In the old days, children were familiar with birth and death as part of life. Now this is perhaps the first generation of American youngsters who have never been close by during of the birth a baby and have never experienced the death of a family member.

    Nowadays when people grow old, we often send them to nursing homes. When they get sick, we send them to a hospital, where children are forbidden to visit terminally （晚期的）in patients— even when those patients are their parents. This deprives（剥夺）the dying patient of family members during the last few days of his life and it deprives the children of an experience of death, which is an important learning experience.

    Some of my colleagues and I once interviewed and followed about 500 terminally in order to find out what they could teach us and how we could be of more benefit, not just to them but to the members of their families as well. We were most impressed by the fact that even those patients who were not told of their serious illness were quite aware of its potential（潜在的）outcome.

    It is important for family members, and doctors and nurses to understand these patients' communication in order to truly understand their needs, fears and fantasies （幻想）. Most of our patients welcomed another human being with whom they could talk openly, honestly, and frankly about their trouble. Many of them shared with us their great need to be informed, to be kept up —to —date on their medical condition and to be told when the end was near. We found out that patients who had been dealt with openly and frankly were better able to cope with the coming of detach and finally to reach a true stage of acceptance before death.

    One night, the first floor of the house suddenly caught fire. The fire was big, and soon became a sea of fire. On the second floor lived a little girl and her grandmother; the little girl's parents had died, and she lived together with her grandma. In order to rescue the little girl, the grandmother was burned to death, leaving the little girl crying for help loudly.

    How could people enter the house? At the very moment, a man carrying a ladder rushed to the flames and got into the window. When he appeared again in the eyes of the people, the little girl was in his arms. He gave the child to the crowd, and then disappeared into the night.

    This little girl had no family. Two months later a meeting was held to find a person to adopt (收养) the girl. A teacher was willing to adopt this child, and said she could give her the best education; a farmer wanted to adopt this child, saying that village life would let the child grow up healthily and happily; a rich man said, “I can give the child everything that others can do.”

    A lot of people who wanted to adopt this child said about many benefits of their adopting the child. But the little girl's face had no expression. At this time, a man, through the crowd, walked straight in front of the little girl, and opened his arms for the little girl. People were puzzled, and they found that the man had terrible scars on his arms. The little girl let out a cry, “This is the man who saved me!” She suddenly jumped up, and buried her face in his arms and sobbed. Naturally the man adopted the girl.

    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.

Three magical destinations just one day!

    TOUR DETAILS

    Windsor Castle

    Time-honored in history, Windsor Castle is proudly located on a wooded hill overlooking the Thames River. Dating back to Norman times, it is famous for sweeping landscaped gardens, which is easy to see why it's the Queen's favorite week place. Famous for its architecture and Royal palace, the Castle was built in the 11th century after the Norman invasion. It's home to priceless artworks and you can visit Queen Mary's Dolls' House. Remember don't miss the ceremony—Changing of the Guards.

    Stonehenge

    Stonehenge is located in the county of Wiltshire. This is your chance to see a side of the world-famous stones that most people don't get a chance to see! You will never forget your first glimpse of grand Stonehenge with its rocks rising up against the skyline on Salisbury Plain. There are many unsolved mysteries about the rocks. Was Stonehenge intended as a religious temple? A clock for astronomy? A burial ground? Make up your own mind as you explore this unique site that has confused the world for 5, 000 years.

    Bath

    Beautiful Bath was the first city in England to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. No tour of Bath would be complete with a visit to the famous Roman Baths that gave the city its name. This beautifully preserved bathing site still has flowing water from Brain's only hot spring. You will be amazed by the impressive torch-lighting ceremony as dusk falls. You can also have a taste of Bath's water in Pump Room, where hot waters are drawn for drinking.

    If you feel at present that you don't have enough friends in your life, one reason may be that you have let yourself become too busy to make time for the relationships you already have. Starting and keeping friendship requires effort and commitment.

    Many of us let our lives become so busy with work and other responsibilities that we don't get around to scheduling time for pleasure and renewal(叙旧)with the friends, relatives and acquaintances we already have.

    Making the effort to call your friends more regularly and to accept more of their invitations you receive from others can improve your social life in a hurry!

    Are there any people you could call right now and be sure to receive a pleasant welcome? Are there people that you could count onto help you in time of difficulty? Can you have close talks with them? Do you have fun when you are together? Are you happy to have them in your life?

    If you haven't seen much of them lately, is it because you have become too busy? Have you grown apart? Was there an argument?

    If the main reason you haven't been getting together with the people you already know is that you have got too busy, take a good look at how you spend your time. Compare it with your real values and priorities(优先考虑的事)in life. Is your busy lifestyle really bringing you the quality of life that you want?

    If you have become too busy for friends, why has this happened? Are you seeking material toys in your life at the expense of relationships with other human beings? Have you allowed your time to be over spent because you never say “No” to anyone? Do you insist on doing things yourself that could be appointed to others? If so, why? Do you believe that everything depends on you?

    Examine whether the way you are now spending your time accurately reflects your deepest values and priorities. Make sure that you schedule adequate time for the things that are truly most important to you.

    If you really want to keep friends in your life, make a space in your schedule, and a space in your heart for them.

Must-read New Fiction Books

We all have a few tried-and-true fiction favorites, but there's something special about a brand-new, hot-off-the-press novel. Whether it's your favorite author's new release or a new writer's first work, great fiction books make the perfect escape from ordinary life. That's why we've rounded up a list of the best new books released in February.

Age of Gold by Jerry Lapoor

Jerry Lapoor's latest action-packed novel unfolds like a crazy movie. This thriller begins when a wealthy man's car gets out of control. But when the dust settles, the rich man is nowhere to be found. How and to where does he disappear? With an exciting plot that will carry you from old-money houses to small agricultural villages, Age of Cold will take you on an unforgettable ride across a vast land.

City Under One Sky by Rachel Young

In the book, Young presents a crime story set in a small town. Detective Sara Kennedy has been sent to investigate a case. But soon after arrival, Sara gets snowed in with the 205 townsfolk living in the same apartment building. Who is hiding the key to the crime? And is there anyone she can truly trust? The appealing story, strange but distinctive characters and unexpected plot are just a few of the reasons why City Under One Sky gains its popularity.

Lady by Jess George

Lady is an irresistible fiction from Jess George. The story of Mary's fresh start at adulthood is shot through with themes of family, race and discrimination, womanhood and the immigrant reality of feeling torn between cultures. Though struggling with life in London as an African, Mary jumps at every chance to stand on her own feet.