Texting（发短信）walkers arenˈt just an annoyance to other walkers, Australian researchers armed with movie special-effects technology have determined scientifically that theyˈre threats to themselves. Using motion-capture technology similar to that used for films, researchers concluded that texting while walking not only affects balance but also the ability to walk in straight line.

    “Some people like checking emails while walking to work in the morning” said the study co-author Hoorn, “but they may not know it has a serious effect on the safety of themselves”. Other facts have also proved this. A tourist from Taiwan walked off a pier(码头) near Melbourne last month while checking Facebook, bringing a sudden and icy end to a penguin-watching visit. Another person who was too wrapped up in his phone to notice dangers walked straight into the fountain in front of a shopping mall.

    The Australian study involved 27 volunteers, a third of whom admitted having knocked into objects while texting. They were asked to walk 8.5 meters three times—once without phones, once while reading text and once while writing text, when eight cameras recorded their actions.

    They found the volunteers using the phone walked slower, and, more seriously, they locked their arms and elbows in like “robots”, which forced their heads to move more, throwing themselves off balance. “In a pedestrian（步行的）environment, inability to maintain a straight path would be likely to increase potential for traffic accidents”, said Mr. Hoorn. “The best thing to do is to step aside and stop, or keep off the phone.”

    Authorities world-wide have taken note. Signs on Hong Kongˈs subway system advise passengers in three languages to keep their eyes off their phones. Police and transport authorities have highlighted the danger in Singapore, where the Straits Times newspaper recently declared cellphone-distracted road crossing as “bad habit No. 2” contributing to the rising number of road deaths. Some U.S. states, including New York and Arkansas, are considering bans on what theyˈre calling phone jaywalking(走路不遵守交通规则).

The Boy Made It!

One Sunday, Nicholas, a teenager, went skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. In the early afternoon, when he was planning to go home, a fierce snowstorm swept into the area. Unable to see far, he accidentally turned off the path. Before he knew it, Nicholas was lost, all alone! He didn’t have food, water, a phone, or other supplies. He was getting colder by the minute.

Nicholas had no idea where he was. He tried not to panic. He thought about all the survival shows he had watched on TV. It was time to put the tips he had learned to use.

He decided to stop skiing. There was a better chance of someone finding him if he stayed put. The first thing he did was to find shelter form the freezing wind and snow. If he didn’t, his body temperature would get very low, which could quickly kill him.

Using his skis, Nicholas built a snow cave. He gathered a huge mass of snow and dug out a hole in the middle. Then he piled branches on top of himself, like a blanket, to stay as warm as he could.

By that evening, Nicholas was really hungry. He ate snow and drank water from a nearby stream so that his body wouldn’t lose too much water. Not knowing how much longer he could last, Nicholas did the only thing he could- he huddled(蜷缩) in his cave and slept.

The next day, Nicholas went out to look for help, but he couldn’t find anyone. He followed his tracks and returned to the snow cave, because without shelter, he could die that night. On Tuesday, Nicholas went out to find help. He had walked for about a mile when a volunteer searcher found him. After two days stuck in the snow, Nicholas was saved.

Nicholas might not have survived this snowstorm had it not been for TV. He had often watched Grylls’ survival show. Man vs. Wild. That’s where he learned the tips that saved his life, In each episode(一期节目)of Man vs. Wild, Grylls is abandoned in a wild area and has to find his way out.

When Grylls heard about Nicholas’ amazing deeds, he was super impressed that Nicholas had made it since he knew better than anyone how hard Nicholas had to work to stay alive.

Tauron Nowa Muzyka Festival, Poland

   It sounds like the plot of a horror B－movie－a group of kids dancing on to the site of an abandoned coal mine for a rave (舞会). It's where this avant－garde music fest in the heart of Katowice will take place. The festival has a line－up featuring the US west coast: rapper Tyler, The Creator, London－based neo－soul talent Fatima and Detroit techno legend Jeff Mills. All this will happen in the old production halls, warehouses and the pressure tower of the deserted industrial facility. There are also tours of the site; this year's organizer promises to make an even more unique and great setting. Southern Soul Festival, Montenegro

   It's straight up sun, sea and soul at this chilled－out festival on Copacabana Beach along Montenegro's Mediterranean coast. Now in its fourth year, the event brings over 40 acts to three stages on the vast, sandy shoreline. Expect to hear a soundtrack provided by modem soul and electronic music's most forward thinking producers, DJs and artists. Think of it as a musical holiday; this is one festival that makes you feel refreshed when you return to work.

Mandrea Music Festival, Italy

   Cool off at this festival on the hilltops in the foothills of the extremely attractive Dolomites range. Mad Professor and Max Romeo are the headliners of this laid－back event that is as much about exploring the peaceful surroundings as it is about the music. The' festival site is by Lake Garda, a turquoise stretch of water that is the largest lake in Italy. Around it you can hike, ride mountain bikes and climb rocks, but the festival itself offers plenty of distractions, including a cinema, a mini skate park and performance workshops, while the sound systems boom in the background. Bring an air horn.

Festival Yeah! France

   Festival Yeah! is an easygoing, boutique festival in the pretty French town of Lourmarin. Don't think of all－night techno party, but think of good food, good music and good lime spent with family and friends. The line－up is mainly a mix of indie electro, rock and folk, as well as some DJs. Gamier himself will be spinning tunes in the kids' tent.

When my sister Martie told me she had put out tomato plants last summer, I was quite impressed.

   She was a garden-beginner. Once they were planted, she tended to water them daily, anxiously awaiting the juicy tomatoes to appear. But, day after day, her plants were tomato-less while all of her neighbors who had also put out tomato plants were already enjoying the fruit of their labor.

   Frustrated, Martie gave in and went to the market to search fresh tomatoes. While paying, Martie told the farmer her troubles. The farmer paused to think for a moment and then asked, "Well, what kind of tomatoes did you plant?"

   "I think they were called Big Boy," Martie remembered.

   "Well there's your problem," the farmer explained. "Big Boy and Better Boy tomatoes have a 95-day gestation (孕育) period whereas regular tomato plants produce fruit in as little as 70 days...you just have to wait a little longer for the Big Boys."

   With that new knowledge, Martie went home with excitement, knowing they would be worth the wait.

   Thinking about my sister's gardening experience, I had to smile. She just didn't know that Big Boy tomatoes took longer--neither did I--but once she discovered that information, she was no longer discouraged and upset about the lack of tomatoes on her plants. Instead, she was encouraged and excited to

see them a few weeks later.

   It makes me wonder how many of us have "Big Boy' dreams in our hearts, yet we just don't realize that they are of the "Big Boy" variety so we are discouraged and worn out with the waiting process. Instead of waiting with excitement, we give up on our dreams and figure we must have done something wrong to stop them from coming to pass. Frustrated, we see other people's dreams coming true, and we wonder why ours haven't yet been achieved.

 A man hated his wife’s cat and decided to throw it away. One day, he drove it over one mile from his home and left it in a park.

But when he got home, he saw that his wife was playing with the cat.

   The next day he drove the cat about three miles away. He put the cat out of the car and went home. Driving back his driveway（私人车道）, the cat was there already.

   The man keep taking the cat further and further away and the cat would always get home before him. At last he decided to drive more than ten miles away. He turned right, then left, past a bridge, then right again and another right until he thought he was far enough from home and left the cat there.

   Hours later the man was still driving home. He was lost! He called home and asked his wife,“Jen, is the cat there?”

  “Yes,” his wife answered,“why do you ask?”

   The man answered,“Put it on the phone. I’m lost and need directions.”

One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk. He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store.

On the outside was a dark-skinned young man in his early twenties. His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, bright smile covered his face. I gave in immediately. The power of that broad smile dissolved all bitterness within me, and I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” I remarked, in passing. Then I turned back.  “I really owe you a debt of thanks,” I said softly.

His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer. A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby. The woman stepped forward and volunteered, “Sir, but he doesn’t speak English. Do you want me to tell him something?” In that moment I felt transformed. The young man’s smile had made a big person of me. My friendliness and good will toward all mankind stand ten feet tall.

“Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said, ‘Thank you!’”

“Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled.

I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave. “Just tell him that,” I insisted.  “He’ll understand. I am sure!”

Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning. From that day on, I became smile-conscious, and I practice the art diligently anywhere and everywhere, with everybody.

It was Mother’s Day morning last year and I was doing my shopping at our local supermarket with my five-year-old son, Tenyson. As we were leaving,we found that only minutes earlier an elderly woman had fallen over at the entrance and had hit her head on the concrete.Her husband was with her,but there was blood everywhere and the woman was embarrassed and clearly in shock.

Walking towards the scene,Tenyson became very upset about what had happened to the couple.He said to me,“Mum,it’s not much fun falling over in front of everyone.”

At the front of the supermarket a charity(慈善)group had set up a stand selling cooked sausages and flowers to raise funds.Tenyson suggested that we should buy the lady a flower.“It will make her feel better,”he said.I was amazed that he’d come up with this sweet idea.So we went over to the flower seller and asked her if we could buy a flower for the lady to cheer her up.“Just take it,”she replied.“I can’t take your money for such a wonderful gesture.”

By now paramedics(救援人员)had arrived,and were attending to the injured woman.As we walked up to her, my son became intimidated by all the blood and medical equipment.He said he was just too scared to go up to her.

Instead I gave the flower to the woman’s husband and told him,“My son was very upset for your wife and wanted to give her this flower to make her feel better.”

At that,the old man started crying and said,“Thank you so much,you have a wonderful son.Happy Mother’s Day to you.”

The man then bent down and gave his wife the flower, telling her who it was from.Though badly hurt and shaken,the old lady looked up at Tenyson with love in her eyes and gave him a little smile.

It was Mother’s Day morning last year and I was doing my shopping at our local supermarket with my five-year-old son, Tenyson. As we were leaving,we found that only minutes earlier an elderly woman had fallen over at the entrance and had hit her head on the concrete.Her husband was with her,but there was blood everywhere and the woman was embarrassed and clearly in shock.

Walking towards the scene,Tenyson became very upset about what had happened to the couple.He said to me,“Mum,it’s not much fun falling over in front of everyone.”

At the front of the supermarket a charity(慈善)group had set up a stand selling cooked sausages and flowers to raise funds.Tenyson suggested that we should buy the lady a flower.“It will make her feel better,”he said.I was amazed that he’d come up with this sweet idea.So we went over to the flower seller and asked her if we could buy a flower for the lady to cheer her up.“Just take it,”she replied.“I can’t take your money for such a wonderful gesture.”

By now paramedics(救援人员)had arrived,and were attending to the injured woman.As we walked up to her, my son became intimidated by all the blood and medical equipment.He said he was just too scared to go up to her.

Instead I gave the flower to the woman’s husband and told him,“My son was very upset for your wife and wanted to give her this flower to make her feel better.”

At that,the old man started crying and said,“Thank you so much,you have a wonderful son.Happy Mother’s Day to you.”

The man then bent down and gave his wife the flower, telling her who it was from.Though badly hurt and shaken,the old lady looked up at Tenyson with love in her eyes and gave him a little smile.

I moved to this area seven years ago. For years I have had noisy neighbours. Ever since I moved into this flat, I’ve had to put up with noise during the night. I decided I’d had enough and I’ve been looking for a new flat since the beginning of the year. I haven’t found anything till now. Every week I go to the estate agent’s (房地产代理人的) office, but it’s the same story. “ I might have something by the end of the week”, he says, or, “ Wait till next week. I think I might have a few flats by then.”

    I’ve seen a few flats during my search, but I don’t like any of them. One flat I saw has been empty for two years. “ It’s got a busy road on one side and a railway on the other!” I said loudly, “ I want peace and quiet.”

    Last week I visited the agent again. “ I won’t leave till you show me something,” I said. “I’ve got just the flat for you.” I went to see it and I was frightened. But it’s next to a cemetery (墓地)！” I cried. “But you won’t have noisy neighbours,” my agent said. “ It’s exactly right for peace and quiet!”