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

Student are placed into classes according to their current language skills. The majority of them take on 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 take 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. Werequire the student's full 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 adessert). Snacks outside of meal times 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.

                                            Robot Surgeon (外科医生) Succeeds without Help from Human Doctors

         Humans make mistakes. Even surgeons with years of experience are not infallible. But what if these doctors could pool their knowledge and experience together and create a surgical standard of care, to be carried out by machines?

    That's the idea behind surgical robots, which may soon perform most surgeries, from sewing up tiny wounds to performing heart procedures. Many of these operations are, in fact, already completed with the assistance of robots. But a recent test suggests that robots in the operating room may soon go a step further, performing on soft tissue completely on their own, from start to finish.

    The Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR), successfully completed surgeries on pigs. “We're the first group to develop autonomous robotic surgery with soft-tissue surgery, and when compared to standard operation, it's better, ”says Peter Kim, professor of surgery. “The idea is not to replace surgeons; it will make the surgeons better and make the procedures safer.”

    A recent Mayo Clinic study found that major surgical errors-including operating on the wrong site or side of the body, or even leaving tools or objects inside the patient-occur every one out of 22, 000procedures. That's rare, but robots like STAR would aim to lower the number even further.

    In the da Vinci surgical system, surgeons place their arms inside instruments and use their hands to control the movement of robotic tools on the operating table from afar. The robot's every major move is controlled by surgeons, and thus its results may vary based on the surgeon's training or experience.

    STAR, on the other hand, is entirely autonomous. It's not only able to work on its own and perform surgeries with a more flexible “hand”, but it's able to react to the unexpected incidents. Cutting into hard tissue like bones is one thing, but operating on moving soft tissue is far more complex. STAR reacts to a changing environment, similar to how self-driving cars are programmed to not only drive on the highway, but also react to another driver making a mistake and getting in your way.

D

    We've all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on airplane, surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse, struggling with the uncomfortable silence.

    What's the problem? It's possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence. It's more likely that none of us start a conversation because it's awkward and challenging, or we think it's annoying and unnecessary. But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble. Experts say it's an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.

    Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can't forget that deep relationships wouldn't even exist if it weren't for casual conversation. Small talk is the grease (润滑剂) for social communication, says Bernardo Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast. "Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk," he explains. "The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them."

    In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited people on their way into a coffee shop. One group was asked to seek out an interaction(互动) with its waiter; the other, to speak only when necessary. The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience. "It's not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband," says Dunn. "But interactions with peripheral(边缘的) members of our social network matter for our well-being also."

    Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging, a bond with others. Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk. "Small talk is the basis of good manners," he says.

    It was a dark and stormy night. I was about to go to bed when I heard a tapping sound on my window.

"Who's there?" I shouted. Suddenly there was a flash of lightning; I saw a face at the window. It looked like an alien（外星人）— an alien that I had seen on the television show, "the X files".

    I felt very scared. I ran to my bed and pulled my blanket over my head. I started to shout for my parents but there was no reply. Then I remembered that they were at a fancy dress party.

    I looked out of my blanket but it was too dark to see anything. Then I heard footsteps. They were getting louder and louder. I ran to my drawer to take out my camera and started to take pictures in the direction of the window. Soon the footsteps died off.

The grandfather clock struck. It was 12 midnight. I went back to my bed and tried to sleep. But I could not sleep. I felt too frightened. I sat up, and my mind was full of thoughts. Time passed — finally, I fell asleep.

    I woke up only after eight and decided to find out what it had been. I found some footprints outside my bedroom window. I measured them with a ruler and found them to be exactly the same size as my father's shoes. I then went to town to get the film developed. I didn't realize that I did not use the flash until I saw the black photos.

    When I reached home, I told my father the whole incident and he started to laugh. I started laughing too when he told me that he had dressed up as an alien for the party. Today, I am still amused to think I was so afraid of my own father.

    The following list includes some books that come highly recommended by millions of readers and also a short summary of the highlights of each work.

    The Go-Giver, by Bob Burg and John David Man

    I didn't even expect that such a short book could make a huge difference in my way towards life. It simply explains complex laws that direct mankind, and concludes that there is always truth in the opposite.

    Dao De Jing, by Laozi

    Dao De Jing is one of the finest books on philosophy written by Laozi, an ancient Chinese philosopher and poet. It is sincere, exciting and makes you think a lot. Read it and get in touch with the clear educative understandings that give you enough tips to pursue your life goal full of passion.

    The Science of Getting Rich, by Wallace D. Wattles

    I had my own misunderstandings of getting rich till I read this book. The book made a huge difference to my life after I discovered the secrets mentioned. Read it and it teaches you how to .become rich, not immediately, but step by step.

    The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg

    I never knew habits played such an important role in shaping our future until I read this book. It says, you are what your habits are, and also suggests the proven techniques to create new habits that change our lifestyles and eventually our lives. It is a must-read for everyone who wishes to form lifetime habits.

    The Road Less Travelled, by Scott Peck

    Simply put. Buy this book for the path towards understanding in a spiritual way that strengthens your personal growth. This book never gives you easy solutions to the challenges of life. It simply is part of life and leaves you with better understanding to lead a fulfilled life.

    Water is a necessity of life. Rain, especially, helps plants grow and stay green. But too much rain, especially in cities, can lead to flooding. That can cause waste water systems to overflow and send pollutants into rivers and other waterways. To fight the problem, several cities in the United States are starting programs like rooftop gardens.

    A team at the University of the District of Columbia in the nation's capital has created a garden on the top of one school building. The garden holds many kinds of plants to help absorb rainwater and grow food at the same time. Architect David Bell has designed five "green roofs" for the university. He says he is excited about the project because "it meant doing something more than just dealing with storm water management. It took advantage of a resource above the city and these flat roofs that aren't doing anything really became something that was about urban agriculture." Rainwater is collected in large containers and sent through a system that waters the rooftop garden. The roof is filled with green life that appeals to insects.

    In cities, "you don't have that many spaces to choose from and so rooftops are just (unused) space," says Caitlin Arlotta. She is a student in the school's Urban Agriculture program. The project is part of a research program to see which plants do well on rooftops. The researchers are looking at plants including strawberries, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. The university also has other green spaces. "We also have our own farm experiments," Arlotta said. "Within each of those growing systems, we want to be able to tell people which sorts of these crops grow the best."

    Sandy Farber Bandier helps run UDC's Master Gardener program. It seeks to improve cities and make them beautiful by training people to become Master Gardeners. She says she's been surprised by the garden's output. "My biggest surprise was that we produced 4, 250 pounds of produce the first year and was able to spread that to people in need." She also likes being able to show people who live in D. C. and others beyond the nation's capital what and how food can be grown on a rooftop. "This is the future for food. You grow it here, you prepare it in a commercial kitchen, you distribute through farmers markets, food trucks, and then you recycle."