Ever since I was seven years old, my body clock has been set to "nocturnal （夜间活动的） ". If I try to go to sleep earlier, I just lie awake, not sleepy at all. If I try to get up any earlier, it’s not a matter of being "a bit tired" ; I am hardly able to do anything. I feel groggy and find it hard to concentrate.

This caused lots of problems at school: I would wander around unconsciously, not taking anything in refused to go to school and my mum was blamed （责怪） for not being stricter about bedtime, but in reality there was nothing she could do. My mum would get annoyed but she knew that there was no point trying to sleep because she had the same problem.

Finally I was allowed to have classes in the afternoon with a tutor （家庭教师）. This enabled me to get a place at university, but the problems came up again. At first I forced myself to get up for 9 am lectures, but after five mornings I was crying from tiredness. I managed to pass my exams. It was a moment of success for me, proving I had imagination and determination after all these years of being misunderstood and called lazy.

But still I wondered why I couldn’t change my body clock. I have tried everything to change my sleeping habits — forcing myself by going to bed 15 minutes earlier every night, sitting in front of a light box in the morning, using blue candles and cutting out caffeine — but nothing has worked. I even tried sleeping pills, which put me to sleep earlier but didn’t help with the morning experience.

I was sad to discover there was no cure, but I wouldn’t give up.

   Students from Oceanside High School in Rockland will be able to sleep a little longer from this autumn.

The superintendent （负责人） of Regional School Unit 13 Lew Collins said during the school’s Thursday night meeting that the schedule （时刻表） for the schools will be changed. Oceanside East and West will start half an hour later, at 8 a. m. for the new school year.

Research has shown that teenagers’ brains are often not fully awake at 6: 30 a. m. Collins said the schedule, which is used to get students to go to school for classes that begin at 7: 30 a. m., calls for some to get on buses before 6 a. m. to get to school on time. Teachers are having meetings at 6: 40 a. m., which is too early, he thinks.

Collins visited the high schools in Rockland and asked students when they would like classes to begin. Most of them said 8 a. m. "I was surprised. I thought they would have said 9:00 or 10:00, "he said.

The National Sleep Foundation says on its website that teenagers’ biological clocks （生物钟） are designed to stay up later and get up later. The Foundation calls for schools to change their schedules, which mean a later start for elementary students （小学生） as well.

"We do not have enough buses to run, because all the high school and elementary school buses run almost at the same time," Collins said. He suggested, "We should buy six more buses and get six more drivers to keep the new schedule working."

Elementary school classes in Rockland now start at 8: 30 a. m., but they will be moved to 8:45 a. m, starting in the autumn. "I know this is a problem for working parents, but we will see what we can come up with," said Jane Brown, a teacher at Bardonia Elementary School. "Anyway, I believe if students get more sleep they’ll be more ready to learn when classes start," she added.

Sitting on the floor, Morteza Mehrzadselakjani’s raised arms stretch well over six feet. Standing up, the Iranian measures eight feet one inch, making him the 【小题1】（tall） athlete in the history of the Paralympics （残奧会）.

While his height has caused Mehrzadselakjani — known better as Mehrzad — to suffer in his entire life， on the sitting volleyball court it has made him a star. His 【小题2】（add） to the team that year helped Iran win the gold medal.

But Mehrzad’s 【小题3】（compete） advantage has come at a high cost. He suffers from acromegaly, 【小题4】 rare condition caused by the excess growth hormone.【小题5】 the age of 16, he already measured over six feet two inches. Several years earlier, a serious bicycle accident prevented his right leg from 【小题6】（grow） — it’s now six inches shorter than the left, making him difficult to walk. Mehrzad 【小题7】（normal） uses a wheelchair to get around.

Before finding sitting volleyball seven years ago, Mehrzad’s life 【小题8】（be） very different.

"I was alone and depressed," he said, " 【小题9】 my life has changed from playing sitting volleyball."

A coach saw Mehrzad on television and immediately discovered his potential. After training at regional Iranian clubs, he was selected for the national team and prepared for 【小题10】（he） Paralympic debut （首次登台） in Rio.

How to make friends at a new school

Starting with a new school can be difficult. Everything seems to be different, and you don’t even know where to go for your own classes. 【小题1】 However, if you use these skills, you can quickly turn some of those strangers into friends.

Be yourself.

【小题2】 If some people don’t accept you, they’re not the kind of friends you need. People often stay together because they have similar interests. For example, someone who does a lot of sport may make friends with those who also run or swim a lot.

【小题3】

Remember to be nice to the people you meet at your new school. If you think that you will say something that may make them feel sad, do not anything and just nod your head if they talk to you. Also, remember to be as helpful as possible!

Believe in yourself.

A smile goes a long way. When you walk in the halls, don’t keep your eyes on the floor. Raise your head and make eye contact （目光接触） with other people. 【小题4】 Introduce yourself. Tell them your name and where you’re from.

Remember people’s names.

You like it when people use your name, and so do other people. People may become angry if you just begin by saying "Hey" each time. Besides, ask them in a kind way if they have a nickname （绰号） . 【小题5】

As we all know, most of us school students feel somehow nervously whenever we’re taking an exam. There is no doubt whether exams are important to us, but it was also of great importance to have a right attitude towards them. As the matter of fact, exams are no more than a means of evaluation. However there is no need to worry too many about the results. Only by studying hard every day and make good preparations can we avoid suffering from the pressure of exam.

We had better to go out for a walk before exams. In addition, having enough sleep could make us full of energy and make possible for us to perform well in the exams.