Libraries in New York
The New York Public Library
476 Fifth Ave, New York
The New York Public Library was established in 1895 when the holdings of the Astor Library, the Lenox Library and the Tilden Trust were consolidated (合并). Located right next to Bryant Park, the library is a beautiful building and the second biggest library in the US. You can visit three out of the five floors of this library. There's a computer lab on the 3rd floor, a small café on the main floor, and free WiFi.
The Mulberry Street Branch Library
10 Jersey St, New York
Opened in 2007, the New York Public Library's Mulberry Street branch is located at the site of a former chocolate factory in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. The branch's entrance is located at ground level, and two other floors are located below ground, with a staircase connecting the spaces and bringing natural light downstairs.
Poets House
10 River Ter, New York
Founded in 1985, Poets House has created a home for all who read and write poetry. From 1990 to 2007, it was located in an intimate loft (私人公寓) at 72 Spring Street in SoHo. When rent increases made SoHo an impractical location, Poets House managed to become a rent-free occupant (使用者) of a new building on the bank of the Hudson River, thanks to the Battery Park City Authority. In the summer of 2009, Poets House moved to its permanent home at 10 River Terrace in Battery Park City.
The Morgan Library & Museum
225 Madison Ave, New York
The Morgan Library & Museum is a complex (综合体) of buildings in the heart of New York City, with clean environments, a nice bar and a restaurant. Established in 1890, it began as the private library of financier Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) , one of the outstanding collectors and cultural benefactors (赞助人) in the United States.
A world-wide study of English language proficiency（熟练程度） was carried out in 60 nations. It found that the ability of the French to master the language of English is actually dropping. And that is probably because the French fear to lose their culture. While most countries in the world are slowly improving their English proficiency skills, France is one of the few nations where the English level is actually falling.
France ranked 35th out of sixty countries where English is not the main language, behind China and Italy, and just ahead of the United Arab Emirates（阿拉伯联合酋长国） in the "low proficiency" group. But in all the European countries studied, surprisingly it ranked last, falling behind Germany (14th) and Spain (23rd). Perhaps as is expected, Sweden is on the top, ahead of Norway and the Netherlands. "It means that most of Europe has improved English proficiency," the study said.
The main problem lies with France's fear of losing its own culture and language. The thinking of trying to protect its own culture has a poor influence, and harms the chances of French people learning English. Another factor is about the French school system. "French schools are short of the resources compared to European neighbors. Young pupils learn English in primary school, but often the teachers' level of English is not high. They are qualified as primary teachers, not language teachers, so often their English is just basic." Meanwhile, some also think it is mostly because the French don't care about English at all. They even have a poor attitude towards the English language. The French, more than people of most other nations, take great pride in their language, so in their mind there is no need for them to improve their English.
She was cleaning out the closet (壁橱) when she found it. It was at the back of the top shelf, for how long? Eight years? Nine? It was Ted's old shirt from his single days, part of his "going out" outfit（服装） that he thought was so fashionable from the recent past and cool, but which was really ugly.
That was a term she had learned from Ted himself, back when he'd just left the army. He was a kid from South Dakota who thought parachute pants (萝卜裤) were in style at least a decade after they'd been branded as a regrettable thing of the Eighties. And really, how could he be expected to know what was stylish? Growing up, his mom bought all his clothes at WalMart（沃尔玛）. He joined the army at 18 and basically never wore anything but uniforms after that.
When she first met him, he had no idea how to dress himself, a fact pretty much summed up by this shirt. It was brownish-yellow（褐黄色） colored, with huge paisleys (佩斯利花纹). It felt rough （粗糙的）and stiff（僵硬的）, and it wrinkled（有皱纹的） easily.
She remembered that he wore it when they went to the Green Mill(绿磨坊) once early in their dating days, and how he checked himself out in the car window as they headed out. She remembered too that he whispered in her ear, "I'm with the prettiest girl in this place." His smile was sweet. How drawn to him she was, god-awful shirt and all!
It wasn't until months after they got married that she finally gave him complaint about the shirt. "You wear it for a long time. And it is unfashionable," she said. "Oh, the bloom（花朵） is really off the rose now. I see," he said smiling. But he'd still pull it out occasionally, putting it on.
Then, one day when he was at work and she was home, she pulled it out and threw it up onto the topmost（顶端的） shelves.
Now this shirt was in her hands, still just as awful as she remembered. But it was precious（宝贵的）. She sighed, as she folded it carefully and put it in their closet.
Face-to-face contact（接触） is better than Facebook, phones, and email for lowering depression（抑郁）. How often do you socialize with family, friends, and loved ones face to face? Like most people, I find myself communicating more and more via text messages and Facebook than any other method of social interaction, making my phone calls and email communication with friends and family decrease these years because I see them less and less.
In his 1971 book, "Future Shock", Alvin Toffler warned of the harmful impact on the psychological state of individuals and entire societies based on too much change in too short a period of time. I think most of us are in a state of future shock. Clearly, we have not evolved（进化） the capabilities（能力） to have the majority of our social networking occur through digital technologies. How could our minds and bodies possibly adapt to all of the technological changes that have occurred in the past two decades?
Researchers found that having limited face-to-face social contact nearly doubles someone's risk of having depression. Study participants who met in person regularly with family and friends were less likely to report symptoms (症状) of depression, compared with participants who emailed or spoke on the telephone. Alan Teo, Medicine Doctor, said, "Phone calls and digital communication with friends or family members do not have the same power as face-to-face social interactions in helping to reduce depression."
For this study, Teo and colleagues assessed more than 11,000 adults aged 50 and older in the US. They examined the frequency of in-person, telephone, and written social contact, including email. Then they looked at the risk of depression symptoms two years later, after adjusting potential factors including health status（状况）, how close people lived from family, and pre-existing depression.
This finding makes a strong case for the importance of face-to-face socializing. Study participants who met with family and friends face-to-face at least three times a week had the lowest level of depressive symptoms (6.5%) two years later. Participants who met up just once every few months, or less frequently, had an 11.5% chance of depressive symptoms compared with those who had even less frequent social contact.
The study also found that when comparing face-to-face social contact between family members vs. friends the link to reduced depression changes as we get older. Interestingly, the researchers found that among adults aged 50 to 69, frequent face-to-face contact with friends reduced subsequent（后来） depression. However, people over 70 years of age and older benefited more from in-person contact with children and other family members.
After a warm closing ceremony（闭幕式） and the extinguishing (熄灭) of the Paralympic (残奥会的) flame（圣火）, the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games concluded. China topped the medal table with 18 gold, 20 silver and 23 bronze medals, presenting home fans with China's best-ever results in any Winter Paralympics.
"And Beijing 2022 has marked a new dawn of the Paralympic Winter Games," Andrew Parsons from the International Paralympic Committee said at the closing ceremony.
Parsons added, "For sure（毫无疑问）, China has set a benchmark (基准，标杆) for all future Winter Games."
The Beijing Winter Paralympics provided all participants much more than expected. Smooth competition operations, top-class venues (场馆), a great barrier-free environment, warm living conditions at Paralympic villages, and convenient transportation. Besides, there were considerate volunteer services.
The great quality of the Beijing Winter Paralympics has earned positive comment from the athletes and the International Paralympic Committee.
Dutch snowboarder Chris Vos said, "So I'm sure there will be a lot of games going on here in the future. All the volunteers and people help us here. Everybody is really nice. I would really love to come back here again and see more of China." He competed at the Zhangjiakou competition zone.
US Para Alpine skier Patrick Halgren finished in 24th place in the men's slalom standing competition. "I couldn't even have imagined something that good in the venue, how all the locations and the roads get you everywhere. Thanks from the bottom of my heart, and it means so much. It's better than I imagined. I'm living my dream," said Halgren.
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A. The facilities are great. B. Team China made major breakthroughs（重大突破）. C. He also said he had a great experience in Beijing. D. They have special bedrooms for athletes with wheelchairs. E. My first day on snow here in China was absolutely wonderful. F. For certain（毋容置疑）, China is now a Paralympic winter sports powerhouse（运动强国）. G. Beijing 2008 started a new chapter（新的篇章） of growth for the Paralympic Movement. |
My wonderful daughter made me a birthday cake at noon using her own special combination of creativity and love. It was huge and I1myself the biggest piece. With the first2I closed my eyes and smiled. So delicious! It had countless calories and it was so delicious3being necessarily nutritious（没有必须的营养）. I didn't mind, though. I tasted every bite and4a few scoops of ice cream as well. My sons and I finished every bit of it. When we were done our5were full, our souls were satisfied, and dinner was6four hours away（仍有四个小时）. We had followed that wise7of a happy existence: "Life is short. Eat dessert first!"
I have spent too many years of my life8the desserts I was given until everything else was done. Like far too many people in our society, I thought that work came9 , duty came second, and10was somewhere way down the list（放在最后）. I saw a truth: "We work to live but we live to love." Without all the simple pleasures life can bring, our existence becomes a11and painful journey.12, I finally realized that when you put joy first in your life, everything else13so much sweeter（尝起来更甜）.
Don't put off the simple joys that life can14. Shine your smile. Spread your sunshine. You will be amazed at how15life will be when you "Live to Love" while you "Work to Live".
Li Chenxi is an 11-year-old girl. The fifth-grader at the No 2 Primary School in Xingqing district of Yinchuan, capital of Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region, is fond of (compete) with her peers in making tie-dye (扎染) and batik works in order (show) traditional Chinese culture. She takes pride in her superb and notable works（著名的作品） (display) on school walls.
she may not be aware that she has become one of the inheritors（继承人） of intangible (culture) heritage（无形的文化遗产）, she has become adept（擅长的） at sewing crafts with batik fabrics (蜡染布) in school art class.
The school became one of the considerate pilots to introduce many intangible (heritage) into the after-school care services in November 2021. Since then, 1,000 students in the school (take) part in the on-campus art classes, learning tie-dye, batik(蜡染) , and paper-cutting.
"How magic that a piece of string could (make) into a flower, and I decided to learn it resolutely（坚决的）. I make will be for my parents and friends," said Huang Yujia, a student from No. 12 Primary School in Yinchuan.
Hao Aixin is the deputy principal（副校长） of the No. 12 Primary School said six art teachers have been involved in drafting a teaching book on rope-weaving（编织绳子） to make the after-school class more and more prepared.
My daughter's birthday is May 29. She was 6 by then. As it was Monday, we preferred to celebrate it earlier, i.e. on Saturday 27 May. This was easier for me as I'm free on Saturdays. On Thursday the entire family was busy packing the presents and putting funny pins(有别针的徽章) on them. I promised my little princess that I would wake her up early in the morning and distribute the presents to her classmates.
I woke up at 5:30. After I took a bath, I planned to wake her up ... but ... as I came out from the bathroom, I realized that an earthquake struck. I screamed to wake my husband up and asked him to carry our daughter. We were watching our house swaying(摇晃) from outside. It lasted for just 3 minutes, but the piano tumbled down(摇摇欲坠), tiles（瓷砖） came down, and some cracks（裂缝） appeared on the wall.
Later, as we had planned, I drove to my daughter's school with the presents at 8:00 but no one was there except the teacher who warned me to get back to my house as a tsunami might come soon. I was stunned(目瞪口呆的), and drove my car home. I was wondering about the presents: to whom should I deliver them?
On the way home I heard a policeman crying out loud,"Stay calm, no tsunami. It's only an issue!!" I felt a little nervous.I turned on the car radio for information and checked online and on social media for updates on the earthquake. News reports described snapped(断裂) branches and snapped power lines（变形的电线）. The road to my home was now blocked. Terrible news suddenly struck me. I heard the SOS about an injured child on the car radio. The mother flagged down （挥手拦下）a passing car and got a ride to the hospital.
Para. 1: I rolled down my window and decided to go to the hospital to help.
Para. 2: I ended upgoing back to my daughter, empty-handed.
