11 赢并不是全部

Life too often becomes a tough game with more losers than winners. When claiming the prize eliminates the good in playing, no one wins. Real rewards come from teamwork and playing the game unselfishly for the good of the whole. Winning is more than being number one. Winning is helping another in a difficult situation, especially one in which you realize what is really true or important. In defeat, we sometimes find something more precious than victory; we can find friendship, honor and respect. （改编自英文网站专栏文章）

12 未来的学校

Schools will be different in many ways from what they are now. First, students will be different. They will be any age, from any place, and they will be free to choose any class they want. Second, the courses will be different. There will be many more courses for students to choose from, and most courses will be offered on the Internet. Students will choose to learn at home on the Internet, or at school from teachers. They can also choose the teachers they like. School buildings and equipment will be much better than they are now. Everything will be run by computers, more modern, and easy for students to use. Students will organize more different activities at school, and life at school will be richer and more interesting. （改编自英文教材）

13 友谊

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship. Friendship means not being alone. Life is no fun without a companion to share it with. Friendship means having someone you can rely on. A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. Friendship means being committed to others. The best way to have a friend is to be a friend.

One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood. Friendship is not in great shape in modern society. People are so busy with work and families that friendship gets squeezed out. Furthermore, as society becomes more unequal, people tend to make friends solely based on their job status.（改编自英文报纸和英文网站）

14 环保（低碳生活）

Individual actions can help avoid a catastrophe caused by climate change. We can check daily lives to see where they can reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, which are blamed for global warming. We can take action by living low energy, low carbon lifestyles. When we’re environmentally conscious, we go to school by bike, save water in the toilet, reuse old test papers, and plant more trees. Besides, we can launch a campaign to promote low carbon lifestyles on the campus. We’ll find a sense of satisfaction knowing that we did our part to help solve the problem of climate change.（改编自《21世纪英文报》）

15 食品安全（转基因食品）

GM has been used to produce plants which are better able to defend themselves against pests and disease. Supporters of GM food argue that GM plants are healthier and have larger harvests. However, many questions have been raised about GM food. No one really knows whether it is safe for animals or humans to eat. More tests should be done on GM food. There is also a question as to whether GM plants are safe for the environment. No one knows what effects the GM material might have on the food chain. Since no one really knows whether GM food is safe, we should be cautious with this new technology.（改编自英文教材）

16 健康(笑一笑十年少)

In all relationships, at work or home, humor lets people handle stressful events in a calm and wise way. It is an inexpensive, readily available way to cope with stress. Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter provides physical release from stress. When people laugh, they take deeper breaths. More oxygen means better circulation. People who enjoy humor perform better than those with little or no sense of humor. A day without laughter is a day wasted. （改编自英文报纸）

17 幸福的路径

Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present. Here are three ways to find happiness.

First, practice generosity. Generosity can mean volunteering, donating to a charity, lending your things to others, or simply being kind to others with your words and emotions. As you give a little love to someone else, you’ll feel better too.

Second, ask for help. Despite the fears you have about seeming weak or incompetent, you’ll feel happy that you’ve asked for help when you see people show up for you in time.

Third, try new things. By going beyond your comfort zone, it opens up the possibility for you to enjoy something new. It keeps you from becoming bored, and perhaps most importantly, it forces you to grow.（改编自英文报纸）

18 文化的差异

(背景：有媒体报道，中国人出游所表现出来的种种形象“丢了中国人的脸”。也有人认为喜欢聚众、大声说话只是一种习惯而已，我们还看不惯有些外国人那种小声嘀嘀咕咕的习惯呢。你对此怎么看？)

（支持）There are lots of cultural differences between different peoples. In many Western countries, it is rude to make noises when eating noodles. But in Japan, it is not. Westerners do not like to speak loudly in public places, but in China, people like it. It’s hard to say who is right. It’s natural that there exist cultural differences between peoples. I don’t think it’s a bad habit. It’s just a characteristic of the Chinese. Thanks to all of these different customs, the world is culturally diversified.

（反对）Customs and habits may be different from country to country. But there are many universal codes of behavior that everyone should follow. Only by following these codes can different peoples get along well with each other. Speaking loudly in public places should not be regarded as the “custom” of the entire nation. It’s just a bad habit of some people. It’s rude and offensive because you may disturb others when you speak loudly in public places. It’s not a matter of cultural difference. It has damaged the image of China. As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in foreign countries, we should respect their customs. Only in this way can we be welcomed there. （改编自英文报纸）

19 助人为乐

For many people, volunteering means giving out you give your time and talent to take part in activities that benefit others. In fact, however, volunteering is win-win–while you’re helping others, you get experience and joy from the work itself. For example, you can learn skills, make new friends and build confidence.

The traditional way is to donate free time to help people in need. Volunteers visit homes of older people and orphans, or care for homeless people.

Compared to traditional volunteering, skill-based volunteering requires volunteers to have certain professional knowledge or receive special training. For example, in China many children volunteer to become narrators in museums. They receive history and communication lessons before so that they can tell the stories behind a masterpiece to visitors.

Besides, a person can volunteer to protect the environment. You can join NGO (非政府组织) and volunteer to plant trees, recycle rubbish and clean neighborhood.

Although volunteering takes up our time and can be challenging sometimes, it shows our care for others. When people benefit from your help, it can change the way you look at yourself. （改编自英文报纸）