As students, most of us always focus (集中) on “main classes”, such as Chinese, math and English. We pay more attention to these subjects _________ we think they are important for our future. We also often _________ such classes as music and art, but they do not get much attention. Is it really good? Music, art and other _________ are just as important as the main classes, because the subjects need more creative (创造力的) _________.

Studying music and art helps us to become more well-rounded (全面的) _________. It opens our minds to a _________ new world. Music and art ask for creativity (创造力) and imagination (想象力).

Scientists have found that students _________ are studying music work _________ in school. Art and music help us develop to be better thinkers.

_________ good thinking skills and a creative mind will also put us at the top of our class. They are good __________our future.

A man went out with the wrong boots, one with a thick sole (后跟) and the other with a thin one. As he began to walk, he felt uncomfortable, for one foot was higher than the other. He felt very strange and said, “Is there anything wrong with my legs today? Why is one of my legs long, and the other short?”

A passer-by told him that he was wearing the wrong boots. He looked down and found that it was really so. At once, he asked his servant (仆人) to go back home and get another pair.

After a while, the servant ran back to him. There was nothing in his hand. So he was angry and shouted at him, “Why didn’t you get me the right boots?” “There’s no need to change them,” the servant said. “The pair at home is the same, one with a thick sole and the other with a thin one.”

One evening, Mrs. White said to her husband in surprise. “You look like the football player in the game on TV.” Mr. White watched that man carefully and then said. “Yeah. He is really like me.”

A week later. Mr. White heard that the football player would come to their city. He was very happy. He bought an expensive ticket and went to watch the football game. He wanted to have a look at the player face to face. However, a short time later. Mr. White ran back home. To Mrs. White’s surprise, her husband was black and blue all over his face. “Oh, dear! What happened to you?” Mrs. White cried (哭喊). Her husband answered angrily, “How terrible it was! Many people in our city wanted to hit that player. When I got there, someone began to hit me. Later more and more people came to hit me. I turned and ran home at once. Luckily. I could run fast, or I’ll never return home.”

If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they will become weak, and when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way.

When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.

If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his own fault (过错). But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents may be blamed, and few of us know that it is just his own fault. Have you ever found that some people can’t read or write but usually they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and when they have to remember things, they cannot write them down in a small notebook. As a result, they have to remember days, names, songs and stories, so their memory is being exercised the whole time.

So if you want to have a good memory, learn from the people: practice remembering things in a way as other people do.

“Be proud of what you do.” my father often tells me, “whether you are a manager or a cleaner.” At the age of 15. I got my first job — summer job in a hospital. My work is to wash dishes and sweep the floors. I smiled and remembered Dad’s words.

My job was the lowest, but it made me feel excited. I saw it as a challenge (挑战) because it was my first job. I learned to be on time and tried to do everything well. People in the hospital all liked me. Every morning I always thought that the dirty dishes would make people ill without my job to wash them. After breakfast was done, I started sweeping the floors of all patients’ (people who are ill) rooms and cleaning restrooms. I was very tired, but I wanted to do the job well. People often said, “That young boy really does a good job.” That gave me a pride (自豪).

Working in the hospital taught me that being proud of one’s job is important. It doesn’t matter whether the job is sweeping floors or doing a large business. My father’s words have always stayed with me. I think Dad would be proud of me.

Hiking is good for exercise and fun. Many hikers like to hike in the countryside, in forests and in mountains. Just walking for fun is the first kind of hiking. Many people like to hike in city parks or just on the sidewalks.

A hike can take a few hours or weeks.     53     At the beginning hikers should start with walks that they can do in one day. As you get stronger, you can go on overnight hike.     54     You can make your hike last for days or weeks.

For safety, hikers should hike with someone.     55     It’s also a good idea to carry a map.

Backpacking is another kind of hiking. People carry food, clothes and other things on their backs in a pack.     56     They carry what they need on their back. It seems (似乎) that backpacking is now modern in the world.

Just put on your hiking shoes and take a hike.