When we say older people shrink,we don't mean they become tiny enough to fit in your pocket!We just mean that it's common for older people to become a little shorter over time.This kind of shrinking can't be stopped, although people can slow this process.But why does shrinking happen at all?

    Because of gravity,cushions between the bones in the spine（脊骨）get compressed（压缩）,which makes a person lose a little height and become shorter.

    Another reason why some older people shrink is because of osteoporosis（骨质疏松）.Osteoporosis occurs when bone is broken down and not enough new bone material is made.Over time,bone is said to be lost.Bones become smaller and weaker and can easily break if someone with osteoporosis is injured.

    Older people—especially women,who generally have smaller and lighter bones to begin with—are more likely to develop osteoporosis.As years go by,a person with osteoporosis can get small breaks in bones that are called compression fractures.These breaks cause collapse of the spine and over time the person with osteoporosis can become hunched over（驼背）.

    Did you know that every day you shrink a little,too?You aren't as tall at the end of the day as you are at the beginning.That's because as the day goes on,water in the disks of the spine gets compressed due to gravity,making you just a tiny bit shorter.Don't worry,though.Once you get a good night's rest,your body recovers,and the next morning,you're standing tall again!

    Smoking and drinking alcohol can make this problem worse.Want to do something right now to build strong bones?I believe what I say will help you.

    Cosmo Books Ltd.,                         14, Woodman Road,

    Hertford Estate,                            Two Bridges,

    Rickmansworth,                            West Sussex.

    Middx.                                  25^th February

Dear Sir,

    Just over six months ago, I saw an advertisement in the Morning Mail for a set of the complete works of William Shakespeare. Your company, Cosmo books Ltd., offered this set (eight books of plays and two books of poetry) at what was claimed to be a 'remarkable' price: fifteen pounds and fifty pence, including postage and packing. I had wanted a set of Shakespeare's plays and poems for some time, and these books, in red imitation leather, looked particularly attractive; so I sent for them.

    Two weeks later, the books arrived, together with a set of the complete works of Charles Dickens which I had not ordered. So I returned the Dickens books to you, with a cheque for fifteen pounds and fifty pence for the works of Shakespeare. Two more weeks passed. Then there arrived on my door step a second set of the works of Shakespeare, the same set of novels by Dickens and a six book set of the plays of Moliere, in French. Since I do not read French, these were of no use to me at all. However, I could not afford to post all these books back to you, so I wrote to you at the end of August of last year, instructing you to come and collect all the books that I did not want, and asking you not to send any other books until further notice.

    You did not reply to that letter. Instead you sent me a bill for forty two pounds, and a set of the plays of Schiller, in German. Since then, a new set of books has arrived every two weeks, the works of Goethe, the poems of Milton, the plays of Strindberg; I hardly know what I have. The books are still all in their boxes, in the garage, and my car has to stand in the rain outside.

    I have no room for any more books, and even if I read from now until the Last Judgment, I should not finish reading all the books that you have sent me.

    Please send no more books, send no more bills, send no more angry letters demanding payment. Just send one large lorry and take all the books away, leaving me only with the one set of the complete works of Shakespeare for which I have paid.

Yours faithfully,

SIMON WALKER

    ⒈Siem Reap, Cambodia

    Siem Reap is a fast-growing city with plenty of new hotels, restaurants and nightclubs. But many people are here not because of the city itself, but for the things nearby: amazingly well-preserved ancient temples. Even if you have the worst jet lag (时差反应) ever, drag yourself out of bed to be at Angkor Archaeological Park when it opens. The sunrise over Angkor Wat is worth losing sleepover.

    ⒉Rome, Italy

    Rome is a city of contrasts (差异) — where else on earth could be home to both the Vatican and La Dolce Vita? Rome is unique in that it offers a great combination of different art, culture and food. If your preference is for sports, then Rome also has a lot to offer. In terms of music and live entertainment, a lot of the most famous Italian and international artists also tend to include Rome on European and world tours.

    ⒊New York, America

    The first time you go to New York, go ahead and be a sightseer- everyone should visit the Statue of Liberty, the Met, Times Square, etc. But on a return trip, pick a neighborhood and go deep. You will find hole-in-the-wall bars, strange shops...Exploring the non-touristy side of New York is an extremely rewarding experience for a traveler.

    ⒋Istanbul, Turkey

    Europe and Asia meet in Istanbul. Throughout this energetic city, you will find centuries-old churches and markets happily coexisting (共存) with modem restaurants, galleries and nightclubs. Though no longer a capital, Istanbul is the heart of the Republic of Turkey and the financial center with a large population.

    Some parts of the garden are for the rest of the world to admire. Others are for you to disappear to when you don't want to be found. Of course, that's easy enough to arrange when you have lots of land with space for the kids to run round and cosy "garden rooms" for the adults to enjoy. But when your garden is on the small side, you might think it's a tall order. Well, you're wrong.

    To create a secret garden, people tend to take the routine: surrounding a small garden with high fences and then placing a lawn(草坪) in the middle and borders round the edge. Far from making the most of the area, that just makes it look a lot smaller and more boring. Dividing it up makes much more use of your space and means you can have your practical family area plus a secret garden.

    When you're searching for the perfect secret site within your existing set-up, consider your present favourite spot. A secret garden needs to be special—a complete contrast to the more practical family parts of the garden. Perhaps you take a folding chair down to a quiet corner that gets evening sun; maybe you sit and watch the pond or simply slip out to the patio(露台)with a glass of wine.

    It's quite easy to change an existing favourite feature into a secret place. You could top the patio with a pergola(棚架) pole and plant a grapevine for shade, or position a bench overlooking the pond and plant bamboos to screen it from the rest of the garden.

    The areas you create needn't all to be the same size—or even the same style—but if you're planning a major redesign, take your time and work it out on paper before committing time and money. Then when it's done, you'll really be able to relax and enjoy it.

    Cropping (修剪) an Image With the Snap Shot Program

    Welcome to the world of photo-editing!

    Cropping an image allows you to zero in on (对准，聚焦) just the portion that is important to your project. For example, you may want to insert an image of a covered train in a report but may not want to include the whole train. Cropping the image allows you to select only the small area you wish to retain (保留) and eliminate all other portions of the original picture.

    Option 1: Cropping by Placing the Image in a Shape

    Screen Shot 1

    Using one of Snap Shot's standard shapes as a photo-editing tool requires no special abilities to crop an image with a standard shape:

    a. Click Cropping & Orientation from the Effects menu.

    b. Click to select one of the six shapes to frame your image.

    c. Use the mouse pointer to draw a frame around the portion of the image you wish to retain. Re-size the frame by dragging the shape's sizing handles. When you are satisfied with the results, click Cut It.

    d. Snap Shot will automatically return to the project that is open. (You may also copy or cut the cropped image and paste it into another application.)

    Option 2: Freehand Cropping of an Image

    Screen Shot 2

    If you want to trace the shape of an object in order to crop out everything else, freehand cropping is the way to go. To crop an image freehand:

    a. Click Freehand Crop from the Cropping & Orientation option on the Effects menu.

    b. Using the mouse pointer, trace around the shape you want to crop. Be sure to completely enclose the image by ending at the same place you began outlining.

    c. Click Cut It. Snap Shot will automatically return to the project that is open.

    Give yourself a test. Which way is the wind blowing? How many kinds of wildflowers can be seen from your front door? If your awareness is as sharp as it could be, you'll have no trouble answering these questions.

    Most of us observed much more as children than we do as adults. A child's day is filled with fascination, newness and wonder. Curiosity gave us all a natural awareness. But distinctions that were sharp to us as children become unclear; we are numb(麻木的）to new stimulation(刺激), new ideas. Relearning the art of seeing the world around us is quite simple, although it takes practice and requires breaking some bad habits.

    The first step in awakening senses is to stop predicting what we are going to see and feel before it occurs. This blocks awareness. One chilly night when I was hiking in the Rocky Mountains with some students, I mentioned that we were going to cross a mountain stream. The students began complaining about how cold it would be. We reached the stream, and they unwillingly walked ahead. They were almost knee-deep when they realized it was a hot spring. Later they all admitted they'd felt cold water at first.

    Another block to awareness is the obsession(痴迷) many of us have with naming things. I saw bird watchers who spotted a bird, immediately looked it up in field guides, and said, a "ruby-crowned kinglet" and checked it off. They no longer paid attention to the bird and never learned what it was doing.

    The pressures of "time" and "destination" are further blocks to awareness. I encountered many hikers who were headed to a distant camp-ground with just enough time to get there before dark. It seldom occurred to them to wander a bit, to take a moment to see what's around them. I asked them what they'd seen. "Oh, a few birds," they said. They seemed bent on their destinations.

    Nature seems to unfold to people who watch and wait. Next time you take a walk, no matter where it is, take in all the sights, sounds and sensations. Wander in this frame of mind and you will open a new dimension to your life.