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　　Mexico City is truly one of the most amazing cities in the world with a mixture of both the old and new world．From the moment your plane starts to descend into this vast city, you know that your trip will be quite an adventure．

　　Once in your taxi and the moment you leave the airport, you are amazed at the large amount of slow traffic．The volume of the traffic can be stressful to some．

　　The "Paseo de la Reforma(改革大道)", running southwest across the city, is one of the major tourist and business areas in Mexico City with many high quality hotels only walking distance from great restaurants and other tourist attractions．The only problem you will have is trying to see all of these sites during your vacation time．

　　One of the most popular attractions in this area is the National Museum of Anthropology along the northwest part of the street．There are thousands of artifacts on display showing the history of the area and numerous items found from the many Aztec sites in the area．Walking southwest from the museum, you will soon reach the Mexico City Zoo, which is a great place to spend an afternoon．

　　Across the street from the museum is the Chapultepec Castle, once an important site in the Mexican-American war．It's also a good idea to take the train up the hill to where the castle is located as the hill is steep．It's important to keep in mind that Mexico City is over 7,000 feet above sea level and some feel it difficult to breathe when walking．

　　You can take a taxi to the Coyoacan market during the evening on a weekend．It's a great place to get some cheap souvenirs to bring back home and to enjoy some traditional Mexican cuisine．However, you must be careful where you eat and that the meat is well cooked．

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　　Beginning in October, more than 13,000 McDonald’s(麦当劳)restaurants in America will use a new variety of cooking oil．McDonald' s aims to make its French fries(油炸食品)and other fried foods healthier．

　　The change will not affect the taste or the number of calories in the food．But by changing the cooking oil, McDonald’s says, it hopes to cut by nearly half the amount of trans fatty acids(转换脂肪酸)in French fries and reduce the amount of saturated fats(饱和脂肪)by 16 percent．Scientists believe that trans fatty acids and saturated fats raise cholesterol(胆固醇)levels and increase the risk of heart disease．

　　McDonald's new step is important because McDonald’s is an industry leader and other fast-food chains and food processors may follow the lead．

　　For McDonald's, the action comes at a time when Americans are becoming more and more concerned about; obesity(肥胖)and are increasing pressure on food companies to offer healthy and nutritious(有营养的)food to consumers．

　　After three years of study, McDonald’s officials say they are switching oil that is lower in saturated fats and trans fatty acids．McDonald's says the change will not cause higher price for consumers．

　　Though there is some change, scientists say that the amount of trans fat in foods at McDonald's and at other fast-food companies is still important．

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　　People in the United States honor their parents with two special days：Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June．These days are set aside to show love and respect for parents．They raise their children and educate them to be responsible(有责任感的)citizens．They give love and care．These two days make us think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers．More mothers now work outside the home．More fathers must help with child care．

　　These two special days are celebrated in many different ways．On Mother’s Day people wear carnations．A red one symbolizes a living mother．A white one shows that the mother is dead．Many people attend religious services to honor parents．It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery(墓地)．On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants．They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day．These are days of fun and good feelings and memories．

　　Another tradition is to give cards and gifts．Children make them in school．Many people make their own presents．These are valued more than the ones bought in stores．It is not the value of the gift that is important, but it is “the thought that counts”．Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakeries, telephone companies, and other stores do a lot of business during these holidays．

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　　I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to sit above the top of it．Mother sat writing letters．Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be a most wonderful thing in the world．

　　Years later, during her final illness, Mother kept different things for my sister and brother．“But the desk,” she said again, “is for Elizabeth．”

　　I never saw her angry, never saw her cry．I knew she loved me; she showed in action．But as a young girl．I wanted to have heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter．

　　They never happened．And a gulf opened between us．I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”．But she lived “on the surface(表面)”．

　　As years passed and I had my own family．I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family．I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me．

　　My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace－it seemed that nothing happened．I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother．I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not．

　　But the present of her desk told me, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work．I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers insidea photo of my father and a one-paper letter, folded and refolded many times．It was my letter．

　　“In any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words．”

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　　YANGON－Myanmar has officially accepted an offer of the United States to send humanitarian aid(人道主义援助)to the country's cyclone(飓风;暴风)victims, state radio reported Friday in a night broadcast Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Thu gave the assurance Friday, saying that the country is receiving such relief aid from any country without limit at this time according to its policy(政策)of dealing with the disaster, the report said．

　　Kyaw Thu denied rumors about Myanmar's turning down of such relief materials from Western countries but accept those from nations in good relations with Myanmar, saying that the country has never done so in this case．

　　Kyaw Thu said that well wishers abroad may make cash donation through Myanmar embassies(使馆)stationed there, while those who like to donate relief goods may present at the Yangon International Airport and seaports．

　　According to the report, the US relief aid would arrive in Yangon in days．

　　A foreign ministry's statement said earlier on Friday that at this moment, the international community can best help the victims by donating emergency provisions such as medical supplies, food, cloth, electricity generator, and materials for emergency shelter or with financial assistance," adding that "Myanmar will wholeheartedly welcome such course of action"．

　　The government and the people of Myanmar are grateful to the friendly nations, the United Nations, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, private individuals and others for their sympathy and generosity．" it said．

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　　BRITAIN is a popular tourist place．But tours of the country have pros and cons．

Good news

　　Free museums：No charge for outstanding collections of art and antiquities(古董)．

　　Pop music：Britain is the only country to rival(与……比敌)the US on this score．

　　Black cabs：London taxi drivers know where they are going even if there are never enough of them at weekends or night．

　　Choice of food：Visitors can find everything from Ethiopian to Swedish restaurants．

　　Fashion：Not only do fashion junkies love deeply and respect highly brand names such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen; street styles are justly loved, too．

Bad news

　　Poor service：“It’s part of the image of the place．People can dine out on the rudeness they have experienced, ” says Professor Tony Seaton of Luton University’s International Tourism Research Center．

　　Poor public transport：Trains and buses are promised to defeat the keenest tourists, although the over-crowded London tube is inexplicably(不可解的)popular．

　　Lack of language：Speaking slowly and clearly may not get many foreign visitors very far, even in the tourist traps．

　　Rain：Still in the number one complaint．

　　No air-conditioning：So that even splendidly hot summer become as unbearable as the downpours．

　　Overpriced hotels：The only European country with a higher rate of tax on hotel rooms is Denmark．

　　Licensing hours：Alcohol is in short supply after 11 p. m. even in 24-hour cities．

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　　Harry’s father bought a magazine which gave its readers information about all kinds of products and helped them make the best choice while buying．

　　Harry borrowed his father’s magazine when he needed a new computer．“I’ll read it and choose the best one．” He said．

　　The magazine described these computers．

　　Harry chose the BNK 975XF．“I know it’s expensive, ” he said, “but it will be with me for a long time and do everything I want it to do．”

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　　Islamabad, Pakistan, June 22nd－Two mountain climbers surprisingly survived(幸免于)a fall of over 500 feet on the 25, 530-foot mountain in Pakistan, Saturday．The two climbers were climbing an ice-covered wall of the mountain when they suddenly lost their footing and fell about 560 feet to a narrow snow-covered ledge(悬崖突出部分)below．“We were lucky that ledge was there, ” said the climbers, “Otherwise, we would have fallen over 2, 000 feet．” If the ledge had not been there, the two climbers almost certainly have met their death．“It’s a wonder, ” the climbers said, “that we landed on the ledge, and the snow was loose enough to cushion(缓冲)our fall．We’re thankful that we survived．”

　　When a reporter asked them if they planned to give up mountain climbing after their narrow escape(九死一生), the two climbers replied, “Not at all．We’ll be going back up there just as soon as we get out of the hospital．”

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　　Bats are the only mammals(哺乳动物)which can fly properly．Other flying mammals have wings of thin skin which cover their sides between their front and back legs．They can only fly from tree to tree, but they cannot change direction when they want to．

　　All bats fly at night and most of them hunt for flying insects(昆虫), such as bees．The common bat finds its food by making a constant noise that the human ear cannot hear．The bat listens for echoes(回声)of the noise as it bounces(反射)off the insects showing the bat their position．

　　The Fruit bat feeds on many different kinds of fruit．It does not use echoes but instead has very large, special eyes to see even in low light．The largest Fruit bat has a wing length of 0.75 meters．The Vampire bat drinks the blood of large mammals, and a few bats catch fish, birds and even other bats．

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　　Australia is a young nation, and the Australian people come from many different cultural backgrounds．As you make friends here, you抣l find there is no such a person as a "typical" Australian．You抣l come across a wide range of social customs and views of life, some of which may be very new to you．Here we want to present some of the different ways of greeting．

　　First names are used more often in Australia than in many other countries．Australians often greet their friends, and even people they don抰 know with" Hey mate(同伴)"or" How抯 it going guys?" An Australian may encourage you to use his given name, to address him informally, or even to use his nickname．A nickname is most commonly used among friends, and is a sign of acceptance and friendship．

　　The formal title or family name is only used in formal or other special situations, such as first meetings, or when you speak to someone like a professor．Titles like Mr, Mrs, Ms or Dr are then used, together with the family name．

　　In Australia one looks directly at someone when talking to show interest in what he or she is saying．Australians make direct eye contact regardless of social position, and children are taught to look directly at adults．It is not considered impolite to give someone something with your left hand．