Parents, especially those of teenagers, care about their children's education more than anything else. They would do    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} for their children. Many of them spend most of their spare time {#blank#}2{#/blank#} their children with their studies. If they have no time or cannot do it themselves, they would hire family teachers {#blank#}3{#/blank#} send their children to after-class schools. It seems as if a better education is all that parents expect for {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    How can we explain the present situation? First of all, many parents have {#blank#}5{#/blank#} that future success depends more and more {#blank#}6{#/blank#} skills and education. Secondly, in a competitive(竞争的) society there are both losers and {#blank#}7{#/blank#}. Those who have better skills and more knowledge will enjoy {#blank#}8{#/blank#} opportunities(机会).

    Certainly, it is important to learn to succeed, but the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} thing to learn is how to survive(生存) and how to be a qualified citizen(合格的公民). {#blank#}10{#/blank#} this is included a good education, the children will surely have a bright future and he healthy in body and mind.

    Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile, around-the-world bicycle trip. White had two reasons for making this epic journey. First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity, which he did. He raised £70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam. White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world. He is still waiting to find out whether he has broken the record or not.

    White set off from Trafalgar Square, in London, on 19th June, 2004 and was back 299 days later. He spent more than 1,300 hours in the saddle (车座) and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains. He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe first, and then the Middle East, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and finally the Americas. Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team. No jeep carrying food, water and medicine. No doctor. Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road.

    The journey was lonely and desperate at times. He also had to fight his way across deserts, through jungles and over mountains. He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to help people in need. There were other dangers along the road. In Iran, he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to get away with the little money he had. The worst thing that had happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia. For 1,000 kilometers he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him. This part of the trip was slow, hard and depressing, but he made it in the end. Now Mr. White is back and wants to write a book about his adventures.

Nature is amazing! Take a close look at the world of insects, and you'll discover many unbelievable things. Consider butterflies (蝴蝶), for example. They have beautiful wings and magical flying skills. On summer days, you always see them flying freely over flower gardens and wild fields.

But did you know how butterflies become the flying insects? It is one of the wonders of nature. In the beginning, the mother lays a small and colourful egg on a leaf or stem of a plant. It is hard to believe that the egg will become something completely different in a few days. It becomes a walking insect. This insect is called a caterpillar. It now has legs, eyes and a large body. A new life begins. The caterpillar can eat, walk and see. But it is still not a butterfly.

Soon, after growing big, the caterpillar makes a cover for itself. It covers itself in the nice protective blanket (保护层) and goes to sleep. This is known as the "pupa (蛹)" stage. After some time, the blanket breaks and a wet butterfly appears. It now has six legs, a mouth, eyes and wings. Shortly, the beautiful butterfly spreads (张开) its wings and flies away. After a few weeks, this butterfly lays her eggs, and the cycle (循环) begins all over again.

This is just one example of the wonders of nature. Look around the natural world, and you will learn many truly amazing things.

Problems between parents and children are common. If you need to improve your relationship with your parents, you are not alone. To develop a better relationship with your parents, you should change how you think and do things. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

Act first. Don't wait for your parents to try to improve the relationship. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Be thankful to your parents. Think about everything that your parents have done for you. You are sure to feel thankful to them. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Give them a nice gift or do some housework without being asked. They will be happy with you for these actions.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Talk to your parents about things that you care about and your feelings about these things. Often talk to them, and your parents can understand you better. If so, it's easy for them to discuss things that you are interested in and develop the relationship.

Accept that your parents are different. They grow up in a different situation with different technologies. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Try to remind them of any problem in their relationships with their parents because of these differences.

Use these ways when you talk to your parents to improve your relationship with them.

Dear Mike,

How is everything? I am not happy these days. My parents are angry with me because they think I live an unhealthy life on weekends. They want me to spend my weekend like my sister Jenny.

I always get up late. So I usually have nothing for breakfast. I play basketball for an hour then. For lunch, I often eat out. Hamburgers and ice-cream are my favorites. I know they are not good for me, but they taste great. After lunch, I usually go to the movies with my friends. Sometimes, I sleep all the afternoon. In the evening, I either watch TV or play computer games. I don't go to bed until eleven thirty.

But Jenny is different. She never gets up after six thirty. Then she brushes teeth and does morning exercises. After that, she has milk and eggs. She does her homework all the morning. For lunch, she eats rice, meat, fish and vegetables. She studies for 3 hours before she eats dinner. Sometimes, she helps with housework after dinner. Then she goes out to take a walk. She reads and takes a shower before going to bed."What a great day I have!"Jenny always says.

It is weekend! I just want to relax myself well. I don't like to hear my parents always say the same words again and again to me. It's terrible to live like Jenny! What can I do?

Yours,

Leo

Is your school strict?