A Special Appointment

    Years ago I moved to Woodland Hills to take a job in a small hospital's emergency department. No one wanted to work on Christmas Eve, so the shift (轮班) went to me. I kissed my family goodbye and went off to spend the night in the hospital. It was a thankless job.

At 9 pm, the ambulance brought in a man in his 60s who was having a heart attack. His face was pale, and he was frightened. The whole night I did my best to save his life. Before I left in the morning to spend Christmas with my family, I stopped by to see how he was doing. It was still tough, but he had survived the night and was sleeping.

    The following year I got Christmas Eve duty again. At 9 pm sharp, the ward clerk told me there was a couple who wanted to speak with me. When I approached them, the man introduced himself as Mr. Lee and said, “You probably don't remember me, but last Christmas Eve you saved my life. Thank you for the year you gave me.” He and his wife hugged me, handed me a small gift, and left.

    The following year a new doctor had joined the group, but I wanted to see if Mr. and Mrs. Lee would return. This time, I volunteered for the shift. I kept an eye on the door. Once again, at exactly 9 pm, the Lees appeared, carrying a warmly wrapped bundle. It was their new grandchild. Mr.Lee, his family and I spent 13 Christmas Eves together. In the later years the staff all knew about the story and would work to give me time with him in the break room, where we spent a half-hour each Christmas Eve.

    The last year I saw him, he brought me a gift. I carefully opened the package and found a crystal (水晶) bell inside. It was engraved (镌刻) with a single word: Friendship. Now, my family, friends and I ring that bell every Christmas Eve at exactly 9 pm and offer our best wishes to the man who we won't forget.

    The winter vacation is just around the corner. With such a long holiday to spend, have you decided where to get yourself relaxed from the great pressure of school study? Our company specializes in civil tours. We take pride in offering you the best services and in providing you with a vacation that will be fondly remembered. The following places can be your unforgettable destinations in our country.

    A. The Australian Museum

    The Australian Museum has an international reputation in the fields of natural history and indigenous studies research and exhibitions. The museum was established in 1827 and is Australia's first museum of natural science and cultural artifacts.

    B. Sydney Olympic Park

    Home of the Best Games Ever and 2003 Rugby World, Sydney Olympic Park is a gold medal attraction and continues to serve as a major sport and social venue.

    Apart from its ultra-modern sport venues, Sydney Olympic Park is set in extensive parklands. Bicentennial Park, one of Sydney's most popular recreational areas, is criss-crossed with walking and bicycle tracks.

    C. Art Gallery of New South Wales

    Located within a short walking distance from Sydney's CBD, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of Australia's foremost art museums housing some of the finest works of art in the country.

    The Gallery has a rich and diverse collection including key works of the Heidelberg School and favorite modern Australian artists including Brett Whiteley and Margaret Preston, as well as permanent Australian, European, Asian, contemporary and photographic galleries.

    D. Koalas Park Sanctuary

    Koalas are on show every day. Shows are at 10:20 A.M., 11:20 A.M., 2:00 P.M., 3:00 P.M. where you can cuddle, feed, pat and have your photo taken with the Koalas. See free roaming Koalas as well, 10 acres of rainforest. Walk in and pat our kangaroos.

    China has announced it's abolishing its one-child policy. What difference has it made, statistically speaking?

    400 million births prevented. The one-child policy, officially in place since 1979, has prevented 400 million births. Parents have faced fines and other punishments for having more children.

    The majority of the decrease in China's fertility(生育)rate happened in the 1970s.It dropped from 5.8 children per woman in 1970 to 2.7 in 1978. Despite the one-child policy the rate had only fallen to 1.7 by 2013. 21:28 baby death rate. Since the one-child policy was introduced, baby girls have become more likely to die than boys.

    In the 1970s, according to the United Nations, 60 males per 1,000 live births died under the age of one. For girls the figure was 53. In the 1980s, after the one-child policy became official, the rate for both was 36. By the 1990s, 26 males per 1,000 live births died before the age of one-and 33 girls. The 2000s saw 21 boys per 1,000 live births dying and 28 girls.

    1.16 boys born for every girl

    Sexually selective abortions have been considered as a major cause of China's unusual sexual imbalance.

    Gietel-Basten, associate professor in social policy at Oxford University, says the births of many girls are not registered if parents have broken the rule by having two children, adding officials often turn a blind eye. It's estimated there are now 33 million more men than women in China.

    4：2：1 families

    With the ageing of China's population and the continuation of the one-child policy, a “4: 2 :1”home is the description given to households in which there are four grandparents cared for by two working age parents, who themselves have one child.

    By 2050, it's predicted that a quarter of China's population will be 65 or older. The predicted decline in the number of people of working age is thought to have persuaded the government to drop the one-child policy.

    Some people think that success is only for those with talent or those who grow up in the right family, and others believe that success mostly comes down to luck. I'm not going to say luck, talent, and circumstances don't come into play because they do. Some people are born into the right family while others are born with great intelligence, and that's just the reality of how life is.

    However, to succeed in life, one first needs to set a goal and then gradually make it more practical. And, in addition to that, in order to get really good at something, one needs to spend at least 10,000 hours studying and practising. To become great at certain things, it'll require even more time, time that most people won't put in.

    This is a big reason why many successful people advise you to do something you love. If you don't enjoy what you do, it is going to feel like unbearable pain and will likely make you quit well before you ever become good at it.

    When you see people exhibiting some great skills or having achieved great success, you know that they have put in a huge part of their life to get there at a huge cost. It's sometimes easy to think they got lucky or they were born with some rare talent, but thinking that way does you no good, and there's a huge chance that you're wrong anyway.

    Whatever you do, if you want to become great at it, you need to work day in and day out, almost to the point of addiction, and over a long period of time. If you're not willing to put in the time and work, don't expect to receive any rewards. Consistent, hard work won't guarantee you the level of success you may want, but it will guarantee that you will become really good at whatever it is you put all that work into.

    Each year there is an increasing number of cars on roads and streets as millions of new cars and trucks are produced. One out of every six Americans works at putting together the parts of cars, driving trucks, building roads or filling cars and trucks with gas. Americans won't live without cars!

    Most Americans would find it hard to think what life would look like without cars. However, some have realized the serious problems of the air pollution that is caused by the car.

    The polluted air becomes poisonous and dangerous to health.

    One way to get rid of the polluted air is to build a car that does not pollute. That's what several of the large car factories have been trying to do. But to build a clean car is easier said than done. Progress in this field has been slow.

    Another way is to take the place of the car engine by something else. Inventors are now working on steam cars as well as electric cars. Many makers believe that it will take years to develop a practical model that pleases man.

    To prevent the world from being polluted by cars, we'll have to make some changes in the way many of us live. Americans, for example, have to cut down on the number of their total cars. They are encouraged to travel and go to work by bicycle. Bicycling is thought to help keep the air clean.

    But this change does not come easily. A large number of workers may find themselves without jobs if a car factory closes down. Thus the problem of air pollution would become less important than that of unemployment.

    Although cars have led us to a better life, they have also brought us new problems.

    Taking your pulse during physical activity allows you to measure how hard you are exercising. You should exercise to stay within your target heart range.

    Increasing your heart rate is a key part of exercise but it is important that your heart rate is not too high or too low. If you are a beginner, you should also be able to breathe comfortably while exercising. This will ensure that you are exercising at a level that is safe and effective for your body.

    The chart below illustrates target heart rate ranges for exercise based on the maximal heart rate for selected ages. Here are the steps for using the chart: