1 . Schools in China are studying how they can put VR (=virtual reality虚拟现实) lessons into their classroom experience. One such lesson uses VR to teach children fire safety. Instead of pens and paper, students wear VR headsets in the classroom. They are put into a virtual environment where a fire has broken out. They must find their way out and escape carefully.

At the VR medical school under Sichuan University, a virtual system allows medical students to examine human body in different ways. They can even separate the body for closer examination. Students can practice their operation skills without a real body.

Simon Leung, vice-chairman of a VR company, said the company has developed VR classrooms and computers that send students to a 360 degree digital world. Moreover, the VR headsets can tell whether children are focused on the task at hand, Leung said.

Chinese parents, however, have a different opinion on VR lessons. They are suspicious of VR because they are unsure if the technology will have any bad effects. They are worried about their children’s eye sight, too.

Besides, VR equipment comes at a high price. A top VR headset and computer could cost up to 10,000 yuan(1,475 U. S. dollars). “We need to do more to lower the cost and improve the user’s experience,” said Huang Ronghuai, professor at the Smart Learning Institute under Beijing Normal University, “But we are sure that we will change the model of education in the future.”

These days, Chinese children are sometimes     1     (busy) on weekends than weekdays     2     they have SO many after-school classes. However, this doesn’t only happen in China.

The Taylors are a typical American family. Life for Cathy Taylor’s three children is very busy. They need to take part in all     3     (kind) of activities, like basketball practice, football training or piano classes. She believes these activities are important for     4     (she) children’s future. However, the tired children don’t get home until after 7: 00 p. m. They have dinner     5     (quick), and then it is time for homework.

Linda, a mother of three, knows all about such stress. She says that competition starts very young and     6     (continue) until the kids get older in some families. She thinks it’s unfair that mothers are always     7     (compare) them with other children. People shouldn’t push their kids so hard.

Doctors say too much pressure is not good for a child’s     8     (develop). All these activities can cause a lot of stress     9     children. Kids should have time     10     (relax) and think for themselves.

In July, China introduced the “double reduction (双减)” policy. It hopes to reduce schoolwork burden(负担)on primary and junior high school students. The policy calls for reducing homework and after-school classes. According to the policy, children below the third grade will not have homework anymore. It should take no more than 90 minutes for junior high school students to finish their homework. After-school training institutions(校外培训机构)are not allowed to offer extra education courses or advanced(超前的)teaching on weekends, holidays or during winter and summer vacations. One month has passed since the new semester began. How do students feel about this new policy?

“Our homework is clearly less than before,” said 13-year-old Shen Yuzhe from Beijing. “We are not encouraged to buy workbooks anymore. The exercises are mainly from the textbook.”

According to Shen, students have enough time to process new knowledge now. “Our teachers are also giving us more chances to do experiments and learn from real life,” said Shen. “For example, we went to research earthworms(蚯蚓)in a field during a biology class. This is a much better way to learn things than just hitting the books.”

For 13-year-old Zhang Hangming from Tianjin, the best thing about “double reduction” is the increased time in after-school activities. “We can now spend more time taking part in clubs and activities, such as dancing, volleyball and drama. I have joined a group called “leadership development” where I can learn all kinds of skills beyond schoolwork,” said Zhang.

Both Shen and Zhang find there are fewer exams now. But they think it’s not necessarily a good thing. “Exams push me to study harder. Each exam shows my progress as well as my weak points,” Zhang said.

Shen also pointed out that when burden is lightened, self-discipline(自律) becomes the key. “Some students now spend more time having fun when homework is finished early. But if you use all the free time to relax, you might fall behind other students,” he said. “

Until recently, Ajayi had never gone to school. Now fifty, she attends a school in Ilorin, Nigeria, wearing the same pink dress as two hundred other girls at the school. She studies with the students     1    （几乎）forty years younger than she is.

Ajayi runs her     2    （自己的）business making and selling bags, but in     3    （她的）opinion, it is still necessary for her to learn to read and write.

In class, she answers questions actively. She plays, talks and     4    （讨论）together with her classmates.

She is good at cooking. Children all like the food she makes.They enjoy themselves at school.

Ajayi’s daughter used to feel embarrassed（尴尬的）about their mother’s attending school with children. But now,they choose to support her efforts（努力）.

She makes a     5    （决定）to continue her education（教育）for four more years, saying it will help her business.

Once in a physics class, the teacher asked students, “Why do we have brakes（刹车）in our car?” After a few minutes of thought, students gave ________ answers. A student got up and replied, “Sir, to stop the car.” Another one said, “To reduce and control the ________ of the car.”

However, none of the ________ were the same as the teacher’s. Then he said, “I agree all of your answers. But in my opinion, the brakes in our cars make us be able to drive faster.” Listening to this, the whole class was silent ________ no one had imagined this answer. The teacher continued, “If our cars have no brakes, then how fast are we ready to drive our car? It is the brakes in our car that gives ________ courage to drive our car faster and reach our destination（目的地）safely.”

Similarly there are many such brakes in our life. They seem to ________ us. For example, our parents may ask us about our decisions in life. Their questions and advice may be considered as brakes that slow us down. But what will happen if we see them as our supporter that can ________ ourselves while we are taking risks? From time to time, we have to stop or even ________ so that we can take a big step.

In fact, we should be thankful for brakes in life. Without these brakes, we could lose ________ or get into danger. So we need to understand that brakes in our life don’t mean to push us back. Instead, they help us move forward ________ than before.

8 . One morning，Emma discovered that her classroom had changed. She found that the desks were no longer in rows，but pushed together to make eight bigger desks. She was so excited about it for the first two days that she couldn't listen to the teachers carefully. But soon she and her classmates got used to this new classroom arrangement（安排）. “Now our class is quieter，” said Emma. “What's more，we can come up with our own ideas and learn more through discussion. It's a better way to study.”

David liked it，too. "Group members first discuss," he said，"and then show to the whole class. It encourages us greatly. "This was part of a reform（改革）at David's school. The school made this reform because they wanted to offer students easier ways to study and more chances to discuss. “Our school hopes to improve students' abilities to study by themselves and work in groups.” said Linda，an English teacher.

However，the reform has demanded（要求）more from teachers. Now they have only 15minutes to give a lesson that would have been taught in 40 minutes before. It is difficult to teach in such a short time. The teachers have to find better ways to teach more effectively（有效地）. “The reform demands more，but I'm sure it is helpful.” added Linda.

Li Wen is a 15-year-old boy. He works     1     and does well in school. It is hard     2     that he used to have difficulties in school. When his parents moved to the city to work, they could not be at home to     3     him. So he became less interested in studying and     4     classes. Then his parents made a     5     to send him to a boarding school. He found life there difficult. One day he told his teacher he wanted     6     the school. His teacher     7     his parents to talk with their son     8    . This conversation changed his life. He realized that his parents would always love him, and they would be     9     of everything good that he did. Now he is much happier and     10     than he used to.

10 . Li Zhenhua is called “headmaster of cloth shoes” because he always wears a pair of cloth shoes. Although Li Zhenhua has the special allowance (津贴) of the State Council (国务院), he still lives a ________ life. He has put all his ________ to Yimeng mountain’s students education for 68 years.

In 1953, at the age of 17, Li Zhenhua ________ his hometown, Nanjing and came to Yimeng, Shandong Province, to begin his teaching career. When he first came to this poor area, Li Zhenhua decided to ________here and help the local people get rid of the poverty (贫困) by knowledge.

________ he started working in 1953, Li Zhenhua has given away a quarter of his salary (薪水) every month to help students here. It lasted for 47 years. After retiring (退休) in 1997, he had more than 30 part-time jobs. He kept only 500 yuan for living and donated (捐赠) ________ all the rest of his money. ________ last year, more than 2,300 students had received 1.36 million yuan in total.

After receiving the donation, the local government ________ the “Zhenhua Scholarship Foundation for Poor Students”. The ________ really helps lots of students go back to school.

Li said, “Poor as I am, I am ________ inside than anyone.” What makes Li feel the happiest is that his students are growing up and giving back to society.