开学
【Background背景】
开学对每一个学生来说，都是一个新起点（starting point）。在国外，学校和家庭都想方设法（try their best）为学生们创造一个快乐而又有意义的开学氛围（create a happy and significant atmosphere ），使新学期有一个好的开端（start），家长们不妨借鉴（refer to）。
德国（Germany ）
在德国每年开学第一天，家长都要为新入学的孩子准备（prepare for new tern）一个纸喇叭筒（a speaking trumpet which is made of paper）。等孩子正式成为学生后，才允许（allow）孩子将喇叭筒打开，除糖果（candy）外，喇叭筒里还有彩笔（color pen）、卷笔刀（pencil sharpener）、小玩具（toys）等。当然，总是有那么一些孩子迫不及待（can’t wait to）就早早地揭开了喇叭筒的秘密（uncover the secrets）。
日本 （Japan）
9月1日在日本是个非同寻常（unusual）的日子。这天不仅是学校新学期开始的第一天，也是全国“防灾日”（reduction day），安排儿童“避难”是开学的重要一环（an important step）。
美国（America）
美国学校一般和家庭共同制定计划（make plans）。开学伊始，学校大都要将新学期开设的课程（curriculum）告诉学生和家长，以及新学期学校的活动安排（activity arrangements），便于家长安排时间参与（participate in）到学校的事务中来。有的学校还可以通过召开家长会（hold parent meetings）设定新学年的目标（set the goals）。
【Cultures文化】
谁先伸手？
握手双方如果是男女之间，女的应先伸手；宾主之间，主人应先伸手；老幼之间，年长的应先伸手；上下级之间，若有宾主关系，做主人者应先伸手。
握手时应用右手，并要注视对方，否则是不尊重对方的表现。有时为了表示更多的敬意，握手时还要微微点头鞠躬。握手要上下微摆，不要一握就不动。如果男子戴有手套，应先摘下手套再握手。若确有某种原因摘手套有困难，须先说一声Excuse my gloves.女的则不必摘手套。
Fire的妙用
人们都知道，遇到盗贼时可以喊：“捉贼！（Stop thief!）”，遇到危险时可以喊：“救命！（help!）”,遇到火灾时可以喊：“救火！（Fire!）。
在美国，万一在街上遇到坏人，最好不要喊“Stop thief!”,也不要喊“Help!”, 而要喊 “Fire! Fire!”。这是为什么呢？因为如果你喊 “Stop thief!”或“Help!”周围住房里的人听到之后，知道有人在抢劫，事情与他无关，可能不会出来干涉；如果你喊 “Fire! Fire!”这可是与人人有关的事，人们就纷纷出来，坏人害怕了，自然就会逃之夭夭。
介绍
介绍别人认识时，一般先把主人介绍给客人，把年轻的介绍给年老的，把地位低的介绍给地位高的。介绍别人或自我介绍时，一般要介绍全名，但也只可介绍名，特别是双方都是年轻人时。注意：介绍时习惯说 “This is …” 不说 “He/She is …”.英语姓名的顺序与汉语相反，如: Kate Green, Kate是名,Green是姓。
双方认识后，一般都以How do you do?或Nice to meet you 等表示问候。接着进行一般的交谈，初次见面常谈论有关天气、运动、电影、时事等认为是最安全的话题，切忌问及对方的信仰、收入、婚姻、年龄、生活、工作等诸如此类的私事。
【Buzzwords热词快递】
a drop in the ocean/bucket
事物微小，无济于事
His donation is but a drop in the bucket. It won't help at all.（他的捐赠有如杯水车薪，是完全无济于事的。）
【说事物微小，中国人常常会用苏轼“沧海之一粟”这个比喻。英语也有一个差不多的比喻：a drop in the ocean/bucket（沧海/水桶中的一滴水）。这个英文成语出自《圣经·以塞亚书》。先知以塞亚在书中说，和伟大的上帝相比，人间万国都显得微不足道了：Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance（看哪，天下万国就像桶里的一滴水，又像天平上的微尘）。有些人觉得水桶还不能充分衬托出一滴水的渺小，于是把bucket改为 ocean（沧海）。】
sick as a parrot
很伤心,很失望
He was crossed in love and became sick as a parrot. （他失恋了,伤心得很）。
【Sick as a parrot直译是“病得像鹦鹉一样”，意译则是“很伤心”、“很失望”。这成语的起源有两个说法。第一个说法认为这和“鹦鹉热”（parrot fever）有关。鹦鹉热的病毒，不但可以取鹦鹉和其他禽鸟性命，人类也会感染死亡的。另一个说法则比较符合成语本身的意思。据说,十七、八世纪的时候,“melancholy as a sick parrot”（像病鹦鹉那样忧郁）一语已经开始流行，剧作家阿赫拉·贝恩（Aphra Behn）就用过这句话，而这句话则出自另一个成语as sick as a parrot with a rubber beck（像一只喙软如胶的鹦鹉那么懊丧）。鹦鹉没有硬喙，怎样进食和自卫呢？这样的鹦鹉难免会患上懊丧的“心病”了。】
【作品秀Show time】
童年的时光，梦幻的色彩，让我们一起撷取童年的浪花，前往心海深处的绿洲，追寻我们绚丽多彩的梦想吧……
I Built a “Great Wall”
In my childhood, I was so confident that I thought I must be the best in the world. I dreamed of being a heroine admired by people, an architect praised by others…
I still remember the day when I built “the Great Wall”. It was a cloudy afternoon and I came up with an idea of building “the Great Wall” as I had once seen it on TV. So I stayed in school after class until almost nobody was at school. I went to the pile of sand in my school and began my great project. I piled the sand and shaped it into two “solid” walls. “The Great Wall” wound its way on the sand and looked grand. When I finished, it was so dark that I couldn’t see my hand in front of me. However, I had a feeling of achievements.
I was so great! I must be the best!
During the time, my mother went out to look for me everywhere and found me at school. She washed my hands and pulled me home. I was reluctant to leave. Early the next day I went there hurriedly, only to find all in ruins. I hated it when it rained! It destroyed my “Great Wall” along with my childhood dream.
As I am growing up, I sadly find I am not as smart as before. How I wish I could go back to my childhood although I clearly understand lost time never returns! What I can only do is to treasure the fine dream in my childhood in my mind to encourage me constantly in my growth.
（宝应中学08级31班 王 君）
指导老师 张礼义
A Funny Memory
In many people’s eyes, childhoods should be colorful and filled with happiness, interesting memories as well as sorrows and tears. So do I.
When I was 5 years old, Dad bought me a present. It was a cute and tiny toy made from earth. Excited and happy, I hugged the toy, singing all the way to Meimei’s home. Meimei was my best friend who always shared her things with me such as chocolates, comic books and even secrets. On seeing the toy, her face lit up. “May I play with it for a while?” she begged. “Of course. Go ahead.” replied me without hesitation.
Half an hour later, to my surprise, I saw some dirty marks on the toy. Meimei kept saying sorry to me. Suddenly I came up with a good idea. Mum always gave me a shower, after which I became clean and pretty. Why not take a shower for it too? With great patience, I washed the toy. But things got worse as the toy became smaller. Finally, it completely disappeared, leaving a lot of black water. Mum laughed to tears when seeing this, but I couldn’t help crying as I lost my favourite toy.
Every time I look back upon my childhood, I see an innocent girl.
（宝应中学08级23班 杨 兰）
指导老师 张礼义
My Childhood, My Dream
Children’s Day is coming. Let us get some ‘flowers’ from our childhood’s garden. They are very beautiful because I have many ‘flowers’ there. Let us look for some “flowers”.
Look, “flowers”is very beautiful. Let us look at it. Oh, I know what it is. It is my first dream. At that time, I was a baby. I saw my father and mother were very busy, so I hoped to make so much money that they could be free, but now I know it will be impossible if I don’t study hard.
Look, the ‘flowers’ is very colorful. Oh, I know what it is. It is my dangerous thing because I almost died. One morning of a winter, I played by the river. Suddenly, I fell into the river. I was very frightened but I knew nobody could help me so I must save myself. Finally, I succeeded in. I know people should be brave whenever they are.
Oh，my childhood, my dream. You tell me a lot, such as people should work hard, people should be brave whenever they are. Let us go on our trips with these dreams.
（淮安曙光双语学校初中部 08级10班 贾 勃）
指导老师 陈 昕
My Childhood
The day before yesterday was Children’s Day. When I was wandering in the street, I saw many lovely children playing with their parents. The pleasant scene reminded me of my own childhood.
There is only one word which can describe my childhood. The word is “carefree”. That so many today’s kids don’t understand, although they have delicious food, beautiful clothes and preety toys. My parents never forced me to do anything when I was in the primary school. The homework was very easy to do, and I was never asked to be the top students. After I finished my homework, I could stay outside for a whole afternoon to do whatever I liked. I could read any books and my parents never examine them before my reading.
Sometimes I think my childhood was boring and not unforgettable, but I was really carefree and happy then.What is more important than to give a child a happy childhood?
I will always remember the days of my childhood. How I wish I could be as carefree and curious as a child once again!
（宝应实验小学 陈艳飞）
My Youth , My Dream
After you read the title, maybe you will wonder why the writer think so? She must be 15 years old at most and she is still very young. Oh, let me tell you something about my past. I’m really proud to have such a wonderful time.
When I was very young, I lived in a very small village with my parents.There was a river in the village, it was not very large but very clean and there were still many fish swimming in it happily. In my mind,the sky was so blue and the air was so fresh…
Every day was free for me.My moyher never asked me to do my homework and I did not need to go to school and see my teachers so maybe you couldn’t believe that I could even play for the whole day. Nothing worried me.
I had some good friends in the village, I liked to stay with them because they were so lovely.We were kind to others and we never said a bad word about anyone. Sometimes we have an adventure together, because we wished to be as rich as Huckleberry Finn or Tom sawyer which was written by Mark Twain. In that book robbers stole some money and hid it in a very secret place in the woods.How clever we were! Sometimes I was the leader and sometimes others were leaders,we went to climb the hill with a map and tried to find the treasure. It’s a pleasant dream.
Now I lived in the city. I am studying in the school. Though I’m busy studying sometimes I feel a little lonely.
I want to go back to the village, I want to find my friends. I want to stay with them. Now I want it’s only a dream.
（淮安外国语学校08级12班 张钰晗）
指导老师 顾少红
Eggs and Chickens?
There are lots of interesting things in my childhood and I won’t forget it forever.
At the age of 10, on Sunday morning, I was watching TV, sitting comfortably on the sofa . I saw chickens on the farm on television. There were all kinds of chickens, they were in different colours, such as yellow, white. They were so lovely that I would like to keep one at once.
Mom was cooking in the kitchen, I went to my mother and said : “Mother, I want to buy a few chickens! ” “Why? You know, I hate it. It may make our home dirty!” I thought for some time and opened the fridge. Do you know what I would do? I decided to hatch the egg as the hens do, if I kept enough temperture, it would hatch chickens. So I took the eggs into the bedroom. I opened quilts, holding the eggs under my body just like a hen, sleeping. However, the eggs were all broken. My clothes were all so wet that I felt terrible and then I cried. My mother heard it and rushed into the bedroom, and rubbed my small brain: “Stupid boy,no eggs were hatched chickens!”
It let me understand that people should not blindly do something. Only after careful thought and action, he will succeed.
（宝应实验初中08级10班 陆一凡）
【英文诗歌English poetry】
Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again 再别康桥
徐志摩
Very quietly I take my leave， 轻轻的我走了，
As quietly as I came here; 正如我轻轻的来；
Quietly I wave good-bye, 我轻轻的招手，
To the rosy clouds in the western sky. 作别西天的云彩。
The golden willows by the riverside, 那河畔的金柳，
Are young brides in the setting sun; 是夕阳中的新娘；
Their reflections on the shimmering waves , 波光里的艳影，
Always linger in the depth of my heart. 在我的心头荡漾。
The floating heart growing in the sludge, 软泥上的青荇，
Sways leisurely under the water; 油油的在水底招摇；
In the gentle waves of Cambridge, 在康河的柔波里，
I would be a water plant! 我甘心做一条水草！
That pool under the shade of elm trees, 那榆荫下的一潭，
Holds not water but the rainbow from the sky; 不是清泉，是天上虹；
Shattered to pieces among the duck weeds, 揉碎在浮藻间，
Is the sediment of a rainbow-like dream? 沉淀着彩虹似的梦?
To seek a dream? 寻梦？
Just to pole a boat upstream , 撑一支长篙，
To where the green grass is more verdant; 向青草更青处漫溯；
Or to have the boat fully loaded with starlight, 满载一船星辉，
And sing aloud in the splendor of starlight. 在星辉斑斓里放歌。
But I cannot sing aloud, 但我不能放歌，
Quietness is my farewell music; 悄悄是别离的笙箫；
Even summer insects keep silence for me, 夏虫也为我沉默，
Silent is Cambridge tonight! 沉默是今晚的康桥！
Very quietly I take my leave , 悄悄的我走了，
As quietly as I came here; 正如我悄悄的来；
Gently I flick my sleeves, 我挥一挥衣袖，
Not even a wisp of cloud will I bring away. 不带走一片云彩。
【Can you guess？猜一猜】
1. 哪个字母可以停车？
2. 哪个字母可以睡觉？
3. 哪个字母问题最多？
4. 哪个字母是两个你？
5.请问英语有多少个字母？
（答案见下期）
上期答案：
1. T可以喝。因为Tea茶可以喝。T和Tea读音一样，所以T可以喝。
2. C是蓝色的。因为Sea大海是蓝色的，C和Sea是一样的读音，所以C就是蓝色的。
3. B最勤劳。因为Bee蜜蜂是最勤劳的象征嘛。
4. I是可以看得见的。因为Eye眼睛是可以看得见东西的。
5. O最惊讶。因为Oh哦是惊叹词。
【Laugh of the day百事可乐】
A Smart Housewife
A smart housewife was told that there was a kind of stove which would only consume half of the coal she was burning. She was very excited, and said: “That'll be terrific! Since one stove can save half of the coal, if I buy two, no coal will be needed!”
精明的家庭主妇
一位精明的家庭主妇听人说有一种炉子用起来可以比她现在用的炉子省一半的煤。她听了大为兴奋，说：“那太好了！一个炉子可以省一半的煤，那么如果我买两个炉子的话，不就可以把煤全都省下来了吗？”
I Caught Every Step
Mr. Brown was reading his evening paper when there came a tremendous banging down the stairs. He jumped up, ran to the hall, and discovered his schoolboy son sprawled on the floor.“Did you miss a step?” asked his dad.“No, I caught every blessed one!” came the bitter answered.
我一级也没漏
布朗先生在看晚报，忽然传来一阵什么东西从楼上摔下来的响声。他跳了起来，跑到厅里，发现自己上了学的儿子四角朝天地躺在地上。“你是不是踩漏了一级台阶？”爸爸问。“不，我每一级都撞上了，一级也没有漏掉！”儿子痛苦地回答。
【English news英语新闻】
呜呜祖拉”入选新版《牛津英语词典》
Vuvuzela enters the dictionary
The vuvuzela, the horn instrument which provided the soundtrack to this summer's football extravaganza in South Africa, is one new entry in the Oxford Dictionary of English, which is based on how language is really used. [ 2010-08-19 ]
在今年夏天的南非世界杯上一鸣惊人的喇叭“呜呜祖拉”近日被《牛津英语词典》收录，该词典主要根据语言在现实生活中的使用情况而编撰。
全球大学新排名 中国大学名次上升
Harvard tops university list as China progress
Harvard retains the crown as top university for the eighth year in an annual ranking of the world's universities which is dominated by the United States but shows China's performance improving. Chinese universities in the top 200 included Peking、 Tsinghua and Chinese University of Hong Kong. [ 2010-08-20 ]
一项世界大学年度排名日前出炉，哈佛大学连续第八年高居排行之首。在今年的榜单上，美国大学占据多数，但中国大学的排名也有所上升。跻身200强的中国大学包括北京大学、清华大学和香港中文大学。