【推荐1】Have you ever been ill? When you are ill, you must be unhappy because your body becomes hot, and there are pains all over your body. You don’t want to work, you stay in bed, feeling very sad.

What makes us ill? It is germs (细菌). Germs are everywhere. They are very small and you can’t find them with your eyes, but you can see them with a microscope. They are very small and there could be hundreds of them on a very small thing.

Germs are always found in dirty water. When we look at dirty water under the microscope, we shall see them in it. So your father and mother will not let you drink dirty water.

Germs aren’t found only in water. They are found in air and dust. If you cut your finger, if some of the dust from the floor goes into the cut, some of the germs would go into your finger. Your finger would become big and red, and you will have much pain in it. Sometimes the germs would go into all of your body, and you would have pain everywhere.

【推荐1】Crosstalk, a traditional form of comic storytelling, is making a comeback in China’s tea houses and theaters.

Audiences can laugh the night away every Saturday at the Qianxiangyi Teahouse in Tianjin, entertained by the apprentices(徒弟) of Hou Baolin, Ma Sanli or Yin Shoushan—all leading crosstalk artists of years past—for only 20 yuan.

The success in Tianjin has also caused the rejuvenation（复活）of crosstalk in Beijing and other places.

Although the art form originated in Beijing in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Tianjin became a place where rising stars formed their styles and new pieces were tried out. The city was well-known nationwide for the quality of its crosstalk performances.

Known in Chinese as xiangsheng (literally, “face and voice”), crosstalk was the chief form of comedy throughout most of the 20^th century. In the old days in Tianjin and elsewhere, temple fairs and market were the main places for crosstalkers to perform, although they occasionally also appeared in teahouses or theaters.

Crosstalk pieces draw on every aspect of Chinese culture, from history and folk tales to social issues of the time. Although there’re hundreds of traditional pieces, they’re constantly rewritten to suit the times and the audience, while new works are written as well. It’s one of the features that have made crosstalk a public art form throughout its history.

“Crosstalk was in the doldrums（萎靡不振）with competition from other art forms, especially TV,” said Wang Xiaochun, headmaster of the Northern Storytelling Arts School of China (NSAS). “But it has regained its status with crosstalk fans, especially young people, growing aware of its rare qualities.”

“More and more students are coming to NSAS to study crosstalk, including some girl students,” said Wang. “We’re sure that crosstalk will have a strong market.”

【推荐2】If you have ever lost touch with old school friends, you may find yourself wanting to make contact again. Some teens find that certain school friends are worth keeping contact with and want to keep the friendship going strong.

Hang out at the same places

One way you can get together with old friends from your school is to go to the same places that they go to. If you still go to school together, you probably know where everyone goes on the weekends. If you are able to go there too, you may find that your relationships with your old school friends start up again.

Sports teams

If you are athletic and your former friends are too, joining school sports teams is a great way to catch up with old friends. This doesn’t mean that you should join a sport which you do not like just so you can see your old friends. However, if you like sports, wish to join a team and your former friends are on that team, and then playing the team sports is a great way to get to know them again.

Take part in school clubs

There are often a lot of school clubs in which teens participate. Depending on your interests and your former friends’ interests, you may just find a club at school. Sharing a common interest such as a club activity will help you to have something in common and something to talk about.

【推荐3】The classic road trip is more popular than ever. Here are several places to hit the open road.

Colo-road Trips

The Colorado Tourism Office has made it easy for road-trippers to explore the state's 24 Scenic Historic Byways. A new microsite includes an interactive map that enables travelers to explore options by region, interest or season. Travelers seeking inspiration can also access insider tips and side-trip suggestions within more than 150 Colo-road Trip itineraries (行程). The flexible itineraries offer suggestions for historic attractions, active adventures and highlight cultural opportunities.

The Bear-tooth Highway

Visitors who travel this extraordinary path experience the visual landscape of Montana, Wyoming and Yellowstone Park, home to the Absaroka and Bear-tooth mountains. The windy,cliff-hugging 68-mile stretch introduces road explorers to one of the most diverse ecosystems accessible by auto. Amazingly beautiful, this All-American Road displays wide highlands, painted with patches (一片片) of ice blue lakes, forested valleys, waterfalls and wildlife.

Seward Highway, Alaska

The road that connects Anchorage to Seward is a 127-mile treasure, including natural beauty, wildlife and stories of adventure and endurance. Take a day or several to explore the region that has earned three-fold recognition as a Forest Service Scenic Byway, an Alaskan Scenic Byway and an All-American Road. The drive begins at the base of the Chugach Mountains, hugs the scenic shores of Turn-again Arm and winds through mining towns, national forests and fishing villages as you imagine how explorers, fur traders and gold prospectors might have fared back in the day. Expect waterfalls, glaciers (冰川), eagles, moose (驼鹿) and some good bear stories.

The Lighthouse Trail, Maine

Travel the 375 miles between Kittery and Calais, Maine, visit lighthouses along the way, and learn about the dangers that seagoing boats and their crew endured along the rocky Northeastern coast. Hear tales of shipwrecks (海滩) and of the difficult and lonely life led by those who kept the lights burning brightly. If possible, visit the Maine Lighthouse Museum, where artifacts and hands-on exhibits for children provide an attractive break.