C

    We humans produce a lot of waste every day．We pour it onto the environment．This waste often gives off gases and dusts into the air．Often．it is harmful both to nature and to our human life．

    Do you know one of the main causes of the large amount of dangerous waste? It is people who do not realize how big a problem it is．Because it can be simply removed and sent to a landfill(废渣填埋场)．The problem is often believed to end there．In addition，industries are not willing to find ways to deal with the dangerous waste．They think it will cost money．Many industries and governments build simple landfills to store waste．They often just pour waste chemicals into nearby bodies of water．Often，the chemicals used for industrial production cause dangerous forms of waste．The amount of these chemicals has increased greatly in the past．It is often difficult and expensive to get rid of them．It is also hard to store them in a safe way．

    Every year, major health problems result from dangerous waste．Sadly, often only after someone has died or become seriously ill，and then the governments will take measures to reduce the levels of harmful waste．

    Some governments have realized how serious the dangerous waste problem is．They are now trying to solve this problem．They are also trying to limit the amount of waste industries．

    Not only governments but ordinary people must work together to solve the problem．We can choose not to buy those products which produce dangerous waste．Many scientists think waste can be reduced at least one third by using technologies and methods．

    If music makes you smarter and exercise helps you to think, surely exercising to music can turn you into an intelligent(聪明的) person.

    A team of scientists from Ohio State University did tests on 33 volunteers who were getting better from heart problems following operation(手术). They found that people who exercised while listening to "The Four Seasons" did much better on language ability tests than without music.

    "Facts suggest that exercise improve the learning ability of people with heart problems," said the scientist Charles Emery, who led the study. "And listening to music is thought to enhance understanding. We just wanted to put the two results together." he added.

    The volunteers said they felt better after exercising with or without the music. But their improvement on the test doubled after listening to music during exercise. Scientists have shown it is true that music can be good for health. It helps cut down stress, sadness and nervousness. And it also wakes up the body and improves memory and thoughts.

    In medical fields, music is used widely for patients who have had headaches before and after operation. "The Four Seasons" was used because of its soft tempo(节拍) and better results in earlier research.

    "Exercise seems to cause better changes in the nervous system and these changes may have a direct result on learning ability." Emery said. Scientists have been studying the result of music on understanding since the early 1950s. By 1990, scientists were using Mozart's music to help children with speech disorders. Mozart was chosen because his music is not overexciting. A study showed students who listened to Mozart scored higher marks in an intelligence test. With important exams coming, your parents will not probably allow you to listen to music. But perhaps now you have good reasons to argue with them.

    What do you see when you look at abstract (抽象的)art? Can you understand it? Does it look like anything?

    Abstract art became popular in the early 20th century. Artists did not want to paint, draw, or sculpt things exactly like they looked. They didn't want their art to be realistic(现实的). They were more interested in basic shapes and colours.

    Picasso is probably the most famous of these artists. He painted and drew in many, many styles. Sometimes he used a lot of blue colours (his "blue period"). Later, he used more red and pink colours (his "rose period"). Many of his other paintings are called "cubist (立体派的)" because they are made of painted squares.

    After a long time, Picasso's paintings became more and more abstract. He painted people and things using strange shapes. His work was so strange that many of his workmates didn't understand it.

    Kandinsky, another famous artist, used lines, shapes, and patterns to paint his subjects. His paintings also used strong colours to express feelings. Other artists like the surrealists (超现实主义画家)，were interested in subconsciousness (潜意识). Painters like Breton and Magritte used many symbols in their work. The meaning or subject of their work wasn't always clear. Dali, another surrealist artist, painted pictures that looked like dreams.

    There are still many abstract artists around the world. That's the way many artists prefer. They want each person to look at art and find their own meaning in it.

Do you have any online classes? It is possible to take classes at home. All you need is a computer and a headset. 

However, most students don't seem to like online classes. According to a recent survey, only 33 percent of the students would take such classes. Over 1, 500 students from 10 cities took part in the survey. 

Many students said it was hard to focus on studying while taking online classes. This was true for Kate, 15, at the High School of Peking University. "There are no classmates and no real teachers watching me. I can surf the Internet or do other things if I want to. It's harder to always stay focused," she said. 

Kate prepares a lot before taking her classes to make sure she will keep her attention. She also pushes herself to communicate with teachers. Students can come up with or answer questions while taking online classes. 

Joice, 14, at Yucai Middle School, thinks online interaction (互动) isn't enough. "The online teachers don't really get to know me. When I don't hand in homework, all I get is a short message instead of real concern (关心) ," she said. 

However, online classes still have advantages. "It saves time and money compared with taking offline classes. Also, if I don't understand some parts of a lesson, I can watch it over again," Kate said. 

Parents often find children watch cartoons for at least three to four hours a day. Studies show that kids start watching cartoons on TV at an early age of six months, and by the time they reach the age of two or three, they become fans of cartoons and they would like to spend much time on them. Is it good for kids to watch cartoons?

Parents often see this as a problem because most of the kids are too crazy about watching cartoons. Parents think if kids spend too much time on cartoons, they won't do well at school. 

Some people think it's good to watch cartoons. They help the working parents the most because parents can do a lot of work when their kids watch cartoons on TV. 

When children watch educational cartoons, they get to learn things. Cartoons also help to improve children's language skills. Educational cartoons help children try different languages. Kids can learn English well with the help of those cartoon programs. At the same time, some kids can learn about the friendship and teamwork from the cartoons. It is good for them to get on well with their friends and classmates. 

So sometimes it is meaningless to stop kids from watching cartoons, but parents should make sure that their kids are watching the right things.