Flying kites —a popular hobby

People have been making and flying kites for about 2,000 years. No one knows for sure who invented the kite. Some historians (历史学家) believe the ancient Chinese might start the kite flying 2,000 years ago. And now it is still a popular hobby in China, Japan, Korea and other countries of the Far East where beautifully decorated kites appear in different colors. In China, there is even a special Kites Day on which children and adults fly kites. In Japan, families fly fish kites on Children's Day, May 5th.

    Simple kites are made by crossing two sticks and covering them with paper or cloth. And then people put a string at the end.

    Kites are made in many different sizes, colors and shapes. A flat kite is the oldest and simplest type of kite. It flies because air flows over and under the kite's wings. The pressure under the wings helps the kite lift into the air.

    Today most people fly kites as a hobby. Kite festivals are organized in many parts of the world.

    Paper cut can be seen in many parts of China during the Spring Festival. People put it on windows, doors and walls for the festival.

A thousand years ago, paper cut was used for decoration (装饰). In Tang Dynasty women used paper cut as headdress. In Song Dynasty, it helped make gifts more beautiful. What's more, people would feel happier when they saw paper cut on windows, doors and walls. Now people use paper cut to express their wishes for welcoming the New Year.

    There are different kinds of paper cut in different parts of China. Pictures usually cover nearly all things, from flowers, birds to the famous people. Now, there are factories for paper cut in China. Paper cut has changed from decoration to a kind of art. At the same time, paper cut also appears in cartoons, magazines or TV programs.

    There are many expressions with heart. One of them is "lose your heart to someone". When that happens, you have fallen in love. But if the person who "won your heart" does not love you, then you are sure to have a "broken heart". In your sadness, you think that the person you loved is "hard-hearted", and in fact, has a "heart of stone".

    You may decide to "pour out your heart" to a friend. Telling someone about your personal problems can often make you feel better.

    If your friend does not seem to understand how painful your broken heart is, you may ask her to "have a heart". You are asking your friend to show some sympathy(同情) for your situation. Your friend "has her heart in the right place" if she says she is sorry for how you feel.

    If your friend says, "My heart bleeds(流血)for you", she means the opposite. She is a cold—hearted person who does not really care about your situation.

    When you are feeling afraid, "your heart is in your mouth". You might say, for example, that your heart was in your mouth when you asked a bank to lend you some money to pay for a new house.

    If that bank says no to you, do not "lose heart". Be "strong-hearted". Sit down with the banker and have a "heart to heart" talk. Be open and honest about your situation. The bank may have a "change of heart" and agree to lend you the money. Then you could stop worrying and "put your heart at rest".

Winning Color

    You are getting ready to play a football match and you want to win. What color should you wear to help you win? You are getting ready to go to an interview and you want to succeed. What color should you wear to help you succeed? Strange questions, perhaps, but color could be the key to your success. Read on and find out how.

    The most popular color in Britain is black. Wearing black makes people feel more confident, but can often make you look unemotional. This may be why people sometimes think that British people don't want to make a strong impression (印象). Although black is common in Britain, most people agree that in fact blue is the world's favorite color. The students in school and the people who work in business often wear blue. Wearing blue will show that you are an effective and hard-working person.

    Sometimes people mistakenly think that red makes you look strong and successful. However, you will be seen aggressive (好攻击的) if you choose red clothes. New information now says that yellow, not red, is the color of winning. Australia and Brazil are both very successful in the sporting world, and the sports things of both countries are yellow. Strangely enough, athletes who wear yellow glasses during a race can improve their time by up to half a second. Tests show that the yellow color makes them feel positive and energetic and could be the difference between a medal and no medal.

    So, next time you have an important event in your life—a race, a match, an exam or an interview—think about you clothes. The color of your clothes can change your life!

C

    Do you like traditional Chinese paper-cutting? Ding Xiang, a student at Nongsishi Middle School in Xinjiang, is really good at it. At the eighth National Excellent Talents Competition last month in Beijing, the 15-year-old girl got the gold award（金奖） for her paper-cutting skills.

    At the competition, Ding cut a piece: Millennium Dream（千年梦想）. The piece has two papers. One shows an ancient cave painting(壁画) and the other a Chinese-made spaceship. The two papers form a sharp contrast（对比）. Ding said she wanted to show three things with the piece: China's long history, China's rapid development, and her hope for the future of paper-cutting. This piece helped Ding walk away with the gold award.

    "I was very surprised to get the award." Ding said in an interview with Yili Daily, a Xingjiang newspaper. "I should thank paper-cutting for bringing me the award."

    All the hard work has paid off. In two years, Ding's skills have improved a lot, and she has the gold award to prove(证明) it.

    Ding said she has learned a lot from paper-cutting. "I have learned to observe things carefully," Ding told Yili Daily. "I have become more confident, too. It is a great help in my studies. Also, I have learned a lot of history from the art."