12．Dear Daniel,
I feel that I've grown up and should make my own decisions, but my parents disagree. My mom still helps me choose what clothes to wear. My dad asks me to pay attention only to study. I know they do this out of love, but I feel controlled. What should I do?
Amanda
Dear Amanda,
Your parents sound very strict. It's hard to believe that your mom chooses what you wear. Are you a Barbie doll?
Try to take the first step when possible. Dress yourself before your mother has a chance to come in and choose your clothes. If she asks you to change, tell her you'll be late for school.
You should also talk to her. Ask about her choices: What makes a set of clothes acceptable or unacceptable? Tell her you will follow her rules, but you want to make the choices. You are not in first grade. You are a young lady in high school.
As for your father, it's difficult to argue with his mind. After all, he is not totally wrong. How strict is he? Does he lock you up with your textbooks? Are you allowed to have a hobby?Are you allowed to have a smartphone? Are you allowed to hang out with friends?
Such strict parents should know the law of diminishing returns (收益递减). A weightlifter, for example, can only lift for an hour or two cach day. If she docs more, her muscles will not become stronger. She will just get tired. She may even hurt herself!
Our brains also have limits. Some violin teachers say you should only practice a new skill for 15 minutes each day. Our brains need to relax and understand new information. Our brains also have a basic need to socialize (社交). Ask your father: what is the meaning of so much studying if it makes you feel unhappy?
Stay strong.
Daniel

13． A couple often went shopping together. They both liked teacups. One day they saw a beautiful teacup in a store. As they picked it up, it suddenly spoke.
"I haven't always been a teacup. Once I was red clay. My master rolled(揉、搓) me over and over and I shouted, but he only smiled. "
"Then I was placed on a rolling wheel and suddenly I went around and around. 'Stop!' I cried, but the master only nodded. "
"Then he put me in the oven. I had never felt so hot. I could see him through the opening and I could read his words, 'Not yet. '"
"Finally the door opened, and he took me out and put me on a shelf. Then he brushed me and put me back into the oven. This time it was twice as hot. I begged. I cried. I could see him through the opening nodding his head, saying, 'Not yet.'"
"Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I was ready to give up, but the door opened and I was taken out and placed on a shelf. Later he handed me a mirror and said, 'Look at yourself. ' I said, 'That can't be me. It's becautiful!'"
"I want you to remember," he said, "if I had just left you without rolling, you'd have dried up. If I had stopped rolling you around on the wheel, you would have been out of shape. If I hadn't put you in the oven, you would have broken. If I hadn't brushed you all over, you would not have any color in your life. If I hadn't put you back in that oven for the second time, you wouldn't be kept for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first started with you."

14． Do you know which social app Chinese young people use a lot now?        Some users use Tik Tok (抖音) and Kuaishou. They think it is fun to share short videos about their lives, while others have other purposes as well.
A l2-year- old user named Elsa has about 2.7 million fans on Tik Tok. The girl has shared videos about her dancing studies since last July.        "I feel really glad to share happiness with people by short videos," said Elsa.
As some videos are about the latest news, a group of users depend on them to get information. To some other users, they have a different purpose. "Because I can't spend many hours watching a whole video and I'm not a very patient person,        I prefer to watch short videos of wonderful parts in programs," said Wang Zhihao.
       "Killing time is the main reason for me to watch the short videos, but many are almost the same, so I think it is a waste of time. What's more, I really don't like the videos which show strange even dangerous things," said Wen Nan, another college student.
Recently, something else has happened. Some videos are telling people what products are worth buying.        So they should think twice. Some short videos even sell bad products, but these sellers won't let you get your money back.

15． A college teacher once gave a lively class to his students.
He began by holding up a glass(1)        some water in it. He held it up for all to see, and asked the students, "(2)        do you think this glass weighs?"
"50g!" "100g!" "125g!" the students answered.
"I really don't know unless I weigh it, " said the teacher, "but my(3)        is what would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?"
"Nothing, " the students said.
"OK. What would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?" the teacher asked.
"Your arm would begin to(4)        said one of the students.
"You are right. Now, what would happen if I held it up for a(5)        ?"
"You might have muscles (肌肉) stress. You could(6)        move the arm, " said another one.
"You might have no (7)        in the arm, or paralysis (瘫痪), "said a naughty student, "You (8)        go to the hospital for sure!"
"Very good. But during this period, did the weight of the glass(9)        ?" asked the teacher.
"No, " the students said.
"Then what(10)        the arm ache and the muscles stress?"
The students were(11)        .
"No one knows?" the teacher asked, "Well, can you tell me how to(12)        it?'
"Put the glass down!" said one of the students.
"Exactly!" said the teacher. "The problems of life are something like this. Think of them for a few minutes in your(13)        and you seem OK. Think of them for a long time and you begin to hurt. Think of them even longer and you will not be able to do anything. It's important to think of the challenges in your life, (14)        it's even more important to 'put them down' at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are(15)        ﹣you wake up every day fresh and strong and can solve any problem that comes your way!"

21．We experienced a special period in 2020. Xu Yi, a middle school student from Hubei, told something        (interest) to us. Let's check out his story and resolution for the new term.
When Xu Yi was learning English as        exchange student in the UK,his English friend
       (invite) him to take a Chinese culture course. Then, at 9:30 a.m. the next day, it finally came. He followed the friend to the classroom and was welcomed        his classmates. They gave him presents, which moved and excited him.
The lesson was about an ancient Chinese character (字体) called Xiaozhuan. The teacher        (clear) explained it fom its history to development, how it worked in society and why it was so popular in Qin Dynasty. She also taught the differences between Xiaozhuan        the modern Chinese character.
On the one hand, Xu Yi takes pride in Chinese culture. On the o        hand, it's a shame that he knows almost nothing about it. As the culture reaches the world, the Chinese should study more about it. As a senior high school student, he is going to read as many        (book) as possible to open his mind. He hopes every Chinese person will love and        /'vaclju:/ Chinese culture. After all, everyone is responsible for building and keeping it.

22．因为新冠肺炎疫情, 你度过了史上"最长"的寒假. 在这特殊的假期里, 你一定有一些不同寻常的经历(如了解了. .. .. .学会了. .. .. .等). 请以"An Unusual Winter Vacation"为题, 写一篇英语短文.
写作提示: 1. What special or meaningful things did you see / hear / do during the vacation?
2. What did you learn from them?
写作要求: 1. 语句通顺, 条理清晰, 详略得当, 书写工整;
2. 100词左右, 题目和开头已给出, 不计入总词数.
An Unusual Winter Vacation
　　I had an unusual winter vacation because of COVID﹣19. _____________________________________________________________________________