I'd like to talk about the school system in Australia today. The school system in Australia does depend on {#blank#}1{#/blank#} you go to a private school or a public school. In the state I'm from, there are a lot of private schools, and generally they are single-sex high schools. The public high schools are generally {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (mix). All of the private high schools insist that you should wear their school uniforms, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} that might mean{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (wear) a school tie and a school jacket. However, the public high schools often give you a {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (choose) of whether you want to wear a uniform or not. The school classes generally start anywhere{#blank#}6{#/blank#} 8:30 and 9 o'clock in the morning and run {#blank#}7{#/blank#} 3:30 in the afternoon, and they're followed by after-school {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (active) like sports and music theater. The school year generally starts in the{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (begin) on February, after our summer vacation, which lasts about six weeks around the Christmas period.

    The only thing I don't like about our school system is the idea of the difference in quality of education between the private and the public schools. It remains{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (see) whether you can get a better education, even if you are in a private high school. Most of our public high schools are quite good.

    Many of my friends like fall and take it as their favorite season. Last weekend, I went outdoors and soon {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(find) a deeper appreciation for this season.

    The change of leaf colors is a common reason given {#blank#}2{#/blank#}the love of fall. Each tree reacts{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(different) to the change of the season. Some shed their leaves in hopes of reproducing; however, other {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(tree) remain green for as long as possible to gain additional energy from the sun to survive the winter. This effect {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(call) the flight-or-fight response.

    Fall is a time of{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(reflect) and preparation for the year ahead. I have found a meaning of fall for me. I'm {#blank#}7{#/blank#}18-year-old boy in the final year of high school and my life is a work in progress. There are times I want to give up, but then I look around me and realize life keeps {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(move).The natural cycle of life is beautiful and doesn't stop growing so I have to learn to keep up.

The meaning of fall is different for each person. I encourage you {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(go) out to follow some path or sidewalk and discover {#blank#}10{#/blank#}fall means to you.

    A trip to China with the kids could be a test to your nerves,but also a{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(wonder)experience.This is an ancient civilization which is growing at great speed into the 21^st century,meanwhile holding onto the old traditions and way of life.

    As you travel from area to area,a sea of contrasts is{#blank#}2{#/blank#}makes it so fascinating.You can find an old fisherman on his bamboo boat{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(answer) his mobile phone,and modernity and old traditions existing side by side.The only constant thing in China is “change”.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}first it might seem challenging.But you{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(find)the people helpful,especially if you are traveling with children.Chinese love children,{#blank#}6{#/blank#}more the happier.

    But as far as children{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(concern),this isn't a light-hearted trip to Disneyworld.What if they get sick?Will the kids like the food?Is{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(pollute)really that bad?Will they be bored?Just relax.You can depend on{#blank#}9{#/blank#}that you'll end up with plenty of priceless{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(memory) of that country.

    Itzhak Perlman, a famous violinist, came on stage to give a concert. He was stricken with polio（小儿麻痹症）as a child, so getting on stage is no small {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (achieve).

    The audience sat quietly while he made his way across the stage {#blank#}2{#/blank#} his chair and began his play. But this time,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} went wrong. Just as he finished the first part, one of the strings on his violin {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(break). We thought that he would have to stop the concert. But he didn't.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again.

    {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(power) and pure, his performance attracted all the attention.

    Of course, anyone believes {#blank#}7{#/blank#}impossible to play a harmonious work with just three strings. I know that, and you know that, but that night Itzhak Perlman refused {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (know) that.

    When he finished, people rose and cheered.

    {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (smile), he wiped the sweat and said, “You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with {#blank#}10{#/blank#}you have left.”

    The first UN Chinese Language Day {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (observe) on Friday at UN Headquarters in New  York in 2010. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the world's most widely spoken language, it seems appropriate that Mandarin (普通话) has one day every year dedicated (把…专用于) to it. This {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (official) marked day of Mandarin language celebration was set by the United Nations as a way of celebrating the language's history and {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (contribute) to the world. It is hoped that having one day every year {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (celebrate) Mandarin will encourage more people around the world to take it up. With China likely to become the {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (large) economy in the world, it is important that the wider world becomes interestingly more perfect in this wonderful language. Every year UN Chinese Language Day {#blank#}7{#/blank#} ( fall) on April 20. A great way to get {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (involve) in the celebration is to join a Mandarin class or attend one of the many Confucius Institutes (孔子学院){#blank#}9{#/blank#} are set up in countries around the world. The number of people learning Chinese is on {#blank#}10{#/blank#} increase in China's neighboring countries, such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

    From the first day I arrived in Kunming, I had my understanding of China {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(change). Far from being narrow-minded and hostile to {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(foreign), people came up to talk to me the first time I went out on the street. It happened to be all in Chinese, so I didn't understand much, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}it did cause me to rethink my assumptions.

    As my Chinese improved, this continued throughout my stay, from my landlord introducing me to people who could help us learn Chinese to {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(get) to know the couple who ran a noodle restaurant nearby.

    If you're interested in other people, their culture, and their language, they'll be{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(friend) to you. China isn't {#blank#}6{#/blank#}exception.

    Don't judge a country by its media coverage, {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(especial) some Western media, which have much prejudice.

    I saw a very different kind of China with my own eyes. Kunming, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} I lived for most of my stay, wasn't much polluted. I had frank conversations with Chinese people about almost everything.

    Still China {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(develop), but the economic growth means that most people {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(see) their living standards improve rapidly in the last 20 years. People I spoke with were generally optimistic about the future.