There are some very good things about open education. This way of teaching allows the students to develop their interests in many subjects. Open education asks students to be responsible for their own education. The open classroom may help them enjoy learning. Some students will be happier in an open education school. They will not have to worry about grades or rules.

    But many students may not do well in an open classroom. For some students, if there are too few rules, they will do little in school. They will not make good use of open education. Because open education is so different from traditional education, these students may have a problem of getting used to making so many choices. For many students it is important to have some rules in the classroom. A few rules will help them. The last point about open education is that some traditional teachers do not like it. Many teachers do not believe in open education.

    You now know what open education is. Some of its good points and bad points have been explained. You may have your own opinion about open education. The writer thinks that open education is only a good idea. It may not work very well in a real class or school. The writer believes that most students, but of course not all students, want and need to have some rules. They must be made to study some subjects. Many students are pleased to find subjects that they have to study interesting. They would not study those subjects if they did not have to.

    Tony, you ask me about my country. ________ China is a big country, and it is an old country in the world. ________ It's about 9, 600,000 square kilometres(平方公里). ________ China is bigger than Japan, but smaller than Russia. There are lots of lakes, mountains and rivers in China.

Beijing is the capital of China. ________ There are many places of interest. The weather in Beijing is very hot in summer, and very cold in winter. The air pollution is serious in that city. But there are still millions of visitors from all over the world every year.

    Every year, lots of Chinese middle school students go to foreign countries to study. There are ________ countries that they mainly go to. ________ is the most popular country. More than 30 percent of these students study there. The second most popular country is France. About ________ percent go there. 10 percent go to ________ or Germany. Australia and Canada are also popular with Chinese students. But there are ________ Chinese students in Canada than in Australia.     

    Now these counties are still trying to increase the number of international students studying in their countries.

    Many people like to learn English with songs But there's a difference between hearing English songs and learning from them. ________

    Choose the right songs.

    Pick music you love and find English music that uses the right kind of language. ________ Songs that tell a story are easier to understand. If you are a beginner, you might even want to learn with children's songs or Disney songs.

    Sing along.

    You should try singing out loud to the music. This makes you pronounce in a right way and move with the rhythm（韵律）of the song.

    ________

    After a while, you should try singing the song without looking at the words. In this way, you may find that you can do a much better job in English. For example, you can use the words in the songs when you speak.

    Periodically(定期地)go back to the songs.

    ________ In fact, after you get comfortable with one song, you can move to the next. And then after enough time passes, you can go back to the first song.

    Have fun and enjoy! Learn English with songs every day and you'll soon be surprised at how much progress(进步)you have made.

An American in Beijing Lives His Chinese Dream

    Wearing his bright red armband (袖章) and speaking fluent Mandarin (普通话), 62-year-old Terry could be taken for any regular Chinese man from a distance.

    His Chinese name is Gao Tianrui. He became interested in Chinese culture as a teenager when he read the Tao Te Ching by Laozi. At 18, he took a ship to Taiwan to learn Chinese. On the ship the captain advised him to have a Chinese name." He named me Gao Tianrui, based on the pronunciation (发音) of my English name," he said. Then he first visited Beijng in 1987 on business.

    Gao Tianrui lives in a Siheyuan with other three families. His neighbors are very helpful and friendly. Gao Tianrui once didn't know much about Chinese living habits and his neighbors helped him to overcome difficulties. Gradually, he could speak Chinese fluently.

    Having lived in Beijing for more than 20 years, Gao Tianrui has also finally achieved his Chinese dream: becoming a public security (安全) volunteer. Life as a"Xicheng Dama" has even made him an' online celebrity. Xicheng Dama is a club for volunteers, usually women in late middle-age, who roam (漫步) the streets of downtown at Beijing's Xicheng district. And now Gao Tianrui has joined their club.

    "I like helping others", he said. "I live in the Siheyuan and my neighbors and I usually help each other…This is where I live, where my friends are and where I call home."

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