In many big cities, a lot of old people keep birds, cats, dogs and other animals in their houses. These animals are friendly to the old people and never leave them. So the old people love them and see them as their good friends or families.

    It's not difficult to keep these lovely animals at home. But you have to take them to animal hospitals to give them needles (注射), so they won't get ill or they will make people ill. Now there are lots of animal food stores here and there. People can buy good animal food for their animals there. Old people can buy animal food on the phone or on the Internet. But it's a little more expensive.

    Sometimes it's kind of dirty and dangerous to keep animals. They sometimes look dirty and smell terrible and can be dangerous. For example, an old woman in Shanghai lost her life on the street for her pet dog.

    Maybe old people in big cities have many reasons to keep these nice and clever animals. They may feel lonely when their children leave. And these pets can be their great helpers. They are their good friends and help them in many things.

    Are you scared about moving up to senior high school?It can be a new experience,but you shouldn't worry.We've put together a guide on how to survive the first week.

    You're not alone

    Remember everybody else in your year is in the same boat.They may not realize it,but they're just as nervous as you are.Moving to senior high is an opportunity,not a problem.Things are different and all you need to do is be polite and learn the new rules.

    Teachers are ready to help!

    If you're unsure what to do or are worried about anything then you had better ask for help.Teachers are probably the best people to turn to as they're experienced in helping new students.Some senior high schools also have a “friends system”.If your school has this,then you will be paired with an older student.They will look out for you and help you if you have any problems or questions.

    All change

    There are lots of differences between junior high school and senior high school.You'll have a homework diary or a student planner.You will have your lessons with different teachers in different rooms.You will have homework for different subjects on different days,so make sure you get organized.Make sure you have a copy of your school timetable written down so you know which rooms your classes are in and on which days you will have your different subjects.

Other points

    If you've got an older brother or sister at the school then ask them for advice.

    Be yourself! It sounds simple,but people will know you much better if you just act naturally.

    Having early nights makes a difference and you'll find it easier to get up in the morning!

    During the past Spring Festival, many children may have received red packets from their families. But Xing Pu, a 40-year-old economist, is asking the government to give red packets to every Chinese citizen.

    Xing suggested the government give out 1,000 yuan to each Chinese since the government income has increased rapidly in recent years. He said his suggestion would allow everyone to directly enjoy the fruits of the country's economic success, help the lower-income groups deal with rising prices and increase consumption (消费) around the country.

    Recent years have seen the government carry out a series of pro-poor (扶贫) and pro-rural (惠农) policies, including increasing spending on public healthcare and calling off the agricultural tax. But the lower-income group still needs more help while being hit hard by an 11-year high in prices and recent snowstorms.

    Xing said while making the draft, he has borrowed many ideas from practices in countries like the United States and Singapore. Earlier this year, the governments of the two nations offered money to their citizens as the result of a surplus in government income. As for in China, "We can even encourage the rich to donate their 1,000 yuan red packet to the poor," said Xing.

    Although Xing's suggestion has gained wide support among ordinary Chinese on the Internet, many other economists criticized it as unpractical. Even Xing himself admitted he made the suggestion without any careful calculation. But they agreed with Xing's point that the growing economic pie should be shared among the people.

    "To better use the increase of money, handing out money is not a solution that holds good for all time. It could be better to improve the public service or cut the price of energy used in daily life," said QiaoXinsheng, an economic professor.

    Top Music Festivals

    Festival season is just kicking off, and there is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months.

    Pitchfork Music Festival

    Anyone who likes indie (独立的 )music and up-and-coming artists will have an amazing time at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago's Union Park. This is an indie rock heaven that explores more underground and lesser known bands than the other big Chicago summer festival, Lollapalooza,

    Date: July 14-16

    Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Music Type: Indie rock

    Price: S126-S2, 700

    Essence Music Festival

    No matter what time of the year it is, New Orleans is an amazing place if you love live music. The Essence Music Festival is a celebration of well-known artists like Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, and Mary J. Blige.

    Date：June 29-july 2

    Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    Music Type: R&B, Soul, rock

    Price: S75-5365

    Sziget Festival

    Budapest knows how to run a party, and Sziget is one of the biggest celebrations of music and culture in all of Europe. You can expect to find favorite artists like Bad Religion and Mac DeMarco playing here during this three day festival.

    Date: August 9-11

    Location: Budapest, Hungary

    Music Type： Eclectic, Indie rock

    Price: 65-275(around ＄70-＄296)

    Flow Festival

    The Flow Festival is a great excuse to explore the city of Helsinki. Artists including Lana Del Rey and The XX will be playing, among many others. Come to this festival to enjoy your selves with an earth-friendly belief.

    Date: August11-13, 2017

    Location Helsinki, Finland

    Music Type: Rock, soul, Jazz

    Price, 99-185(around ＄106-＄199)

    A new study, conducted by British company Mindlab International, has found that listening to music at work increases accuracy (精确) and speed, The Telegraph reported.

    Perhaps, some parents disagree with this idea, saying, "Switch off the music and concentrate!" Well, if that's the case with your parents, you might now be able to convince them that you have science on your side.

    The company gave 26 participants（参与者）a series of different tasks for five days in a row, including spell checking, mathematical word problems, data entry, and abstract reasoning. The participants completed these tasks while listening to music or no music at all.

    The results showed that while music was playing, 88% of participants produced their most accurate test results and 81% completed their fastest work. David Lewis, chairman of Mindlab International, told The Telegraph, "Music is a very powerful management tool if you want to increase not only the efficiency of your workforce but also their emotional state... they are going to become more positive about the work."

    However, you may have a list of your favorite songs, but not all kinds of music match all homework. For maths or other subjects involving numbers or attention to detail, you should listen to classical music, the study found. In the study, pop music enabled participants to complete their tasks 58% faster than when listening to no music at all. If you are reviewing your English writing, pop music is the best choice, as it is the best kind for spell checking. It cut mistakes by 14%, compared to listening to no music. After finishing your homework, do you often take time to check your answers? Maybe, some dance music is suitable for you.