1 . Write a winning story!

You could win £1,000 in this year’s Fiction (小说) Prize and have your story printed in Keep Writing. Ten other lucky people will win £100.

Once again, we need people who can write good stories. The judges who include Mary Littlejohn, the novelist, Michael Brown, the television reporter, and Susan Hitchins, one of Keep Writing’s editors, are looking for interesting and original stories. Detective fiction was really popular last year, although the competition winner produced a love story. You can write about whatever you want but you should make the beginning interesting and the ending a surprise.

Your story must be your own work, between 2,000 and 2,500 words and typed, double-spaced, on one side only of each piece of paper.

Even if you’re in danger of missing the closing date, we are unable to accept stories by email. You must include the application form with your story. Unfortunately, your story cannot be returned, nor can we discuss our decisions.

Your fee of £5 will go to the Writers’ Association. Send your story with the application form and your story to:

The closing date is October 30 and we will inform the winner within one month of this date. Please note that if you win, you must agree to have your story printed in our magazine.

2 . News Around the World

If you feel pressured for your work, here are four pieces of news you can scan and relax.

Across the River in Rome

A man has walked across the Tiber River in Rome. As a tightrope artist, he is skilled at walking on a tightrope. But this time the tightrope is 135 meters long and 20 meters above the river, which is the longest and highest. The man sets a new Italian record. He said this walk was difficult with wind and rain.

A new spoon for astronauts

Nikolas Grafakos makes a special spoon for astronauts, which helps astronauts eat more easily during long trips to Mars. Normal spoons are a little longer for astronauts and hard to eat with at zero gravity. The new spoon is something between a spoon and chopsticks. You hold it in your hand and press it at the end. It is easier to deliver food to our mouth, making it possible for astronauts to eat more kinds of food.

Pink Chocolate

Have you seen a kind of natural pink chocolate? Some people don't accept that, saying that the pink chocolate is rare and must cost a lot. Others say that in general, all cocoa beans turn into dark chocolate. During the process of making, they unbelievably change colour. They suppose there must be something strange about the gene of cocoa beans. Or maybe it is just white chocolate with some fruit.

Car Jumps and Rolls

A stunt driver set a Guinness World Record. This is his 21st Guinness World Record title. To jump with a car, he must get everything prepared and make exact calculations ahead of time. The car goes for 160 meters away and then; the car jumps. It flies 15.37 meters and even rolls in the air.

4 .

7 . SHARK CONSERVATION IN SOUTH AFRICA

Take a two-week trip that you will never forget as a volunteer with sharks on a beautiful stretch of South Africa’s coastline. Head out to sea to witness one of the world’s most powerful (and most misunderstood) creatures on this inspiring project, enjoying watching them from both above and below water.

The DAY-BY-DAY schedule

Day 1: Arrive in Cape Town on a Sunday. You will be collected from the airport and spend your first night in a guest house in the city centre.

Day 2: You will be collected bright and early from the guest house and taken down to the project. The drive takes about 90 minutes. You will receive a welcome and head out to sea to witness your first sharks!

Day 3+: Most days you will be out on the boat with the sharks, depending on weather. Help out with the full range of tasks on the boats, and in conservation initiatives on land too.

Last day: On the final day of your project you will be taken back to Cape Town for your onward travel.

The price is £829,including the voluntary work programme with accommodations,   airport transfers, one night in a guest house in Cape Town, breakfasts daily and lunches when on the boats. Your trip can be extended at a cost of £ 375 per week.

It is an amazing experience! Some volunteers planned to stay for 4 weeks, extended to 6 weeks and still didn’t want to come home. If you’d like to chat about this holiday or need help, we’re very happy to help.

Call us at 01273 823 700.

Email us at rosy@responsibletravel.com.

8 . Don't know where to go for the weekends? Here are some suggestions for art exhibitions in Beijing.

Wavelength: At the Moment

On March 26, the art exhibition Wavelength: At the Moment was officially opened at the Beijing Times Art Museum. It is divided into four sectors: “Past Future”, “Present Continuous”, “Present Simple” and “Future Continuous”.

This exhibition invited 18 well-known contemporary artists from China and abroad to explore the emotional bond that contemporary art brings to the audience by transforming the exhibition site into a junction point between time, space and reality. Artists use a variety of media as means of artistic expression, focusing on interaction with the audience.

Round and Develop

Supported by the China National Arts Fund, Round and Develop provides a panoramic view of the development in the medium, style and aesthetics of painting.

The exhibition, running at the Art Museum of Central Academy of Fine Arts until April 30, shows 100 paintings that reflect the evolution of artists working with mixed media over the past three decades.

Standing out from Three Centuries

Standing out from Three Centuries, running through May 9 at the National Art Museum of China(NAMOC) and Nanjing Museum, shows dozens of Chen Zhifo's paintings from the collections of the two museums. NAMOC has collaborated with Nanjing Museum on this paying tribute to Chen's accomplishments.

The exhibition shows Chen's transition in style, from elegance, tranquility and a scholarly touch to a matured feeling of majesty.

10 . Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh

The over 70-acre Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, as well as a popular tourist attraction. It is the second oldest botanic garden in Britain. Originally founded in 1670 as a garden to grow medicinal plants, its living collection consists of more than 15,000 plants.

Open daily from 10 am(except December 25 and January 31). Closed at 4 p.m.(Nov—Feb. ) 6 p.m.(Mar. and Oct.), 7 pm(Apr.—Sept. )

Entry: Free(Tel: 01315 527171)

The Dingle Garden, Wales

The Dingle Garden is set in the heart of beautiful mid-Wales. The four-acre garden is south-facing with paths that wind down the slope to a lake and small waterfall. The beds are colour-themed to look good all year round. This peaceful garden, full of wildlife, is the perfect spot for a relaxing wander at any time of year.

Open daily 9 a.m.—5 p.m. Only closed for one week at Christmas.

Entry: Adults £3, seniors £3, children free(Tel: 01938555145)

Groombridge Place, Keat

Groombridge Place in Kent, set in 200 acres of wooded parkland, has been the inspiration for books, films and television programmes. Inside the garden walls at Groombridge Place lies a hidden world. For three hundred years these gardens were unseen, except by a favoured few. The gardens were laid out in the 17th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries new plants were introduced and many trees were planted.

Late Mar.—early Nov.: Open daily from 10 am to 5:30 pm(or dusk if earlier)

Entry: Adults £8.95, seniors and children £7.45(Tel: 01892861444)

Hidcote Manor Garden, Gloucestershire

Hidcote garden covers 10.5 acres of gently sloping ground. It was designed by a plant collector who sponsored and participated in plant hunting expeditions to secure rare and unusual species for this extremely pretty garden.

Open from the end of March to early November.

March 24 to July 1 and during September, open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, closed on Thursdays and Fridays. July 2 to August 31, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on Thursdays. October 1 to November 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on Thursdays and Fridays.

Entry: Adults £7.27, children £3,36, family £18.18（Tel: 01386 438333）