This paper attempts to analyze the critical issue of textbook marketization. Through gathering news and public opinion on textbooks related to curriculum reform for compulsory education (1-9) from major newspapers, the researcher summarized three main issues related to curriculum reform: 1. textbook marketization; 2. textbook editing and review policy; 3. the use of textbooks. Here the researcher only examines the issue of textbook marketization. Based on the analysis of a disputed issue and the reflection on policy, the conclusions of this paper are as follows: 1. the problem of textbook pricing is lacking an effective solution; 2. the role of government in the textbook market should be redefined. This paper also critiques the approach of discourse analysis.

　　Textbooks are still widely used in schools in Hong Kong despite the Government policy of encouraging the development of school-based teaching and learning materials. Behind this situation lies the fact that teachers have neither the time nor the expertise to design high-quality school-based learning materials. The Hong Kong Government, in line with its laissez-faire economic policy, has treated textbook publishing as a commercial activity. The competition among publishers has led to continuous improvement efforts. However, this system does not imply that the Government has no part to play. Textbook publishers usually submit their products to the Government for review. This is a major part of the quality assurance system of textbook publishing. In addition, teacher professionalism in selecting textbooks is an essential condition of the success of the textbook marketization mechanism.

　　This study was based on “International Understandings” and the main approach was to review “Across the Centuries”, an 8th grade textbook on Social Studies, Vancouver, Canada. In the book, there is one chapter (30 pages in total) about China, it starts from the end of the Han Dynasty and ends in the early Qing Dynasty. The key points include: 1. Introducing China during the “Chaos” period; 2. How Buddhism was introduced and flourished in China; 3. China’s reconstruction base—national identity; 4. The Great wall as the world’s longest cemetery; 5. Poetry and painting achievements in the Tang and Song Dynasties; 6. Integration of the imperial exam and merit system; 7. The economic growth and development of the “merchant and trader” class during the Tang and Song periods; 8. Outstanding Chinese inventions—printing, compass and gunpowder; 9. Mongolian rulers strengthened China’s contact with the world; 10. Centralization and tyranny of the Ming Dynasty; 11. Zheng He’s voyage to the western oceans; 12. Cultural and population transitions in the early Qing Dynasty.
　　Except for some obvious mistakes or misunderstandings in this textbook, there are some points that need further consideration: 1. Introducing China from the Han Dynasty might be inappropriate; 2. Among the emperors introduced, Sui Wendi appears more frequently; 3. The inconsistency in the naming of emperors; 4. Use of Dhammapada to present Buddhism not so familiar; 5. Some unsuitable examples of Chinese literature; 6. The portrait of Kublai Khan remains in doubt; 7. The source country for the fast-growing rice of the Song Dynasty is debatable.
　　In conclusion, the efforts made in “Across the Centuries” can help us reconsider and learn more about this issue.

　　This study aims to explore teaching materials for life education in the field of Integrative Activities for junior high school, which are published by Nani Publishing CO., LTD, Kang Hsuan Educational Publishing Group, and Han Lin Publishing CO., LTD. Interviews with Integrative Activities teachers, reveal their opinions on life education teaching materials, which are illustrated, discussed, and verified. Several findings are summarized as follows:
　　First, “life adaptation” is the focus of the majority of the Integrated Activities textbooks. There is insufficient teaching material focused on “life and death education”, “morals and ethics”, and “philosophy of life.”
　　Secondly, life education usually implies several subcategories, such as “Self-concern” and “Interpersonal Interaction.” There is insufficient teaching material focused on subcategories like Hospice & “Palliative Care”, “Suicide Prevention”, “Moral Education”, “Controversial Issues”, “Religious Education”, and “Beliefs about Life.”
　　Thirdly, teachers deem that the textbooks are supposed to include “People and Themselves”, “People and Others”, “People and Surroundings”, and content which is close to students’ daily life and which focuses on experience sharing. This paper also illustrates the difficulties that still remain in implementing life education, such as imbalanced curriculum oriented towards entrance examinations and the relatively low number of periods that this subject field is taught.

　　“Classification” and “Composition” are two essential lexicon relations which are typically embedded within statements in science textbooks. The purpose of this study is to explore student comprehension of the Classifications and Composition relations in science textbooks. Three hundred and sixty-eight junior and senior high students participated in this study. An excerpt text was chosen from a passage on “matter and atoms” in junior high science textbooks as the treatment text and the “Science Lexicon Relation Questionnaire” was developed to detect students’ comprehension. The results revealed students could recognize the discrimination between Classification and Composition of science lexicons. Meanwhile, senior high student understanding was better than that of junior high student. However, there were some students who did not clearly comprehend either or confused the two lexicon relation, especially for the blend-composition relations. Moreover, they could explain the blend-composition from their daily common-sense. To conclude, this study might be of importance in exploring lexicon relations in science textbooks, as well as in providing scientific teachers with a better understanding of student comprehension of these lexicon relations in their science learning.