The best way of learning a language is using it. The best way of learning English is talking in English as much as possible. Sometimes you'll get your words mixed up and people won't understand you. Sometimes people will say things too quickly and you couldn't understand them. But if you sense of humor, you can always have a good laugh at the mistakes. It's better for people to laugh at your mistakes than to be angry with you, because they don't understand what you are saying. The most important thing for learning English is:“ Don't be afraid of making mistakes because everyone makes mistakes.”

    A nationwide survey released earlier this year said an average Chinese adult read less than eight books in 2015, among which 4.58 were paper books and 3.26 e-books. With digital books becoming more popular, many people would find it hard to remember the last time they sat down in a bookstore and enjoyed a quiet moment.

    But this does not mean that bookstores are losing their customers. To lure more readers, bookstores are now bigger, more beautiful and grander. Here are some of them.

    Zhongshuge

    Walking into a Zhongshuge bookstore is like entering a sea of books, above the ceiling overhead, beneath the floor under your feet, on the walls, and under the steps of the staircases. Zhongshuge is known for its beautiful designs. The brand now has chains in Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Yangzhou.

    The Bookworm

    The bookworm is a bookshop, bar and café all in one. Hidden in downtown Beijing's Sanlitun bar area, the place is among the most popular for foreigners looking for some international experiences in the Chinese capital.

    In addition to a larger variety of books, the European-style shop also holds lectures and cultural events. It's often possible for visitors to meet famous authors unexpectedly in the comfortable place.

    Paradise Time Travel Bookstore

    Tibet（西藏）is a must-visit on many people's travel lists. You can find the beauty of the ancient Tibetan style. Paradise Time Travel Bookstore is decorated in this way. But if you look closely, you will find it is a foreignlanguage bookshop. This kind of mixture is a great surprise, isn't it?

    The Paradise Time Travel Bookstore is located near the princess Wencheng Theater in Lhasa(拉萨).

    Poplar Kid's Republic

    The Poplar Kid's Republic, sitting in Beijing's CBD area, is a fairyland of picture books for children. Thebookshop was selected among one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world by Flavorwire, a popular US news website about art and culture, in 2012.

    The colorful designs inside are aimed at encouraging kids to explore books. Pushing the glass doors open, you will see children's drawings and craftworks(工艺)hanging on the pink walls, leading you into a world full of imagination.

Du Fu (712-770) is a famous poet（诗人） in ancient China. He is {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (wide) known among us Chinese people. However, only a few know about him in the Western world. 

The BBC made a one-hour documentary (纪录片) called Du Fu: China's Greatest Poetin 2020. This English-language documentary gives {#blank#}2{#/blank#}excellent introduction of the great poet Du Fu. Nowadays, Du Fu {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(compare) to Dante（但丁） in Italy and Shakespeare in Britain. 

In the documentary, British historian Michael Wood travels around China to research Du's life. He visits a lot of places, such as Du Fu's birthplace and Du Fu Thatched Cottage（杜甫草堂） in Chengdu. Along the way, he interviews people, and they tell {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (fascinate) stories of Du Fu, who had a hard time in his late years{#blank#}5{#/blank#} never stopped writing or showing care and worries about{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(he) country and people. 

The documentary also explains {#blank#}7{#/blank#}Du's works have been popular for centuries. Because Chinese people pay much attention to{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (memorize) history. Du Fu, known{#blank#}9{#/blank#}China's "saint of poetry (诗圣)", had amazing {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (create) in writing poems. And today about 1, 500 of his works are still for us to enjoy. They also allow us to learn about many historical events. 

Are you an "I" person or an "E" person? People have talked about it a lot online recently. They are part of a popular personality (性格) test called MBTI.

Everyone's result has four letters. "I" and "E" are the first letters. People are either "I", meaning introverted (内向的), or "E", for extroverted (外向的).

But sometimes introverted people can be outgoing, too. For example, an "I" person will hang out with a group of introverted friends. The person may do things a more "extroverted" person would do. For example, he or she may share their thoughts and feelings with others and ask strangers for directions.

I'm one of these kinds of people. Most of the time, I show an interest in new classmates and friends. I talk with them to show I'm friendly. But honestly, I like being alone and staying quiet.

I have to say, the personality test is just for fun. Everyone's personality is different. Don't let the test tell you who you are.

In this case, I was a bad example. I used to be very interested in my friends' MBTI results. I would get upset if their results didn't match the way I see them.

Soon, I think everyone might have a "personality stamp". For example, "P" people don't like to make plans. On the other hand, "J" people are planners and list-makers. My sister is a "P" person. She never plans. But one day, she was happily making a day-to-day travel plan for the holiday.

"I thought you were a 'P' person," I said to her.

"Do I have to follow what my personality test tells me?" she replied.

"Oh no," I said to myself. "I've taken the result too seriously."

The four letters don't tell you everything about a person. And no one should live according to what four letters tell you.

Languages play an important part in our life. Mother language is a very intimate（密切的）thing to us. For people who speak an ancient tongue as their mother language, it helps them keep their traditions. If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to a man in his own language, that goes to his heart. 

The associations that lie in the languages bring ideas and pictures to our minds. Associations are just the power of languages. However, how language came into being is unknown. All we know is that some early men invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could talk with each other. Later they agreed on certain signs, which could be put together to show those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, are called words

Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words bring back to us the happy and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases. 

Over the last century, more than 400 languages have died out. Some languages are now spoken only by a few dozens of people. Why are humans speaking fewer languages than we once did? The answer has to do with globalization（全球化）. Nowadays, it's more useful to speak certain languages-English is one example-rather than others. 

As US writer Rita Mae Brown wrote, "Language is the roadmap of a culture. It tells where its people come from and where they are going." We should learn to choose our words carefully and use them correctly, or they will make ourselves silly and common. 

Tests are important for learning. Many students do well with their homework. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Here are some tips for you to do well in tests.

Find the Perfect Place

If you study in a place with good lighting, you will feel comfortable. However, the most important thing is that there are no distractions(分心). Try turning off the TV or putting away your smartphone for one hour. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

Try Study Aids

Every student should take notes and do revision. However, that may not be enough. If you like flashcards, try dividing your notes into different parts. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} They may help you remember the key points too!

Stay Positive and Calm

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} When taking the test, take a quick look through the whole test paper first. If you come across a difficult question, do not be nervous. Stop and think for a moment.

Keep on Studying

Here comes the most important tip: Never give up. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You will certainly do better in the next test.