No.1　　　New Masks, New Selves

　Have you ever worn a mask at a festival or in a school play? Then you know how much fun it is to become, for a short time, a monster or a comic-book hero. With masks we can change our identities and pretend to be someone or something else.
　This is one reason that masks have played an important part in many cultures for thousands of years. Many masks have religious meanings. For example, the Yupic people used to wear masks made of wood, animal skins, and feathers during special ceremonies. The masks represented natural forces, like the wind and rain, or animals, such as foxes, seals, and fish. During the ceremonies, dancers wearing masks would ask the spirits for help during the coming year. While Yupik ceremonies are rarely performed today, Native Americans in western Canada have recently returned to the old traditions of making and wearing masks.
　Masks are still used in a variety of cultures by actors, actresses, and dancers. This is not really surprising, since many types of theater developed from religious ceremonies in which masks played an important role. Japanese No drama, for example, developed from dances and dramas performed during festivals at shrines and temples in the twelfth century. There are over 100 different masks used in No plays, and the designs for these masks haven't changed much in hundreds of years.
　The religious importance of masks had decreased in modern times, but the theater and festivals have kept their magic alive. Hundreds of years from now, people will probably still be impressed by that magic.

No.2　　　Commercial Classrooms

　Advertisements can be found almost everywhere in today's world. There are commercials on TV and radio. Advertisements also appear in newspapers and magazines, and on signs at sports events. These days, more and more of these ads are being made especially for children.
　Companies know that children ae important customers. American elementary-school students alone, for example, spend alomost 15 billion dollars per year on such products as toys, cloths, and snacks. In addition, of course, children also have a lot of influence on what their parents buy.
　Until recently, schools were one place where children could escape from ads. But companies have been finding new ways to bring commercial messages into the classroom. The makers of Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola, for example, have each paid millions of dollars to schools in the state of Colorado. Now, only one company's drinks can be sold at each school walls and in playgrounds. The schools have used the money they have recieved to buy musical instruments, sporting goods, and new computers.
　Some parents and teachers aren't happy with ads in schools. They say that ads make students think more about spending money than studying. But those who agree with in-school advertising say that children already see so many ads that seeing a few more at school doesn't matter. They believe that money from companies can help schools give children a better education.
　People will probaly continue to argue about advertising in schools for a long time. But even if most schools decide not to allow ads, companies will surely find other ways to appeal to children.