Holi ( 洒红节) is a spring festival, also   (1)   ________ (know) as the festival of colours or the festival of love. It is an ancient Hindu religious festival   (2)   ________ has become popular in and outside Asia. It is celebrated at the end of winter   (3)   ________ the night and the day are of equal length. The date of the festival is different every year. According to the Hindu calendar, it   (4)  ________ (usual) comes in March, sometimes in late February.

The celebration   (5)   ________ (start) with a bonfire ( 篝火) on the night before Holi, where people gather, sing and dance. The next morning is a carnival of colours, where anyone, children or elders, friends or   (6)   ________ (strange), chase and colour each other with dry powder and coloured water. Everyone is happy to be made fun   (7)  ________. Groups carry drums and musical instruments,  (8)  ________ (go) from place to place. After a(n)   (9)   ________ (excite) day, people visit their friends and share the delicious food after cleaning up and dressing up.

The purpose of the festival is to celebrate the beginning of the new season, spring. Hindus believe   (10)   ________ is a time for enjoying spring's rich colours and saying goodbye to winter.

Yangshuo , China

It was raining lightly when I  61     (arrive) in Yangshuo just before dawn. But I didn’t care. A few hours  62    , I’d been at home in Hong Kong, with  63      (it) choking smog（烟雾）. Here, the air was clean and fresh, even with the rain.

I’d skipped nearby Guilin, a dream place for tourists seeking the limestone mountain tops and dark waters of the Li River  64        are pictured by artists in so many Chinese  65      

(painting). Instead, I’d headed straight for Yangshuo. For those who fly to Guilin, it’s only an hour away   66       car and offers all the scenery of the better-known city.

Yangshuo  67       (be) really beautiful. A study of travelers  68       (ｍａｋｅ) by the website TripAdvisor names Yangshuo as one of the top 10 destinations in the world. And the town is fast becoming a popular weekend destination for people in Asia. Abercrombie & Kent, a travel company in Hong Kong, says it  69          (regular) arranges（安排） quick getaways here for people  70      (live) in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Commercial advertisement was once thought of as a technique of the marketers to inform the potential buyers about the availability of certain products. It was seen more as a medium to inform the buyers rather than persuade them to buy. The present day marketers see advertisement as a medium to damage the image of their competitors and their products. This indeed, is an undesirable and an immoral practice. Instead of speaking about their own products, these marketers speak about the drawbacks (often without any basics) of the competing products.

People watching TV advertisements would notice that there has always been an advertisement war between the marketers of different consumer goods. A few such cases are given below.

1 Parachute Coconut Oil vs. V.V.D. Gold

Some time back, the producer of V.V.D Gold Coconut Oil claimed in their TV advertisement that only their products was superior and the one sold in blue colour bottles (the reference was to Parachute coconut oil) was suitable only for un-natural hair.

2 Tata Salt vs. Captain Cook

Tata salt was first iodised (碘处理) salt marketed by an Indian Company. It has been enjoying a good and steady market. Captain Cook, another producer of iodised salt, who entered the market later, had to adopt some strategy to get control of the market. The TV advertisement of Captain Cook stressed on ‘Free flow’ of their salt when transferred to a container. The producer of Tata Salt retaliated (报复) by saying that the claim of Captain Cook was a trick and those who were quality conscious should deal with it with caution.

3 Pepsi vs. Coco Cola

Coca Cola was selected as the official soft drink for the Wills World Cricket 1996. When the cricket series was on, the marketers of Pepsi constantly advertised on TV. Their advertisement gave the idea that the cricketers preferred only Pepsi and as a matter of fact there was nothing official about it.

4 Horlicks vs. Complan

Sometime back, the TV advertisement of Complan, a health drink directly attacked Horlicks, which has been in the market for several decades. The claim of Complan was that their brand (which according to them was Brand C) has a higher percentage of ingredients (材料) compared to Brand H (reference was nothing but to Horlicks).

The above examples clearly show how the technique of advertisement is misused by some marketers to ruin the image of their competitors. This, certainly, is not a healthy trend.

Any marketer should only speak about his products quality and not about his competitors’ products’. The awareness of consumers has certainly increased over the years and they are no longer easily taken in. There are many consumer products like salt, oil shaving blades etc. But one thing for sure is that offering the same product in a different container will not make the product different.

Mass media like Radio, Television and newspaper should not allow advertisements that tell lies. Legal regulations, in this regard, should also be made stricter.

The latest attack on the Internet and on computers in general is Nicholas Carrˈs writing,“The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains.”

Carr and other digital alarmists make a case that seems reasonable, at least on the surface.  They argue that Internet communication tools trap us in a shallow culture of constant interruption as we crazily tweet, text and e­mail.  This in turn leaves us little time for deep reading, reflection and serious conversation—activities traditionally thought to build knowledge and wisdom.

The alarmists use the concept of“neural plasticity(神经可塑性)”and talk of technology “reshaping” the brain to convince us that the new distractions make us not just less willing but less able, on a physiological level, to focus.

Whenever you hear that something is changing your brain, you ought to be worried—or at least the person telling you wants you to be worried.  But does a cultural change like this necessarily lead to a fundamental change to the brain?

The appeals to neural plasticity, backed by studies showing that new changes can reorganize the brain, are largely irrelevant.  The basic plan of the brainˈs “shaping” is genetically determined long before a child discovers Facebook and Twitter.  There is simply no experimental evidence to show that living with digital culture fundamentally changes brain organization in a way that affects oneˈs ability to focus.  Of course, the brain changes any time we form a memory or learn a new skill, but new skills build on our existing capacities without fundamentally changing them.  We will no more lose our ability to pay attention than we will lose our ability to listen, see or speak.

The idea that the Internet might make us shallower has some instant appeal, because it is easy to see how the cognitive performance of people around us drops when they are distracted. But the notion that prolonged focus and deep reading mark the best path to wisdom and insight is just an assumption, one that may be an accidental consequence of the printing press existing before the computer.  To book authors like us it seems a weird notion, but it is possible that spending 10 or more hours engaged in a single text might not be the most favorable way for building brainpower.

So donˈt be afraid of the digital era.  Google is not making us stupid, PowerPoint is not destroying literature, and the Internet is not really changing our brains.

Deep reading, as opposed to superficial (shallow) reading we do on the Web, is an endangered practice, one we ought to take steps to preserve as we would a historic building or a significant work of art.

    Recent research has illustrated that deep reading, characterized as a unique experience different kind from the mere understanding of words, is slow, immersive (沉浸的), rich in sensory detail and emotional and moral complexity. Although deep reading does not, strictly speaking, require a conventional book, the limits of the printed page are uniquely helpful to the deep reading experience. A book’s lack of hyperlinks (超链接), for example, frees the reader from making decisions—should I click on this link or not—allowing her to remain fully absorbed in the story.

    That immersion is supported by the way the brain handles language rich in detail, indirect reference and figures of speech: by creating a mental representation that draws on the same brain regions that would be active if the scene were unfolding in real life. The emotional situations and moral dilemmas that are the material of literature are also vigorous (有活力的) exercise for the brain, driving us inside the heads of fictional characters and even, studies suggest, increasing our real-life capacity (能力) for recognition.

None of this is likely to happen when we’re browsing through a website. Although we call the activity by the same name, the deep reading of books and the information-driven reading we do on the Web are very different, both in the experience they produce and in the capacity they develop. A growing body of evidence suggests that online reading may be less satisfying, even for the “digital natives” to whom it is so familiar. Researchers reported that 39% of children and teens read daily using electronic devices, but only 28% read printed materials every day. Those who only read onscreen were three times less likely to say they enjoy reading very much and tell which book they like best. The study also found that young people who read daily only onscreen were nearly twice less likely to be above-average readers than those who read daily in print or both in print and onscreen.

    All in all, the disappearance of deep reading would harm the intellectual and emotional development of generations growing up online, as well as the preservation of a critical part of our culture: the novels, poems and other kinds of literature that can be appreciated only by readers whose brains have been trained to understand them.

Issues around children learning to read are rarely out of the news. which is hardly surprising—becoming a successful reader is of vital importance in improving a child’s life chances. Nor is it surprising that reading creates a virtuous circle: the more you read the better you become. But what may come as a surprise is that reading to dogs is gaining popularity as a way of addressing concerns about children’s reading.

Underachievement (学业不良) in groups of children in the UK is recognized in international studies—and successive governments have sought to address the issues in a range of ways. Reading to dogs, so far, has not been among them, but it’s time to look at the strategy more seriously.

Many children naturally enjoy reading and need little encouragement, but if they are struggling, their confidence can quickly decrease—and with it, their motivation. This brings about the destructive cycle, and therefore reading ability fails to improve.

So how can dogs help?

A therapeutic (疗法的) presence

Reading to dogs is just that—encouraging children to read alongside a dog. The practice originated in the US in 1999.

The presence of dogs has a calming effect on many people—hence their use in Pets as Therapy schemes (PAT). Many primary schools are becoming increasingly pressurized environments and children (like adults) generally do not respond well to such pressure. A dog creates an environment that immediately feels more relaxing and welcoming. Reading can be an independent activity, but can also be a pleasurable, shared social event. Children who are struggling to read benefit from the simple pleasure of reading to a loyal, loving listener.

Children who are struggling to read, for whatever reason, need to build confidence and rediscover a motivation for reading. A dog is a reassuring, friendly audience who will not mind if mistakes are made. Children can read to the dog, uninterrupted; comments will not be made Errors can be addressed in other contexts at other times. For more experienced or capable readers they can experiment with intonation and “voices”, knowing that the dog will respond positive—and building fluency further develops comprehension in readers.

For children who are struggling, reconnecting with the pleasure of reading is very important. As Marylyn Jager-Adams，a literacy (读写) scholar, noted in a seminal review of beginner reading in the US: “ If we want children to learn to read well, we must find a way to attract them to read lots.”

Reading to a dog can create a helpful balance, supporting literacy activities which may seem less appealing to a child. Children having difficulty with reading, for example，need focused support to develop their understanding of the alphabetic code (字母代码). But this needs to be balanced with activities which support independent reading and social enjoyment or the child become less motivated.

Creating a virtuous circle

Breaking a negative cycle will inevitably lead to the creation of a virtuous circle—and sharing a good book with a dog enables children to apply their reading skills in a positive and enjoyable way.

Research evidence in this area is rather limited, despite the growing popularity of the scheme. A 2016 systematic review of 48 studies—“Children Reading to Dogs: A Systematic Literature” by Hall, Gee and Mills—demonstrated some evidence for improvement in reading, but the evidence was not strong. There clearly is more work to do, but interest in reading to dogs appears to have grown through the evidence of case studies. The example, often given in the media, is that of Tony Nevett and his pet dog Danny. Tony and Danny’s involvement in a number of schools has been transformative, not only in terms of reading but also in promoting general well-being and positive behavior among children with a diverse range of needs.

So, reading to dogs could offer many benefits. As with any approach, it is not a cure-all within a language-rich literacy environment, there appears to be little to lose and much to gain.

Title: How Dogs Could Make Children Better   (1)  

Shopping a Sale Gives You the Same Feeling as Getting High

   For some of us, the signs shouting 50% off, one-day-only sale and clearance are not so different from the call for other types of addictions: the feeling of winning at shopping a sale is not unlike the addiction to alcohol, drugs or even food. Even the casual shopper finds it challenging to exercise self-control at the Double 11 Festival.

   In fact, we typically decide on a purchase in a split second, without much thought. We don’t employ the usual process of weighing the outcome when it comes to the temptation (诱惑) of sale tags; instead, most of our decisions to buy something are made instantly.

   The instant we decide to buy, we feel good and there’s a rush of positive emotion. But afterwards, similar to what happens to a drug addict or alcoholic, strong feelings of guilt can last for quite a long time. But we still need more. We have to have more. We need the high again. Then we go back for more.

   If it all sounds so out of our control, it might not be. The key is to understand exactly what’s happening as the desire sets in.

The excitement of the hunt

   Entering a favorite store or logging onto our favorite shopping website is the catalyst (催化剂). This very action tells our body that it should start producing greater amounts of chemicals in the brain that make it feel good to keep shopping and searching for pleasure and rewards.

   Most of the time, those impulses (冲动) are caused by our previous experiences with specific brands or spotting items already on our wish list. Most of us are not actually addicted to the things we buy. Rather, it’s the process of shopping that can become a tough habit to break in the same sort of way it’s hard to break free from eating disorders, drugs and drinking.

Working against our inner desires

There is still some hope. For starters, force ourselves to avoid the bargain (just like we’d avoid a pub if we no longer drink). And, rather than checking price tags first, we may look at the price tag after we are interested in the product to reduce “bargain craze”. Online, we are not supposed to click through to the sale section first. We have to calm ourselves down and force us to be logical about the whole thing.

Never overestimate(高估) how much pleasure we get once we find the thing that we buy. And this is something to bear in mind when rushing to the sales this shopping season.

 You want to be confident and feel confident, but what if youˈre starting with little or no confidence? True self-confidence isnˈt an overnight acquisition. It takes dedication to realize you are a good human being that is worthy of respect and love.

Recognize your insecurities

     What does that voice in the back of your mind say? Why do you feel uncomfortable or ashamed of yourself? This could be anything from regrets to friends at school or negative experience. Whatever is making you feel unworthy, or ashamed, identify it, give it a name, and write it down. You can also tear these written pieces to start feeling positive on those points.

Get rid of insecurities gradually

       Each day you should weaken it. Thereˈs no quick fix. Get to the root of the problem; focus on it and understand that you need to resolve each issue before you can move on. Check if it is an old past emotion and if it is really still relevant or applicable in your life today. And that does not mean you have to get rid of whatever makes you feel bad (many times, you simply canˈt). You need to learn to accept yourself, your past, your circumstances as they are, without necessarily thinking of them as “bad”.

Identify your successes

     Everyone is good at something, so discover the things at which you do extremely well, then focus on your talents. Give yourself permission to be proud of them. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority (自卑) is a state of mind in which youˈve declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized.

Be positive

    Avoid self-pity, or the pity and sympathy of others. Never allow others to make you feel inferior—they can only do so if you let them. If you continue to dislike and look down upon yourself, others are going to do and believe likewise. Instead, speak positively about yourself, about your future, and about your progress. Do not be afraid to show your strengths and qualities to others. By doing so, you strengthen those ideas in your mind and encourage your growth in a positive direction.

Apply “facial feedback theory”

     Studies surrounding what’s called the "facial feedback theory" suggest that the expressions on your face can actually encourage your brain to express certain emotions. So by looking in the mirror and smiling every day, you might feel happier with yourself and more confident in the long run.

    Help others

     When you know you’re helpful to the people around you, and are making a positive difference in other people’s lives (even if itˈs just being kinder to the person who serves you coffee in the morning), youˈll know that you are a positive force in the world—which will boost yourself confidence.

     Now, dear friends, will you let confidence keep you company? Be confident, and accomplishing your goals will be just around the corner.

Title: The ways to become confident