Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

    There is no doubt that China is a country with high moral values. It has never attacked another country, has one of the lowest rates of violent crimes and is deeply concerned with the social and economic welfare of its people.

    But when it comes to animal rights, China may well fail Gandhi test. There are no laws against the killing of dogs and the sale of dog meat in China. In fact the serving of dog meat in Chinese restaurants has increased in recent years.

    People who eat dog meat argue that dogs have been eaten in China for thousand of years and dog meat has “health benefits”.

    There is, however, a strong argument against waiting dogs .Recently, some Chinese animal rights activists stopped a truck carrying about 500 dogs and saved the poor animals from being sold and served as food in restaurants. These people that dogs are not meant to be eaten but loved.

根据短文内容，判断以下句子的正误。

    A couple of days ago, as the test results came out, my son and a group of his 13-year-old friends piled into the back seat of my car, ready for the last-day-of-school party at McDonald's. “Jack got a laptop for getting straight A's, and Laurie got a cell-phone,” one boy said. “Oh, yeah, and Sarah got an iPad, and she's only in third grade,” said another. “And how about Brian? He got $10 for each A.”

    I suddenly became concerned. These payoffs might get parents through grammar school, but what about high school and beyond? What would be left after the electric guitar, the cell-phone, and the DVD player?

    I saw the road ahead:As the homework load increased, my income would decrease.I saw my comfortable lifestyle disappear before my eyes — no more of those $5 bags of already-peeled organic carrots. No more organic anything!

    I started to feel surprised and nervous. Would every goal achieved by my two children fetch a reward? A high grade point average? A good class ranking? Would sports achievements be included in this reward system: soccer goals, touchdowns? What about the orchestra? Would first chair pay more than second? I'd be penniless by eighth-grade graduation.

    “We never paid anything for good grades,” said my neighbor across the street, whose son was recently accepted at MIT. “He just did it on his own. Maybe once in a while we went out for pizza, but that's about it.”

    Don't you just hate that? We're all running around looking for the MP3 player with the most updates, and she's spending a few dollars on pizza. She gets motivation; we get negotiation. And what about the primary grades? What do these students get? “When the teacher asked if anyone got rewards for good grades, everyone in my class raised their hands and said they got ice cream cones ,” said one third-grader.

    Whenever the word “hero” comes to me, I immediately think of three Hs: honorable, hardworking, and happy. When I think more about this word, I picture someone who has accomplished good things for people and tries to do the right thing Hattie Elizabeth Alexander is one person whom I find to be very heroic.

    Hattie was born in Baltimore, Maryland on April 5, 1901. During her time at College she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Bacteriology and Physiology. These were just the first steps towards what she was finally going to be remembered for. After college Hattie attended Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and received her medical degree.

    After her education, she pursued her career, and after much time and hard work, she drastically reduced the number of infants(幼儿) dying from meningitis(脑膜炎). Hattie was very dedicated to her work and helped at as many locations as she could. Spending substantial(大量的) time in the laboratory, Hattie successfully developed a cure against the disease, which decreased the death rate to 20 percent. At the same time, she was also a teacher working with Columbia University.

    She was a caring lady interested in other people's lives. When she was teaching at Columbia University, other members would talk to her about students that were failing their classes, and somehow Hattie could always find convincing reasons as to why they should not be driven away. Later, Hattie became an instructor in Pediatrics at New York City's Babies Hospital. After many honors, she became the first woman president of the American Pediatric Society in 1965. This was her last major achievement, for soon after, Hattie died of cancer on June 24, 1968.

    Hattie is my hero because her positive attitude and strength helped her accomplish great things for others. She gave them her strength by developing medicines against diseased, which, by doing so, made them stronger. This is what makes Hattie Elizabeth Alexander my hero.

    A Step-by-Step guide to Writing Great Papers

    Time For Kids

    Want to be a better writer? TFK's “Write Ideas” gives your writing a rise by walking you through every step involved in writing a paper. Using sample papers, idea organizers and checklists, you can write better research papers, persuasive essays, news stories and much more.

Spelling, Grammar and More

    English Zone

    This is the perfect site for English homework. It has a section on almost every topic you will cover in English class, such as spelling, parts of speech and writing. It does not just give you summary of the topic; rather it makes sure you understand it completely.

    Reading Rocks!

    Reading Rockets

    From this great resource, learn to love reading or to love it even more! Read articles about reading and education, and share them with your teachers and parents. You can even read books by famous authors like Jane Yolen and Patricia MacLachlan.

    Definitions, Rhymes and Word Games

    Merriam-Webster Word Central

    If you want to review words you know and learn new ones, visit this site. Here you'll visit a school called “Word Central” where you can click on different areas to learn things like definitions and rhymes for different words or play word games.

    Help with Foreign Languages

    Kidspace@The Internet Public Library

    This is a really cool site if you need help with foreign-language homework. It teaches you how to say hello in many different languages and has a lot of other useful information. It also tells how you can listen to real people saying the words in other languages.

    Some places in the world have strange laws. It's important for you to know about them before going there.

    Whoever likes to chew gum(口香糖) may have to leave Singapore. The government really wants to keep the city clean and will fine you for chewing gum.

     Before you leave for the United Arab Emirates you'd better make sure you aren't visiting during Ramadan(斋月). During that time you aren't allowed to eat or drink in public. Tourists have been fined up to $275 for drinking in public.

    Lovers spend so much time kissing each other goodbye at train stations that trains often start late. This law— no kissing your lover goodbye at train stations – is rather old, and isn't in use today in France.

In Thailand it's against the law to drive a car or motorcycle without a shirt on, no matter how hot it is. Punishments are different in different areas and can include warnings and tickets costing about $10. No joke — the local police will stop you.

     Studies in Denmark have shown that cars with their headlights on are more noticeable by other drivers than those with their headlights off. Drivers there are required to leave their headlights on even during the day, or they may face a fine up to $100.

    Do you often buy things using coins? Don't do it in Canada. The Currency Law of 1985 doesn't allow using only coins to buy things. Even the use of the dollar-coin is limited (受限制的). The shop owner has the right to choose whether to take your coins or not.

    Make sure you know about these laws before your next trip. Better safe than sorry.

    Panama City, Panama

    For beach vacations that get you out of town and invite you and your family to dive into culture, consider a trip to Panama City. Here, you will enjoy beaches and city exploring. Book your stay at the Westin Playa Bonita, where you can book a room starting at $222 a night. There are various programs, including beach Olympics, stargazing (天体观察）and Spanish lessons.

    Jupiter, Florida

    This place offers you quality time you can spend with your loved ones. Book your stay at Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa, with rates for a family of four starting at $207 a night. Here, you can shoot baskets at the basketball courts, take a dip in the pool or teach your children beach yoga.

    San Diego, California

    The West Coast is a great spot for cheap beach vacations, so tell your family to pack their bags for a visit to San Diego. A cheap $10 Uber ride from the airport will have you pulling up the Kona Kai Resort & Spa. Here, a family of four can stay in a Deluxe Guest Room starting at $159 per night. Your kids can practice cannonballs at the pool after a visit to the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

    Kihei Maui, Hawaii

    For West Coasters who are growing bored with their backyard, fly to the islands of Hawaii. Stay at the Aston at the Maui Banyan, with a charge of $179 a night for a family of four. Here, you'll witness some of the best sunsets of your life while your kids splash (戏水）in the Pacific, And if you're set on cooking a fancy meal, you'll enjoy suites that come with a full kitchen.