“Hi, Mrs. Grady,” said Mark when their neighbor opened her door. “Would you like us to shovel（铲） your sidewalk and driveway?” Shoveling was Jamie's idea, a way to earn enough money for the new Ocean Kingdom video game that came out the next day.

    Mrs. Grady was happy, “That would be wonderful, boys. I think the job is getting to be too much for me.”

“It will cost 10 dollars,” Jamie said. “If that's OK,” Mark added.

“Oh dear,” Mrs. Grady said disappointedly, “I haven't been able to get to the bank. I can offer homemade cookies, but I realize that's not what you had in mind.”

Mark was going to say that Mrs. Grady could pay them another time, but Jamie cut him off. “We'll come back later.”

Mrs. Grady doesn't look like the person who'd come to Mark's rescue last summer when Mr. Dunn's dog Goldie had just wanted to play, but Mark didn't feel comfortable around big dogs. He wanted to call for help, but his tongue seemed locked behind his teeth. Then Mrs. Grady's front door had flown open. She must have seen him from across the street. “Hold on, Mark. I'm coming!” “Goldie” she'd called. As soon as Goldie had turned her head, Mrs. Grady had slipped between Mark and the dog. She wasn't much taller than Mark, but she'd stood firm as a rock in front of him. “Goldie, go home!” Then she'd swept her broom to hurry the dog along. “Get!” Goldie had obeyed.

When Mark showed thanks to Mrs. Grady, Mrs. Grady laughed. “It was nothing. Good neighbors watch out for each other, don't they?”

And now Mrs. Grady needed Mark as much as he'd needed her last summer. He smiled and waved at Mrs. Grady, then his shovel deep into the snow.

“Hey!” Jamie shouted. “What are you doing?” Mark couldn't explain about Goldie and watching out for neighbors. “I like Mrs. Grady's cookies,” he said.

    Kumiko And The Dragon

    Author: Briony Stewart

    Price: $16.95

    Kumiko is a little girl, who likes to listen to her obasaan's stories before going to bed. But she hates sleeping alone at night. She often begs to sleep with her mother but her mother won't hew(坚持)of it. Each day, bedtime is hard for little Kumiko as she walks upstairs with heavy steps and her frightened heart beats wildly.

    Roti Rolled Away

    Author: Anti Utarid   Price: S9. 10

    It takes place in India. Asha of about nine visits her Nard(grandmother)on top of a hill Her Nani has just made hot fresh Rotis and the Roti is given to Asha to eat. However, the Rot escapes Nannis hands and begins to roll out into the great big hills.

    The Alchemist

    Author: Paulo Coeho   Price: $8.83

    This book is about a Spaniard shepherd boy. Santiago has a dream about hidden treasure at the Egyptian Pyramids.

    The Cay

    Author: Theodore Taylor    Price:UK 5.9 pounds

    Set during the Second World War. The Cay is about the adventures of Philip who set off from the island of Curacao off the Venezuelan coast, with his mother, bound for Virginia. First published in 1969, this book has won eleven literary award and has been translated into fifteen.

    Summer Camps in Season!

    STEM Camp    July 10 to August 14, Cost: $180

    90% of the jobs in the future will require STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) education. We find ways to make learning fun and exciting for students to help ensure their futures. Campers participate in fun and engaging STEM activities! Register: www.stemcamp.ca or call 519-475-6600.

    Kandalore    June 15 to 28, Cost: $2,340

    The finest traditional camp in Canada, provides the best of both canoe (独木舟) adventures and in-camp activities. For more than 65 years, Kandalore has given campers the opportunity to know and be themselves. We create a warm and supportive environment where kids can express their unique self, grow in self-confidence and build lifetime friendships. Register: www.kandalore.com or call 416•322•9735.

    ESL Summer Camp    June 25 to July 21, Cost: $5,500

    Pickering College has an exciting ESL summer camp for students aged 12－18 who want to learn English and experience the wonders of summer at our 42-acre campus; students enjoy the excellent dormitory, dining, academic, and social facilities of one of Canada's oldest independent schools. Register: www.pickeringcollege.on.ca or call 905-175-8900.

    DEEP Summer Academy    August 16 to 26, Cost: $465

    We provide highly motivated high school students from across the world with the opportunity for advanced study in a variety of engineering, technology, business and science subjects. Organized by the University of Toronto. DEEP is one of the most diverse pre-university engineering programs all over the world with scholarships. Register: www.outreach.engineering.utoronto.ca or call 416-946-0816.

A Writing Fool

    In the seventh grade I realized I was dyslexic, which made it difficult for me to read and spell. I did really badly in my history course, so my mother said to me, “I'll work with you for a full week. I'm going to show you what you can do if you put in the right amount of effort.” So we did. We worked on history for a full week, an extra hour every day. Then I went to school and failed the test, as always. It was really upsetting.

    By the time I got to college I came to know that I couldn't spell no matter how hard I tried. So I would sign up for extra courses. I'd be in registration lines all day. Then I would go around the first day of class and ask each professor: “What's your policy on misspelling?” If he said, “Three misspellings is a fail,” I'd drop it.

    Although I was an academic failure, I had a great time. I had many friends and I was always popular. I was a good football player, which was important in those years because I could read my name in the newspaper. I never had a day when I would think, “People don't like me.”

    In spite of my obvious weaknesses, I became successful in my career, so much so that people say to me, “So you've overcome dyslexia.” No. I don't overcome it. I just learn to compensate for it. Some easy things are hard for me. Most people read 500 words a minute. I only read 200. I try not to dial a phone because I sometimes have to dial three times to get the number right. I owe my successful career to my writing instructor, Ralph Salisbury. He looked past my misspellings and gave me encouragement. So I always feel confident. When I write my books, I'm seeing everything in my imagination. I write quickly and go like the wind.

    The real fear that I have for dyslexic people is not that they have to struggle with their reading skills or that they can't spell correctly, but that they will quit on themselves before they get out of school.

    Apple and Microsoft each launched new products. One company astonished everyone. The other made people sleepy. Can you guess which was which? You probably guessed wrong. Because Apple, famous for its creative products, was the tech giant whose new product caused a collective shrug. While Microsoft, which stole a move out of the Apple Playbook, won cheers from high-end, creative-class consumers like business analysts, media designers and music producers.

    As Hayley Tsukayama remarked at The Washington Post, the Surface Studio, one of Microsoft's new products, is really just a super-sized version of the Surface Books product that Microsoft has been selling for years. But if you've ever watched science fiction movies like Minority Report-- where Tom Cruise seems to operate pictures and data hanging on mid-air by touching them, spreading his fingers to increase on details, and sending files and information sliding from one folder to another with a click of the finger, you can see how Microsoft is trying to show the same experience.

    Meanwhile, apple's new products were almost like some fine promotions for its Apple TV. They boast that the new Macbook Pro has a smaller size and more functions, and a new touch screen bar on laptop keyboards where function keys used to be.

    So what's going on? In many ways, Apple is focusing on attracting the average consumers who have been attracted by Microsoft. And Microsoft is focusing on targeting the high-end professionals Apple has historically been associated with. You can even see this is the companies' ad campaigns: Microsoft's ads stress imagination and creativity, while Apple's commercial chief performance and convenience of its Macbooks.

    So Apple is trying to control the world of devices and laptops from the top down, starting with the high-end market and moving on to appeal to a broader base of consumers. Microsoft, having already strengthened itself within the bigger low-end market, is now attempting the opposite with a bottom-up strategy. Will they succeed? Time will tell...

    A video of a three-year-old girl being kicked by her own mother during a photo shot went viral (疯狂传播) on Thursday, indicating China's under per forma nee in regulating the emerging child modeling industry.

    The girl, known as Niu Niu, was physically abused by her mother in several videos. The videos have annoyed Chinese media and Internet users alike. Many netizens and scholars call for local authorities to carry out further investigations into possible child abuse.

    In response to the public outcry (强烈抗议), Niu Niu's mother issued an apology via Sina Wei bo on Thursday, condemning accusations of abuse. She noted that she was merely guiding her daughter for better shots and the girl is well looked after.

    Despite her apology, many E-shops which used Niu Niu's images for brand promotion have canceled their cooperation with the mother, while over 110 well-known child garment shops on Taobao have signed up for a campaign to provide better protection for child models.

    "It is necessary to adopt comprehensive laws and regulations to further protect the kids, preventing their parents and companies from exploiting (利用) them," Fang Zhiqing, a lawyer and child protection expert, said.

    Niu Niu is not alone. In Zhili, a small town in Zhejiang province, thousands of children from across China are taken here by their parents to seize the chance of fame. With a population of 450,000. Zhili has over 13,000 manufacturers of child clothing. In 2017, the town earned over 7 billion yuan by selling do thing for children online, thus providing opportunities for child models.

    "China's current advertisement law isn't workable when it comes to the industry of child modeling, as it lacks clear supervision measures and clear legal punishment." Fang added. "It is important to issue new laws which regulate child modeling."