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    LakeLander·2 hours ago

    Today, a man talked very loud on his phone on a train between Malvern and Reading, making many passengers upset. I wonder how he would react if I were to read my newspaperoutloudonthetrain, Ihave never had the courage to do it, though.

    Pak50          ···     ·57 minutes ago

    Why not give it a try? Perhaps you should take lessons on a musical instrument. The late musician Dennis Brian is said to have asked a fellow train passenger to turn off his radio. When his request was refused, he took out his French horn(号) and started to practice.

    Angie O'Edema·42 minutes ago

    I don't see how musical instruments can help improve manners in public. Don't do to others what you wouldn't like to be done to yourself. Once, a passenger next to me talked out loud on his mobile phone. I left my seat quietly, giving him some privacy to finish his conversation. He realized this and apologised to me. When his phone rang again later, he left his seat to answer it. You see, a bit of respect and cooperation can do the job better.

    Taodas                          ·29 minutes ago

    I did read my newspaper out loud on a train, and it turned out well. The guy took it in good part, and we chatted happily all the way to Edinburgh.

    Sophie 76                                     ·13minutes ago

    I have not tried reading my newspaper out loud on a train, but ,several years ago, I read some chapters from Harry Porter to my bored and noisy children. Several passengers seemed to appreciate what I did.

    The old man walked with a cane (拐杖) slowly into the restaurant. His poor jacket, patched (打补丁的) trousers, and worn-out shoes made him stand out from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd. Unforgettable were his pale blue eyes that sparkled (闪光) like diamonds, large rosy cheeks, and thin lips that held a steady smile. He walked toward a table by the window. A young waitress watched him and ran over to him, saying, “Here, Sir. Let me give you a hand with that chair.” Without a word, he smiled and nodded a thank you. She pulled the chair away from the table. Supporting him with one arm, she helped him move in front of the chair, and get comfortably seated. Then she pushed the table up close to him, and leaned his cane against the table where he could reach it. In a soft, clear voice he said, “Thank you, Miss.” “You're welcome, Sir.” She replied. “My name is Mary. I'll be back in a moment. If you need anything, just wave at me.”

    After he had finished a hearty meal of pancakes, bacon, and hot lemon tea, Mary brought him the change, helping him up from his chair and out from behind the table. She handed him his cane, and walked with him to the front door. Holding the door open for him, she said, “Come back and see us, Sir!” He nodded a thank you and said softly with a smile, “You are very kind!”

    When Mary went to clean his table, she was shocked. Under his plate she found a business card and a note written on the napkin, under which was a $ 100 bill. The note on the napkin read, “Dear Mary, I respect you very much, and you respect yourself, too. It shows by the way you treat others. You have found the secret of happiness. Your kind gestures will shine through those who meet you.”

    The man she had served was the owner of the restaurant. This was the first time that she, or any of his employees, had seen him in person.

    Today we talk about a time when half the world is waking from the dark, cold winter months. Spring! We often describe “spring” as a time of rebirth, renewal and awakening. Many trees are blossoming and early flowers are pushing through the earth. Things are coming to life!

    But the word “spring” is not just a season. It is also a verb that means something going on or coming out quickly. When you put “spring” and “life” together, you will get “spring to life”. This expression means something suddenly becomes very active or perhaps seems more alive! You may “spring to life” after hearing that a distant friend will be visiting you. Or maybe your favorite soccer team finally “sprang to life” in the second half, played well and won the match.

    Now, besides being a season and a verb the noun “spring” refers to a metal coil (线圈) that is wound tightly. When the coil unwinds, it often jumps. So, we often say a person “has a spring in his step” if he is lively and active. He might even appear to jump, or bounce a little when he walks.

    There is another way we use “spring” as a description. In the case of a “spring chicken”, “spring” means young. However, “spring chicken” is also an informal, humorous way to refer to someone who isn't young at all. So, we use this expression in the negative form, as in “no spring chicken”. For example, let's say you know an 85-year-old man who decides to run a marathon, even though he has never exercised before. You could say, “That's amazing! After all, he's no spring chicken.”

    But be careful when using this expression. It could be a little disrespectful. Let's say your boss shows you a picture of his wife, and you say, “Wow, she's no spring chicken.” That response would be disrespectful and a bad career move.

    Getting less sleep has become a bad habit for most American kids. According to a new survey by the National Sleep Foundation, 51% of kids aged 10 to 18 go to bed at 10 pm or later on school nights, even though they have to get up early. Last year the Foundation reported that nearly 60% of 7- to 12-year-olds said they felt tired during the day, and 15% said they had fallen asleep at school.

    How much sleep you need depends a lot on your age. Babies need a lot of rest: most of them sleep about 18 hours a day! Adults need about eight hours. For most school-age children, ten hours is ideal. But the new National Sleep Foundation survey found that 35% of 10- to 12-year-olds get only seven or eight hours. And guess what almost half of the surveyed kids said they do before bedtime? Watch TV.

    “More children are going to bed with TVs on, and there are more opportunities(机会) to stay awake, with more homework, the Internet and the phone,” says Dr. Mary Carskadon, a sleep researcher at Brown University Medical School. She says these activities at bedtime can get kids all excited and make it hard for them to calm down and sleep. Other experts say part of the problem is chemical. Changing levels of body chemicals called hormones not only make teenagers' bodies develop adult characteristics, but also make it hard for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 pm.

    Because sleepiness is such a problem for teenagers, some school districts have decided to start high school classes later than they used to. Three years ago, schools in Edina, Minnesota, changed the start time from 7:25 am to 8:30 am. Students, parents and teachers are pleased with the results.

    Here is some general information about Edison Elementary School. For more information, you can visit our website which is printed on the cover.

    Attendance：

    Please contact the office at 480－472－5282 if your child is going to be absent.

    Renaissance Reading：

    The Accelerated Reader (AR) Program is a computerized reading enrichment program that combines great children's literature with computer skills. As an individualized reading program, it is designed to motivate students to read more and to read good literature. Students of different abilities can use this program. It is not a competitive program but one that improves any student's reading ability.

    Here is how it works. Students select books in their reading range from our Accelerated Reader Selection and read it at their own pace. Once the student has completed the book, he/she is ready to take an AR quiz. Each quiz consists of 5, 10, or 20 multiple choice comprehensive questions about the book.

    After taking the quiz, the computer shows the student how many questions he/she answered correctly, shows the correct answers for missed questions, and praises the students' efforts with an on­screen personalized message. Passing the quiz assures the teacher and the parent that the child actually read and understood the book. Each student tests independently—reading the quiz questions himself/herself.

    The computer keeps track of reading points, books, and average test scores, as well as other data. A student may test on a book only once and should, therefore, have thoroughly read and understood the contents before taking the quiz. Each student is responsible for reading the screen to be sure the quiz, by title and author, is the correct one he/she wishes to take.

    Students are recognized for their accomplishments with praise from the teachers and special recognition at the classroom level when individual and/or classroom goals are met.

    PTO：We have an active Parent Teacher Organization. They have monthly meetings, check the calendar for the meeting times and places.

    The University of Tokyo has eight museums covering various fields such as medicine, agriculture and art. Click the names of the museums below to read brief introductions about their histories and exhibits.

    The University Museum

    Having accumulated over three million academic materials for its collection since the University of Tokyo was founded in 1877, the University Museum is the largest museum of its kind in Japan. From the time of its reorganization into an independent entity in May 1996, the Museum has held exhibitions over 60 times.

    The Museum of Health and Medicine

    The Museum of Health and Medicine seeks to provide information about health and medicine to the general public and advance education for students studying medicine. The Museum features both a permanent and a temporary exhibition space and a temporary exhibition space, with the latter focusing on topics related to medical care and the study of medicine.

    The Agricultural Museum

    The Agricultural Museum displays materials from the collection of the University's Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, Notable items on display include the documents and portraits of scientists affiliated (隶属的)with the University, internal organs of Japan's famous dog Hachiko, and drawings illustrating German agriculture and the varieties of Japanese cows.

    The Farm Museum

    The Farm Museum opened in 2007 within a renovated dairy bam. The bam was built in 1934 as part of the moving of the University of Tokyo's farm from Komaba to Tanashi, an area in Western Tokyo. The Museum features both permanent and temporary exhibitions. Permanent exhibitions include European farming equipment used on the Komaba Farm, tools for agricultural experiments, agricultural machinery, American tractors and drawings illustrating German agriculture.