【推荐2】The world where we live is a colorful landscape of different languages, skin colors, and different cultures.    1    . A way to develop this appreciation is to try to learn about other cultures around the world.

There are several ways to become knowledgeable about different cultures.     2    . Reading works by authors who have a close relationship with a particular culture allows people to gain an accurate glimpse into the food, music, language, religion, and way of a life of a particular group of people. For example,     3    , she will often read them stories based on a culture’ s folktale.

Another way to learn about different cultures is to try to learn a foreign language. A variety of language-learning books, software, and audio programs are available at the public library or bookstores.     4    . Making contact with people who are native speakers of the language allows her to gain firsthand knowledge of a particular culture as she struggles to learn the language.

    5    . Whether a person wants to learn more about regions in Japan, the Middle East, Africa, or any other world culture, becoming familiar with its food is a giant step in the right direction. Food is an important part of different cultures and allows people to gain insight into a particular cultural group’s way of life.

【推荐3】It’s really true what people say about English politeness: it’s everywhere. When squeezing(挤) past someone or passing through a crowd in a narrow place, people say “sorry”. When getting off a bus, English passengers say “thank you” rather than the driver. In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things. After all, squeezing past others is sometimes unavoidable(不可避免的), and the bus driver is only doing his job. I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles and came to appreciate(欣赏) some more polite ways of communicating with people, and here are some more polite ways of interacting with people in UK.

People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customer and shop assistant in most cases thank each other twice or more. In Germany, it would be surprising to hear more than one thank you in such a conversation. British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room. English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, which is different from Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough.

Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize(批评) others. Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers repeated several times but none of their explanations were intended as scolding me. It has been my impression that by avoiding scolding, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable. This also is showed in other ways. British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat(请客) women to a meal than German men. However, I do need to point out here that this applies(适用于) to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men! Yes, the latter are a bit mean(吝啬的).

【推荐1】How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments — mostly for entertainment purposes — is fair and respectful?

Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.

Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range. The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don’t usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.

The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusual and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis (动物精神病). A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.

Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?

Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.

【推荐1】Those concerned that robots are taking over the world can rest easy-for now. Though the androids have proved useful at performing ordinary tasks, they are not ready for prime time. At least that appears to be the case at Japan’s cutting-edge Henn-na Hotel chain where over half of the robot staff is being replaced by humans.

The first Henn-na Hotel opened in July 2015, where guests were greeted and checked-in by either a family-friendly English-speaking dinosaur robot or a Japanese-speaking humanoid. Autonomous robots stood ready to help guests carry luggage to their rooms, while a cute doll-shaped android called Churi, placed inside each room, provided them with information about nearby attractions. Even the hotel’s garbage cans were robotic.

Not surprisingly, the lodging, recognized in 2016 as the world’s first robot-staffed hotel by Guinness World Records, drew in curious visitors from all around the world.

But as the years have passed, the hotel’s main draw — its employees — are becoming less of a novelty (新颖) and more of a bother. Also as the robots are “aging”, they are costing more to repair and maintain. Earlier this month, the hotel chain’s parent company H. I. S. announced that it had decided to “fire” over half of the robot employees and replace them with humans. Among them are the chain’s two robot receptionists. In addition to scaring young guests, they are also unable to photocopy guests’ passports-a requirement when checking into a Japanese hotel--forcing human employees to step in each time. Also, out are the cute Churi robots, which have proved unable to answer even the simplest questions and annoyed guests by interrupting their conversations.

While this is a setback, the company’s officials are not discouraged. They plan to continue with their ambitious expansion plans and believe the human-robot interaction is a learning process.“When you actually use robots, you realize there are places where they aren’t needed.” said one of the officials.

【推荐2】A campaign （活动）is being launched to encourage children to give up 30 minutes of screen time a day to head for the great outdoors.

The newly formed Wild Network — a cooperation of nearly 400 organisations --- is trying to attract teenagers away from television and computer screen and into fields, woods and parks. Organisers say that it is the UK's biggest ever campaign to reconnect children with nature and outdoor play, and that it could help improve fitness, mental（精神的）health and general well   being. A documentary film, Project Wild Thing, will announce the launch at more than 50 cinemas across the UK from Friday. It looks at the increasingly weak link between children and nature.

Andy Simpson, chairman of the Wild Network, said: "The sad truth is that kids have lost touch with nature. Time spent outdoors is down, activity areas and levels are falling strongly and the ability to identify common species （物种）has been lost."

Suggestions of how to get more time in nature include camping or racing and observing autumn colour on trees and so on. From January, the network will aim to make suggestions to politicians on how government can do more to get children muddy （沾满泥污的）and bright¬-eyed.

This is not the first time the message of less screen, more play has been brought up. Children in the 1980s were asked to do the same by the BBC TV series Why Don't You, which somewhat confusingly called on its viewers to "switch off your TV set, and do something less boring instead".

【推荐3】The Islands of Hawaii

☆Hawaii

The “Big Island” of Hawaii is a paradise (天堂)playground where visitors can enjoy a popular lifestyle and at the same time, witness the attraction of nature: Thousands of square miles form a wonderland, featuring breathtaking beaches, forests, snow-covered mountains and amazing active volcanoes. A visit to Volcanoes National Park, which has been described as a true wonder of the world, is a must. It is the state's biggest attraction.

Accommodations:

Seasons Resort Hualalai: from $ 205.00

Fairmont Orchid: from $108.00

Sightseeing and Experiences:

Circle Island Tour:from $48.00

☆Kauai

The beautiful landscape of Kauai has led to it being called the “Garden Isle” , but it is also referred to as the “Island of discovery”, and with good reason------a land of striking natural contrasts just waiting to be explored. Green mountains, a breathtaking coastline and white sand beaches combine to make it one of the world's most relaxing locations.

Accommodations:

Grand Hyatt Kauai: from $101.00

Sheraton Kauai Resort: from $ 79.00

☆Maui

Voted the “World's Best Island”, Maui is widely regarded as one of the most romantic destinations on earth.

It is known as the “Valley Isle” and was the ancient playground for Hawaiian royalty. The island is largely rural with a small and wonderful population and a host of attractions and nature wonders.

Accommodations:

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa: from $87.00

Sheraton Maui: from $99.00

☆Oahu

Oahu has a unique rhythm, filling the air with sweet fragrances (香气)，music and language：from lovely beaches and amazing nightlife to beautiful rainforests and quiet valleys. Adventure, history, romance, discovery------Oahu waits for you.

Accommodations:

Halekulani: from $121.00

Hilton Hawaiian Village: from $73.00

Sightseeing and Experiences:

Royal Circle Island Tour: from $34.00

Paradise Cove Lu'au: $44.00

All prices are based on per person per night.

【推荐1】Social media is one of the fastest growing industries in today’s world. A study conducted by the US Pew Research Center showed that 92 percent of teenagers go online daily. The wide spread of social media has changed nearly all parts of teenagers’ lives.

• Changing relationships

High school student Elly Cooper from Illinois said social media often reduces face- to-face communication. “It makes in-person relationships harder because of people’s attention given to their phones instead of their boyfriends or girlfriends,” Cooper said.

Yet, some people believe social media has made it easier to start relationships with anyone from anywhere. Beth Kaplan from Illinois met her long-distance friend through social media. He currently lives in Scotland, but they’re still able to frequently communicate with each other. “I can feel close to someone that I’m talking to via FaceTime,” Kaplan said.

• Wanting to be “liked”

The rise of social media has changed the way teenagers see themselves. The 19- year-old Essena O’Neill announced on the social networking service Instagram that she was quitting social media because it made her unable to stop thinking about appearing perfect online. Negative comments also can do great damage to a teenager’s self-esteem. Teenagers who get negative comments can’t help but feel hurt.

• Opening new doors

However, Armin Korsos, a student from Illinois, takes advantage of the comments he receives over social media to improve his videos on the social networking site YouTube. “Social media can help people show themselves and their talents to the world in a way that has never been possible before,” Korsos said.

【推荐2】Dick lived in England. One day in January he said to his wife, “I’m going to fly to New York next week because I’ve got some work there.” “Where are you going to stay there?” his wife asked. “I don’t know yet.” Dick answered. “Please send me your address from there in a telegram (电报),” his wife said. “All right,” Dick answered.

He flew to New York on January 31st and found a nice hotel in the center of the city. He put his things in his room and then he sent his wife a telegram. He put the address of his hotel in it.

In the evening he didn’t have any work, so he went to a cinema. He came out at nine o'clock and said, “Now I’m going back to my hotel and have a nice dinner.”

He found a taxi (出租车) and the driver said, “Where do you want to go?” But Dick didn’t remember name and address of his hotel

“Which hotel are my things in?” he said, “And what am I going to do tonight?” But the driver of the taxi did not know. So Dick got out and went into a post office. There he sent his wife another telegram, and in it he wrote, “Please send me my address at this post office.”

【推荐3】We never know when we will do something greater. But it usually happens when we least expect it. When John Kinney turned up at Gloria Scott's house in Woburn, Massachusetts, he thought he was there to repair the 72-year-old woman's lights.

After completing the job, John went home, but he kept thinking about Gloria and a lot of other repairs much needed-pipe damage, holes in the ceiling dangerous front steps, the leaking roof and so on. She told him that she lived alone and felt lonely.

John decided to take action. Even though he couldn't rebuild her whole house, he could make it safe and livable for her. He worked on Gloria's home by himself for free before getting some friends and volunteers involved. But there were so many repairs needed, so he looked for more help online, with a simple description of the situation: "Nice old lady needs help. "In just 24 hours, $3, 500 was already raised. And he also had loads of volunteers turning up to lend a helping hand.

While this all has been going on, Gloria has enjoyed watching the process and getting to know the volunteers. She's been here by herself for over 10 years, so it's a big change for her. She's so happy and has got all types of new friends. She's out here making lunch for these kind volunteers, laughing and joking. It's just a miracle to witness. Meanwhile, John's whole family have formed a special bond with the 72-year-old woman. Even all the repairs done, John continues visiting. “She reminds me of my grandmother,” he said. “It doesn't stop here. Gloria is a part of my life.”