Have you ever wondered what an American high school is really like? This article will describe a typical (典型的) high school and its students.

A typical American high school has several large buildings and enough space for about l, 500 students. Every student is given a locker. When students first arrive at school, they go straight to their lockers to put away or get their textbooks and to hang up their outdoor clothes. As American textbooks are expensive, students would rather loan (租借) than buy them. Students must pay back if they lose any of them.

American students have different types of school transport. They usually take a yellow school bus or walk to school if they live close enough. Sometimes their parents drive them to school. When they turn 16 years old, most take a free driving class at school for one term.  If students earn passing grades in the class and also pass their state driver's exam, they can begin driving themselves to school.

Each day, students take six or seven classes. They must take Science, Maths, English and Social Studies. They can choose Art, Homemaking, Fashion Design and other classes.  In some schools students are required to take one or more of the following special classes: Health Education, Physical Education or Foreign Language Studies. Students move to different classrooms for each subject. This is because each teacher has their own classroom.  There is a five-minute break between classes, to give the students the time to hurry to their next class.

The regular school day usually ends early in the afternoon. After school more than half of the students are involved in after-school activities. These activities include sports-especially football, basketball, baseball and soccer or clubs, such as yearbook, speech, school newspaper, photograph or student government.

    How much do you know about Albert Einstein?

    Albert Einstein, born on March 14, 1879 in Germany, was a great scientist in the world. ①He was strange because he hated haircuts and new clothes. He believed in peace. All his life, he hated war. However, his most famous idea, E = mc², helped create the world's most dangerous weapon (武器). Many people think he was the smartest person in the world. But Einstein said that he thought like a child with many questions and unusual ideas.

    What did he like?

    Einstein liked learning sailing (帆船运动). He sailed in small boats all his life. He once joked, “Sailing is the sport that takes the least energy!” When Einstein was a child, his mother made him take violin lessons. At first, he didn't like the violin. But then he learned to love music and became a good violinist.

    Later, he said, “②热爱是最好的老师。”

    Why is the sky blue?

    In 1910, Einstein asked a question which many children often ask, “Why is the sky blue?” After his careful research, he answered the question like this: “It's because light is made up of many colors including blue. When light travels to Earth, gas particles (气体微粒) spread the blue light all over the sky.” His answer is true in physics.

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Some students have their favorite pop stars or sport stars. They admire them very much. They admire their ability and the way they live their lives. Young people are full of potential ( 潜能) and have lots of questions about their futures: What kind of person will I be? What kind of job can I do? ①Sportsmen and pop stars seem to havealready answered these questions in their own lives. But when you watch these people, you only see a part of their lives, the public part. Their everyday lives might be very d_②______.

Many parents worry that their children will follow the bad side of their idols (偶像). And many young people are often disappointed to discover that their favorite idols ③have feet of clay. But the lucky thing is that they don't have to behave exactly like their idols.

④Celebrities (名人) are fun to watch and admire, but the best idols are often the people you see in your everyday life: your family, your neighbors and your teachers. These are the people who teach you how to be honest and how to get along with others.

    Hans Christian Andersen, a great Danish(丹麦的) writer, is very famous for his fairy tales. He wrote a lot of best-known stories such as The Emperor's New Clothes and The Ugly Duckling. His fairy tales have brought happiness to children across the world. The tales have versions(版本) of over a hundred languages.

    Andersen was born in Denmark in 1805. When he was still a young boy, he was already very clever and imaginative(富有想象力的). He created a small toy theatre and made clothes for his puppets(木偶). He also loved reading.

    After his father died, he learned to be a tailor (裁缝). Later he worked in a factory. At the age of fourteen, Andersen moved to the capital of Denmark to become an actor and gave performances(演出) in the Royal Danish Theatre. However, his voice changed when he grew older, so the job had to stop. Then he began to write poems and fairy tales.

    In the spring of 1872, Andersen fell out of bed and didn't get well again. He lived until 1875 and died peacefully in the house of his close friend.

    Hans Christian Andersen is very famous for his {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. He created a small toy theatre and {#blank#}2{#/blank#} for his puppets. Andersen moved to {#blank#}3{#/blank#} become an actor. Andersen couldn't give performances because his {#blank#}4{#/blank#} in 1872, Andersen. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} And didn't get well again.

    Each child loves to celebrate their holiday. ①It is a special day for them because they can get almost(几乎) everything they want on that day. Children usually celebrate their birthdays with a party. The party may not be on the exact(准确的) date of birthday if it comes on a school day. It may be on the closest(最近的) weekend.

    Some children have birthday parties at home. Parents make the house beautiful with balloons and coloured paper. And home—made food is a wonderful treat for the children. The children play different games and have lots of fun at the party.

    Others may have their parties at their favourite restaurants. They eat pizza and ice cream. The waiters serve(端上) the food and also sing and play games with them.

    ②Every       party has a birthday       with candles on top. There is one candle for each year of a birthday boy's or girl's age. When the candles are lighted, everyone sings the special birthday song: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Face the Stress

    Have you had a headache during a test? Have you ever been so worried about something that you have a headache or even can't sleep at night? If so, then you know what stress is. Stress is what you feel when you are worried about something. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}You may feel angry, sad, scared, or afraid—all of which give you a stomachache or a headache.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Some kinds of stress are beneficial and others are not. Good stress might happen when you're called to answer questions in class or when you have to give a speech. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, you may do a better job in your test if the stress pushes you to prepare better before the test.

    On the other hand, bad stress can happen if the stress lasts too long. You may not feel well if your parents are fighting, if a family member is sick, if you're having problems at school, or if anything else makes you unhappy every day. That kind of stress isn't going to help you. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Make sure you keep yourself in mind: Sleep, exercise, leisure, and food. If you get enough sleep and eat healthily, and if you exercise and leave and leave time for fun, you'll probably feel less stressed.