Nowadays, many people have realized the importance of leadership (领导) skills. Poor leaders may cause many problems. But good leaders do better in solving problems than poor ones. Without good leaders, problems can’t be solved. 【小题1】 What’s more, good leaders are good at cooperating with others. Usually, they are good listeners as well. But being good leaders isn’t easy. So let me give you some suggestions to help you become a good leader.

【小题2】 Maybe nobody teaches you how to be a good leader, but you can learn it on your own. Read books about great leaders from home and abroad. By reading, you can learn a lot from their experiences and find out their secrets of success. Then you will be more confident of being a good leader.

Learn from students’ leaders in your school. There is no doubt that those leaders who are popular with the students in your school must have their advantages over others. 【小题3】 Take an active part in the activities organized by the excellent leaders and learn from them at once. Then you will know the answer.

【小题4】 Find the students that have the same interests as you have and start a club. Activities should be organized regularly in the club. When the members in your club have trouble in solving problems, you should communicate with them and find out the causes of the problems. After the problems are solved, you can share pleasure with them. As time passes by, you will get more trust like those popular leaders. Sooner or later, you will be a good leader.

【小题5】 Get started before it’s too late! As long as you keep trying, you will develop your leadership skills.

How to take care of a “pet plant”

Plants make people happy. It is fun to watch them grow. In some ways, plants are like little green pets. Pets like dogs and cats need lots of care. So do plants! They need food, water, sunlight and love. 【小题1】 Keep reading to learn how.

There are many kinds of plants. Make sure the plant you pick will grow well in your home or yard. Some plants like a lot of water. Others need less. Some like the sun. Others like shade. Make sure you can give the plant a home where it will do well. 【小题2】

Planting inside? You do not need to buy a new pot. Look around your house. 【小题3】 You will want to choose something with holes at the bottom. This way, extra (额外的) water can drain out (排空). If a plant sits in water, its roots can rot. If your pot does not have holes, ask a grown-up to help you make some.

Planting outside? First, you will need to choose the right spot. Remember to check: Does your plant need sun or shade? When it is time to plant, wear gardening gloves. 【小题4】 Pull away rocks and weeds. Then, dig a hole for your plant. Place it back in the hole. Add soil and water. You are done!

【小题5】 Mark a calendar so you do not forget. Always check your plants’ soil. Is it too dry? Are the leaves drooping (枯萎)? This means the plant needs water. Is the soil very wet? You might be watering it too much.

Now you are a gardener! Enjoy watching your plant grow.

“I don’t like my parents. They always tell me I should do this, and should not do that. It sometimes makes me angry.” said Zhang Hua, a middle school student in Guangzhou. Do you have the same problem? Perhaps your parents had the same problem when they were your age long ago. Why does it seem that some parents are not so friendly in their children’s eyes?

One of the biggest problems is when someone becomes a parent, he/she likes worrying about things. They worry about everything about you from the time you were born. They do a lot for you, though something would make you angry, because they care about you and worry about you. They worry about your choice of friends, the food you eat, your work at school, how much sleep you get, etc. All these things are part of your life. They want you to grow up healthily and happily.

So how can you make things easier on yourself? It’s easier than you think. Just make sure your parents know what you’re doing. Get them to know your friends. Phone them if you stay somewhere else late so that your parents don’t call every hospital in the phone book looking for you. Say sorry to them when you make mistakes. Take responsibility (责任) for what you have done. Talk about your ideas with them. They may talk about theirs with you.

Most of all, try to think about why your parents do this or do that. They are still practicing being parents and need help you can give them. Some day, when you become a parent, they may be able to help you how to get on with your children.