People visit other countries for many reasons. Some travel on business; others travel to visit interesting places that are only found in other countries.

    Wherever you go, and for whatever reason, it is important to be safe. A tourist can attract a lot of attention from local people. While most people you meet when traveling are sure to be nice, there are dangers—theft（偷窃） being the most common. So prepare for your trip in advance（预先）.

    As you prepare for your trip, make sure you have the fight paperwork. You don't want to get to your destination(目的地) only to find you have the wrong visa, or worse, that your passport is about to expire(到期). Also, make sure you travel with proper medical insurance, so that if your are sick or injured during your travels, you can be treated. If you want to drive while you are abroad, make sure you have an international driver's license.

    If you need to take medicine with you—such as travel-sickness pills—keep it in its original container(容器). If you don't, you may find yourself doing a lot of explaining to customs officials at your destination.

    Buy a guidebook and read about the local customs of the country you are going to. Also, try to learn a few basic words and phrases—don't assume(假设) that the local people will speak your language.

    When you get to your destination, you'd better use official transport. Always go to the bus and taxi stands; don't accept rides from strangers who offer you a lift. If there is no meter（记程器） in the taxi, agree on a price before you get in. If you prefer to stay in cheap hotels while traveling, make sure you can lock the door of your room from the inside. If you are traveling with valuables such as jewelry, or a lot of money, you should ask about a safe（保险箱） for storing them in. Finally, remember to smile. It's the friendliest and most sincere（真诚的） form of communication, and it is sure to be understood in any part of the world!

Subject: Mobile phone problem

Dear Editor,

    I am a middle school student. I used to bring a mobile phone with me during school hours. But the teachers think using mobile phone is distraction (分散注意力的事) to students during school hours and also causes so much trouble in class. So now we aren't allowed to bring mobile phones to school.

    I find it really inconvenient (不方便的)。 My parents feel unhappy because they can't get in touch with me(不能与我有联系) . But I can't make our school change this rule. What do you think I should do to solve this problem?

Liu Fengyi

    Many people in the world are living a very fast life. They seem to be always in a hurry (匆忙).

No time to stop

    People in cities around the world walk 10 percent more quickly than they did twenty years ago. Singapore is at the top of the list for fast walkers.

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    People aren' t as patient (有耐心的) as they were in the past. If it takes more than five minutes for a bus to arrive, they become very impatient. They think they don' t have any time to wait

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    Written communication (交流) on the Internet is getting shorter and shorter. People now use more and more simple words, like BRB (be right back) or NP (no problem).

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    Even in their free time, people do things in a hurry. Twenty years ago when people went to art museums, they spent about one minute looking at each picture. But today they spend much less time.

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    The cars are faster, but the traffic (交通) is worse, so people drive more slowly. They spend more time than ever sitting in their cars, feeling worried that they aren't going to arrive on time.

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    In the US, there is a book called One-Minute Bedtime Stories, for children. The stories in it are famous but short. They are popular with those parents who are too busy to tell their children long stories.

    People are living faster, but are they living better?

    The Internet is shaping our lives. We already have online shopping services and mobile payment. However, this is just a start. The world's leading tech companies are planning to build smarter online communities. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It was held in Wuzhen, Zhejiang last year. The development of artificial intelligence(AI,人工智能) was a hot topic at the conference(会议). If a machine can learn and solve problems as humans do, it can be called AI.

    The company Alibaba uses AI technology in its unmanned supermarket in Wuzhen. There is no salesperson in the supermarket, just an iPad on a desk that says "please smile". {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The bigger you smile, the more discounts(折扣) you get. Payment is done automatically through your Alipay account. When you first enter the supermarket, the supermarket's AI recognizes(辨认) your face and your account.

    There is also AI that can read lips. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It recognizes your mouth's movements and turns them into voice or text messages. This could be very useful when you are trying to talk to someone on your phone in a noisy place. Police could also use the technology to help them find criminals by lip-reading recordings from video cameras.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Microsoft's chatting robot XiaoIce can not only provide useful information, but also talk with people like a real friend. XiaoIce has a WeChat account(账户). After following the account, users can start talking with her. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} She keeps improving herself by talking with users.

    These technologies are being put into wider use. We may see a smarter world and better lives in the near future.

    We live in the age of the computer. People like scientists, teachers, writers and students use computers to do all kinds of work. But more than 30 years ago, computers couldn't do much. They were very big and expensive. Very few people were interested in them and knew how to use them. Today computers are smaller and cheaper. Since they can do a lot of work, many people like to use them. Many people have them at home.

    Computers become very important because they can work faster than men and make fewer mistakes. Computers can help people do a lot of work. Writers now use computers to write. Teachers use them to teach. Students use them to study and children use them to play games. Computers can also remember what you put into them. Computers are very useful and helpful. They are our good friends. Do you want a computer?