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Ralph Emerson once said that the purpose of life is not to be happy, but to be useful, to be loving, to make some difference in the world. While we appreciate such words of wisdom, we rarely try to follow them in our lives. 

Most people prefer to live a good life themselves, ignoring their responsibilities for the world. This narrow perception of a good life may provide short-term benefits, but is sure to lead to long-term harm and suffering. A good life based on comfort and luxury may eventually lead to more pain because we spoil our health and even our character, principles, ideals, and relationships. 

What then, is the secret of a good life? A good life is a process, not a state of being: a direction, not a destination. We have to earn a good life by first serving others without any expectation in return because their happiness is the very source of our own happiness. More importantly, we must know ourselves inside out. Only when we examine ourselves deeply can we discover our abilities and recognize our limitations, and then work accordingly to create a better world. 

The first requirement for a good life is having a loving heart. When we do certain right things merely as a duty, we find our job so tiresome that we'll soon burn out. However, when we do that same job out of love, we not only enjoy what we do, but also do it with an effortless feeling.

However, love alone is insufficient to lead a good life. Love sometimes blinds us to the reality. Consequently, our good intentions may not lead to good results. To achieve desired outcome, those who want to do good to others also need to equip themselves with accurate world knowledge. False knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance. If love is the engine of a car, knowledge is the steering wheel(方向盘). If the engine lacks power, the car can't move; if the driver loses control of the steering, a road accident probably occurs. Only with love in heart and the right knowledge in mind can we lead a good life.

With love and knowledge, we go all out to create a better world by doing good to others. When we see the impact of our good work on the world we give meaning to our life and earn lasting joy and happiness. 

I'm an 18-year-old pre-medical student, tall and good-looking, with two short story books and quite a number of essays to my credit. Why am I singing such praises of myself? Just to explain that the attainment of self-pride comes from a great deal of self-love, and to attain it, one must first learn to accept oneself as one is. That was where my struggle began.

Born and raised in Africa, I had always taken my African origin as burden. My self-dislike was further fueled when my family had to relocate to Norway, where I attended a high school. Compared to all the white girls around me, with their golden hair and delicate lips, I, a black girl, had curly hair and full, red lips. My nose often had a thin sheet of sweat on it, whatever the weather was. I just wanted to bury myself in my shell crying "I'm so different!"

What also contributed to my self-dislike was my occasional stuttering(口吃), which had weakened my self-confidence. It always stood between me and any fine opportunity. I'd taken it as an excuse to avoid any public speaking sessions, and unknowingly let it rule over me.

Fortunately, as I grew older, there came a turning point. One day a white girl caught my eye on the school bus when she suddenly turned back. To my astonishment, she had a thin sheet of sweat on her nose too, and it was in November! "Wow," I whispered to myself, "this isn't a genetic(遗传的) disorder after all. It's perfectly normal." Days later, my life took another twist(转折). Searching the Internet for stuttering cures, I accidentally learned that such famous people as Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also stuttered. I was greatly relieved and then an idea suddenly hit me—if I'm smart, I shouldn't allow my stuttering to stand between me and my success.

Another boost to my self-confidence came days later as I was watching the news about Oprah Winfrey, the famous talk show host and writer—she's black too! Whenever I think of her story and my former dislike of my color, I'm practically filled with shame.

Today, I've grown to accept what I am with pride; it simply gives me feeling of uniqueness. The idea of self-love has taken on a whole new meaning for me: there's always something fantastic about us, and what we need to do is learn to appreciate it.

Getting into college is a big step for high school graduates, and it comes with a lot of changes. For most students, it's the first time they're living away from home and managing their own life. Not surprisingly, adapting to this new lifestyle can be challenging. The following four tips will make high school graduates better prepared for college life.

Goal setting

When setting goals, whether they're academic, career, or personal, remember they should be attainable but not too easy, so that you really have to push yourself to achieve them, and feel rewarded when you do. Writing down your goals and breaking down each huge, long-term goal into smaller more practical ones can help make it feel more real, and writing out a plan for achieving it can give you a roadmap to success.

Interpersonal skills

At college, you will interact with fellow students, professors, librarians, and many others. Strong interpersonal skills will help you build relationships during this time, and get more out of them. If you feel that your interpersonal skills need some work, practice asking thoughtful questions and listening closely, develop your understanding by putting yourself in someone else's shoes, and enhance your self-confidence.

Studying

With fewer in-class hours and more on-your-own learning, you're required to really digest learning material rather than simply memorize facts. To be successful in college you'll need to learn how to integrate large amounts of information obtained through reading, do research, and write papers. Organization is the key, so if you are not someone who is naturally organized, set up your study schedule.

Budgeting

Managing money is a critical life skill, and for many, it is at college that they develop it for the first time. Start by estimating your financial balance. Then give high priority to the expenses on basic needs and determine how much money to set aside every month to cover those costs. Don't forget about savings … and the fun stuff(movies, dinners out), too.

I stood beside the hospital bed where Russ, my husband lay pale and scared, still dressed in the clothes he wore to the emergency room at 2:00 A. M. It was now late afternoon. The local ER had transported him to a large hospital two hours from home, and after a day of testing, the doctor stood at the end of the bed with the lab result-leukemia（白血病）.

The doctor said, "You'll be here at least a month. We'll move you to the leukemia floor. "Then he looked at me. "You're welcome to stay as much as you can. The rooms are private. He'll need you here. "

It was March, The end of a school year was approaching. My days with my high-school seniors were limited. How could I prepare four weeks of lesson plans and hand my kids off to a substitute teacher to release into the world? A month! Could we afford being in the hospital that long? Our insurance was good, but we'd still have to pay our part of the medical expenses. My meals wouldn't be covered, and parking was so expensive! My head couldn't do the math. 

"You should go home and rest. Come back tomorrow," Russ said, giving me a list of items to bring back. Reluctantly, I left his room.

The next morning, I packed the car with everything I imagined we'd need for our hospital stay and headed to school to write subplans and see my students. Because we live in a small community, they would have heard about my husband's case. I would assure them he would be fine, although I didn't know that, and that I would be fine. I'd encourage them to be their best selves for the substitute-and for me-while I was on family leave. 

When I entered my classroom, the chatter stopped. I could feel my students assess me as I walked to the front of the room, so I put on a smile and continued to my platform.

注意：续写词数应为150左右；请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Sitting on top was a green envelope with "Mrs. Sargent" written on the front.

As the adult in the room, I felt guilty for accepting cash from teenagers, but I could not refuse it.

注意：写作词数应为80左右；请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Dear John,

Yours,

Li Hua

Liu Qingyao is a famous pipa player in China. She began her pipa learning  a very early age. When she grew older, she continued her pipa (educate) at the Central Conservatory of Music and Tianjin Conservatory of Music.

As   teenager, she joined the visiting missions of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and (play) pipa in many countries. Those overseas experiences have greatly deepened her understanding of (origin) Chinese style music: Only ethnic things exist in the world. 

Since 2019, Liu Qingyao (produce) many great music works. Her compositions like Song of King Lanling Entering the Battlefield, Prince Qin Breaking through the Enemy Array and The Ballad of Mulan have drawn millions of views on the streamers have displayed the beauty of Chinese culture.

When ancient Chinese music meets pop culture, Liu has become a representative of the new generation of Chinese style music players. To her, devoting (she) to making music of Chinese ethnic style is much more important than (attract) online views. She said promoting Chinese style music to reach a wider audience in the world is one of her(great) missions.

There are many birds that visit our leafy garden. But it's the pair of orange frog mouths（蟆口鸱）that have been returning for years to 1 their young that bring the most excitement. It's been wonderful to 2 how both parents take on the serious duty of caring for their young. 

Last summer the frog mouth family, parents and two babies, was 3 sitting in a tall tree close to our backyard enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. With little 4 , a light rain began to fall. 

At first the birds seemed to 5 the rain and moved out along the branch, loosing their 6 to take advantage of the wet weather. But within minutes,day turned to night. 7 clouds gathered. Crashing thunder and blinding lightning, wild winds and driving rain 8  the small garden into a(n)9 place for the little family. 

Through the flashes of lightning, we watched in 10 as the parents guided their little ones back along the branch to the tree trunk, both parents 11 their wings over the young to protect them from the powerful rain. When the 12 passed, the family moved back out along the 13 ,bathed in the sunshine.

When I look up at the pair of yellow frog mouths who continue to visit our 14 , I know I'm not just looking at devoted parents, but very15 ones. 

With a number of rivers globally in crisis due to pollution, damming, and reduced rainfall, there's never been a better opportunity to appreciate everything that rivers give to the world. 

Rivers provide drinking water

Two thirds of the UK's tap water is either from a river or from a river-fed body of water. For example, the Colorado River alone supports nearly 40 million Americans. That's why it is vital to keep rivers clean and free of pollutants.

Ancient farming depended on these life-giving waters, so does modern agriculture. During the rainy season, many rivers overflow their banks, nourishing the soil with minerals and nutrients. Besides, rivers act as water sources for irrigation. 

A good source of food comes from rivers

A fifth of the fish that are fished globally come from rivers and other freshwater sources. Another two thirds of fish that people eat rely on rivers for breeding,nutrients, or other reasons.
.

Human culture is tied to rivers

.The names of the rivers in England including Thames, Leith, and Taff, disclose the island's history. Other examples are the religious connections to the Ganges in India or the Jordan River in Israel.

Rivers provide leisure activities

. River sports, boating, fishing, swimming, braving rapids, and visiting waterfalls are all ways that rivers add value and entertainment. It's essential to work to conserve rivers for generations to come. 

A. Rivers are important for agriculture

B. Rivers are more than just water under the bridge

C. Rivers are closely connected to ancient civilizations

D. A large part of our modern life is involved with rivers

E. The organization American Rivers gives a similar figure for the US

F. Consequently,rivers can provide homes for a diversity of plants and animals

G. Protecting rivers and their biodiversity is a good way to protect this valuable source of food

Think of a monarch butterfly（帝王蝶）,and a unique image pops up: black-and-orange wings, with some white spots around the black edges. Those white spots may actually help monarchs complete their long-distance migration by changing the airflow around their wings. This is the new idea of a team of researchers that has analyzed hundreds of monarch wings collected along their migration routes.

"If you have larger white spots, you're simply more successful at reaching Mexico," says Andy Davis, a researcher. He and his colleagues believe that the pattern of color could interact with sunlight to create some temperature differences on the wing that can change airflow, easing the butterflies'flight.

Monarch butterflies definitely need to fly well to complete their annual fall migration of up to 3,000 miles. Monarchs from as far north as Canada fly south every fall all the way to some mountain top sites in central Mexico. Most research on butterfly coloring focuses on its use as a warning to predators（捕食者）. Since monarchs eat milkweed that contains poisons, their bright orange color serves as a signal that they're unpleasant prey（猎物）.

Andy Davis had studied the black-and-white patterns on migrating birds, and concluded that black coloring could affect temperature and airflow in ways that might improve their flight performance. So the researchers decided to look at the black-and-white pattern in the edge of monarch wings. What they found is that the wings of the summer monarchs that aren't migrating have less white, while those that are migrating but haven't made it all the way to Mexico have more. And monarchs that successfully reached Mexico have even more white. 

"It is a totally new idea," says Marcus Kronforst, a biologist. "I've worked on butterfly color patterns my whole life, but it's never crossed my mind that it might influence how the butterflies fly. I do think that this aerodynamic（空气动力学） explanation is exciting. It's definitely different. But I just think there are potentially some other explanations that could be explored. "

In today's digital age when you can get information quickly, there is a concern about children developing an appreciation for reading printed books. That's why communities in Australia have come up with a way to convey a love of books in the younger generations. 

To solve this problem, communities are bringing libraries to where the kids are: in the streets. The little libraries consist of boxes that are set up outside of houses or public spaces and are filled with books. People can take books they haven't read and donate ones they have to the libraries. 

Street Library Australia, a nonprofit, was started by Nick Lowe after he saw a Little Free Library on a trip to the USA. After an initial workshop in 2015 to build 30 libraries, the idea mushroomed and now there are 4,500 registered street libraries in Australia. "It just grew and grew," he said.

The libraries come in all shapes and sizes. These libraries are completely voluntary and anyone can start one.

Pamela Zielke, who runs a library called Pam's Pantry, gives out toys and craft supplies along with books. An early childhood educator, she started her library with the goal of rescuing books from dustbins. But the libraries are doing much more than just providing books-and other donated items-to people. The street libraries are also building community. "It's a little stopping place outside your house," said Lowe. "It's a great way to meet people in your neighborhood who are also book lovers, recycle books, and find new books. "

These Little Street Libraries provided a valuable service during the outbreak of COVID-19 and the popularity has not waned. People use them to find books on specific hobbies like cooking, children are developing a love of reading books, and it is more convenient than going to a bookstore or a brick-and-mortar library. But even more importantly, with a shared interest, the libraries are bringing communities closer together.

I was a mother of four children, always busy with music lessons, sports teams keeping the budget, and so on and on. I felt fenced in and yet bound by love to my family duties. Some days I'd dream of freedom but always return lovingly to my tasks.

A neighbor invited me to tea one afternoon. After listening sympathetically to m sadness, she asked, "Elizabeth, what do you do each week for fun?" I was shocked Fun? "I'm too busy for fun," I said. "Think of something fun to do every week," she urged. I didn't have to think. "I would love to ride horseback," I said.

I found a riding stable（马厩） about 45 minutes away，where I was introduced to Royal, standing proudly nearby. Riding Royal over jumps was a challenge, but we go along well. It lightened my spirit all week; my tasks seemed easier. 

Several months passed, and the trainer began working with me to train Royal. The horse had to learn to jump fences in a controlled manner instead of flying over them as he would in an open field. We started with1 small poles and worked our way up to full jumps I arrived at the stable on a particularly cold day. Royal started running. But to my great surprise, as he neared the fence this time, he effortlessly flew over it, jumped another fence into the next field. jumped a third fence, and disappeared into the woods How was I going to find him? How would I catch him if I did find him? Then, as these terrible helpless thoughts raced through my mind, I saw movement at the edge of the far woods. It was Royal, racing toward me!

Royal had found freedom, as I had. But he'd also found love and satisfaction within fences. For him and for me, I realized, fences and freedom had always been a matter of choice. 

The puppet shows（木偶剧）presented at Fairyland in 2023 share that common thread of "Belonging".

The City Mouse and the Country Mouse—Friday, June 2

Annie, the Country Mouse, is extremely excited that Markie Mouse, her cousin from the City, is paying her a visit. Come enjoy one of Aesop's most famous fables about two mice who step into each other's worlds, only to find out that home is where the heart belongs. 

Puppets and Scenery by Lewis Mahlmann. Script（剧本）by David C. Jones.

It Could Always Be Worse—Friday, July 14

A funny tale of a family that is unhappy with their living conditions. A family are fed up with their overcrowded, noisy home. They turn to a local wise man, who advises solutions and tells them that it could always be worse. Will this family ever learn to be happy with what they have? Come to Fairyland and find out!

Puppets designed by Elizabeth Luce. Scenery by Lewis Mahlmann. Script by Shana Barchas, inspired by a traditional folk tale. 

The Dragon Who Wasn't—Wednesday, August 30

An original tale written by Frank Oz, a great teenage puppeteer at Children's Fairyland in the 1960's. This funny story is about a magical kingdom in desperate need of its very own fire-breathing dragon.

Puppets by Jesse Vail. Scenery by Annie Wong.

The Velveteen Rabbit—Friday, November 3

Based on Margery Williams' great book, How Toys Become Real, this is the heartwarming tale of a special relationship between a young boy and his toy rabbit. You'll be charmed as the Velveteen Rabbit fearlessly stays by the young boy's side and is rewarded for her loyalty in the end.

Puppets by Randal Metz. Scenery by Annie Wong. Puppets designed by Kacey O'Hare.