Is it difficult for you to remember things? I`d like to tell you some ways to improve your memory, so you shouldn't feel upset.

  My first advice is that if you want to remember something well, you have to review it regularly(有规律地). You might review the material two days after you learn it, then a week later, then two weeks later, and then a month later. After a month you will find that you can easily remember the material.

My second advice is to use a colored pen to highlight （标注）the important parts on your book. This will help you in two days. First, it will help you pay attention to the most important parts when you learn the language. It is always easier to remember only the key points. Second, this will make reviewing easier. When you open your book, the colored parts will show you the most important things quickly. In this way, you don't have to review all the material again.

  Another piece of advice is to use the proper time well. First, review all the information in your mind right before you go to sleep. Your brain is working while you are sleeping. If you think about the information before you go to sleep, you might be able to remember it better. Another good time for memorizing information is in the morning because you have just rested and your brain is fresh and clear. So you might also try to review the important information in the morning.

    Do you clean your school desks every day? If not, then maybe it's about the time for you to get started. Keyboards, computer mice and telephone dials are infected (polluted) with lots of germs(细菌), according to scientists from the University of Arizona, the US.

    The study suggests that office equipment should be regularly cleaned. “Desks are in fact germs' cafeterias(自助餐厅),” said Charles Garbage, a biologist who took part in the study. “They are breakfast bars, lunch tables and everything else.” The desks at your school are probably not different.

    The scientists found that telephones in workplaces have almost 4,000 germs/cm², keyboards 500 and computer mice around 250. The office as a whole contains 4, 750germs/cm².

    When some people catch a cold or flu, they leave germs on the surfaces(表面) they touch during the day. Some flu germs can live on the surface for up to 72 hours, so the germs can easily move to other people. If you're ever wondered why everyone catches the germs when only one student has a cold, now you know the answer.

    Experts in the US last month warned about the spread(传播) of the germs during flu seasons. They reminded Americans to cover their noses and mouths while sneezing, often wash their hands and clean their office desks.

Hand washing is the most important. Killing germs during hand washing is useful only if you clean carefully with soap and water for at least 30 seconds. You should pay close attention to cleaning your thumbs, fingertips and fingernails.

    When it comes to the letter grade on your test or homework, you might notice that there is no letter E. Have you ever thought about why that is so?

    In the A. B. C. D and F grading system, the first four letter are typically considered passing grades. An F in this system simply stands for "fail". The word "fail" happens to start with the letter F, which seems to leave out the letter E, The fact of the matter is that any letter can mean "not-passing" or "fail". Some schools have U grade for unsatisfactory", or I grade for "incomplete."

    Even with all this said, we should also point out that E grade actually has been used pretty commonly throughout the history of letter grades in the US.

    The first college in the US to use a letter grading system like the ones we use today is Mount Holyoke College. In 1897, they began to use the following grading scale:

A: 95-100% (excellent)   B: 85-94%(good)   C: 76-84%(fair)

D: 75%(barely passed)   E: below 75%(failed)

    We can see the inclusion of E instead of F.

    Gradually, the letter grading system became more popular throughout the US. However, many schools decided to drop the E grade and go straight to F. There is no evidence(证据)to really support this, but one possible explanation is that teachers were worried that some students and parents might mistake E for "excellent".

    Why do we have letter grades? Well, part of the reason is that they made grading simpler during n time of great change for schools. As the 20th century began, growing cites and an increase in immigration led to larger school classrooms. Most teachers at that time thought this new letter grading system was an easy, fair and clear way to grade students.

    Today, more and more people argue that letter grades don' t fully reflect(反映)student learning. However, as teachers try to improve grading methods, many parents continue to favor the letter grades they got as kids. They are familiar(熟悉) and easy for parents to understand. So while they might not be perfect, the letter grades probably aren't going away any time soon.

Dear Anna,

    Thank you for the photo of your family. This is my family photo. My grandfather is on the right. My parents are on the left. My father's name is Mike Smith. He is an English teacher. My mother is Linda Smith. She is not a teacher. That boy is my brother. His name is Mark. He is 12. He is in Class 2 Grade 5. That girl is me. I'm 14. I'm in Class 1 Grade 7.

Susan

    In this letter, Susan shows(展示) her {#blank#}1{#/blank#} to Anna. There are {#blank#}2{#/blank#} people in this photo. Her grandpa is on the right and her parents are {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Mike Smith is an English teacher. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} is her mother. Mark is Susan's {#blank#}5{#/blank#} and he's 12. Susan is 14 and she's in Class 1 Grade 7.