3 . We often think the Arctic (北极) only has snow and ice. But in fact, it has far more than that!

The Arctic is on top of Earth. The Arctic Ocean makes up two-thirds of the Arctic, while one-third is made up of land in eight countries, including Russia, Canada, and the US.

The Arctic lands have many various lives. Some plants and animals can grow in very cold temperatures. In fact, the Arctic is home to more than 21,000 kinds of lives. There are whales, Arctic foxes and many more: The polar bear (北极熊) is the most famous Arctic animal.

You might think that the Arctic is too cold for people to live in. But surprisingly, there are about 4 million people living there. That’s the same population as the city of Taiyuan in Shanxi, China. About 10 percent are local people. They have been there for thousands of years. They make a living by fishing, hunting and so on.

A group of scientists recently came back from a one-year-long study in the Arctic. They have bad news: the Arctic is dying. The amount of Arctic sea ice is falling by around 3 percent every year. There will be no more ice during the summer in the near future. What does this mean for us? Many animals such as polar bears, hunt for their food on the ice. If they can’t do this anymore, they will die of hunger Local people hunt animals for food. But since so many animals are dying, they need to change their way of life.

Giving flowers to others is a way of showing feelings to them. Although it’s one of the oldest traditions, it has never lost its charm(魅力) and never will. It’s a simple way that speaks much for givers, much more than the most expensive gift can. A red rose carries a message of love, and a bunch of flowers can show warmth and carry a message of love. Flowers can be used in many situations, like at parties and at festivals.

The choice of flowers for different situations changes. It depends on the thoughts or feelings you want to show. Sunflowers are often used on Father’s Day, while some female flowers such as white or red carnations(康乃馨) are often given on Mother’s Day. The language of flowers conveys(传达) much more than the spoken language does. Flowers are perfect gifts for all situations. They carry love, cheer and warm feelings. So it’s important to choose right flowers on right occasions. Keep the following rules in mind, please.

◆Choosing flowers’ colors which are suitable for the situations.

◆Knowing about what your friends or family like most can make your choice easy.

◆Giving flowers properly, which is the key to showing your message. For example, giving the roses to girls is better than giving sunflowers to them.

◆The bunch of flowers should be full of colors.

5 . In China, there are twenty-four solar terms(节气) in a year. And there are six of them in winter. They are beginning of winter, light snow, heavy snow, winter solstice(冬至) , lesser cold(小寒) and greater cold.

Beginning of winter usually falls on November 7th or 8th. After beginning of winter, most parts of the country can start to expect cold weather. On this day, after a year of hard work, people are happy to have a rest and spend time with family. The northern China celebrates beginning of winter as the “Small Spring Festival”. People usually have dumplings and mutton soup on that day.

Light snow usually falls on November 22nd or 23rd and heavy snow usually falls on December 7th or 8th. When winter solstice comes, it brings the shortest day and the longest night of the year. Many places around the country can expect the coldest weather yet. People often start counting “nine cold periods” starting from winter solstice. Every cold period has nine days. People believe that after 81 cold days, spring will come.

Greater cold comes after lesser cold. The field is covered with snow. And all Chinese are ready to welcome the Spring Festival after it. Of course, a new round of solar terms will start.

6 . These days, more and more Chinese people enjoy sending and receiving messages on the phone. It can help them to get the latest news and communicate with friends. But I think I should read more books besides the textbooks, the more, the better. It can broaden(拓宽) my mind and improve my language skills. Of course, it can also help me to get good grades. Do you know how to read more and learn more? Here are some tips for you.

◆Clear your purpose of reading

Before you start reading, ask yourself why you are reading this book. Most people read for two main reasons, pleasure or knowledge. Clearing about your reading purpose can not only help you choose the books you really need to read, but also remind you why reading the book is important to you, so you will keep reading and complete the book faster.

◆Read only what you are interested in

No matter what you are reading, it’s important to enjoy what you read. Your friends may tell you the books they love, but those books might not necessarily be the ones you enjoy.

◆Give up books that you don’t enjoy

You may have chosen books that you are interested in, and they are right to your purpose. But while you are reading them, there may still be some books that you don’t enjoy reading. Whenever you realize that you aren’t enjoying the book you reading, give it up. Remember reading shouldn’t be a chore(令人厌烦的事).

◆ ▲

It is interesting that read the books borrowed from libraries faster than those I bought. The reason is the books I bought don’t have a due date(到期日). I don’t need to return those books. Having a reading goal helps you work out how much reading you need to do in a week or even a day. Before you read each book, ask yourself what time you need to complete this book.

It’s important to develop good study habits. Here’s how.

Prepare for homework assignments（任务）

Be sure you understand what the teacher expects. If you’re not sure, ask questions before you leave class. Always write down the assignment and the deadline（截止日期）in your notebook. Don’t just try to remember it!

Take notes

Make a habit of taking good notes during class. Don’t try to write down every word your teacher says. Instead, write down the main ideas you need to remember.

Create a study space

Is it difficult to pay attention when you study? Do you study in a noisy environment? Create a quiet place at home where you can focus on（专注于）study. You must keep yourself away from loud music or the TV. Turn off your phone and computer when you can.

Manage your time

Use your time well. Put a calendar（日历）on your wall and use it to record your assignments. Choose a time that’s good for you to study, for example, when you get home from school or after dinner. And make sure you have enough breaks, for example, after an hour, take a walk.

Develop good personal habits

Let’s face it. If you are tired or feel sick, studying will not be easy. Resting well, getting enough exercise and avoiding unhealthy food are important. You will study better when you’re rested and in good health.

8 . Do you know what is sleepwalking (梦游)? Have you ever seen it? Are you afraid of it?

Sleepwalking actually happens during deep sleep. When you see a child sets out of bed and walks around as if he’s awake, but he won’t respond to you or anything around him, he’s asleep. It doesn’t hurt the child, and it usually disappears when the kid grows up.

________ 7% to 15% of children sleepwalk, and it doesn’t usually mean that there’s anything wrong with them. Children aged 4 to 12 are more perhaps to sleepwalk. Both boys and girls sleepwalk.

Sleepwalking often happens in the first few hours of the night. Though the child’s mind is asleep, his body is not asleep during the period of sleepwalking.

Sleepwalking usually has something to do with age and development. However, some things can increase your child’s sleepwalking. For example, bad habits that cause poor sleep, fever or some other illnesses, a family history of sleepwalking, medical conditions that cause poor sleep and so on.

If the child is sleepwalking at least once every night, it’s best to see a doctor. Also see a doctor if it is influencing the sleep of other family members or if you’re worried the child might hurt himself while sleepwalking.

Labor (劳动) education has been made a part of compulsory education (义务教育). Many students have one course every week on basic household (家庭的) skills such as cleaning and cooking. What do the public think of it?

Li Mei, a student in Beijing

We spend most of the time studying and have little time to develop our interests. A household skill class can give us chances to experience more aspects (方面) of life and help us discover different interests.

Mrs. Chen, a housewife in Hubei

Cooking classes are necessary. Children should be taught how to cook properly. And I think it’s a job for both teachers and parents.

Mr. Wang, a teacher in Shandong

We teach children basic household skills in order to help them learn how to take care of themselves. It’s impossible for their parents to help with every problem they meet in their life. They need to learn to solve problems by themselves and grow from their experiences.

Wu Lei, an engineer in Shanghai

I learned some basic cooking skills from my mother when I was a little boy. But most of them were learned after I graduated from the university, from online short videos. Household skills are very useful in our daily life. I hope these classes will really make the students realize that labor is important and valuable.