It’s about time somebody destroyed that old myth (神话) about childhood being the happiest period of your life. Childhood may certainly be fairly happy, but its greatest moments can’t compare with the joy of being an adult. Who ever asked a six-year-old for opinion? Children don’t have opinions, or if they do, nobody notices. Adults choose the clothes their children will wear, the books they will read and the friends they will play with. Mother and father are kind but complete dictators (独裁者). This is an adult world.

You must have heard these words about how happy it is to be a child. But which adult would honestly change places with a child? Every movement you make, every thought you think is observed by some adults. Remember how gentle pressure was given to you with words like “if you don’t do as I say, I will...” I’m sure you will never forget!

Even so, these are only part of child’s trouble. No matter how kind and loving parents may be, children often suffer from terrible and illogical fears since they can’t understand the world around them. They often have such fear in the dark or in the dreams. Adults can share their fears with other adults while children have to face their fears alone.

But the most painful part of childhood is a period when you begin to go out of it, the period when you go into adolescence. Teenagers start to be against their parents and this causes them unhappiness. There is a complete lack of self-confidence during this time. Adolescents pay much attention to their appearance and the impression they make on others. They feel shy, awkward and clumsy. Feelings are intense and hearts easily broken. Teenagers experience moments of great happiness or black despair. And through this period, adults seem to be unkind than ever.

What a happy time it is to grow up. Suddenly you get your balance; the world opens up before you. You are free to choose; you have your own place to live in and your own money to spend. You do not have to ask approval for everything you do. You are no longer laughed at or punished by heartless adults around you. And if sometimes you are laughed at, you know how to deal with it. You can simply tell other adults to go to hell: you are one yourself.

You’re standing at a city bus stop, waiting for a bus to arrive. You wait and wait. 【小题1】 But you haven’t seen one for at least 20 minutes. Finally, a bus full of people arrives. Just as you try to get on the bus, you see another bus coming down the street, and another one behind it!

What’s going on? Why do buses always seem to come in bunches (成群) instead of at regular intervals (固定间隔)?

【小题2】 They say that passengers only remember the few times when buses arrive at a stop in bunching, but forget the many more times when buses arrive regularly.

However, other people believe that bunching (成群而来) can happen quite often. 【小题3】 If each stop had the same number of passengers waiting, the buses would keep to their schedule. But usually there are many people at some stops and no one at others.

Suppose many people happen to gather at a particular stop. 【小题4】 So the first bus gets delayed (耽误) and the bus behind it catches up with it a bit. When the second bus arrives at the same stop, there are fewer passengers left, so the bus goes on its way quickly. Meanwhile, the first bus arrives at its next stop a little later than usual, so it will take more time for passengers to get on. 【小题5】 Then, the two buses end up travelling together. If the route is a long one, a third bus could eventually catch up with the first two.

As a result of trade, travel and migration, different cuisines have spread across the world. Many recipes, chefs and restaurants try to announce that their food of a country or region is the most authentic (正宗的). But is this a good thing?

People care about authenticity because food traditions are closely linked to identity, particularly for migrant communities. Sociologist and professor of food studies, Krishnendu Ray, explains that home cooking is often the last way that communities can show their identity. British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was accused of trying to take advantage of positive feelings about Jamaica. His ready meal product had a Jamaican name, but was unlike real Jamaican cooking.

However, food consultant Sara Kay asks whether there are problems with the idea of authenticity. She stresses that these ideas often come from the expectations that majority cultures have about minority cultures and their food. These can be restricting—restauranteurs have complained that people expect Asian food to be cheaper than that from European cultures. Expectations can also give people a false idea of what is authentic. While large cities are full of eateries representing different countries—China, India, Italy, Mexico and more—these labels can oversimplify the reality of food from these countries. Stephanie Elizondo Greist is surprised by the recognition that foods in Mexico are more authentic than what she ate growing up as a Mexican-American in Texas, because she feels that both are authentic examples of Mexican food.

A more controversial view of authenticity was stated by American Chef Andrew Zimmern, who claimed that he could bring in Chinese dishes in a more authentic way than existing restaurants—many of which are owned by Chinese-Americans. Writer and food podcaster Ruth Tam points out that while these restaurants altered their menus to suit local tastes, so does Zimmern. So, while food and identity are closely linked, and failure to respect authenticity can cause offence, could there be problems with the whole idea of authenticity?