Here comes a story that many years ago a man arrived at a village in India to catch monkeys so he could sell them to zoos. The monkeys, however, were very clever and every sort of trap he set failed. A young boy watched the man's pathetic efforts and laughed.

    The man said, “If you can catch me a monkey, I'll give you $ 2.” That was a huge amount of money then.

    The boy went to his home and took a clay pot with a narrow neck. He placed a few nuts around the pot and put lots of nuts inside. He then tied the pot to a tree and told the man, “We should have a rest in a few hours. Let's wait in the village. The monkey will call us when he is ready.”

    Certainly enough, a band of monkeys soon discovered the nuts and the pot. One slipped his hand in the pot and grabbed a handful of nuts, but he couldn't pull his hand out of the narrow opening of the pot because his fist(拳头) was clenched. The monkey feared and started making loud noises. Some of the other monkeys tried unsuccessfully to pull the pot off his hand.

    The boy and the man heard the noises and the boy got a big strong bag. As they approached the monkeys they all ran away except the one with its hand in the pot. The boy grabbed the monkey and the pot. The man was amazed and asked the boy the secret of his monkey trap, “Why was it so easy for the monkey to get his hand in but so hard to get it out?”

    The boy laughed and said, “The monkey could have easily got his hand back out and escaped, but he would have had to let go of the nuts in the pot and he just wasn't willing to let go. They never are.”

    What lessons can be learned from this story? Do people sometimes trap themselves by holding onto things that they should let go? Do you?

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    What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt? Or is it the look on the recipient's face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?

    This Christmas I was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming, and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.

    I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and typed the poem on top of it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; my dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it. The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. The image was painted with blues and greens and purples, twisting together to create the theme and wonder of a dream. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the white paper coloring with words that shaped my childhood, I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate.

    Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad's face as he unwrapped those swirling black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.

    Internet slang refers to a variety of slang languages used by different people on the Internet. It is difficult to provide a standardized definition of Internet slang due to the constant changes made to its nature. However, it can be understood to be a type of slang that Internet users have popularized, and in many cases, have coined. Such terms often begin with the purpose of saving keystrokes or to compensate(补偿)for small character limits. Internet slang consists of a number of different ways of speaking, sub-languages, expressions, spelling techniques and idioms that have obtained most of their meaning on the Internet.

    Love it or hate it, there is no escape from Internet slang. It has become popular among the teenagers. Just like US teenagers use “LOL”(laugh out loud) when commenting on a funny video, China's post-00s generation, a group born between 2000 and 2009, like to use “XSWL” (laughing my head off). Acronyms(首字母缩略词) and shortened expressions may be popular as they offer shorter ways of communicating. For teenagers, they could also allow them to communicate in their own way.

    Understanding the most common acronyms and texting symbols can help to decode and decipher any text message, email or instant message online. Here are some of the most popular symbols, abbreviations, and acronyms you are likely to stumble upon when texting or receiving messages and chatting on line. OMG: Oh my God; BRT: Be right there; TTYL: Talk to you later; JK: Just kidding; G2G: Got to go; NMU: Not much, you? RBAY: Right back at you; IDC: I don't care.

    Some people think that Internet slang affects the language negatively. However, Melbourne University linguist Rosey Billington doesn't agree.

    “When you are able to use language in a creative way, you show you are linguistically knowledgeable because you know the language rules well enough to use words in a different way.”Billington told News.com. Au .Her view is supported by two linguists, Lauren Spradlin and Taylor Jones.

    Jim Denevan is an amazing artist whose work is admired by all, but owned by none — that's because all of Jim's art is created on an unusual canvas(画布)— the soft sand. He sometimes spends days working on a piece, only to see it washed away by the sea or a storm and that is just the way he likes it.

    Denevan discovered his artistic talents about ten years ago, when he was wandering aimlessly on the beach with a stick. He ended up drawing a 12-foot-long fish. Since then, Jim has traveled over 1,800 miles while creating over 600 pieces of sand art.

    Over the years, his drawings have become bigger, but the tools he uses haven't changed — All he needs is a stick, a garden rake (耙子)and most importantly, his lively imagination!

    Just like any good artist, Jim is quite particular about the "quality" of his canvas, sometimes walking for miles, looking for perfect sand. His latest piece of work, which is also the world's largest freelance (自由职业的)drawing, was created in the desert sand of Nevada. It took Jim three trips, eight days and over 100 miles of walking to create this 3-mile work of art. It took the storm just one night to destroy it! However, Jim says he actually enjoys watching the waves or rain, wash his paintings away.

    Jim's art has become very popular over the years and was even the topic of a documentary named "Sandman" in 2015. Jim Denevan is not just about art in the sand — he is also an excellent chef and founder of an organization called "Outstanding in the Field", whose mottois to celebrate food at its source. Accordingly, group dining events are held outdoors on farms, with the diners being treated to a delicious meal. The events, which are held in different farms throughout America, are always sold out the minute the schedule is announced.

    When French students go to school, they have to leave one of their most prized possessions at home — their smartphones. French lawmakers passed a law on July 31, 2018, banning students 15 and under from bringing smartphones and tablets to school, or at least requiring they be turned off at school. Officials in support of the new rule described the policy as a way to protect children from addictive habits and to safeguard the sanctity of the classroom.

    "We know there is a phenomenon of screen addiction," education minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said. "Our main role is to protect students. It is a fundamental role of education, and this law allows it."

    The law, however, makes exceptions for educational use, after-school activities and for students with disabilities. French high schools can choose to force a less-strict ban on Internet- connected devices.

    Even before the new policy was voted in, French law carried out in 2010 prohibited students from using their phones while class was in session. But during the 2017 French presidential election, Emmanuel Macron promised to force a school ban on phones entirely.

    This isn't the first French law designed to beat back the influences of digital technology in everyday life. In 2017 the government passed a law requiring French companies to draft rules that limited work emails and work-related technology outside the office. Referred to as the "right to disconnect," French officials said the law aimed to reduce job-related stress and prevent employee burnout.

    "Employees physically leave the office, but they do not leave their work. They remain attached by a kind of electronic tie," said Benoît Hamon, former French education minister. "The texts, the messages, the emails: they control the life of the individual to the point where he or she eventually breaks down."

Dear Mary,

How are you? I saw you posted some wonderful photos of the coastline near your hometown. You're really getting into your photography! Right now I'm taking a break to write you an email.

Remember you said you'd like to come over to the UK sometime this year? Well, I was thinking that this year you might like to come to the Edinburgh Festival with me in August. I've got an aunt with a flat in the city center who could put us up.

Do you know much about the festival? It's very famous — the biggest, most popular arts festival in the world! There are lots of things going on — art exhibitions, concerts of all kinds, modern dance, a book festival, etc. The thing it's most famous for is the newest and most exciting theatre. People come from all over the world and perform in their own languages.

In Scotland you have the best of both worlds: culture and wild land. After the festival, we could hire a car and go up to some of the islands off the west coast, like Skye. The weather can be changeable in August, but the landscape is beautiful, with empty beaches and rocky mountains. It's the perfect place for you to take photos. Afterwards, we could head back to the east coast and visit my friend Rob in St. Andrews. It's really pretty and Rob's enjoyable to be with. You'd get on well with him.

So, why don't you have a think about it and then get back to me? Take your time, there's no rush.

Speak to you soon.

Yours,

Sophie