In our lives, someone we know by1often encourages us.
Early one morning, I opened the window to find that the sun was shining everywhere. The sunshine warmed my face, making me comfortable. I started to play my beloved violin. When with all my efforts I was playing the climax (高潮部分) to the piece, a sound from next door got my attention.
I was attracted and had a special idea: "How wonderful if we played together!" I began to play pieces by Beethoven with my neighbour, one piece after another.
We played together so well that I was very interested in2she or he looked. Each time I thought about3playing together, I would move my lip, completely unnoticeably.
However, I couldn't understand why the violinist next door never responded (回应) when I knocked on the door. I was terribly disappointed.
A year later, I took part in a violin competition.4the event, I made a new friend,5name was Rita. "Let's welcome contestant Number 10, Rita," the master of the ceremony announced.
This girl, who was my age, was deaf and dumb,6she had played the violin for eight years!
I saw Rita7walk onto the stage. She put the violin between her neck and shoulder and began to perform.
"The music is so8!" I said to myself.
It was9that a girl who was deaf and dumb could play such wonderful music. The audience warmly welcomed her.
What was even harder to believe was that the girl was my neighbour. It was fate that we should meet and become friends.
Rita's story made me realize that life is not always sunny or poetic. Sometimes there are strong storms and setbacks (挫折) . However, no matter what you10, believe in yourself and work hard. You can succeed.
Libraries
Public libraries
Most towns in Britain have a public library. A library usually has a large selection of books and other resources, which library members can use and borrow for free.
Britain's First Public Library
The first public library in Britain opened in Manchester in 1852. Its first librarian was a man called Edward Edwards. Edwards attended the library's opening ceremony and two famous writers called Charles Dickens and William Thackeray were there too.
How to Join a Library
To join a library, go to your local library and fill in a form. You'll receive a library card which is needed when using library services.
Library Services
Modern public libraries have something for everyone. Most of them have audio books, CDs, newspapers and DVDs as well as books to borrow.
Mobile Libraries
Not everyone can get to a library. Some people live far away from towns and cities. Other people find it difficult to go out because they have an illness or a disability. Thanks to mobile libraries, these people can still borrow books.
Unlike most libraries, which store books in buildings, mobile libraries usually keep their books in a minibus. The back of the mini-bus has shelves for the books, and it is big enough for borrowers to step inside and look around. A driver takes the minibus to a certain place at a certain time, so people know when to expect it. They can return their books and borrow some more.
All Aboard the Library!
A school in London didn't have space for a library inside the building. However, everybody agreed that it was still important to have a school library. So, the head of the school, Graham Blake, decided to park an old bus on the school car park and change it into a library. Pupils helped to paint the bus, and after eight months, the new library was ready.
Busy parents and growing children are spending less family time together. According to the latest picture of family life in Britain, the average (平均的) family get together for Just 45 minutes a day, And most of that time is spent either in front of the TV or eating.
The findings, from a survey (调查) of 3,000 children and parents, signal a worrying breakdown of the family unit due to a "family-unfriendly culture".
One in three said they spent most of their time with the family eating and one in six said watching TV or playing computer games was their family time.
Traditional pastimes (娱乐) for parents and children seem to be on the decline. Just 5 per cent said they spent family time doing sports, 3 per cent read stories and only 2 per cent helped with homework.
The erosion (日渐减少) of family life leaves parents less time to teach key social skills such as listening to others, saying "please" and "thank you" and taking turns (按顺序), the survey shows.
My family has had a great influence on me. When I was a kid, I learnt how to work from my family. My mum would never let me get away when there was something to be done. I learnt the importance of education. My parents would give me 50 dollars if I got an A in school. They taught me how to use and save money. My mum taught me how to cook, how to clean, and basically everything I needed to know to live on my own. My dad taught me how to garden, how to do home improvement, how to treat women and girls with respect, and how to put other people's needs above my own, My brothers and sisters taught me how to make a decision in conflict (矛盾). I'm 22 now, and I'll get married next year. I learn things from my parent's marriage by examples. For example, I've never seen my parents really fight. They had disagreements, but they were always in control and never let anger get the best of them. I think that's great, and I'm going to work towards that in my marriage.
I have a great family. I'm grateful that my parents choose to make it a great family.
Do you know why different animals or pests have their special colours? Colours in them seem to be used mainly to protect themselves. Some birds love eating locusts (蝗虫), but birds cannot easily catch them, why? It is because locusts change their colours with the change of the colours of crops. When crops are green, locusts look green. But as the harvest (收获) time comes, locusts change to the same brown colour as crops have. Some other pests with different colours from plants are easily found and eaten by others. So they have to hide themselves for living and appear only at night.
If you study animals' life, you'll find the main use of colour is to protect themselves. Bears, lions and other animals move quietly through the forests and they cannot be easily seen by hunters. This is because they have the colours much like the trees.
Have you ever noticed an even stranger act? A kind of fish in the sea can send out a kind of very black liquid (液体) when it faces danger. While the liquid spreads, its enemies cannot find it. And it immediately swims away. So it has lived up to now though it is not strong at all.
Usually, a family has parents and children. But the structure varies in different (culture).
In many Asian countries, extended families (大家庭) are common. Families usually have three generations (live) together. When parents are busy with work, grandparents help do the housework and take care the children.
While in most (west) countries, many people prefer a nuclear family (核心家庭): families only parents and children. During the daytime, working parents send their children grandparents' house or daycare centres. And after work, they take the children back home. Some families are even (describe) as DINK—double income, no kids. According to 2010 Pew Research report, one in five (America) couples don't want a child.
Although families may (different) in the East and West, every family is a warm place to teach us important values of love and care.
The Duanwu Festival in China, also called Dragon Boat Festival, is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month every year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. For thousands of years, this festival has been marked by people's eating Zongzi and racing dragon boats. (A) To hold the dragon boat races is in memory of Qu Yuan. He was one of the greatest poets in ancient China.
Qu Yuan was born in Zigui of Hubei Province over 2,200 years ago. Qu Yuan was an honest minister (大臣) of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475—22l BC) . He was upright, patriotic (爱国的) and wise. (B) 屈原想给自己的祖国带来和平并让它变得更强大。But the country was in the hands of bad officials, he could do nothing to change it. (C) He was very discouraged. At last, Qu Yuan ended his life by throwing himself into the Miluo River. It is said that people tried to save him by jumping into the river. But it was too late and all their efforts were in vain. Also, they were so sad and they threw rice into the water to feed Qu Yuan's spirit.
Now we read his poem Li Sao which is filled with deep love for his country. We can see the dragon boat races and have a kind of Chinese food named Zongzi to eat during the Dragon boat Festival.
