Yours,

Li Hua

5 . Few people doubt the value of developing students' thinking skills. A focus on critical thinking is common in education. In the Australian Curriculum, critical thinking and creative thinking are known as “general capabilities”. The US has a similar focus through their “common core".

Many approaches to developing critical thinking are based on Philosophy for Children. One strategy that has a large impact on students' ability to analyse and evaluate arguments is argument mapping, in which a student's reasoning can be visually displayed by capturing the inferential pathway from assumption to conclusion. This type of argument-based intellectual engagement can show high outcomes in terms of the quality of thinking in any classroom. Research also shows deliberate attention to the practice of reasoning in the context of our everyday lives can be significantly improved through targeted teaching.

Teachers at one high school in Australia, who have much training in critical thinking teaching methods, developed a task that asked students to determine Australia's greatest sports person. Students needed to construct their own criteria for greatness. To do so, they had to analyze the Australian sporting context, create possible evaluative standards, explain and justify why some standards would be more acceptable than others and apply these to their candidates. They then needed to argue their case with their classmates to develop criteria that were solid, defensible, widely applicable and produced a choice that seized significant and relevant aspects of Australian sport.

Researchers looking at the gains made in a single term of teaching critical thinking with argument mapping said the critical thinking gains measured are close to those that could be expected to result from three years of undergraduate education. Students who are taught to think well also do better on subject-based exams and standardized tests than those who do not.

In terms of developing 21st century skills, which includes setting up students for lifelong learning, teaching critical thinking should be core business.

6 . My first night in my college dormitory room finally came! Several months ago, I was always prepared for finals, _______, and the day when I would keep my promise——_______ out as soon as I had the chance. I _______ used it for threat when I was angry or couldn’t get my way. _______, my parents just grinned.

Now, sleeping on the once desired bed, I _______ the TV programs enjoyed together with my parents, the time they spent with me, the home videos I _______ with my brother and sister. Now, those moments are only memories. Sitting at my desk with my laptop open, I _______ an e-mail to a radio station my mom listens to every morning before work. I _______ a special song called Don’ Forget to Remember.

The next morning, my mom got out of bed and _______ the radio as usual. She was really amazed by the speakers’ ________, “You know how ________ I was weeks ago because I sent my little girl to school for the first time? A college student ________ us and said that she misses her parents and ________ they have done for her. She also chose a special song in ________ of them. So we want to thank Vickey for that e-mail, ________ it really eased my worry about my little girl growing up and ________ about things parents do for them.”

The song began to play while my mom ran over to my dad and ________ him up. “Honey! Did you hear that? Was that our Vickey? Our daughter who couldn’t wait to ________ home?” My dad, just barely opening his eyes, replied with, “If it is, that is very ________ of her.”

I got a call from my mom that night. I was so excited to tell her that I ________ my first day of college and we talked for about an hour. Just when we were about to say our goodbyes, I added one last plea: “Mom, don’t forget to remember me.”

7 . How do you enter a room full of strangers? Do you walk right in full of confidence? Or do you try to slip in without being noticed?     1    .

In life,we admire those who do their tasks confidently.We prefer people who appear to know what they are doing.But where does that confidence begin?

Developing self-confidence starts very early.If parents’ role to get kids on the right track toward becoming confident people.    2    .That can be done by focusing on the child’s strengths.Parents should encourage their children to try new things and take risks.When children make mistakes,their parents should still let them know that they are loved.Children whose parents do these things will likely develop into confident adults.    3     So what’s the solution?

With most things in life,practice makes perfect,and that is true of confidence skills.    4    .

Always hold your head high and look people in the eye.Answer questions clearly and confidently.

Focus on the things that you do well,and look for opportunities to use those abilities.

Prepare thoroughly for every project.You’ll approach the task more confidently knowing that you are ready.

    5     It could be a good test score or a prize from a contest.Remind yourself that one success often leads to the next.

However,all humans fail at times,and you will too.Even with efforts to try all the above,you will never be perfect.But you can learn to love and accept yourself and live your life with confidence.

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

9 . Every animal sleeps, but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month.     1    

Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right.     4    The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep, showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

If Tononi’s theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night’s, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information — our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapses become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size.     5     “You keep what matters,” Tononi says.