The loss of handwriting in our high-tech world saddens me. People of all ages openly admit their handwriting is becoming worse as keyboards replace pen and paper. Increasingly, schoolchildren deal with assignments on computer and struggle to write, having had little practice. I am of the generation that learnt to write with a dip pen in kindergarten and a fountain pen in high school; by the time I reached university, like everyone else, I used a functional ballpoint. Handwriting has filled every aspect of my life since I was first taught to shape letters on the lined pages of my exercise books.

    From the age of 12, I have kept a handwritten journal, recording my thoughts and feelings regarding both the significant and boring aspects of my life. Through this daily practice I connected with myself, explored experiences and found a way to interpret and make sense of my relationships. Although I rarely reread my written material, the process of writing has remained with me as a means of processing my feelings and filtering（过滤)）my experiences.

    Yet today, handwritten letters are as rare as a red panda. Few of us write letters any longer, even to those to whom we are close. We communicate differently when we e-mail or text, both methods characterised by speed and informality. The deep thinking, which accompanied a handwritten letter, is almost entirely absent. We may be communicating more frequently and with more people, but the depth and quality of our communication has reduced.

    Sadly, modern technology tends to be temporary. Few of us keep old e-mails or even print them out, so a sense of history and memory is lost. Archivists（档案管理者）report that more information has been lost in the past decade than in the previous 150 years. It is too easy to press the delete button.

    In many other areas of records, material is now in the digital format. Yet saving material in a digital format only is extremely unstable. How it will survive the future remains a problem.

    In this digital world of text, e-mails and instant messaging, the perceived value of writing is no longer obvious and the case for retaining the practice of writing needs to be made. Should we save the humble pen and paper when laptops and mobiles are functional, universal and unstoppable? Should children continue to be taught to write with a pen and paper?

    With its passing, a good mode of self-expression is being lost. I invite readers to engage with handwriting and become aware of this special skill that has created civilization for centuries.

Paragraph outline

Detailed information

The current{#blank#}1{#/blank#} of handwriting   

▲    Students {#blank#}2{#/blank#} to computers to complete their homework.

▲    With little practice, students have{#blank#}3{#/blank#} writing.

▲    We seldom write letters even to people we are close to.

The author's link with handwriting

▲    The author{#blank#}4{#/blank#} himself to handwriting from kindergarten to university.

▲    The author kept {#blank#}5{#/blank#} of his thoughts and feelings by keeping writing journals.

▲    The author also takes {#blank#}6{#/blank#} of writing to process his feelings and filtering his experiences. The {#blank#}7{#/blank#} with modern communication methods

▲    There is an{#blank#}8{#/blank#} of depth and quality in e-mails and texts.

▲    The temporariness of modern technology tends to give {#blank#}9{#/blank#} to the loss of some history and memory.

▲    Saving materials only in a digital format is not very stable.

▲    A style of self-expression is being lost.

The author's {#blank#}10{#/blank#} to people for handwriting  

Write as much as possible and realize the importance of this special art.

    There is an English saying:“{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now, however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their hearts, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.

    Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group that tolerated(忍耐) the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.

A. Laughter can make one's life longer.

B. As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics in which they help to improve their patients' condition by encouraging them to laugh.

C. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemicals in the brain which reduce both stress and pain.

D. It increases blood pressure, the heart beating and breathing; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach and even the feet.

E. Although laughter helps cure the disease, doctors still can not put this theory into clinic practice.

F. Laughter is the best medicine.

G. They have found that laughter really can improve people's health

    Traveling abroad during the vacation is the top choice of many Chinese people. But do we have good manners abroad?

    On Feb 25, a report said that a Chinese mother let her child pee (小便) in front of a shop in Tokyo. A journalist came to the mother. Instead of saying sorry, the woman said that her child had peed inside a plastic bag and had not made the floor dirty.

    This case has caused a big discussion about Chinese people' s traveling manners again.

    In recent years, improper behavior has become a real embarrassment for China as overseas tourism increases. With the improvement of living standards, more and more Chinese are traveling abroad. But there are still a number of Chinese lacking in (缺乏) a sense of public manners. For this situation, the Chinese government has suggested proper manners. The National Tourism Administration has made a list of tourists' worst behaviors, including littering, line-jumping, taking off shoes and socks in public, speaking loudly and smoking in non-smoking areas.

    We are going to improve the inner being of every Chinese citizen. “Traveling manners are a turning point.” said an official. And changes have begun to appear. Most people minded their behaviors during this Spring Festival holiday, according to the National Tourism Administration. They kept their voice down, waited in line and respected local rules.

    Nothing succeeds like confidence. When you are truly confident, it radiates from you like sunlight, and attracts success to you like a magnet(磁铁){#blank#}1{#/blank#} And gaining the confidence of others is one of the key ways in which a self-confident person finds success.

    So how can we build a sense of self-confidence and prepare ourselves on the way to success? First, do what you believe to be right, even if others laugh at you for it{#blank#}2{#/blank#}If you believe you can, then you really will. The belief keeps you searching for answers, which means that pretty soon you will get them.

    Second, govern your behavior based on what other people think. What's more important, be willing to take risks and go the extra miles to achieve better results, in which case mistakes can not be avoided{#blank#}3{#/blank#}  Next, work hard to settle the problems in order to cover up your mistakes before anyone notices. Building self-confidence is readily achievable, as long as you have the focus and determination to carry things through.

    With your determination and improvement, you are getting closer to success. At this stage, wait for others to congratulate you on your accomplishments. “Thanks, I really worked hard on the road to success. I'm pleased you recognize my efforts.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives, and it is no wonder that so many people struggle to find it{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Besides, whether you're working on your own self-confidence or building the confidence of people around you, it's well worth the effort!

A. Believe in yourself and believe that you can do it under any circumstances.

B. Highly self-confidence person can achieve great results in every field he enters.

C. Besides, those who are self-confident can in turn inspire confidence in others.

D. The congratulations from others will promote you to gain further success.

E. Self-confidence really can be learned and built on.

F. Don't hesitate to admit your mistakes, and learn from them.

G. A lack of confidence can lead to a lot of sufferings.

    A daughter complained to her father about her life and how things have been so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and she wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that just as one problem was solved another arose.

    Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen, filled three pots with water and placed the fire on high Soon the three pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the other he placed eggs, and the last he placed ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

    The daughter impatiently wondered what he was trying to do. In half an hour he walked over to the stove and turned down the fire. He pulled the carrots out and placed them in the bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in the bowl. Then he ladled (盛) the coffee out and placed it in a cup. Turning to her he asked. "Darling what do you see?"

    "Carrots, eggs, and coffee." she replied.

    He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled ege. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma (芳香).

    Humbly, she asked. "What does it mean Father?"

    He explained. "Each of them faced the same adversity, however each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard. But after going through boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg was fragile. A thin outer shell protected a liquid center. But after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The coffee beans are unique however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water"

    "Which are you," he asked his daughter, "When adversity knocks on your door, how do yourespond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"