John was born without arms. As a child, he learned to do many things with his legs. But there were a lot of things he couldn't do. His parents even had to feed him. His seven brothers had to help him to get dressed.

    One day his mom decided not to help John anymore. She told John's brothers not to help him either. "Let John do everything on his own," she said. "If John needs to eat, let him eat by himself. Let him get the dish himself. If he breaks up a few dishes, it's fine. No one will help him to get dressed either. Let him wear his clothes himself. If he can't get dressed himself, then let him run without clothes. But no one is allowed to help him. He has to learn to do everything himself."

    John's mother loved him. She wanted to help him. But if she always helped him, he wouldn't learn anything. She wanted him to be independent.

    Soon John learned to do everything by himself. When he was sixteen, he could even drive a car with his feet. John felt very proud. He thanked his mother for making him independent.

    Today John is a grown-up man. He has a business of his own and he is very successful. He also travels around the world.

    John likes children very much. He likes to talk and play with them. He tells them that they can learn to do anything. He teaches them how to be independent.

    When parents send their children to school，often they don't know what happens day to day. Parents depend on what their children tell them about they are doing and what they are learning. Generally schools will host parent-teacher meeting at least twice a year. Parent-teacher meetings are short meetings between parents and their children's teacher. Usually they are held when teachers give put a student's grades for the term. The parent-teacher meetings give teachers a chance to let parents know how their child is doing. A teacher will let a parent know the student's advantages and bring to the parent's attention any problems with grades or behavior(行为).The meetings also offer parents the chance to ask questions and see what their child is learning.

    Most children do not go along with their parents to the meetings. This allows both the parent and teacher to talk honestly about the child's progress without making the child feel bad. Usually a teacher will offer advice to the parent on how to support their child's education.

Here is what to do if a storm comes your way!

Hurricanes (飓风) and typhoons (台风) are big storms. They can be up to 600 miles across and have strong winds at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour (千米/小时). The storms can last for a week. When they come, the heavy rain, strong winds and large waves can damage buildings, trees and cars. Storms can also cause injury (伤害) and death.

If a hurricane or typhoon is likely in your area, you should:

◆ Listen to the radio or watch TV for information.

● Make sure that your house is safe by closing your doors and windows.

● Make sure that you have plenty of water for drinking and cleaning.

Leave your home under the following conditions:

◆ If you live near the sea or the river.

◆ If you feel you are in danger.

If you are unable to get out follow the following advice:

◆ Stay indoors during the hurricane and keep away from windows and glass doors.

● Close all inside and outside doors.

◆ If the storm dies down, do not go outside because the winds may pick up (增强) again.

◆ Lie on the floor under a table.

Do you believe that we can have an important influence on anyone we meet？The right words at just the right time could1 someone's life. 

When I was 3 years old，my parents found I was2 . After asking many doctors and parents of other deaf children，they decided not to put me in a special school. Although I seemed outgoing（外向的）my self﹣esteem（自尊心）was quite low. On my first day at school，the other kids3 me because of my hearing aid and the way I talked. I was hurt deeply and I saw myself as a（n）4 kid. 

Mrs. Green，my5 ，changed all of that with a simple three﹣word phrase. One morning，she asked the class a question. Sitting at my desk silently，I6 her tips（哦唇） and raised my hand right away. She called on me in front of the blackboard. I took a deep breath and7 answered Mrs. Green's question. 

I will8 forget what happened next. Mrs. Green pointed directly at me. With sparkling（闪光的）eye sand a big smile she cried： "That's right，Ben!"

For the first time in my young life，my confidence rose. At that moment，I decided that no matter how many9 I may face，I can overcome（克服）them. Thanks to those three10 words，my whole life changed from that moment.