La Balade des Gnomes, a Perfect Place for Holiday
Are you looking to take a break from your everyday life and relax in a fairy-tale world? If so, there's probably no (good) place than La Balade des Gnomes, near the town of Durbuy, Belgium. (Feature) ten amazingly-decorated bedrooms and a special suite(套房) designed in the form of a Trojan horse, this place is truly unique.
Formerly an ordinary Belgian farmhouse, La Balade des Gnomes was changed a magical tourist spot by architect and owner Dominic Noel. "The hotel was created by people who have a strong interest in nature," he says, but anyone with a rich imagination would certainly appreciate special design and decorations as well. The names of the rooms well represent you can expect to see when you walk through the door. A Moon Neighborhood , for example, takes you to a distant future humans can spend their vacation in a hotel on the Moon.
Every room in La Balade des Gnomes hotel was created and decorated by Dominic Noel with the help of local craftsmen, and (offer) visitors a unique experience. But the main attraction of this Belgian spot is the two-story Troian Horse suite, which actually looks like a giant wooden cow. while it a have been inspired by Greek mythology(神话), this beautiful wooden structure actually is covered in medieval(中世纪的)decorations (base) on fairy tales.
you are looking for a special hotel in Belgium, La Balade des Gnomes is a wonderful choice.
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A. brief B. applying C. extremely D. information E. displayed F. seeking G. sketch H. intelligently I. served J. valuable K. general |
Tight-lipped elders used to say, "It's not what you want in this world, but what you get." Psychology teaches that you do get what you want if you know what you want and want the right things.
You can make a mental blueprint for a desire as you would make a blueprint for a house, and each of us is continually making these blueprints in the routine of everyday living. If we intend to invite friends to dinner, we plan the menu, make a shopping list, decide which food to cook first, and such planning is essential for any type of meal to be .
Likewise, if you want to find a job, take a sheet of paper, and write a(n) account of yourself. In making a blueprint for a job, begin with yourself, for when you know exactly what you have to offer, you can plan where to sell your services.
This account of yourself is actually a(n) of your working life and should include education, experience and references. Such an account is . It can be referred to in filling out standard application blanks and is helpful in personal interviews. While talking to you, your could-be employer is deciding whether your "wares" and abilities must be in an orderly and reasonably connected manner.
When you have carefully prepared a blueprint of your abilities and desires, you have something concrete to sell. Then you are ready to hunt for a job. Get all the possible about your could-be job. Make inquiries into the details regarding the job and the firm. Keep your eyes and ears open, and use your own judgement. Spend a certain amount of time each day the employment you wish for, and keep in mind: Securing a job is your job now.
Every culture on the planet has certain topics that people avoid discussing. But the taboos(禁忌) of one culture may be very different from those of another. You may be1that people from other cultures say what you can't talk about.
Paying attention to what people don't 2 can teach us something important about their culture. Their taboo topics give us clues about what they value, respect or even fear. Topics that are considered too personal or too controversial(有争议的) may also be avoided.
America is full of taboo topics. Usually, during a polite conversation, Americans will 3 both politics and religion. They also avoid talking about racial issues. Why? Because these topics can cause strong opinions and 4. Americans believe it's best to avoid them—especially at social gatherings.
Many Americans also do not feel 5 talking about their personal income, age or health. 6, they prefer to make small talks about the weather, sports or common interests.
What do these taboos tell us about American 7? For one, they show that Americans place importance on 8. America certainly isn't the only place that values it. You will find 9 taboos about asking personal questions in many European countries. "This is especially true in Germany", says Hanna Graf. a German living in Shanghai. "In Germany, you are not supposed to ask about other people's personal business," she says. "But there are no 10 rules about what you can't ask; it's just in people's minds."
In Brazil, 11, almost anything seems open to discussion. "Brazilians talk about all kinds of personal issues," says Mark Quinlan, who grew up in Brazil. But of course, even Brazil has its own taboos. In Brazil, soccer is the one topic that can turn friends into enemies. Brazilians love the sport. Saying anything 12 blow about soccer can cause big trouble. Even expressing preference for one team over another can be 13.
Like Brazilians, Australians talk freely about almost anything. However, they do not talk about their personal or business 14. They prefer to let people judge them by their actions, not their words. Boasting your accomplishments will only make you the 15 of other people's jokes.
And what about your taboos? The next time you have a conversation, pay attention to what isn't said. You might be amazed at what you learn about your own culture.
Every country has certain cultural patterns making it unique. Of course, habits and customs between cultures and countries tend to overlap(重叠).The popularity of social media, for instance, ignores borders and breaks down cultural differences. Technology has made the world a much smaller and culturally similar place. However, when looking at a foreign country, we will always find differences between our traditions and theirs Young Italians and young Americans, for example, though alike in many respects, have also some pronounced differences, especially when it comes to work, pastimes and sports.
Most American teens have part-time jobs through high school and college. Youths in Italy tend not to. The reasons behind this are multifaceted. It is, to begin with rather hard in Italy to find the type of part-time jobs students usually take up. Moreover, there is also a different cultural attitude to take into consideration, especially when thinking of certain parts of Italy. Young Italians like to enjoy life to the full and feel there will be time to work once they become adults, hence the lack of interest in finding odd jobs while still in school. Like the old saying goes, some Italians work to live, while some Americans often live to work.
In a lot of ways, young Italians and Americans spend their free time in a similar fashion. Listening to music, watching movies, hanging out, practicing sports and surfing the Internet are all common ways to pass some free time. Italians, especially, make a point of going out and being social, often choosing between pizzerie or birrerie (place for pizza or beer), which stay open late. Italians often pile into a couple of cars and go out in a big group. In general, American teens participate in a lot of extracurricular(课外的)activities, many often through school, while Italians may not take part in so many.
When going out, Italian teens tend to meet and gather on the streets of their cities on towns, something not as common in the United States, especially in highly populated areas. This very Italian habit can be linked to the urban arrangement of Italian towns. Many of them date back thousands of years and feature central piazzas(广场) and areas built around historical sites that have now become gathering places for the young, if you're in Italy, don't be surprised by the sight of hundreds gathered in a piazza or on the street, laughing and drinking the night away.
Troubleshooting: Unable to install the supplied software on a computer
The software supplied with a camera, camcorder (a portable video camera) or personal audio device may not install for the following reasons:
1 The software may not be compatible(兼容)with the computer operating system.
2 The computer does not meet the minimum system requirements for installing the software.
3 Another application or utility is running in the background of the computer and interfering(妨碍)with the installation.
4 Antivirus or spyware software is preventing installation.
Follow the steps below to troubleshoot this issue.
1 Check the instruction manual to determine the minimum system requirements and operating system supported by the software. Instructions for your product are usually available online.
2 Check the specifications of the computer to ensure it meets the minimum system requirements and operating system supported by the software.
3 Download and install all available updates for the computer and software. Software and driver updates for your product are usually available online.
NOTE: An install utility is an application used to assist with the installation of other software. If an install utility is available, follow the online instructions to properly download and install it.
4 Temporarily disable any antivirus or spyware software.
5 Close any software applications or other unnecessary utilities that may be running on the computer.
6 Attempt to install the software and follow the on-screen instructions.
NOTE: If the software was designed to use an older version of the Windows operating system than what is currently installed on the computer, you can try installing using the compatibility mode.
7 If the software will still not be installed, try installing it using the Safe Mode of the computer as follows:
IMPORTANT: Some bundled(捆绑的) software requires the product to be connected to the computer during the installation process. If your software requires the product to be connected during installation, these steps will not work and should be disregarded.
1 Copy the software to a folder on the computer hard drive.
2 Turn off the computer
3 Start the computer in the Safe Mode.
4 Locate the folder on the computer hard drive where you copied the contents of the installation CD.
5 Click the INSTALL. EXE or SETUP. EXE icon(图标)to begin the software installation.
6 Restart the computer
Sometime in 1885 or 1886,Arthur Conan Doyle was doodling(信手乱涂)on a sheet of paper. Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's Auguste Dupin, he had the idea for a "consulting detective", who would also use "the Rules of Evidence" to catch his man. But what would he be called? "Ormond Sacker"? "Sherrinford Holmes"?
Had he settled on either of these alternatives, the modern-day fan clubs would be able to look closely through their magnifying glasses(放大镜) at that historic piece of paper at an exhibition opening at the Museum of London on Friday.
Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who Never Lived and Will Never Die is the first major show for the great detective since a Holmes display graced the Festival of Britain in 195. It's a winningly silly title: there are an unlimited number of men who never lived and will never die, and a very large number of fictional creations of whom the same could also be said. But you can see what they are getting at.
It is likely that the show should take place at the Museum of London. Holmes occupied perhaps London's most famous imaginary address—221B Baker Street—and Dr. Watson wrote that his "knowledge of the byways of London was extraordinary". In the form of his "Baker Street Irregulars", he even employed a street-level spy-network o the homeless. London is often described as another character in the stories.
But, as historian David Cannadine points out in a fine, questioning essay in a new book accompanying the exhibition, Holmes's London is actually only sketchily imagined in the stories. Conan Doyle grew up in Edinburgh, was educated in Lancashire and Austria, and lived in central London for less than a year before moving first to South Norwood, then in short order to Hindhead in Surrey and later to Sussex. To move Holmes around the capital, Conan Doyle used contemporary books of street maps and the London Post Office Directory. And he made all sorts of mistakes.
Also, before fan-fiction as we think of it now got under way, the Holmes stories led to a strange academic version of fan-fiction: Holmesians, taking a scholarly interest in the texts almost on the assumption that Holmes and Watson were real historical characters.
It should be noted that Conan Doyle himself didn't sweat the details. Everything from the location of Watson's old war wound to his marital situation and the address of his consulting room was distinctly patchy(东拼西凑的).
Holmes is, or might as well be, a magician. In this respect, the modern BBC TV adaptations—whose leaps of tricks I've seen complained about -- are in keeping with Conan Doyle's originals.
He's not the product, not any more, of a single author. And he's never going to be on the reader's level—nor that of his friend Dr. Watson. Conan Doyle's consulting detective is, made by the imaginations of others, a sort of god. And like all the best gods, he is— as the new exhibition's title indicates—both imaginary and everlasting.
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A. Having a travel agency help you with all the bookings may be a good choice. B. It is stressful to find out that you cannot book tickets or hotel rooms for a reasonable price. C. There's so much to see when you finally take your annual leave. D. Visiting Southeast Asia with its impressive beaches. E. Waiting for a certain time of the year so that you could spoil yourself is wrong. F. You are useless as a worker if your body does not feel great |
Seize the day! Live today and stop putting off what you have always dreamt of experiencing. How exciting and fun your life is depends only on you. Traveling is what makes your life complete. Finding balance isn't easy yet it is worth trying. Enhance your life by going to South America to learn the history of the ancient tribes(部落). Finding out more about European culture or flying to Africa to see the amazing nature. There are hundreds of reasons why you should travel. Here are only three of them
1 There is no tomorrow- take a break right now. Be unplanned and travel whenever you feel like leaving your daily routine and boredom. It is tiring and exhausting to live according to some schedule. If you need a break now, then simply take it and let yourself enjoy the time. who told you that the calendar exists to control you? What if it's time for you to control your own timetable? No need to wait for you scheduled annual break. Make it happen sooner. Your company won't bankrupt(破产) or disappear if you leave it for a week or two. There are plenty of people who can substitute for you and do your job while you are away. You can do some of it in advance or you can keep it on hold. Here the point is to plan a week ahead.
2 You cannot be a good employee if you are unhappy and tense. Your family suffers too. When your mind is free, you can perform at 200 percent. You lose balance and harmony if you experience too much stress, perform a lot of demanding routine and constantly take responsibilities. Take care of yourself. Make sure that your well-being does not suffer.
3 Actually, it does not pay off to go on vacation when the season is in full swing. Prices are usually much higher in this period and you may spend much more money than expected. Hunting for a last minute trip is humiliating(羞耻的),especially when you know you deserve a decent holiday. Spread your vacation days across the year. Isn't it better to take a few trips a year and visit a new country every time than having one longer trip to one destination?
The Power of iPhone
Though Apple released data last week indicating iPhone sales may, at last, be slowing, one CEO recently explained why he thinks the smartphone has overturned our expectations of basically everything.
Harry West is the CEO of the global design and strategy firm Frog, which works with its clients "to anticipate(预料)the future". In a conversation with The Huffington Post at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, West credited Apple with transforming the way companies approach consumers and their own employees.
"Way back in the day," West said, companies marketed their products as "military spec" and "industrial" to take advantage of the impression that these seemingly specialized products were of higher quality than consumer versions. In the 70s, 80s and 90s, this slowly gave way to the rise of "professional" products adapted to businesses and business people.
"That all changed after the coming of the iPhone in 2007," he said. "Consumers began to use this amazing digital interface (界面), and they liked it. They used it ii their personal life and at home, and when they went back to work, they encountered this terrible 'professional' or 'industrial', or 'enterprise' product, and they realized how old-fashioned and inconvenient it was. They demanded change."
That massive shift foreshadowed the downfall of BlackBerry and the weakening of the power of it departments - and it also forced companies to update the work experience of their employees, according to West.
"Companies need to hire millennials(千禧世代,一般指在1980年至2000年之间出生的人), and millennials refuse to work in these outdated, backward systems," he said. "Not only is it uncomfortable, but it also indicates something wrong about the company. If your work experience is that old-fashioned, then what else is wrong in the company?"
