2 .

3 . One afternoon last week, I saw three tearful children from my son's school being comforted by teachers. That morning, my 11-year-old had stomach pains, retching （干呕）into a bowl. Talking to other mothers later. I heard about other children with stomachache or difficult sleeping the night before.

What caused so much pain? Sports day. Sports day might be necessary at a highly-competilive independent school, but not at a village primary school. For the children who can fly like the wind, sports day causes no problem. For those who are overweight or just not good at sport, it is a nightmare （噩梦）.Even for those who enjoy running but fall halfway down the track in front of the entire school and their parents, it can prove a disease.

Why do we put our children through this annual suffering? Some may say competition is character building; or it’s taking part, not winning, that’s important; or that’s a tradition of school life. I just felt great pity for those children in tears or in pain.

Team games at the end of sports day produced some close races, wild enthusiasm, lots of shouting —and were fun to watch More importantly, the children who were not so fast or quick at passing the ball were hidden a little from everyone's eyes. Some of them also had the thrill of being on the winning side.

I wish that sports day could be abandoned and replaced with some other less competitive event. Perhaps an afternoon of team games, with a few races for those who want them, would be less stressful for the children and a lot more fun to watch.

4 . Some teens are disapproving of compulsory BMI (body mass index) （身体质量指数） checks in PE classes. Do BMI checks at school do more harm than good? Two teens take sides.

Maya Meade, a high school freshman in Ohio, says yes. “I understand that schools want to weigh students because they are concerned about their physical health. That’s not a bad thing! But what about their mental health? For many students, appearance and self-image are huge sources of stress. Forcing teens to be weighed at school will only increase the pressure they feel to fit a certain mold (模子)”, says Maya.

In Maya’s opinion, weight is a personal matter that should stay between a doctor and a patient. She says, “Just imagine someone who struggles with body image being told that his or her BMI is too high as classmates look on! Even if other kids can’t hear, no student wants to feel judged by his or her teacher. That’s not why we go to school.”

Maya thinks if a school wants to have an impact on a student’s physical health, there are better ways to do it, such as providing healthy but filling meals, encouraging physical activity and teaching students about nutrition.

Ben Bagbek, a second-year student in a high school in New York, holds a different opinion. “There is no reason why a school should not be allowed to weigh its students and teach them how to calculate BMI! Obesity (肥胖症) is a huge public health concern in our country. And schools are in a position to help students understand what their weight means to their health -- before they’re at risk of life-threatening conditions.”

“A school’s job is to help students reach their full potential, and your health undoubtedly plays a role in your academic performance. BMI is not a perfect measurement, but it can help you identify the need for healthier eating habits or more physical activity.” says Ben.

The bottom line is: When you feel good, you learn better. As long as the actual number on the scale stays private, it should be viewed as an important part of your health education.

6 . Dramatized Thoughts on Public Speaking

As the crowd gathered, I could feel my heart beating. I wondered if they could hear it. Against my will,   I could feel my face turning hot and knew that I was blushing. Even if they cannot hear my heart thumping with every beat, I thought, they can surely see it in my eyes. My eyes are always a dead give-away. They well up with fear and often even hot with tears, every time I get nervous. That and my stupid old face   turning a bright shade of red… I knew that by now I probably looked like a sunburned tomato. They would never take me seriously.

I began to wish that I was more like my sister. She is always so confident and proud of herself. It   seemed like she hardly ever gets nervous when it really counts. Either that or she hid it better than I. I   wished I had never even thought of this stupid idea of running for student body president. That was a month ago, before I found out that I would have to speak in front of the entire school. It was too late to back out now pretty soon the speeches would begin. It would only be a few hours before the embarrassing results would come out, and that wasn't even the worst of my worries. What would everyone say? What would my parents think when I told them that I lost the election? They were so proud of me; I would never be able to tell them. Everyone was counting on me, my teachers, my friends, even the principal. I was sure that I would fail miserably now that I had gotten myself into such a negative state of mind. I reread my speech. All the great hopes and ideas I had, all written on that awful piece of paper. I realized why I had written those words and an air of anticipation (预感) ran through my body. Just in time, too.

I heard my name only seconds later. Those few feet to the podium ( 讲 台 ) felt like a mile. My knees were shaking, but somehow I managed to keep my ground. Although I knew that I probably wouldn't need it, I placed my well-rehearsed speech on the podium. Then, like a gymnast about to plunge into a tumbling pass, I looked up at the audience. And as I delivered that speech, a new and strange realization came to me. I had captured their attention and for a moment---they belonged to me.

7 . Kids need to move in school

Many years ago, when my girls were in primary school, they were crazy about the dance breaks they would occasionally have during the school day. Their teachers would put on a video, which encouraged the kids to get up and dance, and then they' d get back to work.    1     Many teachers are including some form of movement into the school day.

A recent research, published in the journal Pediatrics, involved more than 10,000 children between the ages of 4 and 13.     2     Susan Kamin, leader of the research, said, “Activity breaks during the school day also lead to fewer behavioral issues, not to mention cutting down on stress and anxiety."

Breakthrough Magnet School, Connecticut, is in its third year working with the National Association of Physical Literacy. Principal Julie Goldstein said her third-and fourth-graders who are actively engaged in the physical programme are the highest-scoring students in math and reading in the district.    3     For this school year, not one student from this group has been referred to her office for a conversation. Before the programme, she might have had one or two office coversations with some of them every month.

    4     “I know lots of teachers who say, 'Yeah, I wish I had more time to do this,'” Kamin said, “Even in schools that can find the time, there is still some opposition (反对)because it's a departure from the way things used to be. It's a big change for some of the teachers.    5    Yet the schools that have made the change see tremendous results. So how do you move the needle?"

8 . Let’s Go and Fly a Kite

—at Piedmont Middle School’s celebration of kites!

Come and learn how to build all sorts of kites, from the simplest diamond-shaped kites to the most complex box kites. Stay as long as you like and build as many kites as you want. Once you have finished a kite, get advice on flying techniques from kite expert Lorena Hallsberg. The celebration will be at Piedmont Middle School,151 Piedmont School Drive.

The Piedmont Middle School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)has organized a refreshment(茶点)tent. All profits will benefit future PTO activities. Take a break from kite flying and drink some lemonade! While you are doing so, why not join the PTO? Membership is free; you just donate your time. Show your support for Piedmont Middle School by joining the PTO this Saturday!

When: Saturday,April 11,from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where: Piedmont Middle School

Why: For fun!

Cost: Free, thanks to a generous gift from Bizarco Kite Company!

Schedule

9:00 a.m.—Kite-building booths open. All materials are supplied for kites.

10:00 a.m.—Kite-building shows by Lorena Hallsberg in the courtyard. Come by and learn how to build box kites and kites that look and fly like butterflies.

11:00 a.m.—Kite-flying shows on the school track. Learn all the most important skills.

12:00 p.m.—Kite-flying competitions on the school track.

1:00 p.m.—Presentation by Dr.Brian Lehrman in the show tent:“The History of Kites”.

2:00 p.m.—Best Kite competitions and judging in the show tent. Come and see the most artistic kites and the most interesting theme kites.

3:00 p.m.—Presentation by Dr.Lehrman in the show tent:“Kites and Science”.

3:30 p.m.—Awards ceremony conducted by Headmaster Seward on the football field. The results of the day’s judging will be announced, with awards such as Best of Show, Most Artistic, Highest Flyer, and others. Winners will receive gifts from the Bizarco Kite Company!

4:00—5:00 p.m.—Let’s all go and fly a kite! Everyone flies kites at the same time, creating a wonderful sight for all to enjoy.

Come to the kite celebration. Enjoy yourself and learn more.

10 . Ringing a Bell

The teacher looked up from her yellow notebook and cleared her throat. “We’re going to be _______the Salvation Army by ringing the bell. Each of you will ring it for four hours,” she announced. As the words left her lips, complaints could be heard around the room. Four hours of ringing a_______bell in winter! Four hours that I could be studying for the SATs. Was this supposed to be ajoke? I joined the crowd around the table and signed up for the first day of break—to get it over with.

A few weeks later, I was standing next to Walmart. There was another guy holding a jar across from me. Great, I was going to be _______ here ringing a bell with another guy who was trying to get donations _______some church organization. To top it off, it was 4℃ .

_______, I put on the red apron bearing the symbol of the Salvation Army. Ring! Ring! A group of older women came up with their walking sticks to drop in some change. A man came by and dropped some coins in. I _______ my phone. Just 10 minutes had passed.

A cold wind blew against my _______face. I started to regret _______ my mom’s advice about wearing a scarf. I looked up, wishing that time would pass more quickly. A few birds swept around the electrical poles…Another ring of the bell brought me back to reality.

From the full parking lot stepped a tall man. _______he limped (跛行)toward me, I saw his unbalanced shoulders and awkward figure. His hair was messy and his jeans and shirt were dirty. When his hand reached toward the bucket, I caught a disgusting smell of oil and smoke. I couldn’t help but say, “Thank you, sir. Have a nice day.” He turned to smile, a smile that sharply contrasted his soiled clothing. The money he donated was not a lot, but it was __________ a lot to him.

I was __________ by his generosity. This act of charity, though not much, was worth so much more than __________ given by those who are better off. I continued to ring my bell happily,__________ at everyone who entered the store. Occasionally, I handed out some homemade cookies that had been given to me earlier. Truly,__________ is contagious (有感染力的).

In the beginning, I thought that this assignment would be a huge burden. Actually, I was being really__________. We should think about others and learn more about what’s going on in the world around us. Finally, I encourage everyone to take four hours to ring a bell for the Salvation Army.