3 . The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) is one of the world’s largest and finest art museums. Following the suggested route will help you explore the museum.

This 2000-year-old building stood near the Nile River, surrounded by a wall that no longer exists. But you can still peek through the gateway. Whose “house” is this? It's not for people. It’s for gods.   Can you identify them? They face out. A king faces in, bringing offerings.

Bringing together some of the most respected thinkers on a given subject, MetSpeaks features   lectures, discussions, talks, films, and forums in which compelling voices explore timely issues that connect to the Met’s exhibitions and permanent collection. Program times, audiences, and topics vary.

Settle down for a few minutes, pick something in this gallery, and have fun drawing it. Enjoy the chance to look carefully as you create your own sketch. You’ll be surprised at how much more you notice, thanks to exploring art by sketching.

Make the Met yours! Choose from a variety of services and exciting programs that are offered to meet the needs of visitors with disabilities. Program times, audiences, and topics vary.

Ask for the Access Information brochure and Access Calendar at Information Desks, download the Access Calendar (PDF), or call 212-650-2010 or email access@metmuseum.org.

Admission Fee includes admission to the Main Building and same-week admission to the Cloisters museum and gardens.

6 . In the age of online shopping and e-readers, devoted staff and customers keep the doors of Auntie's Bookstore open for 40 years. “When you're in Portland, you go to Powell's Books. When you're in Seattle, you go to Elliott Bay. When you're in Spokane, you go to Auntie's,” said John Waite, the owner of the bookstore. “I can't imagine Spokane without Auntie's,” he said. “A lot of people can't imagine Spokane without Auntie's, either,” Waite said.

Turning visitors into regular customers is important to the store's success. Auntie's markets itself as a destination. A half-dozen book clubs meet there. Most weeks, the store hosts two to four author readings or literary events. “We want people to come down, hang out and experience the feel of having a book in their hands,” Waite said.

Eager readers not only want to read books, but want to discuss them, said Kerry Halls, the store manager. Auntie's offers them that chance, she said.

“You can't go to Amazon and talk to someone about your favorite novel, or discuss what you think of the latest Stephen King's book compared with Pet Sematary,” she said.

To compete with the convenience of shopping online, Auntie's tries to predict what books will become a trend. They store these books in advance. But Waite doesn't sugarcoat the realities of selling books in the era of Amazon and other online retailers (零售店). “Even the big guys can’t make it,” he said, noting physical retailers are striving nationally. As the United States' oldest national bookstore chain, Barnes&Noble has to constantly reorganize to stop the declining sales.

At Auntie's, regular customers are very important to its survival and development. Sales of children's and young adults' books are increasing in recent years. Waite said. “For a long time, older customers have kept bookstores alive, "he said. "Now, it's starting to attract younger people.” Another reason of Auntie's longevity (长寿) is Northwest culture, which Waite said encourages new ways of thinking and the diversity of ideas. "I think it's a great book town, “Waite said. "People are enthusiastic about reading.”

7 . Earth Hour is organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature. It's a big event usually at the end of March every year. On this evening, people “go dark”.     1    

It's true that turning off lights for just one hour saves only a small amount of power.    2    On one level, joining in Earth Hour makes people think about the problem of climate change and what we can do in everyday life to protect nature.

But on another level, a large number of people’s acting together sends a powerful message to governments and companies.     3     They begin considering green issues when big decisions.

The logo(标识) of Earth Hour is “60+” .The number 60 is for the 60 minutes of Earth Hour.     4     In fact, people who join in Earth Hour say that taking part makes them want to do more for the environment.

    5     Musicians give concerts by playing acoustic(原声的) instruments instead of electric ones, and using candles instead of electric lights. Celebrity chefs have created special recipes for families to prepare and eat by candlelight. Tree-planting sessions, group walks and runs are also among the options.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an international organization    1    task is to stop suffering.It doesn’t care about people’s race, nationality or political beliefs.It helps anyone    2    need of help.The story of the ICRC begins with Henry Dunant.After a battle in 1859, about 40,000    3     (soldier).

Were dead or injured, but there was no one to help them.When he returned to Switzerland, he wrote a book about his experience.The leaders of many countries read his book about his experience.The leaders of many countries read his book and wanted to do something.As a result, the ICRC     4     (found) in Geneva, Switzerland in 1863.It was an organization that would help all the people    5     (affect).

In 1864, there was a meeting in Geneva.    6    American woman called Clara Barton wanted the ICRC to help people in peacetime as well as in wartime. She wanted the ICRC to get     7     (concern) with disaster relief. Since then, the ICRC    8     (help) millions of victims (受害者) of earthquakes and other disasters all around the world.

The ICRC not only works worldwide at big disasters, but also works in the community,     9     (take) care of victims in small accidents. The ICRC is     10     (clear) carrying out its task to stop suffering in this world.

Many     1     (music) meet and form a band because they like to write and play their own music. They may start     2     a group of high-school students, for     3     practicing their music in someone’s house is the first step to fame. Sometimes they may play to     4     (passer-by) in the street or subway so that they can earn some money for themselves or to pay for their instruments. Later they may give performances in pubs or clubs, for which they     5     (pay) in cash.

10 . What better way to experience the history of a site than to have a hand in actually preserving it? This was the thought behind the founding of Adventures in Preservation(AIP) in 2001. The nonprofit's founders.Judith Broeker and Jamie Donahoe, were both long time preservationists and world travelers. They had seen a great many buildings in poor condition, as well as buildings that had been“restored" without the benefit of conservation expertise.

Twelve years on, they are still involved in the day-to-day management of the organization, supported by a volunteer staff located around the world, Judith' s favorite projects have long been the ones in Eastern Europe, and she enjoys opportunity to travel there each year. She, along with anyone else who's joined an adventure, always quotes their fellow jammers, as they' re called, as the highlight of each project. The groups are made up of people from all different ages, occupations, and cultures.Yet each time, they form a strong bond and work so well together that the work becomes fun. Which,after all, is the point of a working vacation, no?

Raising understanding of people's own heritage(遗迹) is another part of AIP projects. In many places, there is so much focus on the news that not only are heritage buildings being lost but so are the traditional building skills needed to keep them. By providing training and raising awareness of the importance of their heritage, AIP is helping keep both alive.

Next year, AIP has projects in Europe and the US. There will be even more projects the following year as projects currently under development in Ghana, Armenia, Ukraine and the US come on line. Each project is also an opportunity for travel, adventure, and personal growth, and AIP welcomes people from around the world to join a project and“"jam" with them.