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    Sleep, as we know, is important to us because it helps restore tired organs and tissues in our body. But how much sleep do we actually need?

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    For most of us, eight hours seems to be about the right amount. Yet we know that there are a great many people who get along perfectly with less sleep and some who may even need more. A great deal depends on the way we live. But a good general rule to follow is to sleep as long as we have to in order to feel happy and be able to work at our best when we are awake.

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    There are actually different levels of sleep. There is a deep sleep and a shallow sleep. In a shallow sleep our body does not get the same kind of rest as it gets in a deep sleep, so that after eight hours of a shallow sleep we may still feel tired. But a short deep sleep can be very restful.

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    Alexander the Great was able to get a deep sleep whenever he needed it. Once, during the night before an important battle, he remained awake longer than anyone else. Then he wrapped himself in a cloak and lay down on the earth. He slept so deeply that his generals had to wake him three times to give command to attack!

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    Normally when we go to sleep, our “ sleep center” blocks off nerves so that both our brain and our body go to sleep. One prevents us form wanting to do anything and the other makes our internal organs and limbs go to sleep. But someone will fall asleep (brain sleep) and keep on marching, because his body is not asleep!

Guilt, a positive use for a negative emotion

    Guilt is one the most painful emotions that humans experience but also one of the most common. Nobody enjoys feeling guilty, but this emotion serves an important purpose: it alerts a person when he or she has done something wrong. This makes it possible for the person to make amends and it can also motivate people to avoid making similar mistakes later.

    Nevertheless, guilt can be destructive if not dealt with in the right way. It can cause people to avoid others because they are too embarrassed to apologize for their actions or inaction. Some try to avoid the pain of guilt by turning to other worse habits. Others try to cover up their guilt by blaming others or becoming angry.

    What makes it more complicated is that sometimes people feel guilty about things that they can't control. One example of this is survivors' guilt, when people who survived a disaster feel guilty because they escaped death while others didn't. Other people experience false guilt because of too high expectations for themselves.

    The proper response to guilt depends on what kind of guilt you're dealing with. For false guilt, it's important to recognize that guilt does not reflect an actual ethical failure. For example, some false guilt focuses on failing to meet expectations you had for yourself. In this case, it's important to remind yourself that you have limits. No one is perfect, and no one can do everything, so admitting your limits is actually a sign of humility.

    It's also important to acknowledge what you are feeling. Even when you don't need to feel guilty, these feelings are real and normal. Try to balance them with positive thoughts, but realize that it often takes time for feelings to change.

    It's possible that you feel guilty because you actually did something wrong—or didn't do something you should have .If so, don't try to hide it. Apologize and ask for forgiveness, working to heal relationships that were damaged by your actions, which will make your guilty feelings fade.

    Guilt is painful, but it can serve a good purpose if you use it well.

How to make friends at a new school

    Starting with a new school can be difficult. Everything seems to be different, and you don't even know where to go for your own classes. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, if you use these skills, you can quickly turn some of those strangers into friends.

Be yourself.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If some people don't accept you, they're not the kind of friends you need. People often stay together because they have similar interests. For example, someone who does a lot of sport may make friends with those who also run or swim a lot.

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    Remember to be nice to the people you meet at your new school. If you think that you will say something that may make them feel sad, do not say anything and just nod your head if they talk to you. Also, remember to be as helpful as possible!

Believe in yourself.

    A smile goes a long way. When you walk in the halls, don't keep your eyes on the floor. Raise your head and make eye contact with other people. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Introduce yourself. Tell them your name and where you're from.

Remember people's names.

    You like it when people use your name, and so do other people. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Besides, ask them in a kind way if they have a nickname. You'd be surprised how often this might come in handy.

A. People may become angry if you just begin by saying “Hey” each time.

B. Be friendly to others.

C. Join after­school activities you like.

D. Making new friends can be hard, too.

E. Don't sit at the back of the classroom where other people don't notice you!

F. If you see someone you know, smile or say “Hi”.

G. Never change who you are to try and fit in.

    Shanghai Hengyuanxiang Drama Development Company and Netherlander Worldwide Entertainment signed a deal last November that would see Shimmer (《犹太人在上海》) become the first Chinese musical to have an open-ended run on Broadway in 2019. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Directed by Xu Jun, Shimmer is a musical in both English and Chinese. Shimmer, which tells a story about Jews who fled to Shanghai to escape Nazi persecution (迫害) during World War II, was first shown at the Shanghai Culture Square in 2015. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The musical's scheduled open-ended run in 2019 will be one of the events to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. With this play being shown on Broadway, the ties between Chinese people and Americans will be firmly strengthened. And through this drama, the audience can feel the charm of Chinese culture.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} To deal with the problem, many production companies in Shanghai have pointed out that they should keep striving for improvement by creating more Chinese musicals and by creating more audiences. Currently, those who watch Western musicals in China are limited to a small group — people who have received a university education or have had overseas working experiences, white-collar and even gold-collar workers. There are only a handful of people who understand foreign languages and you have to find a way to motivate the public and get them into the theater.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} There has been a handful of successful musical stories in Shanghai. The Chinese editions of Broadway musicals Cats and Mamma Mia, both of which had hundreds of shows across China, are among the top box office hits.

A. What do you think we can do to prevent Chinese musicals from declining in popularity?

B. At that time, the musical was chosen as the opening show for the 17th China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

C. The box office is expected to be twice higher than that of last year, reaching $1 million in total.

D. The small audience size hasn't discouraged local artists from producing outstanding works.

E. The deal is a milestone for Shimmer in its goal to further spread its influence to the world.

F. Despite the huge success of Shimmer, the team is facing a limited market.

    While many students raise their hands in class to ask or answer questions, some people outside school raise their hands to get others' attention. Recently, the project "Raise Your Hands for Luca" has made people realize they can also do something amazing by raising their hands to help a brave boy named Luca Williams.

    Luca comes from England. When he was three, he lost his legs because of a terrible illness. Luca's parents started the Raise Your Hands for Luca Project. They hoped to raise 1.5 million pounds to buy Luca prosthetic legs (假肢) and to pay for the care he needs.

    Since then, many people have joined up by writing "For Luca" on their hands and putting the picture of it onto the website. The project has also caught many big stars' eyes such as the world famous football star Maradona. Mickey Mouse also joined the project to help Luca. By now, the project has raised about 225, 000 pounds for the little boy.