A professor stood before his class and had some things in front of him. When the class began, he picked up a large _______ jar and began to fill it with rocks. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. So the professor then _______ a box of pebbles (鹅卵石) and poured them into the jar. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas _______ the rocks. The students laughed. He asked his students again _______ the jar was full. They agreed that yes, it was.

The professor then picked up a box of _______ and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked the _______ question. The students answered “Yes” again.

“Now, “ said the professor. “I want you to know that this is your _______ . The rocks are the important things—your family, your health, your children. The pebbles are the other things in life that matter—like your job, your house. The sand is everything else, the _______ things. If you put the sand or the pebbles _______ the jar in the beginning, there is no room for the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you ________ all your time and energy on the small things, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.”

Lots of kids hate school, a new study found. Usually this kind of feeling doesn’t last long. But what happens if you feel this way too much? School is a fact of life and getting a good education can help you build the kind of future life you want. So let’s talk about school and what to do when you don’t like it.

If you don’t like school, the first step is to find out why. You might not like school because you don’t have enough friends, or maybe you don’t get along with your teacher. Sometimes it’s a big problem with your classes and schoolwork. You may be getting farther and farther behind, and it may seem like you’ll never catch up.

When you know why you don’t like school, you can start taking steps to make things better. It’s a good idea to talk to someone about your problems with school. Your mom, dad, teacher or school counselor (顾问) will be able to help you. Another good idea is to write down your feelings about school in a notebook. It’s a great way to let out emotions (情绪). Remember, you don’t have to share what you’ve written with others.

Barry was having a very difficult time in his life. His wife died not long ago. He was very sad. Barry’s neighbor, a very old woman named Gertrude, saw him go past her yard one day. She had not seen him outside for a few days.

“Hello, Barry! Just look at this fence (篱笆). It is broken. You’re a strong man, and you’re free. I want you to fix this fence for me,” Gertrude said.

Barry was angry. He thought the old lady was very selfish (自私). Still, he knew she was a nice woman, and he respected (尊敬) her, so he agreed to help her.

Barry worked for days. Gertrude brought him tea while he was working. When he finished, he smiled for the first time in about two months.

“You did such an excellent job. Do you think you could paint it for me?” Gertrude smiled at him. Barry couldn’t believe his ears. Didn’t she know how sad he was? Because he respected her so much before, Barry agreed. He worked hard in the hot sun, but Gertrude’s tea and encouragement were wonderful. He felt proud of the beautiful fence he was making.

Over the next few weeks, Gertrude kept giving Barry jobs. He even fixed her door. All the neighbors passed by and told Barry what a beautiful job he had done.

He finally realized that she had never been rude (无理的). She was really clever. He then knew that getting busy with something could take sorrow away. He helped her, but she saved him.

Homework is your teachers’ way of evaluating(评估) how much knowledge you have learned in class. As a student, you always have too much homework, but you have to finish it. Here are a few steps to help you finish homework quickly.

★Make a homework plan. First, write the tasks down in your notebook so that you can make a proper plan. Second, use any free time in school to work on your homework.

★Choose a good place to do your homework. Find a desk at home, which doesn’t need to be very big, just big enough to allow you to lay out(摆放) your school things. You had better not do your homework before a computer or on your bed. It’s hard for you to concentrate(集中注意力) if you do that.

★Get to work. When you start doing your homework at home, do the hardest problems first. Then when you feel tired, you can do the simple ones. But don’t spend too much time on a difficult problem. You can ask an adult for help; also you can call or email a classmate for advice.

★Have a rest. Having a 15-minute rest every hour is good for you, or you may be too tired to do your homework wisely(明智地).

After you finish your homework, check it over. Be sure to put it away safely in your schoolbag. Now you are free to play outside.

Many people in America love Chinese food. However, their Chinese food is very different from ours.

In America, people from around the world join together. Many of them bring their traditions with them. Chinese food arrived in America in the 1850s. At that time, many Chinese emigrants (移民) couldn’t find a job. To make a living, some of them opened restaurants. Over the years, Chinese food has become more and more popular. However, many changes have been made according to American people’s taste.

One of the changes is about cooking methods (方法). In America, people cook many “Chinese dishes” through frying. But in China, few dishes are cooked in this way.

Another big change lies in the ingredients (原料). Cooks in America often use onions and tomatoes in Chinese food. In China, these ingredients are used much less often than in America.

Traditional Chinese food uses many kinds of meat. Chinese people eat duck blood, chicken feet, pig ears and even snakes. Most American people wouldn’t choose to eat these things.

Some Chinese dishes are popular in America. In fact, you can’t find them in China at all. In Chinese restaurants, there is no Sweet and Sour Chicken. The Fortune Cookie is an American invention (发明), too! It is a popular Chinese dish in America, but you can’t see it in China.

寒假就要到了,你想使你的寒假生活更加丰富多彩吗?

你是否应该:

多多锻炼,保持健康;

好好学习,完成好作业;

回家多和家人交流;

空余时间打算学点什么;

你还有些什么愿望呢?(写1-2条)

请根据以上提示,以 My Resolutions for the Winter Vacation为题写一篇文章

要求:1.字迹工整; 2.字数不少于80字,开头已给出,不计入总词数。

My Resolutions for the Winter Vacation

My winter vacation is coming.

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