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SCMP Reporter

Respect your parents
We should respect our parents.  This is easy  to say, but actually it's a hard  thing to do.
From  the day we're born,  our parents   have cared  for us with all  their heart. They try to give us  what we want and  need, and forgive our mistakes generously.
Nonetheless, we still argue with them. We don't understand our parents'  point of view,  and even  consider them the 'bad guys'.
But we should respect our parents and be grateful for their love.
Let me give you an example of how my parents love me.  With the recent cold weather, I have been wearing gloves every day. But one day, I left my  gloves on  a bus. When I got off  the bus, I  realised I had  left them.
I told my dad and mum what happened. To my surprise,  they said nothing  but immediately got on the bus. They asked the bus driver to stop  so they could find my gloves.
I would like to  thank  the bus driver, and especially  my parents.  They were very  kind. It was really heart-warming to know that they love me so much they would bother about something as insignificant as my gloves.
Thank you, Mum and Dad!
Christie Lee Yee-ching, Tak Oi Secondary School
Teachers are friends
During our school life, we  meet many different teachers.  Some  are gentle but some  are  very strict.
I have been  lucky to meet two  wonderful teachers  in secondary school.  They are not only my favourite teachers, but  also my friends.
The first is Mr Wong.  He is a wonderful teacher.  He  never fails us. He  tries many methods and  spends lots of time  teaching with a view to helping all students get good results in the HKCEE and A-Levels. I  really appreciate you, Mr Wong. Whenever I  felt like giving up, you encouraged me. Any student would be lucky to have you as a teacher.
The other teacher is  Mr Iu. I'm  really glad I met him before I left secondary school.  I can share   my joys and sorrows  with him.
On my last day, he gave me a book  called Strategies From the Heart.  It's very meaningful  and taught me many skills which  will be useful in  future. Thank you so much, Mr Iu.
Not everyone thinks their teachers care about them. But teachers have a huge class to look after. If you make the effort, you will find they are very interesting, supportive people.
We should be grateful for good teachers  who are also helpful friends.
Ceci Ma Wing-sze, Tin Ka Ping Secondary School
Speak English
Most  students in Hong Kong find it hard to speak  English, or  simply don't want to do so.
The main reasons  are a lack of confidence and  a lack of opportunities to  practise.
In school,  students answer  questions in just a few words. They  don't make an effort to  express what they want to say.
But this attitude will not help  us  improve our English.
You will not improve if you don't try to speak.
Reading newspapers every day is  another great way to make us progress. Speaking English  throughout your English lesson  will also  help.
There are no  excuses for poor English. If you make an effort, keep speaking in English and read lots, you'll get a better result.
Sean Chan Kai-ho, Kwun Tong Kung Lok Government Secondary School
Put health first
I am writing to  express my opinion about the health problems faced by people in Hong Kong.
Work and  study are the most  important aspects of life for  Hong Kong people. They always  think about their future. However,  they neglect their health.
It is common   for Hong Kong people to suffer from conditions such as  high blood pressure, insomnia, heart attack and all kinds of cancer. The main reason  for this is lack of rest.
The restless life of Hong Kong people  creates a higher tendency to suffer from stress or illness.
Their heavy workload  adds extra pressure. When we are stressed, we are more likely to become unwell.
People must  start to pay more attention  to health problems. Regular check-ups - at least  once a year - are essential.
Many diseases,  such as cancer,  don't have any obvious symptoms at the beginning.
By the time you notice  the symptoms, a disease could have already become a great threat to your health. Body checks can prevent  this.
What's more, since 'prevention is  better than cure',  doing regular  exercise can  also help.
Professionals may recommend half an hour, three times a week,  but in my opinion,  half an hour every day  is more effective.
This way, people can enjoy  better health, and also have enough energy  to cope with work or study. Productivity  will increase.
To conclude, people  should pay more attention  to their health.
They should also  do more  to prevent disease,  rather than wait until they need a cure.
Judy Leung, Methodist College
Online affects you
I used to play a lot of online games with my classmates. I think that online chatting is a good way to  make friends.
Some months ago, I spent so much time  chatting and playing online games that  my academic results fell sharply.
I was so disappointed and was determined to focus  on my studies. I am looking forward to the next  exam.
Online games can be relaxing, but  you need to control yourself.
There's more to life than what's online.
Chan Kwan-lok, Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College



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