The Diet Zone: A Dangerous Place

    Diet Coke ,diet Pepsi, diet pills, no-fat diet, vegetable diet…We are surrounded by the word “diet” everywhere we look and listen. We have so easily been attracted by the promise and potential of diet products that we have stopped thinking about what diet products are doing to us. We are paying for products that harm us psychologically and physically.

    Diet products significantly weaken us psychologically. On one level, we are not allowing our brain to admit that our weight problems lie not in actually losing the weight, but in controlling the consumption of fatty, high-calorie, unhealthy foods. Diet products allow us to jump over the thinking stage and go straight for the scale instead. All we have to do is to swallow or recognize the word “diet” in food labels.

    On another level, diet products have greater psychological effects. Every time we have a zero-calorie drink,we are telling ourselves without our awareness that we don't have to work to get results. Diet products make people believe that gain comes without pain, and that life can be without resistance and struggle.

    The danger of diet products lees not only in the psychological effects they have on us, but also in the physical harm that they cause. Diet foods can indirectly harm our bodies because consuming them instead of healthy foods means we are preventing our bodies from having basic nutrients. Diet foods and diet pills contain zero calorie only because the diet industry has created chemicals to produce these wonder products. Diet products my not be nutritional,and the chemicals that go into diet products are potentially dangerous.

    Now that we are aware of the effects that diet products have on us, it is time to seriously think about buying them. Losing weight lies in the power of minds, not in the power of chemicals. Once we realize this, we will be much better able to resist diet products, and therefore prevent the psychological harm that comes from using them.

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    After a year of examining many studies concerning whether homework is effective, NYC P. S. Elementary School decided that math worksheets and essay assignments were actually a waste of time. In February, Principal Jane Hsu sent a letter to parents stating that the Pre-K(学前班) through fifth grade students wouldn't be given any traditional homework to encourage kids to free time for reading, playing outside, or doing activities they enjoy.

    “The negative effects of homework have been well established.” Hsu wrote in a note to parents. “They include, children's frustration and exhaustion, lack of time for other activities and family time and, sadly for many, loss of interest in learning.”

    Some parents, however, disagree with the policy change, believing that a lack of focus will cause children to fall behind. Homework has been part of education from the beginning, and has increased in amount in recent years.

    Hsu's advice that children should read and spend time with their families has upset some parents to the point of considering pulling their children out of the school. This group feels that homework gives children a goal to work toward. Others feel so strongly about the importance of homework that they have begun giving their own homework to their children.

    An Australian Childhood Foundation survey finds that 71% of Australian parents feel they don't spend enough quality time with their children mainly because of the time spent running the household or the time spent helping with homework. Education experts in Australia are saying that parents should stop helping. Doing so will give kids more independence, give parents more free time, and help reduce the number of arguments caused by homework in the family.

    While some research suggests that homework has little academic benefit for elementary students, other researches show homework can help kids develop independence, and confidence. It can also contribute to a sense of belonging or control over their lives. When parents try to help their children with homework, the assistance can take away that feeling and can also make working parents more tired.

    What's the most important thing in a piece of writing? Is it the story, the characters, the description, or the style? Obviously, you can't choose only one. A great work succeeds in combining all of them in a great mix, producing a wonderful work.

    In most cases, you're better at one writing element over the rest, and working on your strengths will work to your advantage. Building characters, however, is important to your writing. It's not to be ignored no matter what your case is. So, how do you achieve that?

Make Them Real

    This is probably one of the most common pieces of writing advice: make your characters believable. What does it really mean? It means that your characters need to be there for a reason, not just for pushing the story forward. He/She has a real life, with his/her own fears and dreams, and you have to show this. Your characters don't need to be typical to be believable. The unusual ones are even more interesting, but it's your job to make your readers relate to them.

Understand Human Psychology

    To build great characters, you'll need to understand people's psychology: what are they thinking about, what are they feeling and experiencing, and why are they doing what they are doing? Get behind the obvious. Be in the backstage with them. Sit them in a chair and let them talk away. If you truly listen, you will learn.

Be your character

    When you immerse (使沉浸) yourself in your writing, you get lost in that world and you start living in it. This is when the magic happens and you become your character. By putting yourself in your character's shoes, you allow yourself to experience what you're writing about first-hand. The more it feels real to you, the more the readers will feel the same, too.

    Wedding is one of the most universal traditions in the world. But it's celebrated differently by people around the world. Now let's know something about these traditions.

       In Jamaica, weddings are a community affair, with the whole village often coming together to help plan the big day. People in the village gather in the street to see the bride and if she isn't in perfect shape, she will be publicly criticized. And while women wear the typical white wedding dress，men wear a bush jacket for the event. Several cakes are baked for the ceremony and on the wedding day married women wearing white dresses carry the confections (甜点) to the wedding. The reception is often held at the groom's house, in a booth specially built for the event. The wedding celebration also includes a lot of dancing.

    In Welsh wedding tradition, a man carves a spoon out of wood and gives it to the woman he loves. H she wears it, they are engaged (订婚）. Brides are often hidden by their families just before their wedding day. The groom and his family follow and whoever finds her will be the next to get married.

    In her bouquet, a Welsh bride carries a small tree with shiny green leaves and white flowers that smell nice as a symbol of love, and gives a cutting of the plant to her bridesmaids as well. If the bridesmaid plants the cutting in her yard and it blooms, she will soon marry, according to Welsh tradition.

    In Czechoslovak, before the wedding, the bride's friends traditionally plant a tree in her yard and decorate it with colored ribbons and eggshells, because, according to the legend, the bride will live as long as the tree. Before the marriage vows, a baby is placed in the couple*8 bed to bless their fertility. During the wading ceremony, Czech women surround the bride*, dancing and singing. They then remove her veil (面纱）and make her put on a handrnade babushka ( a woman's head scarf).

    On Thursday night my two adult children took us out to dinner as our daughter lives in Bathurst and she will be there for Father's Day with her husband's side of the family. Two of our grandchildren were able to join us.

    Having pre-celebrated my Father's Day and it being on our minds, my wife asked this question only this morning:

    "Do you remember anything about your father?"

    While this subject had come up before, however, the question had not been put so bluntly(直率的). I answered "No. My only memory is of the few photos outside." You see, my father died when I was only four years old.

    Many people have lost their father early in life and it is easy to feel somewhat sorry for having to deal with such a situation, especially when the death has occurred when you are at an early age. On reflection, I think I do not remember anything because he passed away when he was a member of the Royal Australian Air Force. He was a Corporal(下士) doing land based duties, however, a medical condition took his life. It was 1942.

    The 2nd World War was in full battle and Australia was being attacked. My Mum and I with my younger brother, were living with my grandparents and I can only imagine the emotional circumstances that existed in the household at that time. Probably not something that would leave a memory.

    What I would like to say at this time, as the question is often asked, "What did you learn from your father?" The thing I learnt from his passing, at the age of 28, is a love of life. What I do remember is growing up wondering if I would live to his age, and after I did, thinking each year the bonus(津贴) of life I had been blessed with when compared to my father.

    I have sometimes felt disappointment in not knowing my father but life has moved on. However, can I say to those who do have fathers, celebrate today with him and return him all the love and happiness he has given to you.

    It seems as if Christmas and their birthday aren't enough. Kids have another day which revolves (围绕) around them. There are a lot of funny activities in Shanghai especially for families as Children's Day falls on 1^st June.

    ①Indoor activities at Big E

    Big E is a great place for kids. All kinds of ball games can be found here. This Sunday, there are some other interesting activities: free movies and a magic show with three sessions (场) between 9 a. m. and 6 p. m.

    ②The Wizard of Oz at Kerry Hotel

    If eating and relaxing is what your family are interested in, Kerry Hotel should be your favourite place. The COOK and The MEAT both offer excellent brunch (早午餐) every weekend. Besides, The BREW will organize The Wizard of Oz for children in a repeat of its special Easter performance.

    ③Brunch at City Bistro

    If you're looking for a restaurant with a more relaxing atmosphere and lower price than either The COOK or The MEAT, then go to City Bistro. A special discount on its brunch this Sunday has never happened before. While parents are enjoying the food, their children can play in the kids' corner and let parents catch their breath.

    ④Children's exhibition at Gallery G1

    If going out for brunch is too regular, families can try something a little more cultural at Gallery G1. There is an exhibition of children's artwork named My Sky, which will be displayed this weekend. There are also a number of artistic (艺术的) activities for kids to try.

    ⑤Get creative at Petit Chameleon

    Petit Chameleon at the Daycare centre is organizing a new activity named Art from the Start to show kids' creative ability. The event is about ancient Greece. On Sunday, you will see kids make their own armors (盔甲).