1. What do you usually do after school? After-school activities

2. Maybe you should learn to relax

4. Dear friend, I am very busy all the week. I have to play the piano every day. I do lots of homework from Monday to Saturday. I have to study English on Tuesday and Friday. And I have music classes on Thursday and Sunday. I am very tired. What can I do? Yours, Li Hua

5. Are you busy in a week? What do you do after school? have piano lessons study English study math

6. fit 适合；适应 pressure 压力 complain 抱怨；控诉 include 包括，包含 pushy 一意孤行的 crazy 疯狂的 themselves 他们自己 adult 成年人 organized 有组织的 not…until 直到 … 才 as much as possible 尽可能多 send to 发送到 all kinds of 各种 ; 许多 compare ….with 和 … 比较 on the one hand 在一方面 on the other hand 在另一方面 by oneself 独立地 organization 组织

7. 1.Why is Cathy Taylor very busy? 2.Why are the children under too much pressure? 3.What does Linda Miller think ? 4.What does Dr Alice Green think?

8. Because she has to take her kids from activity to activity after school. Because they have to finish their schoolwork while they have to take part in all kinds of classes after school. She thinks parents shouldn’t compare their kids with other children all the time and push their kids so hard. He thinks parents should learn to give their kids a bit more time to relax or do things by themselves.

9. Read these statements. Is the situation the same in China? 1.American and British children do many after- school activities. 2. Many children are under pressure. 3. Parents these days push their children much harder than before. 4. Competition between families starts at a young age. 5. Children should have free time to relax.

10. Dear Cathy, Dr Alice Green If you are Dr Alice Green. Give advice to Cathy.

11. Dear Cathy: I think you ’ re a good mother. You love your children, so you hope they all be able to become famous or successful people one day. But you should think about their feelings. They ’ re always busy with their schoolwork and other talented classes. They have no time to do things by themselves.they have no freedom to relax themselves. You ’ ll find it difficult for them to plan things for themselves. If you give them a bit more time to themselves, they ’ ll be happy and thankful. I hope you ’ ll become a wise and helpful mother. Dr Alice Green

12. Thank you ! Good bye!