy like me in every state and federal prison in America , I guess -- I 'm the guy who can get these for you : cigarettes , a bag of cigar , if you want that , a bottle of wine to celebrate your son or daughter 's high school graduation , or almost anything else ... within reason , that is .

I came to Shawshank when I was just twenty , and I am one of the few people in the prison who is willing to admit what he did .

I put a large insurance policy on my wife , who was three years older than 1 was , and then I fixed the brakes of the car her father had given us as a wedding present .

It worked out exactly as I had planned , except I had n't planned on her stopping to pick up the neighbour woman and the woman 's son on the way down Castle Hill and into town .

The brakes let go and the car crashed through the bushes , gathering speed .

Bystanders said it must have been doing fifty or better when it hit the base of the Civil War statue in the town arid burst into flames .

I also had n't planned on getting caught , but caught 1 was .

My state has no death penalty , but I was tried for all three deaths and given three life sentences , to run one after the other .

That fixed up any chance of parole I might have , for a long , long time .

The judge called what I had done'an extremely evil crime ' , and it was , but it is also in the past now .

I do n't know what that word means , at least as far as prisons and corrections go .

It may have some other meaning , and it may be that 1 will have a chance to find out , but that is the future ...

I was young , good -- looking , and from the poor side of town .

I met a pretty , headstrong girl who lived in one of the fine old houses on Carbine Street .

Her father was agreeable to the marriage if 1 would take a job in the company he owned and 'work my way up'.I found out that what he really had in mind was keeping me in his house and under his thumb , like a disagreeable pet that has not quite been housebroken and which may bite .

Enough hate eventually piled up to cause me to do what I did .

Given a second chance 1 would not do it again , but I 'm not sure that means I am transformed .


Many people think sports are just for winning and honor , but there is a lot more you can gain from ( get out of ) them .

I have learned over the past years that sometimes when I lose , I get a lot more out of it than winning .

Also , I find a lot of times in sports , people are getting too caught up in the game instead of just having fun .

The real purpose of sports is to have fun and learn life lessons along the way .

I greatly encourage you to be a part of the school sports .

Even if you are not the best , you can still have fun .

Sports give people a great and healthy way of spending an afternoon , instead of lying around playing video games or even getting into bad things .

Sports also give us a sense of achievement .

There is n't a better feeling than to have done something fun and productive for my day .

I think that we all need sports to give us courage .

If we try hard in sports , we usually do well .

If we did the same in study , we would all be champions .

Another reason why I encourage you to play sports is that it 's just fun .

Without sports , our lives would just be boring .

So as you may be able to tell , sports are amazing !

Our coaches not only teach us to play sports , but show class and good sportsmanship while playing them .

It 's never fun when you lose to have the competitor rub it in your face .

That 's why our coaches teach us to show class when we lose ; also , when coaches get onto you , do n't get down .

They only want to see you improve and learn from what they say .

When you do badly and they do n't shout loudly is when you should start worrying because they are giving up on you .

They bring out the best and worst of a lot of us .

However , we can ' t let sports get too serious to where it brings down all the fun .

So to have the most fun in sports , you just need try your best and not worry so much about the winning or losing .


The best way to come first is to go last .

An analysis of almost 50 years of competitions -- including Eurovision Song Contests and world skating championships -- has found that contestants are more likely to win if they are among the last to appear before the judges .

The study by an American university appears to provide scientific proof that the best man , or woman , does not always win .

It found that , on average , the last competitor to appear in the Eurovision Song Contest was more than twice as likely to win as the one who went on first .

The first rounds of figure-skating championships , for which the running order is selected at random , showed more dramatic results .

The final skater had a 14 percent chance of victory , making him or her more than four times as likely to win as the first skater .

The study showed a gradual worsening of chances for competitors who appeared earlier in the running order .

A contestant who appears first in a contest is two percent less likely to win than one who appears second .

A contestant who appears second is two percent less likely to win than one who appears third , and so on .

The findings are published in the March issue of Acta Psychologica , a scientific journal .

Robert Hardman , a senior lecturer in psychology at London Metropolitan University who specializes in the science of decision-making , said that the results were interesting .

He suggested that the effect was caused by the limitations of the human memory .

`` When people make comparisons , they are n't really able to make a lot of fine-grade discrimination .

When contestants appear at the beginning of a contest , judges have little to compare them to and are perhaps wary of the scores they give , '' he said .

`` Later on , when judges are able to compare the contestants to those that have gone before , they might give more extreme marks because they feel more confident about their judgments . ''


Jack Brown was very quiet as Dr. Johnson examined him .

The doctor looked at the boy 's throat , took his temperature and listened to his heart .

Finally , he asked Jack 's mother a few questions

He said he felt too sick to go to school today . ''

`` He got orange juice , two pieces of bread , an egg and a glass of milk . ''

I see , '' the doctor asked Jack , `` How do you feel now , My boy ? ''

Jack answered `` Terrible , I think I 'm going to die The doctor said , `` You wo n't die .

In fact , you 'll be fine by dinner time . ''

Jack 's mother looked very glad , Dr. Johnson answered , `` Mrs. Brown , you son has a sickness that is common to boys at a time like this .

Mrs. Brown said , `` But I do n't understand . ''

`` Today , '' the doctor told her , `` the most exciting football final of the World Cup is on TV .

If Jack feel well enough to watch TV this afternoon , and I think he does .

He will be fine when the final is over .

It 's the only cure I know of this sickness .

Now , if you 'll excuse me , I must go across the street to see the Fords boy , Steve .

He seems to have the same thing as Jack has today . ''


My father is a doctor in a big hospital .


Two thieves came to a house to steal something .

They dug a hole in the wall of the house .

The woman in the house saw a mouse crawl into the house in the moonlight .

In comes one , '' she said to the man in the house .

The thief was so frightened that he hurriedly crawled out of the house and said to the one waiting outside , `` She found me when I was just in . ''

But the thief outside did n't believe him , so he said , `` Let us try to crawl into the house together . ''

At that time two mice happened to crawl into the house , too .

The woman saw the mice and shouted , `` In come two , catch them ! ''

The two thieves were terribly frightened .

The man in the house said , `` You saw them come in but where are they ?

The two thieves started running away at once .

The two thieves wanted to make it clear whether they had been found or not the night before .

The next day they acted as men selling sweet potatoes and came before the house .

The man and the woman were ploughing in their fields .

The rope broke and the woman came home for a rope .

She saw two men selling sweet potatoes and wanted to buy some .

She picked out two which looked like mice .

At the time the man could n't wait for her any longer in the fields and he ran back from the fields to hurry her up .

The woman showed the sweet potatoes to the man and said , `` How they look like the two of last night . ''

The man said , `` I asked you to fetch a rope , why do n't you hurry for it ? ''

The two thieves ran away very quickly without their sweet potatoes .


A new study has been carried to test the role of story telling in lowering blood pressure .

Dr. Thomas Houston , a professor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School , led a group of scientists that investigated how pre-recorded videos of hypertension patients ' talking about their medical histories helped another group of patients with high blood pressure to control their condition over several months .

Houston was surprised by their studies that suggested that communication can be a powerful tool in medicine .

They showed that those who had had similar experiences , when talking to someone with a similar background , could help change their behavior to become healthier .

Hypertension is difficult to control , since it is dependent on diet , exercise and mental state .

Medical treatments with drugs , and lifestyle therapies have been ly ineffective because people find it hard to follow those medical requirements .

In the test , his team carefully chose their story-tellers from 230 members of a patients ' community with whom they could most easily relate .

Next , they divided their study population into two groups .

One received three interactive DVDs containing the tellers ' stories of their experiences in living with and treating their hypertension .

The other were given educational discs on an unrelated health topic .

The study volunteers reported that they had listened to the DVDs , and after three months , those who heard the stories of the hypertensive patients lowered their blood pressure .

While the study did not address how the story-telling influenced the patients ' behavior , Houston suspects that watching patients of similar backgrounds who had a similar medical experience helped to motivate them to seek medical help to their hypertension .

They found that after six months the difference in blood pressure between those who watched the story-tellers and those who observed the unrelated videos remained , suggesting that the story-telling continued to have an effect .


It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth .

Most of it will miss our planet , but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth .

On 17 July , a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth 's atmosphere with a massive explosion .

About half of the piece is destroyed , but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound .

The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed .

Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole .

The wall of water , a kilometer high , rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour .

Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people re drowned .

Before the waves reach South America , the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina .

Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains .

The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean .

The cities of Los Angeles , San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes .

Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead , but the north wo n't escape for long .

Because of the explosions , the sun is hidden by clouds of dust , temperatures around the world fall to almost zero .

The sun wo n't be seen again for many years .

Wars break out as countries fight for food .

A year later , no more than 10 million people remain alive .

In fact , it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth .

The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years .

Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared .

Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space .

The dinosaurs could n't live through the cold climate that followed and they died out .


The worst days of any summer are the rainy ones .

We spend all year looking forward to nice weather and long , hot days .

In winter , with its cloudy days and bitter cold , we dream of those days at the beach , lying on the sand and enjoying the bright and burning sun .

And then , summer comes , and it rains .

As a child , I would wake up to rainy summer days and come close to crying .

We suffered through months of school and experienced bad weather for those short ten weeks of freedom .

On those rainy summer days , I had nothing fun to do and could only sit inside , staring out at the rain like a bird in a cage .

I was an only child , so there was no one else to play with .

My father worked from home , so I was not truly alone , but he could not actively play with me since he was at work .

It was those days that I would watch whatever was on television or read any books that I could find lying around .

I 'd pray each night that the rain would not be there the next day .

As an adult , though , my opinion of summer rain has changed .

When you have to work every day , summer is not as exciting .

Such a mindset makes you cheer for anything new or different .

I spend the winter dreaming of summer and the summer dreaming of winter .

When summer comes , I hate how hot it is .

And then I look forward to the rain , because the rain brings with it a cold front , which makes me comfortable .

Rainy days are still the worst days of the summer , but summer rain today means positively beautiful -- and quite cooler -- weather tomorrow .


Have you ever stood side by side with an elephant and touched its ear or its long nose ?

A marvelous opportunity is offered here for you to experience working with these giant animals .

The daily highlight is the walk from the elephant orphanage down to the river to bathe the elephants .

Imaging what an amazing fun it is to watch an entire herd splashing around and rolling in the river just feet in front of you !

This opportunity is available through a programme designed for visitors and volunteers to work in the world-famous government-run elephant orphanage in Pinnawela , Sri Lanka .

The orphanage is regarded as one of the largest centers of its kind in the world , with one of the most successful captive breeding programmes for Asian elephants .

Pinnawela Orphanage is situated in the hills of central Sri Lanka .

It was established in 1975 by the Sir Lanka Wildlife Department .

The orphanage 's 24 acres are a home for the many baby elephants found in the jungle without their mothers .

In most of these cases the mothers had either died or been killed .

Baby elephants cared for by the orphanage are released into the wild when they reach a certain age .

The volunteers ' working hours are quite short so there is plenty of time to sightsee and explore .

The volunteer work consists mainly of the day-to-day aspects of running the orphanage , rather than more specialized research-based work .

The volunteers ' main duties are cleaning the elephant homes in the morning ( hard , muddy work ! )

and bathing some of the smaller elephants .

Some elephants are overly large or have not been tamed or trained to a satisfactory level .

However there are still enough opportunities to have full hands-on contact safely .

While the mahouts are bathing the larger elephants , you will have a chance to relax by the river , chat with the mahouts and watch the elephants play and interact with humans and each other .

Being around these serene animals in such a beautiful setting can have a very calming effect !

If you are interested in such an experience , contact us for more information .


Last week , we published an article about modern marriage .

A recent survey showed that in England 51 percent of married women go out to work .

people were asked what they thought of `` working wives '' .

We asked readers to write and tell us their opinions .

Here are some of the hundreds of letters we received .

I make plenty of money , travel a lot , and meet a lot of people .

I enjoy my work , and would hate to stay at home .

I would never marry a man who wanted me to give up my work .

At present there are over 1,000,000 unemployed men in Britain .

If a woman gets a job , she puts one more man out of work .

Perhaps that man has a wife and twelve children to support .

Let women stay at home where they belong .

When I go to work , my husband looks after the children .

He is very good with the children and enjoys staying at home with them .

We are twin sisters , who both got married recently .

But Doris gets bored staying at home , and Doreen gets bored going out to work .

So now Doreen works for a week , while Doris stays at home .

Then Doris Doreen 's job for a week , while Doreen stays at home .

At work , they never know if it 's Doreen who 's working today !