業精於勤，事立於豫

      Recently we asked for your opinions about paying students to improve school attendance or performance on tests. Some American __41__ are doing this. But more of you were against the idea than were __42__ it. Some people said paying students sends a message that __43__ is the only valuable reward. Steven from China says students should study for knowledge. Money may improve performance in the short term, he says, but we should think about the __44__. Zhao Jing Tao, a college student in China, thought of an old saying. __45__ students is like "drinking poison to end thirst" -- trying to solve a problem without considering the effects.

      When the first baby arrives in a household, everything changes. __41__, the parents needed an alarm clock in the morning, but now the baby decides when they should wake up. Formerly, the parents __42__, but now all their free time is spent admiring their infant. __43__ pre-baby days, their life is more carefully planned. While they used __44__ to see friends whenever they wanted to, that is no longer possible. If they want to go out without the baby, they must arrange for a babysitter. __45__ the neat and tidy rooms of the past, these days their apartment is full of baby things. Their friends have even noticed a difference in the topic of conversation: It’s always about the baby.

      Earth has warmed by about 1ºF over the past 100 years. But why? And __1__ ? Well, scientists are not exactly sure. The Earth could be getting warmer on its own, __2__ many of the world’s leading climate scientists think that things people do are helping to make the Earth warmer. Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth’s temperature, __3__ in turn causes changes in climate. A __4__ Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. When scientists talk about the issue of climate change, their __5__ is about global warming caused by human activities. It is because they are sure about the danger of the green houseeffect.

      In many western cultures, people believe that “seven” is a lucky number, but in Chinese communities around the world, “eight” is considered the most fortuitous of numbers, __16__ it much coveted for addresses, phone numbers and bank accounts. Number “eight” sounds very similar __17__ the Chinese word for “being rich and having a lot of money”. The Chinese feel that “eight” portends not only prosperity __18_____ confidence and money worth even millions. Most Chinese also try their very best to __19__ numbers which make them think of things that have bad luck. For __20__ , some Chinese do not like the number “four” because it sounds like the Chinese word for “death”. The number eight doesn't have the same appeal to the Japanese or Koreans—whose cultures have been influenced by the Chinese—but all three cultures are united in their avoidance of the number four.

      Sitting in front of the television may be relaxing, but spending too much time in front of the tube may take years off your life. That's what Australian researchers found when they collected TV __16__ information from more than 11,000 people older than 25 years. The __17__ found that people who watched an average six hours of TV a day lived an average 4.8 years less than those who didn't watch any television. Also, every hour of TV that participants watched after age 25 was associated with a 22-minute __18__ in their life expectancy. It's no mystery that sitting in front of the tube isn't exactly __19__ . The more TV you watch, the less physically active you are. And the less exercise you get, the more likely you are to develop __20__ such as diabetes or heart problems. Moreover, the poor diet that onscreen junk-food advertising promotes worsens the problems.

      Kids who live in northern U. S. states are used to having class canceled every now and then because of snow. But on Monday, a number of schools across the Northeast closed their doors __16__ a different reason: dangerously cold outdoor temperatures. Throughout the region, temperatures __17__ below zero. Schools canceled classes or delayed openings to protect students from the __18__ . The wind chill made it feel __19__ cold as 25 to 30 degrees below zero. The weathermen issued warnings about the __20__ of staying outside in the cold for too long. The cold was expected to last until Thursday.

      Every business starts with a strong business plan – it is the foundation and the building block of every company. A good business plan will __16__ be the blueprint of your business, it will also provide you with a good entry into many doors, including the door of investors and financial institutions. The due diligence of starting a company can be __17__ . __18__ our help, You will have an excellent plan. Your customers or clients will now get your message and __19__ you from the sea of competitors. Most importantly, with the right mix of marketing strategies, your customers will act __20__ the message and buy from you. With a strong marketing plan, you will not only build brand identity, you will enhance your revenue.

      There are two reasons I don’t have a credit card. The first reason is that using a piece of plastic instead of __41__ makes it too easy for me to buy things I can’t afford.__42__ , last week I saw a $75.00 pair of pink shoes in my favorite shoe store. Of course, I don’t need pink shoes,__43__ can I afford them. With a credit card, however, I would now own those shoes and be worrying about how to __44__ for them. The second reason I don’t have a credit card is that I would end up in __45__ like my friend Sara, the Shopaholic, who got a credit card last year and already owes $4,000.

      Most people would agree that their lives have been positively affected by the Internet and e-mail. The Internet allows us to access large amounts of information on nearly any topic quickly and cheaply. E-mail allows us to communicate with friends, family, and colleagues __41__ instantly even when they are on another continent. __42__, a question on many people’s minds concerns privacy. Does a company or government agency have the right to __43__ a record of the sites you visit on the Internet? Does your employer have the right to __44__ your e-mail message? Democratic societies create large zones of privacy for individuals by __45__ the power of public and private authorities to look into anyone’s personal matters. Although privacy is still a very important value, the computer age has brought a new debate over privacy rights.