A student was one day taking a walk with his teacher. As they went along, they saw a pair of old shoes lying in the path. They were a poor farmer's, who was working in the nearby field.

    The student turned to the teacher, saying: “we will hide his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those trees, and wait to see what he will do.”

    “My young friend,” answered the teacher, “we should never make fun of the poor. Why not put a coin in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch?” The student did so and they both hid themselves behind the trees. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.

    After putting on his coat, he put his foot into one of his shoes, and felt something hard. Then he bent (弯腰) down to feel what it was, and found the coin. Surprised, he looked at the coin, turned it around and looked at it again. He then looked around, but no person was seen. He put the money into his pocket, and continued to put on the other shoe. His surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.

    He couldn't control his feelings and fell to his knees, looked up to the sky and expressed his thanks. Then he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread. He said the help would save them from dying.

    The student stood there deeply moved, and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the teacher, “are you not much happier than if you had hidden the shoes?”

    Some people think that as more and more people have televisions in their homes, fewer and fewer people will buy books and newspapers. Why read an article in the newspaper, when the TV news can bring you the information in a few minutes and with pictures? Why read the life story of a famous man, when a short television program can tell you all that you want to know?

    Television has not killed reading, however. Today, newspapers sell in very large numbers. And books of every kind are sold more than ever before. Books are still a cheap way to get information and enjoyment. Although some books with hard covers are expensive, many books are printed today as paperbacks (平装本), which are quite cheap. A paperback collection of short stories, for example, is always cheaper than an evening at the cinema or the theater, and you can keep a book for ever and read it many times.

    Books are a wonderful provider of knowledge and pleasure and some types of books should be in every home. Every home should have a good dictionary. A good encyclopedia, though expensive, is useful, too, because you can find information on any subject. Besides, you can have such books as history books, science textbooks, cookbooks, and collections of stories and poems. Then from time to time you can take a book of poems off your shelves and read the thoughts and feelings of your favorite poets.

Disney has picked Chinese actor Liu Yifei to play Mulan in an upcoming film, following accusations against Hollywood of ‘whitewashing'.

    Several Hollywood films have faced criticism in recent months for featuring white actors in Asian roles. Recent films accused of whitewashing include the Hollywood remake of Japanese anime Ghost in the Shell, which had Scarlett Johansson in the main role which was originally Japanese, and Chinese epic The Great Wall which starred Matt Damon as its lead character. Earlier this year, British actor Ed Skrein who was cast as an Asian character in the upcoming Hellboy remake pulled out of the film so that the role could be “cast appropriately”. It then went to Korean-American actor Daniel Dae Kim.

    The live-action adaptation of the 1998 cartoon movie will tell the tale of the well-known Chinese heroine Hua Mulan. Mulan pretended to be a man to fight in the army to spare her weak father from being forced into the army.

    The film has been under careful examination since it was announced that Disney intended to remake Mulan. An online campaign calling for an Asian actress in the role attracted more than 100,000 signatures before it was shut on Thursday.

    Liu, nicknamed “Fairy Sister” for her delicate looks and previous roles in fantasy dramas, is well-known as an actress, model and singer in China. The 30-year-old is said to be fluent in English, having grown up partly in New York. The Hollywood Reporter said she was picked out of nearly 1,000 candidates for the film.

Disney's announcement on its blog about Liu's casting was met with delight on Twitter as well as on Sina Weibo, China's microblogging network. Many online celebrated it as a win for diversity in Disney films. Chinese-American actress Ming-Na Wen, who voiced Mulan in the original animated movie, also gave her stamp of approval. Chinese netizens congratulated Liu, with many praising Disney's choice. One commenter said, “Needs to know martial arts, can also speak English, has star quality - it definitely should be Liu Yifei.”

It's long been thought that in order to succeed in life you need to think only of yourself and ignore the needs of others. New research,however,suggests the exact opposite is true and being nice to others actually makes you more likely to be successful. The scientists found that ‘givers' were more likely to share knowledge,and in turn gain more information themselves.

    Researchers divided participants into three groups based on a personality test: givers, takers and matchers. In a social dilemma task, participants were given a made-up donation which was equal to the amount of ￡ 240( $400). They were then asked to decide how much of their money they would give to a shared group pool. They were told that the money in the pool would be doubled and divided equally among all group members. Thus,it would be more beneficial to the group as a whole if everyone contributed their individual donations. However, it would be more beneficial for the individual if everyone else from the group contributed,while the individual kept his or her own money. The researchers used this strategic (策略的) information sharing task to examine how much and which pieces of information participants shared:the less important and already known information or the really important information only known by the individual.

    The results showed that givers are less self-centered and self-loving than takers. Givers shared not only more money with the group, but they also shared important information. Takers on the other hand kept both the money as well as different types of information.

    The findings suggest that it may not be enough to simply provide knowledge management tools in order to make the best of knowledge exchange in a group of people. It may be necessary for leaders and managers to keep in mind the personality styles of their employees. Specifically, they should be aware that takers may keep the important information for themselves.

    Four books that will inspire you to travel the world

    There's truly nothing like travel when it comes to gaining perspectives and exposing yourself to other cultures. To get you in the adventuring mood, we asked Amazon Senior Editor Chris Schlep to help you come up with a list of books that transport readers to another time and place. Below, see his list of four books that will inspire you to travel the world.

    ITALY: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

    This book by the popular author Jess Walter is a love story that begins on the Italian Coast in the early 60s and eventually concludes in contemporary Hollywood's screen. As the settings shift from Italy to Edinburgh and Los Angeles, you will find yourself longing to go as well. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $28.90

    SEATTLE: Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

    Maria Semple's first novel is not exactly a love story in Seattle, but if you read it, you just might want to come here to see if people are really as self­involved as the characters in her book. What really shines through is the strange storytelling and the laughs. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $26.60

    ENGLAND: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

    You can't travel to Thomas Cromwell's England without a time machine, but reading Mantel's prize­winning novel is the next best thing. It will make you long to see the ancient buildings and green grass of the English countryside, most of which are still there. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $25.10

    NANTUCKET: Here's to Us by Elin Hilderbrand

    Elin Hilderbrand has built a writing career out of writing about her hometown island of Nantucket. Her latest book is Here's to Us, which, perhaps not surprisingly, is a great beach book. Buy it on Amazon. Price: $30.80

Everything to know about Singapore

Here is how to plan the best possible trip to this impressive city-state.

When to go

Positioned just one degree north of the Equator, Singapore is consistently tropical. So it's more a matter of when not to go. Namely: the monsoon season between November and January when the city is blanketed in regular rainfall.

What to celebrate

Singapore celebrates its independence in an annual celebration known as National Day. Every year on August 9, the holiday is marked with great excitement that extends into the evening, ending in a massive fireworks display over Marina Bay.

What to eat

Hainanese chicken rice is considered the national dish of Singapore, as you can find it just about everywhere. If you are looking for something a bit spicier, try laksa--a coconut curry-based noodle soup.

Souvenir to take home

The Merlion is Singapore's official mascot(吉祥物), a mythical beast with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Many local salesmen offer hand-carved figurines that fit easily into carry-on luggage and will serve as a lasting symbol of your time here. Anyone who's ever visited this place directly connects the symbol to the city.

Travel trip

Hawker centers are open-air food markets featuring delightful street food. Eat at these as much as possible to support local business and for a true taste of Singaporean dining customs. While each has its own charm, Maxwell Road Hawker Center in Chinatown is the most famous.

Instagram-worthy view

A photo from the world's largest rooftop infinity pool-- connecting the three towers of the Marina Bay Sands-- is a must for many tourists here. But back on the ground, Merlion Park affords a more impressive view of the hotel itself.