完整文稿请关注周六微信，或登录以下网址：

http://english.cri.cn/7146/2014/08/08/2582s839571.htm

This is NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.

The absence of a rule encouraging brave actions in the code of conduct for students has sparked debate among Chinese parents and internet users, who wonder whether it is for safety concerns or an encouragement of cowardice.

A draft on the code of conduct for primary and middle school students, which was issued by China's Ministry of Education recently, has asked students to learn how to protect themselves and seek help under some dangerous circumstances.

The draft also reminds students about traffic safety, the possibility of drowning when swimming, as well as the danger of drugs.

In the previous version of the code of conduct, students were told to "act bravely" to "stop violations of social norms".

Many parents have hailed the change in the draft, saying teenagers' priority is self-protection rather than to defend others; while some say it is a step back in nurturing the spirit of mutual assistance and educating selfish citizens.

There are other changes in the draft such as the alteration of "love the nation and the people" to "respect the national flag and national emblem" and the addition of "lead a low-carbon life" and "actively participate in voluntary services".

The Ministry of Education said that the revision of the code of conduct is to replace some obsolete and impractical content with content that meets our times.

This is NEWS Plus Special English.

A national translation study institute has been set up to promote better understanding of China abroad.

China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration says the institute is designed to help China's opinions be better heard and understood.

Due to cultural and linguistic differences, some Chinese expressions are hard for foreigners to understand even after being translated into their native languages.

The institute will focus on studying how to better translate, express and publicize major Chinese opinions and ideas, especially those concerning politics and concepts with Chinese characteristics.

It will also help nurture an array of communication talent who are proficient in both Chinese and foreign languages and cultures.

You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.

The final steel beam has been installed on Shanghai's tallest building, with the skyscraper reaching its designed height of 632 meters.

The 137-story Shanghai Tower in Lu-jia-zui financial and trade zone in the city's Pudong New Area is expected to open in the middle of next year.

The landmark building will include offices, commercial space, a five-star hotel, exhibition and conference halls and recreational facilities.

The tower will help meet demand for high-end offices as the city seeks to become an international financial center and free trade zone.

This is NEWS Plus Special English.

Modern transport meets modern communications in a new book published by a professional photographer who recorded four years of passengers and their mobile devices in trains on 14 Shanghai Metro lines.

Zhu Gang spurned his usual professional equipment and, like his subjects, used a mobile phone to capture what he calls "a period of history of Shanghai Metro commuters".

His book, entitled "Metro Phone", contains 150 photos and was published in June.

The use of portable devices, especially smartphones, has become a phenomenon in the Metro network and more than half of passengers on a train bury their heads in their phones.

The photos cover activities such as passengers sharing games and music on smartphones and tablets, passengers using their mobile devices for office work, and eating and drinking en route without taking their eyes from their phones.

Eating and drinking inside Metro carriages is no longer a common sight since a food ban on trains began this year. Some of the phone models also have been discontinued now. Thus, some of the scenes he has captured have already become history, even though the pictures are only three or four years old.

Zhu got the idea of training his photographic eye on smartphone users in the Metro at the end of 2010, about the time when smartphones were becoming common in Shanghai.

You are listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.

The World Health Organization says there are huge challenges in the fight against the Ebola outbreak in West African countries, where 1,300 cases and almost 730 deaths have been reported so far.

The outbreak is the largest ever in the almost four-decade history of this disease. It is the largest in terms of the numbers of cases and deaths.

The World Health Organization says an intensified Ebola outbreak response plan has been launched to control the situation in Guinea's capital city of Conakry.

It warns that if the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences could be catastrophic, in terms of lost lives, as well as severe socio-economic disruption and a high risk of spreading to other countries.

The situation in West Africa has aroused international concern. The World Health Organization says past experiences in Africa show that if well-managed, the Ebola outbreak can be stopped.