Superman, Spider-Man, Batman and Iron Man ... .There is no shortage of superheroes. You find them in comic books, on TV and the big screen.

    In a survey of fans by the sci-fi（科幻）and fantasy website, SFX.co.uk, Batman, 70 years old this year, was voted Britain's favorite superhero.

    Unlike many crime-fighting superheroes Batman has no special powers. He can't fly like Superman or shoot a sticky web like Spider-Man.

    Bruce Wayne is born to a wealthy Gotham City business family. However, when his parents are murdered his life changes completely.

    Wayne feels angry at their deaths and guilty that he did not prevent them. He travels around the world learning how to fight. Upon returning to Gotham, he creates a disguise (伪装) to enable him to fight crime without being recognized.

    A childhood fear of bats leads him to choose to dress as one. His idea is that through the bat persona (角色) he can prove to himself that he has overcome his childhood fears.

    Wayne is the CEO of the company he inherits from his father. He seems to live the lifestyle of a millionaire playboy. But this is a ruse (计策). He works hard at the image to allow himself the freedom he needs to do his work as a crime fighter. "Bruce Wayne, playboy" is the disguise; Batman is the real person.

    "Wayne is not a born superhero. Instead, he is a real, complex person," said Dace Golder, editor of the website. "He is the most realistic of all the superheroes. I am particularly interested in the emotional process by which a boy becomes a hero. His superhero qualities come from within."

Music is a Universal Language

    “Music is the universal language of mankind.” – Henry Longfellow

    Everyone has the inborn ability to understand and enjoy music. There are many theories as to why this is, but it has become a part of human beings. Since the beginning, humans have expressed themselves through music. Simple tribal rhythms evolved into many types of more complex music, including classical, rock, jazz, and R&B. While the styles between these many types of music may vary, everyone is able to understand and relate to them.

    What are the essential parts of a language? Every language uses vocabulary, or a set of words, to create sentences that convey messages. The tone and style of the sentences convey different feelings or emotions. Music is exactly the same way. Twelve tones, or notes, are combined to create phrases that also convey emotion. Music can even be written, like most other languages. Conversations even take place in music. Two saxophonists can play melodies back and forth, expressing different styles and feelings, building off of each other, responding to each other. Music changes over the years like other languages. Most people who speak fluent English cannot read one of Shakespeare's plays because the language has changed so much. Music is also affected by time, and over a long period, many new types of music and instruments have emerged to create different sounds and convey different messages. There are so many similarities between vocal language and music that they must be same.

    I recently had a chance to experience conversation through music. In 2008, I traveled to Manila, Philippines to participate in a high school jazz exchange where many students from all over Asia came together to share their talents. Everyone was mixed into different small groups to prepare for a concert at the end of week. Few people spoke fluent English so vocal communication was very tough. However, it wasn't needed. Everyone seemed to understand each other simply through the music and there were few times where direct translation was needed. At the performance, every group played for a live audience. They all sounded phenomenal and it felt like they were in perfect time and harmony. During my group's performance, I was able to improvise with a Korean boy who spoke very little English. But we managed to have a conversation through our instruments, building off each other's riffs until we were creating our own melody on the fly. It was a great experience.

    Because of the many similarities that music shares with other languages, it is a very effective way to communicate with others. Music brings us together, connects us with other people, and allows us to express ourselves in ways that are different from speech and writing. It has the ability to convey emotions and messages to the core of people, which is why Henry Longfellow is absolutely correct when he states that “music is the universal language of mankind.”

    Music is a Universal Language

—Thanks.

Nowadays, many of us are working long hours at home, so more than ever, we are in need of a pet to help relieve anxiety and provide company for the lonely days. There are simply too many benefits to list, so we've gathered only our top reasons.

Working long hours from home can never be a nice thing. Without all the human contact we would normally get in the office, we can often find ourselves feeling lonely and isolated. However, with a pet at home we're likely to feel much better.

A call to head outdoors. For those who have an animal that enjoys going outdoors, pets can serve as a great reminder of heading outdoors to get some fresh air. However, often owners will return from their walks feeling calmer, more relaxed and more energized. Whatever the weather, getting outside is beneficial to us.

Caring for something else. Often, when we feel loneliness or anxiety, we tend to be focusing inwards, to our own worries and self-doubts. Therefore, it's advisable to invest time in our pet's well-being by giving them the best care we can.

Motivation (动力) and routine. Pets are a source of motivation for their owners simply because they rely on us so heavily. Without a pet, we'll find it hard to keep our daily routine while working at home. . But when we have a pet to look after, we have to get up early and be ready for the day ahead. This is going to benefit both the pet and ourselves.

A. An end to loneliness.

B A time killer in daily life.

C. We tend to skip meals or sleep late.

D. Pets often walk here and there and make our house dirty.

E. The positive effects a pet can have on our mental health are amazing.

F. The task of heading out for a walk on a rainy day may not seem attractive.

G. Directing our attention to the outside world helps relieve those negative feelings.

Moving to a foreign country is an amazing, life-changing experience. It's an opportunity to meet new people, make yourself completely involved in a different culture and possibly learn another language. However, before embarking on such an adventure, there are some practical decisions that need to be made. One such decision is choosing where to live.

For me, choosing to live with a French family was the best choice I made, and here is why.

Firstly, a family can show you around the city or town and help you settle in, stopping you from feeling lonely. When you're in a new environment with people you don't know who are speaking a language you're still not fluent in, you might feel lost, tired and homesick — I know I did. However, my host family were wonderful and welcoming; they showed me which buses to take to get to work and cooked dinner for me so we could eat together, and took me with them on trips to the beach, the theatre and even a bullfight. These were great opportunities to experience French culture and build relationships, which in turn helped me feel more comfortable and welcome.

Moreover, living with French people has been brilliant for helping me improve my language skills. Being constantly exposed to authentic French conversation has allowed me to learn new phrases, widen my vocabulary and even improve my accent. My host family are happy to answer my questions and correct me when I say things wrong, which makes me a better and more confident French speaker.

Finally, the experience of living abroad is one that you will remember forever, and perhaps the friendships — like the memories — will also last. Your host family might become your friends for life. You might return for their birthdays, weddings, holidays, and much more. I hope to remain in contact with my host family long after I leave France because when I was away from my friends and loved ones, they welcomed me and made me part of their family.

    During a recent Senior Three English lesson, the teacher (notice)Xiao Ming, a student, busily typing messages on her cellphone. To the teacher's surprise, Xiao Ming wasn't just texting her friends the latest small talk. She was blogging about what she was learning in the classroom, sharing her opinions her classmates. She said she (true)enjoyed doing that.

    The case caused heated discussion among teachers and students citywide. Miss Li, another English teacher said, “I am amazed at how (create)the students can be when writing on their blogs. To me it's a great way for students to improve their writing skills while writing about personal feelings and experiences.” But made other teachers worried was the blog addiction which may disturb the students' study.

    A supporter and classmate of Xiao Ming said, “We love her blog！ We all read it each day and can't wait to see what she writes about next. Many of her (suggest)on study really help to encourage us. And we can relax (we)while reading her blog.” Another student blogger admitted that he often works late into the night,(write)his blog. He said, “Sometimes I don't even have time (finish)my homework. I can't help myself. I really have a lot to say.”