Cindy and Anna were best friends. Some days they could spend hours happily together without any argument, but other days they just could not ________ on what to do.

One day they decided to play in the garden near their school. “Come on, let’s play chess,” Anna said.

“I don’t want to play chess,” Cindy replied.

“We always do what you want to do, Cindy. It’s my turn to make a ________.” Anna said. She was getting a little unhappy and ________ leaving Cindy alone.

Cindy was very angry. ________ she got home, she found she still had Anna's notebook in her schoolbag, “Well, I’m not giving it back to her today. I’m too mad at her,” Cindy thought.

The next day at school, their teacher Mrs. Stone ________ their notebooks. But Anna didn’t have hers, and she looked ________. Cindy knew she should tell Mrs. Stone that she had the notebook, but she was ________ mad at Anna.

When it was time for lunch, Cindy finally told Mrs. Stone the ________. “Thank you for being ________, Cindy. I’m sure Anna will be thankful that you give me her notebook,” said Mrs. Stone.

Later, Mrs. Stone asked the two girls together and talked with them. Mrs. Stone helped them ________ that it was a good idea to take turns to decide the activity. They become best friends again.

Few words are spoken more often every day on the streets of Britain than “I’m sorry.” This phrase has become such a common response（反应）that it has taken on a lot of meanings.

Saying “Sorry” means apologizing（道歉）.This is simple and easy to understand. We learn it both as a native speaker and as a student of foreign languages.

But in Britain, it takes on another meaning. It is a cultural expression. Imagine this: a man walks down the street, looking down at his phone. A woman is walking in the opposite direction, towards the man. She sees him, but she can’t get out of the way in time. The man knocks into the woman. Who should say sorry? Naturally, the man should say sorry; because it was he who wasn’t looking where he was going. Yet in Britain, it is common for both to apologize.

It is known that British people, like most people, do not enjoy fight. So to quickly calm the situation, British people will apologize to each other.

Other times it may sound funny to hear “sorry”. Some of my friends say it at restaurants, as they ask the waiter, “Sorry, but can I order another drink?” It is not to apologize, but just to express that we need the waiter. In Britain, “Sorry” doesn’t always mean exactly what you think.

Are you a book lover? Do you often kill time by reading something? Look around when you’re on a subway or just in some other public places. What’s the most popular time-killing activity? A recent survey from alibaba. com shows that the number of Chinese readers keeps growing.

World Book Day

It falls on April 23rd every year. It was set up by UNESCO in 1995 to encourage people especially teenagers, to discover the pleasure of reading. It is also the day to honor（纪念）great writers, for example, William Shakespeare, who were born and died on that day.

Reading builds a bridge between our life and the unknown world. In many foreign countries, people read at any time. Even backpackers（背包旅行者）enjoy reading books when they’re on a break at the beach, or relaxing from a hike.

In most US middle schools, teachers give students a reading list every few weeks. Most of the books are easy to read like youth novels. Some schools hold competitions by asking them details（细节）of a book.

How to form a good reading habit

● Read in short periods. The minutes on the way to and from school, 10 minutes when waiting for friends, and 15 minutes before going to sleep.

● Make your own reading list. Your list can be the best-selling books on famous websites like The New York Times or Dangdang. com, or books your teacher recommends（推荐）.

● Talk about your reading with your family or friends. It doubles the fun to read.

Good reading habits lead you to a lifelong love of books. In order to encourage people to read more, China is planning to form the habit of reading in its law. Although it has both good and bad sides, it can be seen as a way to develop one’s reading habits.

Soldier and Scholar

In difficult times, there are always people who step up and bring hope and confidence to the public.

Doctor Zhong Nanshan is one of them.

“Please don’t travel to Wuhan unless it’s absolutely necessary”, Zhong Nanshan, a famous respiratory（呼吸科的）expert, reminded the public when the novel coronavirus first hit Wuhan. But despite the danger, he, 84, rushed on an overnight train to Wuhan to fight against the disease.

Known as the hero who defeated SARS in 2003, Zhong’s image and messages are flooding（遍布）social media. Many people say they “trust every word of Zhong”. He has given Chinese people confidence in winning the battle.

A great doctor and honest scholar（学者）

Growing up in a family of doctors, Zhong lives by a simple motto（信条）: Save lives and always be honest. In 2003, when SARS hit China, he volunteered to treat patients and asked his colleagues（同事）to send their most serious cases to him. After months of work, his treatment plan for SARS was adopted（采纳）by China and then the whole world, saving thousands of lives, People’s Daily reported.

Zhong is also known for being an honest scholar. In 2003, when authorities（官方）said that the SARS virus was under control, he publicly refuted their claim. “I couldn’t help myself. I said it’s not all under control.” Zhong said in a later interview. His honesty won widespread praise from the Chinese public.

Back to the frontlines

Seventeen years later, Zhong is once again leading an expert team to study the novel coronavirus. Although this new virus is known to be more dangerous to the elderly, Zhong doesn’t seem worried about his own safety: On Jan 18, he took a high-speed train from Guangzhou to Wuhan. Two days later, he became the first expert to make certain that the new virus can be spread between humans. On January 29, he and his colleagues spent over four hours online checking five patients who were in serious condition.

The next day, he chose the treatment for those patients. Under his guidance, his team developed a rapid test kit（快速检测试剂盒）for the disease that can show results within 15 minutes.

As People’s Daily wrote, “the 84-year-old Zhong Nanshan shows his professionalism as a scholar, courage as a soldier, and a sense of duty as the backbone（脊梁）of our nation.”

At 6:00 in the morning, Rose’s mother heard her say, “The only thing 1 hate more than going to bed is getting up in the morning!” Have you ever stayed up later than you should? If you have, you know that not getting enough sleep can make you feel tired and upset. Science and experience have shown that getting a good night’s sleep is very important in whatever you do. Here are some important advantages of getting a good night’s sleep.

Do you like to play sports?

It has been shown that football players, swimmers and tennis players all perform better after a good night’s sleep. Your coach may not tell you this, but the simplest way to improve your performance is to get enough rest.

Do you want to improve your grades?

Healthy sleeping habits improve your memory and your ability to pay attention to tasks, making schoolwork seem easier. While you get a snooze（打盹）, your mind is very busy so you can’t get a good rest like a long see. Scientists have found that it’s easier to learn after a good night’s rest. So, it’s no surprise that students who get enough seep can get better grades than those who don’t.

Do you want to excel(突出表现)in the arts?

Before you get your paintbrushes out, get a good night’s rest. People are much more creative when they rest well. Get a good night’s sleep and you are worth it.