If you see a group of people dancing and singing on the street or in the railway station,  you don't need to feel surprised．They are a flash mob （快闪族）, which is a group of people who come together suddenly in a public place, do something unusual for a brief period of time,  and then quickly break up．They are usually organized with the help of the Internet or other digital communication network．At a predetermined time, they gather and perform some  distractions（消遣） such as waving their hands and exchanging books, Then, they quickly break up before the police can arrive．Using mobile phones, the flash mob can change its location if the first one has been replaced for any reason．

    Bill Lasik, senior editor of Harper's Magazine, organized the first flash mob in Manhattan in May 2003 and the first successful flash mob came together on June 3, 2003 - after the first try was foiled at Macy's department store．Lasik claimed that the activity was designed to make fun of hipsters （起时髦的人）, and call attention to the cultural atmosphere．

    Flash mob gatherings can sometimes shock people．Such an activity might seem amusing and untrue, but it also might frighten people who are not aware of what is taking place．Undoubtedly, flash mobs can serve as good political tools in any direction．They also have great economic potential, such as using flash mobs to advertise a product．

    The flash mob is now becoming more and more popular．People use it to do many things．For example, in 2009, Michael Jackson's fans took part in a flash mob to remember him．Hundreds of his fans gathered singing and dancing Michael's famous song "Beat It" together．Flash mobs give people from all walks of life an opportunity to come together to create a memory．

    Mary Krupa became friends with the grey squirrels during her first week at Penn State,after spotting them running around and idly（漫不经地）wondering what they would look like with tiny hats on their heads.Today, everyone at the university knows her as the "Squirrel Girl".

    Mary started bringing them food,and gradually they began to trust her.She managed to put a hat on a squirrel and take a picture.Thinking that her colleagues could do with something to lift up their spirits,she started posting similar Photos on Facebook.The response Was greatly positive,and before long Mary and her squirrels became an Internet sensation.

    Growing up in a neighborhood outside State College,Mary was always fond of birds and animals around her home,but she didn't interact with people very much.She was later diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome,but the squirrels changed that.The squirrels are actually a good way to break the ice,because I'll be sitting here patting a squirrel and other people will come over and well just start like feeding the squirrels together and chatting about them,"she said."I am a lot more outgoing.

    And in case you're wondering how Mary is able to get the squirrels to do what she wants for her photos,it has a lot to do with food.For example,whenever she wants them to hold or play with something,she puts peanut butter on the prop（道具）,and they'll grab it.But getting to that part took a while.In the beginning,she would throw peanuts up the trees on campus and invite the squirrels to come down and get them,but they hesitated to approach her.She had the patience to earn their trust,though.

    This year,Mary is graduating with a degree in English and wildlife sciences.She wants to be a science writer and educate people on how to preserve the environment.As for her furry friends,Mary plans to stay in the area and visit them as often as she can.

    People who like travelling have their reasons. They believe that travelling can help them expand their field of view, especially in the geographical and historical sense. They also think that touring will give them more chances to enjoy different kinds of food and experience new things that would never be brought by other activities. But those who dislike travelling also have some reasons.

    Travelling, in my opinion, does more good than harm. Most importantly, it broadens  (使扩大) our mind. We can get in touch with other civilizations (文明), cultures, customs and ideas.

    Through history, most people travelled because of necessity (必要性)—not for pleasure. People travelled just in order to remain alive. They searched for food to eat or places to live in. They sometimes ran away from enemies. This is not to say that no one ever travelled just for the fun of it. In ancient times, for example, rich Romans travelled all the way to Greece to take part in the Olympic Games, and festivals. Of course, some people decided to travel just out of curiosity (好奇心). They wanted to find out what it looked like beyond the horizon (地平线). Also business travel has been going on for centuries. Traders could not only make money but also learn to speak several languages and be introduced to different cultures.

    So, travelling does enrich our mind and draw new ideas to us. There is no doubt that we can get much from it.

Confucius Institute

    The Confucius Institute at the University of Minnesota offers several short classes on Chinese language and culture.

    Class Fees

    The cost of classes is $225 ($170 for Chinese Rehab)

    Class Calendar

    The Confucius Institute follows the University of Minnesota semester schedule. The Confucius Institute classes start a few weeks after the start of the University semester and last for ten class sessions. Classes are not held on University holidays.

    The upcoming class sessions will be:

    Spring 2018:  February 1- April 7

    Summer 2018: June 13- August 25

    Tentative class calendar:

    The schedule may change due to teacher availability.

    Class Cancellations

    Any class not meeting minimum enrollment by four business days before the class start date will be cancelled and you will be contacted. If we must cancel a class due to insufficient enrollment or any other circumstance beyond our control, we will offer a full refund or issue credit towards another class.

    Contact Information

    The Confucius Institute is located within the University International Center on the east bank of the Twin Cities campus. The University International Center is located in the Keeler Apartment building. Enter at the corner of 17th Avenue S.E. and 4th Street through the doors located near the     “University International Center” sign.

    Office hours

    The office is generally open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. until 4: 30 p.m.

The office is closed daily from12:.00 noon until 1: 00 p. m. and is closed on all University holidays.

    Office Address

    160 University International Center, 331-17th Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55414

    Phone: 612625-5080

    Fax: 612-625-5158

    Email: confucius@umn.edu

    The British Museum is a museum dedicated to human history, art and culture, located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection, numbering some 8 million works, is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence and originates from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

    The British Museum was established in 1753, largely based on the collections of the physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. The museum first opened to the public on 15 January 1759 in Montagu House in Bloomsbury, on the site of the current museum building.

    Admission and opening times

    Free, open daily 10: 00—17: 30.

    The Museum is open every day except for 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January.

    Museum galleries are open daily 10: 00—17: 30, and most are open until 20: 30 on Fridays.

    Closing starts from 17: 20 (20: 20 on Fridays).

    Tips for your school visit

    It's a good idea to come and see the Museum before your visit. Whatever your plans, please book in advance via the Ticket Desk to make sure you get the most out of your trip.

    Booking your visit

    Contact the Ticket Desk at ＋44(0)20 7323 8181 or tickets @ britishmuseum.org

    Cancellation

    If you are not able to attend a session you must inform the Ticket Desk at least three weeks before the session date. Failure to do so may incur a charge.

    Gallery availability

    Please book at least one term in advance and wait for confirmation before making travel plans. Greek and Egyptian galleries book up quickly. Opening times of some galleries may be limited at short notice—you will be contacted if necessary.

    Access and special educational needs

    The majority of galleries and all special exhibitions are fully accessible. There is a range of facilities for visual, hearing and mobility impaired students.

    Parking

    There is little on-street parking available. The nearest car park to the Museum is located at Bloomsbury Square, WC1A 2RJ. There is limited parking in the Museum's forecourt for disabled visitors only. To make arrangements please telephone＋44 (0)20 7323 8299 at least 24 hours in advance. You will be asked to provide the registration number, make and model of your vehicle and the date of your visit.

    Support us

    Your support is vital in enabling the Museum to fulfill its mission to share its collection with the world. The British Museum relies on funding from a wide range of sources and there are many ways that you can donate to help ensure the display, care and preservation of the collection for future generations.

    Please consider supporting the British Museum today.

    Hawking died early Wednesday at his home in England at the age of 76. Throughout his career as one of the world's most recognizable cosmic(宇宙的) thinkers, he regularly threw himself into pop culture's comedic ring with cameos(客串)on programs such as The Simpsons and Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

    These appearances defined(使明确) Hawking's personal life as much as his universe-shaking theoretical work. Humor, however, was not just one side of his personality, but a key to overcoming the disease he struggled against since 1963.

    "Keeping an active mind has been vital to my survival, ashas been maintaining a sense of humor," Hawking said in a 2013 documentary. "I am probably better known for my appearances on The Simpsons and on The Big Bang Theory than I am for my scientific discoveries."

    At 21, Hawking was diagnosed with a condition similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(肌萎缩性侧索硬化症), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. According to the ALS Association, "Half of all people affected with ALS live at most three or more years after diagnosis. Twenty percent live five years or more; only ten percent will live more than ten years."

    The disease would eventually shut down Hawking's motor functions, making him speechless and unable to move without a wheelchair. Doctors initially(最初) said he would be dead in two years. His condition, however, proved to be a rare slow-acting version.

    But Hawking fought through his worse physical state, rising to a position as a celebrated professor of mathematical at the University of Cambridge and altering the popular conception of physics with his 1988 bestseller, A Brief History of Time.

    "When I turned 21, my expectations were reduced to zero," he said in a TV show. He added, "It was important that I came to appreciate what I did have. It's also important not become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can lose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."