As you may know, coral(珊瑚)is not a plant, but an animal. However, coral reefs(珊瑚礁)around the world are in{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Here is a piece of bad news. Thailand will close one of its beaches to protect its coral  {#blank#}2{#/blank#} business activities for tourists. The beach is so famous that {#blank#}3{#/blank#}of tourists put it on their wish lists. More than 5,000 visitors visit it a day. They arrive by boat. This does{#blank#}4{#/blank#} harm to the coral reefs. Most of the coral has died. The beach will be closed between June and September to let the coral come{#blank#}5{#/blank#}to life.

    Experts(专家)say that 80％of Thailand's coral reefs have been{#blank#}6{#/blank#}. Too many tourists {#blank#}7{#/blank#} a lot of pollution to these beaches. An expert said the biggest problems were hotels by the beaches, boats, and plastic waste in the sea. He believed the {#blank#}8{#/blank#}choice was to close the beaches forever. He said, "I hope the  {#blank#}9{#/blank#}  can take steps to protect the coral reefs. At the same time, I also hope all of us should{#blank#}10{#/blank#}our best to protect the environment around us."

Emphasizing social play in kindergarten improves academics

    Emphasizing social play and students helping one another in kindergarten improves academic outcomes, self-control and attention regulation, finds new UBC research. The study, published in the journal PLoS One, found this approach to kindergarten curriculum also {#blank#}1{#/blank#} children's joy in learning and teachers' enjoyment of teaching.

    "Before children have the ability to sit for long periods {#blank#}2{#/blank#} information, they need to be allowed to be {#blank#}3{#/blank#} and be encouraged to learn by doing," said Dr. Adele Diamond, the study's lead author. "Indeed, people of all ages learn better by doing than by being told."

    Through a controlled experiment, Diamond and her colleagues {#blank#}4{#/blank#} the effectiveness of a curriculum called Tools of the Mind (Tools). The curriculum was introduced to willing kindergarten teachers and 351 children with different backgrounds in 18 public schools.

    Tools was developed in 1993 by two American researchers. Its basic {#blank#}5{#/blank#} is that social-emotional development and improving self-control is as important as teaching academic skills and content. The Tools {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the role of social play in developing skills such as self-control, selective attention and planning. "Skills like self-control and selective attention are necessary for learning. They are often more strongly associated with school readiness (入学准备) than intelligence quotient (IQ)," said Diamond. "This experiment is the first to show {#blank#}7{#/blank#} of a curriculum emphasizing social play."

    Teachers reported more {#blank#}8{#/blank#} behavior and greater sense of community in Tools classes. Late in the school year, Tools teachers reported they still felt {#blank#}9{#/blank#} and excited about teaching, while teachers in the control group were exhausted. "I have enjoyed seeing the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} progress my students have made in writing and reading." said a Tools teacher in Vancouver. "I have also enjoyed seeing the students get so excited about coming to school and learning. They loved all the activities so much that many students didn't want to miss school, even if they were sick."

She will have an {#blank#}1{#/blank#}of her pictures.

His works {#blank#}2{#/blank#}in the best galleries in America, Europe and Asia.