China launched its second space laboratory, the Tiangong II, on Sept 15, which space officials say will become the country’s largest scientific platform in space to date.

The space lab was lifted off atop a Long March 2F carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province at 10:04 pm. Around 20 minutes later, the mission was declared a success.

The Tiangong II did preparations in space for about one month and then the Shenzhou XI manned spacecraft rocketed two astronauts to the lab on October 17th. The pair will make it their home for 30 days before being returned to Earth.

The lab’s predecessor, Tiangong I, was launched in September 2011 and was used mainly to test technology involved in space docking.

By comparison, the Tiangong II will be used to conduct more than 40 scientific and technological experiments together with the Shenzhou XI. That’s many times more than those carried out by the Tiangong I and the three previous Shenzhou spacecraft, according to Wu Ping, deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency. China’s manned space program has entered a “new phase of application and development,” he said.

Here is some general information about Edison Elementary School. For more information, you can visit our website which is printed on the cover.

Attendance

Please contact the office at 480-472-5282 if your child is going to be absent.

The Renaissance Reading

The Accelerated Reader(AR)Programme is a computerized reading enrichment programme that combines great children’s literature with computer skills. As an individualized reading programme, it is designed to motivate students to read more and to read good literature. Students of different abilities can use this programme. It is not a competitive programme but one that improves any students’ reading ability.

Here is how it works. Students select books in their reading range from our Accelerated Reader Selection and read it at their own pace. Once the student has completed the book, he/she is ready to take an AR quiz. Each quiz consists of 5, 10, or 20 multiple choice comprehensive questions about the book.

After taking the quiz, the computer shows the student how many questions he/she answered correctly, shows the correct answers for missed questions, and praises the students’ efforts with an on-screen personalized message. Passing the quiz assures the teacher and the parents that the child actually read and understood the book. Each student tests independently—reading the quiz questions himself/herself.

The computer keeps track of reading points, books, and average test scores, as well as other data. A student may test on a book only once and should, therefore, have thoroughly read and understood the contents before taking the quiz. Each student is responsible for reading the screen to be sure that the quiz, by title and author, is the correct one he/she wishes to take.

Students are recognized for their accomplishments with praise from the teachers and special recognition at the classroom level when individual and/or classroom goals are met.

P. T. O.

We have an active Parent-Teacher Organization. They have monthly meeting. Check the calendar for the meeting times and places.

CURRENCY

))New Zealand dollars（＄）

LANGUAGE

))English, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language

MONEY

))ATMs are widely available, especially in larger cities and towns．Credit cards accepted in；

    hotels and restaurants

  VISAS

))Citizens of Australia, the UK and 56 other countries donˈt need visas for New Zea

  (length-of-stay vary).

MOBILE PHONES

))European phones will work on NZˈs network, but not most American or Japanese phones.

global roaming or a local SIM card and prepaid account.

DRIVING

))Drive on the left; the steering wheel is on the right side of the car（…in case you canˈt find it).

When to Go

HIGH SEASON (DEC-FEB)

))Summer：busy beaches, outdoor explorations, festivals, sporting events.

Big-city accommodation prices rise.

))High season in the ski towns is winter (Jun-Aug).

SHOULDER (ATAR APR)

Prime travelling time：fine weather, short queues, kids in school，warm(ish) ocean．

>>Long evenings supping Kiwi wines and craft beers.

))Spring (Sep-Nov) is shoulder season too.

LOW SEASON (MAY-AUG)

))Head for the Southern Alps for some brilliant southern hemisphere skiing.

;No crowds, good accommodation deals and a seat in any restaurant.

))Warm-weather beach towns might be half asleep.

        ▲

))Auckland International Airport

Airbus Express-24-hour

Shuttle Bus一一24-hour door-to-door services

Taxi一around＄70; 45 minutes to the city

))Wellington Airport

Bus-一Airport Flyer from 6 am to 9.30 pm

Shuttle Bus-24-hour door-to-door services

Taxi-around＄30；20 minutes to the city、

))Christchurch Airport

Bus一一City Flyer from 7.15 am to 9．15 pm

Shuttle Bus一一24-hour door-to-door services

Taxi-around $50；25 minutes to the city

Driving Around New Zealand

There are extensive bus networks and a couple of handy train lines crisscrossing New Zealand, but

far the best scenery, flexibility and pure freedom itˈs hard to beat piling into a campervan or

rent-a-car and hitting the open road. Scanning the map you might think that driving from A to B

wonˈt take long, but remember that many of the roads here are two-lane country byways, traversing

hilly landscape in curves, crests and convolutions：always allow plenty of time to get wherever

you’re going. And whoˈs in a hurry anyway? Slow down and see more of the country：explore little

end-of-the-line towns, stop for a swiinlsurfibeer, and pack a Swiss Army knife for impromptu

picnics at roadside produce stalls.

More than great drinks, great rewards

   Enjoy all the benefits and more with your membership to our Loyalty Program!

   Whenever you pay with your membership account, you’ll earn a Star.

   Collect more Stars, earn more rewards.

Three ways to join us

Buy a Starbucks Card handy to create an account.

Track your Stars online or through the mobile app, and we’ll send an email when you’ve earned a reward.

You can also join from your phone.

Download the Starbucks^® App.

One of the most exciting benefits of being a member is using our mobile app to: pay for purchases; view your Stars and rewards; access iTunes^® Pick of the Week; see current offers.

Or you can join with specially marked coffee purchased at the grocery store.

Enter your Starcode (limit 2 per day).

Look for the Starcode symbol on specially marked Starbucks^® products where you buy groceries.

Three levels with increasingly greater rewards

To reach each level in our Loyalty Program, you need to collect more Stars. ( Remember, to earn a Star you must pay with a registered Starbucks Card. )

Welcome level

To earn your first rewards, just register a Starbucks Card.

Birthday drink or treat on us; birthday coupon (优惠券) for 15% off a purchase at StarbucksStore.com.

Green level

Collect 5 Stars within 12 months and you’ll be in the Green level.

What is included in the Welcome level plus

★Free in-store refillson hot or iced brewed coffee or tea

Gold level

Collect 30 Stars within 12 months and you’re at the Gold level.

What is included in the Green, level plus

★A free food or drink item after another 12 Stars earned

Want Kids to Eat Better? Get Them Cooking

          Cooking programs and classes for children seem to positively influence childrenˈs food preferences and behaviors, according to a recent review. And, although the review didnˈt look at long-term effects of such programs, the findings suggest that such programs might help children develop long-lasting healthy habits.

       This research comes at a time when childhood obesity（肥胖）rates have been rising rapidly. More than one-third of adolescents in the United States were obese in 2012, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This trend has been caused, at least in part, by a significant decrease in the amount of meals that people consume at home since the 1980s, according to background information in the study.

      Cooking education programs, such as Food Explorers, teach children about new healthy foods and how to prepare them. They also stress the importance of eating five fruits and vegetables every day. A volunteer parent explains a new food to the group, and the kids make something based on the lesson, such as fruit or vegetable salad. Depending on the program, kids may be sent home with information about healthy foods to bring to their parents, the review explained.

        The study team reviewed eight other studies that tested different types of cooking education programs. Children in these classes were between 5 and 12 years old, according to the review. The goal of the study team was to learn more about developing an efficient program to encourage healthy food choices that last a lifetime. The study found that it is particularly important to expose kids to healthy foods on a number of occasions. This makes them feel comfortable with the new foods, which helps them build healthy habits.

       The study stressed the importance of getting parents involved in（参与）their childrenˈs eating habits. Parents who are unable to enroll their kids in a cooking class can achieve similar benefits by having their kids help them while they prepare meals at home. Children are more comfortable at home, which makes them more receptive to new foods because they will make the connection to a positive experience.

Dear Editor,

I have been reading your newspaper, the Hometown Gazette, for the past two years, ever since I moved to Smithville because of my work. We moved here from New York City, so I am used to reading excellent newspapers such as the Washington Post and the New York Times. In fact, we still have the Times delivered on Sundays. All the members of my family enjoy reading the recipes in the magazine, as well as the Styles section. My children are crazy about their sports section.

The Times is great, but the Gazette is another story. I’ve never read an article that doesn’t contain at least three or four spelling or grammatical errors. For example, in last week’s issue, you misspelled the word "secretary", used a singular verb with a plural noun, and used "it’s" as a possessive(所属的). And that was just in the lead story! In case you never went to elementary school, "it’s" means "it is". It’s not a possessive pronoun! In another case, the report you gave on an event was completely different from other newspapers. I didn’t know what the reason was.

It’s a pity that this city, Smithville, Wisconsin, has only one newspaper, because I’d like to have an alternative to the newspaper you publish. I find it hard to believe your news stories. If you can’t spell correctly, how can you get your facts right?

I’ve been meaning to get this off my chest for some time. Please cancel my subscription(订阅). And buy your-self a dictionary.

                                                              Sincerely, Jane Z. Jones

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Name: Container Gardens by Number

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A unique book contains 50 easy-to-follow container designs. Each design provides a simple numbered planting plan that shows exactly how to create each display, with an instruction of the finished planter and in-depth plant information. The plans are easy to follow and for any type of living space or garden.

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Choose from 80 unique ideas to create an extraordinary living space. The projects are practical, as well as attractive, and will improve your home and yard and can be made in a weekend. These 80 well-designed projects are presented in a clear, easy-to-follow style that addresses readers in an accessible, user-friendly tone.

Name: l80lHome Remedies

Cover price: $40.00

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Plenty of health complaints can be handled at home. Each and every remedy will be tested by a doctor to make sure it is safe and sound.

Dozens of conditions are covered, from headaches, sunburn, bad breath, and blisters to allergies, and hiccups.

Excused from recycling because you live in a high rise with a rubbish chute? You wonˈt be for long. Miamiˈs Mark Shantzis has made it simple for those living in tall buildings to use the chute and recycle too.

In Shantzisˈ Hi-Rise Recycling System, a chute leads to a pie-shaped container with six boxes that can turn around when operated. The system, which fits in the same space as the chute and container now in use, enables glass, plastic, paper, metal, and other rubbish to go into separate boxes.

The system is controlled from a board fixed next to the chute door. The board has a button for each class of recycling materials (as well as for unrecyclables). At the press of a button, a microcomputer locks all other floorsˈ chute door and sets the recycling container turning until the right box comes under the chute. The computer also counts the loads and gives a signal by phone when the box is full. And a particular piece of equipment breaks up the nonrecyclables.

Sorting(分类) recyclables before they are collected saves the use of expensive materials recovery equipment which otherwise has to do the sorting. Such equipment often makes recycled materials very expensive, so expensive that tons of recyclables remain wasted. Shantzis believes his system could help recycled materials become more cost-effective.

You can improve your child’s hearing memory considerably. Once his hearing memory has been greatly improved, he’ll be able to use and remember what he listens to in class. The success of these suggestions depends upon your ability to use your child’s natural desire to get involved(参与) in games he finds simple and fun.

A good way to begin is to read aloud a sentence from a book suitable for your child’s reading age. Then ask your youngster to repeat the sentence back to you correctly. Next, reread the sentence, leaving out a particular word. See if your child can identify the word you left out. At the beginning use only simple sentences. Gradually, increase the length of the sentences. Make sure you don’t rush things along too quickly, or your child may become discouraged and tired of the game.

Take your child shopping with you often. He’s to remember a list of items you want to buy in the supermarket. At first, ask him to remember only a few things. Then, as he shows increased ability to remember, make the list longer and longer. Praise him often and warmly when he shows increased ability to remember things. He’ll become proud of his “good” memory and will happily play the game.

Encourage your child to learn easy and short peoms. As his ability to do this becomes stronger, encourage him to remember longer poems. Do the same with songs.