1 . Smartphones, iPads and computers are keeping children and teenagers awake at night — even when they’re not in use, according to a new research. The researchers say that technology devices (设备) are causing kids to sleep less and influencing the quality (质量) of their sleep. As a result, they can have trouble staying awake the next day.

After studying children and teenagers aged 6 to 19, the researchers found a strong connection between the use of technology at bedtime and poor sleeping. The reason is not just that kids are staying up too late with their devices. Using a computer can overstimulate (过度刺激) the mind and emotions (情绪), the researchers say. A smartphone or an iPad also sends out a light that influences the body’s natural timing. All these can lead to poor sleep quality. And many kids could be at risk. According to the research, 72% of all children and 89% of teenagers have at least one device in their sleep environment. Most of these devices are used near bedtime.

Many kids get less sleep on school nights than they should. According to the National Sleep Foundation, kids aged 6 to 13 should get between nine and eleven hours of sleep a night. Getting enough sleep is especially important for learning subjects like math and foreign languages.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises kids to stop looking at screens at least half an hour before bedtime. This helps their brains slow down and gets their bodies ready for sleep. The AAP says bedrooms should be “screen-free”.

If you can’t help picking up a technology device at bedtime, try these relaxing activities instead:

Keep a diary: Writing your thoughts on paper can clear your mind.

Try a mind exercise: Close your eyes and count backward from 100 to 1.

Just relax: Breathe in and out slowly and deeply. Sweet dreams!

2 . Dogs are very sociable(合群的) animals. When owners go out and leave their dogs alone, the dogs get worried and upset. Dogs should be trained to be their own while still young instead of when they are older and set in their ways. When owners are not around, they should provide some toys for their dogs to play with. Leaving the radio or television turned on might also provide relaxing background noise.

Howling(嚎叫) is a form of communication. Dogs do it to tell one another where they are. Some dogs howl when they are lonely, while others do it when greeting strangers whom they are seeing for the first time. Some even howl to music and do this because it is fun.

When it comes to training dogs, giving rewards(奖赏) is a far better way than using punishment. Food makes an excellent reward, and if they do not respond(反应) to this, owners should try touching. Dogs like being touched by owners very much. Words of praise work well too, but not as well as food or touch. It helps if owners spend more time with their dogs.

5 . The number of buses, taxis and other transportations on Kenya’s roads is growing every day.

Now, the country’s first electric-powered motorbike is being made. The motorbike is designed（设计）to cut down on pollution. It’s much cheaper so that most of people can afford it.

Most motorbikes used in Kenya depend on gas as fuel（燃料）, but not this new motorbike. Its energy comes from sunlight.

Three university students developed the new motorbike. It receives the sun’s energy, stores it in batteries（蓄电池）and uses it to charge（充电）the electric motorbike.

Robert Achoge is one of the student inventors. “Our hope is that by the fifth year, we will be able to cover the whole Kenya with the electric motorbike in order to improve the environment and provide affordable transport.”

The students have set up a fueling station for the motorbikes in Nairobi. Riders can charge the motorbikes in the station. The small battery can run for 70 kilometers when they’re fully charged. Once the power is used up, the motorbike has to return to the fueling station while another charged battery is connected to the motorbike. The US African Development Foundation is providing some money for two solar-powered charging stations in the Kenyan port of Kisumu.

Each motorbike costs about $700. One motorbike rider says the new motorbike costs less to ride than motorbikes running on traditional fuel. “When talking about buying fuel, there is no need. It’s basically good for everyone. Even though you won’t carry quite a heavy load, you can go with it anywhere.”

A Nairobi dealership is selling the motorbikes. Businessman Kennedy Kusimba hopes they will become popular. “We also know they are more reliable, compared to the gas-powered motorbikes. They are more useful and they will last longer.”

6 . Do you know there are two kinds of football games? One is American football, the other is soccer. In China many young men like playing soccer. It is popular in China, but the Chinese don’t call it soccer. They call it football. There are eleven players in a team. And the ball is round. Only the goalkeeper (守门员) can touch the ball with their hands. The other players must kick the ball with feet.

In America soccer is not popular. They like playing American football more than playing soccer. There are eleven players in a team. The ball isn’t round. All the players can touch the ball with hands and feet. The goal (球门) is also bigger than in soccer. American football is different from soccer.

7 . Do you like banana cake? Do you know how to make it? The following can help you.

8 . Tahiti is the largest island of the French Polynesia in the South Pacific (太平洋). It covers 1,045 square kilometers and has a population of 183,600. The weather there is neither too hot nor too cold. It’s always warm and humid (潮湿的).

Tahitian people are very friendly and welcoming. They welcome visitors with music, dance and flowers. The Tiare Tahiti flower, which can only be found in Tahiti, is used for greeting arriving visitors and returning family. It’s popular for women and men to wear the flowers behind their left ears.

In Tahiti, there are always a lot of things to do and to see. Around the island are hundreds of places perfect for diving (潜水). In the waters, you can meet all kinds of colorful fish and many other living things that you can’t name. Feeding sharks is another exciting popular activity. You can stand in the water behind a safe rope to watch a shark trainer hand-feed the sharks, or enjoy this fantastic scene from the boat. If you want to find a place to swim, have a sun bath or admire the beautiful sunset, Pointe Venus Lighthouse, is a great choice. It is a black sand beach.

In the evening, you can have Tahitian food, Chinese food and French-style dishes at To’ata, a square with many small restaurants. All kinds of fruit juice can be found everywhere. Some hotels in Tahiti are built above the waters. Beautiful fish swimming below can be seen through the glass floor or coffee table. They are really wonderful places to relax and refresh you.

Tahiti, an amazing place to do everything or nothing at all, is waiting for you.

Shi Peng won the top prize in a college, students’ start-up (创业) competition for setting up a website to help children find playmates (玩伴).   

Shi was brought up by his grandparents in a village in Hubei Province.     1     Later, the 22-year-old student at a university in Wuhan decided to set up a special website for children. He hoped that his website could help children meet new friends of the same age and feel less lonely.

    2     According to his research one about 6,000 children in cities like Guangzhou, Wuhan and Suzhou, most of them don’t have brothers or sisters and they are in need of playmates. “From my own experience, I think it’s a great idea to have such a website on which children can find playmates," Shi said.

The website is set up mainly for pre-school children in kindergarten (幼儿园) and their parents. All the users of the website must use their real names.     3     Through the website, parents who are busy during the day can get in touch with other parents who are free and willing to find some playmates for their children.

I am very interested in all kinds of dramas, especially those by William Shakespeare. But it is impossible to watch stage（舞台）drama every week. So my small goal is to watch at least one movie online from Shakespeare’s works. It will not only improve my English, but also help me have my own taste in drama.

For me, the small goal is to run 3,000 meters every day. It isn’t an easy thing, especially to do it every day. But I will not shy away from the challenge. I have the confidence（自信）to make it. I believe I can hold on and achieve my goal.

My goal is to master a skill like cooking. It is not very difficult, but it takes a lot of time. So I’ll make myself learn how to cook during holidays. The aim will help me make good use of time and be more independent.

I want to finish reading two English novels this year. Reading plays an important role in our life. It will not only improve my English reading and writing skills, but also develop my knowledge in many fields. It is not a big goal. But to achieve this goal, I need patience and persistence（坚持）.

My present small goal is to pass the piano grade exams. When I was in primary school, I began to learn to play the piano. I not only took a great interest in music, but also relaxed myself. I want to play the piano better. I think I can make it by the end of this term.