My husband hasn't stopped laughing about a funny thing that happened to me. It's funny now but it wasn't at the time.

    Last Friday, after doing all the family shopping in town, I wanted a rest before catching the train, so I bought a newspaper and some chocolate and went into the station coffee shop — that was a cheap self-service place with long tables to sit at. I put my heavy bag down on the floor, put the newspaper and chocolate on the table to keep a place, and went to get a cup of coffee.

    When I went back with the coffee, there was someone in the next seat. It was one of those wild-looking youngsters, with dark glasses and worn clothes, and hair colored bright red at the front. Not so unusual these days. What did surprise me was that he'd started to eat my chocolate!

    Naturally, I was annoyed. However, to avoid trouble — and really I was rather uneasy about him — I just looked down at the front page of the newspaper, tasted my coffee and took a bit of chocolate. The boy looked at me closely. Then he took a second piece of my chocolate. I could hardly believe it. Still I didn't dare to start an argument. When he took a third piece, I felt more angry than uneasy. I thought, "Well, I shall have the last piece." And I got it.

    The boy gave me a strange look, and then stood up. As he left he shouted out. "This woman's crazy!" Everyone stared. That was embarrassing enough, but it was worse when I finished my coffee and got ready to leave. My face went red — as red as his hair — when I realized I'd made a mistake. It wasn't my chocolate that he'd been taking. There was mine, unopened, just under my newspaper.

    Spring is just around the corner and it's a time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Here is a selection of festivals around the country that are a great excuse to get back in the spring sunshine.

Dana Point Festival of the Whales

Dana Point, California

March 7 to 8 and 14 to 15, 2010

    Each year, over two sunny weekends in March the town of Dana Point, California celebrates the return of migratory California Gray whales to this part of the Pacific Ocean. Festivities include whale-watching, an arts festival and educational hands-on activities for the entire family. Prices start at $ 29 per adult and $ 19 for children. For more information, visit www.dpfestivalofwhales. com

Chandler Ostrich Festival

Chandler, Arizona

March 13 to 15, 2010

    Chandler is the center of Ostrich(鸵鸟) ranching in the U.S. You can see jockeys ride these feathered beasts around the ostrich track at Tubleweed Park. General admission is $ 9 for adults, $ 8 for seniors, $ 7 for children aged five to 12 and kids four and under are free. For more information visit www.ostrich festival.com

Festival of Houses and Gardens

Charlestib, South Carolina

March 19 to April 18, 2010

    The Historic Charleston Foundation gives curious travelers the opportunity to explore gardens of some of the finest private residences in America. Each three-hour tour(afternoons from 2 to 5 p.m. and evenings from 6 to 9 p.m.)lets you to visit eight to ten properties dating from the American colonial period. Prices range from $25 to $45. For more information, visit www.historic-charleston.org.

Tulip Time Festival

Holland, Michigan

May 1 to 9, 2010

    You don't need to travel to the Netherlands this spring to see and smell some of the world's finest tulips (郁金香). The town of Holland is home to millions of colorful bulbs. The 81^st annual Tulip Time Festival, one of the largest flower festivals in the country will begin with fireworks on May 1. Admission fee ranges from $ 6 for the children's area to $ 38 for theatre tickets. Tickets and more information are available at www.tuliptime.com.

    We can achieve knowledge either actively or passively. We achieve it actively by direct experience, by testing and proving an idea, or by reasoning.

    We achieve knowledge passively by being told by someone else. Most of the learning that takes place in the classroom and the kind that happens when we watch TV or read newspapers or magazines is passive. Conditioned as we are to passive learning, it's not surprising that we depend on it in our everyday communication with friends and co-workers.

    Unfortunately, passive learning has a serious problem. It makes us tend to accept what we are told even when it is little more than hearsay (传闻) and rumor.

    Did you ever play the game Rumor? It begins when one person writes down a message but doesn't show it to anyone. Then the person whispers it, word for word, to another person. Thai person, in turn, whispers it to still another, and so on, through all the people playing the game. The last person writes down the message word for word as he or she hears it. Then the two written statements arc compared. Typically, the original message has changed.

    That's what happens in daily life. The simple fact that people repeat a story in their own words changes the story. Then, too, most people listen imperfectly. And many enjoy adding their own creative touch to a story, trying to improve on it, stamping it with their own personal style. Yet those who hear it think they know.

    This process is also found among scholars and authors: A statement of opinion by one writer may be restated as fact by another, who may in turn be quoted by yet another; and this process may continue, unless it occurs to someone to question the facts on which the original writer based his opinion or to challenge the interpretation he placed upon those facts.

    Everyday Food—--by Martha Stewart

    No matter how busy you are, at the end of the day you want meals that are easy to prepare. And you want lots of choices and variations. You'll find all of that in this book: 250 simple recipes for delicious meals that bring freshness and nutrition.

    Paperback, published by Random House, $ 16.79

    Zeroes —--by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti

    New York Times bestselling author Scott Westerfeld teams up with Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti in the book about six teenagers with amazing abilities. These teenagers have powers that set them apart. They can do things ordinary people can't.

    Paperback, published by Simon & Schuster, $12.99

    Mighty Jack —--by Ben Hatke

Jack dislikes summer. But he's got a good reason: summer is when his single mom takes a second job and leaves him at home to wa tch his sister, Maddy. It's lots of responsibility, and it's boring, too, because Maddy doesn't talk. But one day, at the market, Maddy does talk—to tell Jack to trade their mom's car for a box of mysterious seeds. It's the best mistake Jack has ever made.

    Hardcover, published by First Second, $ 14.15

    Only Daughter —--by Anna Snoekstra

    She's caught stealing. She's homeless and on the run. But she happens to look the same as a girl who went missing a decade ago, Rebecca Winter. She assumes (冒充) Rebacca's identity, using it as a way out.  She doesn't know anything about her new life as Rebecca is itself a prison and it looks like a killer might be after her.

    Kindle edition, published by Harlequin Enterprises, $8.88

Living a healthy lifestyle is all about choosing to make healthy choices each day. Here are some tips on how to improve your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Set specific and actionable goals to improve your health. When you have specific goals you want to achieve, you'll be more motivated to implement（实施） healthy changes in your life. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} And then set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound to better guarantee your success.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. It's no secret that healthy eating is one of the keys to achieving a healthy lifestyle. When you follow a healthy diet, you reduce your risk for obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancers. Healthy eating can also improve your mood and make you happier.

Make a conscious effort to drink enough water throughout the day. Just like nutritious foods, water is essential to keeping your body healthy.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For adults, drinking around 13 cups of water a day is enough, but this amount can vary depending on your age, weight, environment, and physical activity level.

Aim for at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} It helps you maintain a healthy weight, and improve your overall mood. Most adults need at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night, and children need 8 to 13 hours depending on how old they are.

Find a type of physical activity that's enjoyable for you. The benefits of physical activities are endless. Doing physical activities lowers your risk of things like stroke and high blood pressure, helps you lose weight, and improves your cognitive（认知的） function.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. Consult the doctor about your physical condition.

B. Choose nutritious foods and create a well-balanced diet.

C. Identify what parts of your lifestyle you want to improve.

D. Choose activities that make you feel happy and confident.

E. Water benefits your digestion and keeps you from getting thirsty.

F. What's more, being active can improve your overall mental health.

G. A good night's sleep is good for your health and attention during the day.

No matter where I direct my gaze, the landscape is dotted with the skeletal frames of new structures taking shape. The familiar neighborhoods of my youth, once adorned with the charm of time-honored edifices, have largely vanished, replaced by the sleek silhouettes of contemporary high-rises. There is a rationale for this transformation: residents are in pursuit of the amenities that modern living promises.

However, the question that lingers is, how can the younger generation grasp and uphold their cultural heritage if the tangible remnants of it are continually erased? The advocacy for the conservation of historical buildings transcends mere sentimental yearning for the past. Economic considerations also lend strong support to the cause of preservation.

The restoration and safeguarding of historical districts can serve as a catalyst for economic growth, enticing tourists and small enterprises to the locality. A case in point is the historic Al Bastikiya neighborhood in Dubai, which annually attracts a multitude of visitors from across the globe. It also draws the interest of local inhabitants who are keen on exploring the history of their city.

Critics often contend that preserving historical monuments is an expensive endeavor, but numerous recent initiatives have shown this belief to be unfounded. In fact, the process of refurbishing an existing structure for alternative use can be approximately £40 per square meter less costly than even the most elementary new construction, all the while retaining the architectural elegance of the original structure. Moreover, despite the common assertion that older buildings are less energy efficient and thus have a larger environmental footprint, architects and environmental specialists assert that the most eco-friendly building is the one that already exists. New construction typically has a more detrimental environmental impact, as it necessitates the procurement and transportation of brand-new materials over potentially lengthy distances, rather than utilizing recycled materials that are readily available on site.

In essence, we recycle many other items in our daily lives, and the same principle should be applied to buildings. The act of preserving historical structures presents a multitude of opportunities; in stark contrast, demolition is an irreversible act. Once these architectural gems are lost, they are gone forever, severing an integral thread in our cultural tapestry that can never be regenerated. The decision to preserve or demolish is thus not merely one of aesthetics or economy, but also one of heritage and legacy.