Allow me to introduce you to Terry, a window salesman from England. If I could take you back about 20 years, you'd know Terry as a complete green hand, who was wet behind the ears in just about everything he attempted. A person couldn't sell false teeth to his own Granny, let alone he could compete with the other salespeople in the industry. You know, the kind who could sell snow to Eskimos.

    Terry's boss decided to send him out on a practical field trip on his first day. So off he went, but he was extremely nervous. With his hands and his knees shaking, he approached the front door and knocked at it. And an old woman appeared. After dozens of cups of tea and pieces of biscuits, the woman signed a contract and purchased over $7,000 worth of windows.

    The woman had already talked with 6 excellent salesmen that week, all of whom offered her cheaper ones! That's right—Terry's price was the most expensive and he was also the most inexperienced salesman there ever was.

    So, what happened then? Here comes the secret. The woman said she liked the young lad more than the others. That's all there was to it. She didn't care about the extra expense. Even the other salesmen couldn't persuade her to pay less than this young lad was asking for.

    The truth is that the young lad left on the woman the first impression that shone brighter than any of the salesman's talk. First impressions count, not the sales techniques, not the low prices. The actual “personality” the kid honestly gave was all that was required. If you market your own products and services, consider what impression you are giving to others. If you appeal to them, then you've already done half of the work. If this means redesigning your presentation, then so be it. If this means going out of your way to be polite, helpful and giving the best possible shopping experience to your customers, the so be it.

    Having experienced a shocking electrical accident, which caused him to become both blind and deaf, James Franco's world became completely dark and quiet for almost ten years. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such sorrow that he tried a few times to put an end to his life. His family, especially his wife, did their best to tend and comfort him and finally he regained the will to live.

    One hot summer afternoon, he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started all at once. He stood under a large tree to avoid getting wet, but he was struck by the lightning. Witnesses thought he was dead but he woke up 20 minutes later, lying face down in muddy water. He was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes, he could hardly believe what he saw: a tree and a muddy road. When Mrs. Franco came running up to him, shouting to their neighbors to call for help, he could see her and hear her voice for the first time in nearly ten years.

    The news of James regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread and many doctors came to examine him. Most of them said that he regained his sight and hearing from the shock he got from the lightning. However, none of them could give a compellent answer as to why this should happen. The only reasonable explanation given by one doctor was that, since James lost his sight and hearing as a result of a sudden shock, perhaps, the only way for him to regain them was by another sudden shock.

Current Culture: Is Common Culture Alive?

    The digitizing and globalizing world is changing the working of culture. As some see it, cities and nations are losing their common culture and their general spirit: people can no longer count on those around them valuing any of the same music or films. Others argue that a common culture is not dying so much as changing forms: it is less and less attached to a particular area and ever more linked to global networks.

    The facts lead to the change that anyone can become a cultural producer today, that the culture is increasingly available everywhere you want it, and whenever you want it, not just in the two months after the movie or book came out. Cultural possibilities have multiplied as a result, but the change also means fewer cultural moments. It is easy to find the change in terms of loss of diversity of society. So what will it mean if globalization turns us into one wide world culture?

    For the enthusiasts of these changes, culture is not about popular artists or books, but centers on platforms like Google and Wikipedia, where every variety of culture brings about the exchange of knowledge and ideas, and makes connections across boundaries. It is perhaps debatable whether two people who have participated in such websites, but in totally different corners of them, have had a cultural experience in common. In fact, these platforms become very successful with a large crowd of people, who build things together, share information, and forward articles back and forth. Here are still more questions. What does it mean for the future of countries that culture now goes beyond the limits of the nation? Is there anything to defend and preserve in the passing cultural world, or is that merely to favor pen over printing press, horse over automobile?

    Up to now a growing quantity of culture has been globally spreading and developing. More individuals (个人) than ever have the chances to be makers of culture, even if that means more to choose from and fewer standards to be reached in common. What it means is this strange feeling: that of being more connected than ever, with one-click access to so much of the cultural harvest around the world, and yet, of being starved for having similar interests and opinions with others, concerned only with ourselves.

    How cool can libraries be in an era(时代) of iPods and Kindles? More than you think. Only if you know where to go.

Central Library: Seattle, Washington, United States

    The Central Library in Seattle is modern and fashionable and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours. It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Prince-Ramus. Tours began in 2006, two years after its opening. The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events, while visitors can stop by the Chocolati cat for a coffee and scan through the gift shop anytime.

Trinity College Library: Dublin, Ireland

    The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It is the largest single library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 of the library's oldest books. The Long Room houses one of the oldest harps(竖琴) in Ireland. Dating to the 15^th century, the old harp is the model for the symbol of Ireland.

Geisel Library, University of California: San Diego, United States

    At first glance, it looks like a spaceship. Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970. It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels. The library hosts “Dinner in the Library” which invites readers for cocktails, and also a special speech from distinguished authors.

TU Delft Library: The Netherlands

    The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997 and has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum. The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can't really see the actual library. What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill. The roof covers 5,500 square meters. And it has become one of the most striking and greenest structures in the area.

    Students in many countries are learning English. Some of these students are little children. Others are teenagers. Many are adults. Some learn at school, others learn by themselves. A few learn English over the radio, on TV, or in films. One must work hard to learn another language.

    Why do all these people want to learn English? It's difficult to answer this question. Many boys and girls learn English at school because it is one of their subjects for study. They study their own language, math, English, and so on. Some people learn it because it is useful for their work. Many people learn English for their work and higher studies, because at colleges or universities some of their books are in English. Other people learn English because they want to read newspapers or magazines in English.

    Here are four tourist attractions in Havana in Cuba.

    Museum of the City

    The Museum of the City was built in 179L The building once served as the Presidential Palace and home to colonial governors. The museum's exhibits include collections of weapons, history and art as well as rooms documenting wars for Cuban independence.

    +53-7-861-6130 .

    Open: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

    Admission: $ 3

    Revolution Square

    Revolution Square is one of the largest open public spaces in Cuba and one of the largest public squares in the world. The site is home to the 138-foot Jose Mart Memorial, the tallest structure in Havana, which celebrates the national hero. Cuba's important leaders, including Fidel Castro, usually use the platform in front of the memorial to address the large crowds that gather on the square. The Jose Marti Memorial also includes a museum and an elevator that takes tourists to the top of the monument.

    +53-7-338-6363

    Open: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

    Admission: $ 5

    Cigar Factories

    Cubans famous cigar-making factories are open to the public. Three cigar factories in Havana offer public tours that show how Cuba's cigars are hand-rolled in the traditional way. The Partagas Cigar Factory, founded in 1827, is the oldest in Havana. The other two factories open for tours are La Corona and Romeo Julieta, and they include gift shops.

    +53-7-338-060

    Open: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

    Admission: $ 10

    Old Havana

    Old Havana is the capital's historic district, which dates back to 1519 when Spain used the city as a colonial port. Old Havana was important Spanish naval (海军的）base. Presently, Old Havana's stone streets are home to museums, hotels and restaurants among the grand colonial buildings that once housed Spanish power.

    +53-7-885-752

    Open: daily.

    Admission: free