Don't talk to me; I'm busy with my iPhone

    Riding a London subway, a person from China will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other. In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times. That's not rudeness—people are just too busy to bother looking.

    Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they're certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet reflection, nor are they reading a book. New technology has replaced quiet habits. Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book.

Apple company must earn a fortune from London commuters. Since the iPhone was put on market in 2007, over 40,000 — yes, that's 40,000 “apps” (programs downloaded for the iPhone) have been designed.

    Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers. One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination. ISteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone. You can then write in the “steam” on your phone screen.

For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be another choice. It's not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music — iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.

    And if games, e-books and music aren't enough to keep you occupied. Then perhaps you would prefer a film. The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV show or film on the way to work. With all this entertainments, it's amazing that people still remember to get off the train.

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    In our daily life, it is necessary to make small talk in some situations. It helps to fill time between people when it is very quiet. You may not feel like talking with someone else or you are very shy at the beginning, but it is sometimes thought to be not polite to say nothing.

    People use small talk almost every day. It usually takes place when you meet someone you don't know at all or someone you're not familiar with. For example, waiters and hairdressers often make small talk with their customers（顾客）. If you happen to be outside when the postman comes to your door, you might make small talk with him, too.

    Most often, small talk happens in places where people are waiting for something. For example, you might talk with another person who is waiting for the bus to arrive. People also make small talk in a doctor's waiting room, or when they are waiting in a line to buy something. At the office, people make small talk in lunch rooms, especially if there is a line-up. Mingling is often required（要求）among people who don't know each other very well at a party. That is to say, they are expected to walk around and talk with others.

    The most common time for small talk to happen is the first time you see or meet someone on a given day. For example, if you see a neighbor in the waiting room of the airport you might say hello and discuss the sports or weather. However, the next time you see each other you might just smile and say nothing. If there is very little noise, it might be the right time to start a pleasant conversation. If someone is reading a book at the bus stop, it is probably not a good idea to start a conversation. Another good time to make small talk is during a break in a meeting when there is nothing important going on. However, it is important to recognize the signal when the other person wants the conversation to stop.

    Last Saturday on the way to the mall, two children, a boy and a girl, came running towards me with bottles on their hands, asking if I wanted bottled water. It was a surprising gesture. I was wondering if they were doing fund-raising. I knelt and asked them where their parents were and how much a bottle of water cost. Then two adult women came up to me explaining what the children were doing. “We are teaching the children to give without anything in return. We are teaching people to accept without giving in return. ”

    Two mothers had bought bottled water and placed a sticker(小贴纸)on all bottles with five different quotes(引述):

    ⒈Smile at everyone. You'll never know when someone may need it.

    ⒉If Plan A does not work, there are 25 more letters in the alphabets.

    ⒊Have a thirst for life. Every day is filled with possibilities.

    ⒋In your thirst for knowledge, be sure you don't drown in all the information.

    ⒌Dig your well before you're thirsty.

    The bottle I have has quoted No.5. A sudden change of attitude opened up between me, the mothers and the children. We are no longer strangers to each other. We were having such a great time chatting and I ended up helping them give away the rest of the bottled water.

    One young lady was so thankful that she happily accepted the water and said it was the best thing that happened to her all day since she had a bad day at work. A man refused and walked away saying “No, thanks”. A couple kept on bowing to us in gratitude. When it was all done, the children and I were giving each other high-five. It was so much fun. I think I had more fun doing this than the mothers and the children.

    Travel is fun and exciting, but it's not if you get sick. You may think, “Not me, I won't get sick on my vacation. ”But for many people, that is what happens.

    A vacation is supposed to be a time for relaxing. But very often it is not.  “What can I do when I am a tourist?” This is what we should often think about.  Usually there are so many places to visit： museums, shops, parks and churches. You may spend most days walking around these places. This can be very tiring. Your feet may hurt.  And you may have a terrible headache after a few hours. If this is what you feel, you should take a rest. Don't ask your body to do too much. A tired body means a weak body. And a weak body can make you get sick easily. Just sit down for a few hours in a nice spot. In good weather, look for a quiet park bench. Or you can rest at a café. You can learn a lot by watching people when you have a rest.

    Sleep is also important. If you want to stay healthy you need enough sleep.  You may have trouble sleeping at night when you travel. Your hotel room may be noisy, or the bed may be uncomfortable.  If that is true, don't be afraid to change rooms or hotels. You may not get enough sleep for another reason. You may want to stay out late at night. In many cities the night life can be very exciting. Then you should plan to sleep for an hour during the day. That extra hour can make a big difference.

    Finally, if you want to stay healthy, you must eat well. That means eating the right kinds of foods. Your body needs fresh fruit and vegetables, and some meat, milk or cheese. When you are in a new country you may want to try new foods but you need to be careful about how much you eat. Lots of rich food is not very good for you.

    There aren't many actors around the world who have enough self confidence to turn down an offer from Steven Spielberg. Maybe that was why Juliette Binoche gave him a choice. She said she'd be happy to be in Jurassic Park as long as she could play a dinosaur. Of course he turned her down and it was probably a good thing. It's difficult to imagine Juliette ripping people apart with her teeth. However, her decision doesn't seem to have done her career any harm. She has gone on to make a string of hits, including The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The English Patient (for which she won an Oscar) and Chocolat.

    Success in the United States has not been so easy for other foreign stars. Gerald Depardieu is a good example. Since his first film in 1967, his filmography (影片集锦) lists 172 acting credits. But he has struggled on the other side of the pond. While some of his films have been popular in the US, they have usually been French films that travelled. One possible exception was Green Card, directed by Peter Weir, where he plays a French immigrant who goes through a fake wedding in order to stay and work in the United States. This is a predictable but sweet romantic comedy which typecasts (分配同一类型角色) its lead actors in terms of national stereotypes. While some reviewers were kind, others shredded both the film and Depardieu's performance.

    While Monsieur Depardieu hasn't received the recognition he would have liked in the United States, one Mexican actor has achieved almost instant success. Gael Garcia Bernal first gained recognition in Amores Perros in 2000 and a year later in Y tu mama tambien. Since then he has appeared with hometown hero, Brad Pitt in Babel and, under the direction of top producer and director, Jim Jarmusch, he starred in Limits of Control. He hasn't picked up an Oscar yet, but he was nominated for a BAFTA (英国电影电视艺术学院奖) in 2005 for his performance as the South American hero revolutionary Che Guevara, in Motorcycle Diaries. In the same year he played American music icon Elvis Presley in The King.

    After the examination, the doctor told my parents my sight would get worse and that I would lose my sight finally. On the way home from hospital, no one said a word. One day, would I only imagine the scenery beyond the glass rather than see it?

    That September, I entered middle school. Most nights I had homework that included an armful of books to read. To keep up with other children, I took great trouble to finish the task. With my nose a couple of inches from the page, I was tired easily. What's worse, after I had read several pages on my own, the words slipped off the page into inky pools.

    However, then I did not have audio books and electronic devices like kids do now. Instead, Mom volunteered to read out loud. Mom worked part time, cleaned the house, cooked and spent time with Grandma. In spite of being so busy, she showed up in my room like clockwork. She put on her reading glasses. Mom always thought those glasses made her look old. To me, she looked like a teacher.

    In my room, Mom's voice compared with the ticking of the clock. Being forced to focus on listening, I found a way to keep my marks up and compete with the other kids. When the teacher asked a question, I raised my hand with confidence. Teachers praised me for having a good memory. Reading removed my fear for my failing sight, reading also made me curious about other people's challenges and how they managed. Though I could not use my eyes to fix on each passage, my mind lit up with every new book.

    True to what the doctor said, the worst came, but thanks to Mom, my sense of hearing now allows me to “see”. This was the most precious gift from a mother to her child.