It was an oral English class and in front of us was standing our teacher Lila Betray, who was a university student from the US. Somehow we came to the point whether any of us could sing an English pop song in front of the class. You know, maybe three or more out of ten Chinese students are shy in class. As a result, there was silence in class for quite a while, which made everybody feel rather embarrassed(尴尬的), including the teacher.

    I was a shy boy. However, just at that moment, a great idea struck me suddenly."Seize the enjoyment! Seize the opportunity. Yes, there couldn't be a better opportunity." I said to myself. "Why not seize it? Why should I have always to be the guy regretting missing the opportunity just because of shyness? Yes, maybe I should have a try!"

    So, I raised my hand. And I remember that it took me quite a while to think what the song's name was. Though I sang no more than five sentences because of forgetting the lyrics(歌词), their clapping hands told me that I did the job well. Later, I got a gift and I was really happy.

    I think that is one of the most unforgettable moments in my life. Through this experience, I've also got to know that we should believe that we can do the job well, no matter how difficult it seems for us. Just have a little more courage.

    When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings(缺点). Week by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn't a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.

    He listened to me quietly, then he asked.“Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn't you ever wonder what you're really like? Well, you now have that girl's opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said.”

    I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn't change (like being very thin), but a good number I could—and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself.

    I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it.“That's just for you，” he said.“You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you'll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don't shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do.”Daddy's advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I've never had a better piece of advice.

    “This is your last chance,” warned Mrs Gillfeather. I broke out in a sweat and my hands started to shake. We both wanted to get to sleep, but before we could, I had to put a cannula(针管) in her arm.

    Before becoming a doctor I'd only a vague idea what a cannula was, coming from an hour spent with a plastic arm while at medical school. Once I became a doctor, however, I couldn't seem to get away from them.

    For those of you who are lucky enough to have never come into contact with one, they're tiny little tubes that are put into a vein(静脉)so that fluid or medicines can do directly into the blood. That's the theory. Unfortunately, the problem is that for them to work, you have to get them into the vein in the first place. This tends to be trickier than you'd imagine—and it's a job that tends to fall on the junior doctors.

    Mrs Gillfeather's veins were particularly elusive that evening. I'd been jabbing the needle in for at least 20 minutes.

    “Isn't there someone else who could do this?” she asked, for the fourth time. “Someone who knows what they're doing, perhaps,” she said under her breath, just loud enough for me to hear.

    Finally, I got it in. Mrs. Gillfeather and I both breathed a sigh of relief

    Just as I was about to leave the ward, the nurse called me over, “Max, there's another cannula to do on bed 16.”

    Stress is an inevitable part of a busy and modern life. Time and time again, we see people feeling overwhelmed because of stress. But after years of being dosed up by doctors and seeking solutions on the self-help shelves, can most common complaints be cured through your next holiday? The festival doctor will see you now.

    Complaint

    Prescription（处方）

    Dosage(剂量)

    Guilty

    Restart yourself at the Wanderlust Festival

    A weekend at any Wanderlust Festival should restrain some of the shame you are feeling. Empty your mind with meditation (冥想) sessions in the mountains of America or adjust your feelings with a sound bath in Santiago, Chile.

    Sad

    A healthy dose of laughter at Just for Laughs in Montreal, Canada in July.

Have fun at the largest comedy festival, which attracts more than two million ha-ha hunters every summer. Apart from 250 comedy acts, there will be walkabout theater ,circus acts and lots of new comedy films to make you laugh to tears.

    Over- thinking

    Get nourishing food for your thought at the U.K.'s How the Light Gets In in May.

    Spend a week or so in the company of like-minded individuals and you will see you are not the only one over-thinking things. The world's largest philosophy festival, held in Hareous Wye, will have talks, debates and classes on culture, philosophy, politics, art and science.

    Heart-broken

    Find one of your favorite fish in the sea at Ireland's Matchmaking Festival in June.

    A week at Liverpool's Matchmaking Festival could be a choice as Ireland's mythical matchmakers have been pairing lovers together for centuries. Try to find Willie Dally, a fourth-generation matchmaker, for your best chance of everlasting love. Those who touch his lucky book are said to fall in love and marry within six months.

    Are you preparing for a big test? If so, you may want to go play some basketball in between hitting the books. Doctors are starting to find more and more information that suggests a connection between exercise and brain development. Judy Cameron, a scientist at Oregon Health and Science University, studies brain development. According to her research, it seems that exercise can make blood vessels, including those in the brain, stronger and more fully developed. Dr. Cameron claims this allows people who exercise to concentrate better. As she says, “While we already know that exercise is good for the heart, exercise can really cause physical changes in the brain.”

    The effects of exercise on brain development can even be seen in babies. Babies who do activities that require a lot of movement and physical activity show greater brain development than babies who are less physically active. With babies, even a little movement can show big results. Margaret Barnes, a pediatrician（儿科医生）, believes in the importance of exercise. She thinks that many learning disabilities that children have in elementary school or high school can be traced back to a lack of movement as babies. “Babies need movement that stimulates their five senses. They need to establish a connection between motion and memory. In this way, as they get older, children will begin to associate physical activity with higher learning,” says Margaret.

    Older people can strengthen their brains as well. Columbia University studied a group of seniors ranging in age from seventy to seventy-nine. Their study showed a short-term memory increase of up to 40 percent after exercising just three hours a week. The exercise does not have to be very difficult, but it does have to increase the heart rate. Also, just like the motion for babies, exercise for older people should involve some complexity. Learning some new skills or motions, such as with yoga or tai-chi, helps to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used for a long time.

    For most people, any type of physical activity that increases the heart rate is helpful. The main goal is to increase the brain's flow of blood. And your brain can benefit from as little as three to four hours of exercise a week.

    Food festivals are a common occurrence in the UK and take place in all sorts of places and at all sorts of times. Whatever your taste, there's a food festival to match -no matter how specialized.

    Meatopia

    This three-day, London-based festival takes place at the end of August and is a meat lover's paradise. In addition to a range of meat products, from burgers to steaks, attendees can listen to live music, watch butchery shows, and attend informal meat-based workshops.

    Vegfest

    If you prefer a festival that will help you meet your five a day, then Vegfest fest is for you. This vegan-friendly event takes place several times a year. Here you can enjoy a wide selection of freshly prepared vegetables, learn cooking tips and hear talks on nutrition to help you make the most of your plant-based search.

    The Marmalade Festival

    Held in Cumbria, this festival has been running for 13 years. It includes a competition to find the best homemade marmalade. There are thousands of entries from over 30 different countries across the globe.

    The Ginger (姜) and spice Festival

    The Ginger and spice Festival, held in Market Drayton, celebrates its town's historic connection to Robert Clive, who returned from India with ginger. Because of this, they specialize in baking gingerbread, but also sell a range of spices from mild to hot.

    The National Honey show

    It started in 1921 and is the largest event of its kind. This three-day event attracts over 2000 participants to their traditional competition and offers lectures and workshops on beekeeping and, of course, that syrupy golden honey.

    While people's tastes are different from each other, the UK has something to offer most people. From large-scale festivities, to the smaller gatherings, one thing is certain: people are passionate about their food. And while some of the products on offer might be strange to someone, when food is given that much attention, it's unlikely to leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth.