“Now stretch(伸展) over your right leg!” my dance teacher yells over the music. “If it doesn't hurt, you're not trying hard enough. Hold that stretch for 30 seconds!" My dance teacher works hard to form us into the dancers we desire to be. In order for this to occur, we stretch hard a lot!

    Dancing is a real passion of many people, including me. I work hard to make myself better, and prove that I am good enough. Performing a dance routine is more than just a  performance. Dancers tell stories when they dance. It is a way for us to express our personal feelings. Just letting go and letting your body move with the music can create your emotions. Dance tells us things that our mind secretly hides.

    “Get up and do it again!  You need to keep your spirits up!” Even though I am completely worn out after my dances, I love to hear those words. It gives me a sense of relief knowing that I can again express my feelings out on the floor.

    “Practice makes perfect! Come on. We have a competition this weekend, and we need to work harder!” Competitions are the best possible example of fun. For a dancer, life cannot get better than competitions. The thrill of losing yourself onstage is a rush of energy rushing through your body! The feeling is unexplainable. As you sit there putting on your makeup, fixing your hair, and putting on your costume, the rush just gradually grows until it is ready to be released onstage.

    Finally the time comes to tell your story. Standing backstage waiting for your name to be called is one of the scariest moments. You are ready to show the world what you are capable of and what you have been perfecting for a while. Once your number is called, you walk out onstage. The applause at the end tells each dancer that their story has been received, and that the dance has been brought to life.

    In choosing a friend, one should be very careful. A good friend can help you study. You can have fun together and make each other happy. Sometimes you will meet fair­weather friends. They will be with you as long as you have money or luck，but when you are down, they will run away. How do I know when I have found a good friend? I look for certain qualities of character，especially understanding, honesty and reliability(信任)．

    Above all else, I look for understanding in a friend. A good friend tries to understand how another person is feeling. He is not quick to judge. Instead, he tries to learn from others. He puts himself in the other person's place, and he tries to think of ways to be helpful. He is also a good listener.

    At the same time, however, a good friend is honest. He does not look for faults in others. He notices their good points. In short, a friend will try to understand me and accept me.

    Another quality of a friend is reliability. I can always depend on a good friend. If he tells me he will meet me somewhere at a certain time, I can be sure that he will be there. If I need a favor，he will do his best to help me. If I am in trouble, he will not run away from me.

    There is a fourth quality that makes a friend special. A special friend is someone with whom we can have fun. We should enjoy our lives, and we would enjoy our friendship. That is why I especially like friends who are fun to be with. A good friend likes the same things I like. We share experience and learn from each other. A good friend has a good sense of humor too. He likes to laugh with me. That is how we share in the joy of being friends. And I know that he is looking for the same quality in me.

    When I meet someone who is reliable, honest, and understanding，I know I've found a friend!

    Jolly Joe always arrived at my neighborhood at exactly half past noon. The clang (叮当声) of the bell on his red and black truck was then the sweetest sound in the world. Brightly colored stickers advertising his amazing kinds of treats could be found on all sides of his truck. The whole neighborhood would magically come to life.

    Holding a nickel (五分镍币), I'd run to the back of the vehicle, where children were already gathering. Jolly Joe would jump out of his truck, the sun shining on his hair. He was an older man, short and round, with a pleasant face and a welcoming smile.

    I don't know how, but he knew us all by name, as well as which treats we preferred. My favorite was the Buried Treasure. By eating all the ice cream, you'd discover the treasure inside: a lion, a dog or even a funny clown — printed onto a plastic stick.

    When it was finally my turn, he'd put his arm deep inside one of the boxes, and pause (停顿) for a moment, a puzzled look crossing his face. Then, suddenly, he'd pull it out: the Buried Treasure! I couldn't wait to enjoy the cool, sweet ice cream.

    As quickly as he arrived, it was time for Jolly Joe to go, leaving behind laughing, excited children with sticky hands and faces. Soon the sound of his clanging bell would slowly disappear in the distance.

    I always hated to see Jolly Joe go, because I knew the rest of the day would be as hot and boring as before. But I took some comfort in knowing that the next day he'd come round the corner at half past noon and once again spread his magic.

    If you ever visit an English village, make sure to look out for morris dancing. Undoubtedly one of the strangest traditions of English culture, morris dancing is a form of folk dancing that dates back to the 15th century. If you ever get the opportunely, you really have to see it.

    Men and women wearing old-fashioned, shabby clothing dance in the streets of towns and villages across the country during the holiday periods. Women wear long, frilly(有褶皱边的) skirts and men wear short trousers with bells attached to them. They dance to traditional folk music which is often played on traditional musical instruments.

    Some groups carry heavy black sticks which they beat against each other while they dance. Other groups wave handkerchiefs in the air while they perform. The dances are usually performed near a pub so that when it's over, the dancers and audience can sing some traditional folk songs over a pint of beer. The celebrations will often continue long into the night, by which point most people are too drunk to think about performing again.

    Morris dancing is a great English tradition but it's facing a big crisis. As the years go by, fewer and fewer young people are joining morris dancing groups. The dancers are getting older and older and eventually, if nothing is done to change this trends, the tradition will die out within the next few decades.

    If you've ever had the fortune to see morris dancing, you may understand why teenagers aren't rushing to sign up. Putting it to the point, it's not exactly the coolest thing for an 18-year-old to be doing. Why dress up in bells and funny costumes when you could be going clubbing? Or playing sport? Or doing anything else?

    However, it would be a great shame to lose such a fun and lively part of England's history and culture. It's important to look after some traditions and customs especially when it's something as harmless and happy as morris dancing. So here's a toast to the next generation of would-be morris dancers! Let's hope they don't leave it too late.

    At some point in life, many people suffer a mental problem. While most people get over it, for others it doesn't go away easily.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) says that about 20 percent of children and teenagers across the globe suffer from mental illness. It's thought that the number of children and teenagers with mental illness around the world will increase by half by 2020. It will become one of the main causes of disease, disabilities and even death.

The reason for mental problems among young people may be the increasing pressure in life. Study and relationships have always caused huge stresses for school children. For instance, they experience school bullying(欺凌)and academic pressure.

    In China, the picture isn't bright, either. About 30 million Chinese children and teenagers under the age of 17, or 10 percent of children and teenagers in China, have a mental health challenge, reported China Daily.

    Also, according to China Daily, Chinese people don't seek help with their mental problems. They fear that others will think less of them if they admit that they are in trouble. Many Chinese people are ashamed of their mental problems and mental illness is taboo(禁忌)in any Chinese families.

    In the UK, over three-quarters of young people believe their mental health problems have a social shame and a quarter of young UK people wouldn't ask for help if they developed a mental problem.

    Young people who don't seek help for their condition may be creating problems for themselves in the future. If you feel something is wrong within you – seek help.

Feeling down? Here are three things to try if you feel low.

    Go to a psychology teacher. The teacher will listen to you and offer help – for free!

    Call 800-810-1100. It's the number of a hotline run by the Mental Health Research and Prevention Center. The line is open 24 hours a day.

    Tell your parents and visit the hospital if the situation gets out of control.

    When Warren Buffett, the most successful investor, was asked about the secret to his wealth and success, he revealed that he read every day, 500 pages, to be precise. Unfortunately, if you're already working 9‒5, you might not have the time to read at all, let alone an entire book a day. But what if you could get the benefits of reading without sacrificing all of your free time? You can! With the Blinkist app, you get the key learning in minutes, not hours or days. Our experts transform these books into quick, easy-to-understand insights. Start with the 5 most-read books.

    ⒈Thirteen Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do

    by Amy Morin             12 min reading time             147k reads

    Do you struggle to get over your failures? Getting over these can have a profound influence on your everyday life. Morin shares how her most successful patients overcame these difficulties.

    ⒉How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

    by Dale Carnegie           19 min reading time            238k reads

    Ever wondered why you can't stop worrying about something? By defining the source of your stress, you can get over it once and for all. Carnegie came up with a formula that helps you handle any overthinking situation.

    ⒊How Will You Measure Your Life?

    by Clayton M. Christensen       13 min reading time        137k reads

    Are you making the right trade-offs (权衡) in life? While career achievements can be satisfying, neglecting your family and friends can be bad in the long-run — in ways you can't even imagine.

    ⒋Finding Your Element

    by Ken Robinson               13 min reading time        62.4k reads

    Everyone has a passion. If you don't know what yours is, it just means you haven't discovered it yet. Find out how you can break free of society's strict rules and find your calling in life.

    ⒌Emotional Intelligence

    by Daniel Goleman             16 min reading time        318k reads

    Did you know if your pulse rate rises above 100 bpm, you're deemed too emotional to think rationally? You probably let feelings cloud your judgment more often than you know. Goleman explains how you can avoid letting your emotions rule you and make better decisions in life.