Playing is serious business for children．In fact, it's what they do best! Ask them why they do it, and kids will probably say, "Because it's fun!" But it's much more than that．It's also good for them．

    Studies show that from birth babies begin learning through playing．They use their five senses to get to know their new world．Touching allows them to discover how different things feel．Brightly coloured toys and clothing help develop a baby's sense of sight (视觉)．When small children choose which toy to play with, they begin developing their abilities in making decisions．

    Children love toys that allow them to use their imagination (想象力)．Sometimes an empty box is more fun than a high-tech (高科技) toy．That's because a box can become anything to a child．

    Crayons, paints and Play-Doh (彩色塑泥) are also good because they allow children to create．Traditional building blocks teach important pre-maths skills．

Playing doesn't become any less important once children start school．Many valuable lessons about life are learned on the school playground．Kids learn how to share, take turns and play by the rules．

    Beijing Opera used to sound strange to Dou Yi. The 14-year-old Beijinger said whenever she came across Beijing Opera on TV. she changed the channel(频道).{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    But since Dou entered the Xuanwu branch school of Beijing No.15 Middle School, she has been studying Beijing Opera in music class every week.

    Dou and her classmates listen to Beijing Opera and learn the basics(基础知识) from professional actors.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    “We laugh sometimes because the tunes(声调) are really hard to learn. ” said Dou.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    “After all. I am no longer a layman(外行). ”she said.

    Since 2008, schools around the country have been teaching students Beijing Opera.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Clearly. Dou's school has been taking the job seriously.

    Yang Ning, 14, is Dou's classmate. She has been studying Beijing Opera since she was 8.She is a member of the school's Beijing Opera club.

    Yang said she had learned a lot from Beijing Opera.

    “I learn a lot of history from the operas. ”she said.“ I've also found out about many ancient poems. since there are so many of them in the operas.”

    Yang doesn't think everyone can learn to sing Beijing Opera well. But she does say that it's helpful for all people to learn about it.

    “The more you learn about it, the more you understand it.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} It would be a great pity if it did！” she said.

    Good morning! I am an English boy. My name is Frank Smith. My first name is Frank, and my last name is Smith. My telephone number is 451-3175. I am in China now. I like blue and white. My pen is blue, and my ruler is white. I have two friends, Grace Brown and Mike Green. Grace is a nice girl. Her phone number is 535 -9861. She has a green cup and she likes it. But Mike has no phone. His QQ number is 86324176. He has a cup, too. He likes yellow very much.

    For most of us, the days are divided into day and night. But for two months each winter in Northern Norway (挪威), it's dark for 20 hours a day. There is no sunrise or sunset because the sun never gets above the horizon (地平线) .

    Would you like to live in darkness for this long? It may seem difficult, but many people in Norway love the beautiful colors of these months.

    To the south are the red and gold colors of the horizon. To the north, the sky is a special blue. Even the moon and the stars look blue. In the towns, the lights in the streets shine like little yellow diamonds.

    People do need light to be healthy and happy. Since they don't have much daylight during this time of the year, they exercise and eat foods with vitamins (维生素) A and D, people usually get energy from being in the sun.

    And darkness doesn't stop people there from having a good time. Each winter, some people are skiing on hills and skating on ponds that are lit up. Others are going to film and music festivals And other people are spending time with friends in cafes and restaurants. Of course, not everyone is so active in the dark months. Many people are just going to sleep a little earlier until the sun returns in spring.