Thank you for agreeing to take part in our Music Day. The whole idea of the day is for music students around the area to meet other players and receive expert teaching from our guests,six professional players!In the evening,you will perform the pieces you have worked on during the day at a concert which your friends and family can attend.

After you have registered at the reception,go to the main hall. First,there will be a short performance by our professional musicians who are joining us for the day. After this you will go into your classes to practice on your own instruments for the evening concert. There will also be a chance to experiment with a different instrument from the one you normally play,and see if you enjoy playing something more unusual — we have several instruments to choose from!

The first part of the day will finish at 5 pm,when parents can collect students. For those remaining in the hall until the evening concert at 7 pm,there will be DVDs for you to watch,although you should also bring something to do while you are waiting. A change of clothes is required for the evening — black trousers or a skirt and white top — so unless you are going home at 5 pm,you will need to have this with you at the start of the day.

If for whatever reason you cannot attend the evening concert,you must tell us as soon as possible,as we need to know numbers in order to prepare the stage. We look forward to seeing you at the Young People's Music Day.

【推荐2】Vietnam launched preparations for the Lunar New Year with a fish release on Thursday. The tradition involves releasing fish called carp into rivers and lakes in the country a week before the holiday known as Tet officially begins.

The tradition comes from an ancient story of three “Kitchen Gods”. The three, two males and a female, take a ride on the brightly colored carp at the end of the year. They go to Heaven to meet with the Jade Emperor, the God who rules there. The Kitchen Gods report news about the families they represent to ask for the emperor's care and protection. Their efforts help to keep the kitchen fires burning, and families happy and healthy.

Vietnamese believe the fish release brings good luck to their families. As the gods go to Heaven, families clean their houses in preparation to celebrate Tet. A clean house, Vietnamese believe, will bring luck in the new year. On Lunar New Year's Eve, the gods will return to earth and their duties in the kitchen of the house.

Releasing the fish makes me feel better about myself," said Nguyen Hong Nhung of Hanoi. "It's like I've done a good deed, so I'll be luckier in the new year.

Thursday's event, which takes place across Vietnam, was more restrained than in years past because of COVID - 19. It is spreading in several northern areas of the country. "Vietnamese will still follow the tradition of releasing the fish, but COVID-19 has made people keep a safe distance", said Tran Van Toi as he released carp from a plastic bag at Hanoi's West Lake.

The Lunar New Year is also celebrated in China, Korea, Laos and other Asian countries.

【推荐3】Christmas is still a few weeks away. But in Holland, Germany and other parts of central Europe, man dressed in red with a big white beard will already be flying from house to house with a big sack and presents for children. “Sinterklaas komt!” as Dutch children say-Saint Nicholas is coming!

It’s obvious from the name that “Santa Claus” comes from “Sinterklaas”. Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6, but there are many things about the saint and his festival that are similar to Christmas. Just as Santa has reindeer, so Sinterklaas has a white horse. Dutch and German children put their shoes out in front of the chimney just like children hang up their stockings on Christmas Eve, hoping that in the morning they will be full of presents. With Sinterklaas, however, you’re also expected to put a carrot in your shoe as a present to his horse.

Like Santa, Sinterklaas also judges whether children have been “naughty or nice” in the past year to help him decide whether they deserve presents. But while good children get sweets, the consequences of being bad are far worse than they are with Father Christmas. Naughty children are given a stick so their parents can beat them. If you are really, really bad, Sinterklaas will put you into a sack and take you away.

In parts of Germany and Austria, people also celebrate December 5, but it is a celebration of naughtiness rather than niceness. On “Krampus Day”, bizarre, horned demons (or rather boys dressed in costumes) run around causing havoc and hitting girls with sticks. Authorities have struggled for years to ban the tradition, but have not been successful. Luckily Saint Nicholas always comes next day to put things right.

【推荐1】From early times, man has been interested in art. People have often worked together to collect and save the world’s art treasures.

Fine art treasures from many countries are kept in an art museum called the Louvre (卢浮宫) in Paris, France. The works of art have been collected by the people of France over many centuries. It is the biggest art museum in the world.

The Louvre has not always been a museum.The first building was a fort (堡垒) with high walls and a round tower.It had a moat (护城河) to keep out the enemies.

Over the years, the number of buildings around the castle grew. By 1350, the castle no longer needed a fort. The Louvre became a palace home for French kings and queens.

During times of peace, new treasures were brought in. During the days of war, many treasures were stolen, and the buildings were damaged.

When Francis Ⅰ became King of France in 1515, he brought in many artists from other countries. One of the artists was Leonardo da Vinci from Italy. Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” (蒙娜丽莎) is the best-known painting in the museum today.

In 1793, the Louvre became a public museum, just as it is now. It is a place where art treasures are kept for everyone to enjoy. Every year millions of people from all over the world come to the Louvre to see the masterpieces.

【推荐2】Scientists have uncovered a fast-food eatery (餐馆) in the ancient Roman town of Pompeii. The remains help with the understanding of foods of Pompeii’s citizens.

About 80 such fast-food eateries have been found at Pompeii. But the latest find means this is the first time such a hot-food-drink eatery—known as a thermopolium—has been completely unearthed. Pompeii was destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Part of the fast-food counter was dug up in 2019 during work to shore up Pompeii’s ruins.

Since then, archaeologists (考古学家) have kept digging, uncovering a multi-sided-counter, with typical wide holes on its top, not unlike these for soup containers put into modern-day salad bars. The front of the counter included works of art showing ducks and chickens. The images brightened the eatery and also likely advertised food. Another image of a dog with a rope around its neck may remind people to keep pets tied up.

Early studies confirm “how the painted works represent, at least in part, the foods and drinks effectively sold inside”, said Valeria Amoretti, an anthropologist at Pompeii. Amoretti noted small pieces of duck bones were found in a food container. Remains of goats, pigs, and fish were also found. At the bottom of a wine container were remains of ground fava beans.

Massimo Osanna added, “We know what they were eating that day.” He was talking about the day of Pompeii’s destruction. The food remains are examples of “what’s popular with the common folk”. He added that wealthy Romans did not eat at such street-food businesses. Successful restaurant owners know that a good location is important for business. Osanna noted that right outside the eatery was a small square with a fountain. Another thermopolium was nearby.

【推荐3】Bicycles are very popular around the world nowadays. People ride their bicycles for exercise and enjoyment. In some places, people use bicycles to get to work. In other places, bicycle riding is a very popular exercise to people who live in cities. But who invented the first bicycle?

In 1791, a Frenchman named Comte de Sivrac invented and owned the first bicycle. Mrs. Sivrac rode the bicycle in Paris. The handles and the seat were wooden. This bicycle was very difficult to move. A rider even had to pick up the front wheel to change direction. What's worse, the bicycle had no brakes for stopping or pedals for the feet! Riding a bicycle took great risk.

In 1817, a German named Baron von Drais de Sauerbrun made the first bicycle better. The seat became more comfortable. The wheel could now change direction. His ride in the forest took only one hour instead of three hours on foot, which surprised people at that time.

Sauerbrun brought this kind of bicycle from Germany to France. Then Denis Johnson, an Englishman, made a bicycle for women. It had space for their dresses to hang down. But these bicycles still had no brakes or pedals, and riders often got hurt. These bicycles and the people who rode them were not very popular.

It took another forty-five years for the bicycle to become popular. More than 100 years later, bicycle riding is more popular than ever. In fact, in India and China, there are still many more bicycles than cars.

【推荐2】After disappearing for over 19 years, measles (麻疹) is making a comeback in America. Since January 2019, the disease has infected more than 700 people, mostly small children, and the number seems to be increasing daily.

Measles is an infectious disease that typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Many people also lose their appetites and feel sleepy. About three to four days after the symptoms start, the person breaks out into a rash (皮疹) that begins on the face at the hairline and then spreads to the neck and the rest of the body.

In healthy people, the recovery, which takes between two to three weeks, starts soon after the rash begins. However, for about 40 percent of patients — mainly kids under the age of five or older adults — the disease often leads to pneumonia (肺炎), which, if left untreated, could result in death.

The recent outbreak is thought to have been caused by travelers picking up the virus in a country where the disease is still existing and exposing it to an unvaccinated (未接种的) community in the US. In New York, it was carried back by someone who had recently visited Israel, which is currently undergoing a significant measles, while in Washington, “patient zero” was infected by a type that is currently circulating in Europe.

To limit the spread of the disease before it gets out of hand, US health officials are attempting to educate communities with high rates of unvaccinated children. They are also urging adults to consult with their physicians and get injected if considered necessary by the doctor.

Hopefully, health officials worldwide will be able to convince parents that vaccinating their children will protect, not harm, them.

A．The symptoms of measles.

B．The possible results of measles.

C．The causes of measles.

D．The cures for measles

【推荐3】My 23-year-old car was unsafe and I decided it was time to trade it for a less old one. I found myself then at a local used car lot looking at a 12-year-old car. There was no way for me to afford a new car, but this one seemed in fine shape. I made the deal and drove it home.

It wasn’t long, however, before I noticed a squealing (振鸣声). I made an appointment at a local repair factory. The heat of the day made me turn on the air conditioner but no cold air came out. This made me worry more. I wondered if I’d made a big mistake.

When I arrived at the repair factory, I sat in the waiting room. The warmth and beauty of the day was too good to ignore. I walked outside. Walking around the parked cars, I noticed some beautiful flowers. As I looked down at them, a single white butterfly flew down and landed on them. Butterflies had for years held a special place in my heart. They always reminded me of my mother and her love for me. I smiled when I saw this one and felt in my heart peace and joy I hadn’t felt for a long time. I realized then that while the repairers were making a few minor repairs on my car, God was making a few minor repairs on my soul.

Life is too short to allow fear and worry to rule our days. We’re here on earth to love each other and we’re reminded of this in countless ways every day. My “new” car is running now and I’m doing my best to keep my soul doing the same. May you always keep your own soul open to whatever minor repairs you meet with in life.