Barbara Finch, from England, started a friendship with Elizabeth Martin from New Zealand when the two were just 14 years old. And they have been penfriends for the past seventy years.

    "Seventy years is a long time and such a lot has happened," says Barbara. "I've lost my husband and my son, and she's lost her husband and her daughter. With things like that, her friendship means a lot to me."

    The two started writing letters to each other in November 1947. At that time, Barbara was a pupil. In her school, there was an exchange teacher from New Zealand. She helped her students to find penfriends from her country. Among the many penfriends, Barbara and Elizabeth were the only pair to form a long-term friendship.

    Now both 84, the pair continue to send weekly emails to tell each other about their daily lives. Barbara, who's a proud great-grandmother, has kept every single letter and card Elizabeth sent her over the years.

    "We email each other now rather than write letters, partly because it's quicker but mostly because there's no cost," Barbara says.

    The pair not only write to each other, but they also meet face to face. They have visited each other 15 times—Barbara flying to New Zealand 10 times and Elizabeth flying to England 5 times.

    "Her family has become a second family to me. She says I am the sister she never had," Barbara says.

    When Grandma welcomed us, she was dressed in bright colors and wore jewelry(珠宝)I never knew she had. She seemed to be in a good mood(心情), but because of her deafness, communication was still difficult.

    It had been half a year since my last visit. She must have thought that as an overseas student, I don't get to eat much good food anymore. So, with her wrinkled(皱纹)hand, she passed me some homemade pastries(糕点).

    Her hands tested the temperature of my cup again and again, and every time it showed a slight sign of cooling down, Grandma poured in more hot water. She also never allowed me to stop eating. As soon as I finished what was on my plate, she gave me something new to try. Finally, when my stomach couldn't take any more, she stopped and held my hands as she sat beside me.

    When it was time to leave, she walked downstairs to see us off. The sun shined on the white pearls(珍珠)round her neck. She was smiling, and her wrinkles sat happily on her soft skin. People usually compare wrinkles to a dry tree trunk(树干). But to me, my grandmother's wrinkles are among the loveliest things I've ever seen.

    There used to be a time when I disliked old age and stayed away from elderly people, but that was because of my ignorance(无知). And now I understand that there's beauty in everything. My grandma's wrinkles are just like a thousand stories being told all at once.

    Most kids in Britain have pet bears. This animal is both furry (毛茸茸的) and friendly. But it cannot move or make any noise. That's because it is a teddy bear. Most teddies are in the shape of a small bear. They are usually brown and stuffed (填充) with cotton. Kids love them very much.

    Paddington bear is one of the most famous teddy bears in the world. Yet there are many types. Do you know Winnie the Pooh? He's another popular bear!

Cute, soft teddy bears were born in the 20th century. However, they don't have just one place of birth. Both American and German toymakers made the teddy bear at the same time!

    Teddy bears have long been a popular kids' toy. They are in songs, stories and films. There are even teddy bear museums around the world. And it's not even just kids who hold teddy bears. It's a popular present for lovers, usually on Valentine's Day.

    In the UK it is popular for a newborn baby to get a teddy bear as their first gift. The day I was born, my grandmother handed me a teddy bear. She made it herself. That makes him the same age as me! I took him everywhere I went, holding his arm at nighttime and falling asleep with him. And I still have that bear with me today. It is the best gift I have ever gotten.