If you can't wait until the summer for your sunshine fix, why not fly off on a winter break? Here are some great deals for all budgets.

    1. ST LUCIA

    The beachside resort(度假胜地)of St James's Club in Morgan Bay is fairly quiet—the local market is nearly 5 kin away—but it has six bars, six restaurants and four outdoor pools. There are plenty of water sports, you can travel through the rainforest, go on a jeep trip or enjoy dolphin-Spot-ting. Average temperature in March is 27℃.

THE DEAL:A seven-nightstay with flights from Gatwick for 1,429pp. From March 1.

    2. GOA

    With an average February temperature of 26℃, scenic Goamakes for a warm winter get away. In the village of Arpora, the Resorte Marinha Dourada is a 10-minute walk from the clear beach—the hotel provides transfers for guests. Alternatively, relax by the outdoor pool and have a drink at one of the hotel's two bars. A visit toArpora's lively Saturday night market is also recommended. Go bird-watching, beating on thelake, or fishing.

    THE DEAL: 10 nights' bedand breakfast with flights from Manchester for 1,157pp. From February 18.

    3. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

    Bayahibe is a beautiful fishing village on the shores of theCaribbean and it is also the Dominican Republic's premier scuba-diving destination. There are around 20 dive sites just off its coast. Enjoy golf, spas, watersportsand large outdoor pools. If you simply want to relax, the CataloniaGran Dominicus hotel is right on a pure white sandy beach, complete with palm trees. With average February temperature of 28℃, it's theperfect escape．

    THE DEAL: A seven-nightstay with Gatwick flights for 1, 403pp. FromFebruary 20.

    4. SOUTH AFRICA

    February is summer in South Africa, with average temperatures in the mid-20s℃. If you fancy chilling out in the sunshine, the Southern Sun Waterfront hotel has a large outdoor pool. But it is also in the heart ofthe city, which makes it easy to explore its many historic attractions. Take a cable car ride up TableMountain, or a shortboat trip to Robben Island，where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner.

    THE DEAL: 10 nights for 1, 662pp, with Heathrow flights. From February 18.

    People who do not get enough vitamin A in their diet may develop night blindness. But in the developing world, a lack of vitamin A causes much more serious harm to children. The world Health Organization links the lack of vitamin A to as many as 250,000 child deaths every year.

    One excellent source of vitamin A is found in newly developed sweet potatoes with orange flesh. Orange sweet potatoes contain high levels of beta-carotene, which the body changes into vitamin A. Experts say orange sweet potatoes could help the Africans who are lacking in vitamin A. But, first, more people will need to be persuaded to eat them. Sweet potatoes need a better image in Africa. Jan Low with the International Potato Center says, “We do have an image problem with sweet potatoes. In many African countries, they are seen as a crop of the poor.”

    Ms. Low explains that sweet potatoes are mainly grown by poor women to feed their families in case another crop fails. The sweet potatoes commonly grown in Africa have white or yellow flesh. But they are low in vitamin A.

    Jan Low took part in a project to study how to market orange sweet potatoes to Africans best. She worked on an information campaign(活动) in Mozambique and Uganda. The campaign included radio messages about the nutritional(营养的) benefits of the orange sweet potato. They advertised its ability to “fight diseases, make you strong, clear you skin and make you look healthy”. In areas without radio, the campaigners spread the message through theater. The performances included singing, dancing and storytelling. And everywhere they went, the campaigners wore orange T-shirts and hats. They even drove orange cars.

    Dan Gustafson heads the Washington office of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. He mentions the efforts in the past to increase the popularity of other nutritious crops. He says most of these efforts failed because organizers of the campaigns did not consider what people wanted to eat. People want to eat what they are familiar with. But Mr. Gustafson sees a better chance for the efforts to increase the popularity of the orange sweet potato in Africa. Except for the color, the orange sweet potato is almost the same as what people already eat. Dan Gustafson says, “I think this time the campaigners will succeed, because they have made enough advertisements and the difference between the vegetable they have advertised and what people already eat is not a radical one.”

    Luke has always been my closest and constant companion these past five years. In fact, he is very friendly to me especially when I take care of other furry friends in our shelter.

    There have been a lot of forest fires during the summer season. Not far from our shelter, a forest caught fire during this hot summer. Luke rushed towards the forest where flames send out a terrible heat. There's no longer any hope at the moment to wait for Luke to come back to the shelter. In fact, I was waiting for the firemen to announce me his death in the forest. Suddenly, a fireman burst into my office and informed me that my dog Luke succeeded in saving four cats which were trapped by the flames. Luke seized the kittens, one by one moving them to a safe place. I immediately accompanied the fireman to the forest to pick up the rescued kittens, but Luke was not there. Then we heard the sound of a dog came from the forest barking furiously. The firemen followed the tracks of the dog until they found him barking loudly by the side of an injured fireman who was lying on the ground.

    That day, I was very proud of Luke for his two heroic actions. I paid a visit to the fireman accompanied with my adorable Luke. What a memorable scene when the fireman hugged Luke tightly to his chest!”One thousand thanks, Luke, for saving my life,” the fireman said.

    This true story of love and compassion shows us that pets are loving, caring and compassionate. We should love and protect them. Don't belittle them. Little animals can make enormous things for humans.

    Last night's meteor(流星) shower left many people in Emerald Valley dissatisfied. They gathered in the suburbs of the city with heavy telescopes，expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky. However, what they found was a sky so brightened by the city's lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overhead.

    “My family was so frustrated，” admitted town resident Duane Cosby, “We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing，but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.”

    Astronomers—scientists who study stars and planets—have been complaining about this problem for many years. They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past. They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it.

    Besides professional and amateur(业余的) star observers, there is yet a population that suffers even more from light pollution. This population consists of birds，bats, frogs, and snakes etc. For example, outdoor lighting severely affects migrating(迁徙的)birds. According to the International Dark­Sky Association, “100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers. ”

    Countless animals injuries and deaths result from the use of artificial lighting. Clearly, people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings, but some scientists think it can be harmful to humans, too. They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase people's chances of getting cancer.

    Emerald Valley is only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution. For years, Flagstaff, Arizona has enforced lighting rules in its city in order to help astronomers with their observations. Similar efforts have been made worldwide, and a movement is underway to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them, so that other creatures can share the night.

    Summer Science Class registration begins on March 8 ! If you are interested in science，the environment，or conservation and you are in grades 7 －12 ，sign up soon for Black Rock Forest Consortium's Summer Science Class program. You can download the Summer Science Classes 2013 brochure here. It is easy to register；just call 845-534-4517 or click here.

    Twelve-week-long courses in the natural sciences and the arts are offered at Black Rock Forest in Cornwall from July 15 through August 9.Two more classes are offered with site partners，including “The Art of Scientific Observation，” hosted jointly by Black Rock Forest Consortium and Storm King Art Center ，one of the world's leading sculpture parks ，and “A Nautical   Expedition” hosted jointly by the Consortium and the Constitution Marsh Audubon Center.

    We are delighted to announce two special “away” classes that are part of the Summer Science Class program this year: an“Adirondack Eco-Adventure” beginning August 11，and “Conservation Biology in Florida，” beginning June 23 and featuring field work on the Gulf Coast in cooperation with the University of Florida's Seahorse Key Marine Biological Laboratory. For more information on the Summer Science Class program，please read our press release. Black Rock Forest Consortium is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to advance scientific understanding of the natural world through research，education and conservation programs.

A Language Programme for Teenagers

    Welcome to Teenagers Abroad! We invite you to join us on an amazing journey of language learning.

    Our Courses

    Regardless of your choice of course, you'll develop your language ability both quickly and effectively.

    Our Standard Course guarantees a significant increase in your confidence in a foreign language, with focused teaching in all 4 skill areas—speaking, listening, reading and writing.

    Our Intensive Course builds on our Standard Course, with 10 additional lessons per week, guaranteeing the fastest possible language learning (see table below).

    Evaluation

    Students are placed into classes according to their current language skills. The majority of them take an online language test before starting their programme. However, if this is not available, students sit the exam on the first Monday of their course.

    Learning materials are provided to students throughout their course, and there will never be more than 15 participants in each class.

Arrivals and Transfer

    Our programme offers the full package—students are taken good care of from the start through to the very end. They are collected from the airport upon arrival and brought to their accommodation in comfort. We require the student's full flight details at least 4 weeks in advance.

Meals/Allergies(过敏)/Special Dietary Requirements

    Students are provided with breakfast, dinner and either a cooked or packed lunch (which consists of a sandwich, a drink and a dessert). Snacks outside of mealtimes may be purchased by the student individually.

    We ask that you let us know of any allergies or dietary requirements as well as information about any medicines you take. Depending on the type of allergies and/or dietary requirements, an extra charge may be made for providing special food.