Historical coincidence makes for fun gift

Jiang Shiming, a resident of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, brought a special gift to his classmate on Sunday during a party in the city.

It was an admission ticket to the school dating back to March 27, 1971.

"I found it by accident at a local antique market last weekend, and I felt so excited when I saw that the names of our school and our classmate, Huang Xuemi, appeared on the ticket, I bought it for 100 yuan ($14)," Jiang said. Huang and the other classmates were all excited by the coincidence.

(West China Metropolis Daily)

Father carries sick daughter to school every day

Wang Xiaoyan, a farmer in Duanjiawan village, Shaanxi province, has carried his daughter, who suffers from polio, to school every day over the past 10 years.

Wang's daughter, Wang Dan, lost the use of her legs after contracting polio in 1995, at just three years of age. Three years later when it was time for Wang Dan to go to school, Wang Xiaoyan decided he would carry her. The girl has repaid him by excelling at her studies.

(www.xinhuanet.com)

Mastodon fossils found in present-day desert

A large batch of ancient animal fossils were unearthed on Thursday last week in Qingtongxia, Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

Archaeologists concluded that the new discoveries were from mastodons, which lived in the late Miocene period, or about 1,200 million years ago. Among the discoveries were a leg bone, rib and teeth fossils. Animal experts said it was rare for so many fossils to be found in the area, which indicated that the surrounding desert once had enough food and water to support life.

(http://szb.nxnet.cn)

Lack of confidence keeps husband away from home

Li Li, a resident of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, gets nervous whenever she sees her marriage certificate.

Li got married with Jiang, a driver from Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, last month, but the night they registered their marriage certificate, Jiang disappeared. Li spent the next two days trying to find him, and when he came back, he said he could not bear to be married. He asked Li to give him some time to adapt to the idea. Li said Jiang has an inferiority complex.

Psychological experts said some young people were afraid of the commitment involved in marriage.

(Sanqin Daily)

(China Daily 05/09/2008 page5)