Asda Living, a superstore in Cheetham Hill, Manchester is introducing a "quiet hour" to help autistic (孤独症的) and other disabled shoppers. It will turn off the instore music and TVs to make the shop perfect for anyone who is troubled by loud noises.
Manager Simon Lea says "you'll be able to hear a pin (大头针) drop" when he starts his first quiet hour at 8 am on Saturday May 7.
He decided to introduce it after seeing a boy with autism crying on the shop floor two weeks ago.
"This boy was kicking and shouting. His mum just didn't know what to do. She told me he has autism," said Simon, a 39yearold father of two. "Then I gave him a￡1 football. This boy looked at me and he started playing with the football."
Because of the event, the manager decided to talk to a member of staff (员工) with an autistic child and disabled shoppers to see if he could do anything for them.
The result is the "quiet hour"， which will mean staff coming in an hour early at 6 am to prepare the shop for the May 7 event.
"It's all about helping people really. Six months ago I would have said ‘control your child' even though I've got children. But learning about autistic and other disabled people has helped me think about how I can make it a better place to shop，" said Simon. "I myself suffered for many years with anxiety (焦虑). I used to hate going into busy stores. There are a lot of people who have mental illness and we want to make the shop better for them."
What do you usually do when a flying insect lands on your arm? Most likely you blow it away. But what if that bug were a ladybug (瓢虫)? Then chances are you would let it stay. What is it about ladybugs that we like?
Farmers once thought ladybugs were a good luck sign. A ladybug in the field meant that the crops (庄稼) would be successful and the weather would be good. The farmers may have been exaggerating (夸大) about what a very small bug can do, but in fact ladybugs do help out with the crops. They eat harmful insects.
Actually, it is not the adult ladybug that eats the other insects. It's the ladybug larvae (幼虫). Ladybugs lay their eggs on leaves that are covered with aphids or other insects. When the larvae come out of the eggs, they are very hungry and will eat mites, aphids, mealy bugs, green flies, and other crop-destroyers.
A single ladybug larva can eat over 1,000 aphids in one day. In the 1800s, ladybugs were brought all the way from Australia to California and set free among orange trees that were dying from being eaten by insects. The little red and black "eating machines" completely saved all the trees.
Ladybugs go about their daily business without worrying much about anything. Very few birds or insects will eat a ladybug because it gives off something that is dangerous to eat. Ladybugs also protect themselves by playing dead. They fall off leaves and remain very still until their enemy goes away.
So next time you see a ladybug, think about what it may be up to. Maybe it is off to save an orange tree. Maybe its next move will be to fall off a leaf and play dead or stand up to a bird about 100 times its size. Maybe it's letting you know that the weather will be good tomorrow. Who knows? Ladybugs are special that way.
My wife and I are from France. Recently we were faced with a 1 situation while traveling by car in the Alps with our hired (雇佣的) driver. It was going to be a long ride, and we were 2. Just as we began to doze (打盹), the engine (发动机) began to make a strange, loud noise and then 3 working.
The sun was setting. We tried communicating with the driver, but with little 4. He made some signs, suggesting he was going to 5 help, and then left.
It was getting colder and darker. We started to hear the cries of wild animals. My wife was 6. We didn't have much food. I began to lose confidence (信心). Should we 7 the car and start walking? Would our driver ever return? Could we 8 him? We were very 9.
Two hours passed. Suddenly, the headlights from another car appeared in the dark. A man got out of the car. He didn't look 10 at first, until his mouth opened with a big smile. He said that he would 11 us. He had such a kind face, and we knew we could 12 him. We got into his car.
Before we left, he 13 a note on the windscreen of our car with his phone number on it. Then he drove us to a nearby village, and we 14 his family. His cousin spoke basic French and offered us tea and local foods. Everyone asked us questions and were 15 to have unexpected guests.
Later that evening, the phone rang. It was our 16. He had kept his 17 and repaired the car. We prepared to leave and 18 our new friends. I couldn't believe the 19 from the cousin："No, we thank you for coming into our home."
I will never forget the 20 we received on that day.
