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What does the word family mean to you? An American study in 2006 showed that people today 20. Over 99% of the people who were interviewed agree that a husband, a wife, and a child are a family. At the same time, 94% see a parent with a child as a family, 91% say a husband and a wife, without children, are a family, and 81% think a man and a woman, with a child, but not married, are a family too.

The study also found that 21 is very important in the modern thinking on family. Though 81% think a man and a woman, not married, with a child, are a family, the percentage (%) drops to 40% if the couple doesn’t have a child. This is also true with same-sex couples. About 60% see two men, or two women, with a child, as a family, but only 32% think so when the couple doesn’t have a child.

In the study, those who see two men or two women that live together as a family often find it OK for same-sex couples to get married. 22. However, not everyone opens their arms to same-sex couples: the study said 30% have no problem seeing pets as part of one’s family, but they do not think a same-sex couple is a family.

What kind of place do you usually choose to stay for the night during a trip? Expensive hotels that may make you feel like you don’t get what you pay for? Or cheap hostels that put you and five other strangers in the same bedroom? If both choices sound terrible to you, here’s something new: holiday apartments.

In a holiday apartment, you have more space than what a hotel room can give you. Everything in the apartment is at your disposal. The living room, the kitchen, the study, and, of course, the bedrooms are all for your own use. Some apartments even have a lovely garden or a game room. You’ll feel at home in the holiday apartment. The best thing is, a holiday apartment is not expensive. The price for a holiday apartment is for two people, and the apartment is often cheaper than a hotel room for two. You only need to pay a little more for a third or fourth person. If you travel with friends or your family, a holiday apartment will be your best choice!

Marcel Proust (1871-1922) is one of the greatest French writers. He is famous for his great book À la Recherche du Temps Perdu, which means “remembering the past.”

In this book, Proust writes many stories of rich but unhappy people. These rich people think they should be well liked or loved. When they learn that they are not as popular as they think, they feel sad and try hard to be important in the eyes of others. That is why they always feel troubled and can never really enjoy their lives.

In contrast to the lives of those people in his book, the last fifteen years of Proust’s life shows one can still find joy in hard times. During those years, he was very sick and had to stay in bed most of the time. But in his sickroom he found most joy in writing À la Recherche du Temps Perdu and ended up being a great writer because of the book.

Robert likes to take a walk in the park after work. One day when he was walking in the park, he heard a woman calling his name. He stopped to look around, but didn’t see anything 29 . Shortly after Robert saw it, it was gone.

Though Robert felt a little strange, he did not think about it too much and sat down for a rest on a bench in the park. Then he noticed the snake he had just seen 30. Robert was too afraid to move away from the bench. Right at this moment, a woman behind him shouted, “Come here, Robert. You can’t stay on the bench like that. 31.”

In surprise, Robert turned around and said to the woman, “Excuse me, but that’s not a very nice thing to say, and in fact some people say I’m handsome.”

“I’m not talking to you,” said the woman. “I’m telling Robert, my pet snake, to get down from the bench, not you.”

There are some popular singers these days. Many of their fans enjoy getting together to share their love for the stars. My younger sister, Mei-ling, is one of these fans.

Mei-ling is crazy about Rye Kim. She has been in one of his fan clubs since last year. Mei-ling did not have any close friends before, and she always felt lost and lonely. But she has made many friends with the same interests since she joined the club. Now Mei-ling and her friends are planning a big party for Kim's birthday. Mei-ling is happy, but my dad is not. In fact, he is very worried. Rye Kim is a total stranger to him, and he cannot understand why a man who sings crazy songs can be so important to his daughter. He really hopes that Mei-ling can love her family as much as she loves Rye Kim.

It’s never comfortable to take a bus during rush hour on a hot summer day. All my friends hate it. And I..., well, I 35 it too.

The story happened two months ago. I was on a bus that was packed with almost everyone in the city. I 36 my friend Neal to see a show. And then he called and said he couldn’t come. “This is not what I planned for Friday!” I thought. The air on the bus was terrible; the man in front of me smelled like dead fish. While I was feeling sorry for myself, a girl called my name. I didn’t recognize her at first. Then I was surprised to find that she was Hui-ting, my old neighbor. I 37 Hui-ting in years. We used to play together every day when we were kids. We were happy to see each other, so we decided to have dinner together. And that was the start of many dinners after.

With Hui-ting, the bus ride 38 something I love. The bus is still packed with people, but I enjoy the ride every day.

(Xiang Chang, Taipei)

Welcome to Music Ground, a radio show that gives you a wonderful Friday night. I’m Justin Young. It’s time again for the best-selling songs of the week. Stanley Brown’s “Perhaps” is a new song that comes in at No. 5 this week. “Say Cheese” by OK Band stays in the same place at No. 4. “The Bees” by Cindy Bear falls down from No. 2 to No. 3. And No. 2 is another new song called “Are You There?” by Broken Basket. Finally, there’s no change at No.1, with “Magic River” by Stupid Machine. Many people are calling in for this favorite song, so let’s listen to it right now. And don’t go away. Later we’ll talk over the phone with Stupid Machine about their plans for the coming year.

Froggie was a frog who never remembered where he had been. His biggest dream was to find the best pond to swim freely without worrying about water snakes. One day, Froggie hopped to a kitchen and jumped into a pot full of hot water. Froggie felt the burning heat and hurried out of the water as fast as his legs could carry him. “I almost died there!” Froggie thought.

A few days later, Froggie went back to the same kitchen, totally forgetting he had been there. He again hopped into the same pot. This time, the water inside was cool. He looked around and thought, “There’s no water snake trying to eat me and I can have this place all to myself!” At that moment, Froggie knew it was his dream pond. What he didn’t know was that the water was warming up over a low heat.

After thirty minutes of swimming, Froggie felt the water was warmer but he thought of this as a nice surprise. “This sure is the best place for swimming. I get to have a hot bath, too.” During his comfortable bath, the water kept getting warmer and warmer. Froggie was so comfortable that he fell asleep. And he never woke up.