Dear Amy

    It is very exciting that you are coming to our school so soon. Before you arrive, let me introduce our school to you.

    Our school is quite famous for{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(it) long history. It was begun in the early 1920s. It is a good place for us{#blank#}2{#/blank#}prepare) ourselves for the future. We have many wonderful teachers{#blank#}3{#/blank#}are always ready to offer help. They encourage us to try out new ideas and ask questions.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}their help we have developed all kinds of interests in both arts and science. Students can choose to join any school clubs they are{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(interest)in. We can also choose the subjects{#blank#}6{#/blank#}we want to study. Last term I selected American Literature{#blank#}7{#/blank#}I wanted to learn about famous American writers. This term I{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(choose)to attend music classes because my father bought me a piano as a birthday present.

    I love my school and hope{#blank#}9{#/blank#}you will have a pleasant experience here too. I am looking forward to{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(meet) you soon!

Yours

Lily

    Many teachers believe that hands－on experience is the {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(good) way to learn. A group of students in the United States are putting that belief to the test. They {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (success) designed and built a robot for discovering unexplored mines {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the bottom of the sea. Students made the robot {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(answer) a challenge from the U．S. Department of Defense.

    The students recently tested the underwater vehicle {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(call) PerseusⅡin a 95－meter－long tank of water at the Stevens Institute of Technology.

    The robot costs about $15,000 to build. The students use a video game control to direct {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(it) movements in the tank. What's more, devices known as Japters {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (able) the robot to go up, down and toward its target in the water. Video cameras on the robot send images back to a computer through a 13－meter－long cable. Perseus Ⅱ,{#blank#}8{#/blank#}the students worked up to 20 hours a week to design and build, also has {#blank#}9{#/blank#} set of lasers (激光), which are used to measure the size of an object.

    DeLorme supervised the project from {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(begin) to end. He says the specialized requirements of robots were demanding.

    A young man, while traveling through a desert, came across a spring of clear water. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}water was sweet. He filled his leather container so that he could bring some back to an elder {#blank#}2{#/blank#}had been his teacher. After a four-day journey, the young man{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (present) the water to the old man. His teacher took a deep drink, smiled{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (warm), and thanked his student very much for the sweet water. The young man went home {#blank#}5{#/blank#}a happy heart.

    After the student left, the teacher let {#blank#}6{#/blank#}student taste the water. He spat it out, {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(say) it was awful. Apparently, it was no longer fresh because of the old leather container. He asked his teacher, "Sir, the water was awful. Why did you pretend to like{#blank#}8{#/blank#}?"

The teacher replied, “You tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of kindness and love. Nothing could be{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (sweet).”

    We understand this lesson best {#blank#}10{#/blank#}we receive gifts of love from children. Whether it is a cheap pipe or a diamond necklace, the proper response is appreciation. We love the idea within the gift rather than the thing.

    When I was a kid, Mom used to cook food for us. One night after {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (spend) a long hard day at work, Mom placed a plate of bread jam and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (extreme) burnt toast（烤面包） in front of my dad, I was waiting {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (see) if he noticed it. However, while eating his toast. Dad just asked me {#blank#}4{#/blank#} my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night,{#blank#}5{#/blank#} I do remember I heard Mom apologizing to Dad for burning the toast. I'll never forget what Dad said, "Honey, I love burnt toast."

    Later that night, I {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (go) to kiss Daddy good night and asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He gave me {#blank#}7{#/blank#} big hug and said, "Your mamma put in a long hard day at work today, really {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (tire). Besides, a burnt toast never hurts but cold words do!"

    What I've learned over the years {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (be) that learning to accept each other's faults is one of the most important {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (key) to creating a healthy, growing and lasting relationship.

    Recently, an Indian film “Hindi Medium^" has made {#blank#}1{#/blank#} hit! It told a story that a couple spared no effort {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (give) their daughter the {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (good) education and finally she was accepted by the elite of Delhi. Actually, this phenomenon can also be seen in China.

    Today more and more parents adopt the idea of "personal quality education" and commit to encouraging their children to cultivate a variety of interests outside the {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (tradition) classroom activities, like playing the violin, robot programming and so on. But participating {#blank#}5{#/blank#}too many extracurricular activities does deprive the children of their playtime.

    It {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (point) out that more Chinese parents need to realize that the hand-holding mentality is overwhelming their children. They have to loosen their control, give the kids time of {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (they) own, and let them take the initiative. Today parents worry {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (endless) about preparing the kids for the real world, a battlefield where everyone must arm themselves for a fight. But there is no denying {#blank#}9{#/blank#} the best times in life are those {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (steal) moments we spend with others- an idle afternoon with a beloved companion, a cup of tea with an old friend, or a simple game of tag with classmates after school.