【推荐1】Camberwell College Swimming Classes

Whether you want to swim competitively, you are trying to stay healthy or you want to learn，Camberwell College offers swimming classes to meet your needs.

Swim-A-Long

This class is suitable for parents with children aged up to the age of 1.5 years. This class allows very young children to gain confidence in the water,by way of songs and music.

Tadpole (蝌蚪) to Frog

This series of classes is suitable for children aged 1.5 upwards. There are six levels in the series. The first level is suitable for non-swimmers and teaches basic techniques and safety, using aids and floats. By the time students reach the sixth level, they will be able to swim independently and will be eligible (有资格的) to join the Swim Star classes.

Swim Star

An opportunity for able swimmers to earn the Bronze, Silver and Gold swimming awards. These classes teach children the ability to swim for long period of time, and teach skills such as diving, turning and different strokes. Children who successfully complete the Swim Star programme will be invited to join the Youth Squad and learn competitive swimming techniques.

Swim school

Swim School offers classes for adults. There are three levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced. The beginner class is suitable for people who are new to swimming; the intermediate level is designed for swimmers who want to go over their swimming style, and the advanced level offers in-depth advice on stamina , breathing and technique.

Aqua Health

We offer a range of levels of fitness classes for able swimmers who wish to keep fit, socialise and have fun to music. Aqua-light offers gentle exercise and is suitable for the elderly. Aqua-pump is a high energy class which increases your strength and builds your body up.

【推荐1】Steve and Yaser first met in their chemistry class at an American university. Yaser was an international student from Jordan. He was excited to get to know an American. He wanted to learn more about American culture. Yaser hoped that he and Steve would become good friends. At first, Steve seemed very friendly. He always greeted Yaser warmly before class. Sometimes he offered to study with Yaser. He even invited Yaser to have lunch with him.

But after the term was over, Steve seemed more distant(疏远的). The two former classmates didn’t see each other very much at school. One day Yaser decided to call Steve. Steve didn’t seem very interested in talking to him. Yaser was hurt by Steve’s change of attitude. “Steve said we were friends,” Yaser complained. “And I thought friends were friends forever.” Yaser is a little confused.

He is an outsider(局外人) to American culture. He doesn’t understand the way Americans view friendship. Americans use the word “friend” in a very general way. They may call both casual acquaintances(熟人) and close companions(伙伴) “friends”. Americans have school friends, work friends, sports friends and neighborhood friends. These friendships are based on common interests.

American society changes rapidly. Studies show that one out of five American families moves every year. American friendships develop quickly, and they may change just as quickly. People from the United States may at first seem friendly. Americans often chat easily with strangers. They exchange information about their families, hobbies and work. They may smile warmly and say, “Have a nice day.” or “see you later.” schoolmates may say, “Let’s get together sometime.” But American friendliness is not always an offer of true friendship.

【推荐2】To understand a foreign country, we need to learn about its culture. Certainly, it's of help to study the language and history. But it's also a good idea to learn what not to do. Things which are strongly unacceptable are called taboos.

Eating taboos are found throughout the world. In many Asian cultures, chopsticks should never be left standing up in a rice bowl. In India, touching food with one's left hand is seen as unclean. And, in Muslim cultures, people do not eat pork.

Interestingly, a taboo in one country may not be a problem in another. For example, in Chinese culture, giving clocks as gifts is frowned on. But that would be fine in America. In fact, a beautiful clock would be a thoughtful gift.

The same goes for some conversation topics. In many Western cultures, it's rude to ask about a person's age, weight, or salary. However, these topics may not be as sensitive in East Asia.

For sure, understanding what not to do can be hard. Fortunately, there are many websites about taboos. Travel guidebooks often have a section on the topic. It's worth taking time to understand another culture's taboos. It shows our respect for our friends around the world.

【推荐3】Acupuncture (针灸) is a traditional Chinese medical practice of treating various physical and mental conditions. It won respect and interest in the United States after New York Times reporter James Reston visited China with President Nixon and needed an operation.

Chinese doctors used acupuncture on James after surgery (外科手术) to reduce his pain, and his recovery was quick. Curious about this, James was allowed to watch surgery on patients who received acupuncture for anesthesia (麻醉). Patients talked with their doctors during the operation and then walked back to their rooms on their own.

Acupuncture left James such a deep impression that he wrote a front-page article in New York Times about his operation upon returning to the United States. “A leading medical expert sent by Premier Zhou Enlai removed my appendix (阑尾). I was awake in the whole process.”

The National Institutes of Health began to organize some of their top doctors to visit China to investigate acupuncture and its possible functions in western medicine. With years going by, acupuncture has become popular across the world with magical effect.