Michael Wang was a senior at James Logan High School, US, back in 2012. According to The New Yorker, he was confident that he could get into an Ivy League university, such as Harvard or Yale. He had a high GPA, 1 at debating and co-founded a math club. He was also a talented pianist. 2, his dream universities turned him down. His less talented classmates, who were Hispanic or African-American, were admitted into these schools. It made him wonder if he was 3 because he was Asian.

    On Oct 15, a lawsuit against Harvard brought on behalf of Asian-American students like Wang Began students for Fair Admissions(SFFA),a US non-profit organization. 4 Harvard for using racial balancing in their admissions process. Harvard has denied the 5considers many factors when 6 whether a student should be admitted, including academic performance and extracurricular activities. Harvard added that the number of Asian-Americans admitted to the school had greatly increased since 2010.”Race alone is never the reason a student's7 admission, ”William Lee, a lawyer for Harvard, told the guardian. ”And race is never the reason a student is denied.”

    Harvard is not the only university to have been accused of 8against Asian-Americans. In September, the US Justice Department begin to9whether Yale University discriminates against Asian-Americans, The case has 10 a longstanding debate over affirmative action policies(平均法案政策) that allow universities to use race as a factor when considering applications. The policies11 benefit African-American and latino students in an effort to make up for centuries of racial discrimination, according to THE NEW YORK Times, the SFFA wants the use of race in the admissions process to be ended, 12 that it causes inequality.” People should be judged on character and 13,”However, in a student, Havard said that 14 the race criterion would “reduce students' opportunities to live and learn in a diverse campus environment”.

    Although the case has just begun, the15judgement” could influence admissions to US universities for years to come,” according to AI Jaxeera, a Qatar based TV station

    The hardworking blacksmith Jones used to work all day in his shop and so hard-working was he that at times he would make the sparks fly from his hammer.

    The 1of Mr. Smith, a rich neighbor, used to come to see the blacksmith every day and for hours and hours he would2 himself watching how the tradesman worked.

    "Young man, why don't you try your 3to learn to make shoe tacks(鞋钉), even if it is only to kill the time?" said the blacksmith. "Who knows, one day, it may be of use to you."

    The lazy boy began to see what he could do. But after a little 4 he found that he was becoming very5 and soon he was making some of the finest tacks.

    Old Mr. Smith died and the son on account of the war6all his goods. He had to leave home and was7 to take up residence(居住) in another country. It 8 happened that in this village there were numerous shoemakers who were9 a lot of money to buy tacks for their shoes and even at times when they paid10 prices they were not always able to get what they wanted, because in that part of the country there was a high11for soldiers' shoes.

    Our young Mr. Smith, who was 12 it difficult to 13 his daily bread, remembered that once upon a time he had learned the art of 14 tacks and had the15 idea of making a 16 with the shoemakers. He told them that he would make the tacks if they would help to get him 17 in his workshop. The shoemakers were only too glad of the18. And after a while, Mr. Smith found that he was soon making the finest tacks in the village.

    "How19 it seems," he used to say, "even making tacks can bring a 20. My trade is more useful to me than were all my former riches."

    When Mrs Green asked us to discover our professions(职业), the whole class seemed to be greatly surprised. Our professions? We were only 13 and 14 years old! The teacher must be 1. "Yes, you will all be searching for your future 2. Each of you will have to 3 someone in your field and give an oral report."

    Each day in her class, Mrs Green talked about this. Finally, I picked print journalism(新闻业). This 4 I had to go to interview a true newspaper reporter. I was nervous. I sat down in front of him 5 able to speak. He looked at me and said, "Did you bring a pencil or pen?"

    I shook my head.

    "How about some 6?"

    I shook my head again.

    Finally, I thought he 7 I was nervous, and I got my first big tip as a 8:"Never, never go anywhere without a pen and paper. You never know what you'll run into." After a few days, I gave my oral report totally from9in class. I got an A on the project.

    Years later, I was in college looking around for a new career(职业), but with no success. Then I10 Mrs Green and my dream at 13 to be a journalist. And I called my parents. They didn't 11 me. They just reminded(提醒) me how competitive the field was and 12 all my life I had to run away from competition. This was true. But journalism did something to me; it was in my13. It gave me the freedom to go up to total strangers and ask what was 14.

    For the past 12 years, I've had the most satisfying reporting career, 15 stories from Olympic Games to car accidents and 16 choosing my strongest area. 17 I went to pick up my phone one day, an incredible（令人难以置信的）wave of memories hit me and I realized that 18 Mrs Green I was able to be sitting at that desk.

    I get 19 all the time: "How did you pick journalism?"

    "Well, you see, there was a teacher…" I just wish I could 20 her.

    All of us in Monte Vista Christian School know we'll one day have graduation photos for the yearbook taken. As the time 1, the girls start to have a 2 about what they'll wear and where to take the photos, while the boys 3 hardly talk about it. As for me, I 4 for my photos to be taken by the sea.

    When I arrived there, I met my photographer, Annie. She asked me to make some poses and I 5 her advice. After that, I asked if she could make me look 6 by taking photos in a different way, 7 I'm less than 1.6 meters tall. To my 8 she responded, "I will make no 9 to make you look like someone you're not. You look good in your own way." She 10 that she wouldn't try to edit the photos either.

    I was shocked by what she said. Girls always 11 to look perfect by using different visual angles. When you go to a photo studio, photographers always try to hide your 12 by telling you to stand in a certain way. And picture editors can easily 13 your look by making you appear any you want to. 14, that's not the case here. Seeing I was 15, Annie explained: "Everyone has his uniqueness. You need to 16 your own beauty. You cannot live in a world of 17 photos."

    It was the first time that I had met a photographer who doesn't 18 photos at all. After the shoot, I saw the photos — they are 19 special and natural. But what's even more special are Annie's 20, which will always stay in my heart.

    It's been five years since I came to America. The year before I arrived, every weekend I was woken up by "Spring River in the Flower Moon Night", 1 by my mother on a zheng.

    My mom was always enchanted(着迷)by the beauty of Chinese traditional music2she never had the chance to learn a(n)3. In 2009, she got a zheng from a friend and has been playing and 4 ever since. Sometimes when I miss her, I search for the songs she used to play on the Internet. I 5 expected to hear them here in Boston.

    Earlier this year, as I6 a new apartment, I met Zhantao Lin, the director of the Boston Chinese Musicians Association. At Lin's house, I heard the7of the erhu. Lin later8me to his music team and I heard the rehearse(排练)for a9this year. It was beautiful and powerful — it10 brought me back to my hometown in China.

    11is also part of Lin's daily routine. Besides performing, he passed on his love of the erhu to his12. I went to one of Lin's classes and met 9-year-old London Turk. I asked him13he chose to learn the erhu. "It's much14to learn than the violin," he said. Perhaps Turk hasn't really started to15the beauty of the erhu, but his mother has always loved the instrument. "There are so many beautiful things in Chinese16: the music, the language, and the art. So we just try our best to let him have a17to explore it," she said.

    I18my mom for giving me a chance to immerse(使沉浸)myself in the Chinese musical world. The music makes me feel relaxed. It can also19me of my homesickness. If you listen to one piece, you will20its uniqueness, power, and beauty.

Motorcyclists born to ride supplies to firefighters

Chongqing motorcyclists are being hailed as heroes for volunteering to transport much-needed supplies to the fire and rescue workers fighting the wildfires caused by prolonged heat and drought across multiple districts in the municipality.

As of Wednesday, Chongqing has issued a red alert, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} most severe in the four-tier warning system, for high temperatures for 16 consecutive days.

In the scorching heat and drought conditions, multiple wildfires have ravaged many parts of Chongqing. As of Tuesday, several large wildfires have been brought {#blank#}2{#/blank#} control with the joint efforts of the fire and rescue workers, social organizations and residents. No casualties have been reported.

Facing the tough situation, the city government called for volunteers with {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(relate) skills and experience to join the firefighting, and a large number of {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(motorcyclist) have played an important role and won widespread praise.

"{#blank#}5{#/blank#} is my honor and duty to guard my hometown," said 27-year-old Li Xin, a member of Yueqi Motorcycle Club in Beibei district.

On Sunday night, upon {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(hear) the recruitment notice, Li organized a team of 15 club members to support the firefighting in Beibei's Xiema town, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} is the epicenter of the local blazes.

The team members {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(take) turns to use five dirt bikes and four scooters to carry materials and equipment to firefighters and to transport people and necessities.

{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(prevent) heatstroke in the extreme outdoor heat, the team gave up dressing in {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(they) thick riding suits.

"We will stay and help until the fire is out," Li said.