Many years ago, most of our earth wascovered with blocks (块) of ice. These iceblocks were as tall as high buildings in modern cities. Most of the ice was inthe northern part of the world. Then the ice blocks started to move south. Coldand rain came with the ice. Animals had to move. At last, the ice began to melt(融化). After half a million years, most of it melted.More than half of the earth became covered with water. Theclimatebecame much warmer. Things began to grow. The earth began to look the way inwhich it looks today.

Do you feel guilty(内疚的) for something you did? Maybe you made a mistake that hurt someone. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Either way, the simple words "I'm sorry" can help you and others feel better. It's not always easy to admit(承认) what you did is wrong. But you can't learn from your mistakes without admitting them.

Apologizing(道歉) is an important part of personal growth. When you apologize, the other person knows that you understand his feelings. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} But in fact, it shows that you are strong enough to put others before yourself. After apologizing, you may become closer to your friend than before.

But even after you decided to apologize, you may not be sure how to do it. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

①Show that you feel guilty and understand how the other person feels. For example, you could say, "{#blank#}4{#/blank#} I feel terrible for talking to you like that."

②Don't keep doing what you apologized for.

③Don't put off(推迟) making an apology.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Apologies can be hard, but they are necessary for healthy relationships.

In America, there are chores for children of different ages. American people think it's important to tell children their duty in the family. They think that a 2-year-old child is never too young to do chores. If you have no ideas, use this list of age chores for your children. 

Edward Lear

Who was Edward Lear? He was a great English writer from the 1800s. He wrote many poems. His writings have a lot of strange characters and words, but they are fun. His most famous book of poems is from 

1846. It is called A Book of Nonsense! Before you read this book, you should know two things. 

Are Those Real Words?

Lear's writing is very creative because he made up words. But don't be surprised if you see them. They are just a lot of fun nonsense! There are many different strange creatures and words in his stories. For example, there are Pobbles, Jumblies, and Blue Boss-Wosses in his book. But they are not real! Many people like his work because it's interesting and funny! 

Lear's Poem Pattern

Lear wrote many of his poems in a special kind of pattern. His pattern has five lines. And he made it very

popular! When you read his poems, look for the special pattern: the last words in the first two lines will rhyme (押韵) . And in lines three and four, the last words will rhyme together. Then the last word in the final line will rhyme with the last words in the first two lines. 

Hit the Books!

Now, you know about Lear's poems. So go check out A Book of Nonsense! See if you can find all of his strange words and creatures. Also, try to find his famous rhyming pattern! 

Hello,I'm Maria from Cuba. Now, I am a student of Beijing Renai International School and {#blank#}1{#/blank#} school is very beautiful(漂亮的). I have a good friend in this school {#blank#}2{#/blank#} her name is Huanhuan. Huanhuan {#blank#}3{#/blank#} from Beijing, China. We are good friends and in the same class. At school, we always help {#blank#}4{#/blank#} other. She helps me to study my Chinese well and I help her {#blank#}5{#/blank#} her English. She also takes me to taste kinds of Chinese delicious food. In my eyes(在我眼里), China is a friendly and great country. The people here are so nice to me. So I like this country so much.

How do you feel when you have to make a speech in front of class? What about when you go to a birthday party? Do you get really shy?

Shyness means feeling worried or afraid when you're around other people. Experts (专家) have found that more than 80 percent of middle school students feel afraid to be the center of attention (注意). Some kids are born shy. Some become shy later because of their life experiences (经历).

It's OK if it takes you a minute to feel yourself again when you go to a new place or meet new people. In fact, everybody gets a little shy sometimes. It's just a problem of how much.

Most people have red faces and talk in broken language when they get shy. But some become so shy that they won't go to a restaurant because they are too nervous to order and pay for their food. Some are afraid of meeting new people, so they hardly go outside. This kind of shyness can be bad for a person.

If shyness doesn't stop you from doing something you want to do, being shy isn't a very big problem. Some experts say shy people are cleverer because they think more and talk less. Shy people are also good at working with others because they think more for other people. Some great people in history were shy, too.

You see, being shy isn't all bad. But remember not to let good chances pass by just because of it! If you have to sing a song at a birthday party or practice your spoken English in front of others, just do it! There's nothing to be afraid of.