How do you feel about your Chinese? Is it good or bad? If you think youare good at Chinese, you can take part in the competition named the “Chinese Characters Dictation Competition (中国汉字听写大会)”. The competition became popular among teenagers. Let's know something about it.

    More and more computers and smart phones are used by teenagers. They spend too much time onthe Internet in playing or chatting. They are used to sending messages by computers and smart phones. As a result, some teenagers forget how to writethe Chinese Characters by hand. The teachers and parents are very worried about it. What can they do?

    Not long ago, they found an interesting game called the Chinese Characters Dictation Competition. The program was similar to the American show “National Spelling Bee”. In this program, middle school students competed among themselves and wrote down the Chinese Characters by dictation. Over two hundred competitors were from forty-six middle schools. The audiences(观众) loved this new kind of competition, too. They tried to write down the Chinese Characters while the competitors were writing them. Butthey found it was also difficult for them to write down all the Chinese Characters.

    Is it an interesting competition? Can you be the winner?

    When did you last say “I love you” to your father? If you can't remember, then you can get the chance this Father's Day on June 19.

Generally compared to(与—相比) a mother's gentle love, a father represents qualities such as independence(独立), confidence, courage and adventure(冒险).

    Also, caring fathers help their children get along with others. Fathers can lead their children into their social circle(社交圈). They can al so teach them how to behave and control their feelings.

    For example, Microsoft founder Bill Gates was quiet and didn't like to talk with others when he was a little kid. So his father often held family parties and let Bill play games with family members. “my ability of leading and cooperating(合作) became better through games.” Gates once said in an interview with US Fortune magazine.

    US actor Will Smith said that his father taught him important lessons through small things. His father once planned to tear(拆) down a wall of their shop and rebuild it. But little Will thought it was impossible. After a year and a half, they did it. “You didn't try to build a wall. You are going to lay a brick every day. And soon you have a wall,” he said on TV show.

    “One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters”, British poet George Herbert once said. Do you agree?

D

    When I was a child，I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and go to the city．We lived on a farm，and especially in winter，we were quite out off from the outside world．As soon as I left school，I packed my bags and moved to the city．However，I soon discovered that my life has its disadvantages，too．

    One big disadvantage is money．It costs so much to go out，not to mention basics like food and housing．Another disadvantage is pollution．①空气是如此的脏以至于我害怕出去。 Then there is the problem of traveling round．Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams．One choice is to go by bike，but that can be dangerous

    Of course there are advantages．First，there is so much to do in the city．And there are wonderful jobs and more chances of moving to a more important job or position．Finally，if you like shopping，the kind of goods is very surprising．②What's more，there are many shops that are not far from your home．

    Is life better in the city then? Perhaps it is，when you are in your teens or twenties．However，as you get older，and especially if you have small children，the peace of the countryside may be a better choice．I certainly hope to move back there soon．

    Every year， thousands of people get hurt（受伤） or die（死亡） when they are crossing the road{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Old people often get hurt or die because they can't see or hear very well. Children usually meet with accident（事故） because of their carelessness（粗心）{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    How can we lessen(减少)traffic accidents? All of us must follow the traffic rules. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I they drive too fast, it will be very difficult to stop the car in a very short time. For the walkers, it's very important to be careful when they are walking on the road. So when we walk across the road we must try0 walk along the pavements（人行道）{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Look left first, next look right, and then look left again, When we are sure that the road is clear, we can cross it, The right way to cross the road is to walk quickly. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} If people run across the road, they may fall down.

    We should try to help children, old people or blind people to cross the road, and never play in the street.

    Learning a language can be useful in today's global society. Do you find it difficult to learn a foreign language successfully? Here are some tips to help you out:

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    By far the most important is how much time you are immersed in the language. The more time you spend with the language, the faster you will learn. This means listening, reading, writing, speaking and studying the language. This does not mean sitting in class looking out of the window, nor listening to other students who do not speak well.

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    Build up your vocabulary! You'll need lots. Start to notice words and how they come together as phrases. Learn these words and phrases through your listening and reading. Read online, using online dictionaries, and make your own vocabulary lists for review. Soon you will be able to use them.

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    Listen wherever you are on your MP3 player. Read what you are listening to. Listen to and read things that you like, things that you can mostly understand, or even partly understand. If you keep listening and reading, you will get used to the language. One hour of listening or reading is more effective than many hours of class time.

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    If you do want to learn the language, try to be an active learner. Choose something that you want to listen to and read. Find out the words and phrases that you need to understand in your listening and reading. Do not wait for someone else to show you the language. Discover the language by yourself, like a child growing up. Talk when you feel like it. Write when you feel like it.

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    Do not worry about what you cannot remember, or cannot yet understand, or cannot yet say. It does not matter. You are learning and improving. The language will gradually become clearer in your brain, but this will happen on a schedule that you cannot control. So sit back and enjoy. Just make sure you spend enough time with the language.