Warley Woods Community (社区) Trust

    Welcome to our third newsletter of the year!

    Our main activity for March is our Walk for the Woods fundraising event on Saturday, 17th March, starting any time between 10 a. m. and 2 p. m. We will be walking the distance between Warley Woods and Tipperary. It is indeed a long way—80 miles. The more people that you can get to sponsor you, the more money we can raise to help look after our beautiful woodland. More information is available on our website.

    The Sunday volunteers planted two beeches and an oak last week. This was thanks to the money from the Big Tree Plant and to Lisa and Gordon Whitaker, whose friends gave money for the big trees instead of for their wedding presents. Thanks to everyone who took part.

    There were 15 volunteers at the Oral History Training Day which was led very ably by Julia Letts. The group will be meeting again and will start to interview the local people who have offered to tell their stories. We are happy to hear from others who would like to be interviewed about their memories of the Woods for the project. If you or anyone you know is interested, please call Viv Cole at the office. This project is financed by Heritage Lottery Fund.

    There was a huge response to the Forest School activities held at half term. These will be held again during the Easter holidays on the following dates:4th April from 10 a. m.  to 3 p. m.  for over 8s. On 12th April form 10 a. m.  to 12 noon, there will be a Teddy Bears' Picnic for the under 8s. All these must be booked in advance.

    Finally, don't forget the Easter Egg Roll on Bank Holiday, 9th April, starting at 11 a. m.  Bring your own hard-boiled and decorated egg to roll down the hill in the woods. The first past the finishing line will win a large chocolate egg! This year, due to popular demand, there will also be an Adults' Easter Egg Roll following the children's competition.

    We look forward to seeing you all soon, at one of our many events!

    The other day, my friend Jane was invited to a 40th birthday party. The time printed on the invitation was 7:30 p. m. Jane went off with her husband David, expecting a merry evening of wine, food, and songs.

    By 9:45, everybody was having great fun, but no food had appeared. Jane and David were restless. Other guests began whispering that they, too, were hungry. But no one wanted to leave, just in case some food was about to appear. By 11:00, there was still no food, and everyone was completely off their heads. Jane and David left, hungry and angry.  

    Their experience suggests that the words on the printed invitations need to be made clearer. Everyone reads and understands the invitations differently. Most of us would agree that 6:30-8:30 p. m. means drinks only, that after 8:00 p. m. or 8:30 p. m. means possible dinner, and that 9:30 p. m. and any time thereafter means no food — eat beforehand and roll up late.

    But this is not always the case. If asked to a students' party at 6:30 p. m., it is normal for guests not to appear before midnight, if at all, and no one cares. Being the first to arrive — looking eager — is social death. When my mother is asked to a party at 6:30, she likes to be there, if not on time, then no later than seven. My age group (late thirties) falls somewhere between the two, but because we still think we're young, we're probably closer to student-time than grown-up time.

    The accepted custom at present is confusing, sometimes annoying, and it often means you may go home hungry, but it does lend every party that precious element(要素) of surprise.

    If you have a chance to go to Finland, you will probably be surprised to find how "foolish" the Finnish people are.

    Take the taxi drivers for example. Taxis in Finland are mostly high-class Benz with a fare of two US dollars a kilometer. You can go anywhere in one, tell the driver to drop you at any place, say that you have some business to attend to, and then walk off without paying your fare. The driver would not show the least sign of anxiety.

    The dining rooms in all big hotels not only serve their guests, but also serve outside diners. Hotel guests have their meals free, so they naturally go to the free dining rooms to have their meals. The most they would do to show their good faith is to wave their registration(登记) card to the waiter. With such a loose check, you can easily use any old registration card to take a couple of friends to dine free of charge.

    The Finnish workers are paid by the hour. They are very much on their own as soon as they have agreed with the boss on the rate. From then on they just say how many hours they have worked and they will be paid accordingly.

    With so many loopholes(漏洞) in everyday life, surely Finland must be a heaven to those who love to take "petty advantages". But the strange thing is, all the taxi passengers would always come back to pay their fare after they have attended to their business; not a single outsider has ever been found in the free hotel dining rooms. And workers always give an honest account of the exact hours they put in. As Finns always act on good faith in everything they do, living in such a society has turned everyone into a real "gentleman".

   People were born in all shapes and sizes, colors and races. Some speak differently while others act differently.

My mother is in a wheelchair. I would like to say something about this special woman I call "Mommy".

   My mom does what a mom needs to do every day. She picks me up from school, drives me to meetings, cooks dinner, and helps me with my homework. This is just part of what makes her great, though.

   She is my best friend and can immediately notice when I am unhappy. She helps me solve problems that my friends do not understand. Mommy makes me laugh when times are tough. I look forward to coming home because I know there is someone there who cares about what I have done.

   Mommy has always tried to be like a "normal" mom. But I think my mother is a wonderful woman and she doesn't need to change. She teaches me life lessons that no teachers or friends can. She shows me how to accept everyone for what is inside, rather than what is on the outside.

   You may have realized that all the qualities I admire have nothing to do with what she looks like. Everyone could be the way she is, but most are not.

   I want everyone to look beyond the surface and see what is inside others. You may fail to notice someone who is very special like my mom because you cannot accept their outside features.

    Each New Year, we wish others happiness and success. There are several—a smile, freedom, the willingness to share and the confidence that you will get what you need in life.  

    As you turn over the calendar, keep turning over your mind as well. Don't fill your future dates with past events. Just move on.  

    You want to be free of such weaknesses as complaint, hatred, and anger. Do not let the past affect your life in the present. If you cannot forgive the past, then your future will be dark.

    As long as you are useful to people, your value will never be lost. “Any of your good actions will always come back to you. Today you have the whole world for a family. What you need to feel is that everybody is part of your own family. Open your eyes and see how much you have been given. Focus on what you have rather than what you don't have. The more thankful you feel, the more you will be given. However, the more you complain, the more will be taken away from you.  

    There is always happiness when you focus on what you have. Success comes, beauty comes, and peace comes.  

A. What are the effects of success?

B. What really is the sign of success?

C. Welcome the New Year with a smile.

D. With this calmness, abilities appear naturally.

E. Take responsibility and then there is no suffering.

F. Understand that negative feelings are because of the past.

G. Never quit and keep on trying, and then you will make it.

    I will never forget the year I was about twelve years old. My mother told us that we would not be 1 Christmas gifts because there was not enough money. I felt sad and thought," What would I say when the other kids asked what I'd 2?" Just when I started to 3 that there would not be a Christmas that year, three women 4 at our house with gifts for all of us. For me they brought a doll. I felt such a sense of 5 that I would no longer have to be embarrassed when I returned to school. I wasn't 6. Somebody had thought 7 of me to bring me a gift.  

    Years later, when I stood in the kitchen of my new house, thinking how I wanted to make my 8 Christmas there special and memorable, I 9 remembered the women's visit. I decided that I wanted to create that same feeling of 10 for as many children as I could possibly reach.  

    So I 11 a plan and gathered forty people from my company to help. We gathered about 125 orphans(孤儿)at the Christmas party. For every child, we wrapped colorful packages filled with toys, clothes, and school supplies, 12 with a child's name. We wanted all of them to know they were 13. Before I called out their names and handed them their gifts, I 14 them that they couldn't open their presents 15 every child had come forward. Finally the 16 they had been waiting for came as I called out," One, two, three. Open your presents!" As the children opened their packages, their faces beamed and their bright smiles 17 up the room. The 18 in the room was obvious, and 19 wasn't just about toys. It was a feeling — the feeling I knew 20 that Christmas so long ago when the women came to visit. I wasn't forgotten. Somebody thought of me. I matter.  

    A young man, while traveling through a desert, came across a spring of clear water. The water  (be) sweet. He filled his leather container so that he could bring some back to an elder  had been his teacher. After a four-day journey, the young man (present) the water to the old man. His teacher took a deep drink, smiled (warm), and thanked his student very much for the sweet water. The young man (go) home with a happy heart.  

    After the student left, the teacher let student taste the water. He spit it out, (say)it was awful. Apparently, it was no longer fresh because of the old leather container. He asked his teacher, "Sir, the water was awful. Why did you pretend to like?" The teacher replied, "You tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of kindness and love. Nothing could be(sweet). "We understand this lesson best when we receive (gift) of love from children. Whether it is a cheap pipe or a diamond necklace, the proper response is appreciation. We love the idea within the gift rather than the thing.

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;

2．只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。

    After a final examination, I got a letter from my best friend and his parents live on a farm. They invited me stay with them for several weeks. I was so excited that I could sleep all night. When I got to their home I was warm received. I lived in a big and nice room. I enjoy the life there very much. Every morning we got up early and walk on the farm where we could enjoy the fresh air or beautiful scenery. We gathered some flower here and there, and I found it full of funs. In the afternoon we did our homework. I did have a good time.

内容应包括如下要点:

1）春节在中国的地位……

2）春节持续的时间……

3）春节来临之前人们……

4）除夕之夜人们……

5）春节期间人们……

6）你对春节的态度……

注意：1）词数100左右;

2）可适当发挥以使行文连贯;

3）开头结尾已给出,但不计入总词数。

参考词汇:春节联欢晚会Spring Festival Gala

Dear Jack,

    Thanks for your email. I'm glad to tell you something about China's Spring Festival.

Yours,

Li Hua