Many people in America like to send text messages (短信) – it’s quick and easy. In fact, according to some studies about texting, most people with cell phones would rather (宁愿) text than make calls.Notonly young people but also adults like to send textmessages to each other.

Some experts are worried aboutthis. They say that the best communicators (交流者) can talk and text. They also say it’s very important for young people to know how to have face-to-face conversations (对话).

Conversations are very important in normal (正常) human relationships (关系). Also, many people in the world still expect a conversation. This can be in person or on the phone.

Do young people hate to talk on the phone? Not really. They just like texting more. And experts also point out that there is nothing wrong with texting among friends. Some people even think texting is good for relationships. The truth is that texting conversations are not usually about important things.

How can we improve the communication skills of young people who enjoy texting? Parents can help. They can talk with their children face to face. They can show their children when it’s OK to text. Also, parents can make rules, for example, “No text messages to people in the same house!”

There is a new rule (规定) for students. They need to run 1,500 metres each day. How do they like the new rule? Are they ready to run?

Wang Tao:I’m 12 years old. I’m from Beijing. As Grade 8 students, we usually run 50 metres,200 metres or 400 metres in PE class, but never 1,500 metres. But I think the new rule is a good idea. It can help us keep fit. Running can also make us active (活跃的) in the daytime.

Liu Tao:  I’m 13 years old. I ’m from Dalian. Many students worry about the new rule. We only run 400 metres in PE class. Some students say that they may feel tired andsleepy in class after running. But I am OK with it. I can run 1,000 metres in 3 minutes.

Shi Ming: I’m 14 years old. I’m from Qingdao. Students in our school run 600 metres in Grade 7

and 800 metres in Grade 8 in PE class. In winter, we run about four laps (圈) each day. That is close to 1,500 metres. I think it’s good for us.

Are you able to send a letter with pictures and sounds to someone, anywhere in the worldwithout putting a stamp on it? With emails you can just do that. Using computers you can send emails quickly and easily. The post is much slower than emails. An email can send its message to the other side of the world in seconds.

The email is easy to use and it saves time and money. The differences in time in different parts the world do not matter when sending emials. It is twenty four-hour service that you can send emails at any time of the day and night. No one has to be there to receive emails. It does not matter if you friends are in bed when you send emails to them, or you are seeing a film at the cinema when they send emails back.

  How green are you? Do you know how to be green? We all need a healthy environment, but we produce waste every day and it does harm to our environment. Though we are young, we can still do something to help. In fact, even the simplest everyday activities can make a real difference to the environment. Here are some ideas for you.

1  Reduce

   Reduce means“use less”. Don’t waste things. This saves money and reduces pollution and waste going into the environment. Before we buy something new, think whether it is really necessary—or maybe the old one will be just as good! When we do buy things, choose local products if possible, and try not to buy too many things from abroad.

2   Reuse

   Reuse means“use again”. Use things for as long as possible. When we buy things, make sure that they last a long time. We should look after them so that they will last, and we should repair them if we can instead of throwing them away and buying new ones. Don’t use a paper cup or a paper bag. It’s better to use a china cup and a lunch box because you can use them again and again.

3  Recycle

   Recycle means“change things into something else”. Though it takes energy to change something into something else, it’s better than throwing things away or burning them. Find out what can be recycled in your neighborhood and take part in recycling programs. We should also buy products made from recycled materials, such as recycled paper, to help save trees.

   So please remember these three words: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Tears came into this mother’s eyes when she talked about waking up her son. Every morning, her ten-year-old boy puts up one finger with his eyes still closed, begging for one more minute to sleep.

Why is he so sleepy? Because, like thousands of student “early birds” in China, he has to get up before 6 a.m. every morning.

School students usually need eight to ten hours’ sleep a night. But in Shanghai, it’s reported that 90% of the students can not get enough sleep. And studies show that without a good night’s sleep, students seem to be weaker than they should be. Many become near-sighted as a result.

Li Ming, a student at Qing Hua High School, said that he usually goes to bed after 11 p.m. But when he has exams coming up, he can stay up as late as midnight. This “night birds” lifestyle has made many students nod off in class. Li Ming said that it is during afternoon classes that he feels most sleepy. “My parents are usually happy to see me studying so late,” he said. “They think I work very hard and they make me cups of coffee.”

However, not all the parents are happy about this “My daughter gets up so early. She looks tired and it really hurts me,” said one of the parents. Why don’t so many students get enough sleep? Now many members of society began to think about it.