In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea and looked embarrassed. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus.

    Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty .

    In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'— a nod means 'no'. At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled as soon as you drink up. If you think that you have had enough, you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.

    In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble. Also, you should try to avoid touching the head of an adult ——it's just not done in Thailand.

    Singapore is building an airport where indoor trees, waterfalls and a 'rain vortex' sit alongside check-in queues, waiting rooms and baggage carousels(传送带).

    Where once sat a car park, there will soon be thousands of trees and plants across 22,000 square metres of landscaped indoor parklands. This will be joined by a 40m-high indoor waterfall, expected to be the world's tallest. These are the plans for the new 3.5 hectare 'Jewel' development at Singapore's Changi Airport, scheduled to open in 2018; a five-story, 134,000 square metre complex, mixing natural outdoor plants with modern airport facilities.

    “The aim behind the introduction of such lush(茂盛的) landscaping is purely to provide all visitors with a memorable experience, one where they are surrounded by nature and greenery,”says Philip Yim, Chief Executive Officer of Jewel Changi Airport Development.

    Promised sustainability（持续性） measures include “extensive usage of photovoltaic panels（光电板）”to produce renewable energy, as well as encouraging the use of natural lighting and a “high efficiency” air-conditioning system.

    The indoor waterfall, named the “Rain Vortex”, will make use of special lighting effects to change at night into what is promised to be a dramatic light and sound show. “The Rain Vortex is one example of how sustainable design plays an important role in the planning of the attraction,” says Yim. 'In the event of a rain storm, the power of the rain water will flow naturally through the oculus. The excess rain water collected will be used for irrigation of the landscaping at Jewel.'

    Yim quotes the popular reputation Singapore enjoys as “the garden city”, where greenery is recognised as an essential part of the urban landscape, an attractive image which clearly inspires Jewel's design.

    However, it remains to be seen whether, beyond the aesthetic (审美的) appeal, Jewel can add genuine environmental things to something as un-environmental as an international airport.

    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.

The CLF Art Cafe, Peckham

    Playing different kinds of music, it has a night to serve most tastes. As one of the leading places for the creative arts, the building is full of friendly but crazy students and young people devoted to having a good time. But for those who aren't interested in making the ceiling sweat, there is an open-air rooftop, monthly plays and regular showings of films.

    Roxy, Fitzrovia

    In the heart of London's shopping center lies one of the flagships for a student night out in London. After showing their Student IDs, students head down into the basement (地下室) of the Roxy where they are thrown into a group of young people from all backgrounds and countries. Whether for a few drinks and a chat or a dance along to the sound of the latest hits, the Roxy's half-priced cocktail (鸡尾酒) will make sure you are satisfied.

    Bar Kick, Shoreditch

    For students who are very busy and have forgotten how to relax, keep yourself focused while you play a game of table football. Put yourself into the crowd of bars and clubs Shoreditch has to offer, Bar Kick presents students with a quiet evening. At street level, it seems like any other bar. Heading downstairs you'll find almost a dozen football tables replacing the dance floor, giving it a competitive edge to an evening away from school work.

    The Court, Tottenham Court Road

    For an affordable meal and drinks on a Sunday before a week of stress, head over to The Court. Combining the perfect combination of traditional pub comforts with student prices, the central London pub offers a quiet place as you catch up with classmates and forget about the stresses of being a student,

    My son has poliomyelitis (小儿麻痹)and he suffered from it a lot. When he was young, my wife and I took him to see so many doctors and got different kinds of treatments. But still, he couldn't walk like a normal kid.

    So he was laughed at by his peers for his walking style. His tears burnt our eyes like sulphuric acid (硫酸 ). Then, he became afraid of going to school. He wouldn't go anymore.

    One night, my wife had a breakdown and shouted at him, “I tell you, my kid, you might be like this forever. You are a freak in other people's eyes, and perhaps it would never change. But in my eyes, in your dad's eyes, you are not a freak! You are not! Even if you are, we love you and we will love you forever!” My son spoke nothing for two days. He didn't eat or sleep. We could read he was hurt. We hoped something wonderful would fall in our family. On the third morning, he struggled to walk to my car, with his school bag in his hand of course. He raised his head high and hugged me, saying “want to go to school. Nothing will beat me.”

    You know, from then on, he was never afraid of being mocked or despised anymore. If he couldn't avoid these looks, he chose to look at them in the eyes. Later, something nice really happened and my son went to MIT. When he was asked how he managed to bear the pressure, he said, “Because of my parents.”

    My dear fellows, if you care too much about how other people look at you or what their opinions are, you will never become what you want to be.

Lisa, who {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(graduate)from our school last June, is about 2. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(go)to college in New York. She came to share her suggestions for high school {#blank#}3{#/blank#} us. Lisa said Orientation Day was really {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(help)when she first started high school because it could help students to get to know the school and the other  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(student). Though Lisa was a member of the school volleyball team, she wasn't selected for the end-of-year {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(compete). At first, she was really sad, {#blank#}7{#/blank#}later she realized that she joined the team for the love of the sport. It wasn't just about winning. So she kept {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(work)hard to support her teammates during their training. Lisa {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(total)agreed with the wonderful words from the writer Maya Angelou-Be a rainbow in somebody else's cloud. So she suggested that we give our friends {#blank#}10{#/blank#}hand when they can make us feel needed it. And this good, too.