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In modern cities, it is now time as much as space that separates urban functions, as people's lives are lived not only to different timetables, but also at wildly different rates. The mass timetable of the industrial city, with 9-5 office hours and silent Sundays, has gone. In its 1 is flexi-time, part-time working, Sunday shopping and the 24-hour city.

European cities are 2 these changes perhaps faster than British cities. In at least half a dozen cities in Italy, 3 , you will find the Uffici Tempi--the Offices of Time. What they do is try to reorganise time more flexibly in the city, in order to meet new needs. This is particularly relevant for Italian women, an increasing number of whom have to 4 two timetables: work and home. Usually located in the Mayor's office, the Uffici Tempi bring together transport providers, shop-owners, employers, trade unions, the police and other services to see how their efforts might be better 5 . The main aim in all this is to increase the efficiency and productivity of the city. This can mean delaying the starting tunes in schools, offices and factories to avoid rush hours, or having shops opening later in the day but closing later too. One further 6 is that there can be more police about in the evening, patrolling the streets when people most need them.

In a number of German cities, people have been 7  whether the timetable of the future city should be 6x6 or 4x9--working hours, that is. Apparently male workers favour a four-day week, while women workers, on the other hand, favour 8  shorter working days. This would give employees more time in the afternoon to be with children or to get the shopping. 

The 9 for public services to adapt to our changing lifestyles has been quite difficult for some of the staff involved. 10 , who likes working evenings or Sundays? Nevertheless, many city centres are now open for shopping seven days a week, and a number of them now promote themselves as ‘24-hour cities', where those with money can drink, eat, dance and even shop the whole 11 .

Time is flexible, but buildings aren't. The 12 between the structure of the city and its uses, over time, is a serious architectural and planning problem. 13 has become the key skill. We are slowly 14 the terms of dormitory suburbs and industrial districts, in favour of mixed- use areas, out-of-town retailing and working from home. There is no doubt that planning theory is being 15 by the changing nature of time in the modern city.

How to Survive a Tsunami on the Beach

The word tsunami is from Japanese. It describes a series of waves that can reach over 100 feet tall and travel at speeds up to 600 miles per hour across the sea. A single wave in a tsunami can be quite long, as much as 60 miles, causing great damage. 

Your best chance for surviving a tsunami on a beach is to pay attention to the warning signs, stay away from the shore after an earthquake, and get to high land. Then wait for information from disaster response groups. 

With your family, discuss how you'll reach the evacuation area (紧急疏散区) as soon as possible.

The sooner you know a tsunami is coming the better your chance of making it to higher ground. 

·Head for high ground, get at least 100 feet above sea level. 

·

·Don't swim against the current.

As you learn how to survive a tsunami, remember the first wave in a series of waves is the smallest and weakest. If you're in a boat at the beach, head out into the ocean. You'll stand a better chance away of survival away from the shoreline.

A. That's why it's crucial to know how to survive a Tsunami.

B. Grab something like a tree or something that float, like a raft. 

C. The waves following an earthquake may continue for hours or up to a day. 

D. That's why it's essential to learn the early warning signs to survive a tsunami.

E. If it's too late, and the water's already rising, here's what to do in a tsunami.

F. Your best chance for surviving a tsunami on a beach is to pay attention to the warning signs. 

G. Whether you're visiting or living in a tsunami zone, learn where the closest place is out of the tsunami's reach.

It's often said that we human beings can dream in a foreign language. Could dreaming in a foreign language improve our memory? Does dreaming in a foreign language mean we are making progress in learning that language?

Before we look at multilingual (多语言) dreams, first we need to look at sleep. The connection between sleep and language can be applied to how we learn any language, including our native language. Even adults still learn about one new word every two days in their first language. But, if we are going to remember that new word better, what matters is that we need to connect it with what we have learned. And in order to do that, we "need to have some sleep", says Gareth Gaskell, a professor at the University of York.

It's during sleep that the integration (整合) of old and new knowledge happens. At might, one part of our brain — the hippocampus — takes whatever new information it receives during the day and passes it on to other parts of the brain to be stored. The role that dreams play in this night-time learning process is still being studied, but "it's entirely possible that during multilingual dreams, the brain is trying to connect the two languages", says Marc, a researcher at a university in Bern, Switzerland.

So having multilingual dreams could mean that our brain is trying to remember a new word or phrase. However, it could also have an emotional (情感) significance. Danuta, a professor of psycholinguistics at the University of Silesia in Poland, suggests that multilingual dreams can express "fears or wishes" around learning a foreign language, including the wish to be a local speaker or to be accepted within a certain community.

We clearly still have a lot to learn about multilingual dreams, but one thing seems certain: if you're trying to learn a new language, you can sleep on it.

According to a study published this week, habitual napping (打盹) appears to be associated with a large brain volume in adults although experts stressed that further research was needed. It reduces the cost caused from the lost time and the fatigue-related errors. The work followed previous studies that suggested a brief doze could improve people's ability to learn.

Arianna Huffington, a co-founder of Huff Post and the founder and chief executive of Thrive Global, said, "Given the latest science on the effectiveness of napping and the clear link between employees feeling well rested and their productivity, it's long past time that businesses embrace short naps at work. "

Some businesses, including Thrive Global, have already introduced facilities for employees to take naps. Google introduced sleep pods as far back as 2014 and companies like Nike and Ben & Jerry's introduced nap rooms. The practice has even been adopted by the NHS, with a growing number of hospitals introducing sleep pods for staff in an effort to help them get more rest. Employees, it seems, are enthusiastic. Sean Greenwood, of Ben & Jerry's, said, "If a quick nap gets employees more involved and creative, we're happy to provide that for our team members. "

Unfortunately, the practice of napping still suffers from our collective concept that sleep equals weakness and laziness. However, the performance-enhancing benefits of naps have been no secret to many leaders throughout history. It also gives the higher-ups the chance to acknowledge the 24/7 culture and come up with top-down solutions that encourage workers to take care of themselves in and out of work. 

While sleep experts stressed that a daytime doze could be beneficial, they said it was crucial to get enough shut-eye at the end of a day. It is the late stage of sleep, sometimes missed by early risers, that strengthens the nerve circuits that make for learning and memory, allowing the brain to make and consolidate new neutral connections. Additionally, prioritizing sufficient sleep during the regular nightly sleep period is essential for overall well-being. 

Student newspapers across the US are facing a dark reality. As they are free to read, they are making less money than ever, meaning that such newspapers are finding it hard to survive. 

Most college papers have reduced their print editions (版本). Last year, the Daily Tar Heel printed a paper four days a week. This year, it prints a paper every three days. And while it used to produce around 22,000 newspapers each time, it only makes around: 10,000 now, said Erica Perel, general manager. 

Increasingly, student journalists have turned their focus to digital versions of their newspapers, and the new ways that social media allows them to tell stories. They've adapted their skills to mirror what's going on in the professional journalism world.

"I think we're adapting very well…in moving away from that print edition. But it's challenging. " said Jonathan Carter, a student at North Carolina State University. So what should student newspapers do? LoMonte said the best solution would be for universities to financially (财经的) support student journalism. University leaders like to talk about producing responsible students, he said, and journalism is a part of that.

In the meantime, campus newspapers are figuring out their financial models as they go along. Bruce dePyssler, adviser to North Carolina Central University's Campus Echo Newspaper, said his students post one story a day online. The best stories are put together for a once-a-semester print edition.

And even if student journalists don't go into media jobs, Perel said, "They've still had a great education. " "The number one thing that we teach is critical thinking (批判思考) and how to be a lifelong learner, " she said, "The ones who are living through this transition (过渡) are the ones that are going to be a lot stronger for it in the end. "

Animals were the real pioneers of space flight. Let us learn about some animals that have been to space. 

●A. Fruit flies

On February 20,1947, the United States sent some fruit flies into space to study the impact that cosmic radiation (宇宙辐射) might potentially have on astronauts in the future. They chose flies because they are genetically similar to humans. 

When they returned to Earth, the scientists found the flies alive, with no evidence of the effects of radiation. 

●B. Mice

Mice have long been used to find out more about how space travel will affect the human body. In fact, NASA has recently published a study of mice housed at the International Space Station. It shows that mice quickly adapt to microgravity (微重力) conditions. 

The very first mouse went into space in 1950, reaching an altitude of 137km. However, unlike the fruit flies, the mouse died when the rocket broke into parts due to a parachute (降落伞) failure. 

●C. Dogs

Laika, a Russian homeless dog, went to space on November 3, 1957. She was picked up on the streets and was thought suitable because she had a gentle temperament (性情) and behaved well. The scientists also believed a homeless dog would be better at dealing with difficult conditions like microgravity than a pet dog. 

Laika is famous for being the first animal to orbit (环绕……运行) the Earth. However, she never returned. 

●D. Spiders

In 1973, two garden spiders called Anita and Arabella were used in an experiment to see if they could still build webs in space. 

Both spiders managed to build webs, even though the webs were slightly finer than on Earth. The study showed a great deal about the effects of microgravity on motor response (运动反应). 

Daniel got a job as a delivery man to work his way through college. His parents couldn't save up all the money he needed to get into law school, so since he was 15, he would take summer jobs and find some other jobs between studies to earn extra cash.

The boy was determined and every day he would wake up at 5 a.m., summer or winter, riding on his old bike to deliver parcels. It wasn't an easy job, especially during winter. Besides that, his old bike was slow, making things harder. But that wasn't a problem for Daniel.

Daniel's schedule was always the same every day and people in the neighborhood already knew him. He called them by their names, and they would often wave and greet him as he passed.

It was a normal day and Daniel was delivering parcels as usual. "Morning, Daniel! Check out my brand-new mountain bike!" called out a man whose home Daniel visited frequently. "Morning, Mr. Warren! That's a really fancy bike!" Daniel screamed back at him as he rode towards his first delivery. He couldn't help imagining what it would feel like to own a bike like the one Mr. Warren had just shown him. "My deliveries would double with that" he thought longingly.

Suddenly, Daniel lost balance and fell on the road. He got up and leaned the bike against the wall to see what had happened. He found a nail stuck in the back tire (轮胎) and he unluckily had a flat tire.

As he turned around and tried to think of what to do, he saw something unusual. A strange man Daniel had never seen before furtively (鬼鬼祟祟地) looked around and placed a package under his jacket. "Hey!" Daniel shouted at the man. "Hey there! What are you doing? That's not yours!" The man heard Daniel and started to run as fast as he could.

注意：1. 续写词数应为 150 左右：2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

假定你是某国际学校的学生会主席李华。随着手机越来越智能，学生们所受的影响也越 来越大。请你围绕"合理使用手机"这个主题，根据下面的提示，用英语给你校学生写一封倡议书。内容包括：1.智能手机给学生带来的不良影响；2.学生应如何减少智能手机的影响；3.发出倡议。

注意：1.词数不少于80;2. 内容充实，行文连贯；3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Dear fellow students,

Li Hua

Machines work well at a constant speed —and the faster the better.Whether they are spinning cotton dealing with numbers,regular,repetitive actions are what they excel at.

Increasingly,our world is being designed by machines and for machines.We adapt to machines and hold ourselves to their standards:People (judge)by the speed at which they respond, not the quality of their response."Always on"becomes something to take pride .When I ask people they are doing,they almost always answer "busy".Ticking things off the "to do"list becomesmeans of defining ourselves. (occupy)if not with work then with family or our social networks,most of us feel exhausted.

A few years ago,I became very interested in what it meant (pause).I started to notice where pauses show up in my own work and life.For example,I realized when I was writing,a short walk was a(n) (effective)way to focus than concentrating harder.The small walk acted as a pause, (enable)me to rest,reflect or refresh,appreciate and break a block in my (creative).I realized that pause is not nothing!

A minute eating ice-cream is not the same as a minute doing push-ups.Even time itself isn't a uniform raw material —as the physics of Einstein shows.

The last attempt of Ken Campbell to run could trace back to high school.When his wife,Susan, injured her foot,she needed 1 to rejoin her running group,so Campbell went along to keep her company in the2 ."We were just walking at the beginning,"he says,"I was heavy,and weighed over 90kg."But as the weeks and months passed,the weight fell away,Susan recovered and Campbell's 3 grew.At the age of 63,he ran 50km,and at 70,he 4 a 100km ultra marathon.

So how does someone with no5 experience of running become an ultra distance runner in his 60s and 70s?Susan had run marathons before her 6 ,but for Campbell,the turning point came when Susan's Fleet Feet running group started the trails in the Sierra Nevada foothills near their home.

Campbell went out to visit Susan's group,and "the trails were a terrible 7 .It had been raining,and I was slipping,sliding and 8 .But I thought,well,I like this a lot."What he liked above all was the feeling of "being wrapped by the trail,being 9 by the closeness of the vegetation(植被)and the nearness of the river".

Running the 100km ultra marathon took Campbell 16 hours.When Campbell 10 the finish line at 3 am,Susan handed him a 100km sticker to11 on the back of his truck.He already had a 50km one on there."It is a public12 that you are part of this community,"he says. "Wherever we park,I see a line of vehicles with their various stickers and I feel that we are a tribe (部落). "

Campbell suffered from arthritis(关节炎)before he started running,and was "a(n)13 for knee replacement",but for now,he no longer needs a surgery.It can 14 the running —but the "sense of well-being and accomplishment will carry me on forever",he says,"If I can't run,I will 15 . "

Teenagers are spending more money than ever.Just last year,

31.6 million teens spent 155 billion,according to the North-brook,Illinois-based market research group Teenage Research Unlimited. 

Shocked at how much money kids spend?Maybe you haven't checked the price tags lately on some of the younger generation's must-haves.To some,such luxurious spending on the changeable young might seem unbearable. .Timothy Marshall,an associate professor of developmental psychology at Christopher Newport University in Virginia,analyzed the widespread phenomenon after some research.

One factor is surely the sheer power of marketing through mass media.Teenagers are exposed to an estimated 3,000 advertisements each day.Combine the ads with programming itself,like the fashion-,music-and skin-filled shows on MTV,and you've got a large number of messages telling kids what they should own if they want to fit in.

Many working parents probably compensate by spending money on their kids. But also,spending money is often more convenient in our fast-paced society than going to baseball games or other activities.

For many families,of course,keeping up with their children' costly demands for designer clothing,CDs,and concert tickets is a financial impossibility.Marshall says,even for those families who can afford such luxurious spending,striking a compromise between spoiling the kids and denying them is tricky,but possible.

Instead of just giving children the toys or clothing they desire,give them an allowance and show them how they can save up for whatever they want.And don't be afraid to just say no.Most of the parents are working nine-to-five or even working overtime to make ends meet. Therefore,shoulder the responsibility of instructing the kids to tell right from wrong,and developing healthy habits of spending money is of great importance. 

A.Why do some parents give in?

B.How did they persuade parents to pay?

C.Teaching kids how to budget and save is key.

D.Kids shouldn't always take money for granted.

E.Much of that money,of course,comes from parents.

F.We need to step up and tell kids where the boundaries are.

G.There is probably some guilt involved in not spending enough time at home.

Carried by the wind,dust particles( 微 粒 )from places such as the Sahara Desert can float halfway around the world before settling to the ground.As the plastics abandoned by humans break down into tiny pieces in the environment,they,too,travel through the atmosphere.Now scientists are a step closer to understanding how these microplastics travel in the globe —both locally and on long-distance flights.

Researchers spent more than a year collecting microplastics from 11 national parks and wilderness areas in the western U.S.They examined the particles that settled on dry days and those that fell along with rain or snow.In addition to making clear how microplastics move around,the results,published on Thursday in Science,reveal the seriousness of the problem:more than 1 million kilograms of microplastics —the weight of 120 million to 300 million plastic water bottles —fall on protected lands in the country's western region each year.

The new findings add to scientists' concern over microplastic pollution's potential impacts on the environment and human health."We're not supposed to breathe in this material,"says Steve Allen,a microplastics researcher at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland,who was not involved in the new study.Plastics in the environment "carry all sorts of pesticides (农药),heavy metals and all the other chemicals that we ve made over time,"he adds."They're going to carry them directly into our lungs."

Since their discovery in oceans in the 1970s,microplastics —which can be as large as a grain of rice or smaller than a particle of dust —have been found nearly everywhere researchers have looked:in cities,in Arctic snow,on remote mountaintops.Their presence in areas distant from the place where human live has pointed to them being carried by winds.

In department stores and closets all over the world,they are waiting.Their outward appearance seems rather appealing because they come in a variety of styles,patterns,materials,and colors.But they are eventually the biggest deception(欺骗)that exists in the fashion industry today.What are they?They are high heels —a woman's worst enemy (whether she knows it or not).High heel shoes are the downfall of modern society.Fashion myths have led women to believe that they are more beautiful or stylish for wearing heels,but in reality,heels succeed in creating short as well as long term troubles.Women should fight the high heel industry by refusing to use or purchase them in order to save the world from unnecessary physical and psychological suffering.

For the sake of fairness,it must be noted that there is a positive side to high heels.First,heels are excellent for aerating lawns(草坪通气).Anyone who has ever worn heels on grass knows what I am talking about.A simple trip around the yard in a pair of those babies gets rid of all the need to call for a lawn care specialist,and provides the perfect-sized holes to give any lawn oxygen without all those messy blocks of dirt lying around.Second,heels are quite functional for defending against potential enemies,who can easily be scared away by threatening them with a pair of these sharp, deadly fashion items.

Regardless of such practical uses for heels,the fact remains that wearing high heels is harmful to one's physical health.Talk to any podiatrist(足病医生),and you will hear that the majority of their business comes from high-heel-wearing women.High heels are known to cause problems such as deformed feet and torn toenails.The risk of severe back problems and twisted or broken ankles is three times higher for a high heel wearer than for a flat shoe wearer.Wearing heels also creates the threat of getting a heel caught in a narrow sidewalk gap and being thrown to the ground —possibly breaking a nose,back,or neck.And of course,after wearing heels for a day,any woman knows she can look forward to a night of pain as she tries to comfort her aching feet.

It's perhaps the world's most famous underwater attraction that remained in film and in legend: the Titanic.But now experts say the ocean liner,once a wonder of the high seas,is falling to pieces.

Capt.Alfred McLaren,the scientist who in July led the most recent expedition to the ship's underwater grave,said his team saw clear signs of the accelerating damage of the wreck (残骸).

There was damage likely caused by rust and sea life,and the captain's cabin had collapsed.

"I was absolutely astonished,"McLaren said.

Worse still,the fallen mast (桅杆)that crushed the ship's deck is believed by many to be the result of an unapproved salvage(打捞)operation."It was almost depressing to see how quickly she was getting worse,"McLaren says."I would be really surprised if there's very much standing up from the bottom,two decades from now."

Ed Kamuda,who runs the Titanic Historical Society in Springfield,Mass.,says adventure tourists —who pay $36,000 each to visit the wreck—are also contributing to the destruction of it.

"This is something I expected.I just didn't expect it to happen so quickly,"Kamuda said. "People are going down just as an ego trip to say I was there.'All this takes a fare on the ship."

The Titanic has sat at the bottom of the Atlantic since it sank after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage on April 14,1912.More than 1,500 people died that night.The ship came to rest at the bottom of the freezing North Atlantic,more than 2 miles beneath the waves.The wreck was discovered in 1985,and since then it has been repeatedly visited by treasure hunters.

But still some scientists say those divers,and other thrill seekers are not necessarily to blame for the Titanic's current problems.

Capt.Craig McLean of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration went on an expedition to the Titanic in June as part of a government study that is monitoring the condition of the ship.He says it's unclear what part of the damage is from Mother Nature and which is from human nature.

"It's too early and there isn't enough evidence to put our fingers on anything,"McLean said.

Regardless,most agree there's little that can be done for this most famous of wrecks.And soon, the mighty Titanic could well be lost again.

BEST BODY FITNESS

About us

You don't want just a gym membership.You want a membership that means something.And that means you need support,expert help and a community.

Best Body Finess isn't just a gym:it's full-service fitness membership made for you.Here's how it works:

STEP ONE:Your assessment

We begin with an assessment session.This is a chance for you to see what we do at Best Body.Our assessment plans are no-cost and no-risk.We'll also make a training plan specifically for you.

STEP TWO:Your training

When you decide to become a Best Body member,we show you what to do,how to do it and why you are doing it.After a few sessions with an expert private trainer you will feel comfortable working out on your own.

STEP THREE:Your membership

Membership works on a month-to-month basis.There are no sign-up fees and no cancellation fees.Start and stop whenever you want.And the best part?Our fees are the most competitive in the whole downtown area.

STEP FOUR:Your community

At Best Body Fitness,we see everyone as part of a big team.And when you work with a team, you can do great things.Join any of our specialized classes,led by expert trainers.Come to our nutrition classes.Participate in our regular social events.Everything is included in your fee.

Finally,we want to share with you some reasons why our members say that they have chosen us over any other fitness centre in the city.

It's so EASY

Easy to start,stop,cancel or refund（退款) a membership.

Easy to access —we're open 24/7,we never close.

Easy results —our trainers and equipment give you success,fast.

Come and visit us for a personal tour!

阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Sam was a junior high school student. He lived in a community in Charlotte and usually had little exposure to country life. So much of what he knew about plants came from text-books. Sam was a kind-hearted person. He longed for a chance to explore nature and he wanted to do his part to beautify the world.

Finally, the opportunity came. On Arbor Day (植树节), his class organized a trip to a local village to plant trees. Sam was excited about it and couldn't wait to tell his mom the good news. So the next day, Sam and his mom went to buy some tools for planting trees, including a shovel (铲), a bucket, gloves and so on.

On the day of the event, Sam and his classmates arrived early at the starting point. It was a beautiful day and everyone looked particularly happy. With the tools in hand, Sam got into the bus with everyone else and headed off to their destination.

As soon as they reached the village, all the students were divided into three teams by their teacher. One team was responsible for planting the trees, one team for shoveling the soil and one team for watering the trees. At the teacher's command, everyone started to do their job.

However, it was the first time that many of the students had taken part in planting trees, so they had no idea about how to start. Of course, Sam was one of them. Fortunately, their teacher was a middle-aged man from the countryside who had some knowledge of planting trees. In order to set an example to the students, the teacher started to plant trees himself. After watching the teacher plant the trees, everyone also became busy. Before long, they planted hundreds of trees. Sam watched very carefully, not wanting to miss any of the details. Finally, Sam learned how to plant trees by himself and felt happy. 

注意：1. 续写词数应为 150 左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

A few days later, a storm damaged some young trees in the community. 

Then neighbors praised Sam for what he had done.

注意：1. 词数80左右；2. 短文题目已为你写好；3. 请在相应位置作答。

学生周末用餐调查结果

During China's dynastic period, emperors planned the city of Beijing  arranged the residential areas according to social classes. The term "hutong", originally (original) meaning "water well" in Mongolian, appeared first during the Yuan Dynasty.

In the Ming Dynasty, the center was the Forbidden City, surrounded (surround) in concentric (同心的) circles by the Inner City and Outer City. Citizens of higher social classes were permitted (permit) to live closer to the center of the circles. The large siheyuan of these high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen often   (feature) beautifully carved and painted roof beams and pillars (柱子). The hutongs they formed were orderly, lined by (space) homes and walled gardens. Farther from the center lived the commoners and laborers. Their siheyuan were far smaller in scale and  (simple) in design and decoration, and the hutongs were narrower.

Hutongs represent an important cultural element of the city of Beijing. Thanks to Beijing's long history  capital of China, almost every hutong has its stories, and some are even associated with historic  (event). In contrast to the court life and upper-class culture represented by the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven, the hutongs reflect  culture of grassroots Beijingers. 

At Christmas time, I often reflect upon one particular evening in the early 1960s. Back then, we decided to go carolling (唱圣诞颂歌) to spread the Christmas spirit which might 1 someone else's life. So we quickly 2 members, for whom the only 3 requirement was warmth of spirit.

Soon we discovered that carolling brought various 4 . Sometimes we were greeted with open doors and open hearts, while other times, folks remained in the safety and coziness of their homes, watching 5  through their windows.

One stop on our journey particularly 6  our memory. That night, after a couple of songs, one door swung open. A gentleman, gray-haired, tenderly 7 we go upstairs to sing for his bedridden wife. He added 8 , "She loves music and used to be an opera singer."

We stepped briskly upward into the couple's 9 apartment. Books, records, and antique furniture whispered stories to us. I reminded myself not to stare 10 invading their privacy.

Sitting beside his wife, the gentleman gave us a 11 . Then our voices rose and lingered around their small home. Had our voices been given extra 12 and beauty for this occasion? Perhaps they had.

A smile flickered on the woman's 13 , yet beautiful face. She snuggled her head against her husband's shoulder and both of them heartily enjoyed our performance. Witnessing such a heartwarming scene, we felt it was a holy night, for we were in the 14 of love that was gentle and mild.

At that moment, we found, and maybe even 15 , the Christmas spirit.

With gas prices rising and airport security lines snaking longer than ever, why not book your next domestic vacation on a train? Compared to other alternatives, it's comfortable and relaxing. Here is some advice on how to make a trip by rail as pleasant as possible. 

Plan ahead. Most long-distance trains, especially the sleeping car accommodations, sell out very quickly.  But no matter when you travel, it's a good idea to make your reservations at least 90 days in advance. 

Use a travel agent. Consider turning your travel plan over to a travel agent and letting him double-check all the details, make suggestions, and then handle the actual reservations. A good one can sometimes find you discounted tickets.   Then you won't have to walk through several cars on a moving train three times a day for your meals. 

Bring a blanket. When you're riding on trains, you won't be provided with a blanket for free, even if your trip is an overnight one.  In the summer in particular, the air conditioning can make them quite cold. 

Arrive early. Most trains operate just once a day and some run only three times a week, so missing yours can be a disaster.  Note: The times listed on the schedules are departure times, not arrival times. 

Have fun.  Train trips aren't for impatient types.  Read a book, knit, do a crossword puzzle, or simply watch the world unfold outside the window. To calculate your speed as you do, divide 3,600 (the number of seconds in an hour) by the number of seconds it takes you to travel one mile (the distance between two mileposts). If it takes the train 53 seconds to travel one mile, you're going 67.92 mph. 

A. Train trips aren't for impatient types. 

B. You'll have views from both sides of the train. 

C. The temperature on rail cars is often hard to control. 

D. That's particularly true during busy summer months. 

E. You might have to wait longer than 24 hours to catch the next one. 

F. Chances are the cost will be a lot less than the cost of one bedroom. 

G. He may also book you in a sleeping car that's right next to the diner.