Many Years ago three soldiers,hungry and tired of battle,came upon a small village.The villagers,suffering a bad harvest and the many years of war,quickly hid what little they had to eat and met the three in the village square, shaking their heads and sighing,"Well,we are starving."The soldiers communicated with each other quietly and then the first soldier turned to the villagers.“Your poor fields have left you nothing to share,so we will share what little we have: the secret of making soup from stones.”

    Naturally the villagers were intrigued and soon a fire was built to the village's greatest pot,and then the soldiers dropped in three smooth stones.

    “Now this will be a fine soup,”said the second soldier,"but a handful of salt and some parsley（香芹）would make it wonderful!"Up jumped a villager,crying “What a piece of luck!I've just remembered where some has been left!”

    And off she ran,returning with parsley.As the pot was boiling,the memory of the villagers improved: soon carrots,beef and cream had found their way into the great pot.They ate and danced and sang well into the night, thrilled about the feast and their new-found friends.In the morning the three soldiers awoke,finding all the villagers standing before them.At their feet lay a bag of the village's best bread and cheese.“You have given us the greatest gift,”said an elder,“and we shall never forget.”The third soldier turned to the crowd,and said,“There is no secret,but this is certain: people working together can accomplish great things.”At last the light dawned on villagers.Off the soldiers wandered,down the road.

    'Kangaroo mothering' helps boost a child's health and intelligence

    “Kangaroo mothering”, the practice of continuous skin-to-skin contact with a newborn baby, results in healthier, more intelligent and successful children, a new study finds.

    A 20-year follow-up research found that those brought up in the kangaroo method scored higher in IQ tests and earned 53% more. They were also found to be less likely to have behavior problems than babies in a control group.

    Followers of the method nest their kids in a “kangaroo” position on their chest as soon as possible after birth. Both mother and baby are supposed to go home as quickly as possible.

    The technique is often used in cases of premature birth (早产). In such cases, the trained mother acts as the child's main source of stimulation (刺激) and food, in the form of breast feeding. Between 1993 and 1996, a group of more than 700 prematurely born babies in Columbia were, on the basis of random selection, placed either away from mother or were raised using the kangaroo method. Two decades later, a follow-up survey funded by the Canadian Government has shown that those who went through the latter method benefited by comparison.

    Published in the journal Paediatrics, the research shows that kangaroo mothering offered significant protection against early death, with a 3.5% death rate compared to a 7.7% rate in the control group. IQ test also showed a small but significant advantage of 3.5% compared to other infants. 

    Lead researcher Dr Nathalie Charpak, of the Kangaroo Foundation in Bogota, said the method has “significant, long-lasting social and behavioral protective effects”. “We firmly believe that this is a powerful, efficient, scientifically based healthcare intervention that can be used in all settings, from those with very restricted to unrestricted access to healthcare.”

    The study also found that, compared with babies in the control group, those raised in the kangaroo method went on to develop bigger brains, with significantly larger volumes of gray matter.

    Feifei, an 11-year-old boy from Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, suffered from a sudden acute eye disease which has almost led to blindness. The disease was caused by excessive(过度的)eye fatigue(疲劳)during the winter vacation, during which he played computer games for continuous 10 days and nights.

    Many youngsters in China nowadays are increasingly addicted to computer games and other electronic products. This is followed by a series of health problems, with the most typical case being myopia, or nearsightedness.

    According to the latest research report released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the myopia   rate among Chinese teenagers ranks first in the world—70 percent of high school and college students. The rate is nearly 40 percent in primary school students, while it is only 10 percent for their peers in the United States.

    There are at least 10 million people in China with severe myopia, and they are likely to get pathological(病理性的)myopia in middle age. Pathological myopia can't be treated with glasses or surgery, and it is one of the biggest factors that lead to blindness, Xu Xun, director of the ophthalmology(眼科学) department at Shanghai General Hospital, pointed out.

    Experts explain that two major factors lead to the high rate of myopia among Chinese people. One is high academic pressure, and the other one is excessive use of electronic devices over a long period of time. Genetics, on the other hand, are not the main reason, as only 20 percent of Chinese people had myopia in the 1960s.

    "Teenagers are now faced with severe academic pressure, which means they often study without natural light. This increases their risk of becoming nearsighted," Xu said.

    Experts suggest that youngsters maintain a proper balance between study and rest so as to protect their eyesight, and parents should play an active role in the process.

                                                                                       Official Historical Tour of Harvard

    Student-Led Public Walking Tour

    Please note: Due to ongoing construction, our tour schedule will be limited. Please check our updated tour times on the calendar. In the event of bad weather, please check the calendar or call regarding a scheduled tour time.

    The tour is student-led and includes an outdoor walk(please dress appropriately)through Harvard Yard, providing a history of the university, general information, and a unique view on the students' individual experience. The tour is around one hour long, and completely free of charge. There is no pre—registration for general visitors, and we begin registration for each tour one hour before departure time. Currently we are only able to accommodate groups of up-to 14 people on our free, public tour. If you have a group of 15 or more, reservations are required (please see below).

    Group Tours and Reservations

    Reservations are required for tours of 15 or more people, with an absolute maximum of 125 people. We request 2 weeks' notice to schedule a tour. Please note that we cannot accommodate groups that arrive without a reservation.

    A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Harvard Yard

    If you are interested in touring the campus on your own,you may want a self-guided walking tour. These tour pamphlets(册),offered in nine different languages, can be purchased from our office for a minimal charge.

    You may also download audio files of historical information on each of the buildings in Harvard Yard. These files, together including an Audio Tour, can also be obtained here with a simple click.

    When we were very small, we realized that having friends was important. Some of us even had imaginary(想象中的)friends. The need for friends continued as we grew into our teens. Friends played a big part in forming our personalities(性格). As adults, it is still important for us to have friends.

    True friends are people who like us though we made mistakes and who listen to us and tell us the truth. Friends support our decisions and tell us when we're foolish. They laugh with us and share our sadness. They are our partners and share interests with us. They stimulate us when we are feeling down. They are people we aren't afraid of telling our secret wishes to or what is really on our minds.

    Friends are our supporters. When you can depend on friends, you feel safe and warm. Friends offer acceptance and emotional(情感的)support. At times, they also help with our everyday lives, cooking a meal, doing chores, or giving us a lift when we need one. Friends also are there to offer advice, an ear to listen, or a shoulder to cry on.

    Friends also help us reduce stress. Not only do they listen to us when we feel stressed, but they also discuss what is stressing us. Sharing interests and doing activities with friends help us forget about problems at work or at home. For a short time, we can lose ourselves in a pleasant activity and perhaps laugh and breathe more easily.

    Theater Listing Guide

    Check out the latest shows in London theaters with our handy theater listing guide! You can either purchase tickets at the theatre or online at https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on.

    Chicago, Phoenix Theatre

    Chicago, the longest-running American musical in Broadway history, has delighted audiences around the world. The main characters are two female criminals. You must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket.

    Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre

    Based on the successful 2005 British film by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, this musical celebration is about the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind. Fans of musical comedy won't want to miss this fabulous show, as the songs in the musical were produced by Grammy and Tony winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper. No children younger than 6 will be admitted. Children under 3 are tree except in reserved seating.

    King Lear, Duke of York's Theatre

    Acting legend Sir Ian McKellen starred the title character in King Lear, one of Shakespeare's famous tragedies. McKellen's performance in the play, which sees King Lear become mad as he divides his kingdom amongst his children, was highly praised by critics and audiences. You must be 12 or older to enter the theatre.

    Les Miserables, Queen's Theatre

    Adapted from the epic novel by Victor Hugo, the musical tells a powerful and moving story of love, sacrifice, passion and revolutionary spirit. In October 2015 Les Miserables celebrated its 30th Anniversary in London and is now the world's longest-running musical. It is recommended for children aged 7 or over, and children under 5 are prohibited.