Looking good can matter a lot when you are a teenager. Of course the budget(财政） matters a lot, too. Luckily, fashion trends (流行趋势) in the UK mean that getting the right image doesn't have to cost the earth. Here's a quick guide to which looks are hot this year.

    For girls, the 70s are back. Wide-legged jeans, platform shoes and skirts that reach the feet are again in fashion among UK teens, topped off with colored, shining eyeshadow. Girls can have fun mixing and matching bright shades. Colors like pink, orange and light yellow-green are all perfectly fit. Shorts and mini-skirts are still popular in cold weather. By wearing a pair of tights underneath ( 在..底下), girls can stay warm as well as fashionable in the winter.

    How about boys? To look lively, fans of skateboards and snowboards can dress in skinny jeans accompanied by a T-shirt topped off with a baseball cap or a woolen hat. Music is often an inspiration for fashion, and hip-hop music fans like to dress in baggy jeans, T-shirts, baseball caps and sneakers. For those who can afford it, designer clothing is a must, especially if the logo is showing.

    It was the day after Halloween when my grandmother was admitted to the hospital with the worst headache she'd ever had. While posing in our costumes the night before, we knew something was wrong, just not how wrong.

    Grandma's house was the central gathering place of my family. Sunday lunches, birthday dinners, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas — all were our traditions, with her as hostess. While my parents were busy running their small business, there were many nights when Grandma fed me and put me to bed in her spare room, until they came to get me. I spent my summers at Grandma's and I went everywhere with her. I couldn't imagine a time when she wouldn't be around me.

    Then November 1,1991 began her month-long stay in the hospital—she suffered from a rare infection (感染)called nocardia asteroides. After being born in the year of the Great Depression, living through World War II, raising three kids, and being widowed at the age of 48, Grandma never expected to live into her seventies. The infection in her brain seemed to confirm that she wasn't long for this world. But that's not the end of her story. A team of doctors successfully removed the abscess(脓肿), and Grandma even made it into a local medical journal. Her doctor called her “the brain lady”.

    Grandma celebrated her 85^th birthday in March this year. In the almost 23 years since her recovery, she's seen two of her four grandchildren get married and welcomed three great-grandsons. Although they damage something in her house, she loves it when my two boys come over. And while I know they make her day, seeing her love blossom for another generation makes my day too. Happy Grandparents' Day to my amazing grandmother!

    94% of 3-and 4-year-olds have been spanked(打屁股) at least once during the past year, according to one study.

    74% of mothers believe spanking is acceptable for kids ages 1 to 3, says another study.

    61% of parents take spanking as a "regular form of punishment" for young children, according to a different study.

    Sometimes children do not do what their parents tell them to do. When this happens, a parent tries to help the child to do the right thing. When this does not work, the parent usually punishes the child.

    There are many things that a parent can do. One thing that people have done is to spank the child. When a parent spanks a child, they will use their hand or a hard object to strike them on their bottom. This is meant to show the child that they have done something wrong.

    One parent remembers being spanked when he was a child. His parents used a wooden spoon. When he spanked his own children with his hand, he saw that he put a red mark on his child's leg. He never did that again.

    One problem with spanking is that it teaches the child to hit someone when they do not like what the other person is doing. Another problem with spanking is that the parent is usually angry and can hit the child too hard. Sometimes parents will use spanking for everything and not try other ways to get the child to do the right thing.

    Many parents are not sure of what to do instead of spanking. Some people think that their religion tells them that spanking is okay. Some think that the law lets them do it. The courts say that parents have the right to teach their children how to behave.

    Other things should be tried before a parent decides to spank a child. Telling the child exactly what is wanted from them can be one thing. Giving a child more than one choice is another thing that can be tried. Getting down to the child's level and taking a more child-friendly approach can help as well.

    Some people believe that international sport creates goodwill between the nations and that if countries play games together they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: that international contests encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred. There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sports encourage international brotherhood. Not only was there the incident of tragedy involving murder of athletes, but the Games were also ruined by lesser incidents caused principally by minor national contests.

    One country received its second-place medals with visible anger after the hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the losers objecting to the final decisions. They were convinced that one of their goals should not have been disallowed and that their opponents' victory was unfair. Their manager was in a rage when he said; "This isn't hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished." The president of the Federation said later that such behavior could result in the suspension of the team for at least three years.

    The American basketball team announced that they would not yield first place to Russia, after a disputable end to their contest. The game had ended in disorder. It was thought at first that the United States had won by a single point, but it was announced that there were three seconds still to play. A Russian player then threw the ball from one end of the court to the other, and another player popped it into the basket. It was the first time the US had ever lost an Olympic basketball match. An appeal jury（评审委员会）debated the matter for four and a half hours before announcing that the result would stand. The American players then voted not to receive the silver medals.

    Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sport is played competitively rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that athletes should compete as individuals or in non-national teams, might be too much to hope for. But in present organization of Olympics there is far too much that encourages aggressive patriotism（爱国主义）.

    A few years ago, my husband Charlie and I had marital problems. Growing family responsibilities and financial worries took a toll on us and we began arguing frequently, often late into the night.

    However, neither of us could take the step that would end our eleven-year marriage and bring heartbreak to our three young children. Deep down we knew we still loved each other, so we determined to work it out. Through countless discussions, we began to close the gulf. The more honest we were, the closer we became.

    When I felt we were reaching solid ground, I asked my husband to give me an "eternity (永恒) ring". It was not so much the ring I wanted; it was the reassurance (保证) I thought it would bring.

    We went shopping on a beautiful summer day. We walked hand in hand along a row of jeweler's shops. Finally I found a ring I liked. While waiting for it to be adjusted, the jeweler took my left hand and glanced at my engagement ring. "May I clean it for you?" he asked. "It really doesn't sparkle like it used to." Charlie said as I slipped the ring off my finger. A few minutes later the jeweler was back. The ring shone like new!

    On the drive home, I didn't take my eyes off it. I forgot all about the eternity ring. I just couldn't believe how this old ring suddenly sparkled the way it had the day Charlie gave it to me. I had taken it for granted these past years, but with a little polish it could still make my heart beat fast.

    And that's the way it is with a marriage. You have to work at keeping it polished and new, or else the grime (污垢) of the passing years will hide the joy. I put my hand on the seat between us and spread my fingers. Charlie covered my hand with his. I felt I was lucky to be able to see the sparkle in something gold when I thought I needed something new.

PRACTITIONERS

Jacqueline Felice de Almania(c.1322) highlights the suspicion that women practicing medicine faced.Born to a Jewish family in Florence,she moved to Paris where she worked as a physician and performed surgery.In 1322 she was tried for practicing unlawfully.In spite of the court hearing testimonials(证明)of her ability as a doctor,she was banned from medicine.

Tan Yunxian(1461-1554) was a Chinese physician who learned her skills from her grandparents.Chinese women at the time could not serve apprenticeships(学徒期) with doctors.However,Tan passed the official exam.Tan treated women from all walks of life.In 1511,Tan wrote a book,Sayings of a Female Doctor,describing her life as a physician.

James Barry(c.1789-1865) was born Margaret Bulkley in Ireland but,dressed as a man,she was accepted by Edinburgh University to study medicine.She qualified as a surgeon in 1813,and then joined the British Army,serving overseas.Barry retired in 1859,having practiced her entire medical profession living and working as a man.

Rebecca Lee Crumpler(1831-1895) worked as a nurse for eight years before studying in medical college in Boston in 1860.Four years later,she was the first African American woman to receive a medical degree.She moved to Virginia in 1865,where she provided medical care to freed slaves.