I had offered to watch my 3- year-old daughter Mary, so that my wife could go out with a friend. I was getting some work done1Mary appeared to be having a good time in the other room. But suddenly it got a little too2and I shouted out, "What are you doing, Mary?" No response. I3my question and heard her say, " Oh… nothing." Nothing? I was eager to know what "nothing"4?
I got up from my desk quickly and5out into the living room, then I told her to turn around. She6. I pulled out my big, mean, authoritative Daddy7, " Young lady, I told you to turn around!"
8, she turned toward me. In her9was what was left of my wife's new lipstick(口红). And every square inch of her face was10with the colour of bright red!
As she looked up at me with11eyes, lips trembling. It was just a matter of my picking out which old12I was going to use on her so that she would know what a13girl she had been. But before I could let loose, I14at the sweatshirt my wife had put on her only an hour before. In big15it said, "I AM A PERFECT LITTLE ANGEL!" I looked back up into her tearful eyes and16seeing a bad girl who didn't listen, I saw a child of God… a17little angel full of worth, value and a wonderful nature.
"Sweat-heart, you18beautiful! Let's take a19so Mommy can see how special you look." I took the picture and thanked God that I didn't20the opportunity to make sure what a perfect little angel he had given me.
I am a student and part-time waitress in Chicago. Growing up, I was used to words such as "Don't talk to strangers". As a result, I don't talk to unknown people at work except taking orders.
One night, a little old man, probably in his eighties, came in. I took his order and went on my way. But I noticed that he came in week after week. Slowly, I began having short conversations with my new guest, whose name was Mr Rodgers, but he insisted that I call him Don. I learned that he and his wife had gone to dinner and a movie every Saturday. Since she had died, he carried on the tradition alone. I began looking forward to him coming in and telling me his movie reviews.
As the weeks went on I began to sit and really talk with Don. We talked about his wife, his days and his son. Eventually, we began to talk about my dreams and studies.
Since meeting Don, I have learned that strangers can become friends and that life can be much more enjoyable if I make friendly conversations. After all, I became more than just his waitress. I became his friend, too.
Stress is one of the most common causes of health problems in modern life. Too much stress results in physical, emotional, and mental health problems.
There are numerous physical effects of stress. Stress can affect the heart. It can increase the pulse rate, make the heart miss beats, and can cause high blood pressure. Stress can affect the respiratory (呼吸的) system. It can lead to asthma and cause a person to breathe too fast, resulting in a loss of important carbon dioxide. Stress can affect the stomach. It can cause stomachaches and problems of digesting food. These are only a few examples of the wide range of illnesses and symptoms resulting from stress.
Emotions are also easily affected by stress. People suffering from stress often feel anxious. They may have panic attacks and feel tired all the time. When people are under stress, they often overreact to little problems. For example, a normally gentle parent under a lot of stress at work may yell at a child for dropping a glass of juice. Stress can make people angry, moody, or nervous.
Long-term stress can lead to a variety of serious mental illnesses. Depression, an extreme feeling of sadness and hopelessness, can be the result of continued and increasing stress. Alcoholism and other addictions often develop as a result of overuse of alcohol or drugs to try to relieve(释放)stress. If stress is allowed to continue, then one's mental health is put at risk.
It is obvious that stress is a serious problem. It attacks the body. It affects the emotions. Untreated, it may eventually result in mental illness. Stress has a great influence on the health, our feelings and our minds. So, reduce stress: stop the world and rest for a while.
Anyone can become a better student if he or she wants to. Here's how:
When planning your work, you should make a list of things that you have to do. After making this list, you should make a schedule of your time. First plan your time for eating, sleeping, dressing, etc. Then decide a good, regular time for studying. Don't forget to set aside enough time for entertainment. A weekly schedule may not solve all your problems, but it will force you to realize what is happening to your time.
Find a good place to study. Keep this space, which may be a desk or simply a corner of your room, free of everything but study materials. No games, radios, or television. When you sit down to study, concentrate on the subject.
Make good use of your time in class. Listening carefully in class means less work later. Taking notes will help you remember what the teacher says.
Study regularly. When you get home from school, go over your notes, review the important points that your teacher is going to discuss the next day, read that material. If you do these things regularly, the material will become more meaningful and you'll remember it longer.
Develop a good attitude towards tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. They help you remember your new knowledge. The world won't end if you don't pass a test, so don't be over worried.
A. Plan your time carefully.
B. This will help you understand the next class.
C. No one can become a top student unless he or she works hard.
D. Look around the house for a good study area.
E. Take advantage of class time to listen to everything the teacher says.
On a bluestone road, performers in ancient Chinese costumes charge on horses, stretching their arms and shouting all the way through.
The audience stands shoulder to shoulder by the road and on rooftops alongside the ancient alley(小巷), cheering together with loud drum beats in Xiadongzhai village, in the city of Yangquan in northern China's Shanxi province.
"It is a custom that has lasted for over 1,000 years, and represents the martial(尚武)spirit," said Yuan Yuxiang, Party secretary of the village.
In the Tang Dynasty (公元618年——公元907年), Xiadongzhai was a military relay station, where army messengers found food, shelter and spare horses before moving on to their next destination.
The process of transferring horses and leaving the station was later adapted into a folk performance held once a year, on the day after Lantern Festival.
Many are attracted by the boldness and skills of the riders, who do not use saddles(马鞍)or stirrups during the high-speed charge.
Over the years, the performance has become the most celebrated event in the village.
"No matter how far people are from home, or how busy they are, they try their best to return home for the fair on that day," Yuan said.
This year, nearly 10,000 people gathered on the road, which is 100 meters long and 4 meters wide, to watch the performance.
