“Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are...” Jimmy was singing happily with his friends. He laughed and then started to tell stories to them.

________, this would never happen in real life. My eight-year-old brother, Jimmy, is an autistic (自闭症的) child. He doesn’t know how to chat with others and can’t even ________ by himself. He also has difficulty following his teachers in class. These things make him feel ________ at school.

Mom took Jimmy to the hospital to get more treatment. But it ________ very well. Jimmy still doesn’t know how to behave at school. He can’t listen to the teacher and doesn’t understand what to do. He always forgets to bring his things home and even loses his books. My mom is always worried, but when she talks about Jimmy, she still ________—it seems that she is still ________ her son.

________ Jimmy’s sister, I am also worried about him. I heard that some students encourage him to misbehave and then laugh at him. The boys even stole ________ pencils and hid them in Jimmy’s bag. Then they told the teacher that Jimmy stole them.

Every time I hear about these things, I am very ________, but my mom asks me not to. She says that Jimmy doesn’t ________ it at all. He is always smiling, even though life is hard for him. I love him and I hope things will get better soon and he will grow up happily.

It’s been over a year since COVID-19 first appeared and the virus continues to be a problem in many parts of the world,scientists have realized the development of vaccines (疫苗) is a solution to the pandemic. A global effort to vaccinate as many people as possible would be needed, since vaccines typically take years to develop.

On Dec 2, 2020, the first COVID vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine, was approved (批准) by UK health department. However, these vaccines must be stored at very low temperatures, which is not possible everywhere. In response, Chinese companies like Sinopharm and Sinovac have developed vaccines that can be kept at normal temperatures.

Now, vaccines are being rolled out all over the world, with millions of people being vaccinated every day. In China, 285 million vaccine doses (剂量) had been given so far. Meanwhile, the US has given out 247 million doses. The UK now stands at 50 million doses.

Although there have been rumors about vaccines being unsafe, most of people seem to realize the importance of vaccination for building mass immunity (群体免疫) in order to stop the virus from spreading. The world has come to understand that the vaccines will protect us. Therefore, sharing vaccines has become a key factor of staying safe and healthy worldwide.

Unfortunately, not everyone can get the vaccine yet. Children below the age of 16 can’t be vaccinated because they have not yet been tested on them. Those who have a history of vaccine allergies (过敏) shouldn’t get it, either.

   Do you still hug your parents? How do you feel when you hug them? When do you need a hug the most?

It was a cold November morning several years ago. My alarm clock had just gone off, but I was having trouble getting out of bed. My dad had died a few weeks before. I felt weighed down by sadness and depression.

Tough and strong, my dad had worked so hard all of his life to support us. He would sometimes shout at my brothers and me, but I always knew that he loved me. Still, he had been raised (养育) in a traditional way and raised us that way too. I couldn’t remember, for example, ever being hugged by him.

After my mom and grandma passed away, my dad moved into grandma’s home. I was so happy to have him close by. I would often visit him and just talk with him about life. But we still seldom touched and never hugged. Finally his own health began to rapidly fail and within a few months he left us. It was a cold morning when we had his service (追悼会), but I was too cold inside myself to feel it. I couldn’t remember when we’d had our last hug.

I sighed (叹气) and got out of my bed. I turned on the lights and walked into the hallway. I saw my son Jim walking down the hall to meet me. Suddenly, he opened his arms and gave me a heart-felt hug. And just as he did, I heard my dad’s voice deep inside of me say, “Joey, this hug is from me!” I cried and smiled at the same time. In that moment, in the place where heart, mind, and spirit all meet, I felt loved. I felt loved by my dad. I felt loved by life.

Like many kids, Alan is a fan of science. But this 14-year-old eighth-grader used his science skills
51． others. He created three prosthetic (假体的)
52． using a 3D printer during his after-school program. He designed the
53． hand for practice. The second one was designed for a 6-year-old boy, and the third was made for a disabled teacher at his school. Combining his love of science and his willingness to help others，Alan plans to make one
54． hand before the year ends. He
55． wants to do something good and helps more people.

What are some things in your life that give you too much stress? Find out what you can do about it.

School Work and Grades

As a student, school work and grades are at the top of your stress list. Even if your school grades are not so bad, you may still fear that you may not do as well as you expect. Heavily learning burden is another cause for worry.

Why not take it easy by leaving extra time to study and take frequent breaks to avoid being so tired? Manage your time carefully and do not put things off.

Friendships and Relationships

Have you ever been concerned with not having enough friends,or not being in the same class as your best friends? These, along with other issues such as peer pressure and interpersonal disagreements and arguments, are other common stress.

It is important to know how to choose your circle of friends wisely. Do not “hide” in your own “nest”. Make friends when you join school activities. Make plans to meet with your friends from other classes during break time. Know that everyone is unique and different—do not compare yourself with others.

Poor Diet and Lack of Sleep

Do you know that eating too much fast food and junk food can lead to mood changes, lack of energy and other negative effects? These convenience food which have less nutrition (营养) may cause other health issues. Some students suffer from sleep problems too. When that happens, they behave poorly in class.

Learn to make wise food choices that you can enjoy. Well plan and arrange your daily routine. Completing all school tasks, going to bed at a set time every night. Avoid playing computer games or smartphone before you sleep. Do see a doctor if your sleeping problems continue.

假如你是李磊，你的笔友Anna给你发了电子邮件诉说她的烦恼，请根据邮件内容进行回复。

I understand your feeling. Here is what I think.

I hope what I said is helpful to you.

Li Lei