Into a world of dreamsWHETHER we admit it or not, once we hid a dream in our hearts: to discover a new world, whether inside a wardrobe (衣橱) or on the other side of a mirror, and have an exciting adventure there.A girl called Alice does just this in Alice in Wonderland, a 3D film which comes out on March 5. The movie is more than a *remake of the children’s literary classic (文学经典). It features an imaginative twist (改编) on English writer Lewis Carroll’s beloved 1865 story.Carroll’s Alic e follows a talking white rabbit underground. There she jumps through a mirror to find a garden and meets many strange characters. But in the new film, Alice is 17 and is attending a party, at which she is proposed (求婚) to by a wealthy suitor (追求者).She runs away, following a rabbit into a hole and ends up in Wonderland, a place she visited many years before, but doesn’t remember. The rabbit says that she has returned because she is the only one who can save Wonderland from the Red Queen’s reign (统治) of terror.The new Alice story is as profound (深刻的) as the original. Many people believe it is a story about the existence (存在) of non-existence –something that is immaterial but existent. This piece of dialogue between Alice and the Red Queen illustrates (解释) the point:“Take a bone from a dog. What remains?”, asked the Red Queen.Alice considered: “The bone wouldn’t remain. And the dog wouldn’t remain; it would come to bite (咬) me –and I’m sure I shouldn’t remain!”“Then you think nothing would remain?” said the Red Queen.“I think that’s the answer”.“Wrong,” said the Red Queen: “the dog’s temper (脾气) would remain.”Thus, Alice’s journey down the hole turns out to be a philosopher’s quest (追寻) for true knowledge. In Sophie’s World by Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder, the philosopher tells Sophie she must think like a child to be a true philosopher. Wonderland is the place to do this, to release your inhibitions (压抑), let go of pre-conceptions (偏见) and really get to grips (掌握) with reality.I had fun with ...T HIS winter break I haven’t spent much time with my parents. Today, I felt I should make it up to them.This morning, I went with them to the gym and while my mom exercised, I played basketball with my dad. Even though he’s middle-aged, he still has some juice in him. He actually beat (打败) me.After that, we went to eat lunch at a local dim sum (点心) restaurant. It was full. We decided that it wasn’t worth it and we went to an American restaurant that my parents went to when they were young. The food was really good. I was surprised at the fact that my parents liked food other than Chinese.As for me, I get a little bored with Chinese food since I eat it every day. I wanted to explore. We ended up eating a load of food, including chicken wings, clam chowder (a kind of soup that came from England), and even New York steak (牛排) with a steamed (蒸) potato.Stuffed (塞满的) with food, we decided to take a walk in a mall. We looked through a lot of clothes stores. This part of the day was my least favorite because my parents didn’t let me buy anything. But it was still nice to look through some cool clothes and more.Later, we found a movie theater. My mom wanted to see a movie called It’s Complicated. But there were no tickets left so we went to see Up in the Air. It was a pretty good film. It’s a movie about the importance of famil y life.This day has taught me that once in a while, it is OK to spend time with your family. Parents can be fun when they are not pressuring (施压) you about homework or school.Victory with graceIN Vancouver, former “bad girl” Wang Meng, 25, again proved her talent in short track speed skating, winning three gold medals. She claims that the 14-day event helped her, finally, to grow up.By triumphing (获胜) in the women’s 500m, 1,000m and 3,000m relay at the Winter Games, Wang became China’s first athlete to win three gold medals at a single Olympics.“I don’t feel these three gold medals belong to me. What is important is that th e Chinese short track team has won four (gold) medals,” Wang told reporters.Her victories were the best possible way to show her gratitude (感激) to Li Yan, whom she had once rebelled (叛逆) against.After she won the 500m title, Wang twice knelt (下跪) down on the ice, bowing deeply to her coaches, the officials and her teammates.“It was the only way to express my appreciation (感激),” she said. “I want to thank my coach Li Yan. She taught me how to cope with all the corners. Most importantly, she told me to compete with myself, which boosted (提升) my confidence.”It was a very different story from three years ago, when Li had just taken over the position of coach to the Chinese national team.At the 2007 Asian Winter Games, Wang, top skater on the team, openly cr iticized Li’s teaching methods.Wang told journalists that she wanted “to go back to the provincial team after the Games because the national team doesn’t suit me”.Her words had a bad effect on the whole team and finally led to the banning (禁赛) of Wang from competing at that year’s World Championships.“It was irresponsible (不负责任的) to make such remarks (言论). I’m so sorry. I accept the punishment,” said Wang in her apology.The ban on Wang was a blow to China’s performance at the World Championships.Three months later, Wang returned to the national team.“She is still young and has a great future,” said coach Li.The big improvement impressed the young skater and trust gradually grew between athlete and coach. Wang also enjoyed a good run in the competitions that followed.“Through working with Wang these years, I have felt her progress not only technically (技术上地), but also mentally,” Li said. “She has grown up.”Drought hits SouthwestA SEVERE (严重的) drought across a large area of Southwest China is now affecting more than 50 million people. The weather seems unlikely to change in the short term.The drought (干旱) began last autumn, affecting over 4 million hectares (公顷) of farmland in Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Chongqing. Experts say the drought is a result of less rainfall, insufficient (不足的) water reserves, dated irrigation (灌溉) projects, environmental damage and global climate change.More than 20 million people are having difficulty accessing (获得) safe drinking water. Economic losses as a result of the drought have reached 19 billion yuan. It has been so severe that cracks (裂缝) have appeared at Kunming Wujiaba Airport in Yunnan.But thanks to measures taken under the leadership of the central government, the drinking water problem has been greatly eased today. Local authorities are digging up deep wells and creating artificial (人工的) rain. Other parts of China are helping by giving water and donating other resources.China pays tribute to ...CHINESE people around the world regard (看做) themselves as yanhuang zisun – the descendents (后代) of Yan Emperor (Yandi) and Yellow Emperor (Huangdi). These are common ancestors who helped develop Chinese culture 5,000 years ago. April 16 (the third day of the third month on Chinese lunar calendar) is supposed to be Huangdi’s birthday. Grand ceremonies will be held in Xinzheng, Henan province, t he birthplace of Huangdi, to remember him. And every year thousands of people gather in Baoji, Shaanxi province to pay their respects to Yandi on Tomb Sweeping Day. Huangdi and Yandi both lived in the last years of primitive (远古的) China. They were the leaders of two different tribes (部落) living along the Yellow River in present-day Shaanxi. There are many stories about Yangdi and Huangdi. The most well known is their battle against troublemaker Chiyou, another tribe leader. Chiyou started the war but Yandi and Huangdi worked together to defeat him. The two emperors both made great contributions to the development of civilization. Huangdi taught people how to build houses, breed livestock (养育家畜), grow food and invented the boat, musical instruments and written characters. Yandi invented many farm tools and taught his people how to engage (从事) in agricultural production, such as how to turn the soil with a plow (犁). He tested all kinds of plants and discovered various medicinal materials for treating diseases.An actor’s journeyHE had previously (从前) been known – if he had been known at all – for his weird (古怪的) performances in films such as Edward Scissorhands (《剪刀手爱德华》). Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, US actor Johnny Depp, 46, described himself as “the guy who had been bouncing (起伏) around the film industry for years and years”. “I’d be lucky if five or 10 people would see my movies,” he said. Depp said that he was no blockbuster (大片) actor. But things changed dramatically in 2003. Ever since he starred as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean series, he has become one of the most popular actors in Hollywood. In his latest movie, Alice in Wonderland, Depp stays with his eccentric (奇怪的) style. He plays the Mad Hatter, a character Alice meets in Wonderland. The reason why Depp has taken up unusual roles can possibly be traced back to his difficult childhood. Depp lived in 20 different places as a child before ending up in Florida. Depp described how this nomadic (流浪的) lifestyle made him feel like “an outsider” as a teenager. “Growing up, I always had a feeling that it was OK to be different, b ut it seems to me that there’s this fear of being different – nobody wants to be considered crazy or weird,” he said. “But I gradually learned to maintain (保留) a sense of myself.” Never studious (刻苦的) and deeply upset by his parents’ divorce, Depp dropped out of school at age 16. He dreamed of becoming a rock musician and even moved to Los Angeles to try to get a record deal. It didn’t work out. He took up a job as a ballpoint-pen salesman to support himself. Failed musician Depp eventually got a role on 21 Jump Street, a TV show. He became an instant (立刻) teen idol, which he hated. He preferred to play loner (孤独的人), misunderstood characters on the big screen. “With any part you play, there is a certain amount of yourself in it. There has to be, otherwise it’s just not acting. It’s lying,” he said of his roles.PenTAIWAN pop singer Cyndi Wang (王心凌), 28, has been quiet for a long time since switching (转换) to a new company. But now she will be going to several cities, including Beijing, Changsha and Nanjing to promote (推广) her new album, Heart to Heart (《心电心》). Wang, who has been called “Sweet Princess” (甜蜜教主), has made noticeable (显著的) changes to her approach for this new CD. She has attempted rock music and penned lyrics for some of the songs herself. Wang has also changed her sweet image for something more mature.Pen这里是动词，意为“写作”(To write or compose with or as if with a pen)。