BEIJING — China's education authority will tighten the widely criticized policy of “extra credits” for the national college entrance examination to ensure a fairer chance for all exam-takers.

    Under the policy, high school students who win awards in national Olympic competitions could get "extra credits', up to 20 points for the national college entrance exam. Students with talent in sports and students who are from ethnic groups can also benefit from this policy. The extra credits have increased these students' chances of being admitted by famous universities. Some parents were found to have helped their children fabricate(伪造)award experiences or falsify qualifications to get extra credits.

    “It has harmed education equality，” the ministry said.

    Xiong Bingqi, vice-chief of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, said the policy is designed to help students who have special talents but may be weak in academic performance to have a chance to receive higher education. It will still be needed but it is time to make the rules fairer," he said.

    The ministry said it will reduce the range of competitions whose winners can get extra credits, and limit the winners, privileges.

    The new policy will apply to students who begin high school in 2011, it said.

    Chen Lei, a mother of a 10-year-old girl, said she welcomed the ministry's policy adjustment as she does not want her daughter to become an Olympic competition geek.

    But not all the Chinese parents welcomed the new policy. “It is like a thunderbolt for me. My 13-year-old son has spent so much time studying Olympic math, and participated in so many technological competitions during vacations. It is useless now,” said Dong Wen, a 43-year-old mother.

    A student said, “Many students have changed the current study plan, and they can abandon the competition. I will be interested in learning the courses which can improve my abilities.”

    Yuan Guiren, minister of education, told China Daily that the reform is an attempt to consider the overall quality of an applicant. “But the country will not stop the national college entrance  examination as it is still the most objective way to evaluate talent in China,” he said.

    It is back to school time in the United States, which for children is bittersweet. The bitter part is saying goodbye to carefree, unscheduled summer days. The sweet part is saying hello to a new school year and school friends.

    This exciting time is filled with smells of new books, paper and pencils. Children might be dressed in a new set of clothes and wear new shoes.

    However, going back to school can also be a stressful time for children and families. Everyone must make the change from easy summer life to routines, schedules and homework. Families might also feel stress about spending extra money for a new school year.

    Back-to-school stress is different for different grades of students. Younger children may feel scared to leave their families. Making new friends and dealing with bullying(欺负) can also cause stress for students. Older students may feel stressed about their appearances, grades and getting into college.

    However, teachers and children can all help to make the transition back to school easier. Lori Bambina has been a teacher for 22 years. She focuses on the class routine during the start of the new school year.

    "Well, for the students, I have my classroom set up with a very clear system. So I will introduce the system. Then I will revisit the system because at this young age they enjoy structure and predictability. And that routine is very comforting and will not cause them to feel stressed if they know exactly where things are located and what type of behavior is expected. That really reduces the stress and the anxiety because they have their own comfort level now," she said.

    Whether you are in the 1st grade or 10th grade, knowing what your teachers expect is a good way to reduce stress.

Sales Executive

    Pindan Labor Solutions is expanding and we require a Sales Executive. Working hours from Monday to Friday, 12 months a year. However, some weekend work may be required. You will be assisting our team of consultants with business development. You can get a monthly income of $5,200. Essential requirements include previous sales experience, strong communication skills, high level of computer competency (能力）,WA driver's license.

    For more information, please e-mail to Stefan @ tigerhospitality.com or phone 0452 236 541.

Martial Arts Trainer

    Go-Kan-Ryu Karate has a number of positions available for people who have an interest in the martial arts. The position will involve training new students on working days. An expected first year income of $45,000. Excellent people skills and previous experience are essential. Own car and license required.

    Please contact Tim Hort on 0285 371 464 or kvle@hospitalio.com for further information.

Workshop Manager

    Located in Wongan Hills WA, Beckman Machinery want a Service/Workshop Manager to join our successful team. Your role will be to provide the best possible service to customers, Monday to Friday. You must have trade certificate, excellent communication and computer skills. Knowledge of agricultural products is essential. You can get at least $50,000 in your first year.

    Please call Stuart 0427 111 105 or email to stuart@boekemans.com.au if any further information is needed.

Farmhand

    A general farmhand is required to work on a farm located 40kms from Condobolin. A driver's license is essential. Duties include: Sheep, Cattle work; Cropping & irrigation. Weekends off, except during sowing and harvest periods. $39,000 a year.

    If you are interested in farm work, please e-mail to diane.moisis@cwcc.nsw.edu.au or call 0167 327 047 for detailed information.

    At 29 years old, Ding Ding, who has cerebral palsy (脑瘫), has been accepted to Harvard University. Ding Ding succeeded in his academic studies and overcoming many of his physical disabilities because of his mother's persistence(坚持不懈) and endless love.

    In 1988, when Ding Ding was found born with cerebral palsy, Doctors suggested to his mother Zou Hongyan that she give up the baby, saying it was worthless trying to rescue him as he would grow up either disabled or with low intelligence. Even the boy's father agreed with the doctors and told Zou that the boy would be a burden for the family for his entire life. But Zou insisted on saving the boy and soon divorced (离婚).

    To support the family and provide treatment for her son, Zou took up several jobs. In her spare time, she regularly took Ding to a recovery hospital. She taught herself how to exercise his muscles, and would also play educational games with him.

    Zou also insisted from the start that her son would learn to overcome his disabilities as far as possible. She insisted on teaching him how to use chopsticks during mealtimes, even though he found this extremely difficult at first, so he would not have to always explain his disability to others when he had meals with them.

    "I didn't want him to feel sorry for his physical problems," she said. "Because he had poor abilities in many areas, I was quite strict on him to work hard to catch up where he had difficulties. "

    Ding graduated with a degree in environmental science from Peking University's school of engineering in 2011. That same year, he took part in a second degree program at the university's international law school. In 2016, after working for two years, Ding was accepted into Harvard Law School.

    "I never dared to dream of applying to Harvard," Ding said. "It was my mother who never stopped encouraging me to give it a try. Whenever I had any doubts, she would guide me forward."

    No one has a temper naturally so good, that it does not need attention and cultivation, and no one has a temper so bad, but that, by proper culture, it may become pleasant. One of the best disciplined tempers ever seen, was that of a gentleman who was naturally quick, irritable, rash, and violent; but, by taking care of the sick, and especially of mentally deranged(疯狂的) people, he so completely mastered himself that he was never known to be thrown off his guard.

    There is no misery so constant, so upsetting, and so intolerable to others, as that of having a character which is your master. There are corners at every turn in life, against which we may run, and at which we may break out in impatience, if we choose.

    Look at Roger Sherman, who rose from a humble occupation to a seat in the first Congress of the United States, and whose judgment was received with great respect by that body of distinguished men. He made himself master of his temper and cultivated it as a great business in life. There are one or two instances which show this part of his character in a light that is beautiful.

    One day, after having received his highest honors, he was sitting and reading in his sitting room. A student, in a room close by, held a looking­glass in such a position as to pour the reflected rays of the sun directly in Mr. Sherman's face. He moved his chair, and the thing was repeated. A third time the chair was moved, but the looking­glass still reflected the sun in his eyes. He laid aside his book, went to the window, and many witnesses of the rude behavior expected to see the ungentlemanly student severely punished. He raised the window gently, and then—shut the window blind!

    I can not help providing another instance of the power he had acquired over himself. He was naturally possessed of strong passions, but over these he at length obtained an extraordinary control. He became habitually calm and self­possessed. Mr Sherman was one of those men who are not ashamed to maintain the forms of religion in their families. One morning he called them all together as usual to lead them in prayer to God. The "old family Bible" was brought out and laid on the table.

    Mr Sherman took his seat and placed beside him one of his children, a child of his old age. The rest of the family were seated around the room, several of whom were now grown­ups. Besides these, some of the tutors of the college were boarders in the family and were present at the time. His aged mother occupied a corner of the room, opposite the place where the distinguished Judge sat.

    At length, he opened the Bible and began to read. The child who was seated beside him made some little disturbance, upon which Mr Sherman paused and told it to be still. Again he continued but again he had to pause to scold the little offender, whose playful character would scarcely permit it to be still. At this time he gently tapped its ear. The blow, if blow it might be called, caught the attention of his aged mother, who now with some effort rose from the seat and tottered across the room. At length, she reached the chair of Mr Sherman, and in a moment, most unexpectedly to him, she gave him a blow on the ear with all the force she could gather. "There," said she, "you strike your child, and I will strike mine."

    For a moment, the blood was seen mounting to the face of Mr Sherman. But it was only for a moment and all was calm and mild as usual. He paused; he raised his glasses; he cast his eye upon his mother; again it fell upon the book from which he had been reading. Not a word escaped him; but again he calmly pursued the service, and soon sought in prayer an ability to set an example before his household which should be worthy of their imitation. Such a victory was worth more than the proudest one ever achieved on the field of battle.

    I read somewhere that we spend a full third of our lives waiting. But where are we doing all of this waiting, and what does it mean to an impatient society like ours? To understand the issue, let's take a look at three types of "waits".

    The very purest form of waiting is the Watched-Pot Wait. It is without doubt the most annoying of all. Take filling up the kitchen sink(洗碗池) as an example. There is absolutely nothing you can do while this is going on but keep both eyes fixed on the sink until it's full. During these waits, the brain slips away from the body and wanders about until the water runs over the edge of the counter and onto your socks. This kind of wait makes the waiter helpless and mindless.

    A cousin to the Watched-Pot Wait is the Forced Wait. This one requires a bit of self-control. Properly preparing packaged noodle soup required a Forced Wait. Directions are very specific. "Bring three cups of water to boil, add mix, simmer(用文火炖）three minutes, remove from heat, let stand five minutes." I have my doubts that anyone has actually followed the procedures strictly. After all, Forced Waiting requires patience.

    Perhaps the most powerful type of waiting is the Lucky-Break Wait. This type of wait is unusual in that it is for the most part voluntary. Unlike the Forced Wait, which is also voluntary, waiting for your lucky break does not necessarily mean that it will happen.

    Turning one's life into a waiting game requires faith and hope, and is strictly for the optimists among us. On the surface it seems as ridiculous as following the directions on soup mixes, but the Lucky-Break Wait well serves those who are willing to do it. As long as one doesn't come to rely on it, wishing for a few good things to happen never hurts anybody.

    We certainly do spend a good deal of our time waiting. The next time you're standing at the sink waiting for it to fill while cooking noodle soup that you'll have to eat until a large bag of cash falls out of the sky, don't be desperate. You're probably just as busy as the next guy.