“USA? Britain? Which country is better to study in?” We often hear such discussion. As China opens its door, studying abroad has become a dream for many Chinese students. They want to learn about the world. It's true that studying abroad can help students develop themselves. Language skills will improve and it may be easier to find a job.
But there are problems that should be considered. Language is the first. Students must spend a lot of time learning another language and getting used to a different culture.
Students must also learn to live without parents' care and deal with all kinds of things they haven't had to do before, like looking after themselves. There are reports about Chinese students abroad sinking in an ocean of difficulties and giving up easily. When they have to take care of themselves, it is hard for the students to study well.
Finally, studying abroad brings a heavy burden (负担) to the family. For most Chinese parents, the cost of studying abroad is very high. But is it worth it?
We know that there are many famous people who succeed in great things through their hard work in China. Liu Xiang is a good example. Once an American teacher invited him there but he refused. He kept training hard with his Chinese teacher. He surprised the world when he won a gold medal at Athens Olympics. So when you wonder which country is better to study in, consider whether studying abroad is the right choice.

    Linda has three dollars. She wants to buy a birthday gift(礼物) for her father. She comes to a big store. She looks at the things and thinks, “I'll (我将要) buy him something nice.”

     “Can I help you?" says Mr Smith, the shopkeeper(店主). “Yes, please. I want to buy a gift for my dad's birthday,” answers Linda, “but I don't know what to buy.” Mr. Smith gives her a nice shirt and says, “Do you like this shirt? It's twenty dollars.” “Yes, but I only have three dollars,” says Linda. Then she sees a nice white tie（领带）. She knows her father would like it .She wants to buy it, but the price must be very high.

     “How much is it?” She asks. Mr. Smith looks at her, and then he says. That's just three dollars. “Oh, fine!” Linda is very happy. “I'll take it.”

    Americans love sports--they love to play them, to watch them on television, and to talk about them. But this hobby sometimes has serious results-- at least to the players. For example, when people play tennis, sometimes they hurt their elbows(肘部) and in this way they develop "tennis elbow". Also it is easy to hurt a knee in a football game. These injuries happen while the player is having fun, but they still hurt.

    A few months ago Kathleen Simmons, who loves playing volleyball, hurt her knee in a volleyball game. Her doctor told her that she needed a very difficult operation(手术) or she might not be able to play again. She felt very sad and didn't know what to do.

    Then Simmons learned about "video operation". Simmons found a hospital that was using this new science and went to see the doctor there. The doctors told her the operation could help.

    For this operation, her doctor didn't have to open her knee. Instead he put a very small camera lens(镜头)inside her knee. The lens sent back pictures, which appeared on a television screen. As he worked, he could see the inside of her knee on the TV. With the help of the large pictures on the screen, the doctor knew exactly what to do when he was making the repairs.

    Simmons started walking five days after her operation. Now, six months after her operation, Simmons can do everything she did before her injury. She can play volleyball again."

Information Card

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Don't go straight to bed after studying in the evening. Do something else, such as walking or getting exercise. Choose something that will relax you, and make you think of other things.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} When I am going to choose where to go, I feel very difficult, although there are too many wonderful places for choosing. My children are too young. I usually leave my children with my parents, but they complain all the time for they would like to go with us.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} My child always goes online even during dinner time. 1 know he is playing computer games. The problem is becoming serious these days. I'm very worried about him. It makes me unhappy because his interest in computer games is growing day by day.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Sometimes I have to work overtime, I go back home at mid-night and feel very tired. Since we are so busy, I send my child to a lodging school（寄宿学校）and pick him up for the weekend.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} My job as a model makes me lose weight and keep it, but it is a hardship for me, I cannot refuse the temptation（引诱）of the food; as many people, overeating is in my way of losing weight.

    I did not grow up in a family with books.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}My process of being a reader seemed amazing. I got lost in one book that opened up my world and changed my life. My primary school teacher always gave her pupils time to read for pleasure in school. She believed it would improve reading greatly. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}It was a biography(传记) of actress Greta Garbo. I picked it up and began to read from cover to cover. The words I read attracted(吸引) me and I was excited. I realized that there were other women like Greta who had made great efforts and changed their lives. I recognized(认识) myself in her. 

    From then on, my teacher had a hard time keeping me supplied(提供) with books. She dug up all the biographies of women that she could find.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    It has been a long road. I am now a physics professor in a university. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Recently, someone gave me Justice Sonia Sotomayor's autobiography. Once again, I am encouraged and am imagining new possibilities for my life.