Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends．They believe that their family members, especially their parents, don't know them as well their friends do．In large families, it is often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for advice．It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or many friends．Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone．This communication is very important in children's growing up, because friend can discuss something difficult to say to their family members.

    However, parents often try to choose their children's friends for them．Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends．The question of “choice” is an interesting one．Have you ever thought of the following questions?

    Who choose your friends?

    Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you?

    Have you got a good friend your parent don't like?

    Paparazzi, (狗仔队)or “paps”, are photographers who take pictures of famous people when they are not at the center of public attention. Paps are different from professional photographers or journalists because they never take ordinary photos.

    The goal for paparazzi is to get pictures that no one else will get and then sell the pictures to the buyer who offers the most money — normainly a small newspaper, magazine or website.

    There is no law against paparazzi taking pictures in public places. However, there are laws that protect certain individuals. For example, child protection laws stop improper pictures of anyone under 16 from being published.

    There is also no law that stops paparazzi from following celebrities（名人） and taking their pictures either. However, if paps are secretly following them and taking pictures of their faces, they could get into trouble.

    Most paparazzi hang out on streets and hot spots for celebrities, waiting for the opportunity to take a picture of a star. Many stay on the streets until the early hours of the morning when celebrities are leaving nightclubs and looking a little worse for wear. However, some have other ways to make sure they get pictures. Many paps are in contact with “informers” who know the locations of celebrities at any given time. They then pass the information on to paparazzi. An informer could be anyone — from a restaurant waiter to a salesman.

    Most of the time, paparazzi get a bad reputation for following celebrities. But sometimes stars or their managers will contact paps themselves and tell them exactly where and when they will go. What a love-hate relationship between paparazzi and celebrities!

One moment it was quiet and calm in the forest, the next, the air was charged with tension. The elephant had heard the distant alarm calls of animals and her mood suddenly changed. I urged the elephant deeper into the forest. We sounded like a forest fire — cracking, snapping, trailblazing. But through all the noise came a sharp warning cry. The elephant stopped and we heard it again — the tell-tale call of a spotted deer.

    I looked quickly around the shadows of the forest. Rays of sunlight shone through tree branches, beneath which the patchwork（交错）of green plants and shadows-within-shadows would make tiger stripes（条纹）look more attractive. Apart from an occasional noise from the elephant's stomach, the forest was silent.

    Gradually, the tension slipped from our bodies. The elephant seized a nearby branch and put it into its mouth. I reached forward and gently moved my hand over the elephant's neck; there was a soft part, free of wrinkles and hairs, behind her ear.

    This was my fourth time to sense the aura of the forest in Corbett, although I saw no tigers in the end. Located at the foot of the Himalayan mountains, Corbett is home to about 135 Bengal tigers, but the forest seemed to be guarding their whereabouts（出没处）, a silent reminder of their secrecy and rarity. Still, I was happy enough touching the elephant behind the ear. If I had so desperately wanted to see a tiger, I could have gone to a zoo. After all, spotting tigers merely confirms their beauty; tracking them can make you aware of something more.

    Some students prefer a part­time job after class to earn some money and improve their working and communication abilities. Here are some good companies for you to choose.

    In­N­Out Burger

    It's the best hamburger shop in the west of America. Thought as one of the best employers, it offers flexible working hours and the highest starting part­time salaries (薪水). Above all, the company treats its workers the way they would like to be treated: like family.

    Position: selling assistant (experience required)

    Website：www.in­n­out.com

    Starbucks Coffee

    Starbucks has been a leader of the United States' coffee. Working hours are flexible. There is also a 30% discount and a free pound of coffee or box of tea every week.

    Position: coffee waiter (experience required)

    Website: www.starbucks.com

    Whole Foods Market

    Whole Foods Market is the world's largest natural and organic food selling company. With its focus on organic food, Whole Foods Market is all about health. Working hours are not fixed. You can get a 20% discount. There are also training courses on health and food every week.

    Position: secretary

    Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com

    Lands' End

    Lands' End is a Wisconsin­based clothing retailer(零售商). Working hours can be changed easily to suit any new situation. Workers (even part­time workers) have the chance to go to a company­owned centre and get a 25% discount, and an invitation to the yearly company picnic.

    Position: salesman

    Website: www.landsend.com

    NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive(再体验)these experiences in nightmares.

    Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a frightening experience. They hope it might reduce, or possibly erase(抹去), the effect of painful memories.

    In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing(释放)chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.

    The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.

    Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.

    "Some memories can ruin people's lives. They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor at Harvard Medical School. "This could reduce lot of that suffering."

    But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity(特质). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.

    " All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we want to wipe those memories out," said Rebecca Dresser, a medical expert.

    Get top tips from an expert photographer while you are taking digital photographs in the Garden at Kew.

Event details

    Wednesday 13 – Thursday 14 February, 2019

    Time: 10:30 am – 4 pm

    Place: Kew Gardens

    Course Fee: £160

About the course

    This course is designed for camera-owners who would like to know the basics. It will explain some of the basic principles of photography such as focus and exposure as well as many of the practical aspects such as how to download and store images.

    The great part of the time will be spent practicing techniques by actually using cameras out in the beautiful gardens at Kew. There will be many opportunities to ask questions, review your own images and learn some top tips.

    This course is suitable for people with any sort of camera. It is useful to bring along instructions books, and you'll need to make sure your batteries are fully charged and your memory card has some free space on it.

About the tutor

    Edward Parker is an expert tree and forest photographer who, over the last 20 years, has worked in more than 40 countries around the world. He has written more than 30 educational books and his photographs have been on exhibition at Kew Gardens, Downing Street and the Horniman Museum. Photographing Trees is his latest book.

How to book

    Email adulated@kew.org with a contact number, or call at 020 8332 5641.