Two years ago, a small town in Changhua started to grow healthy rice. The healthy rice was not grown by farmers but by the students from a small primary school of only about fifty people.

    The idea of growing rice came from the school teachers. When making teaching plans, the teachers decided to teach students how to grow healthy rice on school land. They wanted the students to get closer to the land when doing the rice farming outside the classroom.

What's better, the school made money from selling the rice and giving farming classes to the public. With the money, the school could help the students who wished to go to foreign countries some day. Today the dream is becoming real — the students are flying to Japan to share their special farming experiences, and have fun over there, of course! “We all feel very proud that even students from a small town can make themselves seen in the world,” said one of the teachers.

The pupils and teachers at Fairfield School think it's necessary to protect the environment! This is what they've been doing.

Growing vegetables

Fairfield School pupils started their own vegetable garden. Both children and teachers grow vegetables, then they pick them. In this way, school dinners are more delicious than ever before.

Recycling

The Fairfield pupils don't just bring their books to school — they bring their rubbish too! There are recycling bins(回收箱) in the playground for cans, plastic bottles and paper. The teachers give a prize every month to the pupil who's tried the hardest to recycle.

Finding cleaner ways to get around

Everyone walks or rides a bike to Fairfield School! “It's faster to ride bikes than to drive anyway, even the teachers don't use their cars.” says one pupil.

The Art of Paper

    Chen Zijiang is a paper-cutting expert whom I interviewed for my article on Chinese Art. Paper-cutting is something that he learned to do from an early age.

    "It is a Chinese folk art with a long history," Mr Chen told me, "Paper cuts of animals have been found in tombs{#blank#}1{#/blank#}" He added that by the Southern Song Dynasty, paper-cutting had become an important part of everyday life.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}They are paper cuts for decoration, for religious purposes(宗教目的) and for design patterns.

    Paper cuts for decoration are often seen on windows and gates.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} They are also used on presents. A present for parents whose child has recently been born might show a paper cut of children, for example. Paper cuts which show the Chinese character for double happiness are often used to celebrate weddings.

    Paper cuts for religious purposes are often found in temples.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    The third kind of paper cuts are those used to make patterns on clothing. They are also sometimes used to decorate jewellery boxes {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. They are usually put up during holidays to bring good luck.

B. They are also used as offerings to the dead.

C. Dragons are very popular patterns for these designs.

D. They can date back to the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasty.

E. Mr Chen went on to explain that there are three types of paper cuts which people still make today.

    A young man entered the last interview of a company. The director learnt that the young man's academic (学业的) grades were very good. "Did you get any scholarships (奖学金) in school?" the director asked. "None." The young man answered. "Did your father pay for your school fees?" the director asked. "My father died when I was one year old, so my mother paid my school fees." The young man answered.

    "Where did your mother work?" the director asked. "My mother washed clothes." The young man said. The director looked at the young man's hands. He had a pair of smooth and perfect hands.

    "Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" the director asked. "Never." The young man answered. "I have a request," the director said. When you go back today, wash your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning."

    The young man felt that his chance of getting the job was high. When he went back. He happily asked his mother to let him wash her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings. She showed her hands to the kid. The young man washed his mother's hands slowly. His tears fell when he did that. It was the first time he had noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled (有皱纹的).He realized it was this pair of hands that helped him pay the fees.

    The next morning, the young man went to the director's office. "I washed my mother's hands, and I know that without my mother, I would not be the person I am today." He said.

    "This is what I am looking for," the director said. "I want a person who can appreciate (感激) the help of others to get things done. You will be a member of our company.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}⑴My name is Gina, My phone number is 876- 4537.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}⑵I have a big family- my grandfather, my grandmother, my father, my mother, my brother, my sister and I.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}⑶I like hamburgers and tomatoes. My brother likes oranges and ice cream. My sister likes salad and bananas.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}⑷My birthday is on May 2nd. My brother's birthday is on January 5th. My sister s birthday is on June 3rd.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}⑸I like P. E. My brother likes math. My sister likes English.

    When I was a child, my parents always told me that I should never talk to strangers. This was part of a whole list of things I should never do never accept food or candy from strangers, never get in a car with strangers, and so on.

    But if we didn't start a conversation with strangers, we'd never make new friends and we'd never get a job. ①We may miss the joy that comes from talking with strangers. And the more people you know, the more chances you can find.

    The following passage offers you some advice on how to ②break the ice.

    Don't just stare at your shoes. Go and say "Hi" to that new guy. It will be easier to break the ice if you know more about different cultures.

British: Beautiful day, isn't it?

    The weather in Britain is changeable. So, it's one of the topics the British care most about. And there's a simple rule: Say "Yes" whether you agree with the person's idea on the weather or not. ③That's because the British start a conversation using the weather so that they can continue their talk.

    French: Where did you go on holiday?

    To talk with a French person, the safest way is to ask about his or her last holiday. French students enjoy a 10-to-15-day holiday every two months. French employees(雇员) get more than six weeks of holidays per year.

    American: So, where are you from?

    The US is so big and people move so often that the location is always a source(来源) of talk. You can try to find a connection with the place they're from. For example, if someone's from Los Angeles, you could say, "Oh, I have a friend who studied there."