Special English: Education Report

American Educators Consider Changing Early High School Start Times

Medical research is leading American education officials to consider having high school classes start later in the morning. The research says teenagers are more awake later at night than adults are. When teenagers stay up late at night they have problems learning early in the morning.

Researchers in the state of Rhode Island measured the presence of the hormone melatonin in peoples’ mouths at different times of the day. Melatonin causes people to feel sleepy.

They found that melatonin levels rise later at night in teenagers than they do in children and adults. And they remain at a higher level in teenagers later in the morning. They say this shows that teenagers have difficulty learning early in the morning. Yet most school systems in the United States begin high school classes at about seven o’clock.

A few school districts have made some changes. In nineteen ninety-six, school officials in Edina, Minnesota changed high school opening from about seven thirty until eight thirty. Two years later, the nearby city of Minneapolis did the same. Teachers there reported that students were no longer sleepy in class and were happier. And staying in school later in the day did not seem to be a problem for students who had jobs after school.

Health experts say teenagers need between eight and nine hours of sleep a night. Students who do not get enough sleep are likely to be late for school, fail to do their homework, fall asleep in class and have trouble taking part in class discussions.

Yet some adults oppose changing school start times. School district officials say it is not possible to carry high school and elementary students on buses at the same time. And parents of young children do not support having elementary schools start earlier in the morning. They say it would require young children to wait for school buses in the dark.

Others do not support a later start time because they say it would limit the time for practicing sports after school. However, the Minnesota schools found that this did not hurt school sports competitions.

More American school districts are discussing the possibility of changing high school start times. Researchers and teenagers say they cannot make the change quickly enough.

Special English: Health Report

Wild birds could carry bird flu to Africa

Nobody can tell where bird flu will appear next. But experts from the United Nations say it could be Africa. Delegates heard warnings last week at an international conference in Beijing.

The U.N. coordinator for avian influenza, David Nabarro, says Africa is a strong possibility this spring because of the pathways of wild birds. Still, Mister Nabarro says every country in the world should get prepared.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization had its own warnings for the coming months. It says wild birds coming from Africa could spread the virus in the Black Sea, Caucasus and Near East areas. It says trade and the movement of people could also spread the flu.

The World Health Organization says at least eighty people have died of the h-five-n-one virus since December of two thousand three. This month, Turkey became the first country outside East Asia to report cases in people.

The conference in Beijing took place to raise money to fight bird flu. The United States and others offered almost two thousand million dollars. U.N. officials said they had expected less.

Experts say the virus could kill millions if it changes into a form that spreads easily from person to person.

People are warned about the risk from sick or dead birds or infected waste. But the W.H.O. says heat kills the virus in poultry meat if all parts are cooked to at least seventy degrees Celsius.

The virus has not been reported in Africa. But the fact that many Africans, like many Asians, keep chickens and other poultry is a cause for concern. Also, many areas already suffer from hunger, poverty and high death rates from AIDS.

Experts say Africa does not enough resources to identify birds that might be infected. Money would also be needed to contain any outbreaks, and to treat any infected people.

Scientists are working on vaccines to protect against the virus. They are also working on new influenza treatments. Some say there is not enough evidence to know how effective current antiviral drugs like Tamiflu might be against bird flu.

One new drug said to have shown some promise in laboratory tests is peramivir. Tests in people began in December. American officials have agreed to a speedy approval process for this new drug.

Yet experts say public health measures as simple as hand washing are also important in the fight against bird flu.

歌词

Kiss me goodbye

Singer: Petula Clark

We choose it; win or lose it

Love is never quite the same

I love you, now I've lost you

Don't feel bad, you're not to blame

So kiss me goodbye,

And I'll try not to cry

All the tears in the world won't change your mind

There's someone new,

And she's waiting for you

Soon your heart will be leaving me behind

Linger awhile, then I'll go with a smile,

Like a friend who just happened to call...

For the last time, pretend you are mine --

My darling, kiss me goodbye

I know now -- I must go now,

Though my heart wants me to stay

That girl is your tomorrow;

I belong to yesterday

So kiss me goodbye,

And I'll try not to cry

All the tears in the world won't change your mind

There's someone new,

And she's waiting for you

Soon your heart will be leaving me behind

Linger awhile, then I'll go with a smile,

Like a friend who just happened to call...

For the last time, pretend you are mine --

My darling, kiss me goodbye

My darling ... kiss me goodbye

I will always love you

Singer:Whitney Houston 　　

If I should stay

I would only be in your way

So I'll go, but I know

I'll think of you every step of the way

And I will always love you

I will always love you

You, my darling you, you

Bitter sweet memories

That is all I'm taking with me

So goodbye, please don't cry

We both know I'm not what you need

And I will always love you

I will always love you

I hope life treats you kind

And I hope you have all you dreamed off

And I wish to you joy and happiness

But above all this I wish to you love

And I will always love you

I will always love you

Feel

Singer: Robbie Williams

Come and hold my hand

I wanna contact the living

Not sure I understand

This role I've been given

I sit and talk to God

And he just laughs at my plans

My head speaks language

I don't understand

I just want to feel real love

Feel the home that I live in

'Cause I got too much life

Running throughmy veins

Going to waste

I don't want to die

But i amn't keen on living either

Before I fall in love

I'm preparing to leave her

I scare myself to death

That's why I keep on running

Before I've arrived

I can see myself coming

I just want to feel real love

Feel the home that I live in

'Cause I got too much life

Running throughmy veins

Going to waste

And I need to feel real love

And a life ever after

I cannot give it up

I just want to feel real love

Feel the home that I live in

'Cause I got too much life

Running throughmy veins

Going to waste

I just want to feel real love

In a life ever after

There 's ahole in my soul

You can see it in my face

It's a real big place

Come and hold my hand

I want to contact the living

Not sure I understand

This role I've been given

Not sure I understand

Not sure I understand

Not sure I understand