If you want to become a fluent English speaker you should take some advice: There are four skills in learning English. They are reading, listening, speaking, and writing. The most important thing you must remember is that if you want to improve your speaking and writing skills you should first master the skills of reading and listening.

    Read as much as you can. But your reading must be active. It means that you must think about the meaning of the sentence, the meaning of the unfamiliar words, etc. There is no need for you to pay much attention to grammars or try to understand all the unfamiliar words you come across ， but the fact that you see them for the first time and recognize them whenever you see them, for example, in other passages or books, is enough. It would be better to prepare yourself a notebook so you can write down the important words or sentences in it.

    As for listening, there are two choices: besides reading, you can listen every day for about 30 minutes. You can only pay attention to your reading and become skillful at your reading, then you can catch up on your listening. Since you have lots of inputs in your mind, you can easily guess what the speaker is going to say. This never means that you should not practice listening.

    For listening you can listen to cartoons or some movies that are specially made for children. Their languages are easy. Or if you are good at listening you can listen to VOA or BBC programs every day. Again the thing to remember is being active in listening and preferably taking some notes.

    If you follow these pieces of advice, your speaking and writing will improve automatically, and you can be sure that with a little effort they will become perfect.

    John J. Lennon, who's currently serving a 28-year life sentence for drug dealing and a murder he committed in 2001. He is one of 23 out of 2,300 inmates(监犯)participating in an education program, and he advocates greater access to education in prison through TV. Currently, he says the TV is used as “an inability tool; it's a tool to keep us entertained cells.” But he suggests that prison TVs should stream online courses instead of movies.

    “If inmates had the chance to watch an online course then they might say, ‘Hey, look what's on Channel 3; it's an interesting lecture from a professor of philosophy.' Believe it or not, people will tune in, and after the lecture they're going to go on their gates, hang on their bars, and they're going to talk about it.”

    Education, he says, also makes prison a safer place. “If I'm working on a paper banging away(砰砰响个不停)on my typewriter, I have other things on my mind. I'm not fighting in the prison yard.” Most prison administrators support that view. “They understand it makes prison a safer place if you have a group of guys with their eyes on the prize who are trying to change themselves.”

    John J. Lennon arrived at Attica in 2004 with a 9th grade education, but in May will graduate with a two-year associate degree. Attica creative writing workshops have changed his life.

    “I came into prison looking up to gangsters(匪徒), now I look up to scholars and intellectuals like Doran Larson, Tim Golden, all these Pulitzer-winning journalists. Education has changed the lens(镜头)through which I view the world. I don't look up to gangsters anymore. I think it's a horrible lifestyle.”

    Hamilton College professor Doran Larson has been teaching creative writing workshops at Attica since 2006. He says the demand for education from inmates is enormous and that it's “almost impossible to create a program large enough to satisfy the desire which pushes against the public perception(认识)that such people inside aren't interested in education.”

    Thoughts on prison education have changed over the years. Until 1973, there was a period of rehabilitation(改造)in American prisons. Even after that year, college degree programs were available for inmates nationwide until 1994, when the country's movement to get tough on crime made prisoners not qualified for Pell fund aid. “We have moved to a punishment mentality(心态),” Larson says. No one cared about these people “as long as they are kept from the outside.”

    Larson argues that inmates want to become productive members of society. The prison population is “a huge untapped resource, both commercial and intellectual. And right now there is far from enough being done to tap into skills which can get them off the public dole(失业救济金)and turn them into taxpayers.”

    A Hobby is a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure（闲暇的） time. By continually taking part in a particular hobby, one can acquire practical skill and knowledge in that area. Is travel a good hobby? Travel, in the youngest sort, is a part of education and, in the elder, a part of experience. Some may think otherwise. To them, visiting churches, castles, libraries, etc. is an absolute wastage of time. They may further say that one can read the account of these or see the films of the important places of the world. They forget that touch of actuality gives a different type of sensation and satisfaction.

    Travelling may be an expensive hobby but it makes up for the financial loss. If a traveller has interest in life and its manifestations（表现）, one can find much to keep oneself absorbed and happy. A student of any stream can definitely find something of his own interest and studies. One can definitely find everything that satisfies his cravings for knowledge and feelings.

    As a hobby, travelling keeps us busy during leisure time; it is the best method to make use of time. Till a person breaks from dull routine, physically and mentally, one cannot find satisfaction. Travelling helps us to achieve this break. At a new place, one is curious to know and eager to gather all the unknown information about the place which he has neither read nor heard before and he gets thrills and surprises which keep the interest and enthusiasm alive and encourage us to keep our journey on.

    While travelling, one comes across a number of people from varied backgrounds and places. By interacting with them, he comes to know about their traditions also. In case one has psychological bent of mind, one increases one's experience and power to understand others. Understanding human nature is, perhaps, the best part of education. Travelling satisfies all demands of a good hobby-it is absorbing education and refreshment to the mind, body and soul.

    Whenever we see a button, we are eager to press it because we know something will happen. This is true in most cases, for example on a doorbell and on the "on/off" button on the TV. But some buttons are actually fake, like the "close" button on a lift.

    Many people are in the habit of pressing the "close" button because they don't have the patience to wait for the lift doors to shut. But lifts' "close" buttons are a complete scam (骗局), at least in the US-the doors will not close any faster no matter how hard you press.

    It started in the 1990s when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in the US, making sure that all lifts stayed open long enough so that people with disabilities could enter. Only US firefighters and repairmen can use the buttons to speed up the door-closing process if they have a code or special keys.

    But to normal lift riders, the buttons aren't completely useless. According to psychologists, fake buttons can actually make you feel better by offering you a sense of control.

    "Perceived (能够感知的) control is very important. It reduces stress and increases well-being," Ellen J. Langer, a psychology professor, said, "having a lack of control is associated with depression（沮丧）."

    Experts have revealed that a lot of buttons that don't do anything exist in our lives for this same purpose. For example, many offices in the US have fake thermostats (温度调节器) because people tend to feel better when they think they can control the temperature in their workplace.

    Pedestrian(行人) crosswalk buttons don't live up to their names either. Pressing them used to help make the traffic signals change faster, but that was before computer-controlled traffic signals were introduced.

    But psychologists found it interesting that even when people are aware of these little "white lies", they still continue to push fake buttons because as long as the doors eventually close, it is considered to be worth the effort.

    "That habit is here to stay," John Kounios, a psychology professor, said. "Even though I have real doubts about the traffic light buttons, I always press them. After all, I've got nothing else to do while waiting. So why not press the button in the hope that this one will work?"

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    Bonfire night(篝火之夜)is fast approaching in London. The following are the best spots to watch fireworks shows.

    Saturday Morden Park

    This fireworks show is perfect to take the tittle ones along to. The show will include new fire and light acts and will be set to accompanying music. When all of the magic is over, attendees can enjoy the entertainment or pick up a refreshment at the on-site bar.

    Tickets:￡9 in advance ￡10 at the gates.

    Tickets can be bought here.

    Clissold Park

    This 20-minute show is more demure(娴静的)than other show spots due to the animals which live in the park, however, still promises a beautiful show. The show will also be accompanied(伴奏)by music.

    Tickets: Adults ￡8.75, children ￡3.75. Prices reduced by ￡l for people living in Hackney Borough

    Tickets can be bought here.

    Croydon Road Recreation Ground

    This family-focused event has been running since 1946 and offers two chances to catch the excitement of the fireworks. A smaller show at 6:00pm promises reduced noise, perfect for little children, meanwhile, the main event promises a bang at 7:45pm.

    Tickets: Children under 11 free, over 11￡5, adults￡10

    Tickets can be bought on the gate.

    Alexandra Palace

    The biggest fireworks event in London, having run for 150 years, Alexandra Palace is set to excite audiences again this year with a splendid show. The grounds will also include a German-Beer festival and delicious food.

    Tickets: Adults ￡12.50, kids 11-15 ￡10, and kids under ￡2.50

    Tickets can be bought here.