“If you want to see a thing well, reach out and touch it!”

That may seem a strange thing to say. But touching things can help you to see them better.

Your eyes can tell you that a glass ball is round. But by holding it in your hands, you can feel how smooth and cool the ball is. You can feel how heavy the glass is.

When you feel all these about the ball, you really see it.

With your skin, you can feel better. For example, your fingers can tell the difference between two coins in your pocket. You can feel a little drop of water on the back of your hand, too.

You can even feel sounds against your skin. Have you ever wanted to know why some people like very loud music? They must like to feel the sounds of music.

All children soon learn what “Don’t touch!” means. They hear it often. Yet most of us keep on touching things as we grow up. In shops, we touch things we might buy, such as food, clothes and so on. To see something well, we have to touch it.

The bottoms of our feet can feel things, too. You know this when you walk on warm sand, cool grass or a bad floor. All feel different under your feet.

There are ways of learning to see well by feeling.

One way is to close your eyes and try to feel everything that is touching your skin. Feel the shoes on your feet, the clothes on your body, the air on your skin. At first, it is not easy to feel these things. You are too used to them!

Most museums are just for looking. But today some museums have some things to touch. Their signs say, “Do touch!” There you can feel everything on show.

If you want to see better, reach out and touch. Then you’ll really see!

54. Which of the following can be the best title of the story?

     A. Touching by Feeling                                       B. To See or to Feel

     C. To See Better by Feeling                                 D. Ways of Feeling

55. When people buy things in shops, they often ______.

     A. try them on first                                            B. put their right hand on them

     C. just have a look                                              D. feel and touch them

56. Why does it say, “At first, it is not easy to feel these things?”

     A. The things are used by people, too.                  B. People are used to the things.

     C. People know how to use the things                 D. The things are easy to feel.

57. Which of the following is true?

     A. Touching can help people learn things better.

     B. Our feet, fingers, hands and skin can help us enjoy music.

     C. People have to learn to see by feeling as they grow up.

     D. Visitors cannot feel the things on show in some museums.

Stress is a normal physical response to things that make people feel worried or break their balance of life in some way.
Stress isn’t always bad. Sometimes, people’s stress is important during emergency situation, such as when a driver has to stop his car to avoid an accident. Sometimes, stress can help people do their best, like while getting ready before a big competition or exam.
However, too much or long-term stress gives people a stress overload. People with stress overloads may have problems remembering or concentrating on things. They are quick to get angry or lose patience. They may even have other problems, such as sleeping problems, headache and often getting colds.
What are some ways to deal with stress?
Ask for help.
Everyone has stress. For many people, stress is so common that it has become a way of life. Don’t be too shy to tell your parents or teachers that you are having a hard time. They may comfort you or give you some useful advice. Sometimes just sharing your problems with someone else can make you feel better.
Solve the little problems.
Develop skills to calmly look at a problem, choose a way to solve it and take action. Solving the little problems successfully helps to build confidence to move on life’s bigger ones.
Learn to relax.
Activities that make people clam and happy can help manage stress. For example, reading a good book, enjoying music, spending time with your parents, getting a good night’s sleep, or just taking a relaxing bath are all good ways to reduce your stress..
Encourage yourself with positive words.
When you are under your stress, saying certain things to yourself may help you feel more confident. For example, you might tell yourself, “I will do the best that I can.” or “I can handle this if I take it one step at a time.”
【小题1】People with stress overloads may___________.
a. have trouble concentrating on things         b. have good memories
c. have sleeping problems                   d. easy to get impatient

The high school years are a key period. The things we learn during this time really shape our lives. Liu Changming, principal of Beijing No. 4 High School made 18 suggestions for students just starting high school on how to get the best out of high school. Here are ten of them.
1) Read 50 books. But choose them from ten different fields.
2) Help a person. Look for a classmate, an elderly person, in fact anyone who could benefit（获益）from your help. You’ll find you benefit too!
3) Research. Research a particular area, such as science, history or art.
4) Make a foreign friend. Try to befriend someone from a foreign country. It’s an ideal way to learn about a foreign country.
5) Publish（出版）an article. Whether it appears in a newspaper, your school magazine or in your own blog, an article will be something to look back on in pride in later years.
6) Take up a new sport. Choose one you’ve never played before. If you find you like it, you’ll have a hobby for life
7) Join a club. Working hard in a club or other activities will give you a life outside of your studies.
8) Find a part-time job. Try and do the job for at least a month.
9) Find a person to learn from. Choose someone with unusual experience or special talent. Try to learn all you can from him or her.
10) Learn to cook four Chinese dishes. Learning how to cook is not only a practical skill but a way of building a bridge to other people.
【小题1】 According to the passage, by making a foreign friend you can ______.