Do you often help the people who are in need?

One day, two boys were walking along the road to school when they saw an old woman carrying a large basket of pears. The old woman looked very tired. They went up and said, “Are you going to town? If you are, we'll help you carry your basket.”

“Thank you,” said the woman. “That's very kind of you.” Then she told them that she was going to the market to sell the pears. So the boys decided to lift the basket together. They walked slowly with the heavy basket, but they were happy.

 The other day, I saw a little girl pick up a piece of banana peel(水果皮). She threw it into the dustbin(垃圾箱). “I  hope nobody would throw that on the street,”she said. “Someone may slip (滑倒) and fall.”

Perhaps some people may say that these are not great things. That's right. But almost all great things are made up of such small things. We shouldn't wait for the time to do great things. We should begin with these things that are full of love.

    If we agree that education is used to prepare us for life, then there is very little time to waste. So, while we can, we should teach children something really useful. Here is what our school should teach.

    Politeness is a mark of civilization(文明). The sooner children learn this, the better. In any case, a lot can be achieved by a smile and good manners.

    Like it or not, our adults work hard for money, but we don't make an effort to teach children how to manage it. So our schools have a duty to teach them this ability from the beginning.

    We're likely to accept something we are told, but that's not what educated people do. Educated people are reasonable(理性的) and they look at facts. If our schools teach nothing else, they should at least teach critical（批判性的）thinking.

    Children should learn to take care of their health. They should know that if they eat junk food（垃圾食品）, they will become fat and unhealthy. They should be very clear about what happens to their bodies when they drink or smoke.

    All of us are part of society. We have rights and duties. We should understand what they are. We have to know a little bit of history and geography, because we need to have an environment in which to communicate with the people around us.

    In a word, our schools should spend every moment they have telling this to our children: “This is life, this is what you are going to face, and this is how you deal with it.”

Teenage life—better now, or in the past?

    Does this situation sound familiar（熟悉）?

    You are complaining（抱怨）to your parents about something. Maybe your computer isn't powerful enough to play the latest games.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.Then you hear…

    “When I was your age, there weren't any computers or video games. And I didn't get a bike until I was sixteen. And it was second-hand.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}”

    So, is it really true that life is better for teenagers now? It is certainly true that many teenagers have got more things nowadays.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}So parents have got more money to spend on each child. And many things are cheaper than they were when our parents were children.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Forty years ago, no one could imagine a world with tiny computers and amazing smartphones. And now these things are necessary—we can't imagine living without them!

    However, technology often means we spend more time at home. And often it's just us, with our computer or television. Teenagers don't do enough exercise.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} And, although young people still get on well with their friends, some people think teenagers today don't have so many social activities as they did in the past.

    What do you think? How is teenage life better these days?

A. And it was too big for me.

B. A typical family is smaller now.

C. Or your friends' bikes are better than yours.

D. So they aren't as healthy as they were in the past.

E. Technology is probably the greatest change in our life.

If you receive an e-mail that looks something like this:

    ARE YOU GOING TO CLASS TODAY? How does reading this message make you feel? Why did the sender use all capital letters(大写字母)? Was he or she angry, or did that person just forget to turn off the 'Cap Lock' on the computer? The fact is, this e-mail is usually the way that people shout online. Knowing when and when not to use capital letters is just one example of online etiquette(礼仪) —often called 'netiquette'. Virginia Shea's book, Netiquette, lists a basic set of dos and don'ts for communicating suitably with others on the Internet. Following are some of her suggestions.

    First, always remember that you are sending messages to a real person, not just to a computer. Don't type anything that you wouldn't say to someone's face. Also, remember that the person who receives your message cannot hear the tone of your voice, or see the expression on your face, so make sure your meaning is clear.

    Don't do anything online that you wouldn't do in real life. Don't take anything without paying for it, unless it's free. Don't use information that someone else has written, and say it's yours. Don't read other people's e-mail—you wouldn't open your next-door neighbor's mailbox and open their mail, right? Do share your knowledge of the Internet with others. It's a big place with lots of information, and there are many new things to discover.

    Remember that people judge(判断) you by your words as well as your actions, so try to write well. Good writing skills, as well as correct grammar and spelling, matter(有关系). Send polite, well-written e-mail messages to others. If you're uncertain about how to spell a word or which phrases to use, look it up. There are lots of helpful books and websites.

    It's okay to show your ideas online in forums(论坛) like chat room or message boards, but don't start arguments with people. 'Flame wars' in online discussions can be interesting to read, but are often unfair to other members of the group. Express your opinions, but remember that fighting online or offline is just not suitable.

    When you're online, just as in 'real' life, try to respect(尊重) other people's space, privacy and feelings. Remember, you are not the only one travelling on this highway!

    We live on the earth. We use the sea around us. What do we take from the ocean? And what do we give to it?

    We take fishes from the ocean—millions of kilograms of fish, every year, to feed millions of people. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}We take minerals (矿物) from the ocean. We can get salt by evaporating (蒸发) seawater. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}such as gold. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Seaweed (海草) becomes food of many kinds—even candy and ice cream—as well as medicine. Believe it or not, fresh water is another gift from the sea. We can't drink ocean water. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}But ocean water becomes fresh water when the salts are removed. In the future, we will find ourselves depending more and more on fresh water from the sea.

    The sea gives us food, fertilizer, minerals, water and other gifts. What do we give the sea? We pollute the ocean all the time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Throwing waste into the ocean is killing off sea life. Yet as the world population grows, we may need the sea and its gifts more than ever.

    We are finally learning that if we destroy our sea, we might also destroy ourselves. Hopefully, it is not too late.