It was in the Victorian Era(维多利亚时期) that the novel became the leading form of literature in English. Most writers were more concerned to meet the tastes of the middle class. The best known works of the period included the works of Charles Dickens and the Bronté sisters and others.

    Charles Dickens came on the literary scene in the 1830s. Dickens wrote vividly about London life and the struggles of the poor. Most of his works were written in a very humorous style, which was popular with readers of all classes.

    The Bronté sisters were English writers of the 1840s and 1850s. They began to write from early childhood. In 1846 they published the first book at their own expense as poets; however, their book attracted little attention, selling only two copies. Then the sisters turned to writing novels, each producing a novel in the following year.

    An interest in rural matters and the changing social and economic situation of the countryside may be seen in the novels of Thomas Hardy and a number of others.

    Literature for children developed as a single style. Some works became well-known, such as those of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear. Adventure novels were written for adults but are now generally grouped in the list for children. Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author at the end of the Victorian Era, best known for her children's books, which featured animal characters. In her thirties, Potter published the highly successful children's book The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902.

    Are you embarrassed to recite in class because you might give the wrong answer? Are you ashamed to share your ideas in a group？If you find yourself being shy about a lot of things, you need to understand that being shy is a very big obstacle(障碍) to one's success.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    First of all, you need to discover and understand the causes of your shyness.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} One of the biggest reasons why people are shy is that they were branded as a shy person. Because you heard it over and over, you believed it and thought it is true. If this is the cause, you need to stop this in your mind.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    One way to stop your shyness in your mind is to focus less on your weakness.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}We all have our own unique strength. So if speaking in front of many people isn't your strength, that's okay. Maybe the strength you're given is in writing. And if you think there still a lot for you to improve on your strengths and talents, that's okay too.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. All you need to do is spending time training yourself to be a master in your strengths.

B. You need to dig deep and get to the roots of your shyness.

C. Then try to replace it with positive things in your life.

D. When you doubt yourself, others will doubt you.

E. The good thing is that you can overcome it.

F. Stay fearless in everything you will have to do.

G. Instead, focus more on your strength.

    Nowadays more and more Chinese parents invest large sums of money to send their children to study abroad. With countless difficulties to face and solve while studying abroad, overseas students should pay attention to the following things.

    Adjust mental attitudes. Experts consider psychological preparation as the most important thing for students studying abroad to consider.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Adapt to new learning methods. Chinese students have got accustomed to the domestic exam-oriented education style. They will face changes in the educational system while studying abroad.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Be willing to communicate. With no relatives or friends by their sides, the first feeling of Chinese students is loneliness, which makes it especially important to learn to develop relationships with people around them.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Foreigners really like children of this kind and are willing to help them.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Students should ask related teachers to help make plans consistent with their practical condition. Learning plans require students to hold on to the primary direction of their overseas studies and arrange learning content for each course and semester. After the plan is made, they should strictly keep to it.

    Develop self-motivation for learning. Foreign children are used to learning by themselves in or after class.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}So studying abroad requires that they should adapt to overseas studies as soon as possible and try their best to learn actively and independently.

A. Students must know they are going abroad to study and not for leisure.

B. Try to find more solutions to adjusting to the open education.

C. Make and stick to learning plans.

D. However, Chinese children are used to teacher-centered education.

E. They should go out of their way to be friendly and strike up conversations.

F. Help children with financial planning.

G. Students should prepare themselves for the attitudes.

    A European Union program is letting blind people experience famous paintings for the first time. It uses three dimensional (3-D) printing to re-create famous paintings so that they can be touched.

    One painting printed with the new technology is Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss." It is a popular attraction at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, Austria. The painting shows a man and a woman standing in a field filled with flowers. They are wearing gold robes and have their arms around each other. The man leans down to kiss the woman.

Klimt finished the painting in 1908. Until now, people who have trouble seeing can not enjoy the artwork. But thanks to the reproduction (复制品) they can touch the piece and feel the ridges (隆起) and depressions (凹地). Andreas Reichinger started making 3-D versions of artwork in 2010. He said this reproduction was his most difficult project because the couple's robes are so detailed (精细的).

    Dominika Raditsch is a blind museum visitor. She touched the reproduction. As she moved her hands around it, she said, "Exactly, can you see these? There are so many details." Raditsch said she can imagine what the original painting looks like when she touches the reproduction. "It's somehow round. You can feel it. It comes with it. And in many places it's so smooth. And then I think to myself: it probably shines too!" Raditsch said.

    The Belvedere is not the only museum to have 3-D versions of its artwork. Some of the pieces at the Prado, in Madrid, Spain, have reproductions that can be touched. But the piece in Vienna has one special part: it is made with widely available 3-D printing technology. That means one day, blind art fans anywhere in the world could download the source files and print the reproductions themselves.

    If you wear glasses, chances are you are smarter. Research published in the famous British journal Nature Communications has found that people who displayed higher levels of intelligence were almost 30 percent more likely to wear glasses.

    The scientists studied the genes of thousands of people between the ages of 16 and 102.The study showed intelligence can be connected to physical characteristics. One characteristic was eyesight. In out of 10 people who were more intelligent, there was a higher chance they needed glasses. Scientists also said being smarter has other benefits. It is connected to better health.

    It is important to remember these are connections which are not proven causes. Scientists call this correlation. Just because something is connected to something else does not mean one of those things caused the other. And it's worth noting that what constitutes intelligence is subjective and can be difficult, if not impossible, to measure.

    Forget genes though. Plenty of proof shows wearing glasses makes people think you are more intelligent, even if you do not need glasses. A number of studies have found people who wear glasses are seen as smarter, hard-working and honest. Many lawyers use this idea to help win their cases. Lawyer Harvey Solves explained this. Glasses soften their appearance. He said sometimes there has been a huge amount of proof showing that people he was defending broke the law. He had them wear glasses and they weren't found guilty.

    Glasses are also used to show someone is intelligent in movies and on TV. Ideas about people who wear glasses have begun to shift. People who do not need glasses sometimes wear them for fashion only. They want to look worldly or cool. But not everyone is impressed by this idea, though. GQ magazine said people who wear glasses for fashion are trying too hard to look smart and hip (时髦的). However, that hasn't stopped many celebrities from happily wearing glasses even if they do not need them. Justin Bieber is just one high-profile fan of fashion glasses.

Europe is famous for big cities and world-class art museums. It's easy not to notice the small, beautiful villages in Europe. However, if you're after relaxation, peaceful country walks, beautiful buildings, and chances for different cultures on your next trip, consider cutting down some of your city time and head out to a village instead. Here are three of the most beautiful villages in Europe, along with our top picks for places to stay in each.

Bibury in Gloucestershire, England

Often praised as the most beautiful village of the Cotsworlds, Bibury is also one of the most popular places for visitors to stay in the area, and attracts a lot of tourists from around the world. It's set among the green hills that the area is known for and is composed of light-beige(浅米色) stone houses, including the famous Arlington Row, a line of houses dating back to 1380.

Cong in County Mayo, Ireland

Set on a small sea-facing island on the western coast of Ireland, Cong is a quiet village that's famous for its grey stone ruins and many outdoor activities. One of the biggest reasons for its fame is that the 1952 film The Quiet Man was made there, but the biggest draw for most visitors is the chance to visit (or stay in) Ashford Castle, which is now run as a great expensive hotel.

Montepulciano in Tuscany, Italy

Spread over a hilltop nearly 2, 000 meters above sea level, the Tuscan village of Montepulciano offers beautiful buildings from the Middle Ages, as well as many chances to visit wineries(酿酒厂) and taste the locally produced Vino Nobel di Montepulciano. With fortifications(防御工事) dating back to the 14th century, the village has churches and public squares, which are truly fascinating.