Do some colours makes you feel calm while others give you energy? Scientists have studied the connection between colour and mood(心情) for a long time. Many believe that colour can influence our moods.

    Warm, bright colours such as yellow and red are positive colours. They can give people a pleasant feeling. Cool colours such as blue, purple, and green are relaxing colours. They help people experience calm feelings.

    Many public places are decorated(装饰) with certain colours in order to create certain moods. Orange makes people feel hungry, and many restaurants are painted in this colour.

    People use colour in their homes to create moods as well. Blue is a peaceful colour. It helps you rest, so it is a very good colour for a bedroom.

    Colours can also create bad moods. Some types of blue make people feel sad. Red can make people feel angry.

    What is your mood right now? Now look at the colour of the walls round you. Does it match your mood?

    When the teacher asks a question in class, Wang Xiaobin never raises his hand and this situation is very common at middle schools. This 15-year-old boy always waits for other classmates or the teacher to give the answer. “What if my answer is wrong?” Wang asks.

    Wang said only six or seven students in his class raise their hands when a question is asked. ①“I think it's a problem that may affect (影响) our studies, but I am afraid of making mistakes in front of my classmates,” he said.

    When we asked the teacher, Hu Wei, why the students didn't raise their hands, he said, “They lack (缺乏) confidence, they are afraid of showing off, or they're afraid of losing face by giving wrong answers.”

    To encourage students to raise their hands in class, Hu suggests that teachers should repeat the question, then try to guide and encourage students to offer their answers. ②Hu also advised students not to be shy, but brave enough to try.

    Sun Pin, 16 of Fujian, always raises her hand as soon as she comes up with the answer, even if she isn't sure she has gotten it right. Sun can't understand why some of her classmates keep silent in class. She enjoys raising her hand a lot. “It keeps me enthusiastic(热情的) and confident to express my idea,” Sun said. “Raising my hand has really made me excellent.”

    Helen has always been interested in helping her community (社区). Her first volunteer experience was for the American Red Cross when she was in high school. When she was a school teacher, she also found time to volunteer.

    After she retired (退休), she started volunteering to help the old. When her father was older, he was not able to see as well as he used to, which made her sad because he had always enjoyed reading. She decided it would be fun to read to elderly people in her community.

    She also helped one woman write her stories. Ann was almost 100 years old, and Helen wrote down information about her life when she visited her. She put the information in a book and got it published (出版), Ann was very excited to share her life story with her children and grandchildren.

    After a strong storm hit some southern cities, Helen volunteered again for the American Red Cross. She prepared food and answered phones in a care centre.

    One day Helen read an article in the newspaper about refugees (难民) who needed to learn English. She met once a week with Sahra, a 38-year-old woman from Somalia. Helen gave Sahra a camera and asked her to take pictures of her daily life. In the end, they wrote a book together and used the photos in the book. This helped Sahra learn many new words about her everyday life.

    Helen says, "The real value of my volunteer work is becoming friends with the people I help. They enrich my life as well as I enrich theirs."

    Now it was Jerry's turn. And Jerry would ride Wild Lady！I watched Jerry in the chute.

    Jerry dropped down on the horse's back. He was ready to go. "Outside!" He called.

    The gate of the chute opened. And then nothing. Wild Lady didn't move. What was the matter?

    Suddenly Wild Lady jumped out like a tiger. She jumped-with all four feet off the ground. She was quick, still I could see Jerry's spurs(马刺). He had them in the right place.

    Again Wild Lady jumped, kicking and turning. Then she began a quick turn. Now I knew why all the riders were afraid of her. Around and around she went. Again and again she dug her front legs into the ground and kicked up behind. Jerry's neck moved back each time the horse jumped.

    Now Wild Lady was turning fast-so fast that Jerry looked like part of her. Once I saw Jerry bounce(单起)up high, off to one side, "That's it!" I thought. But no! She was still riding.

    I was trying to count off the seconds with my fingers. But I was lost in the watching. I dug my nails(指甲)into my hand until it hurt. Wild Lady jumped higher and higher.

    Again the horse threw Jerry into the air. The people around me stood up. I couldn't see what was happening. But I heard, "Come on!" That was Jerry landing on the horse's back. Everybody was shouting. And they were still shouting when the bell rang. It was all over. Jerry had stayed on that horse for eight long seconds.

    Now I had seen Jerry ride. I don't know how he felt while he was on that horse. But I know how I felt watching him. That eight seconds was a long time for Jerry. It was a long time for me too!

    Here is a picture of my birthday party. My friends and I are all very happy at the party. Peter is eating the birthday cake. My mother makes it for us and it's delicious. My sister Molly is singing. And Selina is playing the guitar for her. Selina's father is a music teacher and he teaches Selina to play the guitar. Dave is talking about basketball with my brother. Where am I? I'm in front of Dave.