More over smart phone, the intelligent watch is about to take your spot as the latest hi­tech current, allowing wearers to glance at messages and even take calls without touching their phones. The i'm Watch, available since 2011, is the flagship product of an Italian company—i'm. This smart watch is an assist to the smart phone, with which it can communicate by Bluetooth wireless technology. It means you can leave your phone in your pocket as you answer or reject a call, review e­mails or read updates from friends on Twitter or Facebook.

    The i'm Watch also has its own applications, such as i'm Sport, which links with a heart rate detector (检测器) to allow a runner to check his pulse. Such functions already exist in specialized sports watches but not on watches that are linked to smart phones.

    With a square shape, a 3.8­centimeter touch screen and various colors, the i'm Watch sells for a minimum of 300 Euros ($390) for the basic model and prices climb to 16 000 Euros for a luxury model in silver or decorated with diamonds.

    So far, the watch has already found 30 000 buyers, 80 percent of whom are men aged 25 to 50. “Seventy percent are iPhone users, 25 percent Samsung and the rest are other telephones using Google's Android operating system，” said Massimiliano Bertolini, a manager of the company, which aims to sell more than 200 000 watches this year. The company's target market is the person who is always glued to his smart phone, even in meetings or at the movies, or people who wish to keep an eye on their heartbeat during exercise. They will especially target women with advertisements emphasizing its design rather than its technology.

    A recent study by Citi Retail Services found that a growing number of people are embracing digital wallets or e-wallets, due in large part to their convenience and ease of use.

    E-wallets have been called the future of real-world payment technology.With major players like Alipay,WeChat and Apple Pay becoming popular,it seems to be a safe bet that a change in consumer payment technology is coming soon.

    CNN reporter Paul Ripley experienced a day in Beijing without his wallet."In China's largest cities, you can definitely survive without carrying a pocket full of cash and credit cards-as long as you've got your smartphone."He paid for breakfast by scanning a QR code on the window of a hole-in-the-wall restaurant.All he had to do was to enter a password and the transaction was complete.

    Unlike the situations in the US and other countries,"China doesn't have a really money-making credit card system, so Chinese people just skipped credit cards and went straight to mobile payments."Gu Yu,co-founder of the new payment app Mileslife,told CNN.He also pointed out the advantages of mobile payments."No coins or bills that can be lost or stolen. electronic receipts, the ease of keeping rack of spending-and of course,no wallet taking up space."he said.

    However, if we want to make e-wallets a mainstream trend a lot of things will have to change over the coming years.Perhaps one of the most important things that need to be changed is how people regard e-wallets.Linda Barrabee,research director for NPD Connected Intelligence, said in a statement."In order to promote on-the-go consumer transactions and commerce, wireless carriers, credit card companies, and e-commerce companies need to make sure the process is convenient,simple,and secure for consumers."

    Many people believe that language belongs to human beings. However, cats have developed a language not for each other, but for the human beings who have them as pets.

    When communicating with each other, cats “talk” with a system of signals. Their tails, rather than any kind of “speech”, act as an important way to express themselves. They also touch each other to express s their feelings. With other cats, they will use their voices only to express pain. Unbelievable, all of that changes when a human walks into the room. Cats use many different kinds of vocal (声音的) expressions when they communicate with a person. Since these vocal expressions are not used to communicate with other cats, it seems that cats developed this “language” to communicate with their human owners.

    This fact is shown more clearly when watching rooms that have only one cat and those with several cats. An only cat is usually very vocal, since the only creature(动物)around with whom the cat can communicate is its owner. Cats with other cats, though, are much quieter. If they want to have a conversation, they only need go to other cats and communicate in their natural way.

    Since cats learned to meow(喵喵叫)for the only purpose of communicating with human owners should take the time to learn what their different meows mean. If an owner knows, to name just a few examples, which meow means the cat is hungry, which means the cat wants to be petted, and which means the cat wants to have a little “conversation”, the relationship between cat and owner will be closer.

    Happy Shakespeare Day!

    The 23rd April is World Book Day, but did you know that it is also Shakespeare Day? Everybody has heard of Shakespeare, but do you know many plays he wrote? Have you heard of many of his poetry?

    Shakespeare's plays fit into three categories: tragedies, comedies and histories. Perhaps his most famous play is the tragedy story of Romeo and Juliet, which deals with two young lovers who are forbidden to marry by their parents. Other tragedies include Hamlet, a play about a vengeful ghost Othello, about an army general who is manipulated(操纵) into killing his wife, and Macbeth(麦克白). If you've seen Harry Potterandthe Prisoner of Azkaban written which is sung in the Great Hall after the Sorting Ceremony. These words come from the Witches in Macbeth!

    Shakespeare's comedies include Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night is a play about confusing identities. Two twins are shipwrecked and the sister, Viola, dresses up as her brother, Sebastian, who she thinks is dead. It's hilarious, because the brother reappears without Viola realizing and there's a big love triangle going on: Viola is in love with the Duke Osino, who is in love with Olivia, who falls in love with Sebastian, except she doesn't realize that Sebastian is actually Viola dressed up! Everybody falls in love with the wrong person, but it is all made right in the end.

    The history plays, such as Antony and Cleopatra, Richard III and Henry V are based on the lives of real historical people. Antony and Cleopatra is a story about a doomed romance in ancient Egypt. Cleopatra becomes Antony's mistress and Antony becomes so obsessed with her that he loses his military might. Cleopatra kills self by letting a snake bite her after Egypt's army has been defeated by Octavius and Antony kills himself too.

    Shakespeare's plays can be very heavy going sometimes. Some of the themes they deal with are heavy and complex, so they almost always contain a lighter subplot with characters who aren't closely linked to the characters in the main plot. They are often used in tragedies to lighten the mood of the play and to keep the audience interested in the main plot.

    Tibetan people are friendly and easy to get along with. However, Tibetans have different ways of behavior in many aspects due to their unique culture and religion. Be sure to respect local customs and be polite.

    Don't enter a monastery without permission. Don't smoke in monasteries. Don't touch Buddha statues, religious objects or prayer flags. Walk around monasteries (寺院), temples, dagobas, Mongolian cairns (Mani piles) and other religious structures in clockwise order with the exception of the Bon sites.

    Don t step on the threshold when entering a tent, house, or monastery. Don't touch the head of a Tibetan. The head is considered as a sacred part of the body. Remember to cross your legs when you are asked to have a seat. Don't stretch your legs with feet pointing to others.

    Don't drive away or hurt eagles. Eagles are considered holy birds in the hearts of Tibetan people. Don't disturb or injure cows or sheep with red, green or yellow ribbons because they are Tibetan sacrifice to worship gods.

    Don't take photos without permission. You'd better ask for permission before taking pictures of Tibetan people. Most Tibetan monasteries are not allowed to take pictures or you need to pay.

    Tibetan people are getting more used to habits of foreigners and being more tolerant due to rapidly developing tourism in Tibet. However, we still hope you can show respect to Tibetan traditions and behave well since their unique lifestyle is part of the charm of Tibet.

Washington, D.C. Bicycle Tours

Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.

    Duration Tour

    This small group bike tour is a fantastic way to see a world-famous cherry trees with beautiful flowers of Washington, D.C. Your guide will provide a history lesson about the trees and the famous monuments where they blossom. Reserve your spot before availability — the cherry blossoms—disappear!

Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour

    Duration: 3 hours (4 miles)

    Join a guided bike tour and view some of the most popular monuments in Washington, D.C. Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall as your guide shares unique facts and history at each stop. Guided tour includes bike, helmet, cookies and bottled water.

Capital City Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.

    Duration: 3 hours

    Morning or Afternoon, this bike tour is the perfect tour for D.C. newcomers and locals looking to experience Washington, D.C.in a healthy way with minimum effort. Knowledgeable guides will entertain you with the most, interesting stories about Presidents, Congress, memorials, and parks. Comfortable bikes and a smooth tour route(路线)make cycling between the sites fun and relaxing.

Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour

    Duration: 3 hours(7miles)

    Join a small group bike tour for an evening of exploration in the heart of Washington, D.C. Get up close to the monuments and memorials as you bike the sites of Capitol Hill and the National Mall. Frequent stops are made for photo taking as your guide offers unique facts and history. Tour includes bike, helmet, and bottled water. All riders are equipped with reflective vests and safety lights.