In the US  Summer vacation starts in early June and ends around late August. Teachers will give summer homework. There are many classes and camps for middle school students. They can be about sports, cooking, boating or outdoor skills. Some students will try to make money by doing housework, such as babysitting or mowing the lawn(割草坪) for neighbours. Some will also do volunteer work, such as helping old or poor people.

    In the UK  ①Summer vacation starts around June 24 and ends on September 3. In Scotland, teachers hardly give schoolwork to kids to do during the summer. So, many of my friends and their families like to travel abroad.

    In France Summer vacation usually goes from mid-June to the end of August. French students don't have any homework or extra classes over the summer. Some students like travelling around the world. ②They see nature in Africa or visit English-speaking countries to learn English. Other students have fun in France. They go to the beach, see friends and watch movies.

    In Australia Summer vacation starts in late December and ends in early February. During the vacation, students have to finish their homework. They should read and write reports on three to five English books. They also need to work with their classmates to do science projects. Australian students often go to special interest classes during the vacation. They learn singing, cooking and so on.

Information card

    Over the last few centuries, there have been many changes in our lives.

    To start with, people were not able to travel such a long distance in such a short time in the past. Planes were not very popular at that time because they used to be a very expensive way to travel. Nowadays, we have fast, comfortable cars, and more and more people can travel by plane.

    Secondly, in the past, people had to work much harder because they did not have the tools that we have today. Today, most of the difficult and dangerous work is done by computers and machines.

    Thirdly, in the past, the living conditionswere not as good as they are now. There were no bathrooms or running water in many houses, and many people could not buy things like fridges, TV sets or washing machines. Now, most families have several of these things.

    Finally, nowadays, more and more people have the chance to get a good education. In the past, there were fewer schools and the quality of education was much poorer. Also, it is much easier to find the educational materials that you need on the Internet now. 

    The scientific and technological development in the world is amazing. Life now is much faster and busier than it used to be. And we are still creating new things to make our lives better and easier.

    We've heard about several "poor students" in the past year. Cui Qingtao, a student from Yunnan, working with his parents on a building site when he got an admission letter(录取通知书) from Peking University. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} She is a student form Hebei. She was doing her part-time job in a different city when her family got her admission letter from Peking University.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} For example, they are all strong and optimistic (乐观的). Li Enhui said in an interview, "As long as we are alive, there are no problems that cannot be solved, and many people don't have my experiences. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}" Such an idea makes many adults feel embarrassed. He refused to accept donation money and decided to make money by himself. This is also the common thing that "poor students" have. Whatever kind of values you hold, such personalities(品格) are necessary for growth. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Not everything goes well all the time. Only being strong and optimistic, can one go through difficulties. In fact, living in poor families doesn't promise such good personalities, and living in happiness doesn't promise optimistic attitudes(态度). We like such "poor students" because they are strong and optimistic.

    For them, few can choose their lifestyles. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} That's why they are highly praised. Every one of us should learn from them.

Improving Listening Sills in the Classroom

    Listening is a skill that needs to be learned and used well to be able to succeed in any environment. In the classroom, great listening skills mean the difference between a successful student and one who struggles (挣扎) in school.

    Come to class rested.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When your body is well taken care of, your mental (精神的) focus will be much better. If you come to class sleepy or tired, it may be impossible for you to keep your eyes open and concentrate (集中) on what the teacher is saying.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Have everything you need at the start of the class. If you have homework, make sure you are ready to hand it in. Bring out your notebook and pen so you can start taking down notes Also, try to read your textbooks before coming into class. It will help you understand more easily what your teacher is talking about.

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    When you're in the front of the class, you'll have an easier time hearing what the teacher has to say you won't have a daydream when the teacher is near you.

    Take down notes.

    Write down what you hear in class. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It will also make you concentrate more on what is being said So you can properly take notes. Try to concentrate when you are in class so that you are able to get the key points during a lecture. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Once you learn techniques to help you with this skill, you should see an improvement in your listening.