Until late in the 20th century, most Americans spent time with people of generations. Now mid-aged Americans may not keep in touch with old people until they are old themselves. That's because we group people by age. We put our three-year-olds together in day-care center, our 13-year-olds in school and sports activities, and our 80-year-olds in senior-citizen homes. Why?

    We live away from the old for many reasons: young people sometimes avoid the old to get rid of fears for aging and dying. It is much harder to watch someone we love disappear before our eyes. Sometimes it's so hard that we stay away from the people who need us most.

    Fortunately, some of us have found our way to the old. And we have discovered that they often save the young.

    A reporter moved her family onto a block filled with old people. At first her children were disappointed. But the reporter baked banana bread for the neighbors and had her children deliver it and visit them. Soon the children had many new friends, with whom they shared food, stories and projects. “My children have never been less lonely,” the reporter said.

    The young, in turn, save the old. Once I was in a rest home when a visitor showed up with a baby. She was immediately surrounded. People who hadn't gotten out of bed in a week suddenly were ringing for a wheelchair. Even those who had seemed asleep wake up to watch the child. Babies have an astonishing power to comfort and cure.

    Grandparents are a special case. They give grandchildren a feeling of security and continuity. As my husband put it, “my grandparents gave me a deep sense that things would turn out right in the end.”

    Grandchildren speak of attention they don't get from worried parents. “My parents were always telling me to hurry up, and my grandparents told me to slow down,” one friend said. A teacher told me she can tell which pupils have relationships with grandparents: they are quieter, calmer, more trusting.

    Many foreign students report feeling lonely or unwelcome in Australia. Those feelings are among the reasons why Australia is taking a close look at its international education industry. But wherever international students go, making friends may not always be easy. Elisabeth Gareis of Baruch College in New York surveyed 454 international students. They were attending four-year colleges and graduate schools in the American South and Northeast.

    Students from English-speaking countries and from northern and central Europe were more likely to be happy with their friendships. But 38% of the international students said they had no close friends in the United States. And half of the students from East Asia said they were unhappy with the number of American friends they had. Thirty percent said they wished their friendships could be deeper and more meaningful.

    Professor Gareis says, “Students from East Asia have cultures that are different on many levels from the culture in the United States. There are also language problems, and maybe some social skills, such as small talk, which are possibly not as important in their native countries, where it's not as important to start friendships with small talks. Many East Asian students blamed themselves for their limited friendships with Americans, for not speaking the language well enough and for not knowing the culture well enough.

    VOA's Student Union blogger Jessica Stahl did her own survey to find out how American students and foreign students relate to each other. More than 100 students, about half of them American, answered her online questions.

Half of the international students and 60% of the Americans said they related as well or better to the other group than to their own group.

    Professor Gareis says: "International students who make friends with host nationals are, overall, more satisfied with their stay in the host country. They have better language skills, they have better academic performance and they have better attitudes toward the host country."

     “Oh, my god. Are you serious?”

    That's a reaction I often get when people hear the tale of my childhood.

    It's a story I don't often share. Growing up in a bad home, I learned to protect myself by not speaking up. I've seldom said anything about how badly I was treated and hurt as a child.

    I don't talk about how my name was changed at least three times, what it was like to live in my van (箱式货车), or how I've struggled with anxiety, depression and wanting to kill myself.

    But I learnt to start speaking up for myself. I went on to earn two graduate degrees and I will complete my doctorate (博士学位) this year. I've also become a widely published author. So, how did I get to where I am today?

     What's helped me is surrounding myself with caring, loving people. I've learned day-to-day skills through research, trial and error, and with the help of skilled professionals.

    They've taught me how to slow down, to breathe, to be thankful for what I've got. They're the ones who make my goals possible. They have also taught me to turn my past experiences into strength—to make the negatives into positives.

    My hope is that sharing my story might help others to see what is possible even in the darkest of times and help others to speak out.

    I don't think I'm in any way special or unique. I'm a common man, no more deserving than anyone else. But for far too long, I've been afraid that others think I'm damaged goods. I've worried about how I might be treated differently.

    Pain and fear teach us to be silent. It's time for that to change.

    I don't know what tomorrow might bring. But one thing I've learned is that if we can hold on and find help, if we find ways to get through the day and speak up, we'll not only survive, but become stronger than before.

    Our very survival can be an inspiration all on its own. And with love of my friends, I look forward to so much more than completing my education – I look forward to the future.

    Each year, the National Council of Teachers of English（NCTE）presents several awards to recognize outstanding books written for all age levels. Earlier this month at a book awards luncheon（午宴）held during their 107th Annual Convention，they announced the winner of the 2018 Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children.

    Dan Santat was named the winner of the 2018 Charlotte Huck Award for his novel AFTER THE FALL, the inspiring epilogue（后记）to the beloved classic nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty. The Charlotte Huck Award was established in 2014 to promote and recognize fiction that has the potential to have a positive effect on children's lives. The award honors Dr. Charlotte Huck, a professor at Ohio State University who devoted her career to promoting the role of children's books in young people's academic, social, and emotional development. Each year，the committee selects a winner and recommended titles appropriate for children.

    “Charlotte Huck was a supporter for children's books as teaching tools,” says Erika Dawes, chair of the Charlotte Huck Award committee. “Books like these award winners, books that promote imagination, wonder and sympathy, fill a critical need in our classrooms.”

    Jason Chin was named winner of the 2018 Orbis Pictus Award for his book GRAND CANYON, an illuminating（启蒙的）look at one of the planet's most fascinating features. The Orbis Pictus Award, established in 1989, is the oldest children's book award for nonfiction.

    Honor and Recommended Books in each category were also announced at the awards luncheon, where the 2017 winners（Jason Reynolds and Melissa Sweet）delivered speeches. Dan Santat and Jason Chin are invited to speak at next year's Annual Convention.

Monster Zoo

    Monster Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world, covering more than 15 km squares. It is home to more than 50 species of rare and native animals. The zoo is located 70 km from the city New South Australia.

    Monster zoo was founded in 1983 as a breeding area (繁殖区). Officially open to the public in October 1993, Monster Zoo is now home to more than 500 animals.

    Opening Hours

    Monster zoo is open daily from 9: 30 am to 5: 00 pm with last entry at 3: 00 pm. The zoo is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day and all public holidays. The exception to this is if the forecast temperature for Monster Zoo is 40 degrees or above, it will be closed.

    To get the most out of your visit we recommend setting aside a minimum of four to five hours to fully enjoy the Monster zoo.

    Tickets

    Child (4­14 years old) : AU $ 28. 50

    Adult (15 years old and over) : AU $ 51. 75

    Family / Mini Group: AU $ 132. 75

    Meet the Keeper

    Monster zoo offers various daily zoo keeper talks and animal feeds that give guests the chance to interact (互动) with our friendly workers and learn about the zoo's unique residents.

    Looking for a more unique animal experience? Consider booking a Behind the Scenes Animal Experience to come face to face with some of our special animal residents.

    Café

    Ketabi Café is open from 9: 30 am to 5: 00 pm daily and offers a variety of tasty treats, small snacks and hot meals.

    Picnics

    For those who prefer to bring their own meals, special picnic areas are available close to the Visitor Center. Please note that due to fire risk, the zoo does not allow for the use of BBQs.

If a president, a philosopher, and one of the best-selling writers credited the same secret for their success, would you try to follow it too? What if the secret was something you already knew how to do? In fact, you probably do it every day. Here's what Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: "It is only ideas gained from walking that have any worth. " Thomas Jefferson: "Walking is the best possible exercise. " Charles Dickens: "If I could not walk far and fast, I think I should just explode and die. "

Researchers have found quite a lot of connections between walking and producing ideas. A Stanford University study found that participants were 81 percent more creative when walking as opposed to sitting. According to the study, walking outside-compared with on a treadmill (跑步机)-produces the most novel and highest-quality ideas.

The movement aspect of walking is obviously key. Our creative thinking is triggered (触发)by physical movement, which is exactly why walking-with your dog, a friend, or alone-feeds creative thinking.

The scenery is almost as important as the sweat. Breaking your routine with a walk can be a catalyst for fresh understanding of problems or projects. Just by going outside, you are stepping out of your familiar surroundings and your comfort zone, which is necessary if you want to open your mind to new possibilities. You can walk through a tree-filled neighborhood. You can walk through a park and observe people joking or birds singing. Being inside, you're more likely to be lifeless, which means you don't have enough energy to wonder or create.

So instead of setting a fitness goal, why not set a creativity goal that starts with walking? Involve yourself more closely in your surroundings. Tum off your phone and give yourself the chance to be present in the world, to hear conversations and natural sounds, and to notice the way people move and the way the sun reflects in puddle (小水坑).