Xian Xinghai was a very famous musician in China. He wrote     17     the greatest pieces of music of the 20th century. In his short life he wrote nearly 300 songs and an opera. Xian was born in Panyu, Guangzhou, China in 1905. Because his father died     18     he was born, Xian moved from place to place with his mother. He began learning to play the violin when he was 20 years old. In the beginning, his violin was so cheap and badly made that he could not play it well. His friends laughed at him. Xian did not     19     and soon showed his talent. In 1934, he was one of the first Chinese students who studied in a special music school in Paris. Before he left, Xian     20     the school’s best student and won several prizes for his talents.

In 1935, he returned to China and helped     21     the Japanese army. Later, he came to Yan’an to teach music at a college. Although there were no pianos in Yan’an at that time, Xian still wrote some of his     22     music there, including The Yellow River Cantata, his most famous work. In May 1940, Xian     23     the Soviet Union by the Chinese Communist Party to write music for movies.

In the Soviet Union, life was very hard. Xian got sick and later died of a lung illness on October 30, 1945, aged only 40. Xian’s music, however,     24     in the people’s hearts.

Mobile phone used among school kids has become a problem for the school years, so one of the rules in our country says that school kids are not allowed to bring mobile phones to school.

It is a good rule because it is hard for school kids to resist the temptation（诱惑）of mobile phones. Mobile phone was a distraction（分心事）to students during school hours and it also brought teachers so much trouble in class before. Sometimes students might use mobile phones to cheat during exams.

However, some parents feel unhappy because they can’t get in touch with their children. Many people say that they understand why these parents would want their children to have phones, but all of them think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones. So in lots of schools, if a student needs to bring a phone to school, his or her parents will have to write a statement and make sure that the phone is turned off during class. If the student breaks the rule and uses his or her phone during class, the student will be warned.

This is a reasonable rule, isn’t it? Under such a rule, students still have some freedom, and they learn how to improve self-discipline（自律能力）and live with new technologies. So rules do not necessarily mean there will be no freedom. In my opinion, freedom is based on good rules, so students should obey school rules.

Most children are taught the virtue (美德) of honesty from stories. The well-known story of Pinocchio teaches the importance of telling the truth. Every time Pinocchio lies, his nose grows longer and longer. Another story is about the boy who “cried wolf.” In the end, he loses all his sheep and the trust of his fellow villagers because he tells lies many times. These types of stories show children that “honesty is the best policy.” Still, if this is the case, then why do so many people lie? The fact is that people lie for many reasons.

One reason people lie is to minimize(减少) a mistake. While it is true that everyone does something wrong from time to time, some people do not have the courage to admit their errors(错误) because they are afraid they will be blamed. For example, students might lie to their teachers about unfinished homework. They might say that they left the work at home when, in fact, they did not do the work at all. These students do not want to get in trouble or seem irresponsible, so they make up an excuse—a lie—to save face.

Another reason for lying has to do with self-protection. Parents, particularly those with young children, may teach their children to use this type of “protective” lie in certain circumstances (状况). What should children do if a stranger calls while the parents are out? Many parents teach their children to explain that their mother and father are too busy to come to the phone at that time. In this situation, protective lying can mean greater safety.

People lie for many reasons, both good and bad. Lying to keep the peace or to stay safe can have positive results. However, lying to stay out of trouble can lead to more trouble in the end. Understanding the motives behind the impulse (冲动)to lie might minimize this habit of lying.

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Recently, a South Korean video recording a special meeting between a mother and a daughter has touched the hearts of many people. The video is from a TV show called Meeting You.     33     Jang Ji-sung, a mother of four, meets her dead daughter Nayeon in this way. Nayeon is Jang’s third daughter and she died of an illness at the age of seven.

In the video, Jang wears a VR headset (头戴式耳机) and gloves.     34     Jang and the virtual Nayeon meet in a virtual park and have a birthday party. They blow out the candles on the cake and Nayeon makes a wish.     35     Then she goes to sleep. Jang replies “me too” and reaches out to touch Nayeon again as she falls asleep. “Even though it was very short, I was really happy at that time. I think I had the dream I’ve always wanted,” Jang said.

The video has been watched more than 13 million times in a week on YouTube.     36     “My mother passed away two years ago and I wish I could meet her through virtual reality,” said one of the viewers. “When I watch the video, I am full of hope and the world looks better,” another viewer added.

The maker of the show spent eight months processing the virtual Nayeon. “People often think technology is something cold, but I’d like to say it can also warm your heart,” said the maker of the show.