Chinese is one of the six official working languages of the United Nations(UN). Chinese Language Day has been celebrated since 2010. The UN holds colorful activities on this day. This helps spread Chinese.

In a school, you may hear a student saying, “I’m quite interested in Chinese,” but you are not in China. You are in a foreign country. Like the student, many foreigners are learning Chinese. But it’s not easy. People have to memorize about 6,000 Chinese characters before they can do basic(基础的) reading and writing. So, for foreigners, it’s hard to memorize them.

However, Chinese is more popular around the world today. The long history and colorful culture of China attract(吸引) many foreigners to learn Chinese. With the rapid development, China is staying ahead in many fields and is playing its role in the world. Chinese is becoming a global(全球的) language and its popularity has risen around the world. Many countries set up Chinese courses in their schools. For example, in the UK, schools encourage their students to study Chinese. The increase in popularity of Chinese has been surprising.

Just like the foreigners do, we also learn foreign languages. Different languages carry different cultures. So exchanges are necessary. By learning a foreign language, we can have a useful tool of communication. More importantly, it will help us experience a new culture.

Twenty years ago. Linda was a young mother with two little children depending on her. She worked for eight hours a day as a house cleaner. Washing clothes and doing the cleaning caused her fingers to split (裂开) in the cold and dry air. Before going to work, she needed to bandage her fingers. The heavy burden (负担) made her stressed out and tired.

Linda still remembered that unforgettable day. When she was working for her host, she broke an expensive glass by accident. To her surprise, the host didn’t blame (责备), seeing her tired face and the fingers with bandages, the host let her go home to have a rest. Though the weather was cold, her daughter Mary came to her and passed her the medicine. Linda could see care in her daughter’s eyes.

Linda went back home tiredly but thankfully. When she opened the door, her son John ran up to her and shouted, “Mom!” He put his little arms around her neck.Linda lifted him up and her heart was filled with love. When she was checking her painful fingers

Linda realized her life is full of love and care. She always says, “Love and care from the people around me is the thing that keeps me going.” And she believes things will get better.

Do You Put off What Should Be Done Today Until Tomorrow?

—Richards tells about time wasting

We have received hundreds of emails after we put Dr. Rowan Pelling’s article Can You Manage Your Time Well on our website.

I started decorating the bathroom in 2019 when I moved into this house, the tins of paint are still lying there three years later. I still haven’t decided what color paint I’m going to use. It really troubles me a lot.

—by Linda, New York

I’m still getting round to put away the Christmas trees used last December and it’s now September. In June, I decided I might as well leave it because it would be Christmas soon. Anyway, what’s wrong with having a Christmas trees throughout the year?

—by Jane, London

When I was traveling in Britain with my family, I bought a book called 52 Steps To Prevent Time-Wasting. But I was so busy with my work that I could never find time to read even one word of it. Ten years has passed since then, and I can’t remember where it is now.

—by Tom, Toronto

I’m a furniture (家具) businessman. I once sold a set of British furniture to a customer from Japan, but I didn’t send him the furniture on time, which made me very embarrassed (尴尬的). Instead, I told him that I couldn’t find a right shipping company to send him the furniture.

—by Tony, Sydney

At the age of ten, I hated a girl. Her name is Ivy. She liked to point out my shortcomings (缺点). Week by week, her list grew: I was very thin; I talked too much; I was lazy and so on. Finally, I became very angry. I cried and ran to my father.

After listening to me, he asked, “Are the things she said true or not? Lyn, do you ever think what you’re really like? Well, you now have Ivy’s opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and see what are true.”

I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I found that half the things were true. I couldn’t change (改变) some of them (like being very thin) , but I could change most of them. Suddenly, I decided to change.

I showed the list to Dad. He didn’t take it. “That’s just for you,” he said, “You know better than anyone else the truth (真相) about yourself. But you have to learn to listen. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be helpful to you. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know. It is the right thing to do.”

Dad’s advice (建议) has come to my mind at many important moments. In my life, it’s the best advice.