Chinese are very generous when it comes to educating their children. Not caring about the money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England, the United States and Australia. They also want their children to take extra-course activities where they will either learn a musical instrument or ballet, or other classes which will give them a head start in life. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} So parents will spend an unreasonable amount of money on education. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, what most parents fail to see is that the best early education they can give their children is usually very cheap.

    Parents can see that their children's skills differ. Some children are very skilled in some areas while poor in others. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents are not teaching them the most important skills that they need to be confident, happy and clever.

    Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing other housework. Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in

    life. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It is an enjoyable but difficult experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and gradually finish his job successfully step by step. The result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and lots of self-confidence.

    Some old machines, such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your child to play with will make him curious and arouse his interest. He will spend hours looking at them, trying to repair them; your child might become an engineer when he grows up. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} And that is more important.

A. Even poor couples will buy a computer for their son or daughter.

B. The more cost in education, the better the result will be.

C. Cooking requires patience and time.

D. What most parents fail to realize though, is that today's children are badly off for self-respect and self-confidence.

E. The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is.

F. These activities are not only teaching a child to read a book, but rather to think, to use his mind.

G. Thus, the more the children use the computer, the better the result will be.

    My father used to be an amateur wrestler (业余摔跤者) and national champion. He was forced by his father to give up the sport in order to obtain gainful employment, which meant he wouldn't be able to win a medal for our country. Therefore, he made a vow that his unborn son would.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    He was about to give up hope when one day, my younger sister Babita and I beat up two boys accidentally in response to critical comments. My dad found our potential to become wrestlers and began coaching us.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} We were required to do physical training early in the morning and have a short haircuts to avoid lice.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}． We would complain about him all the time. Gradually, I realized that he wanted us to have a good future and not grow up to be ordinary housewives. Motivated, we willingly participated in his coaching.

    With great efforts, he made us competitive wrestlers and I won the junior and senior championships, providing me with a chance to gain training in a National Sports Academy, where pride and pain fulfilled my mind.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} As a result, I found myself losing every match at the international level. After that, I tearfully made peace with papa and turned to him for help. Then he coached me patiently.

    Despite difficulty, I finally became the first Indian female wrestler to qualify for the Olympics, inspiring dozens of Indian women to take to wrestling. Even now, papa's words are still in my mind “Geeta, think about all the girls who are thought to be inferior to boys, girls who are forced to do chores, girls who are married and have children. Not only will you compete with other countries, but also with those who look down upon women!”. I will never forget our father's instruction.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. But his methods were cruel.

B. I almost gave up what papa had taught me.

C. Disappointingly, my mother gave birth to all girls.

D. My sister and I tried to escape.

E. I will always owe all success to him.

F. At first, my sister and I did not understand our father.

G. However, my mother didn't agree with him.

Common public speaking problems

    The use of “I feel”, “I think” and “maybe”

    In the question-and-answer session of the speaking competition, many contestants began their answers with uncertain expressions like “I feel”, “I guess”, “I hear”, “maybe” and “perhaps”. These words show that the person is only speaking from his or her point of view{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Work on keeping your answers brief and to the point{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Instead of the empty-sounding “I guess”, using facts, together with a clear conclusion based on those facts, is far more likely to be popular with an audience.

Using only one speaking style

    “Don't stick to the same tone{#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, when they spoke about their dreams some sounded romatic. Others used humor. Very few used several different styles together. Try mixing more than one style, rather than just sticking with the same one.

    Irresponsible answers

    Public speaking is different from personal conversations. You're responsible for your words{#blank#}4{#/blank#}So you should think twice before you talk. Don't belike the student who, when asked about his opinion on book piracy（盗版）, started by saying he supported it.

    Talking around the topic rather than directly answering it

    You should focus on one point and give a clear solution. The key is to work out what question is being asked. Is it asking you to discuss a certain topic or to present your own point of view?

    Use one or two arguments together and give a strong conclusion{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. It can be boring. Try to mix it up.

B. Also work on delivering them with calmness and confidence.

C. Even though you want to answer quickly, you don't want to sound foolish.

D. This lacks the support of facts and seems not to be reliable for the judges and audience.

E. Remember that judges are not judging you on whether they agree, but on your ability to say what you think clearly.

F. Confidence is extremely important in public speaking as it lets a speaker sound more convincing.

G. Deliberate gestures and affected（做作的）expressions of feelings are improper in a successful speech.

Helpful Pet Tips

    Selecting the Right Pet

    Keep the following questions in mind before bringing home a new companion:

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} A large dog will need lots of room to exercise, so if you live in a small apartment, you may prefer the company of a cat.

    How much attention can you give? You don't want your new pet to be lonely if you frequently work late or travel. A fish is a wise choice.

    Do you have children or will children frequently visit your home? Some animals are just better with kids due to their nature. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Are there any tasks you would like the animal to perform? If you're looking for a guard dog, you'll want different qualities than if you're purely seeking companionship.

Keeping Pets Healthy and Happy

    One of the top pet lips for potential owners is making .sure you're feeding your new friend properly. Ask your veterinarian about the nutritional needs of an animal of its age, size and breeding,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} In addition, owners must safeguard the health of their pets. This means staying up-to-date on immunizations(防疫针) and check-ups. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In this way, you can help you notice the first signs of potential illness. Timely treatment can prevent any unnecessary suffering or ill effects.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This helps keep animals at a healthy weight while also providing opportunities for pets and owners to bond. In the end, attention and affection will go a long way toward keeping your new family member happy and contented.

A. How much space do you have?

B. Some families want a puppy for hours of play.

C. Buy top-quality food or seek out natural food.

D. How much energy do you expect from your pet?

E. Keep an eye out for changes in appearance or behavior.

F. Make sure you're also devoting proper time to your companion's exercise.

G. You want a pet that will accept your child's attention, not get nervous or bite.

Tips for Developing Your Artistic Talent

    Everyone has an artistic talent. You might not even know it. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. However, in fact, there are a lot of different ways to express your artistic side. You don't necessarily have to be a professional(专业人员). You can enjoy art just for its own value. Check out a few tips for developing artistic skills.

    ⒈Art takes a variety of forms

    Most people think that art can only be found in museums and is only for the elite(精英). You can look around you.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. They may be found in nature, and even in usual advertisements and posters. Just start to look at such sides as line, color, composition and style.

    ⒉Try things out

    If you want to develop your artistic talent, start trying things out.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    ⒊Appreciate

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Almost anything can be used for inspiration. Visit museums and galleries, or look at art books. When you look around you, you develop your artistic appreciation and use it to work on developing your own skills.

    ⒋{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Don't expect to create a masterpiece(杰作)with your first try. There must be mistakes. Many artists spent years studying and perfecting their skill. You might not want to reach their level, but don't feel shy about your work. Even if it's not perfect, it will be. Try out, learn from your mistakes, and improve your skills.

A. Take art classes

B. Don't be afraid to make mistakes

C. You'll find art and beauty are everywhere

D. You might have always thought that you don't have any skills in the arts

E. Another way to develop your artistic talent is to learn how to use your eyes

F. There are many things you can try from painting, costume, dance and singing

G. Discuss the art with other art lovers to see what they think and then form your own opinion

I remember that it was a fall morning when the orchestra (管弦乐队) teachers came into Miss Newell's third-grade classroom. "You have hands for the viola(中提琴)," Miss Ciano told me. I was excited because my hands were finally good for something. I told my parents I wanted to play, and naturally, they agreed.

Since I first touched the viola, I haven't been able to put it down. Ignoring the difficulty, I am pulled closer to it each day.

Classical music is truly my best friend. It is the trusted friend of every man, woman and child. Various feelings are expressed in classical music. I discovered that when I was eleven and played a cello concerto (大提琴协奏曲) of Bach in a competition, the first movement was joyful, but the second movement was mysterious and full of pain. From the piece, I learned that music expresses not only feelings, but also sudden mood changes. By listening to classical music, I know that someone else shares these feelings. Since I am lucky enough to be able to play classical music, I am comforted by it when I am upset. It gives me a way to escape from my problems for a short period. Classical music can express my joy, sadness and anger.

Now look back at that fall day in the third grade and think how gullible I was for believing that anyone, even music teachers, could tell whether hands were perfect for a certain instrument. I'm certain they told me I had " viola hands" not because they were fortune-tellers(算命师), but because there was a lack of violists in our district. Classical music is one of the best things that ever happened to mankind. If you get introduced to it in the right way, it will become your friend for life.