AsurveyconductedinTianjinfondthat98%ofhighschoolstudentsand92%ofprimaryschoolstudentshavetospendmostoftheirweekendsdoinghomework.Toomuchhomeworkhasbecomeacommoncomplaininhighschoolsandprimaryschools.Studentshavetospendmostoftheirtimedoinghomework,evenonweekends.Asaresult,theyhavenotimefortheirhobbies,orfortheirparentsorfrinends.Alltheydoiswhattheyhavetodo,notwhattheyliketodo.Theunderlyingcasueforthisphenomenonliesinthepresentexam-orientededucationsystem.NationalCollegeEnteranceExaminationhasbecomethesolefocusofteachers,parents,andstudentsthemselves.Highscorebecomestheultimategoal,leadingtotheneglectofpracticalabilities,personalitydevelopment,andallthat.Itisurgentthatwedeepenoureducationalreform,wemustallowallstudent’soveralldevelopment,notjustevalucatetheirscores.Inthepicture,wecanseethatthegirl’sparentsandgrandmotherarehelpingher,whichmakesitimpossibleforthegirltoridebicyclebyherself.Whatismorerediculous,hermothereventakessomemedcinewithher.Infact,thisisnotapicturejustforfun.Ittellsusthatparentsshouldn’thelptheirchildrentoomuch.Theyshouldlettheirchildrenbemoreindependent.Manyparentssharetheopinionthattheymustgeteverythingreadyfortheirchildernsothattheirchildrencouldhaveenoughtimeontheirstudy.Theyallfailedtoconsiderthatwiththehelpofthiskind,childrenwon’tbeabletolivetheirownlifewithoutparentsinthefuture.Nowdays,itisoftenreportedthatacertaincollegestudentdoesn’tknowhowtowashhissocks!Howcanshecompetewithothersaftergraduation?Loveandattentionisneededinthegrowthofachild,butitshouldneverbetoomuch,oryou’llspoilthechildandhewillaccomplishnothinginhislife.DearJohnIamverygladtohearthatyouhavepassedtheentranceexaminationandbeenacceptedbyYaleUniversity.IfeelveryproundofyouandIbelieveyoureallydeservethehonorsinceyouhavebeenworkingsohard.Asyouhavementionedintheletter,therearebothsomesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenthecollegelifeandhighschoollife.Ontheonehand,youhavetogoonworkinghardastherearealotofsubjectsforyoutolearn,Ontheotherhand,inhighschool,techerswillprobablytellyouwhattolearnandhowtolearnindetailsandwillalsomonitoryourlearningperformance,whileincollege,teachersworkliketourguidesandyouhavetofindoutyourownwaytoacquireknowledgeandsolveproblems.Ifyouhopetoadaptyourselftothenewenvironment,you’dbetterbepositivenomatterwhatdifficultiesyouwillexperienceinyourcollegelife,Mayyouhaveagoodcollegelife!Yourstruly,JerryDearKelvinIamwtitingtoyoutoapplyforthemembershipoftheEnglishClub.AsasophomorefromtheEnglishDepartment.IloveEnglishliteratureverymuch.IoftenattendtheEnglishconerheldonFridaynightandIliketodiscussaroundvariustopicsinEnglishwithothers.IameagertobememberoftheEnglishClubandimprovemyEnglishfurther.Iknowtherearesomerequirements,butIamnotclearaboutthedetails.Isitnecessaryformetopayformembership?Ifso,howmuchshouldIpay?Andhowoften?Ihavealsoheardthattheclubwillhostvariousactivities,butcanyougivememoredetails?Iwouldbeverygratefulifyoucansendmeareplyassoonaspossible.Lookingforwardtohearingfromyousoon.YourssincerelyLiMeiThevalueofself-confidenceMyfriendsoftenaskme,”Joe,whyareyousocarefreeallthetime?”Theanswerisquitesimple.Iowemylight-heartedattitudetoself-confidence.IremremberthefirsttimeIparticipatedinanEnglishcompetition.Threeyearsago,myclassmateschosemetospeakinanEnglishcompetitionatourschool.WhenIwentonstage,Ihadbutterfliesinmystomach.Suddenly,mymother’swordscamebacktome:”i...
