When I was 16 years old, I made my first visit to the United States. It wasn't the first time I had been abroad. Like most English children I learned French at school and I had often been to France, so I was used to speaking a foreign language to people who didn't understand English. But when I went to America I was really looking forward to having a nice easy holiday without any language problems.

    How wrong I was! The misunderstanding began at the airport. I was looking for a public telephone to give my American friend Danny a ring and tell her that I had arrived. A friendly old man saw me looking like being lost and asked if he could help me.

    “Yes,” I said. “I want to give my friend a ring.”

    “Well, that's nice,” he said. “Are you getting married? But aren't you a bit young?”

    “Who is talking about marriage?” I replied. “I just want to give my friend a ring to tell her I've arrived. Can you tell me where there's a phone box?”

    “Oh!” he said. “There's a phone downstairs.”

    When at last we did meet up, Danny explained the misunderstanding to me.

    “Don't worry,” she said to me. “I had many difficulties at first. There are lots of words which the Americans use differently in meaning from us British. You'll soon get used to all the funny things they say. But most of the time British and American people can understand each other!”

    Last summer I got a real taste of Swiss life when I spent six weeks with a host family in the Bernese Alps.

    On arriving in Erlenbach where my host family live,I knew I couldn't have asked for a better setting: it was such a beautiful mountain village.

    And I couldn't have asked for a better host family,either.They made me feel like part of their family,rather than a tourist—I joined in my host family's day-to-day activities,whether helping pick berries in the garden or going to friends' houses.I wasn't only traveling around Europe seeing the major sights,but I lost myself in a different culture.

    While many Swiss cultures are similar to America's,there are lots of differences,too.For example,most Swiss leave their windows open—without screens—all the time.At first I thought all the bugs（虫子）were going to get in and eat me alive,and wondered why they didn't close the windows and turn on the air conditioner.But then I realized there weren't many bugs and I really enjoyed the fresh air.

    Probably my biggest shock was the language.I expected the Swiss to speak German,but they spoke a dialect called Swiss German,which has hardly anything in common with German.At times I was very frustrated（受挫的）because my three years of German did not help,but my bad mood did not last.Anyhow,many people knew English and were extremely willing to speak it.

    Signing up for a cultural exchange was probably the biggest risk I ever took,but it was also the most rewarding. When I left,I promised I would return to Erlenbach.There is more to Switzerland than cheese and watches.

    “Sesame Street” has been called “the longest street in the world”. That is because the television program by that name can now be seen in so many parts of the world. That program became one of American's exports soon after it went on the air in New York in 1969.

    In the United States more than six million children watch the program regularly. The viewers include more than half the nation's pre-school children, from every kind of economic, racial, and geographical group.

    Although some educators object to certain elements in the program, parents praise it highly. Many teachers also consider it a great help, though some teachers find that problems arise when first graders who have learned from “Sesame Street” are in the same class with children who have not watched the program.

    Tests have shown that children from all racial, geographical, and economic backgrounds have benefited from watching it. Those who watch it five times a week learn more than occasional（偶然的）viewers. In the US the program is shown at different hours during the week in order to increase the number of children who can watch it regularly.

    The programs all use songs, stories, jokes, and pictures to give children a basic understanding of numbers, letters and human relationships. But there are some differences. For example, the Spanish program, produced in Mexico City, devotes more time to teaching whole words than to teaching separate letters.

    Why has “Sesame Street” been so much more successful than other children's shows? Many reasons have been suggested. People mention the educational theories（理论）of its creators, the support by the government and private（私人的）businesses, and the skillful use of a variety of TV tricks. Perhaps an equally important reason is that mothers watch it along with their children. This is partly because famous adult stars often appear on it. But the best reason for the success of the program may be that it makes every child watching feel able to learn. The child finds himself learning, and he wants to learn more.

    Many of us don't pay much attention to the importance of eye care. It is said that if you take care of your body, then you can surely be healthy. That is why our eyes should be given a lot of care. Natural eye care should be put in a number one place.

    There are several causes leading to poor eyesight like having not enough food, genes(基因)and aging(老化). Televisions, computers and reading are also the causes of having poor eyesight. If you happen to work in front of the computer, it is best to take a break every once in a while. You must also try your best to protect your eyes from harmful things. For example, sunglasses are not just for fashion but they can also serve as a great way to protect your eyesight from UV rays.

    Eating healthy food will do good to your eyesight. Remember that vitamins A, C and E are good for eyes. Try to eat food groups that have these vitamins. And you should do eye exercises which can protect your eyesight, too. All above are natural ways of eye care that help us to keep healthy eyes. Being happy all the time can be helpful to a person's eyesight, too. In a word, eye care is very important, no matter how old a person is.

    Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28,1926. Since Lee's mother was mentally ill, she was raised by her father. She became very close to her father.

    The naughty Lee loved reading, and would make up stories with Truman, her neighbour who was two years older than her. Seeing her daughter's imagination, Lee's father gave her a typewriter.

Before her final year in the university of Alabama, Lee dropped out to become a writer. She moved to New York City where her childhood friend Truman was already established as a famous writer. While there, she worked on her first book—To Kill a Mockingbird. It won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was made into an Academy Award winning movie the following year. To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of six-year-old Scout and her brother who lived in the town of Maycomb Alabama with their single father Attics. Attics is a lawyer who defends the blacks. At a young age, Scout is exposed to the terrors of segregation(宗族隔离)。Then, in 2014, the first draft of a new book—Go Set a Watchman was discovered among Lee's papers. It is the story of 26-year-old Scout who returns to Maycomb to visit her father. She is shocked to find her father a changed man. Attics has turned into a segregationists! The story shows the mixed feelings Scout has for the changes that have taken place in her hometown and father.

    A loner for most of her life, Lee stayed unmarried, preferring to lead a small town life. On February 19, 2015, Lee passed away at the age of 89.

The Best Maldives Island for Your Travel Style

Every resort（度假地） in Maldives is its own private island but choosing the right one for you can be difficult. Want to kick off your Indian Ocean holiday in style? Our guide will help you know what to look for in the hunt for your ideal island.

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

You'll never go hungry at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, which has 1 1 restaurants, including ones specializing in garden-to-table cuisine. There are regular food-themed events, too—our favorites include Arabian Night and the Twilight Seafood Barbecue.

Four Seasons Resort Maldives

Considered one of the best spots in the Maldives for honeymoons, the Four Seasons Resort Maldives has a huge range of room categories and offers a brilliant selection of packages, including Island Romance packages that feature fantastic extras designed with couples in mind.

Fairmon t Maldives

There are numerous reasons to visit the Fairmont Maldives, including the fact that it's a great place to learn about sustainability, whether it's at the Sustainability Lab, where guests can turn discarded plastic bottles into jewelry or during excursions with marine biologists from a charity created to protect sea turtles.

Heritance Aarah

Heritance Aarah recently opened its Live Maldivian Village Museum, which focuses on 4,000 years of Maldivian history. Guests can learn about the art of coral stone carving and find out why locals are known as some of the world's best boat builders.

To ensure you experience the Maldives' best bits, schedule a holiday every month without fail. We're joking, but you get the point: think what you want to see and do, and brush up on the different areas' seasonal selling points.