First Issue 14/09/2013

website: http://bhsfenglish. weebly.com/index.html

IC Diary

BHSFIC Writing Club

Back row from left to right: Harry Liu, Mike Cheng, Jacky Pang, Danny Liu, Jesse Yang, William Wang, Maggie Xu Around the table : Claire Yao, Tom Luo, Nicole Fang, Isabella Qi Front row from left to right: Yelena Wang, Angelina Wang, Nancy Ren, Joanna Zhang, Ms. Lori Runkle

Editors' Note
Dear Students and Teachers, Long time no see! After the hustle and bustle of summer, we came back from all over the world to this wonderful campus where we are going to spend our next meaningful semester. With the enlightenment brought by our lovely classmates, the BHSFIC Writing Club is officially going to introduce our first issue! The writing club is one of the oldest clubs and the biggest club in student numbers at Beijing No.4 High School International Campus. It is an independent and vibrant club where many talented and promising members and responsible faculty members work together. Motivated students can get together and realize their potential in different ways in this club, and it is a place where we can work freely with people who share the same goals and be refueled with positive energy.

As members of the writing club, we have a lot to smile and it will become more diverse and complete in the future. about. Our official school newspaper is not only read by students, but by many other people as well. In fact, our zero Passion for writing isn't the sole passion being developed issue was given to an American representative from the US in the club; if you have a passion for photography, for Embassy who visited our school in January 2012. She spoke editing, for designing, for interviewing, or in exploring the highly of our newspaper- both the context and the layout. All unknown, the BHSFIC Writing Club is a good choice for the members were thrilled when our zero issue came out, and you. If you would like to join in the excitement and show off at the same time, we furthered our knowledge of journalism your skills, we encourage you to submit your work to us. and strengthened our teamwork when working on this new issue together. The future is important, but so is the past. In our school, numerous exceptional academic or athletic events are After preparing for the whole summer, our writing club being held every semester. We will help you to record finally carried out the mission to publish this first issue. these valuable memories, and whenever you open up the We held meetings and contacted all the members to find newspaper, you will live those memories once more. the materials and edit them. In this issue, we have included tips from the eleventh graders, summer activities, valuable You create history, and we keep the diary for you. memories from last year and so much more. The newspaper is where we put our faith and it will surely become a new Sincerely, Angelina Wang and Nancy Ren tradition to be passed down by students year after year. With more students joining in, we will publish it more frequently,

Our members: Ms. Lori Runkle-Advisor Angelina Wang, Nancy Ren, Tom Luo, Harry Liu, Danny Liu, Isabella Qi, Lisa Liu, Maggie Xu, Mike Cheng, Yelena Wang, Joanna Zhang, Claire Yao, Jacky Pang, Nicole Fang, William Wang, and Jesse Yang Special Thanks to: Jack Zhu, Rita Shao, and Jason Ni Thanks for your photos and articles. If they do not appear in this issue, we may plan to use many of them in our second issue.

Advice for New Students

By Tom Luo

The newspaper staff welcomes the grade 10 students to campus, and staff writer Tom Luo offers advice for a successful first year.

Dont Be Afraid of Talking to Your Teachers

In the new school life you are going to face, you will find lots of new things that youve never experienced in your early school years. There will be fun as well difficulties,. Have talks with your teachers is the best way to overcome these difficulties. You will be given plenty of self study classes and extra times for lunch. Dont waste them on chatting or playing computer games. You can just have a seat n front of one of your teachers; they will be pleased to talk with you, to talk about your trip this summer or the fun you had with you classmates. And most importantly, report your study progress to them since there is not the daily homework checking you had in the Chinese system. This is the best way for your teacher to know whether you understand the classes or not. And for another purpose you can improve your English while talking to foreign teachers. Just dont be shy. Chat with them.

Discover Your True Interests

A true interest is an activity you enjoy and are willing to give all your effort to when you are doing it. If your interests have these qualities, better keep them, because you have plenty of time to work on them in our school. However, if you dont have an interest, dont worry you will find one this year. For me, I like origami a lot. I didnt notice it until the first term of my high school year. I used to fold paper when I was small, but since the schoolwork become heavier, I gave up this interest. Then last year, I accidently saw a post on Renren; It was an origami rhino guide. I picked up a piece of paper and tried

The origami rhino

to fold it, and after 2 or 3 hours, I finished it. I started to find more origami on the internet, and I immersed myself in the wonderland of origami. Now it has become my true interest. You see its not that hard to find, so just think of something you adored doing when you were little, pick it up again, and you will gain a lot joy from it.

Be Aware of and Follow School Rules

Studying in an international campus, you may have more freedom than you do in normal schools, but it doesnt mean you will have no rules, especially when you have such a conscientious teacher as Ms. Meng. Her duty is to keep you safe and help you study efficiently. For example, you will have to wear your uniforms for every minute when you are in school and take no drinks into the classroom. You may think they are needles pricking your skin, but believe me

Computers Are for Study

One of the new things you are going to experience in our school would be taking your computers to school. It will make your study easier and help you become familiar with the American university study ways, but remember that computers are for study. Dont play games on them in school. Another thing is that there will be many new technologies such as Edmodo, Engrade, a school shared folder, and other applications to use when you are studying. If you have any troubles with them, please feel free to ask us or the teachers, we will be happy to help you.

listen to her orders because they are good for you. Remember what Ms. Meng said: Freedom will only be given to you if you obey the rules. Responsibility and freedom go hand in hand.

Make Plans for Study, Use Time Wisely

As I had mentioned you will have at least one self study class every day, and your homework is usually not due on the next day. Different classes have different deadlines for homework, so in this way, youd better have a plan for every class assignment. In addition to homework, you will also have to deal with things from your club, volunteer activities; it might be hard for you at the

beginning. But dont worry, you are going to receive a planner from the school and you can put your schedule on it. For me, I strongly recommend you to download an app called simple sticker note on your computer. Its like little stickers you can stick on your desktop, and it will appeal to you when you turn on your computer. Trust me you are going to like it.

Tom Luo with origami

Following this advice will help you have a good time here in our school. And remember, you can always ask the grade 11 students or the teachers for help. We are happy to answer your questions and give you direction.

Someone for Science

By Nicole Fang
I have always found myself as someone who appreciates science, even though I am thoroughly unsophisticated in scientific matters as a high school student. I can hardly make a gigantic contribution to science now, but at least that is my plan for the future. So as a science person (regardless of the lack of contribution at this time), I used to show a disdainful attitude toward any form of subject other than Science (capitalized for a reason). Consequently I lacked focus in classes like literature and couldnt muster enthusiasm for the subject. However, after a whole year of the literature adventure with Ms. Lori, I found American Literature most interesting and most agreeable, more so than any other class that was offered in the school (this partly resulted from the limited classes that were offered given the fact that the school was new). As I became more interested in the subject, I became more devoted. As a result, I did well on the final exam. I believe English Literature is just like Chinese, you cant become fluent overnight. To comprehend Shakespeare is like learning to understand Confucius. Their work is extremely high level; their logic is layered; their syntax is complex. They are a undeniable representation of the language as well as the culture that comes with it. Large amount of vocabulary and abundant historical background are required as one goes through these authors work. I considered myself lucky when I first came into this school. I was one of the handful students who studied abroad for more than a year in the United States. My better command of pronunciation had given me a lot of confidence and attention, but as the semester drew on, I found myself surrounded by dozens of geniuses. They certainly had read a lot and their writing skills were fairly impressive. Compared to them, my essays were poorly developed and structured; and for the first time in my life, I realized that I put too much informal language in my essay. Both Ms. Lori and Mr. Scott had pointed out that it was going to affect my writing credibility. I had always written how I would speak, and those are oral sentences. I was given suggestions by a lot of people to use big words, like confabulation for talking or significant for important. I amassed a lot of vocabulary but those words were mutually exclusive with the vocabulary I could use appropriately in an essay. Mr. Scott showed us a lot of difficult articles which helped me to see how sophisticated words are used appropriately by New York Times authors. Ms. Lori told me to Be Aware. Be forever careful with the situation, the tone, the theme, thesis statement, diction, and structure. Have a well developed image of the essay in your mind first, and plan. There are a lot of choices for tone (sarcastic, neutral), there are also a lot of words for the meaning being scared (astonished, aghast, agape). You always have to choose the best fitting vocabulary choice for the situation. Be aware of the choices, and be ready to replace poor with the best. Write an essay like a scholar, not a hipster. I am sure every one of us has been informed to read a lot and to memorize many vocabulary words. I need not stress the importance of this advice. But expecting to learn and 5000 vocabulary words from one book is like trying to reach the moon from the earths surface. One should be consistently reading, even though not required to by the teacher. Read books that are valuable. For me, Harry Potter was surely exhilarating, but Pride and Prejudice and To Kill a Mockingbird took me to a higher level. I was challenged, therefore I progressed. By the end of the year, I was surprised by my reading speed. This benefited not only my literature class performance, but also my history and even science classes. The first year chemistry book was really thick and fasterreading helped me get through it more easily and more efficiently. Ms. Lori was my mentor, and I have always received great guidance on the books I choose to read. I always ask for a book list, and the books she recommended were either the best selling ones on the New York Times bestseller list or on the AP reading list. She is familiar with me, so she knows what kind of book I would enjoy and at the same time challenge and improve my academic work. Reading, writing, and presentations have been a big part of my first years high school life. The school has great English classes, but I never depend wholly on them. You always need a higher aim, a harder schedule, and an earlier head start to top any subject.

Memories
Remembering Jessy He
This is a paragraph for my Best Friend Forever, Jessy. I can still remember what you told me about transferring to the main campus when melancholy was displayed on your face. That is, Nothing can be predicted until it happens. We both could not predict our life or learning process, and its really hard for me to write down all the things we did as friends last year because we were always together experiencing coherence and independence in our friendship. Chatting in different ways cemented our relationship and also helped us understand each other. Still today, I keep all of our chatting history recorded in my phone and on my laptop, and I will keep it for eternity. Still clearly remembering what you told me about this year, you said, It was worth it to be at the school and meet you Rita. I feel as if we were already connected by fate. My dear Jessy, it was fate leading us to meet, know each other, and become BFF. No matter how long the distance between us, I will always be there with you.

- Rita Shao
Rita Shao and Jessy He

Deadly Surprises
We all have very high expectations for high school, and my first year of high school lived up to those expectations. There were many great memories of the past year, and my personal favorite was the Halloween party. It was a celebration of the revived dead, horrifying monsters, and the jack-o-lanterns with wicked smiles. Everyone, even the teachers, dressed in costumes and the parents put together a freaky haunted house. I loved seeing everyone in a different state of mind and different costumes; relaxed smiles replaced tired frowns that were usually seen during class time. Pirates, ghosts, warriors, vampires, Goths- every detail from costumes to makeup was fascinating. I look forward to find out what deadly surprises await this year.

Nancy Ren
Salome Wang and Erica Wu at the Halloween Party

Behold,
Music Teacher: Gordon Hart 1. Why did you choose to teach in China as a foreign teacher?
My wife (a K-8 music teacher at BISS) and I have enjoyed successful careers in the United States (teaching in New Mexico and Texas). We were ready for a new challenge, and what could be better than a chance to work with great students in China.

2. Briefly introduce yourself

I have been teaching band for 38 years. Bands I've worked with have traveled and competed extensively in our region as well as nationally. The marching bands I taught performed in two of the most prestigious parades in the United States, the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Concert bands I conducted won the National Wind Band Honors in 2008 and Grammy Signature School Award in 2009. I enjoy golf in my leisure time.

3. What do you think is the most important thing for students to do if they want to do an excellent job when they take your course?
Students need to come to class with an open, eager mind, ready to participate, perform, and be entertained.

English Teacher: William Long 1.Why did you choose to teach in China as a foreign teacher? 2.Briefly introduce yourself

here are our new teachers!

English Teacher: Maria Thomas 1. Why did you choose to teach in China as a foreign teacher?
The opportunity to teach in Beijing presents unique challenges (for example, I do not speak Chinese), but I enjoy testing myself and learning new things. I have spent the last eleven years teaching in Brooklyn, New York (two years of junior high and nine years of high school experience) working with every grade level from seventh grade up. Some students needed extra help; others were our school's brightest. Each school year, I tried to do something a little different, and that has resulted in eleven years of continual growth. Mine has been a demanding, revealing, and rewarding career so far.

This is my first time ever being in China, and I chose to come here because of my passion for experiencing other cultures, particularly in very urban environments like Beijing. I am from Miami, Florida, and I have been teaching English and Linguistics for the past 13 years. One of my hobbies is American college football, which is a popular sport in the states. I attended Florida State University, and our team is called the Seminoles. A few of my other hobbies include music (right now, one of my favorite bands is Mumford and Sons), movies, a British TV series, tropical landscapes, studying language, and traveling to other countries. (Also, if you want to get on my good side, keep in mind that I like Charlie Brown and Peanuts by Charles Schulz.)

4. I think most of our students are fond of all kinds of music. Can you concisely tell us how you are going to teach us?
I believe the best way to enjoy and appreciate music is to be an active participant. Exploring music using its theory, its history, and current technology, will provide students the basis for composing and even performing.

2. Briefly introduce yourself

3.What do you think is the most important thing for students to do if they want to do an excellent job when they take your course?

5. Say hello to our students

Hello students at BHSFIC. I'm looking forward to discovering your musical interests and talents and joining you as we expand our musical horizons!

In order to excel in my class, apply yourself. Listen. Absorb. Ask questions. Think outside the box. Speak your mind respectfully. I am a very honest, frank, and practical teacher and individual, and I approach instruction as such. Also, my sense of humor tends to be dry and sarcastic, so keep that in mind as you get to know me.

4.Any suggestions you want to share with us about how to master a foreign language? 5.Say hello to our students

From the time I was very young, I read voraciously, devouring every form of fiction I could acquire. The journey began with fairy tales and comic books, and wove its way through novels, plays, and short stories; now it continues with informational texts (online newspaper articles and nutritional books), novels (classic and contemporary), and poetry (mostly modern). I enjoy a well-expressed sentencewherever I find it! My interest in fiction, in particular, has stirred an interest in traveling and living abroad. I can still remember bits and pieces of stories I read as a child. I can picture the characters (like old friends) going about their lives in such places as India, England, France, Jamaica, and Trinidad. Vacations have taken me some beautiful places, but there are many more I have yet to see...

To master a foreign language, practice, practice, and practice. As you learn to master English, I expect you to help me master Chinese...without laughing at me.

3.What do you think is the most important thing for students to do if they want to do an excellent job when they take your course?

In my classroom, I emphasize that true learning is a dynamic process, occurring between students as well as between students and teacher. I am convinced that every person in each classroom has something unique to offer. The most intense, impactful learning takes place when every person does his or her part.

4. Any experience you want to share with us to master a foreign language? Physics Teacher: Neera Tyagi 1. Why did you choose to teach in China as a foreign teacher?
Teaching in China was not a choice, but was the only option as my husband has already taught in China.After marriage, I wanted to move with him to China. Teaching in China was more challenging compared in India as the language of instructions is English, and it was a new environment for me to fit in. I took this challenge and performed well while working in Beijing since 2006.

I have found that the most successful students are self-motivated, disciplined, and open; they believe that (regardless of past acclaim) there is always more to discover.

5. Say hello to our students

I look forward to meeting you all!

Economics Teacher: John Mcvay 1.Why did you choose to teach in China as a foreign teacher?
Why teach in China? After doing graduate study in South Korea, and getting introduced to Asia, I decided to use my international business degree to work in China twelve years ago because I saw China asthe place where things are happening in the 21st Century. I was also attracted to global education programs because I like "being in the middle" of an exciting fieldoverseas study.

2. Briefly introduce yourself

I am a post graduate in physics with electronics as a major subject. I enjoy teaching math and physics. I'm a perfectionist, I pay attention to all the details and like to make sure that everything is just right. I expect my students to be the same while learning physics. I am planning to teach AP Physics B at BHSFIC. I am also planning to start new courses based on projects which put emphasis on applied science and solutions for real world problems. As hobbies, reading, traveling, shopping and cooking are the areas I enjoy the most. Google, Weibo, TAOBAO and JD are my favorite websites. I like Beijing nightlife and its summer as it is cleaner than in winter. I take advantage of Internet technologies to connect with my students over Edmodo, Weibo and WikiSpaces.

2.Briefly introduce yourself

Personal Introduction: My hometown is a small city in the state of Mississippi, in the southeastern region of the USA. Family: My wife is aDong Bei ren . She is Chinese from Heilongjiang, and she teaches Chinese to foreigners at Beijing Foreign Studies University. Hobbies: Browsing antique markets and travel, and I have been to every province in China. Experience: Over 10 years in China with Chinese overseas educational partnership programs, including 4 years at Tsinghua University, teaching many business-related courses, economics, and EAP. I began teaching AP courses in 2010 and have taught AP Micro and Macro Economics and AP Psychology, 68% of my AP Econ students have made the grade of "5" on the AP exam. My teaching style is to try to fit what I have learned about Chinese culture/ society into lessons and examples from US textbooks in an American classroom environment.

PE Teacher: Josie Francis 1. Why did you choose to teach in China as a foreign teacher?
I am originally from London, England, and having taught in London, and in the US, I really want to teach somewhere completely different. I believe that China will offer me a different perspective on my profession and teenage life. China is historically fascinating and incredibly rich in culture, and I think the contrast between China and the US will be interesting.

2. .Briefly introduce yourself

3. What do you think is the most important thing for students to do if they want to do an excellent job when they take your course?

3.What do you think is the most important thing for students to do if they want to do an excellent job when they take your course?
I recommend a 5-step study process: a) Pre-read all text assignments; b) Listen carefully in-class and take good notes, do not heavily rely on Powerpoints; c) attempt to do all homework problems and exercises (small groups of 3 or 4 are a good idea); d) later, if you lack understanding of the concepts/ solutions, seek out fellow students for explanations; e) if you still lack understanding, follow up appointments with the teacher.

Physics is a discipline and, as such, it's a matter of training your mind to be prepared for the challenges the subject will present. To perform well, one should have a very strong mathematical set, one who enjoys problem solving and scientific reasoning with relevant technical knowledge and good study habits will find physics an easy dish.

My name is Josie, I was born, educated, and taught in London, before moving to the USA to teach. I was a Fulbright Scholar, studying multicultural education. I stayed in America, and have taught P.E. & Health and some sociology for 25 years. I coached competitive boys football (soccer) teams, aged 12 - 18.As I am from London, I love football!! I have 2 sons - Ricky who is 29, and Jordan who is 22. I have 3 grandchildren aged one, five, and six, and I love to spend time with them. When I am not teaching or coaching, I enjoy travelling, spending time with my friends, watching movies, and enjoying life!!

4.A lot of students have chosen an economics class for the upcoming semester. Can you give us some instructions about learning this subject which is brand new for us
Economics Course Suggestions- as AP Micro Economics is an entry level course, it assumes no "previous knowledge." You do not have to do anything in advance of the course. Students need to be patient and take the course as it is presented. Don't try to"put the cart before the horse but do work out a study plan each week which will allow you to do all reading and homework assignments." So, "be patient, yet be thorough." Don't worry about doing things ahead of schedule; but be sure to do everything when it is assigned, not attempting to take short-cuts.

3. What do you think is the most important thing for students to do if they want to do an excellent job when they take your course?
To be successful in my course the students need to give 100% effort and be willing to try.

4. For physics, please give the students some instructions to follow in order to perform well.

4.What can you do to help us enjoy the class? 5. Say hello to our students

Students in my class should: Read the topic before class; Pay attention during class; Revise at home and solve practice questions; Concentrate on the concept; Develop mathematical skills; When solving problems, pay attention to the details.

The girls need not worry. Most of your anxiety comes from being self-conscious. You just need be openminded and ready to learn some life skills. Hi Sweeties!!! Looking forward to meeting you all in person!! Our lives are going to be richer after we spend time together!! Live, Laugh, Listen. Learn.

5.Say hello to our students

Remember to think long-term. Your learning will be a life-time endeavor, not just a short-term, one or two semester, experience. So, learn "how

Those beautiful memories of Exeter Academy have rooted in my heart with profunditythey made me smile whenever they slipped glittering into my mind. William Wang

Life at Phillips Exeter Academy

By William Wang

I wish I could re-live those days.

Classes, a field trip and dance party, polar-bear swimming, assemblies, a cookout, International Day everything was memorable last summer, everything wonderful, and even surreal. I know its challenging to put down some words and summarize the 5 weeks I spent at Phillips Exeter Academy this summer because I may end up telling stories for days and nights (which I would like to do if I had an opportunity and a patient audience)there are simply too many things to cover, and there is apparently not a single place to begin my story. Explaining chronologically from the first day of the program to the last plus every noteworthy detail would fill the newspaper, so I decided to divide those summer days into distinct categories and explain with brevity and some important anecdotes as a supplement. Here we go

Academic Courses
One of the main reasons I went to PEA is for a special learning experience which I may never have in China and also to try to improve the skills Ive already acquired in our school. According to the PEAs course orientation, there were courses ranging from visual art to music, from literature to sociology, from language to science, that attracted more than 780 students from 46 nations and 40 American states. The courses I selected were Creative Writing for Non-native Speakers, Exploring American Culture, and Introduction to Biologyeach for a different reason. And every afternoon, except Wednesday and weekends, we were required to take a PE class, where I chose cross country for the first half of the five weeks and fitness swimming for the remaining time. In my courses, one thing which impressed me the most was the Harkness discussions because students no longer sat at small desks neatly arranged in rows with the teachers larger desk at the head of the classroom. Instead, the rows of desks were replaced by a round wooden table surrounded by 12 or 13 chairs. Students and their teacher would join together in the adventure of learning with the teacher facilitating discussion amongst the students. I hope someday our teachers can arrange the classes like that and see how it benefits us.

Sports
Sports are taken as seriously as academic lessons at PEA, and the school also offered 28 kinds of sports for students. We were permitted to use all the physical facilities at almost any time. Besides common sports such as basketball, football, swimming, and tennis, we also had squash, lacrosse, golf, crew, ultimate Frisbee and sports that are not well developed in Chinathus Id never seen, so I was encouraged to try new things and undertake new challenges. The first sport I chose was cross country running distant running on various ground surfaces. Before the class, I was hoping the teacher would take us out in the woods or off into the mountain trails or at least on deserted roads; but then I discovered the teacher was much more conservative than I imagined. The first week was only about building up skills and stamina on the track and giving us exercise which were adapted to this sport. Tiring and punishing myself when everybody else was diving in cool water in the swimming pool or enjoying their sports in airconditioned rooms, we were circling the track at high speed one after another on days that people could sweat when they stand out in sun without moving a bit. And finally, on the first day of the second week, we were taken out to the woods south of the campus. After being instructed about the trail and signs we would follow, we were set free. Then it became what I hoped to be excitingthick-tall grass, tree roots, unpredictable up-and-downs and even unappeasable wild bees racing to us to give a sting. Although it was still torrid as usual and much more humid in the woods, I enjoyed my first run as a cross-country beginner. Fitness swimming was redeeming after the long distance running, and it wasnt challenging at all. While focusing on my own progress, I also noticed that doing sports is rooted deep in Americans spirit. There were little girls fighting hard to raise a 25pound dumbbell ; men with gray or white hair running continuously 30 minutes on treadmills; and a whole family cycling by our dormitory every morning. There were these kinds of scenes everywhere even in the remote little town of Exeter. My point was proved when I spent my last three days in Cambridge/Boston because every couple of seconds either a runner or a cycler passed by whenever I was on the street and no matter the weather.

Activities
Activities were another spot light during the five weeks I spent at the school. In spite of those out-of-campus trips to places like a science museum and parks, there were plenty of activities inside the campus. Every Monday we had a special assembly in the Academy Building, and each assembly was different but shared the same brilliance and inspiration. The most exciting and memorable one featured a woman who was standing up on stage and presenting pictures and videos of her younger brother- a former rock prodigy- whose brain vessels burst during a performance. He was almost trapped in an unconscious and paralyzed condition forever. Then she told us how a miracle l drew him back from the verge of death, and how she and her family taught him how to accomplish simple goals from ground zero starting with the movement of eyes, then mouth, then fingers even harder than teaching an infant. Her brothers recuperation took many years, and she eventually went against the doctors recommendation and led him out of the hospital. As we saw with our every eyes, he walked confidently out from backstage with his acoustic guitar, giving us a very inspiring and thankful address and answering a couple of questions. He then played a touching song he wrote after that tragedy. I remembered that moment when he stepped into our sight: everyone in the auditorium, no matter students or teachers or cleaners or people who were outside campus, screamed and shouted and stood up together. The applause lasted for an entire minute until he finally pleaded for us to go back to our seats. That show was so terrific and impressive. In addition to assemblies, we also had an International Day, a field trip, dorm-versus-dorm competitions, an African drum workshop In other words, numerous activities that could keep a student busy for five weeks!

Dormitory
About one-fifth of time I spent in my little room in Ewald Dormitory, and all-boy dorm. Being in a dorm is not merely about dealing with biological needs and after-class workits fun! Each building has a common room for gathering and chatting and having a good time. There was even an electric piano, a pingpong table, all kinds of textbooks and novels, and even X-Box games, a 65-inch-wide plasma television, a kitchen where we could fix our meals if the food in dining hall was intolerable and if the boys were confident enough about cooking (which never happened to me). Even finding resonation with people from another nationality could bring you mirth to keep you up all night long! Pizza feast, ice cream feast, ping-pong tournament the common thing associated with them was the merriness on everyones face. The rules, however, were strict, and there were times a student was found guilty for his behavior and was punished behind the scenes; but as a student who came from where self-discipline is highly possessed amongst the citizens, I followed the rules painlessly. (Once someone lit a candle in the hall way and forgot to put it out at night. This act almost fired up the entire wooden building so the dorm heads were furious.)

If you have any interest in any of the aspects be my guest and ask me, and Ill explain everything in more detail with you. More information about the summer program is on the schools website: http://www.exeter.edu/summer_programs/7324.aspx

A Word from the Student Council

By Nancy Ren

If you love the student council and love the schools democracybuilding process, we need you. BHSICs Student Council mission is your best choice! -Mike Cheng, Head of the Arts

My name is Nancy Ren and Im the student council president. It is my pleasure to welcome all the new students to the school. Student councils and similar organizations have long been traditions among top schools around the world. Many of the BHSFIC students have a vague impression of how the schools student council works, so this article will help clarify the role of the student council. Although the BSHFIC student council has only been established for a short time, the council is determined to achieve its goal of protecting and improving the opportunities, interests, rights, and quality of school life for every student at BHSFIC. Each of the officials, elected by the student body, exemplifies great leadership abilities, has a sense of responsibility, and possesses skills to do his or her job. In each meeting, we plan and discuss the matter at hand from different perspectives of the respective departments; however, each member still supports the group as a whole. Here are the elected officials of the BHSFIC student council for 2013-2014.

BHSFIC Student Council of 2013-2014

President Head of the Diplomacy Department Head of the Campus Life Department Head of the Information Department Head of the Education Department Head of the Physical Education Department Head of the Arts Department Nancy Ren Harry Liu Finnegan Hu Jesse Yang Tony Jia William Hu Mike Cheng

The Voice of BHSFIC Participants: Jane Cai, William Wang and Peter Wan, Organizer: Zeus Zhao

While some schools may regard extracurricular activities as superfluous distractions, the student council encourages all students to pursue their hobbies and attend the planned activities revolving around education and each students personal interests. In just the short time the student council has been elected, the members have worked hard and organized activities such as The Voice of BHSFIC, Thank You Dinner, and a soccer match against Brophy, a prestigious boys high school in Phoenix, Arizona. The Voice of BHSFIC was a singing contest that allowed students to show off their singing talents, the Thank You Dinner was held to express our appreciation to those who helped us obtain internship opportunities during career day, and the soccer match against the Brophy students helped strengthen our friendship with Brophy. Recognizing the fact that this school has a relatively small student body, the student council plans to cooperate with international departments of other schools and other international schools to make new friends and share experiences. The student council will help provide a platform that supports each student to find, develop and showcase his or her talent. However, the member of the council will also remind you that extracurricular activities can only serve as supplements to school grades; therefore improving and honing English skills and other academic studies should be regarded as the top priority. The student councils ultimate goal is to help students

Mike Cheng with the Volunteers , Jack zhu, Tom Luo, Alan Zhang helping the kids in need

William Hu and Jesse Yang with Mr. Shi on the day of the Soccer match against Brophy

achieve highly not only in academics but also develop greatness in personality, interests, manners and morality. These are the prerequisites of getting into a top university and being a wellrounded person. If any student has questions or suggestions regarding school and other related activities, feel free to talk to any of the student council members. In addition, the student council is always looking for volunteers who are interested in assisting with the activities, so everyone is welcome to be a part of the process. Beyond the stressful academic environment and heavy school workload, its necessary to provide students with some recreational activities. The BHSFIC Student Union is committed to listening to student concerns. I hope everyone makes the best out of their high school life.

Getting ready for the Soccer Match against Brophy

Preparation for the TOEFL

Yelena Wang
Fundamental Preparation for the TOEFL It will not be a long time before we take this test, so it is necessary to begin preparing for the TOEFL after you have become accustomed to high school life. As the test is divided into four parts, we need to consider it as a whole because a weakness on any part will lead to a decrease in the overall score; however, during the preparation, we can pay more attention to the parts which cause frustration and lower our score. Reading 1. Basic Introduction The TOEFL reading test is one hour long with three articles included. Unlike other previous sets of tests, you can allocate your time freely. If you are lucky enough, you may have two extra articles with 40 additional minutes pof testing time extend the fun! There is no evidence proving that the latter two tests are insignificant and they will not be scored! Take all the tests seriously. For each passage, there are 13 or 14 questions. There are approximately 10 types of questions including vocabulary, inference, factual information, sentence simplification, sentence insertion, prose summary and so on. 2. Reading Material Before getting involved in the training for test-taking skills, we ought to try our best to improve our reading ability. The general characteristic for TOEFL reading is its wide range of topics. Humanity subjects including psychology, history, and art are followed by science subjects like archaeology, astronomy, and botany. These are all possible topics for TOEFL reading which means we need to read as widely as possible. Textbooks Taking advantage of our own BHSFIC courses, we will be able to overcome vocabulary from mathematics, physics, chemistry, and US history courses. If no more time is available, we can make use of our textbooks. Review them so that we can have a basic foundation of knowledge and theorems. National Geographic Magazine Many people will put this in first place when recommending reading material, but I believe that it is not applicable for intensive reading. Instead, it turns out to be a supplement for our textbooks. For geography, geology and even history, National Geographic has ample articles. Read The Economist Magazine This magazine is about more than the economy. Primarily, it focuses on global politics and commerce. In each magazine, we can find articles related to technology and art. It is true that it is not as attractive and interesting as comics and fiction, but the structure of the passages in The Economist is relatively organized and well- knit. It also has a wide range of subject matter. TOEFL PBT As all TOEFL test takers know, we are now using iBT, which stands for Internet- based testing. However, before this new method was introduced- paper-based tests (PBT) were the norm. There is an abundance of paper-based readings still available because iBT has only just replaced PBT. In the primary level of preparation, PBT articles are very close to the iBT readings as they are all created by ETS the test designer. TOEFL TPO TPO is the mock test for the real iBT test. All articles on the TPO are previous authentic iBT reading articles. They are the closest to the original test, but as there are only 29 of them, I strongly recommend reading these articles a month or two before the test. This is not only reading material but also practice material. Further Preparation: Reading Fiction Reading fiction is inevitable in helping you increase your reading comprehension level. Reading fiction benefitted me a lot when I took the test. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that reading fictions is long- term work, so leave yourself enough time to do this. If you want read fiction, I do not recommend classic readings. TOEFL readings use modern English so classic readings by Shakespeare or Dickens will only be of limited benefit to you. 3. The use of TPO and Mock Tests - TPO and the genuine test on the TOEFL Official Guide (OG) Currently, there are 29 TPO reading sections that can be used. We should use TPO as a real test. During this period, we are not supposed to eat, drink or go to the restroom until two sections are finished. TOEFL Three Leading TOEFL Training Schools Oxbridge Academy The address of its official website is http://www.jqielts.com/ Brief Introduction: When you enter their website, you may be shocked by words like professional IELTS training, but dont panic; they also offer TOEFL classes. In order for everybody to have a clear view of this academy, I will use a form to present the information on the site. It is mainly divided into five types: elite courses, single section courses, enclosing courses, 1VS 1 courses, and insurance courses. More information about each class is available on the webpage. For further details, you can phone them at 010-62516682 For the next section of this article, I proudly present the rising star in this field; Several students among you may know it.

Colt Across the River The founders of Colt were once two exceptional teachers at New Oriental (NO) who later separated from that company, and in 2008, established their own education group. Today, it is competing with NOs traditional power base. Based on a survey presented among 11th grade students in our school, despite most peoples doubtless choice of NO, a few people chose Colt as their preparation option. These two options are basically the same, which means offering the same classes, but using different language to distinguish them. In Colt, they have courses for 5 people per class, the weekend option; 10 people per class, the normal option, and 1VS 1 courses. The class that distinguished Colt from other companies was the Exam -Guessing class, and according to their official information, in 2010, among 39 exams, they have a successful guess rate on questions of 87.18%; in 2011. The number was 95.12%, in 2012. seems like a gorgeous number, but view all advertising for the courses with a critical mind. Some other characteristics of Colt include: piles of exercises, 8-10 hour-long classes; a complete test prep system which consists of four tests throughout the course; and; advertised Perfect Facilities, as Colt calls them. All in all, from my interpretation, there are a few reasons to choose Colt rather than NO. This is because classes have fewer people than NO, and some teachers actually have been inherited from NO, so maybe that is another reason to find Colt attractive. For more details, please call Colt at 400-6969-256 At last, lets welcome the Big Boss, the dominator in this field, New Oriental (NO)! Sincerely spoken, there is not much difference between the three options presented so introducing each type of class offered again will be a total waste of paper. So I will post an online address for more information about NO: http://bj.xdf.cn/bj_static/sem/lx/lx_bm_toefl.html?utm_source=baidu&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=toefl%E5%9F%B9%E8% AE%AD&utm_content=TOEFL-peixun&utm_campaign=beimei-toefl Speaking about NOs strength is useless anyway, but there are still some special things remaining including NOs special offe r---and enhanced version of targeted classes aimed for study abroad students. In return for the costly fees, this is advertised to increase the possibility of going to a TOP 30 University by at least 10% as NO said on its website. Whatever option you choose, good luck on the TOEFL exam.

Deadly Surprises
Nancy Ren
We all have very high expectations for high school, and my first year of high school lived up to those expectations. There were many great memories of the past year, and my personal favorite was the Halloween party. It was a celebration of the revived dead, horrifying monsters, and the jack-o-lanterns with wicked smiles. Everyone, even the teachers, dressed in costumes and the parents put together a freaky haunted house. I loved seeing everyone in a different state of mind and different costumes; relaxed

School Life, Lullaby, Nostalgia

School Life by Tom Luo Before we met together I was happy enjoying the vacation I played games I watched films, I read books I learned to cook, It was a world with only me. It was in the MIT camp that we first met I made friends with all of you We told jokes we found the same interest We sang songs we laughed during lunch Wondering about the next three years we would spend together. The bell is ringing the class has begun A brand new rule is here for us to face Classes are small teachers are tall We use computers and we work in groups This is the style which is new for us. Life in school is colorful and cool Blue for friend red for love Gold for Ms Loris curly hair Halloween time, act like damn, writing poem using rhyme , Classes are fun but scores are serious Not enough effort equals parents furious In the dark dormitory there is a bright screen shining in the smoking Mr. Shis office there are students asking questions efforts are paid progress is made we grow up in the international campus we have fun in the international campus Im glad Im here. Lullaby by Vivian Lee Fifteen years ago, I didnt know how to speak, how to express, I could only cry, People would say, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or Lullaby, lullaby, dont be afraid. Ten years ago, I knew a little about the world. I could understand peoples words, When I almost gave up They told me,

smiles replaced tired frowns that were usually seen during class time. Pirates, ghosts, warriors, vampires, Goths- every detail from costumes to makeup was fascinating. I look forward to find out what deadly surprises await this year.

Dont be afraid; you have plenty of chances Five years ago, I knew more. Not only of the world, but about life. People told me I had grown up. I am the new generation. Im the new blood of life. A few months ago, I was fifteen, I became a teenager, A super new high school student. People told me I should have broad shoulders. So, this is me, Swallowing my pride and tears, Standing here, Saying I dont know where I came from or where I should go, But I know, I came from where I came and I will go where I belong.

Nostalgia by Nancy Ren I remember a time, when we never had to worry, and if we made a mistake, we just cried and said sorry. I remember a time, when we could freely sleep in class, listening to the teacher, while looking out the glass in a daydream. I remember a time, when the adults closed the window, it started to rain, but we kept running in the meadow. I remember a time, when days flew by so fast, everything was so perfect, but now it's in the past. In my memories, the sun is still shining, but in reality, nostalgia is crying.