One early morning, I went into the living room to find my mother reading a thick book called Best Loved Poems to Read Again and Again. My interest was aroused only by the fact that the word ＂Poems＂ appeared in big, hot pink letters.

    ＂Is it good?＂ I asked her.

    ＂Yeah,＂ she answered. ＂There's one I really like and you'll like it, too.＂ I leaned forward.

    ＂‘Patty Poem,'＂ she read the title. Who is Patty? I wondered. The poem began:

    She never puts her toys away,

    Just leaves them scattered^①where they lay,…           ^①散乱的

The poem was just three short sections. The final one came quickly:

    When she grows and gathers poise^②,         ^②稳重

    I'll miss her harum-scarum^③ noise,                   ^③莽撞的

    And look in vain^④ for scattered toys.                  ^④徒劳地

And I'll be sad.

    A terrible sorrow washed over me. Whoever Patty was, she was a mean girl. Then, the shock.

    ＂It's you, honey,＂ My mother said sadly.

    To my mother, the poem revealed a parent's affection when her child grows up and leaves. To me, the ＂she＂in the poem was horror. It was my mama who would be sad. It was so terrible I burst out crying.

    ＂What's wrong?＂my mother asked.

    ＂Oh Mama,＂I cried.＂I don't want to grow up ever!＂

    She smiled.＂Honey, it's okay. You're not growing up anytime soon. And when you do, I'll still love you, okay?＂

    ＂Okay,＂I was still weeping. My panic has gone. But I could not help thinking about that silly poem. After what seemed like a safe amount of time, I read the poem again and was confused. It all fit so well together, like a puzzle. The language was simple, so simple I could plainly understand its meaning, yet it was still beautiful. I was now fascinated by the idea of poetry, words that had the power to make or break a person's world.

    I have since fallen in love with other poems, but ＂Patty Poem＂ remains my poem. After all, ＂Patty Poem＂ gave me my love for poetry not because it was the poem that lifted my spirits, but because it was the one that hurt me the most.

    Holi, also called the Festival of Colors, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India, Nepal, Bangladesh. It is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month.Holi originally was a festival to celebrate good harvests. It developed to honor a legend from the Hindu Mythology（神话）. The story focuses on a cruel king, who hated his son,Prahlada. He attempted to kill his son but failed each time. Finally, the king asked his sister Holika, who was said to be safe in fire, to get rid of his son. However, when the aunt tried to burn Prahlada, it was the prince who ended up being safe in fire while the aunt herself was burnt to death. Holi honors this event every year and huge bonfires（篝火）are burnt on the eve of Holi. The festival spreads over 16 days. During these days people often have fun and play with colored powder and water. Holi is also celebrated with exciting parades which are companied by folk songs and dances.

    The festival begins on the night of the full moon. Bonfires are lit on street corners to drive away the air of evil spirits and bad feelings, and to symbolize the destruction of bad Holika, after whom the festival was named. In the morning, the streets are filled with people running, shouting and laughing.

    At noon, the craziness comes to an end and everyone heads to either the river or the bathroom, then relaxes and enjoys candies. A tired and contented silence falls over India.

    One of the most firmly established idea of manliness is that a real man doesn't cry. Although he might shed a tear at a funeral, he is expected to quickly regain control. Sobbing openly is for girls. One study found that women cry significantly more than men do—five times as often, on average, and almost twice as long per period.

    Historically, however, men routinely wept, and no one saw it as shameful. For example, in the Middle Ages, knights cried purely because they missed their girlfriends. In The Knight of the Cart, no less a hero than Lancelot weeps at a brief separation from Guinevere. There's no mention of the men in these stories trying to restrain or hide their tears. They cry in a crowded hall with their heads held high. Nor do their companions make fun of this public crying; it's universally regarded as an admirable expression of feeling.

    So where did all the male tears go? The most obvious possibility is that this shift is the result of changes as we moved from an agricultural society to one that was urban(城市的) and industrial. In the Middle Ages, most people spent their lives among those they had known since birth. If men cried, they did so with people who would sympathize. But from the 18th to 20th centuries, the population became increasingly urbanize, and people were living in the midst of thousands of strangers. Furthermore, changes in the economy required men to work together in factories and offices where emotional expressions and even private conversations were discouraged as time wasting.

    Yet human beings weren't designed to swallow their emotions, and there's reason to believe that holding back tears can be harmful to your well-being. Research from the 1980s has suggested a relationship between stress-related illnesses and inadequate crying. Weeping is also, somewhat related with happiness and wealth. Countries where people cry the most tend to be richer and more confident.

    Mother Teresa (August 26, 1910-September 5, 1997) was a great woman, who did a lot to improve the social condition of mankind. Due to her contribution in serving the society, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize aged 69.

    She was brought up in a Catholic family. When she was only seven, she lost her father. Even as a young child, she was interested in the life of missionaries (传教士). At the age of 18, she decided that she would become a nun. She left her home and went to join the Sisters of Loreto. It was the first step that she made towards providing services for mankind.

    On the 7th of October in the year 1950, Mother Teresa received Vatican permission to start the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, the mission of which would be to take care of the needy, the homeless, and people who were shunned by the society. Then it had a number of branches all over the country. The journey of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity started with the setting up of homes for "the Dying".

    In the year 1983, Mother Teresa suffered from a serious heart attack, while she was in Rome. However, she recovered. But, later in 1989, she again got an attack. Her health went worse and in the year 1991, she suffered from pneumonia. Taking her health problems into consideration, Mother Teresa decided to resign (辞职) from the post of head of the order.

    A secret vote was conducted in which all the nuns voted for the stay of Mother Teresa except herself. So, she agreed to continue serving as head of the Missionaries of Charity. Day by day her health was getting worse. On September 5, 1997, exactly nine days after her 87th birthday, this great soul departed for heaven.

    Hawaii, 2nd Edition

    Original price: $ 22.95

    Sale price: $ 20. 95

    Summary: Hawaii is one of the world's premier(最著名的) vacation destinations, and this practical and fact- packed book shows why. Like other Traveler guides, it's a treasure of special features - walking and driving tours, in-depth Hawaiian history, a sample of the best of each island's activities, plus a selection of hotels and restaurants in every price range.

    Be the Pack Leader

    Original price: $ 25.95

    Sale price: $ 18. 95

    Summary: Bestselling author Cesar Millan takes principles of dog psychology a step further, showing you how to develop the calm energy of a successful leader and use it to improve your dog's life and your own life. With practical tips and techniques, Cesar helps you understand and read your dog's energy as well as your own energy so that you can take your connection with your dog to the next level.

    Celebrate Hanukkah

    Original price: $ 15.85

    Sale price: $7.85

    Summary: The US astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman brought a menorah(烛台) and a dreidel(陀螺)on his Space Shuttle mission in 1993. Hoffman observed the traditional spinning of the dreidel, but wisely left the menorah unlit in several thousand liters of rocket fuel. Also included is the author's sure-to-please potato pancakes' recipe.

    A New Perspective(观点) of Earth

    Original price: $26.85

    Sale price: $ 20.85

    Summary: The author Benjamin Grant describes a unique collection of satellite images of the earth that offer an unexpected look at humanity. More than 200 images of industry, agriculture, architecture and nature highlight incredible patterns while also revealing a deeper story about human influence. This extraordinary photographic journey around our planet captures the sense of wonder gained from a new, aerial point and creates a perspective of the earth as it has never been seen before.

Aptitude Tests Recommendations

Aptitude tests are helpful to job seekers of all ages. While career quizzes explore your values and work style, aptitude tests provide a more objective evaluation of your skills, helping you select a career you're most likely to succeed in. Below are some of the best aptitude tests out there.

Clifton Strengths

The Clifton Strengths program was created based on research around leadership. The research in question pointed to common strengths among successful leaders, like strategic thinking, adaptability and communication. To complete the test, you must answer around 150 questions, each within 20 seconds. Allen Cheung, a tech blogger, notes that CliftonStrengths is more valuable than your average career test because it includes "tricky questions which aren't as easily gamed".

Red BullWingfinder

Developed and tested out by psychology experts, the Red Bull Wingfinder assesses your thinking under pressure. Questions include image sorting, logic puzzles and leadership-related questions. Once you complete the test, you'll receive a nine-page report and career coaching tailored to your results.

SEI Development Report

The SEI Development Report is an extensive EQ aptitude test that has timed right-and-wrong answers that assess eight fundamentals, including emotional literacy, emotional management and empathy. At the end, you'll receive a 20-page report with recommended courses on workplace EQ development.

CareerOneStop

While it only takes a few minutes to complete, the CareerOneStop Skills Assessment will help you rank both your technical and soft skills. The career suggestions at the end can be sorted by relevance, annual wages, and job outlook, coupled with with professional coaching or consultation improve your skills.