Liverpool, my hometown, is a special city. It is so unique that in 2004 it became a World Heritage（遗产）Site.

    I recently returned to my home city and my first stop was at a museum on the River Mersey. Blanketed in mist（薄雾），Victorian architecture rose from the banks of the river, responded to the sounds of sea-birds, and appeared unbelievably charming. When I headed toward the centre, I found myself surrounded by buildings that mirror the best palaces of Europe. It is not hard to imagine why, on first seeing the city, most visitors would be overpowered by the beauty of the noble buildings, which are solid signs of Liverpool's history.

    As if to stress its cultural role, Liverpool has more museums and galleries than most cities in Britain. At Walker Art Gallery, I was told that it has the best collections of Victorian paintings in the world, and is the home of modern art in the north of England. However, culture is more than galleries. Liverpool offers many music events. As Britain's No. 1 music city, it has the biggest city music festival in Europe, and its musicians are famous all over the world. Liverpool is also well-known for its football and other sports events. Every year, the Mersey River Festival attracts thousands of visitors, making the city a place of wonder.

    As you would expect from such a city, there are restaurants serving food from around the world. When my trip was about to complete, I chose to rest my legs in Liverpool's famous Philharmonic pub（酒馆）. It is a monument to perfection, and a heritage attraction itself.

    Being a World Heritage Site, my home city is certainly a place of “outstanding universal value”. It is a treasure house with plenty of secrets for the world to explore.

    Book 1: Diary of a Fly—By Doreen Cronin

    40 pages, US $15. 99

    This is the diary of a fly. The fly, when she's not landing on your head or swimming in your soup, is trying to escape her 327 siblings who are driving her crazy. Even though she's little—just like her best friends, Worm and Spider— she wants to be a superhero. This is the story of a little fly who's unafraid to dream big.

    Book 2: Iggy Peck, Architect—By Andrea Beaty

    32 pages, US $15.95

    This book is a story about a kid whose head teacher doesn't recognize his great talent (though he makes buildings out of anything at hand, including table cloths, fruit and chalk) until it saves her life. With Andrea Beatty's rhyming text and David Roberts's interesting illustrations (插图), it will charm creative kids everywhere.

    Book 3: The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County—By Janice N. Harrington

    40 pages, US $16.00

    Our character here loves to run after chickens, particularly Miss Hen, who's very fat. But, as all farming folks know, this is not a good way to produce happy, productive chickens. What will make her change her ways? The author is a professional storyteller and this book is full of fun, and has great illustrations.

Book 4: Cherry and Olive—By Benjamin Lacombe

    32 pages, US $16.95

    Children's books can quickly take little readers into new worlds, such as the big city, 1930s Georgia, or outer space. This book takes us on a little trip to some European capitals. Cherry is fat and likes books, and she has few friends until she meets a SharPei puppy (沙皮狗). She names it Olive. Through it she finds confidence and friendship. But what will happen when its owner returns?

    Feet help us walk, run, dance, and jump. The words feet and foot are also used in everyday speech.

    To be under someone's feet means to be troublesome. In other words, you are standing too close to someone and are getting in their way. Some adults criticize (批评) children for being under foot.

    Speaking of children, if someone says their home will soon have the pitter-patter of tiny feet, it means the family is expecting a baby!

    Now, people who are active do not let grass grow under their feet. They are never in one place for very long. People who can think and take action at the same time are said to be able to think on their feet.

    Some people appear to have it all. They have money, a good education, good looks, a great family and a large circle of friends. You could say they have the world at their feet. This means whatever they want seems to be there for them.

    People who have both feet firmly on the ground are realistic and practical. They are not dreamy. You might say such a person is well grounded. If you are a bad dancer, you might be described as having two left feet. To dance well, it is better to have a right foot and a left foot.

    Sam loves skiing. He thinks that it would be fun to own a ski resort (滑雪场) high in the mountains. But he knows nothing about running a business. So, he decides to get his feet wet. In other words, he wants to get used to a new situation.

    He joins an organization for resort owners and attends their meetings. He travels to ski areas all over the United States. This helps Sam get his foot in the door. Having a foot in the door is a starting point. This expression comes from people selling things door-to-door. They would block the door with their foot so people couldn't close the door on them.

    What do you usually do to comfort your friends when they are sad? You probably pat them on the shoulder, or give them a warm hug.

    We used to think that knowing when and how to comfort others was an ability that only humans have. But scientists have discovered that apes (猩猩) have this ability too.

    Two researchers from Emory University in Atlanta, US, went to an Ape Protection Centre in Congo to study bonobos (倭黑猩猩), which are closely related to humans.

    The researchers analyzed the bonobos' reactions (反应) after more than 370 cases of stressful situations, such as fights and losing temper, and found that some bonobos rushed to hug those that were screaming after being attacked, just like humans would have done.

    However, researchers found that not all bonobos were able to comfort others. In the protection center, many bonobos are orphans whose mothers were killed by hunters. They were found to be more worried in times of tension and have greater difficulty controlling their own emotions, making them worse at reaching out to help friends in need.

    "Orphans, who have not had the benefit of a mother helping them handling their emotions, are much worse at comforting others," Professor Frans de Waal told TheTelegraph. "Bonobos with moms were able to curb their negative emotional reactions more quickly. Therefore, they pay more attention to others."

    This pattern mirrors the way that human children have been found to react. Those who are good at handling their own emotions—for example, those who can calm themselves down more quickly after upsetting experiences—are usually better at expressing their concerns for others.

    At least 12 other murders since 1997 have been linked to an addiction to violent video games. This year, the parents of a 14-year-old murder victim in the UK blamed the killer's addiction to the game Manhunt, causing a government review of legislation (立法) to protect children.

    But is there any scientific evidence that mere games can make children and young adults more aggressive, or possibly have the desire to murder? There is no doubt children are being exposed to more games violence than ever: around a quarter of all games released in the US contain some violence. And the violence is becoming more obvious as increases in computing power make the games look ever more realistic.

    Psychologists think there may be many reasons why violent games are more harmful to children than violent movies. Firstly, players are actively involved in violence, and may begin to use weapons as second nature. Secondly, violent games provide repetitive aggressive experiences that are rewarded by more killing.

    Many studies have shown that people who play violent games regularly are more likely to show high levels of aggression. For instance, in 2000, Craig Anderson of Iowa State University in Ames and his colleague Karen Dill found that people who played violent games were more likely to admit to aggressive behaviour, including attacks or robberies.

    Earlier this year, Krahe and her colleague Ingrid Miller reported a study of 13 to 14-year-old children. More than half had played games recommended only for over-18s. The more violent the games they played, the more they considered physical aggression to be acceptable. Other authors in the same edition report that children who play violent games more likely to argue with teachers and fight with others.

    Experimental studies have also pointed out a possible link. In one, Anderson and Dill asked a group of students to play a violent game, Wolfenstein 3D, while another group played the non-violent Myst. Those who played the violent game were faster to react to aggressive words flashed on screen and appeared more aggressive.

    The issue is controversial, however. Jeffrey Goldstein, a psychologist at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands and a consultant to some video games publishers, agrees that there is good evidence that children, who are exposed to violent media, including video games, are more aggressive. But he warns it might not be a simple case of cause and effect: aggressive kids might be most attracted to violent games.

High on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(lie) China's "water tower" Sanjiangyuan. It is home to the headwaters of China's three rivers: the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, and the Lancang River. It is the three rivers {#blank#}2{#/blank#} provide water for about half the population of China. However, human activities are putting this ecosystem {#blank#}3{#/blank#} risk. Hopefully, though, we can repair this damage. In 2016, the Chinese government established Sanjiangyuan National Park in Qinghai Province. The park, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(schedule) to open in 2020, has increased the area's green coverage and attracted more wildlife. The local government has also made great efforts to improve biological diversity. The success of Sanjiangyuan will mark the start of a {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(green) future. With Sanjiangyuan {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(take) the lead, nine other regions in China{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(choose) by a field conservation station to carry out projects over the past three years, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} will form a national park system together. The idea of a national park system is still new in China, but {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(it) realization is urgent. After all, building an ecological civilization bears great {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(important) in the development and progress of human civilization.