The Sunday Mail magazine interviewed some parents about whether children should do chores at home. Different people have different opinions.

 Ms Miller thinks that kids these days already have enough stress from school. They do not have time to study and do housework, too. Housework is a waste of their time. They should spend their time on schoolwork in order to get good grades and get into a good university. When kids get older, they will have to do housework. So there is no need for them to do it now. She thinks that doing chores is not so difficult.

However, Mr. Smith disagrees with her. He thinks it is important for children to learn how to do chores and help their parents with housework. It's not enough to just get good grades at school. Children these days depend on their parents too much. Doing chores helps to develop children's independence and teaches them how to look after themselves. It also helps them to understand the idea of fairness. Everyone should do their part in keeping the house clean and tidy. The earlier kids learn to be independent, the better it is for their future.

    Entertain yourself on cold wet days

    Getting bored on cold wet days? Feeling there is nothing to do? TEENS will help you get rid of the boredom. Here are some fun ideas to get you active, both inside and outside.

        ①  

    Help your mom cook a dinner in the kitchen. Washing vegetables may be a good choice for you. You can also learn to make a simple meal, like egg-fried rice. When you eat a meal you have cooked, you'll feel very proud.

        ②   

    Choose an interesting story. Then invite your friends to perform it together. You can be the director and your friends can be actors. When you are ready, ask your family and your friends' family to enjoy the play.

       ③   

    Collect your family photos. Choose some special ones with your family and make a photo wall. It's a great chance to listen to family stories behind those photos. You can also DIY a photo album and keep the photos safe for a long time.

        ④   

    Do you want to be an inventor? Be creative about finding new uses for old objects. Try to invent something with your imagination. For example, you can make a garbage can or a storage box with cardboard. You can also find a problem at your home and create something to fix it.

 A. What if you win      
 B. Life won't be the same without you

 C. Life isn't crystal stair.    
 D. There is a rainbow after every storm.

 E. Focus on the future.  
 F. To give up is to live a meaningless life

    The life has been full of challenges and difficulties. Life is not about the smartest person or the strongest person, or even the richest person. However, life is about having the mind in your heart "Never Give Up", even when you feel that giving up is the only choice. The world is waiting on your gifts.

    ①{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    You are important to this world and believe it or not, someone is waiting for you to enrich their lives. You are too important to the world to just give up.

    ②{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    You many feel that life is challenging you from time to time and you can't take it anymore. You may want to give up right now. But here is a thought, what will happen if you overcome the difficulties?

    ③ {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When an Olympic runner is in a race, he or she is focusing on one thing - the finishing line. You have to focus on the big picture – not just where you are right now. Focus in where you want to be. Make an agreement with your mind and your mouth.

    ④ {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    One of my favorite poems is called "Crystal Stair" written by Langston Hughes. In that poem, a mother tells her son that life is tough, you will meet rocks and hard places, but the end is victory to those who stand their ground and ride the course.

   ⑤ {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Whatever you are facing, you can make it through. There is a rainbow on the other side of your situation. Stay strong, stay focused and never give up.

    There are many libraries in Britain. Let's learn something about them.

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 Britain's public library 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.

    Services of library

    Modern public libraries have something for everyone. Most of them have audio books, CDs, newspapers and DVDs as well as books to borrow.

    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.

    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.

    The libraries are special. Unlike most libraries, which store books in buildings, mobile libraries usually keep their books in a mini-bus. 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 take the mini-bus 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.

    "How are you?" is a nice question. It's a friendly greeting that people in the United States use. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It's a question that often doesn't need an answer. The person who asks, "How are you?" expects to hear the answer "Fine," even if the person isn't fine. The reason is that "How are you?" isn't really a question and "Fine" isn't really an answer. They are common ways of saying "hello" or "hi".

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} For example, when someone asks "Do you agree?", the other person may be thinking, "No, I don't. I think you're wrong." It isn't polite to disagree very strongly, so he might say, "I am not so sure." {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

People also don't say exactly what they are thinking when they finish talking to other people. For example, many conversations over the phone end when one person says, "I've got to go now," or the person who wants to hang up gives an excuse such as "Someone is at the door," or, "Something is burning on the stove." {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The person who wants to hang up simply doesn't want to talk any more, but it isn't polite to say so. An excuse is polite, and it doesn't hurt the other person's feelings.

    Whether they are greeting each other, talking about an opinion, or ending a conversation, people often don't say exactly what they are thinking. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. This is a nicer way to say that you don't agree with someone.

B. You'd better not to tell the truth to your family.

C. However, "How are you?" is also an unusual question.

D. The excuse may be real, or not.

E. Sometimes, people don't say exactly what they mean.

F. If you disagree with others, they will hate you.

G. This is one way of being nice to people, and it's a part of the game of language.

    Summer is here. One of the best ways to cool off on a hot summer day is to jump into a swimming pool. Swimming is great exercise, and a trip to a pool or beach is a good way to have fun with friends. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, so it's important to stay safe as you do it. Here are a few things you can do to swim safely.

    ●Swim only in areas set for swimming.

    Don't swim unless there is a lifeguard (救生员) on duty. If you're on a beach near the ocean, this is especially important. In some places, fast currents (急流) can sweep swimmers away without warning. So if a sign says "no swimming", please take care.

    Be careful when diving (跳水) into the water headfirst.

    Most pools have deep ends where diving is safe. In natural water, don't dive unless you know that the water is deep enough. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, causing injury (伤害) or death.

    ●Make sure you have a partner with you.

    Nobody knows what will happen while you are swimming. If something goes wrong, you can get help from that person as soon as possible. In this situation, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    ●Pay close attention to children's safety.

    Kids who don't know how to swim should wear life jackets. But by themselves they are not enough, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. If you have a pool at home, put a fence (围栏) around it in case children fall in. And if a child disappears, check the pool first.