【推荐1】I’m a pig, and my son is a rabbit. I have snakes for daughters, and my wife, believe it or not, is a dragon! Do I live in a zoo? No, of course not! I am talking about Chinese zodiac signs. Depending on the year of your birth, each person has an animal for a sign. That’s why I am a pig and my wife is a dragon. If you, like me, were born in the year of the pig, then you are brave, thoughtful and loyal. The year of the pig is filled with good fortune.

Now let’s take a closer look at this interesting animal.

Pigs were first raised by man about 9,000 years ago, and are still a very common farm animal in many parts of the world. We don’t just use pigs for their meat — almost every part of the animal is used. The hair is used for artists’ brushes. The fat is used to make floor wax, rubber and plastics.

Pigs have also been important in the world of entertainment. In 1995 the film ‘Babe’ starred a loveable talking pig as its main character. The film won an Oscar and was nominated for 6 more. In England you can even go to watch pig racing. A farmer, Rob Shepherd, has been raising money for charity by holding pig races on his farm. The events have been very successful. People don’t just want to eat pigs, it seems!

Pigs also play an important role in the English language. For example, if someone says that he will travel to the sun one day, you can say “pigs might fly!” to him. Hungry? Well then, you can “pig out” and eat lots of food. And what if someone rescues you? Well, you can say that they “saved your bacon”.

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【推荐3】Some Famous Libraries in the World

The Royal Library of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt is probably known as the largest and the most famous library in the ancient world. It is said that the ancient library was burned three times over the centuries. A likeness of the ancient library was built in Alexandria and was opened on October 16，2002.

Celsus Library was built in what had been a monument tomb of the governor of the Province of Asia, Celsus Polemaeanus in Ephesus, Turkey. It used to be the third richest of ancient times in the world，which had more than 12,000 works of art, but it was destroyed in wars, leaving some ruins. Even so, it is now still so world-famous for its beautiful structure that many visitors come to see it. There is a statue of Athena at its entrance as she is the Goddess of Wisdom. It remains delicate and appealing.

Bodleian Library is attached to Oxford University and mainly used as a research library. It is also a copyright library, which means it has a right to every book published in the United Kingdom. The library was designed by the architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Construction was completed in 1940.

The British Library was set up in 1973 and is one of the world’s greatest libraries. This library has PACCAR gallery of living and workshop of words. The sounds and images offer shows and different programs at the theme exhibitions. They also have a wide collection of stamps of the world which are on show for visitors. The library also offers events like music and discussions.

【推荐2】You wake up and the weather is all wet. What are you going to do today? Here are four ideas to try when it’s raining cats and dogs.

Puppet (木偶) showtime

You can create your own puppets with items your parents already have around the house. First, you’ll need some old socks or brown paper bags. Then get busy decorating them with markers, crayons, glitter, string, ribbons, buttons-even dry macaroni (通心粉)! Give your puppets names and funny voices. You might want to make up a special story for them. To make your show even better, use a cardboard box as a stage.

Build a castle

Ask your parents for some old sheets, blankets, or comforters. Spread them over chairs or other furniture to create a top-secret hideout. Bring a flashlight, a good book to read, and maybe even a snack. And don’t forget to think of a secret password.

Dress-up time

Both boys and girls can have fun trying on old clothes. Ask your parents to let you try on old hats, jewelry, shoes, and clothes. Do you want to be a doctor? You can pretend an old white shirt is a lab coat. Or maybe you see yourself as a movie star.

Say thanks

Birthdays and holidays are chances for us to thank people who love us and take good care of us. But it can be a special treat to get a gift or a card on an ordinary day. Think of the people who make you happy and then come up with a way to show them your care. It might be an aunt, uncle, grandmother, neighbor, or babysitter. It could even be your mom or dad! Use your arts and craft supplies to create a special card. You will be delivering sunshine on a rainy day!

【推荐3】The Starry Night was painted in June 1889 when Vincent van Gogh was staying at a home for the mentally ill. Van Gogh painted what he saw from his window - the night sky with clouds, stars and a moon. However, he didn’t just paint the clouds He also painted the massive circles of white and yellow racing across the sky. The stars and the moon hang bright in the night sky. Beneath this amazing sky, we see a sleeping village and a dark lonely tree.

Unfortunately, Van Gogh's unique paintings weren’t very popular and he only sold one painting in his lifetime. He also thought The Starry Night was a failure. However, the fact remains that The Starry Night is now one of the world's most famous paintings.

The Scream was painted by Edvard Munch in 1893. What makes it striking is that it shows a thin figure with an expression of fear - the figure's mouth is wide open and letting out a powerful scream. The figure covers his or her ears and looks directly at the viewer. This figure is set on a bridge above a dark, stormy sea, and against a burning orange-red sky.

Many experts say that The Scream is connected to Munch's mental health problems,which caused him a lot of pain.

The Empire of Light is a series of paintings by Belgian artist Rene Magritte. Between1953 and 1954, he painted the same scene 27 times. It shows a beautiful house lit by lights from inside, surrounded by the darkness of night. What is strange is that above the house and the tree, we see a daytime sky full of brightness and soft white clouds.It seems like quite a mysterious scene.

The Empire of Light has produced different reactions in viewers. Some feel that the paintings look dark and troubling Others, however, find them calming. As for Magritte himself, he thought that the change between day and night in the paintings was surprising."I call this power poetry."he said.

【推荐1】A Trip Along the Three Gorges

In August 1996, Peter Hessler, a young American teacher of English, arrived in the town of Fuling on the Yangtze River. He and a colleague were to spend two years there teaching English at a teacher training college. They were the only foreigners in the town. The first semester finished at the end of January and they had four weeks off for the Spring Festival. They could go anywhere they wished. They decided to take a boat downstream.

We decided to buy tickets for the Jiangyou boat. Our colleagues said, "You shouldn't go on those ships. They are very crowded. They are mainly for goods and people trading along the river. They don't stop at the temples and there won't be any other foreigners." That sounded fine to me. We just had to show our passports and they let us get on the boat.

We left the docks on a beautiful afternoon. The sun was shining brightly as we sailed downstream through a hilly region. Men rode bamboo rafts along the river's edge and coal boats went past. As the sun set we docked at Fengdu. We could see the sun setting behind the white pagoda. It was beautiful.

We slept through the first gorge, which is called the Qutang Gorge. The gorge narrows to 350 feet as the river rushes through the two-mile-high mountains. "Oh, well," my friend said, "at least we have two more left."

At Wushan we made a detour up the Daning River to see some of the smaller gorges. The next day we went through the big gorges on the Yangtze River. It was a lovely morning as we went through the Wu Gorge. We passed the Xiang River, home of Qu Yuan, the 3rd century BC poet. There was so much history along the Yangtze River. Every rock looked like a person or animal, every stream that joined the great river carried its legends, every hill was heavy with the past.

As we came out of the third gorge, the Xiling Gorge, we sailed into the construction site of the dam. All the passengers came on deck. We took pictures and pointed at the site, but we weren't allowed to get off the boat. The Chinese flag was blowing in the wind. On a distant mountain was a sign in 20-foot characters. "Build the Three Gorges Dam, Exploit the Yangtze River," it said.

Ireland is home to ancient kings and chiefs, giants and fairies. For years it has existed as two Irelands, and Brexit could worsen that division. Discover the lively cities of Dublin and Belfast, and taste pints, drink a whiskey or eat fresh oysters(牡蛎).

Journey Highlights

Meet storytellers and experts for insight into the true story of Ireland's history.

Get the full taste of Ireland, experiencing seaweed, oysters and whiskey.

The Swiss Alps are the perfect family playground, providing a fun and relaxing summer place for all ages. Towering peaks, rushing waterfalls and peaceful meadows bursting with wildflowers provide the calm backdrop for a variety of active programs. This eight-day program is suited to anyone with a sense of adventure, and especially for families with children ages 7 to 14.

Journey Highlights

Explore the heart-beating First Cliff Walk in Grindelwald.

Cruise Lake Thun to the town of Spiez. Explore the castle here, where children can become “Knights in Training".

The effect of climate change and extreme weather is all too noticeable in the disastrous changes that are happening along the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Spend four days in New Orleans exposed to the issues around global climate change and its effects on human health, and natural ecosystems.

Journey Highlights

Take a special tour of the levee system on the Mississippi River surrounding New Orleans to see its importance in protecting the area.

Learn how climate change affects New Orleans and the Gulf region from scientists.

Argentina is the active adventurers’ dream destination. From cathedral-like peaks to icy glaciers, this active, multisport route invites you to explore the Lake District, hike in view of the Fitz Roy Massif, sail to glaciers and ride horses.

Journey Highlights

Go kayaking on Lago Gutierrez and hike to surprising lakes in Nahuel Huapi National Park.

Cruise by boating to the face of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Visit a working ranch for a closer look at farmer life.

【推荐1】Put an ice cube from your fridge into a glass of water. You have a piece of string(线) 10 centimeters long. The problem is to take out that piece of ice with the help of the string. But you must not touch the ice with your fingers.

You may ask your friends to try to do that when you are having dinner together. There is a saltcellar on the table. You must use salt when you carry out this experiment.

First you put the string across the piece of ice. Then put some salt on the ice. Salt makes ice melt(融化). The ice round the string will begin to melt. But when it melts, it will lose heat. The cold ice cube will make the salt water freeze again.

After a minute or two you may raise the piece of string and with it you will raise your piece of ice!

This experiment can be very useful to you. If, for example, there is ice near the door of your house, you must use very much salt to melt all the ice. If you don’t put enough salt, the water will freeze again.

【推荐2】At the beginning of the 20th century there was a big farm called Hollywood Ranch. It was near Los Angeles in California. A few years later Hollywood was one of the famous places in the world. From the 1910s to the 1950s Hollywood was the film center of the world. Every family knew the names of its film stars—Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman and hundreds more.

The reason why people went to Hollywood to make films was the sun. At first，people made films in New York on the east coast of the United States. But then they heard about Los Angeles where there are 350 days of sun every year. As they made all the films by sunlight，the west coast was a much better place to make films. Also near Hollywood you can find mountains，sea and desert. They did not have to travel far to make any kind of film.

When TV became popular, Hollywood started making films for television. Then in the 1970s they discovered people still went to the cinema to see big expensive films. After about thirty years they are still making films in Hollywood and people watch them all over the world.

【推荐3】If Albuquerque Police Officer Ryan Holets had his way, this story would never have got so much attention. CNN would not have learned that Holets, while on duty, had agreed to adopt a baby from a homeless drug addict.

Holets values his privacy and didn’t do it for the attention. He did it just because he knew it was the right thing to do.

On Sept. 23, Holets responded to a call about a possible theft from a convenience store in Albuquerque. By the time he arrived, the thief was no longer there, but Holets spotted a woman in a grassy area behind the store about to inject a needle into her companion’s arm. The woman, Crystal Champ, was eight months pregnant.

After a short conversation, he learned Champ longed for her child to go to a good family. Holets offered to do just that.

When Sergeant Jim Edison learned what Holets did, he was floored. In his 10 years as a police officer, he has seen many “heroic acts” but none like what Holets did, Edison said.

Edison awarded Holets for his outstanding service for the city, but felt that wasn’t enough. It’s his job to reward his officers and encourage them to do the right thing, so Edison signed Holets up to do an interview for CNN’s “Beyond the Call of Duty”series without telling him.

“Every day Edison calls me to ask for forgiveness.” Holets said laughing, “And I keep assuring him that we're fine. We didn’t quite realize it would get this response, and neither did he. But we all realize it’s a really good thing, and some really good things can come of it.”

One of Holets’s conditions when he agreed to CNN’s interview was that his superiors would not set up a GoFundMe page for his family. “We don’t want anybody to say we've used this occasion to enrich ourselves,” Holets said. He instead urges those who want to offer support to donate to a local drug recovery center or adoption organization.