The Rugby (英式橄榄球) World Cup is currently being held in New Zealand. The tournament, due to finish on October 23, is living up to the famous English saying, “Rugby is a thug's (暴徒) game played gentlemen. ”

    The games are physically aggressive; the tackles (冲撞) on the pitch are brutal; but the end of each match is a civilized affair. Players shake hands and applaud each other. Of course, the other side to this saying is: "Football is a gentleman's game played by thugs. " Indeed, unlike soccer players, rugby players don't often question the referee's (裁判员) decisions or pretend to be injured when they are not.

    “Football could learn a lot from rugby," said Brian Moore, a former England rugby player "The wonderful spirit of rugby is: there is a gentlemanly code to it. You play hard on the pitch, but you always respect your opponent..

    Rugby is mainly played in Europe. Australia, New Zealand and parts of Africa. "It is more enjoyable to play than soccer because you are always involved in the game," said Peter, a Welsh rugby coach. "Rugby is also a far superior test of strength, stamina (耐力) and determination. "

    Most professional rugby players are large, strong and weigh over 90 kilograms. People who play the sport need to be tough and be prepared to get hurt. Black eyes, broken bones, lost teeth and being knocked unconscious—all these are common injuries. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is blind in one eye thanks to a rugby accident at school.

    In England, children begin playing the game at school at the age of 8. When they enter high school, many begin to play full contact rugby. Children are taught to play for around one hour a week during their PE lessons. Most schools have a rugby team. Children who play for the school team are usually the sportiest kids, and are seen as brave and athletic.

    A MENTORING (导师制) program is giving life changing opportunities to Banbury youth.

    Young Inspirations was founded two years ago to provide mentoring sessions for students and unemployed young adults aged 11 to 21.

    Alex Goldberg, the program's founder, said; "We set up Young Inspirations because we wanted to give young people experiences which will potentially be life changing and broaden their outlook.

    "We try to create work experience opportunities that will really make a difference to our youth. For example, we've secured internships (实习) with world-famous firms such as Honda.

    "At a time of funding cutbacks where schools are finding it more and more difficult to offer this kind of mentoring, it is extremely important that these opportunities are available both to help youth with their school work and grades and to give them opportunities which may help shape their futures. " Kieran Hepburn, 14, is one of a group of Banbury youth who has benefited from the program so far. In October the Banbury School pupil was accompanied by Young Inspirations staff to Paris where he was an observer at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) International Youth Forum (论坛).

    The event was held for young people from around the world, to seek their views on how the future of youth and education should look. Kieran joined several hundred observers mostly in their 20s and was the only UK school pupil to attend the event. Kieran thinks the trip was a life changing experience. " Before we left I didn't quite know what to make of it but when we got there we didn't stop, it was amazing," he said, " We went to three or four hours of debates each day and then did something cultural each afternoon. "

    The main theme of the forum was how youth can drive change in political and public life. It dealt with issues (问题) such as drug abuse, violence and unemployment.

    Kieran said: " It has really helped me to improve my confidence and social skills as well as my school grades and I was voted most improved pupil at school in August. "

    The Young Inspirations mentoring sessions take place each Friday in Banbury. For details visit www.younginspirations.com.

    How do I book a place on Airbnb?

    When you book a place on Airbnb, you are making arrangements to stay in Someone's home. Each host has their own style of hospitality, starting with how. They like to get to know their guests. Some hosts want to approve reservations, while others are comfortable letting you book their place instantly without waiting for approval.

    ⒈Complete Your Personal Details

    In either case, it's important to know that Airbnb is a community that relies on trust. Complete your personal details before you request a reservation with a host, so they can know a little bit about you when they confirm. Your personal details should include photos and verifications (证明）, especially because some hosts require guests to have a profile photo and verified ID in order to book.

    ⒉Find the Right Place

    With over 800,000 unique listings around the world, you'll want to make sure the place you choose has everything you need for a comfortable and memorable trip. When searching for a place, make sure to include your dates and number of guests to get the most accurate pricing. Read reviews, descriptions, house rules, and facilities for each place to see if it's the right fit for your trip. You can always contact the host if you have any questions about their home.

    ⒊Book It!

    You've found the perfect place, and now it's time to make it official. This is where the host's preferred way of booking will determine how you'll confirm your reservation.

    Instant Book

    For hosts who don't want to approve each reservation, you'll see a button on their listing that says Instant Book. Like the name suggests, you can confirm a reservation at these places right away.

    Request to Book

    Many hosts prefer to approve reservations before they're final. In this case, you'll see a button on their listing that says Request to Book. To submit a reservation request, you'll need to enter your payment details.

    Hosts have 24 hours to accept your request, and your reservation is automatically confirmed once they do.

    Pre-approvals and Special Offers

    If you decide to contact the host to ask questions before attempting to book, the host may respond to your message by inviting you to make a reservation with either a Pre-approval or a Special Offer. A Pre-approval is an invitation to finish booking for the dates and number of guests you noted in your message. A Special Offer gives the host the opportunity to provide special pricing, dates, and other reservation details before you book.

    Did you know that, in 2016, over 18 million people attended classical concerts in Germany? That's more people than those who went to main league football matches! Earlier this year, Germany continued its celebration of classical music with the opening of a new concert hall in the heart of Hamburg. Germans are incredibly proud of it and it's the first thing I show to my friends when they come to visit.

    Known as the 'Elphi' by the locals, the Elbphilharmonie is a beautiful tower of glittering glass sitting atop an old warehouse by the banks of the river Elbe. The plaza(露天广场)is open to the public an from the middle of the city's tallest building, you can gaze across the harbour, miles of rooftops and passing ships below.

    The main concert hall seats over 2000 people and is one of the most advanced music venues in the world. Two smaller concert halls are used for jazz, world and contemporary music. In addition, if you're unbelievably rich, you can buy one of the 45 luxurious apartments lying within the building.

    Construction began in 2007 with a budget of €241 million and a two-year period. Fast forward ten years, the building eventually opened with a final price tag of over 800 million!

    I consider myself very lucky that the Elbphilharmonie opened during my time living in Hamburg, but unfortunately I haven't yet been able to attend a concert. Everything is sold out for six months! For now, I'm content to visit the plaza to enjoy the impressive view over the docks and see the innovative architecture up close. Hopefully one day soon, I'll be lucky enough to grab a last-minute concert ticket!

Rotnest Hostel Guide

    The Rottnest Island Hostel is a great low budget option for guests visiting The Rottnest Island.

    The hostel has 50 beds (including family rooms and dormitories, a fully equipped kitchen and a lounge with television. Public shower facilities (设施) are available on each floor. Hostel beds are supplied with beddings but guests will need to bring their own towels or hire them by contacting Rottnest Island Reservations at least 48 hours ahead of arrival.

    The hostel family rooms have recently had an upgrade to include a small fridge, wardrobe and shelf storage facility. There is also additional outside seating for those using the public kitchen and BBQ areas.

    Room Cost:

    Family Room: From $80 to $117 depending on season

    Dormitory: From $45 to $53 depending on length of stay

    Buffet Breakfast: 7.00 am- 9.00 am

    Cost: Pre-booked $15 per person ($18.50 walk-in).

    Pre-booked $40 per family of 2 adults & 2 children up to 14yrs ($45 walk-in).

    Buffet Dinner: 5.45 pm- 9.00 pm

    Main Course: Roast Pork or Roast Beef, Curries, Pasta. Vegetarian Stir Fry. Steamed Rice, Salad, Roast Potatoes, Garlic or Cheese Bread

    Dessert: Ice Cream & Fruit Salad

    Drink: Water & Coffee or Tea

    Cost: Pre-booked $25 per person ($30 walk-in).

    Pre-booked $50 per family of 2 adults & 2 children up to 14yrs ($55 walk-in).

    To pre-book your meals, please call RIA Reservations on 9432 911.

    Please Note:

    Public showers are limited to 20 minutes.

    Bookings for the dormitories cannot be made online.

    Alcohol is not permitted within the dorms, hostel and BBQ areas.

    A primary school in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province has announced it no longer requires parents to sign their children's homework, which was aimed at getting parents to supervise(监督) their children after school. China Youth Daily comments: Putting an end to the requirement that parents sign off on the homework of their children eases the burden on many parents, as otherwise they would have to do primary school homework after a hard day's work. But there are worries that if parents stop having to sign off on their children's homework, the children will not get good grades.

    However, the most effective way for children to study is to develop their willingness to learn and do their own studies. When doing homework, students practice and hopefully apply what they have learned. It is true that teachers are supposed to check students' homework and identify their mistakes. But some parents correct their children's mistakes by themselves when signing off on it.

    It is the duty of students to do their homework, be responsible for their studies and correct their mistakes. Parents' supervising their homework, checking their answers and dealing with the harder problems will only make children less aware of their mistakes and encourage them to wait for their parents' help when they face any problems.

    Children have to manage their own learning and develop the ability to study by themselves, as competence will not be achieved if a student simply repeats strict tasks in which he is assisted in school by teachers and at home by parents.

    A delayed satisfaction experiment conducted by Walter Mischel in the 1960s proved that children with better self-discipline(自律) performed better in their studies and interpersonal relationships.

    There is little doubt that parents' supervision can make children's homework better. But it does not give children the chance to practice their ability to solve problems independently.