What do you read when you travelling by train? What about other passengers? Perhaps a woman{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(sit) near you is reading a romantic novel. A man is reading a serious biography about a politician. And there's a student reading an English textbook.

    What do their{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(choice) say about them? Do you judge them by{#blank#}3{#/blank#}they reading? I have to tell you that your impressions of them may be{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(complete) wrong. The woman reading the romantic novel could be a {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(law). She just wants a light read to take her mind off work. The man reading the biography wants you{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(consider) him knowledgeable, and he is just {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(show)off. The student reading the textbook isn't a student at all. She's an English teacher.

    Publishers know people are {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (concern)about what they read on public transport and put out different versions (版本) of a cover For example, books about Harry Potter have an{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (interest)cover for young readers and then another more serious version for adults.

    So next time you see what other people are reading on a train don't jump to any conclusions.

    Here is a situation {#blank#}10{#/blank#} you could say, "Don't judge a book by its cover.”

    “Why do we have to learn about these useless things?” This is what teachers have heard students complain about most {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (common). In such cases, we may tell the students such {#blank#}2{#/blank#} story:

    One night, a group of herdsmen（牧民）were about to leave the campsite when there appeared a flash of bright light. They knew that God would be there, so they looked forward to {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(get) wishes from God. God {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(begin)to speak: “You have to collect along the way a number of stones. Tomorrow night, you may be very happy, but you may be very regretful.” Then God disappeared.

    The herdsmen were very {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(disappoint), because they would look forward to God to bring them untold wealth or treasure, but they did not expect that God had told them to do all these meaningful things. However, in any case, after all, that was God's will. Although there {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (be) some dissatisfaction, they were still picking over some stones. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} this way, they took a day. When night fell, they stopped. All of a sudden, they found that all the stones they picked had turned into {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (diamond). They were happy, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} at the same time, they felt very sorry, and they regretted that they had not collected more stones.

    Now we feel that knowledge is as useless as stones, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} may become endless wealth in the future.

    In 1969, the pollution is terrible along the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland, Ohio. It {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (be) unimaginable that it could ever be cleaned up. The river was so polluted {#blank#}2{#/blank#}it actually caught fire and burned. Now years later, this rive is one of {#blank#}3{#/blank#} most outstanding examples of environmental clean-up.

    But river wasn't changed in a few days {#blank#}4{#/blank#} even a few months. It took years of work {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (reduce) industrial pollution and clean the water. Finally, that hard work paid off and now the water in the river is {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (clean) than ever.

    Maybe you are facing an impossible situation. Maybe you have a habit {#blank#}7{#/blank#} is driving your family crazy. Possibly you drink too much or don't know how to control your credit card use. When you face such impossible situation, don't you want a quick fix and something to change immediately?

    While there are {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (amaze) stories of instant transformation, for most of us the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (change) are gradual and require a lot of effort and work, like cleaning up a polluted river. Just be {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (patience).

    Is there such a thing as being "over-protective"?

    I can honestly say that my answer to that question {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(change) dramatically(戏剧性地)since I became a parent.

    Before the birth of my daughter, I taught at{#blank#}2{#/blank#}private school, often viewing my students as over-protected, worrying  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}would happen when they went on to middle schools.

    Some did fine, and some did not. Some needed constant pats on the back, words of  {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(inspire) and extra support, which I {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(happy) gave. Others were content on their own, needing little {#blank#}6{#/blank#} no interaction(互动)with their teacher.

I'd always supposed their parents were over-protective, for they were the ones that still walked their  {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(five) graders into the classroom and met them at the school gate.

    Admittedly, I laughed at those parents, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(think) their children would never learn to be  {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(independence) if they didn't let go just a little. Then I had my own daughter. The moment I looked at her little face, I {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(know) I'd do everything in my power to protect her and make sure she always felt safe!