Most children and adolescents are not happy
today although they need not worry about food and clothing. Every day they live
under high pressure because their parents have great expectations for their
future. They have to study all day long for the admittance to some prestigious
universities. But not all of them are obedient to their parents, as a result,
the relations between the two generations are strained. As a matter of fact,
many of these youngsters fail to come up to the expectations of their parents. For
the decent standard of their life, they lack the impetus to study. Mobile phones
and computer games are more attractive to them. When the conflicts between the
two sides escalate, tragedies may follow.

I had watched some fragments of Theresa May’s speaking on TV news. She impressed me well. And I was fascinated by her gracefulness and voice. From yesterday I began searching for her speeches and appreciating them on the Internet.
The rainy weather recently made it hard for me to close the window and the house door.
After oiling the key and the lock of the room I stay at school, then I can easily open and lock it now. Ms F, the class adviser of Grade Four, offered to give lessons at the periods I should have conducted classes within.

Only several old teachers were left to take
care of the students at school and all the young ones had gone far away
rehearsing for a coming singing contest.

三五長者留老營，悉數少年盡逺征。The urchins fed up with studying flagrantly
violate the class discipline because the teacher’s beating ruler has been rusty for having
been sealed too long.

頑童厭學恣横行，戒尺生鏽長密封。

The second day of the four－day New Year’s Day holiday
The cold weather continues and the daily temperature was forecast to go up gradually from the day after tomorrow.
To have the door-opening cards renewed and buy mother plasters
To enjoy the best time of the day after completing the job to block the gap above the backdoor as mother had assigned. It was about from 2 to 3 pm when the bright and warm slanting sunlight was shining through the window on my back. I sat silently practicing calligraphy with mother lying on the kang thinking aloud unhappily.

No relative or friend has sent me word yet. Aged and
sick, I’m still wandering around solitarily by boat.

親朋無一字，老病有孤舟。
The royal troops are opening war with Tibetans
at the northern border. I lean against the fence and look far into the
distance when tears stream down my cheeks.

戎馬關山北，凭軒涕泗流。

Media Platform, Xichang, April 3, in order to
grieve deeply over the death of the heroes who were fighting the forest fire in
Muli, Xichang People’s Government has fixed the date for mourning as April 4, 2019 when
all public entertainment should be suspended across the city.

“西昌发布”微信公号4月3日消息，为沉痛哀悼扑救木里森林火灾牺牲的英雄们，西昌市人民政府决定，2019年4月4日为哀悼日，全市范围停止一切公共娱乐活动。

Yesterday an excavator was put to use removing the earth of the higher ground in the skating rink.
The axle of the wheelbarrow needs to be changed for it has got out of order.
This afternoon many of my colleagues were busy preparing to undergo an inspection from above next Monday. A lot of written materials must be finished for cheating the inspectors. Such image projects have come into being for so long and involved a sheer waste of time and vigor. These frequent inspections are an intolerable burden to our principals and some teachers. The higher our pay, the heavier our work.

The wet and dirty weather has been annoying us for three days running. The outdoor work has to be suspended. The rain and snow were really unwelcome and useless at present. Thank heavens！It’ll turn fine from tomorrow.
Renewed my reading of North and South. In the meantime, watched the film adapted from the novel. Found some details in the film different from the original work. Margaret’s younger brother Frederick, an escaped criminal, returns stealthily to his mother’s deathbed from abroad. Before the funeral he has to depart immediately in case he should be detected and arrested. At Outwood station he is recognized by a drunkard named Leonards who attempts to seize Frederick for gaining the hundreds of pounds of reward.

Son came back this afternoon, earlier than expected. I happened to be at our flat when he knocked at the door. Early this morning on my way to our bungalow, I found the usually busy street before the gate of the Central School was deserted suddenly. Obviously its staff and the student body have begun to enjoy their holiday ahead of us. Later at our office I learnt school would be over towards noon. And Mr T would offer a wedding dinner at some hotel in town around lunch time. At Mr W’s suggestion, I left school after getting the permission of principal well before the close of school.

It’s natural for me to fail winning respect
because all my efforts have come to nothing. But I’m quite sure I’m not an annoying
person.

一事無成不足敬，少惹嫌厭心自明。

I’ve never tried to find any community with
which to socialize. Only poetry and calligraphy keep me company without despising
each other.

交際塲上鮮蹤影，詩書爲伴未相輕。