A video recording from Xinhua (9th, Nov. 2017) showing Arabella Kushner, US President Donald Trump's granddaughter, singing Chinese songs and reciting Chinese literary classics caused another Internet sensation (轰动) in China Wednesday night.

    In the video clip, Arabella, wearing a traditional embroidered Chinese dress, greets President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan.

    The six­year­old sings two songs Our Fields, Beautiful Fields, and My Good Mom. The former, written in 1953 and adored by Chinese teenagers for decades, expresses one's love and affection for the motherland and nature. The latter is a popular nursery rhyme widespread in China.

    She also displayed knowledge about Chinese literature by reciting Three Character Classic, a Confucianist volume to educate young children, and two ancient poems of Li Bai, Watching the Fall of Lushan Mountain, and Departing from Baidi City in the Morning.

    Xi spoke highly of the child's Mandarin abilities and said her performance deserved an "A Plus". He said Arabella was already a star in China and hoped she would visit China one day.

    Numerous media websites and netizens reposted the video. It has received 2.3 million clicks on Sina Weibo, China's popular social media platform, as of press time.

    "What a talented and smart girl she is!" Weibo user Yumeiren said. "I hope she can make more contributions to fostering China­US friendship in the future."

    Earlier this year, during President Xi's visit to the United States, Arabella has already performed for the president and his wife at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 6. Standing alongside her parents, Arabella sang Jasmine, a Chinese folk song with her brother Joseph.

    Kentucky Fried Chicken has filed a lawsuit（提起诉讼） against three companies in China, because their social media accounts spread false information about its food, including that its chickens have eight legs. The case comes as the Beijing government holds an activity to clean up rumours （谣言）on social media（媒体）. Internet marketers have been accused （指控） of trying to control online opinions of their customers by posting false information about their competitors.

    In an announcement posted on its Chinese website, KFC said one of the best-known false rumours was that chickens used by the company have six wings and eight legs. It is requesting 1.5 million yuan and an official apology from each of three companies. It is also asking for an immediate stop to their activities to hurt it by spreading rumours.

    The fried chicken chain is China's biggest restaurant operator and is a kind of fast food for young people in China. It has more than 4, 600 restaurants in the country, and on average, opens a new branch every day. KFC'S China chief executive officer（行政长官）, Qu Cuirong, said that it is difficult for companies to protect their brands（品牌） against rumours because it is hard for them to collect evidence. She added, "The efforts by the government in recent years to purify（净化） the online environment have offered us much more confidence."

    The companies are Shanxi Weilukuang Technology Company, Taiyuan Zero Point Technology Company and Yingchenanzhi Success and Culture Communication in Shenzhen, south-east China. Calls to numbers listed for the companies either rang unanswered or were not available. In fact, authorities（官方） began an activity two years ago to clean up what they called online rumours. Comments in state media have argued that a clean-up is needed.

    I have never been a fan of the phrase, "No pains, no gains." I prefer the alternative version, "No pains, no pains!" When it comes to exercise, for example, I learned years ago that pushing through pain was more likely to lay me up with an aching back than to leave me feeling strong and healthy.

    But there are times when stressful situations actually do lead to greater happiness. A new study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that people who pursue (追求) goals that are tough to achieve feel more stress in the moment, but greater happiness in the aftermath particularly if they feel connected to others along the way.

    The researchers concluded that happiness increases when people develop greater competence in something and greater competence only comes when people keep on working through the stress-inducing phase of trying, fighting, and trying again to learn and grow. If the psychological needs to be autonomous or self-directed, and to be connected to others are met, the momentary stresses will be less acute, and the resulting happiness will be more lasting.

    This idea reminds me of another often quoted phrase, which I have heard in reference to challenging tasks, such as exercise —"Fill-in-the-blank-stressful-task is the worst thing to do, but the greatest thing to have done." In other words, suffering from the stress of an exercise class that leaves us feeling sweat-drenched shouldn't lead us to walk away from exercising. And if we can pass those stressful moments with a friend, colleague or family member who is trustworthy and supportive, all will be better.

    As I travel my positive path, I'm certainly not seeking out stress. But life will offer me plenty of it, whether I ask for it or not. My task is to choose wisely when and how to face it head-on, knowing that happiness awaits on the other side.

    Pablo Picasso was an amazing painter who experimented with colour and shape. Picasso wanted to find ways to paint emotions. His paintings opened people's minds and showed there were many ways to express ideas.

    Born in Spain in 1881, Picasso learned to paint at an early age because his father was a painter. At fourteen, Picasso began attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Barcelnoa. Although Picasso did well, his teacher wouldn't let him develop his own style. So he change schools. Though his new teachers praised his work, they still criticized it as being too different. Picasso made up his mind to express himself in his own way.

    Disappointed with his career in Spain, nineteen-year-old Picasso moved to Pairs, where he learned about abstract art. He started copying famous paintings so he could paint in any style. However, an important development in his own style came along when his best friend committed suicide（自杀）. Picasso was so upset that he painted only in blue and gray. He painted the poor and the disabled. This is known as his "Blue Period".

    In 1904, his painting style changed again when he fall in love with an artist's model. He began painting everything with colors of rose, red and pink. He mainly painted artists during this time, called his "Rose Period."

    Picasso's style went through style change as he began to learn African art and geometry（几何学）. Instead of painting with different colors, he used different shapes. His paintings made people surprise because they looked like they had been broken and put back together incorrectly. Everything was geometric and abstract. Picasso's new style became known as "Cubism." Cubism was so unique it became very popular.

Pablo Picasso in most remembered for his Blue, Rose, and Cubist periods. But Picasso never stopped experimenting with painting. His painting styles kept changing until his death at the age of ninety-two.

    Florida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is one of the most visited states in the country and the sunshine state attracts millions of visitors each year. Are you planning a vacation to it? Here our travel guide may help you.

    La Nouba at Walt Disney World Resort

    Duration: 90 minutes

    Location: Orlando, Florida

    While you're in Orlando, spend a day at the theme parks with a Cirque du Soleil show at Downtown Disney, La Nouba is the meeting of two different worlds—the fantastic world of the circus (马戏团) people who wear bright colors and the boring world of the people living in big cities who wear dark, lifeless clothes.

    Kennedy Space Center

    Duration: Flexible

    Location: Orlando, Florida

    Spend a day exploring the attractive Kennedy Space Center, just 45 minutes from Orlando. Learn about the history of the US space program and watch beautiful IMAX films. Don't miss the chance to walk under a Saturn V rocket, and experience a real moonwalk!

    Sea World Orlando

    Duration: Varies

    Location: Orlando, Florida

    Spend a day at Sea World Orlando and come face to face with the ocean's most attractive sea animals. With several up­close meetings with killer whales, sharks and turtles, you'll feel the energy and excitement of all kinds of sea life.

    South Beach Cultural Food and Walking Tour

    Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes

    Location: Miami, Florida

    On the South Beach Cultural Food and Walking Tour, you'll explore the Art Deco district of South Beach on foot and along the way, you'll taste a variety of foods that make South Beach such an internationally well­known food region.

    Price information：

    Click the link below to check price information on your preferred travel date. Our price is constantly updated.

    To improve Chinese on our campus, several programs will be organized. Here is some information.

    Language Partner Program

    The aim of this program is to promote Chinese language study for American students, through this program, native speakers of Chinese can help our Chinese language students, who can help students or scholars from China with their English in exchange. If interested, please contact Yuan Lu, yuan-lu-2@uiowa.edu

    The Chinese Corner

    The Chinese Corner is a non-threatening, pleasant place for faculty and students who want to practice their oral Chinese. Learners of all levels are welcome to join, since we have topics suitable for each level. At the Chinese Corner, you can make friends with Chinese students and exchange opinions on cultural issues. You will surely learn something new every time you come! We welcome whoever wants to speak Chinese.

    Contact person: Bo Sun, bo-sun@uiowa.edu

    The Chinese Host Family Program

    The purpose of this program is to help our American students to gain first-hand experience of Chinese culture, lifestyle, customs, and conventions through establishing friendship relations with Chinese families. Students who join this program will be invited by their Chinese host family to join their family activities on a regular basis. Please sign up for this program.

    Cross-University Chinese Language Performance Competition

    This competition gives students in and outside of Iowa a great opportunity to show their oral Chinese proficiency as well as their talent in performing. As many as four universities have participated in the competition, including The University of Iowa. Each university presents a set of programs, and then participants are awarded prizes at an awards ceremony.

    Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration

    The Chinese Program hosts an annual celebration for the Mid-Autumn Festival. We invite all students and faculty members to join our party. You will meet Chang'e, the goddess of the Moon, learn a beautiful Chinese legendary story and taste moon cakes as well as other Chinese food. If you know some Chinese characters, you may win a prize! Come and join us!

    For more, please see the Flyer.