【推荐1】With fashion magazines, advertisements and teenage idols sporting the “latest and greatest” trends, there’s a lot of pressure on teenagers to fit the mold...no matter how expensive it might be. For decades, teenagers have used fashion as a social weapon. Bullies (霸凌者) will pick out peers that aren’t wearing the best brands of clothing and criticize them.

Dr. Jensen, a professor at Western Illinois University, says there are some signs your child might be a victim of fashion bullying. They’ll become picky about what clothes they wear and will be very demanding when you take them shopping. He continues: “Bullying of this kind can be quite insidious (阴险), it can just be a look that a child is given. Advertising and marketing have made our society increasingly image-conscious and our children are suffering the consequences. Schools and colleges should be places where all children feel equal, but it is actually impossible for schools to protect their pupils from the harsher aspects of these commercial influences.”

Andy Cranham, a teacher at City of Bristol College said: “The need to belong in groups is crucial to young learners and exclusion (排挤) is something they see as the end of the world.”

What Not to Wear, a popular television show, features fashion bullying as entertainment. Each week Stacy and Clinton pick out a fashion victim, thinking little of her appearance, and verbally trashing her wardrobe. They bully the victim while she shops according to their “fashion rules”. After she receives a total fashion renovation, Stacy and Clinton offer her acceptance and approval. Each show ends with a homecoming celebration where the former fashion disaster returns to friends and family who praise her with admiration as a “new woman”.

I think beauty is probably at the base of fashion, but the problem comes when so called “stylish” people start defining beauty in a way that excludes other people. Why wait for a trend in order to follow it? If you’re able to wear something with confidence, you will be the one starting a trend.

【推荐3】Winter is a very special time in Northern Norway. Winter also means skiing, and Narvik can offer some of the best skiing in Norway. The view and light change frequently and no two days are the same. For many people, the northern lights are an unforgettable sight, and in Narvik the sky is especially clear and great for watching at night.

The tourist season lasts from February to April, although May can be fascinating too, often with fantastic dry snow and an unbelievable light lasting well into the evening.

It is possible for adults and children to hire skiing equipment such as snowboards. All equipment is prepared for use. If you would like to book your equipment, please go to www.narvikfjellet.com.

There are 12 kilometres of cross­country ski run in Narvik. You need to bring your own skis as there is no cross­country hire. However, equipment can be bought at local sports shops in and around Narvik.

In order to explore Narvik’s off­piste opportunities, you need to know the dangers when choosing routes. It is suggested that you bring necessary equipment such as a shovel and a GPS locator. Ask www.narvikfjellet.com for an experienced guide. With a guide you can explore Narvik’s special off­piste areas in a safe manner.

Sometimes it is nice to do something different and not everybody enjoys skiing. Then you can go horse­riding, or visit the local museums.

【推荐1】These days, many people participate in talent shows because they want to be famous.    1    Would you believe that an entire town once entered a game show so it could become famous?

In the 1950s, Hot Springs, New Mexico, was a small town known for its hot springs.    2    

At that time, the citizens of Hot Springs liked to listen to the radio. One program they enjoyed was called “Truth or Consequences”.    3    In the show, contestants(参赛者) would answer a challenging question. If they answered the question correctly, they were rewarded with a prize.

In 1950s, Ralph Edwards announced that he would visit and perform his radio show from the first town in America to change its name to Truth or Consequences.    4    True to his word, Ralph Edwards visited the town and performed his show. So the town is known as Truth or Consequences.

Today, not many people remember the radio show “ Truth or Consequences”.    5    The first weekend in May is the date of their yearly festival.

【推荐2】The Winter Olympic Games are not just an opportunity for athletes to win medals and honour for their countries. Every four years, the Games also offer audiences a chance to get to know more about winter sports from around the world. The Winter Olympics may not have the large crowds and huge stars of its summer sibling, but they share the same Olympic spirit.

Skiing

One of the most popular sports of the Winter Olympic Games is skiing. Skiers compete in the downhill and slalom(回转赛), and in the short and long cross-country ski races. Skiing was originally a sport played only in cold northern countries, but now athletes from all over the world compete in this sport, even those from countries without any snow!

Skating

Skaters compete with each other in speed races or in figure-skating events. The figure-skaters are generally considered to be the stars of the Winter Olympic Games. These ice princes and princesses are so graceful that it’s easy to forget that they are actually highly skilled athletes.

The skeleton

The skeleton is one of the strangest-name d sports of the Olympics. The skeleton is named after the shape of the metal sleds used in the 1890s, when the sport first started. The skeleton is a downhill sled race, usually on ice. This sport looks a little like the luge(无舵雪橇), where a person sits on the back of the sled with his or her feet forward, but the skeleton is a lot more exciting and dangerous than that. In the skeleton, a person lies on his or her stomach on the sled, with his or her head pointing downhill!

【推荐3】This year,many schoolchildren across the United States have taken part in local and state spelling competitions. The young competitors could spell words that even some adults may never have heard of.

More than 280 local winners earned the right to compete in this year's National Spelling Final,which took place from May 28 to June 3 near Washington,D.C.,at the National Harbor in Maryland.Most competitors in the National Spelling Final were between the ages of 12 and 14.But one competitor was less than half that age—five-year-old Edith Fuller.She won an area spelling competition in her home state of Oklahoma.The five-hour competition lasted 37 rounds.Edith correctly spelled words

like sevruga（一种俄罗斯鱼子酱）,jacamar (a kind of bird);and Nisei (a child of Japanese immigrants).Jnana,a Sanskrit（梵语）word made the youngest person qualify（获得资格）for the National Spelling Final.

When she was just four,Edith surprised her parents when she was able to spell the word "restaurant."At that moment,her mom and dad realized their child might be something special there.Edith is homeschooled,so her parents are able to spend a little more time teaching her to spell.

Her mom spoke with the Media about the benefits of homeschooling Edith."We have the freedom to answer her questions,to help her advance at her own pace,"she said.Now,Edith is already being called a "spellebrity（拼写达人）."