My grandfather grew up in war-torn Europe. When German soldiers occupied his hometown, the thriving city of Tarow, Poland, he refused to obey them and eventually joined the Soviet army to fight for his country's freedom. “Stand straight, stand tall,” he told himself.

    After the war, in 1947, he boarded a boat for Manhattan. He was hungry and suffering from seasickness. All alone in a new country, he was frightened about his future. Still, he marched head-on into the hustle of the streets of New York. Soon he met other European immigrants, each of them trying to find his or her own way. If they could do it, why couldn't he? “Stand straight, stand tall,” he would remind himself.

    Thanks to the help of a loyal and trusting friend, my grandfather gained a jewelry booth on Canal Street, New York City. He once told me how nervous he was on that first day of work. He was not only trying to learn this tough new business, but also a new language.

    To his surprise, the men in neighboring booths－who could have taken advantage of him－offered their help and advice. Within months, my grandfather was commanding his spot behind the counter, selling diamonds and cultured pearls as if he'd been doing it his whole life.

    Stand straight and stand tall.

    In later years, my grandfather would take both my mother and her sister down the aisle at their weddings. As he stood with each of them, he thought about their new beginnings, and of the adventures and journeys they would experience together. He also thought about the children who would one day carry on his family name.

    I am so proud to be one of those children. Listening to my grandfather's remarkable experiences has changed the way I view my own life.

Most young people enjoy some form of physical activity. It may be walking, cycling or swimming, or winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some form—football, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.

    Those who have a passion for climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with surprise. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks on high mountains? This astonishment is caused, probably, by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.

    Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no man-made rules, as others, as there are for such games as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of a different kinds which would be dangerous to ignore, but it is this freedom from man-made rules that makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.

    If we compare mountaineering with other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team game”. We should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “matches” between “teams” of climbers, but when climbers are on a rock face linked by a rope on which their lives may depend, there is obviously teamwork.

    The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. His sport requires high mental and physical qualities.

    A mountain climber continues to improve in skill year after year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty. But it is not unusual for men of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they perhaps climb with more skill and less waste of efforts, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.

    Every year from March to October, Christian Moullec, also known as "Birdman," takes to the skies aboard his adapted light aircraft. However, the 58-year-old Frenchman's daily 30-minute flight is not just to enjoy the impressive views, but to guide flocks (鸟群) of lesser white-fronted geese (小白额雁) through safe migration paths which the birds can teach future generations.

    His deed began in 1995 when he noticed their declining population in the wilds of Lapland, Sweden. To prevent their numbers from dropping further, Moullec tried to get the threatened species to follow him along migration routes that would protect them from bird hunters.

    However, getting grown geese to follow his lead proved challenging. As young geese imitate and follow whomever they view as their parent, Moullec decided to raise the geese from birth.

    To help raise funds and awareness of his job to protect not just the geese but birds worldwide, Moullec often allows paying tourists to join him on the 30-minute-long flights aboard his aircraft. In addition to the trained birds flying alongside them, visitors, who come from as far as a 15-hour plane flight away, are treated to a variety of crane and geese species as well as breathtaking views of castles and cities.

    He often brings his camera along for the flights, capturing photos not just for their beauty, but for what they describe. Moullec believes the use of agricultural chemicals has done harm to wild European birds, with more than a third disappearing in the last 30 years. "It's a disaster," he said. "My beautiful images with flying birds should be used to tell this story."

The Art Institute of Chicago

    Visiting time

    The museum is open daily 10:30 am-5:00 pm. The museum and its shops are closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

    Highlights of the Art Institute

    American Art

    Discover how artists have expressed the many aspects of the American experience through the rich variety of this collection. This tour might include the works of artists like Paul Revere, Winslow Homer, and Georgia O'Keeffe.

    Impressionism: Monet, Degas, Renoir and More

    Learn about the color and excitement of late 19th-century life as you view one of the most admired collections of French Impressionism in the world.

    Hidden Histories

    Hear stories about artists and their artworks that may be overlooked or under-appreciated for one reason or another  These could be very small or out-of-the-way works.

    For families with children

    With free admission for kids under 14 and Chicago teens under 18, the Art Institute is the perfect place for a creative outing with the whole family.

    Visit the Family Room in the Ryan Education Center, and introduce your children to the museum's collections with a variety of activities. Assemble (组装)puzzles based on masterpieces in the museum, build architectural wonders with colorful blocks, and learn about art through stories and games. Food is available at an on-site cafe. (Outside food is not allowed to be brought in.)

Dear Max,

It must seem a little odd to get a letter from your own mother who m you see every day, but I hope you will read this and take what I have to say seriously. 

I bought you a phone for your 12th birthday because you wanted one so much, and all your friends have one. I know you love your phone, but I wonder whether you are aware of just how much you use it. 

From my perspective, it seems that you are constantly checking your phone for notifications（通知） or messages. You even do this when we're having a family meal in a restaurant or when I'm talking to you. You may not realise this, but whenever you feel even slightly bored, you check your phone. You never seem to relax. You're constantly on alert, and I don't think this is very good for you. We all need to switch it off every now and then. And if I ask you to leave your phone at home when we go out, you sulk（生气） and get twitchy, almost as if you're suffering withdrawal symptoms（戒断症状）. It's like your phone is a drug.

I have tried to talk to you about this, but whenever I ask you to put down your phone and look at me, you say "in a minute". Unfortunately, "in a minute" never comes, and we never talk. I can't actually remember the last time we had a proper face-to-face conversation. I even have to message you to let you know dinner is on the table! That's why I decided to put my concerns in a letter to you.

Please don't think I am writing this letter to punish you or to nag（唠叨） you. I know you are a good boy. I don't think you want to hurt me or be rude intentionally. However, I recently heard about something called "nomophobia"—the fear of being without a phone. It's a real illness and I'm worried whether you have it. I really think it would be a good idea if we all went to see an addiction expert together so we can all have a discussion about this serious problem. I know you won't want to, but I'm very concerned about you. Please take some time to think about what I have written. Then let's talk.

Mum, 

If you want to travel around London, this introduction may let you have a good journey during your travelling time.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is a bascule(悬索) bridge in London, UK. It crosses the River Thames and is named because it's near the Tower of London. It's the first bridge from the mouth of the Thames (there are 15 bridges on the river). It's also a symbol of London. The bridge was built in 1886 and opened to the public on June 30, 1894, connecting the north and south areas of London.

St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Cathedral is a landmark in London and the largest church in the UK. Known for its milky-white Baroque tower top, it's a great place to view London. After the 1666 fire, it was redesigned by Christopher Wren and took 35 years to complete. The interior is magnificent. There's a Whispering Gallery and many famous tombstones. It's a representative of British classical architecture.

Big Ben

Big Ben, a London landmark in the Parliament clock tower by the Thames, has kept time since 1859. A must-photo spot, it's grand and complex. After renovation, it's still a British pride and cultural symbol. People gather here on New Year's for fireworks.