Two weeks ago, a 7-year-old girl, Chloe Bridgewater wrote a letter to Google, expressing her interest in working for the tech company when she gets older. “Dear Google boss, my name is Chloe and when I am bigger I would like a job with Google,” she wrote. “I also want to work in a chocolate factory and do swimming in the Olympics.” The student said she liked computers and had a tablet she played games on. She even showed off a robot game that her dad gave her.

It wasn’t long before Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, replied wit his own letter on Google website. In a letter dated Feb. 3, Pichai wrote, “Dear Chloe, I’m glad that you like computers and robots, and hope that you will continue to learn about technology. I think if you keep working hard and follow your dreams, you can accomplish everything you set your mind to. I look forward to receiving your job application when you are finished with school!”

Her father, Andy Bridgewater told ABC News he was completely shocked that his daughter received a reply. But he wasn’t surprised that she decided to write the letter in the first place. “She’s got determination. She doesn’t see the barriers that we face every day,” he explained. “If she wants to do it, she will set out to do it and nothing will stop her.”

The father remarked that his daughter began jumping up and down after receiving the letter. Still, he’s not in a rush to send his eldest daughter off to work. “Now, my daughter is confident, although she hasn’t yet fully understood that it will take more efforts than finishing her study to make it with Google,” he said.

I have always considered myself a positive optimist, trying to find the best in every situation. Iˈve recently become aware of how two little  (1)   have had a great impact on people.

My son  (2)  to tell me about a house he was interested in.I said, "Honey, I am glad that youˈve found something you like,   (3)  …"There, I continued, "Donˈt you think,with the gas prices, you might want to buy one  (4)  to your work?" As he told me all about the possible house, I could hear the  (5)  in his voice. The moment I spoke the word, BUT, it was  (6)   I pricked a balloon with a needle（针）.I could hear him slowly deflate（泄气）. I  (7)  that if I had used the word AND—"Honey, Iˈm glad you found a house in your  (8)  range, AND Iˈm happy for you."—he wouldnˈt have been  (9)  , and weˈd have both hung up feel better.

My daughter  (10)  at my door dressed like a princess on her way to the prom. I told her how graceful looked and I was  (11)  of the young lady she has become, and I said, "Sweetheart, you  (12)  having a great time, but please donˈt drink tonight." I know she doesnˈt engage in  (13)  behavior; sheˈs responsible and sensible. She looked as though Iˈd snatched her crown. "Mom!" The tone of her voice indicated how Iˈd  (14)  her feel. How I wish Iˈd said, "I want you to have a great time, AND I   (15)  you."

My husband helps around the house. I was  (16)  he had lightened my work load. I told him how wonderful he is, and I used that naughty word again."BUT,why did you  (17)  crumbs（面包屑）all over the counter? "Why?Why?Why didnˈt I say," Thank you, AND I am  (18)  or all you do around the house."

Iˈve been doing some  (19)  . I am going to remove that naughty little word from my  (20)  and replace it with the word AND. This is a decision I intend to keep!

We should show respect to everybody, especially our elders because they are ahead of us – in age, in wisdom and maturity, in experience and education. Our   (1)  have done a lot for us, directly or indirectly and most of us  (2)   everything to their kindness and love.

When we   (3)  them respect, whether it is by bowing to them, or  (4)  them with a smile, or offering them any help they need, it is one way of   (5)  our own love and gratitude to them.   (6)   , elders have also been through all the years you are  (7)   and know a little more about the world than you do.

It is  (8)   that you do not agree with the belief of your elders, but this is nothing new. All younger generations have always  (9)  with their elders and it is these differences that bring changes  in human  (10)  . However much you disagree with them, give them credit for their    (11)    .

With changing times and  (11)   influences, youngsters no longer know what is interpreted as disrespect to elders. Youngsters should   (12)   express their views and if there are arguments, they should not   (13)  their voices.

If there is no space on sofas or chairs, children will immediately  (14)   their places, and sit on the carpet. In buses and trains, youngsters are  (15)   to give up their places to older people. This is not a   (16)  of who has more rights. It is simply that those who are younger have the strength to bear   (17)   , or tolerate unpleasantness, so it is natural to show consideration to those who are older and perhaps at a   (18)  disadvantage.

When you do simple things as a mark of respect, elders become   (19)   that youngsters care for them, and they respond with affection and kindness.

Imagine, one day, getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours, and then, after a full day of work, going back home to Beijing and having dinner there.

Sounds unusual, doesnˈt it? But itˈs not that unrealistic, with the development of China’s high-speed railway system. And that’s not all. China has an even greater high-speed railway plan—to connect the country with Southeast Asia, and eventually Eastern Europe.

China is negotiating to extend its own high-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 10 to 15 years, eventually reaching London and Singapore.

China has proposed three such projects. The first would possibly connect Kunming with Singapore via Vietnam and Malaysia. Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and possibly to Germany. The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe.

If China’s plan for the high-speed railway goes forward, people could zip over from London to Beijing in under two days.

The new system would still follow China’s high-speed railway standard. And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour, almost as fast as some airplanes.

China’s bullet train, the one connecting Wuhan to Guangzhou, already has the world’s fastest average speed. It covers 1,069 kilometers in about three hours.

Of course, there are some technical challenges to overcome. There are so many issues that need to be settled, such as safety, rail gauge (轨距), maintenance of railway tracks. So, it’s important to pay attention to every detail.

But the key issue is really money. China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on domestic railway expansion.

China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital investment. Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development.

It’ll be a win-win project. For other countries, the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business, tourism and so on, not to mention the better communication among those countries.

For China, such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources, but would also help develop China’s far west. We foresee that in the coming decades, millions of people will migrate to the western regions, where the land is empty and resources unused. With high-speed trains, people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for all. And they’ll trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries.

From: terri @ wombat. Com. Au

To: (happylizijun) @ yaboo. com. cn

Subject: My school

Hi, Li Zijun,

Thanks very much for your email. I really enjoyed reading it. I think we have a lot in common. I wonder if our school life is similar too.

I go to a big high school inSydneycalled Maylands High School. There are about 1000 students and 80 or so teachers. My class has 25 students in it, which is normal for a Year 11 class. In the junior school there are about 30 students in a class.

In the senior high school we have lots of subjects to choose from, like maths, physics, chemistry, biology, history, German, law, geography, software design, graphic arts and media studies. (Different schools sometime have different optional subjects.) English is a must for everyone and we have to do least three other subjects in Year 11 and 12. At the end of Year 12 we sit for a public exam called the High School Certificate.

As well as school subjects, most of us do other activities at school such as playing a sport, singing in the choir or playing in the school band. We can also belong to clubs, such as the drama club, the chess club and the debating society.

We have a lot of homework to do in senior school to prepare for our exam, so unless I have basketball practice, I usually go straight home and start studying. I arrive home about 4 pm, make myself a snack and work till 6. Then I help the family to make dinner and we all eat together. I’m usually back in my room studying by 8 pm. I stop at about 10 o’clock and watch TV or read a book for half an hour to relax. On Saturdays, I usually go out with my family or with friends and I sleep in till late on Sunday morning. Then it’s back to the books on Sunday afternoon.

How about you? What’s your school life like? Do you have a lot of homework? What do you do to relax when you’re not studying? I’m looking forward to finding out.

Your Australian friend

Terrie

A car needs gas to run and your body also needs food to work for you．Eating the right kind of food is very important．It can keep your body strong，so take care of what you eat． There are four main food groups altogether．The dairy products group has food like milk，cheese and sour milk．The other three groups are the meat and fish group，the fruit and vegetable group，and the bread and rice group．Each meal should have at least one food from all the four main groups．With all these food together you will be given enough energy during the day． It is easy to get into bad eating habits．You may eat your breakfast in a hurry to get to school on time．Or you may not have time for a good lunch．It may seem easy to finish your supper with fish and chips all the time．But you will find yourself tired during these days and you can not think quickly． Watching what you eat will help keep your body healthy and strong．It is also good to take some exercise．It will help you eat more if you take a walk or play games in the open air．Having a good eating habit with some exercise is the key to your health．

It often appears that we have more to gain by speaking than by listening. One big advantage of speaking is that it gives you a chance to control others’ thoughts and actions. Whatever your goal is — to have a boss hire you, to  (1)  others to vote for the person of your  (2)  or to describe the   (3)  that you want your hair cut ... the key to success seems to be the  (4)  to speak well.

    Another    (5)  advantage of speaking is the chance it provides to  (6)  the admiration, respect, or liking of others. Tell jokes, and everyone will think you’re really a   (7)  man. Tell them all you know, and they’ll be   (8)   by your wisdom. But keep quiet, and it seems as if you are a   (9)  person.

    Finally, talking gives you the   (10)  to release (释放) energy in a way that listening can’t. When you’re  (11)  , the chance to talk about your problems can often help you feel better. In the same way, you can often  (12)  your anger by letting it out orally. It is also helpful to  (13)  your excitement with others by talking about it,    (14)   keeping it inside often leaves you feeling as if you might burst.

    While it is true that talking does have many advantages, it’s important to   (15)   that listening can do good to listeners, too. As you’ll soon read, being a good listener is one good way to  (16)  others with their problems; and what better way is there to have others   (17)   you? As for controlling others, it may be true that it’s hard to be persuasive while you’re listening, but your   (18)  to hear others out will often make them open to your ideas  (19)  . Listening is often reciprocal (互惠的). “You get what you   (20)  .”

Everybody sleeps, but what people stay up late to catch or wake up early in order not to miss varies by culture？

From data collected, it seems the things that cause us to lose the most sleep, on average, are sporting events, time changes, and holidays.

Around the world, people changed sleep patterns thanks to the start or end of daylight savings time. Russians, for example, began to wake up about a half-hour later each day after President Vladimir Putin shifted the country permanently to "winter time" starting on October 26.

Russia's other late nights and early mornings generally correspond to public holidays. On New Year's Eve, Russians have the world's latest bedtime, hitting the hay at around 3:30 a. m.

Russians also get up an hour later on International Women's Day, the day for treating and celebrating female relatives.

Similarly, Americans' late nights, late mornings, and longest sleeps fall on three-day weekends.

Canada got the least sleep of the year the night it beat Sweden in the Olympic hockey (冰球) final.

The World Cup is also chiefly responsible for sleep deprivation. The worst night for sleep in the U. K. was the night of the England-Italy match on June 14. Brits stayed up a half-hour later to watch it, and then they woke up earlier than usual the next morning thanks to summer nights, the phenomenon in which the sun barely sets in northern countries in the summertime. That was nothing, though, compared to Germans, Italians, and the French, who stayed up around an hour and a half later on various days throughout the summer to watch the Cup.

It should be made clear that not everyone has a device to record their sleep patterns; in some of these nations, it's likely that only the richest people do. And people who elect to track their sleep may try to get more sleep than the average person. Even if that's the case, though, the above findings are still striking. If the most health-conscious among us have such deep swings in our shut-eye levels throughout the year, how much sleep are the rest of us losing?