It was once common to regard Britain as a society with class distinction. Each class had unique characteristics.

    In recent years, many writers have begun to speak the “decline of class”and “classless society”in Britain. And in modern day consumer society everyone is considered to be middle class.

    But pronouncing the death of class is too early. A recent wide-ranging society of public opinion found 90 percent of people still placing themselves in particular class; 73 percent agreed that class was still a vital part of British society; and 52 percent thought there were still sharp class differences. Thus, class may not be culturally and politically obvious, yet it remains an important part of British society. Britain seems to have a love of stratification.

    One unchanging aspect of a British person's class position is accent. The words a person speaks tell her or his class. A study of British accents during 1970s found that a voice sounding like a BBC newsreader was viewed as the most attractive voice, Most people said this accent sounded “educated” and “soft”. The accents placed at the bottom in this study, on the other hand, were regional（地区的）city accents. These accents were seen as “common” and “ugly”. However, a similar study of British accents in the US turned these results upside down and placed some regional accents as the most attractive and BBC English as the least. This suggests that British attitudes towards accent have deep roots and are based on class prejudice.

    In recent years, however, young upper middle-class people in London, have begun to adopt some regional accents, in order to hide their class origins. This is an indication of class becoming unnoticed. However, the 1995 pop song “Common People” puts forward the view that though a middle-class person may “want to live like common people” they can never appreciate the reality of a working-class life.

    Here's some good news for the foodies in the USA: One of China's most popular and fastest-growing restaurant chains is coming to the United States,and folks better watch out.This braised（炖，焖）chicken rice shop could upend a lot of competitors in the area.

    First opened in 2011,Yang's Braised Chicken Rice is definitely the new kid on the fast food block.However,the chain already has 5,000 locations globally,proving that they're perfect when it comes to speed,service,and flavor.

    They've even been compared to the most popular In-N-Out burger for their business model,swift output,and delicious food.Similar to the burger legend,Yang's specializes in just one item and does it right: Huang Men Braised Chicken Rice.The only customization you can make to this dish is the level of spiciness.Other than that,the base to every clay pot of this Shandong delicious food is the exact same.

    In fact,the recipe has barely changed over the past 80-plus years.That's because Yang's Huang Men chicken recipe is originally from the 1930s.Xiao Lu Yang,the founder of the new restaurant powerhouse,has inherited the recipe from his grandmother.He's made some slight changes,but otherwise it's the same chicken dish Yang's grandmother first sold in the 1930s.

    Yang first opened his namesake chain when he discovered the national popularity of Huang Men chicken served with rice,and it's still the only item sold in the chain's 5,000-plus locations.Many of those locations are in China,but some locations are in Melbourne,Singapore,and Japan as well.

    On September 10th,Yang's Braised Chicken Rice will open its first USA location in Tustin,California.Yang's sole menu offering,the Huang Men chicken with rice,sells for $9.99 per clay pot.Each pot comes with a generous helping of rice and chicken thighs（鸡腿肉）that braise with vegetables in Yang's secret sauce.The sauce is actually made in China and shipped to the US,meaning the flavor should almost perfectly replicate what Yang's sells in China.

    If you want to be one of the first people to taste the food in the US restaurant,make sure to reserve a spot for this September 10th grand opening.Otherwise,Yang's does plan to expand out to the rest of the country and beyond. Franchise offers have already come in from Chicago,Los Angeles,New York,and Canada.

    Children like to imagine they are someone else in a game. As a parent you might never guess how it can benefit your child. It helps your child:

Develop Social Skills

    As children play pretend games, they explore relationships between family members, friends and coworkers and learn more about how people interact. Playing doctor, they imagine how physicians care for their patients. Imaginative play helps of a game or to lose a pet, they are better able to help those in need. They become more willing to play fair, to share, and to cooperate.

Build Self-confidence

    Children have very little control over their lives. Imagining oneself as a builder of skyscrapers or a super hero defending the planet is inspiring to children. It helps them develop confidence in their abilities and their potential.

Promote Intellectual Growth

    Using imagination is the beginning of abstract thought. Children who can see a king's castle in a mound of sand or a delicious dinner in a mud pie are learning to think symbolically(象征性地). This skill is important in school where a child will have to learn that numbers symbolize groups of objects, letters symbolize sounds, and so on.

Practice Language Skills

    Kids who pretend with their friends do a lot of talking. This helps increase their vocabulary, improve sentence structure and develop communication skills.

Get Rid of Fears

    Pretending can help children get rid of their fears and worries. When children role-play the big, bad monsters under the bed, they gain a sense of control over him and he doesn't seem quite so big or so bad.

    Chester is one of the best cities in the UK. As soon as you arrive in Chester you will appreciate the city's unique atmosphere and sense his history. Founded by the Romans over 2,000 years ago, much of the Roman influence remains and Chester's city walls are the most complete in Britain. Combined with history and heritage (遗产), Chester is a lively city full of bars, pubs, clubs, hotels, and restaurants for you to discover, attracting you to visit again and again.

    Travelling to Chester

    Chester is easily accessible by many means of transport—whether you are travelling by rail, car, bus or plane. Please check our route planner below to help you plan your journey to Chester. Once you arrive in the city there are numerous car parks; however, during rush hours the easiest way to travel is by bus.

    Hotel

    From bed & breakfast to the luxury of Chester's only five star hotel, Chester has all covered. Whether your trip is for business or pleasure, your room is just a click away!

    Sightseeing and Tours

    The best way to see Chester is by a guided tour. If you join one, you still have a variety to choose from. Whether you choose the traditional guided walk, to be guided around Chester historical landmarks by bus or to take a boat down the River Dee, you will sure enjoy the delights of Chester.

    In 2012, Kim Stemple, a special-education teacher, found herself in a Boston hospital being treated for one of several diseases she had been diagnosed(诊断) with, including lupus and lymphoma. The normally confident Stemple was naturally getting very depressed. And then a friend gave her a medal.

    Before she got too sick to exercise, Stemple had been a marathon runner. The medal came from a racing partner who had just finished a half marathon in Las Vegas and hoped the souvenir would act as a kind of feeling pick-me-up. It worked like a charm­and then some.

    After Stemple hung the medal near her hospital bed, other patients said they wanted medals too. That got Stemple thinking. "A medal is a simple way to give a positive message," she told pilotonline.com. And so was born her charity, We Finish Together, which collects medals from strangers­runners, dancers, swimmers, singers, and even spelling bee winners-and donates them to all sorts of people in need.

    Those who received the medals have included hospital patients, residents of homeless shelters, and veterans. Part of the process involves the donor writing a personalized note on the ribbon. "This gives them a connection to someone," says Stemple. "If they receive a medal, they know someone cares."

    Can a simple medal really make a difference? Yes, says Joan Musarra, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis. "I opened my package containing my new medal and the notes of positive, warm thoughts, I was overwhelmed," she wrote to Stemple. "At that moment, I was sitting on my couch breathing through life-support machine because my lungs have been worsening so badly. It means so much to me to feel that I am not alone."

Summer Programs for Teens

University of Maryland: TERP Young Scholars

    This program is the perfect summer camp for academically talented teenagers who want to pursue academic interests, explore career opportunities, and discover college life at the University of Maryland.

    During three weeks of intellectual exploration, teens can study with students who share similar interests, and communicate with some of the university's best teachers. Upon successful completion, students can earn three college credits.

Carpe Diem: The University-bound Adventure

    Carpe Diem supports both American and international students in applying to a university by providing private consultation. This 2-week experience also includes tours of famous East Const universities Students will also have the opportunity to build their resumes (简历) by working with writing experts.

    Great Books Summer Program

    This is a lively, warm and welcoming summer camp community of outstanding teens, who love literature and ideas. In the past eleven years, it has gathered middle and high school students from across the world to read selections from the greatest works of literature, experience heated discussions and enjoy summer camp fun with other literary-minded students. Participants can gain confidence in their ability to read a text closely and express their ideas clearly both verbally and in writing.

Zeal Travel

    We offer our teens two week and three- week long trips to Hawaii, Alaska, Australia and Spain. All trips include 15-25 hours of community service activities.

    Depending on your trip of choice, you'll be helping Hawaiians protect their forest ecosystem, caring for dogs in Spain, working with Habitat for Humanity, and much more. Every trip also includes exciting outdoor activities like surfing, driving, ice-climbing, hiking and more. The possibilities are endless and there is a zeal trip for every interest.