A woodcutter was walking through the forest when a small tree called to him. It said, "Hello friend. Can you cut down those bigger trees? They are blocking(遮挡) the sun. It is so 1 here that I have no room to spread my roots(根). Besides, I can't 2 the wind."
The little tree held out its tiny leaves. It looked so sad. "If those trees were gone, I would be able to3. A year from now,I'd be the biggest tree here," It continued. "But for now, I'm just a small tree."
The man thought for a while and agreed. He walked over to the bigger trees and started cutting them down. Soon, he cleared lots of 4 around the small tree. Now it would be able to grow bigger and become the biggest tree in that area.
But something else happened instead. The sun's 5 came first, burning the small tree, which wasn't used to(适应) so much sunlight. Heavy wind and rain came— without the bigger trees there, the small tree was hit by the storm. Soon, the tree was nearly 6.
A snake saw what had happened and said,"You've been quite 7. You brought this on yourself. If you had left the bigger trees alone, the sun and storm wouldn't have hurt you so badly. They 8 you. If you had just waited longer, you would have grown to be just as big as them. You would be strong. But now, you're nearly gone."
International Graduation (毕业) Video Rose Garcia Thursday, June 10, 2021 To: Li Hua |
Hi Li Hua, Congratulations on your coming graduation! My name is Rose Garcia. I work at the International Student Office at SMU and I am working on the International Graduation Video to show all of your memories and achievements at SMU. Submissions(提交材料) will include : ★Your favorite pictures and videos of your time at SMU. ★A sentence or two including where you are from and what you are graduating with. ★A thank-you message to someone who may have helped you go through this difficult time. Please send submissions or questions to Rose Garcia at Roseg@smu.edu. The deadline(截止时间)for this is Friday, July 9, 2021.The video will be shared around graduation time. Congratulations and don't miss this chance to celebrate your achievements! Yours, Rose |
① a thank-you message ② questions about graduation
③ a simple self-introduction ④ her favourite pictures and videos
How do you go to school every day? By bike or on foot? Maybe you can try a new way-taking a S'Cool Bus.
The S'Cool Bus is also called the bike bus. It was invented in the bike kingdom—the Netherlands. It is all about green lifestyle,sport and sharing. It's interesting for kids to ride the bus together to go to school.
Also, it is very safe. The bike bus has a driver and eleven seats for kids. Each one has a helmet(头盔) and safety belt(安全带).There is also a roof on the bus. It can be used on hot days or rainy days to make kids feel comfortable.
Riding the bike bus is one of the greatest ways for children to get to school. Peter, a10-year-old pupil,becomes a big fan of the bike bus. "Now the S'Cool Bus is my favorite way of transport. I can ride it together with other kids to keep healthy. It's full of fun."For most parents, it can help them save a lot of time because they only have to pick up their children after school.
The S'Cool Bus is becoming more and more popular in some countries like Germany and France. Its creator Thomas Tolkamp says, "I hope I can sell the bike bus to more countries in the future. As green lifestyle becomes popular, ideas like this get popular, too. I think it will work well in other countries." The use of S'Cool Bus shows us that we can save the Earth in many ways as long as we want to have a try.
Mel found a wallet on her way back home. She picked it up and looked inside. Five hundred dollars! Mel thought about the bike she wanted. She had asked her mum for one, which would cost 460 dollars, but her mum said they had no money. Mel looked around. No one had seen her with the wallet. She put it into her school bag and ran home fast.
When she got home, she put the wallet in her treasure box. However, there was one problem. How could she tell her parents about it? Then Mel remembered the prize of the science competition was five hundred dollars. She would tell her parents she had won it.
The next day, Mel rushed home from school. She was just about to tell her mother the good news when her mother said," "I have enough money left over this week for a treat. I've bought some strawberries. You can have one." Mel's news darted(猛冲) back inside her, like a moth(蛾子) into a dark corner. What would happen if her mother lost her wallet and someone kept it? They might not have any food for weeks! Mel ran to her room. She opened the treasure box and took the wallet to her mother.
"I found this," she said. "It has five hundred dollars in it."
"Wow!" said her mother. "Five hundred dollars!"
She looked inside the wallet. "It could be Mrs. Maka's," she said. "We'll have to take it to her right now."
Mrs. Maka was very pleased to get her wallet back. "This money is to get my eyes fixed, or I will go blind," she said. She gave twenty dollars to Mel,but Mel refused.
After that, Mel and Mrs. Maka became good friends. Mel helped Mrs. Maka make a garden and Mrs. Maka showed Mel how to make clay pots(陶罐).One day,Mrs. Maka said, "Mel, my clay pot won a prize—1000 dollars and a red bike! I can't ride a bike. Would you like it?"
In high school and college, you may be encouraged to travel or study abroad. Perhaps you are too busy with your schoolwork to seriously consider these chances. I encourage traveling at a young age.
As young people, most of us live with mom and dad. Our community knows us well,too. The idea of getting out of this comfort zone(舒适区) can be scary (可怕的).
In our daily life, we know well how to act and respond(答复)to people. But how about being in a new place, with strangers who hold different values? It can be uncomfortable at first. But once you work out that you can connect with people in spite of(尽管)differences, you become smarter and more confident. You should learn to face this discomfort. It will help you to grow.
By traveling widely, you will also develop cultural sensitivity(敏感性). Being culturally sensitive is important. And it is not enough to just know, "People from that country are like this."
When I was in Spain, for example, I found people there took a two-hour break in the middle of their workday. Many foreigners consider the Spanish people lazy. To the Spanish people, eating together as a family is more important than anything else. Cultural sensitivity will help you with your communication on both business and personal levels.
Finally, I'd like to mention that traveling abroad will be a wonderful way to learn a new language. Being in a new language-learning environment, you will have to use the language.
A. It helps you to learn a new language as well. B. In fact, the Spanish people are always like this. C. However, one learns the most in strange situations. D. The earlier you travel widely, the more you can learn. E. In this way, you will improve your language skills better. F. Few of them know people there place great value on family time. |
A: Hello!
B: Hello!
A: I'm sorry he's not in at the moment. Who's calling, please?
B: Is that Mrs. Smart?
A: Yes, Jack, Tony has gone to visit the museum with his father.
B: Sure. You know, we won a basketball match, so we are going to have a party to celebrate it in my home.
A: Great!
B: At 6:30 tomorrow evening.
A: OK. I'll tell him about it.
B:.
A: You're welcome. Goodbye, Jack.
B: Bye, Mrs. Smart.
A. It doesn't matter. B. This is Jack speaking. C. Thank you very much. D. Can I take a message? E. Just hold the line, please. F. When will the party begin? G. May I speak to Tony, please? |
hour long careful girl reply be |
My friend, Robert, has a twin sister named Amanda. Though they get along well, there some things about Amanda and her friends that puzzle (困扰)Robert. He can't understand how girls can talk for so. For example, sometimes when he leaves home to play football, Amanda and her friend, Sharon, are sitting on the sofa, talking. When he comes back two and a half later, they're still staying in the same place, continuing the same conversation on the same topic. One day Robert was so curious(好奇的) that he asked Amanda what they talked about, but she , "We're best friends. We talk about almost everything— film stars, pop songs, recipes, everything!"
Boys and girls have different attitudes(态度) towards friendship. Friendships between girls are usually based on shared feelings and support (支持), but friendships between boys are based on shared activities or interests. A boy might be about sharing his feelings with his close friends. Aclosest friend, however, might be eager(急切的) to tell her about something that has happened in her life.
immediately pleasure ask think about |
Many studies worldwide show that girls have more friendships than boys. In fact, many teenage boys can't name a single best friend. When they, they often think for a while before answering, "My best friend? I can't that. I am busy with my homework, and I have so many different friends that it is hard to choose just one best friend."
Girls, however, can usually answer the question , "A best friend? Of course. We have a lot to share with each other. We get much more from talking, daydreaming."
We have to realize: boys share activities, while girls share feelings. The qualities (品质) that boys and girls consider important in a friend seem to be the same, regardless of (无论) the basis of these friendships. The important thing to remember is that both of them are friendships. We all need friends in our lives.
Teen's 'wuxia' world
While many teenagers are struggling (奋斗) to write articles for their exams, Jin Minzhe has already written a whole book.
The 15-year-old boy from Suzhou, Jiangsu, recently published (出版) his wuxia novel Ji Chi Jing Hong He Shan Yi(《几尺惊鸿河山意》). The story is set during the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-581). A young man lays down his pen and takes up a sword to fight for his homeland.
"I love Jin Yong's wuxia stories," Jin told Gusu Evening News. "I also love history. In the seventh grade, I traveled to Wuzhen, where Prince Xiao Tong from the Liang Dynasty once lived, and I was inspired(受启发) to write a wuxia story based on(以……为根据) him."
In a video interview with Xinhua, Jin looks a little bit shy. But when it comes to writing, he becomes someone bold. He shared a lot of his writing experiences actively. "I wrote around the clock as my ideas kept coming. After about 20 days, I finished more than 300 pages," Jin said.
Jin's writing skills might come from his love of reading. In primary school, he read four books every week. In junior high school, where schoolwork is heavy, he still reads three to four books a month.
? "My father loves history, so we often talk about our reading experiences and share our different opinions," Jin said. "My mom takes me to bookstores and writers' lectures. She also took care of me when I wrote the book, reminding me not to stay up too late."
Jin said literature(文学) gave him a sense of calm and freedom. "Nothing can stop me from reading and writing," he said.