Speaker 1: I went straight into work after leaving school at the age of eighteen. I got a job in a big business. But I think it was a mistake as there weren't any chances for me. I think graduates(毕业生) (usual) get more interesting jobs, so I decided to go to university to have a better future. Studying for a degree was one of the best (experience) of my life. I loved my subject, and now I'm looking for a new job -- better paid and (interesting) compared with my last one.

    Speaker 2: I (leave) school at sixteen and started working in a market. Now I've just opened my first shop. Some of my friends went on to university can't find work. They had a good time at college for few years, but I really don't know they still stayed in college. Working for (you) is the best education.

    Speaker 3: I got quite a shock when I got my first job after graduation from university. My boss had been in the same class me at school! She went straight into work at eighteen and now she's making more money than me! And I think that's probably a much better way to do it. I think you'll get more from university if you spend some time (work) first.

    Bo, a golden retriever(猎犬), won this year's Dog Hero Award from the Ken L Ration dog food company. Bo acted1last June. Bo and his owners, Rob and Laurie Roberts, were going down the Colorado River in a 16-foot boat. The June2was Bo's first time in a boat.

    Laurie Roberts said, "Things were fine3a 6-foot wave broke in front of us and filled the boat with water. Another big wave caught us from the back and turned the4over." Rob was thrown clear, but Laurie and Bo were unable to move out5the boat. "Every time I tried to6, my head hit the boat," Laurie said. "I hit the bottom of the river several times. I7I was drowning(溺水)."

    Rob picked up the story, "I reached the land and8Laurie," he said. "I saw Bo swim out from under the overturned boat. Then he9and dived(下潜). Soon he came back up, pulling Laurie by the hair." Laurie, who was10and breathless, tried to catch Bo. But the dog stayed out of reach as is knowing11of them would drown if Laurie pulled him under.12Laurie caught Bo's tail. He13her 30 yards to the land. Laurie was cut and bleeding, but she was14.

    "If it hadn't been for Bo,15wouldn't be here." Laurie told everyone at the Dog Hero awards dinner.

    You may have seen these special persons. They are disabled and they are in old, dirty clothes. They stand, sit or even lie at the entrance of a shopping centre with dirty bowls in front of them, hoping that other people can throw some coins into their bowls.

    Have you been asked for money by some disabled beggars (乞丐) while you're enjoying shopping? Do you have any pity on them who are so poor and lonely or do you just feel afraid of their terrible shapes? As one of the most special groups, disabled people's living conditions - not only their material (物质的) conditions, but also their mental (精神的) world - really need improvement.

    The treatment for disabled people should go like this: First, don't look down upon them. Don't be afraid of looking at the terrible shapes of the disabled. Try to treat them equally. Because they are a part of the society (社会), we can't discard (抛弃) them. The second is to help them as much as we could. If you can be a volunteer and do some work for the disabled people, that would be very nice. That does help not only to the disabled people but also to yourself because you will feel good after your kind action.

    If every one of us gives a little love, the world will become a beautiful wonderland!

    Paperless homework will affect students' handwriting

    A growing number of primary schools in Shanghai are now encouraging "paperless" homework. Instead of writing with a pen, children can finish their homework simply by "surfing and typing" on their iPad screens.

    Many people welcome the use of this new technology in schools. And it isn't difficult to understand why digital homework could be the next big thing in education: it reduces waste; makes it easier for teachers to collect homework; and now that everything else is digitalized, homework should too.

    But there's an overlooked downside to online homework, as it shows an alarming trend(趋势): how technology is affecting physical handwriting.

    In today's digital age, handwriting is already a weakening skill. Can you remember the last time you used a pen? For me, it was when I had to fill out a form at work. To be honest, I couldn't write quite a few characters and had to type them on my iPhone to remind me of how to write them correctly. I know I'm not alone. There are more saying they share similar embarrassment (尴尬) when asked to write by hand.

    In a time when computers, smart phones and keyboards are widely used in the world, is handwriting even important? The answer is yes. Handwriting plays an important role in the learning process. Writing a character is more difficult than typing. It needs the body and mind work together actively. So for school﹣age children, writing not only allows them to memorize characters, but also trains their brains the way typing can't.

    Too many children, lost in technology, lie on a sofa or in bed with their smartphones or iPads﹣a seldom mentioned side effect of modern technology, which may lead to physical problems later.

    All said, I'm not saying that digital homework should be canceled. Digitalization is an unstoppable trend. But for courses such as Chinese and English language, I hope to see digital homework introduced later into the courses, at least after children have had the ability to write characters and spell words well.