I'd gone from a tiny village school with a total of 60 students to a huge-school with thousands of pupils. I was a little fish in a very big1. I lived too much of my first year 2 doing anything wrong. I just decided to be the wallflower when it 3 class discussion and answering questions. I was always the one that 4didn't look the teachers in the eye 5 they asked me to answer. I listened well, and6 everything in, but I always liked to be a spectator（旁观者）. It is hard not to 7 what others may think of you when you are speaking in front of many 8. It did take long for me to feel 9 with teachers and make friends with classmates.
Some people 10 straight into a new learning environment.11 most are nervous and feel they don't fit in. It's completely 12so it should not be a worry to you. Be 13and you will adapt to the new school. School life is 14 you make of it. Some 15 it; some love it. But it's only when you leave that you can really appreciate how school16you into the person you become.
It's so important to 17 yourself out of your comfort zone. If you are shy, tell yourself you will raise your 18at least once every lesson; if you are quick-minded, try to give other people a(n)19In time, you will20 how much you loved it or hated it.
Are you interested in students in other countries? Do they also have so much homework like you? What do they do in their spare time?
On April 8, a report came out on the lives of high school students in China, Japan, South Korea and the US. It surveyed around 6200 students from the four countries last year. You will find the answers to many of your questions in this report.
Who study hardest?
Chinese students spend the most time studying. Nearly half of Chinese students (48.65%) spend more than two hours on their homework every day. That's much more than students of the US (26.4%), Japan (8.2%) and South Korea (5.2%).
Who sleep most often in class?
Japanese students fall asleep in class most often. About 45% of them said they sometimes sleep in class. In South Korea, it's 32%; in the US,21%; and 5% in China.
Who are the most distracted?
American students are the most active in class, but also the most distracted. 64.2% said they chat with friends in class; 46.9% said they eat snacks in class; and 38.9% said they send emails or read storybooks in class.
What do they do after school?
In their spare time, most Chinese students study or surf the Internet. Most American students go out to play with their friends. Most Japanese students do physical exercise. Most Korean students watch TV.
Stay-at-home kids are named “generation nini” in Spain. They are those adults who still live at home and are neither working nor studying. But the problem is not limited to Spain. It is a worldwide problem.
In Italy, they are known as “bamboccioni” or big babies. There nearly 60 percent of 18-34-year-old adults still live in their parents' home, up from almost 50 percent since 1983. Once kept there by the love for their mama's home-cooked food, the economic crisis（经济危机）has seen a rise in adults left unable to hold down a steady job or afford a home of their own. Last year, an Italian government minister admitted that his mother washed his clothes and made the bed for him until he was 30. He demanded a law forcing young Italians to leave their parents' home at 18 to stop them becoming hopelessly dependent on their parents.
In the UK, the government has made the term NEETS—not in employment, education or training for these children. In England alone the percent of NEETS aged 19-24 surged to 18.8 percent of the age group-in the last quarter of 2010, up 1.4 percent on the same period a year before. The number of British men in their 20s living with their parents has risen from 59 percent to 80 percent in the past 15 years, while the number of women has risen from 41percent to 50 percent. The average age of the first-time house buyers is now 38.
In the US, the problem is known as the “full nest syndrome（综合症）”. Adults there are left struggling to support adult children who have stayed at home with student debts and facing few job opportunities in a weak economy. A recent study showed almost a third of American adults aged 34 and under are living with their parents
For years I wanted a flower garden. But then we had Matthew. And Marvin. And the twins, Alisa and Alan. And then Helen. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.
Money was limited, as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I'd have to say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know.”
Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden. I wasn't sure, though, I mean, gardens do cost money.
Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by. I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on all its branches.
There was a money tree in my yard !It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree. There was also a note attached: “IOU eight hours of digging time. Love. Marvin.”
Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children bought me tools, ornaments, a trellis, a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.
That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and weed or tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they are right there with me. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes every time.
I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!
A new report from the International Bar Association (IBA) suggests machines will mostly likely replace humans in a growing number of occupations. One of the authors of the report, Gerlind Wisskirchen, believes that governments need to introduce human quotas（配额）in some sectors in order to protect jobs.
The report suggests that the jobs at risk are common ones, such as accountants and lawyers. Financial services are more at risk than legal roles though, as algorithms（计算机程序）are easier for a computer to solve when compared to keeping client relationships and making new laws. Simple physical work is also in the firing line, the authors mention.
As the world population heads toward 7 to 10 billion, futurist Morris Miselowski says, “I am not sure that this nine-to-five, Monday to Friday work as we understand it, will continue for many of us for the next couple of decades.” He forecasts that the biggest changes will be a shift（转变）away from the traditional work time..
“Artificial intelligence (AI)（人工智能）… and all sorts of new technologies are just about to happen; all of that's going to change where, how and when we do work.”
Ms Wissfikirchen was surprised by how far-reaching the effects of automation（自动化）are.
“Even though automation began 30 years ago in the blue-collar sector, the new development of artificial intelligence and robotics affects not just the blue-collar sector, but the white-collar sector,” said Ms Wisskirchen.
Toby Walsh, professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW, said there was a ray of hope when it came to technology and the future of jobs.
“It's always good to remember that although technology will take jobs away as they raise in this report, there will also be new jobs created by technology,” he said. “In fact if we look at the history of technology since the Industrial Revolution, more jobs have been created than destroyed.”
You cannot choose your child's friends for him, but you can help him learn to choose friends wisely. Here are a few ways to help your child make friends.
Build your child's selfconfidence.
When he succeeds or has made a great choice, tell him you're proud of him. Your middle school student is going through many changes and may feel like he isn't “good enough”. Building his selfconfidence will help him feel more confident and will make it easier for him to form healthy friendships.
Give him your full attention when he talks, and really listen to what he has to say.
Discuss the qualities in a friend with your child.
Discuss with your child the qualities that matter most, such as being reliable and kind, and making good choices when it comes to avoiding alcohol and tobacco.
Get to know your child's friends.
It's more important to talk with them and find out what they like to do. Allow your child to invite his friends over and get to know them better.
Afterschool clubs and sports programs are good places for meeting new people. Be open to exploring different activities with your child to find something that he enjoys.
A. Friends are very important for us.
B. Introduce your child to new groups of people.
C. Talk with your child every day and listen to his concerns.
D. Try not to judge your child's friends based on how they dress.
E. When he does not succeed, help him feel better and keep trying.
F. You can teach him ways to find friends who will have a positive influence on him.
G. There are many types of friends and we should be careful when making our choices.
增加：在缺词处增加一个漏字符号（^）并在其下面写出该加的词
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在改词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词。2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
I couldn't believe my ears when I heard my name calling. I was chosen to play the leading role in a play, that was my dream. As a shy and thin girl, I used to being quite afraid of speaking in the public. But my parents and teachers always encouraged me to do so. What they said had a deep influence of me. By now I changed greatly. In class, I am often the first one to stand up and answer questions even if I may take some mistakes. Now I am delightful that I'm brave enough to overcome the difficulty in my heart. My experience shows that we should not be afraid of losing face but only in this way can we make progresses.
a freezing cold day in January 1994,JiesangSuonandajie found he was looking for—a group of poachers（盗猎者）were killing the endangered Tibetan antelope. Jiesang knew he had to move (quick). He shouted to the poachers to put their guns. In the battle which followed Jiesang (shoot) and killed. Later the WWF, an(organize) for nature conservation was founded. Its aim was (protect) the natural habitats（栖息地）of wild animals in danger of extinction. One of the founders (design) the famous logo is PeterScott. Since 1995, it (spend) more than S1000million on 11000projects in 130countries.
学校概况 | 新校园干净美丽；有大型操场和电子阅览室 |
教师 | 最喜欢英语老师，他是一位师气的男老师，他的教学方法与众不同，从不让人尴尬 |
同学 | 友好、勤奋 |
感受 | 高中新生活开始了，要积极上进 |
注意：1）词数100左右；
2）可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：电子阅览室：digital reading room
Dear Zhou Kai,
It has been more than two months since we met last time.……
Yours truly,
Li Hua
