Hi Language Learners, Here is today's quiz, good luck! Happy learning, Laura

How did you find out about Nalanda? I applied to volunteer at a Theravada Buddhist temple (Tiger Temple, or Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua Yanasampanno), but then I realized "The temple has been accused by animal rights activists of mistreating the tigers for commercial gain and even trafficking some of its animals,[1] though in 2005 it was cleared of allegations of animal mistreatment in an investigation by wildlife officials and a raid by Thai soldiers." I was shocked. then I searched a lot about Buddhist temples and monasteries, hoping to find a true spiritual community, then I found out about Nalanda.

Throughout my school life, there were more than 20 subjects I have learned. Each of them left different memory for me. Some of them were bored and difficult, but others were interesting and inspirational. Among them, I liked history most. A history class just liked an adult told stories to children. Especially the events happened BC were really mystic. When I imagined the moment of the Code of Hammurabi was promulgate, I can see the light of civilization begin to sprend around the world. When I read the first emperor of China Qingshihuang built the Great Wall and unified the country, I can see Terra-Cotta Warriors come back and fight with the enemies. After learning history, I really liked to visit the famous heritages while having a trip. When I stood on the land where some important events happened in history, I immediately travelled back the time when the event happening in my mind. It felt really increditable. When I read some failure examples in history, I know what I should do when I face the same situation. History is not only a subject that helps us to know the past, but also like a mirror that helps us know what the things we are doing are right or wrong?

What are your hopes and expectations of coming to Nalanda Monastery? I hope to learn more about Buddhism and practice Buddhism in my everyday life. and I hope to prepare for death well; especially after experiencing my grandfather and my grandma's death, I have tried to stop shopping and using disposable items (even though they are free) for years. I'm thinking what I will leave behind after I die. living is dying, but it's difficult to talk about death in our culture. Even the number 4 is considered an unlucky number in almost all East-Asian cultures because it is nearly homophonous to the word “death”.

Have you been a volunteer in other places before? If so, where and when? I am passionate about volunteering; I am also currently teaching English to beginners for 3 American and 1 Canadian charities.

Let's try a new exercise! Let me know how you get on!

Test your English grammar skills

There was a time when I left my notebook entries on italki almost daily. Since then the site has changed a lot and I myself have changed either. The funniest memory about those entries that I have is my anger that flared up when editors contradicted each other. But overall, I believe, my entries helped me a lot back then. What if I give it another try? Will I still find it beneficial? I'm not happy with my English at the moment. I feel like I'm stuck in a rut, but I'm not sure that repeating previous exercises and practices might be helpful. I think you're aware of the plateau effect. You do things that you did long before, you habitually read, speak and listen to the same sources... But your confidence has gone, your satisfaction with what you're doing has gone and suddenly you realize that you use the same words and expressions while speaking that you used to say ages ago. This is a pretty dark moment, frustrating and demotivating. So I'm looking for some challenges and practices that could lift my spirit. Be my therapist, first correct this newly born entry, and secondly suggest something I can do to leave the plateau :-) Thank you!

Let's practice using an idiomatic phrase! My sister keeps bothering me even though I'm in a bad mood. Which idiom can you use to describe the situation?

我们在面对特殊的天气时该怎么做？