Ireland now has one of the best education systems in the world. Class sizes are small, exam results are good and most children are happy to stay at school after the minimum(最低的) leaving age of sixteen. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    For years, Ireland had one of the most complicated(复杂的) education systems in the world. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Classes were large and the teaching was very traditional. As in many countries, teachers used to hit the children if they made mistakes. Fortunately, the punishment was not allowed in 1982.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} As a result, there were schools for the rich and schools for the poor. Boys and girls went to different schools. Nowadays, most schools are free and only about half the schools are either for girls or boys. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Girls do better than boys in their exams; more girls go to university and most teachers are women.

    At the end of secondary school, students take their final exams. Compulsory(必修的)subjects are maths, Irish and English. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Some of these, like business organization, help to prepare them for the world of work. This is very different from the past when Latin and Greek used to be the most important subjects.

A. In many ways, education is now a woman's world.

B. Parents used to pay for their children's education.

C. In addition, they must choose two or three extra subjects.

D. Public schools in Ireland are not run by the government.

E. It is easy to forget that the picture used to be very different.

F. Here, children do not learn any subjects but some basic skills.

G. There were many different kinds of school, but most of them had a lot in common.

    Sometimes the toughest thing about feelings is sharing them with others. Sharing your feelings helps you whether your feelings are wonderful or terrible. Sharing also helps you to get closer to people you care about and who care about you. But how?

    You can't tell your friends what's inside your backpack if you don't know what's in there yourself. Feelings are the same way. Before you can share them with anyone, you have to figure out what feelings you have.

    Making a list of your feelings can help. You can do this in your mind or by writing it out or even by drawing pictures. Is something bothering you? Does it make you frustrated or terrified? Do you feel this emotion only once in a while or much of the time?

    The way a person feels inside is important. If you keep feelings locked inside, it can even make you feel sick! But if you talk with someone who cares for you, you will almost always start to feel better. It doesn't mean your problems and worries magically disappear, but at least someone else knows what's bothering you and can help you find solutions.

    Your mom and dad want t0 know if you have problems and what's happening in your life. But what if a kid doesn't want to talk with parents? Then find another trusted adult, like a relative or a teacher at school. Maybe this person can help you talk with your parents about your problem or concern.

    Once you know who you can talk with, you'll want to pick a time and place to talk. You can talk publicly in your family. But some kids are more private than others and they will feel shy about sharing their feelings. Then find a quiet place or write it down on a piece of paper. A kid doesn't have to share every feeling he or she has.

    Marathon fever is sweeping this country. In recent years, China's ever-growing passion for marathons has been triggered by its economic development and health-conscious middle class. A large number of marathon runners are white-collar workers, civil servants and business people that are keen on leading a healthy lifestyle. Government support, social participation and strong marketing by the sports industry have gradually led to the rapid development of the marathon industry, which is currently valued at 70 billion yuan ($10. 77 billion). Due to its large participation and nationwide media report, marathons are considered by local governments an important part of marketing their cities. Thus, many cities list unique routes across local scenic spots and historical attractions, not only to boost people's fitness, but also to promote local tourism.

    For many runners, marathons are a way of life." As we get older, the places and opportunities to meet new people decrease. I find that participating in marathons is a simple way to make friends," said Wu, who made many friends in the Xstop Running Community, a running club with 48, 000 members established by Xtep, one of the leading distributors of sports merchandise in China.

    "The sense of belonging and the mutual encouragement that exists within the running community are very attractive to many people. We easily befriend one another, since we have the same goal: to keep running and never stop," Wu said. Besides, a marathon can be a great way to explore new places. For a runner who also loves traveling, marathons are a solid choice. "Competing in an international marathon is a chance to experience a city or a country you've never visited before," said Meng, an experienced runner from north China's Tianjin Municipality, who often runs in London, New York and Melbourne.

    There's a unique perspective that people get running through the streets of a city, distinct ancient buildings or amazing natural settings, he explained, things that somehow just can't be seen by rushing in a car. In addition, during a race, streets are often closed off so you don't have to battle traffic.

    Backcountry for beginners: the best destinations in Canada

    When carried out safely, your first backcountry trip will leave you lifelong memories, opening a getaway into nature. But the leap from car camping to backcountry requires preparation and learning. Here are some recommended trips for backcountry beginners:

    Grundy Lake Provincial Park

    The park's 9 backcountry sites are a 30-minute paddle (划船) away. Grundy Lake is motor-boat free. Your sites are quiet enough for a true backcountry trip. Each site comes equipped with a fire pit (坑) and a picnic table.

    Bon Echo Provincial Park

    Many visitors don't know about the 25 canoe-in campsites located on Joeperry and Pearson Lakes. A short canoe trip of 30-minute will get you to your campsite. At each campsite, you will find a picnic table, tent space and a toilet nearby.

    Charleston Lake Provincial Park

    Experience the best of the Canadian Shield, and hike or paddle your way to 10 backcountry campsites. Travel time can range from 10 minutes to 2 hours. All sites come equipped with elevated tent platforms, a picnic table, a fire grill, and a toilet.

    Murphys Point Provincial Park

    Paddle through Big Rideau Lake (part of the historic Rideau waterway) to access 14 backcountry campsites. Most are located 5-45 minutes away from the boat launch. You'll find a picnic table, tent space, and a pit toilet nearby each site. Paddle back to visit Murphys' piece of living history: the Mica Mine!

    Remember: backcountry travel requires careful consideration of packing, route planning, meal planning, safety, and your skill level.

    NASA has a new job listing, and it's no joke. The US space agency is looking for a "joker" to join their planned mission to Mars.

    A mission to Mars is no laughing matter. On average, the red planet is 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) away from Earth. A trip there would take around eight months in a small spacecraft. And Mars has a communications delay of 20 minutes. This means that astronauts will have to wait 20 minutes for a reply, when an emergency happens.

    "When you're living with others in a confined space for a long period of time, such as on a mission to Mars, problems are likely to occur," Jeffrey Johnson, a scientist at the University of Florida, told The Guardian.

    This is probably why NASA wants an astronaut with a sense of humor. "These are people that have the ability to pull everyone together," Johnson said.

    In stressful situations, perhaps humor is a way to know we aren't alone. By laughing together, we share our stress. Then we can focus on our jobs instead of just worrying.

    There are other examples of team "clowns". One example is the journey to the South Pole led by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. It was a difficult journey full of danger. Adolf Lindstrom, a cook at Amundsen's team, was a "clown". He made people laugh through the whole journey. Amundsen later wrote that Lindstrom was the most valuable member of the team.

    But if you're hoping that your favorite TV comedian will fly to Mars, that probably won't happen.

    "Being funny won't be enough to land somebody the job," Johnson said. "They also need to be an excellent engineer."

    Besides, they must be in top physical condition.

    Time talks. It speaks more plainly than words. Time communicates in many ways.

    Consider the different parts of the day, for example. The time of the day when something is done can give a special meaning to the event. It is not customary to telephone someone every early in the morning. If you telephone him early in the day, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he assumes it is a matter of life or death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance.

    In social life, time plays a very important part. In the United States, guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But this is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten.

    The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world. Thus, misunderstandings often arise between people from cultures that treat time differently. Promptness(准时) is valued highly in American life, for example. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible. In the U.S., no one would think of keeping a business partner waiting for an hour; it would be too impolite. A person who is five minutes late is expected to make a short apology.

    This way of treating time is quite different from that of several other cultures. This helps to explain the unfortunate experience of a certain agriculturist from the United States, assigned to duty in another country. After a long delay, the agriculturist was finally agreed an appointment with the Minister of Agriculture. Arriving a little before the appointed hour, the agriculturist waited. The hour came and passed. At this point he suggested to the secretary that perhaps the minister did not know he was waiting in the outer office. This gave him the feeling of having done something to solve the problem, but he had not. Twenty minutes passed, then thirty, then forty-five. To an American, that is the beginning of the "insult period". No matter what is said in apology, there is little that can remove the damage done by an hour's wait in an outer office. Yet in the country where this story took place, a forty-five-minute waiting period was not unusual.

    In the West, particularly in the United States, people tend to think of time as something fixed in nature. As a rule, Americans think of time as a road stretching into the future, along which one progresses. The road has many sections, which are to be kept separate— "one thing at a time". People who cannot plan events are not highly regarded. Thus, an American may feel angry when he has made an appointment with someone and then finds a lot of other things happening at the same time.

    Since time has such different meanings in different cultures, communication is often difficult. We will understand each other a little better if we can keep this fact in mind.