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　　How many people have I met who have told me about the book they have been planning to write but have never yet found the time? Far too many．

　　This is Life, all right, but we do treat it like a rehearsal(排演)and, unhappily, we do miss so many of its best moments．

　　We take jobs to stay alive and provide homes for our families always making ourselves believe that this style of life is merely a temporary state of affairs along the road to what we really want to do．Then, at 60 or 65, we are suddenly presented with a clock and several grandchildren and we look back and realize that all those years waiting for Real Life to come along were in fact real life．

　　In America they have a saying much laughed at by the English：“Have a nice day”．They speak slowly and seriously in their shops, hotels and sandwich bars．I think it is a wonderful phrase, reminding us, in fact, to enjoy the moment：to value this very day．

　　How often do we say to ourselves, "I'll take up horse-riding(or golf, or sailing)as soon as I get a higher position," only to do none of those things when I do get the higher position．

　　When I first became a reporter I knew a man who gave up a very well paid respectable job at the Daily Telegraph to go and edit a small weekly newspaper．At the time I was astonished by what appeared to me to be his completely abnormal(反常的)mental state．How could anyone turn his back on Fleet Street in central London for a small local area? I wanted to know．

　　Now I am a little older and possibly wiser, I see the sense in it．In Fleet Street the man was under continual pressure．He lived in an unattractive London suburb and he spent much of his life sitting on Southern Region trains．

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　　A small piece of fish each day may keep the heart doctor away．That's the finding of a study of Dutch men in which deaths from heart disease were more than 50 percent lower among those who consumed at least an ounce(盎司)of salt water fish per day compared to those who never ate fish．

　　The Dutch research is one of three human studies that give strong scientific support to the long held belief that eating fish can provide health benefits, particularly to the heart．

　　Heart disease is the number-one killer in the United States, with more than 550,000 deaths occurring from heart attacks each year．But previous research has shown the level of heart disease is lower in cultures that consume more fish than Americans do．There are fewer heart disease deaths, for example, among the Eskimos of Greenland, who consume about 14 ounces of fish a day, and among the Japanese, whose daily fish consumption(消费量)averages more than 3 ounces．

　　For 20 years, the Dutch study followed 852 middle-aged men, 20 percent of whom ate no fish．

　　At the start of the study, average fish consumption was about two-thirds of an ounce each day, with more eating lean fish than fatty fish．

　　During the next two decades, 78 of the men died from heart disease．The fewest deaths were among the group who regularly ate fish, even at levels far lower than those of the Japanese or Eskimos．This relationship was true regardless of other factors such as age, high blood pressure, or blood cholesterol(胆固醇)levels．

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　　He was just 12 years old when he died．But he brought courage and hope to people around the world．

　　Nkosi Johnson, who died last June, is remembered today as an AIDS fighter．This young boy challenged his government's AIDS policies and united millions of South Africans in the fight against the disease．

　　Johnson was the longest surviving person born HIV positive．(艾滋病病毒呈阳性)He survived with this deadly disease for 12 years before it claimed his life．

　　At first, Johnson was expected to live for nine months when his foster mother(养母), Gail Johnson, took him in at the age of two．She now runs Nkosi Haven across town from her house in Melville．The Haven is home to 20 children living with HIV or AIDS, and 11 of their mothers．

　　Johnson attracted the world's attention and stole the hearts of thousands of people across the world at the 13^th International AIDS Conference in Durban in July 2000．He stood in front of a large audience including South African President Thabo Mbeki．He told them that he wanted AZT, a drug used to treat AIDS patients, to be given HIV-positive pregnant women to prevent the disease being passed on to their unborn babies．He received a loud cheer at the end of his speech．

　　Johnson's speech was broadcast live across the world．With views beyond his age and even a sense of humor, Johnson soon became an international sign of the fight against AIDS and HIV．

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　　BEIJING(Associated Press)－China has a growing middle class, a tradition of expecting education, wishing their children to be outstanding(杰出的)in the future, and 21 million new babies ever year．So selling educational toys should be easy．

　　While China may be the world's biggest toy-maker, many of the best are exported．Department stores here do not have enough high-quality toys．It is said that the demand for educational toys is low．

　　A US company, BabyCare, is trying to change that with a new way to sell toys in China．BabyCare works basically together with doctors in Beijing hospitals．People who join the company's “mother club” can get free lectures and newsletters on baby and child development if they agree to spend 18 dollars a month on the company's educational toys and child-care books．

　　“We want to build a seven-year relationship with those people,”said Matthew J．Ester, BabyCare's president．“It starts during pregnancy(孕期)when the anxiety and needs are highest．”BabyCare works on a one-to-one basis．Doctors, nurses, and teachers paid by BabyCare advise parents, explaining toys that are designed for children at each stage of development to age six．

　　BabyCare opened its first store in China last June in a shopping center in central Beijing and another near the Beijing Zoo．It plans to have 80 stores in China within six years．It is a new model for China and develops a market in young children's education and health that no other companies are in．

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　　Popular British author, Charles Dickens'(1812－1870)family could hardly make ends meet．They could only afford to send one of their six children to school．Dickens was not that child．His parents chose to send a daughter, who had a talent for music, to an academy．

　　His father was placed in prison for debts．And, being the oldest male at home, Dickens worked at a factory．His horrible experience there became the fuel for his future writing．His father was freed three months later, and Dickens was then sent to school．

　　From 1836 to 1837, he wrote a series of stories．Thus the Pickwick Papers came into being, which brought fame to him．His works are Oliver Twist, Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield and Hard Times．

　　“I do not write bitterly or angrily, for I know all these things have worked together to make me what I am,”he once said．

　　His difficult childhood did indeed shape the person he became, as well as his writing career．There are shades of young Dickens in many of his most beloved characters, including David Copperfield and Oliver Twist．“Minds, like bodies, will often fall into an ill-conditioned state from too much comfort,”he once wrote．

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　　It was the old lady's eightieth birthday．She was sure Myra wouldn't forget her mother's birthday, even if she was busy．After all, eighty was a special birthday．Perhaps Myra might come．Even if Myra did not come, she would send a present．The old lady was sure of that．Two spots of color brightened her cheeks．She was excited like a child,

　　Mrs．Morrison had brought a card and a bunch of flowers when she came to do the breakfast．Mrs．Grant downstairs had made a cake．Johnnie, the little boy next door, was now up with her with a packet of sweets．

　　“I guess you'll get lots and lots of presents," he said．"I did last week when I was six．" What would she like?A pair of slippers perhaps．A blue new cardigan．Or a table lamp．Or a little clock, with clear black numbers．So many lovely things．

　　She stood by the window, watching．The postman turned round the corner on his bicycle．Her heart beat fast．Johnnie had seen him too and ran to the gate．“Granny, granny," Johnnie returned．“I've got your post!"

　　He gave her four envelopes．Three were from old friends．The fourth was in Myra's writing．

　　“No parcel(包裹), Johnnie?"

　　“No, granny．"

　　Almost reluctantly, she tore the fourth envelope open．Folded in the card was a check．Written on the card was a message：Happy Birthday－Buy yourself something nice with the check, Myra and Harold．

　　The six-figure check fell to the floor like a bird with a broken wing．Slowly the old lady bent to pick it up．Her present, her lovely present．With trembling fingers she tore it into little bits．

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　　Nobody calls me any more－and that's just fine．With the exception of close family members, who mostly phone to discuss medical symptoms and arrange child care, and the fund-raising team from a local theater company, which takes a diabolical(恶魔般的)delight in phoning me every few weeks at exactly the moment I am tucking in(给…盖被子)my children, people just don't call．It's at the point when the phone does ring－and it's not my mom, dad, husband or babysitter－my first thought is：What's happened?Whist's wrong?My second thought is：Isn't it strange to just call like that?All of a sudden?With no e-mailed warning?

　　I don't think it's just me．Sure, teenagers gave up the phone call ages ago．But I'm no longer a teenager, back when you felt happy at getting a phone in your bedroom or a line of your own．In the past five years, mature adults have seemingly given up the telephone－landine, mobile, voice mail, and all．

　　According to Nielsen Media, we're spending less and less on cell phone calling plans and more on messages．"I really never use the phone," Jonathan Adler, the domestic designer, told me．"Sometimes I call my mother on the way to work because she'll be happy to chat with me．But I just can't think of anyone else who'd want to talk to me," Then again, he doesn't want to be called either．"I've learned not to press Ignore on my cell phone, because then people know mat you're there,” Mr．Adler said．“I remember when I was growing up, the rule was－don't call anyone after 10 p.m．Now the rule is－don't call anyone．Ever．"

　　Phone calls are rude, bothering and embarrassing．"Thank you for noticing something that millions of people have failed to notice since the invention of the telephone until just now," Judith Martin said．"I've been puzzled at this for decades．The telephone has a very rude trend to interrupt people．"

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　　So you're thinking about studying at university?Taking a higher education course is a big investment in your future, and you'll want to be sure that you're choosing not only the right course, but also the right university．

　　Birmingham City University is one of the major universities in the UK．Of its 25,000 students, over 2;000 students enroll from around 70 different countries, making the university truly mid-national．Located in Birmingham, the UK's second largest city, we have a long history of close relationship with this promising region．As a university we provide practical solutions for business and use our excellent industry links to influence the teaching of our courses, giving our students the skills and experience employers want so that when you complete your course you'll be ready to take off in your chosen career．Our students are among the most employable in the UK－83 percent of our 2010 graduates gained employment within six months of graduation．

　　Each year we provide a number of scholarships to international students to cover a part of the tuition fee for the first year of study．Fees for non-European Union international students are charged at a higher rate because the university does not receive any funding from the British Government．There are also a number of alternative sources of funding for which international students may apply．We offer a range of housing options, from independent flats, adapted accommodation for students with special requirements to renting a room from a local family, to learn the local lifestyle better as well as improve your language ability．

　　If you decide to come to Birmingham City University, you can be confident that you'll receive a first-class education with a focus on practical skills and professional relevance, giving you excellent future for employment and career development．

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　　When you hear the word "roses", you would often assume that it is the red rose that is being referred to．Why is this so?Simply because there is no flower that has been respected and celebrated as much as the red rose．

　　The modern red rose we are now familiar with was introduced to Europe from China in the 1800's．Evidence suggests that the red rose is nearly 35 million years old．The most commonly available roses belong to two broad categories：the Oriental species and their hybrids(杂交品种),and the European species and their hybrids．It is possible to grow a red rose anywhere in the world, if the species which it belongs to is selected according to climatic conditions．

　　The red rose is a universal symbol of romance, passion and most importantly true love．Red roses are most often used as a strong expression of love, especially on special occasions like Saint Valentine's Day．Back in the 18th century, during a time when speaking aloud about one's heartfelt feelings was not in line with social customs, a special rose language was developed．This secret language acted as a system of communication between lovers who were forced to hide their true emotions by the society．Since then, the red rose has come to symbolize true love that will overcome all difficulties and the test of time．

　　The red rose is also one of the most universal of all symbols．Apart from being the ultimate(最终的)symbol of love, red roses can also be used to celebrate courage, send out message of congratulations, and symbolize power．Scientific researches show that the red rose cure be used to cure some diseases．

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　　During a great drought a rich landlord invited the twenty poorest children of the village to his house and said, "In this basket there is a small loaf of bread for each of you．Take it and come back every day until the Lord gives us better times．"

　　The children rushed to the basket and in their haste thy began to quarrel and hit one another, for each sought to take the best loaf; and they left without even thinking the landlord for his kind thought．

　　Only Frances, a modestly dressed but clean little girl, stood timidly apart and took the smallest loaf that was left in the basket, kissed the landlord's hand with gratitude and went back home．

　　The following day the children were more misbehaving than ever and as usual Frances was left with the smallest loaf．When she returned home, her mother broke the small little loaf in two and out fell a number of gold coins．

　　Her mother was very surprised and a little worried．"Take it back to the landlord immediately," she told her daughter, "I am sure there is some mistake．"

　　Frances went back to the landlord but he said："No, it is no mistake．I gave orders that some coins be placed in the smallest loaf to reward you, my dear child．Be always modest and satisfied．Whoever is content to take the smallest loaf rather than quarrel for the biggest one, receives a greater reward than that which can be found in a loaf of bread．"