England continues to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. London in particular is one of the most visited cities and draws people in with its appeal, history, and pubs. England's smaller cities, like Bath and Oxford, are equally as attractive with a lot of culture and fewer crowds. Liverpool, birthplace of The Beatles, has a rich musical history. The countryside has wonderful natural beauty. Here are some tips on traveling in England.

    Free museums—Public museums offer free admission in every city throughout England and the UK. It's a great way to learn about the country's most influential artists and history, and spend a rainy day without paying a cent.

    Book early—Book all transportation well in advance, even if you don't plan to use it. Fares can be around ￡2 with a little planning. The Megabus not only runs buses but also provides trains throughout England and is the best choice for cheap travel throughout the country.

    Pub food—Eating in England can be quite expensive, but for good cheap and filling meals, visit the local pubs, where you can get a good meal for less than ￡10. Besides, the pubs are a great way to meet people!

    Get a Taste of UK card—The Taste of the UK card offers up to 50% off at selected restaurants. You don't need to be an English to get the card, and you needn't pay the first month's membership fee, which is perfect for most travelers.

    Take a free walking tour—Many major cities in England offer free walking tours. They usually last a few hours and are a great way to see the city.

    When I was sixteen years old, I made my first visit to the United States. It wasn't the first time I had been abroad. Like most English children I learned French at school. And I had often been to France, so I was used to speaking a foreign language to people who didn't understand English. But when I went to America I was really looking forward to having a nice easy holiday without any language problems.

How wrong I was! The misunderstandings began at the airport. I was looking for a public telephone to give my American friend Danny a call and tell her that I had arrived. A friendly old man saw me looking lost and asked if he could help me.

    “Yes,” I said, “I want to give my friend a ring.”

    “Well, that's nice,” he said, “Are you getting married? But aren't you a bit young?”

    “Who is talking about marriage?” I replied, “I only want to give my friend a ring to tell her I've arrived. Can you tell me where there's a phone box?”

    “Oh!” he said, “There's a phone downstairs.”

    When at last we met, Danny explained the misunderstandings to me.

    “Don't worry,” she said to me. "I had so many difficulties at first. There are lots of words which the Americans use differently in meaning from the British. You'll soon get used to all the funny things they say. Most of the time, British and American people understand each other!”

    Today, we are constantly bombarded with media reports about research on the right diet to follow to help us maintain a healthy lifestyle or lose weight—but it's hard to know which one to pick and, once chosen, it's harder still to stick to it. And now there's another choice to get our teeth into.

    A flexitarian(弹性素食者)diet involves eating plant—based foods and only occasionally eating meat and fish. This eating style allows you to supplement some ingredients that you wouldn't get in a stricter vegan(素食主义者)diet—another trend growing in popularity. And like veganism, flexitarianism isn't about eating carefully to help you lose a few pounds—it's something people choose for ethical reasons, to help the planet. And a study into the global food system and how it affects the climate, has found that eating mainly plant-based foods is one of three key steps towards a sustainable future for all by 2050.

    This research found that food waste will need to be halved and farming practices will also have to improve to achieve this. But without a single solution, a combined approach is needed. Dr Marco Springmann from the University of Oxford was one of the lead authors of the report. He told the BBC “We really found that a combination of measures would be needed to stay within environmental limits and those include changes towards healthier more plant—based diets.”

    But whereas vegans think it's wrong for animals to be killed for food, flexitarians believe eating meat once in a while is acceptable. And Dr Springmann agrees—as long as we “treat it as a luxury, it's probably OK but you shouldn't have more than one serving of red meat, which includes beef and pork, per week.” And here's another fact to digest: If we moved to this type of diet, the study found that greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture would be cut by more than half.

    From composer, musician, and philanthropist (慈善家) Peter Buffett comes a warm, wise, and inspirational book that asks, "Which will you choose: the path of least resistance or the path of potentially greatest satisfaction?"

    You may think that with a last name like this, Buffett has enjoyed a life of endless privilege. But the son of billionaire investor Warrant Buffet says that the only real inheritance handed down from his parents is a philosophy: Build your own path in life. It is a principle that has allowed him to follow his own passions, establish his own identity, and achieve his own successes.

    In Life Is What You Made It, Buffett expounds on the strong set of values given to him by his trusting and broadminded mother, his hardworking and talented father, and the many life teachers he has met along the way.

    Today's society, Buffett assumes, has begun to replace a work ethic (准则), which enjoys what you do, with a wealth ethic, which honors the reward instead of the process. We confuse privilege with material wealth, character with external (外在的) recognition. Yet, by focusing more on substance and less on reward, we can open doors of opportunity and work hard toward a greater sense of achievement. In clear and brief terms, Buffett tells us a great truth: Life is random, neither fair nor unfair.

    From there it becomes easy to recognize the equal dignity and value of every human life—our circumstances may vary but our essence does not. We see that our journey in life rarely follows a straight line but is often met with false starts, crises, and mistakes. How we push through and insist on those challenging moments is where we begin to create the life of our dreams—from discovering our vocations (使命感) to giving back to others.

    Personal and instructive, Life Is What You Make It is about challenging your circumstances, taking control of your fate, and living your life to the fullest.

    The secret to living longer could be as simple as picking up your walking pace, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Sydney found that walking at a brisk (快的) or fast pace was associated with a risk reduction of 24 percent for any cause of death.

    This effect was even more obvious in older age group, with fast walkers over the age of 60 reducing their risk of death by a surprising 53 percent. Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, who led the study, explained, "A fast pace is generally five to six kilometers per hour, but it really depends on a walker's fitness levels; an alternatives indicator is to walk at a pace that makes you slightly out of breath or sweaty."

    In the study, the researchers looked at the results of 11 surveys from 1994 to 2008, in which participants recorded their walking pace, as well as age, sex and BMI. The analysis showed that walking at an average pace was associated with a 20 percent risk reduction for all-cause mortality (死亡率) compared with walking at a slow pace, while walking at a brisk or fast pace was associated with a risk reduction of 24 percent.

    The researchers hope the findings will encourage the development of public health message about the benefits of walking pace. Professor Stamatakis added, "These analyses suggest that increasing walking pace may be a straightforward way for people to improve heart health and risk for premature mortality—providing a simple message for public health campaigns to promote.

    "Especially in situations when walking more isn't possible due to time pressures or a less walking-friendly environment, walking faster may be a good option to get the heart rate up—one that most people can easily add to their lives."

Must-read New Fiction Books

We all have a few tried-and-true fiction favorites, but there's something special about a brand-new, hot-off-the-press novel. Whether it's your favorite author's new release or a new writer's first work, great fiction books make the perfect escape from ordinary life. That's why we've rounded up a list of the best new books released in February.

Age of Gold by Jerry Lapoor

Jerry Lapoor's latest action-packed novel unfolds like a crazy movie. This thriller begins when a wealthy man's car gets out of control. But when the dust settles, the rich man is nowhere to be found. How and to where does he disappear? With an exciting plot that will carry you from old-money houses to small agricultural villages, Age of Cold will take you on an unforgettable ride across a vast land.

City Under One Sky by Rachel Young

In the book, Young presents a crime story set in a small town. Detective Sara Kennedy has been sent to investigate a case. But soon after arrival, Sara gets snowed in with the 205 townsfolk living in the same apartment building. Who is hiding the key to the crime? And is there anyone she can truly trust? The appealing story, strange but distinctive characters and unexpected plot are just a few of the reasons why City Under One Sky gains its popularity.

Lady by Jess George

Lady is an irresistible fiction from Jess George. The story of Mary's fresh start at adulthood is shot through with themes of family, race and discrimination, womanhood and the immigrant reality of feeling torn between cultures. Though struggling with life in London as an African, Mary jumps at every chance to stand on her own feet.