It was once common to regard Britain as a society with class distinction. Each class had unique characteristics.

    In recent years, many writers have begun to speak of the 'decline of class ' and 'classless society ' in Britain. And in modern day consumer society everyone is considered to be middle class.

    But pronouncing the death of class is too early. A recent wide-ranging study of pubic opinion found 90 percent of people still placing themselves in a particular class; 73 percent agreeed that class was still a vital part of British society.; and 52 percent thought there were still sharp class differences. Thus, class may not be culturally and politically obvious, yet it remains an imprtant part of British society. Britain seems to have a love of stratification.

    One unchanging aspect of a British person's class position is accent. The words a person speaks tell her or his class. A study of British accents during the 1970s found that a voice sounding like a BBC newsreader was viewed as the most attractive voice. Most people said this accent sounds 'educated ' and 'soft '. The accents placed at the bottom in this study, on the other hand, were regional(地区的) city accents. These accents were seen as 'common ' and 'ugly '. However, a similar study of British accents in the US turned these results upside down and placed some regional accents as the most attractive and BBC English as the least. This suggests that British attitudes towards accent have deep roots and are based on class prejudice.

    In recent years, however, young upper midder-class people in London, have begun to adopt some regional accents, in order to hide their class origins. This is an indication of class becoming unnoticed. However, the 1995 pop song ' Common People ' puts forward the view that though a middle-class person may ' want to live like common people ' they can never appreciate the reality of a working class life.

    America is a mobile society. Friendships between Americans can be close and real, yet disappear soon if situations change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while — then no more. If the same two people meet again by chance, even years later, they pick up the friendship. This can be quite difficult for us Chinese to understand, because friendships between us flower more slowly but then may become lifelong feelings, extending (延伸) sometimes deeply into both families.

    Americans are ready to receive us foreigners at their homes, share their holidays, and their home life. They will enjoy welcoming us and be pleased if we accept their hospitality (好客) easily.

    Another difficult point for us Chinese to understand Americans is that although they include us warmly in their personal everyday lives, they don't show their politeness to us if it requires a great deal of time. This is usually the opposite of the practice in our country where we may be generous with our time. Sometimes, we, as hosts, will appear at airports even in the middle of the night to meet a friend. We may take days off to act as guides to our foreign friends. The Americans, however, express their welcome usually at homes, but truly can not manage the time to do a great deal with a visitor outside their daily routine. They will probably expect us to get ourselves from the airport to our own hotel by bus. And they expect that we will phone them from there. Once we arrive at their homes, the welcome will be full, warm and real. We will find ourselves treated hospitably.

    For the Americans, it is often considered friendly to invite a friend to their homes than to go to restaurants, except for purely business matters. So accept their hospitality at home!

    About aspirin (阿司匹林):

    Aspirin is a commonly used drug which can be taken to relieve discomfort caused by numerous medical problems including headaches, toothache, inflammation(发炎) and infections. It is also suitable to treat colds and flu-like symptoms(症状), and to reduce a high temperature.

    Who can take aspirin? Adults and children over 16 years of age.

    Who should not take aspirin? Women who are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant. Aspirin may harm your unborn baby.

    Women who are breast-feeding. Aspirin can pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby. People who have any problems with the way the liver works or with the way the kidneys work.

    How to take aspirin: Take aspirin after meals, with a full glass of water or milk.

    The recommended dose (剂量) ranges from two to three tablets at a time. Never take more than 4g 12 tablets) in any 24 -hour period. You must not take these tablets with any other medicine which contains any aspirin or painkiller.

    How to store aspirin: Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.

    Store aspirin in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.

    Do not put aspirin in the bathroom because the dampness there can cause it to lose its effectiveness. Throw away aspirin that smells strongly of vinegar.

    Possible side effects: Feeling sick, increased risk of bleeding, stomach pain, indigestion and heartburn are common. If these effects continue, contact your doctor. Ringing in the ears, difficulty breathing, dizziness, and mental confusion are rare. If these occur, stop taking the drug and contact your doctor for further advice.

    She will face the challenges of riding a bike to school or not being able to climb the monkey bars during playtime. But little Ella Peggie, who was born without her left arm, will get an extraordinary opportunity to share a life-changing bond with her new beloved pet, three-legged puppy.

    When her mother, Brooke Hodgson, saw the one-year-old puppy named Snowy, she knew instantly it would be the perfect companion for her one-year-old daughter. “My heart skipped a beat when I saw Snowy online, ”Ms. Hodgson said. It took just three days for the puppy, who recently had surgery to remove a 1eg, to find a new home after she was sent to the animal shelter last week.

    “I knew she was going to be perfect for Ella—they share the same age so they both have a long life of friendship ahead of them. I just know that Snowy is going to increase her confidence when she is growing up. It's going to be great for Ella when she realizes she's different or when she's having a bad day, she will see the resemblance and know that she's not alone. ”

    Ms. Hodgson has been touched by the relationship between the pair since the lively puppy became the latest addition to the family. And she believes the caring puppy will be by Ella's side through the highs and lows of her life. Ms. Hodgson said, “Every morning Snowy looks for Ella first before she runs to anyone else. It's quite a unique link. I'm just thankful that I was able to give her this dog. I just can't wait for them to get even closer. Not many people are able to do this for their children so we're very lucky to have Snowy. I can't even explain how I feel fight now. ”The young mother said Snowy, who was welcomed into the family just a week ago, has been playing a very special part to Ella's life as well as her three-year-old brother Blake and her father, Stewart Peggie.

    While it's books that make a library, being in lovely surroundings may provide inspiration and help you work a little bit harder. Here are some of the coolest libraries of the world.

    Library of Birmingham – Birmingham, U.K.

    The new Library of Birmingham is said to be not only Britain's biggest public library, but also the largest in Europe. Designed by Dutch architects, this replacement for the Birmingham Central Library was opened in 2013 and has a wealth of resources within its walls, including adults and kids' libraries, music collections, a Shakespeare Memorial Room, and even a gym room. Gardens crown the roof, while the changing seasons bring variations in the shadows and reflections inside.

    National Library of France – Paris, France

    The National Library of France, which now contains an astonishing collection of 30 million, dates back to the 14th century and this royal library was set up at the Louvre by King Charles V. The Library was moved to Rue de Richelieu site in 1868, with major design work carried out by French architects Henri Labrouste and, following his death, Jean-Louis Pascal. Here, the reading rooms are elegance itself. There are more than just books to be found.

    State Library of New South Wales – Sydney, Australia

    The public State Library of New South Wales holds the honor of being the oldest institution of its kind in Australia. It was originally set up as the Australian Subscription Library in 1826, but it wasn't until 1942 that its permanent home was ready. Designed by Sydney architect Walter Liberty Vernon and completed in 1910, the magnificent sandstone Mitchell Wing is one of the architectural highlights.

Seattle Central Library – Seattle, Washington, USA

    Seattle Central Library's distinctive design ensures it stands out. Architect Rem Koolhaas is one of the names attached to its design. Architects sought to envelop the 11-story building with “a layer of transparency”, using a skin of glass and metal. The finished article houses about 1.45 million books and other things, as well as more than 400 computers available for public use. The building, which opened in 2004, was included on the American Institute of Architects' list of America's 150 favorite buildings in 2007.