"Bill, you never miss！"Joe said admiringly. "Unless I'm in a real game, "Bill complained. "Then I miss all the time. " Joe knew that Bill was right. Bill performed much better when he was having fun with Joe in the schoolyard than he did when he was playing for the school team in front of a large crowd. " Maybe you just need to practice more, "Joe suggested. "But I practice all the time with you！"Bill said. He shook his head. " I just can't play well when people are watching me. " "You play well when I'm watching, " Joe pointed out. "That's because I've known you since we were five years old, "Bill said with a smile. " I'm just not comfortable playing when other people are around. " Joe nodded and understood, but he also had an idea.

The next day Joe and Bill met in the schoolyard again to practice. After a few minutes, Joe excused himself. " Practice without me, "Joe said to his friend. "I'll be back in a minute. "

Joe hurried through the school building, gathering together whomever he could find-two students, a math teacher, two secretaries, and a coach. When Joe explained why he needed them, everyone was happy to help. Joe reminded（提醒）the group to stay quiet as they all went toward the school's basketball court. As Joe had hoped, Bill was still practicing basketball. He made five baskets in a row without noticing the silent people standing behind him.

"Hey, Bill" Joe called out finally. Bill turned. A look of surprise came over his face. "I just wanted to show you that you could play well with people watching you," Joe said. "Now you'll have nothing to worry about for the next game!"

   Harry Potter brings us a wonderful world of magic that has caught the imagination of millions of people on both the printed page and the silver screen with best-selling novels and popular films. However, you may be surprised to hear that children in Britain, home to the world's most popular novel Harry Potter, have a problem with reading. The problem, as far as the government, experts and many parents are concerned, is that kids are just not doing enough of it.

It's not just a question of children not reading the classics（经典作品）-difficult works by William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. Reading generally is in crisis（危机）in the UK. Many different reasons are gven: lack of encouragement from parents, competition from TV and the Internet and computer games. But the government and schools have not given up on the young. There are many activities to encourage kids to read more and develop children's love for reading.

The National Literacy Trust（NLT）, an organization set up by the government, has a plan called "Reading Champions". This summer Reading Champions has a challenge called "Quest Seekers". It is designed to take children into a mysterious and wonderful land where they can discover the joy of reading. The idea is to turn a trip to their local libraries into a kind of magical adventure, the kind that young readers love in the Harry Potter books.

Many older British people like myself feel sad because so few of the younger generation read books. We know that when you have a book, you will never be bored. Unlike some other school subjects like math and science, for many which will always be a necessary thing to learn rather than much fun, reading can be a real pleasure and books are lifelong friends.

   With an improved economy，many travelers have been buying first or business class seats，leaving fewer for upgrades（升级）.Here are some strategies for getting a free upgrade.

1. Fly a lot.

This is the most common way to earn a free upgrade. Most airlines reserve some spaces for travelers who fly at least 5，000 miles per year. Five years ago，this meant half or more of domestic（国内的）first class travelers sat up front for free. But now，airlines are selling more high-price seats，so on popular routes it is not unusual for more than 20 travelers to compete for one or two upgrades. But on routes with fewer business class travelers，free upgrades remain more plentiful.

2. Use miles.

If you're not a frequent traveler but still have some miles to fly，you may be able to use them for an upgrade. Be careful，though，as many airlines now ask not just for miles but also a cash co-pay. One example: on flights to Europe，American Airlines charges 5，000 miles，plus $110，for a one-way upgrade from discounted economy class to business class. For most domestic upgrades，American Airlines wants 15，000 miles plus $ 75.

3. Get lucky.

Sometimes airlines overbook coach（经济舱），and a few travelers get no seats. Agents try to ensure the airline's most loyal travelers get the nod（被选中）. Agents usually have some flexibility to make sure the plane is full and takes off on time. So it's the easiest way for them to do it-they might upgrade someone else out of order.

4. Save a life.

Flight attendants don't usually upgrade passengers, even when empty seats remain. Doctors and nurses who answer an emergency call are sometimes an exception. If they comfort a passenger, flight attendants might allow them to sit in business or first class for the rest of the flight.