Throughout history, music spread through common experiences among people of different cultures. In today technologically advanced society, however, people spread music online, sometimes without an artist's permission. This can lead to many problems, and music companies are now cracking down on this practice. Sharing music online without permission is theft.

    Sharing music online prevents recording companies from making money from their efforts. They say that online file sharing has resulted in a huge drop in profits and sales over the past 10 years. People who find music for free online are not charged for CDs or every MP3 download. To truly understand the impact of music piracy (盗版)on creators, one must understand how many people are involved in the recording process. For the sale of each album, profits must be shared between all parties: musicians, sound engineers, music producers, managers advertisers, and the company selling the product. Many people believe sharing music only affects the recording artist, but the reality is that sharing hurts business for all companies involved. Therefore, the sharing of music files is just as damaging as stealing a CD from Target.

    There are many people who don't see the harm in sharing music files online and even think they have the right to do it. One online blogger states that he originally paid for an entire CD and that he “should be able to do with the material whatever he wants”. While he may have legally paid for the music, he does not have the right to provide it to the world at no cost. Most music is copyrighted(有版权的). No one can legally hand out free copies without permission, which means people like the blogger are thieves.

    Although we do not spread today's music the same way we did historically, there's no doubt that people around the world love to share music. However, internet piracy could prevent musicians from wanting to continue producing albums for fear of theft. Therefore, if people want to continue listening to their favorite artists, they need to buy their music so that artists will make enough profit to continue their music careers.

    Whatever life threw at us each year, our family had one tradition at Christmas: our dog Pepper opened our presents for us.

    Last year, everyone made it home for a Christmas get-together. However, it couldn't feel perfect because Pepper's health was becoming worse. Her life had already been longer than we expected-she was fourteen-and yet her mind was still sharp. Her love for life made us feel better. But her body could not keep up with her mind.

    Probably it was Pepper's last Christmas, so we decided to make sure she would enjoy it. On Christmas Eve, we each prepared presents for her.

    Soon, Pepper selected her first Christmas gift. She turned the present, just as she was a young dog once more. She pulled the paper off the dog treat before she chewed (咀嚼) it slowly. Our family was so happy.

    Pepper saw the remaining three presents, and then turned to Mom as if asking, “May I open another?”

    “Go ahead, girl!” Mom encouraged.

    For the next few minutes, Pepper opened each of her Christmas presents. While she did, she reminded us of the joy of being together. Our family felt as a whole-not because we were in the same room or city, but because our love brought us together.

    Pepper passed away after Christmas. Her peaceful passing made us tearful. Her passing was also a celebration of life, because she gave my family so much love and laughter.

    I still treasure Pepper's final Christmas gift. She taught me that no matter where we each spend the holidays, the smallest act of sincere giving can unite our family through our love. For me, that knowledge is the longest-lasting gift of all.

    Culture shock is the psychological（心理的）shock of having to adapt to new environment and new cultures which may be completely different from your own. To understand culture shock helps to understand what culture is.

    Culture shock is caused by the feelings that result from losing all familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse（交往）. Those signs include the ways with which we are familiar in daily life: When to shake hands and what to say when we meet people? When and how to give tips? How to go shopping? When to accept and when to refuse invitations? These signs, which may be words, gestures, facial expressions, customs or normals are gained by all of us in the course of growing up and are as much a part of our culture as the language we speak.

    During the first few weeks when a person enters a strange culture, most people are attracted by the new. But this “cooks tour” type of mentality（心态）does not normally last if the foreign visitor remain abroad and has to seriously deal with real conditions of life. He may feel anxious and frustrated（受挫的） People react to the frustration in the same way. During the first period, they reject the environment which causes the discomfort. “The ways of the host country are bad because they make us feel bad,” they complain about the host country and its people. The following period is homesickness. The home environment suddenly becomes so important that all difficulties and problems are forgotten and only the good things back home are remembered.

    Experiencing culture shock can be very difficult. There is a risk of sickness or emotional problems. However, culture shock can be part of a positive learning experience. Be patient! It is a process of adaptation to new situations. If you do like this, you will be a much stronger person, and you will be a citizen of the world.

    Explorers had been landing in America for some time before English settlers arrived in what is now Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. But it was in that spot on the James River that English colonization(殖民化) began, and with it, the history of America.

    James I was the king of England at that time, and he had granted approval for a group of businessmen who were part of the Virginia Company to settle in this new land. In all, 214 people set sail for America. They reached it on May 14, 1607. Very soon after they landed, the English found themselves under attack from Algonquins, a native American tribe(部落) who had been living in that area for some time. The English managed to drive off the attackers and stay there.

Under the leadership of Captain John Smith, the English built a fort(城堡)and other buildings designed to protect their new colony. They also found friendly native Americans, like Powhatan, who was willing to trade with them.

    There was a terrible winter in 1609 and only 60 of the 214 settlers survived, which was also hard on Powhatan's tribe and other neighboring native Americans.

    One of the main crops grown by the English settlers was tobacco, which they sold to native Americans and to people back in England, beginning in 1612. Tobacco became a very popular crop because it was easy to grow and because it brought in so much money.

    Once the money started flowing in regularly, the Jamestown colony grew, as did other settlements in Virginia and in other states along the eastern coastline.

    America's first elected assembly (议会), the House of Burgesses, met in Jamestown for the first time on July 30, 1619. The year 1619 also saw another significant development: the first arrival of black workers on boats from Africa. These men and women were originally servants, who worked a small piece of land for a few years and then got to keep the land as owners. Jamestown was also the capital of Virginia and remained so until 1698.

    A few weeks ago, I called an Uber to take me to the Boston airport for a flight home for the holidays. As I slid into the back seat of the car, the warm intonations(语调) of the driver's accent washed over me in a familiar way.

    I learned that he was a recent West African immigrant with a few young children, working hard to provide for his family. I could relate: I am the daughter of two Ethiopian immigrants who made their share of sacrifices to ensure my success. I told him I was on a college break and headed home to visit my parents. That's how he found out I went to Harvard. An approving eye glinted at me in the rearview window, and quickly, we crossed the boundaries of rider and driver. I became his daughter, all grown up—the product of his sacrifice.

    And then came the fateful question: "What do you study?" I answered "history and literature" and the pride in his voice faded, as I knew it might. I didn't even get to add "and African-American studies" before he cut in, his voice thick with disappointment, "All that work to get into Harvard, and you study history?"

    Here I was, his daughter, wasting the biggest opportunity of her life. He went on to deliver the age-old lecture that all immigrant kids know. We are to become doctors (or lawyers, if our parents are being generous)—to make money and send money back home. The unspoken demand, made across generations, which my Uber driver laid out plainly, is simple: Fulfill your role in the narrative(故事) of upward mobility so your children can do the same.

    I used to feel anxious and backed into a corner by the questioning, but now as a junior in college, I'm grateful for their support more than anything. This holiday season, I've promised myself I won't get annoyed at their inquiries. I won't defensively respond with "but I plan to go to law school!" when I get unrequested advice. I'll just smile and nod, and enjoy the warmth of the occasion.

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