1、Business Hours 营业时间 2、Office Hours 办公时间 3、Entrance 入口 4、Exit 出口 5、Push 推 6、Pull 拉

7、Shut 此路不通 8、On 打开 （ 放） 9、Off 关

10、Open 营业 11、Pause 暂停 12、Stop 关闭 13、Closed 下班 14、Menu 菜单 15、Fragile 易碎

16、This Side Up 此面向上 17、Introductions 说明 18、One Street 单行道

19、Keep Right/Left 靠左/右

20、Buses Only 只准公共汽车通过21、Wet Paint 油漆未干 22、Danger 危险

23、Lost and Found 失物招领处 24、Give Way 快车先行 25、Safety First 安全第一 26、Filling Station 加油站 27、No Smoking 禁止吸烟 28、No Photos 请勿拍照 29、No Visitors 游人止步 30、No Entry 禁止入内

31、No Admittance 闲人免进 32、No Honking 禁止鸣喇叭 33、Parting 停车处 34、Toll Free 免费通行 35、F.F. 快进 36、Rew. 倒带

37、EMS （邮政）特快专递 38、Insert Here 此处插入 39、Open Here 此处开启 40、Split Here 此处撕开

41、Mechanical Help 车辆修理 42、“AA”Film 十四岁以下禁看电影 43、Do Not Pass 禁止超车 44、No U Turn 禁止掉头

45、U Turn Ok 可以U形转弯

46、No Cycling in the School校内禁止骑车 47、SOS 紧急求救信号 48、Hands Wanted 招聘

49、Staff Only 本处职工专用 50、No Litter 勿乱扔杂物 51、Hands Off 请勿用手摸 52、Keep Silence 保持安静 53、On Sale 削价出售 54、No Bills 不准张贴 55、Not for Sale 恕不出售 56、Pub 酒店

57、Cafe 咖啡馆、小餐馆 58、Bar 酒巴

59、Laundry 洗衣店

60、Travel Agency 旅行社 61、In Shade 置于阴凉处

62、Keep in Dark Place 避光保存 63、Poison 有毒/毒品

64、Guard against Damp 防潮

65、Beware of Pickpocket 谨防扒手 66、Complaint Box 意见箱

67、For Use Only in Case of Fire 灭火专用 68、Bakery 面包店

69、Keep Dry 保持干燥 70、Information 问讯处 71、No Passing 禁止通行 72、No Angling 不准垂钓

73、Shooting Prohibited 禁止打猎 74、Seat by Number 对号入座

75、Protect Public Propety 爱护公共财物

76、Ticket Office（or ：Booking Office）售票处 77、Visitors Please Register 来宾登记

78、Wipe Your Shoes And Boots请擦去鞋上的泥土 79、Men“s/Gentlemen/Gents Room 男厕所 80、Women“s/Ladies/Ladies” Room女厕所 81、Occupied （厕所）有人 82、Vacant （厕所）无人

83、Commit No Nuisance 禁止小便 84、Net（Weight） 净重

85、MAN：25032002 生产日期：20xx年3月25日 86、EXP：25032002 失效期：20xx年3月25日 87、Admission Free免费入场

88、Bike Park（ing） 自行车存车处

89、Children and Women First 妇女、儿童优先 90、Save Food 节约粮食 91、Save Energy 节约能源 92、Handle with Care 小心轻放

93、Dogs Not Allowed 禁止携犬入内 94、Keep Away From Fire 切勿近火 95、Reduced Speed Now 减速行驶

96、Road Up. Detour 马路施工，请绕行 97、Keep Top Side Up 请勿倒立

98、Take Care Not to Leave Things Behind 当心不要丢失东西

99、Please Return the Back After Use 用毕放回架上 100、Luggage Depository 行李存放处

 

第二篇：初中英语三年3A复习资料 好东西齐分享

七年级英语背诵材料

(1)

A: what kind of noodles do you have?

B: Oh, a medium bowl, please.

C: OK, I’d like mutton and potato noodles, please.

D: I’d like some noodles, please.

E: What sizes do you have?

(2)

Can I help you?

What kind of noodles would you like?

We have beef, chicken, mutton, cabbage, potato, tomato...

Sure. And what size would you like?

we have large, medium and small bowls.

(3)

House of Dumplings!

Special 1 has beef and onions, and is just RMB 10for 15.Special 2 is only RMB 8 for 15, and has cabbage and mutton. Orange juice is only RMB 2.The dumpling and soup lunch special is RMB 10. Come and get your dumplings.

Dessert House And what size of dessert would you like? Small, medium, or large? We also have

(4)

Amy: How was your vacation, Lin? Amy: How was the weather? Lin: It was pretty good. Lin: It was hot and humid. Amy: How were the beaches? Amy: How were the people? Lin: They were fantastic. Lin: They were unfriendly.

(5)

Monday, July 15th

Great weather! It was sunny and hot all day. We went to a beautiful beach. We had great fun playing in the water. In the afternoon, we went shopping. The shops were too crowded, so I didn’t really enjoy it.

Tuesday, July 16th

Today it rained, so we went to a museum. It was kind of boring. I found a small boy crying in the corner. He was lost and I helped him find his father. That made me feel very happy. I didn’t have any money for a taxi, so I walker back to the hotel. I was really tired.

Wednesday, July 16th

Today the weather was cool, so we decided to play tennis. we play all morning. It 1

was really fun. We had Sichuan food for dinner. It was delicious!

(6)

A: What do you think of Dumpling king!

B:I love it.

A: Do you like Er Bao?

B: No, I can’t stand him. But I don’t mind his brother, Xiao Bao.

How about you?

A:I don’t like him. In fact, I don’t like sitcoms.

(7)

SCHOOL RULES

Don’t arrive late for class.

Don’t run in the hallways.

Don’t eat in the classrooms.

Don’t listen to music in the classrooms or the hallways.

Don’t fight.

(8)

John, you have to wear sports shoes for gym class.

At school we have to clean the classroom.

Mary, you don’t have to wear a uniform.

(9)

Welcome to the Garden District.

Turn left on First Avenue and enjoy the city’s quiet streets and small parks. Take a walk through the park on Center Avenue. Across from the park is an old hotel. Next to the hotel is a small house with an interesting garden. This is the beginning of the garden tour.

(10)

Dear Student,

My name is Bob. I live in Toronto, Canada, and I want a pen pal in China. I think China is a very interesting country. I’m 14 years old and my birthday is in November. I can speak English and a little French. I have a brother, Paul, and a sister, Sarah. They have pen pals in the United Kingdom and Australia. I like going to the movies with my friends and playing sports. My favorite subject in school is P.E. It’s fun. But I don’t like math. It’s too difficult!

Can you write to me soon?

Bob

(11)

Paul: Excuse me. Is there a hotel in the neighborhood?

Nancy: Yes, there is. Just go straight and turn left. It’s down Bridge Street on the right. It’s next to a supermarket.

Paul: Thank you very much.

Nancy: You’re welcome.

(12)

WANTED:

Do you like to work late? Do you like to work hard? Do you like to meet people? 2

If your answer is a ―yes‖, then we have a job for you as a waiter .Call Alan’s Restaurant at 555-3937.

SUMMER JOB: Do you like to talk with people? Do you like to write stories? Do you want to work for a magazine? Then come and work for us as a reporter. Please call Karen at 555-8823.

HELP WANTED:

Do you like to sing and dance? Do you like to work with other young people? Do you want to be in the school play? Do you like to work evenings and weekends? We need an actor today!

Call Frank at 555-2559.

(13)

Dear Linda,

Thanks for you letter and the photos .Here are some of my photos .In the first photo, I’m playing basketball at school. In the second photo, I’m swimming at the pool. In the next photo, you can see my family at home. We’re eating dinner. In the last photo, I’m with my sister Gina. She’s doing homework –I’m watching TV.

Mike

(14)

Thank you for joining CCTV’s Around the World show. Today, we’re in Australia. It’s a beautiful, sunny day! There are many people here on vacation. Some are taking photos. Others are lying on the beach. Look at this group of people playing beach volleyball. They look cool!

I am surprised they can play in this heat .this is a very interesting place. The people are really very relaxed!

(15)

Wang Lin is the captain of the basketball team. He’s tall and he is medium build .He has short straight hair. Wang Lin is very popular.

Ma Yan is thin and medium height. She has short curly blonde hair.

She’s good-looking but she’s litter bit quiet.

Xu Qian loves to tell jokes. She’s short and a little bit heavy. She has beautiful long black hair. She never stops talking.

Liu Peng is a good student. He’s very tall. He has curly brown hair and is medium build. He likes reading and playing chess.

(16)

Johnny Dean’s New Look!

Do you remember Johnny Dean, the pop singer with funny glasses and long curly hair? Well, now he has a new look .He doesn’t have long curly hair. He has short straight hair. And he doesn’t wear glasses. But some people don’t like his new look. ―I don’t think he’s so great,‖ says Ruth from New York.‖ ―But my mom does.‖

(17)

3

I had a busy weekend. On Saturday morning, I In the a book about history. Then in the afternoon, I with my friends. On

(18)

Do you think everyone enjoys their weekends? Old Henry does not. Last month, he went for a walk with Wang Wang, his cute dog. It was a nice day and Old Henry was happy. He sat down and watched Wang Wang play with a friendly black cat.

Then it was time to go home, Old Henry looked for his dog. But Wang Wang wasn’t there…

Now Old Henry is very sad. He has no dog and no family. He doesn’t want to do anything.

(19)

I often go to movies with my friend, Mike. My favorite actor is Paul Jackson. He has a new movie, MY Father’s Birthday. It’s a very funny comedy .Mike likes the actor Rick Smith. He really likes his movie, Black September. It’s a very successful thriller, but I think it’s boring .One interesting thing: Mike is English, but he likes Beijing Opera! He often goes to see Beijing Opera on weekends. Mike’s father likes it, too!

(20)

Musician Wanted for School Music Festival

Are you a musician? Can you sing? Can you dance? Can you play the piano, the trumpet, the drums, or the guitar? Then you can be in our school music festival. Please call Zhang Heng at 622-6033.

(21)

Scott works very long hours. He usually gets up at 17:00. He brushes his teeth and has a shower. Then he eats his breakfast. What a funny time to eat breakfast! After breakfast he plays his guitar, and then he goes to work. To get to work, he takes the number 17 bus to a hotel. The bus usually takes him to work at 19:50. He works all night. People love to listen to him! He gets home at 7:00, and he watches morning TV. He goes to bed at 8:30. Can you think what his job is?

(22)

Dear Jane,

it’ s Tuesday , November 11. I’m really busy! At 8:00 I have math. I don’t like math. Then at 9:00 I have science. It’s difficult, but interesting. Next, at 10:00, I have art. It’s boring, but at 11:00 I have P.E. That’s my favorite subject! I eat lunch at 12:00. After lunch, I have music. Music is relaxing. I like my music teacher, Mr. Cooper. He’s fun. My last class is at 2:00. After class I have volleyball for two hours. Our teacher is very strict and I’m usually very tired after class .Then I have Chinese history club. It’s really interesting!

4

Love,

Li Mei

(23)

I work with people and money. People give me their money or get their money from me.

I wear a white uniform and I help doctors. Sometimes I work in the day and sometimes at night.

I like talking to people. I meet interesting people every day and ask them questions. I work late. I’m very busy when people go out to dinners.

My work is interesting but kind of dangerous. Thieves don’t like me.

(24)

Dear friend,

I know you are arriving next Sunday. Let me tell you the way to my house. Take a taxi from the airport. You pass a bank on your right and then go down Long Street. You go through Sixth Avenue, Seventh Avenue, and Eighth Street and turn left at New Park. Go down Center Street and my house is on your right.

I hope you have a good trip.

Yours,

Mike

(25)

Molly

This is Molly. She is twelve years old. She is from Africa. She likes to play with her friends and eat grass.

Ling Ling

This is Ling Ling. She’s five years old. She’s from China. She’s very beautiful, but she’s very shy, so please be quiet.

Bill

This is Bill. Isn’t he cute? He is from Australia. He sleeps during the day, but at night he gets up and eats leaves.

5

八年级上 英语背诵材料 …But I’m pretty healthy. I exercise every day, usually when I come home from school. My eating habit is pretty good. I try to eat a lot of vegetables .I eat fruit and drink milk every day. I never drink coffee. Of course, I love junk food too, and I eat it two or three times a week. Oh, and I sleep nine hours every night. So you see, I look after my health. And my healthy lifestyle helps me get good grades. Good food and exercise help me to study better.

A: What’s the matter?

B: I’m not feeling well. I have a cold.

A: When did it start?

B: About two days ago.

A: Oh, that’s too bad. You should take some medicine.

B: Yes, I think so

A:I hope you feel better soon.

A healthy lifestyle, the Chinese Way

Traditional Chinese doctors believe we need a balance of yin and yang to be healthy. For example, are you often weak and tired? Maybe you have too much yin. Young should eat hot yang foods, like beef. Eating Danisheng and Huangqi herbs is also good for this. But people who are too stressed out and angry may have too much yang. Chinese doctors

Ben Lambert’s Vacation Plans!

Ben Lambert, the famous French singer, is taking a long vacation this summer! He thought about going to Greece or Spain, but decided on Canada. ―I always take vacation in Europe,‖ he said ―This time I want to do something different. I heard that Canada is beautiful, and I know there are many people there who speak French.‖

Ben is going to Canada’s Great Lakes. He is leaving the first week in June and staying until September. He plans to have a very relaxing vacation. ―I’m taking walks, going fishing, and going bike riding. I’m planning to spend time in the beautiful countryside. I love nature; I hope I can forget all my problems! At night, I’m renting videos, and sleeping a lot...A great vacation! I can’t wait! ‖ Lin Fei’s home is about 10 kilometers from school. He get’s up at six o’clock every day, showers and has a quick breakfast. Then he leaves for school at around six-thirty. First, he rides his bicycle to the bus station. That takes about ten minutes. Then the early bus takes him to school. The bus ride usually takes about 25 minutes.

How do students around the world get to school?

In North America, most students go to school on the school bus. Some students also walk or ride bikes to school. In other parts of the world, things are different. In Japan, 6

most students take trains to school, although others also walk or ride their bikes. In China, it depends on where you are .In big cities, students usually rides bikes to scholar take buses. And in places where there are rivers and lakes, like Hongshanhu and Kaishandao, students usually go to school by boat. That must be a lot more fun than taking a bus!

Hi Henry,

Thank you for your invitation. I’m sorry I can’t visit you this week. I am really busy. This evening I’m going to my cousin’s birthday party. And tomorrow, I have to go the dentist. (Yuck!) On Wednesday, I have tennis training with the school team. And I have to study for my chemistry test on Thursday. On Friday evening, I’m going to the movies with some friends. Can you come to the movies with us on Friday?

Write soon.

Sonia

Dear Isabel,

Thank you for your last letter, here are photos of me and my twin sister Lin Ying. As you can see, in some ways we look the same. And in some ways we look different. We both have black eyes and black hair, although my hair is shorter than hers. We both like sports, although Liu Ying is more athletic than me. She’s more outgoing, and I’m quieter. I think I’m smarter than her. My favorite subjects are physics and chemistry, and her favorite subject is P.E. However, we both enjoy going to parties.

Please visit us soon!

Love,

Liu Li

Some friends have opposite views and interests, and some like the same things. What is your opinion? Should friends be different or the same? We asked some people what they think and this is what they said.

I like to have friends who are like me. I’m quieter than most of the kids in my class, and my best friend Yuan Li is quiet, too. There are some differences, though. I’m smarter than Yuan Li. She’s more athletic.

James Green

It’s not necessary to be the same. I like to have friends who are different from me. My best friend Larry is taller and more outgoing than me. We both like sports. But Larry is more athletic than tennis. Also, I’m quieter than he is.

Huang Lei

I don’t really care. My best friend is Carol. Carol is very funny, and more outgoing than I am. But we both like doing the same things. I don’t think differences are important in a friendship.

Mary Smith

A: How do you make fruit salad?

7

B: First cut up the bananas, three apples and a watermelon. Next put the fruit in a blow. Then put in two teaspoons of honey and cup of yogurt. Finally mix it all up. Section B 3a

Ingredients

* 2 slices of bread

* 1 teaspoon of butter

* 1 onion (cut up)

* Lettuce

* 3 slices of chicken

* 2 teaspoons of relish

Super Chicken Sandwich

First, put the butter on a slice of bread. Then cut up an onion and a tomato. Add these to the bread. Next, put some lettuce and the chicken slices on the bread. Put the relish on the chicken. Finally, put another slice of bread on the top. Class 9 had a great time on the school trip. They went to Blue Water Aquarium for the day. First they visited the Visitors’ Center and watched a movie about sharks .Then they watched a dolphin show. After that , they went to the Outdoor Pool and saw a big octopus. After lunch , they went to the Gift Shop and bought lots of gifts. Finally, tired but happy, they took the bus back to school. At the end of the day, the science teacher was very happy because the class monitor cleaned the bus after the trip.

Dear Tom,

How was your day off? Did you have fun camping? I didn’t have a very fun day. I visited my cousins. It rained all day. In the morning. I stayed in the house and watched DVDs,played computer games and read. In the afternoon, Uncle Martin put some of his old things out in the yard and had a yard sale! However, no one came to the sale because the weather was so bad. Luckily, we brought our umbrellas and raincoats, so we didn’t get wet.

See you soon Nick You are never too young to start doing things. For example, Tiger Woods started golfing when he was only ten months old. Mozart started writing music when he was four years old. And Ronaldo, the great Brazilian soccer player, played for his national team when he was seventeen.

Li Yundi ,a well-known Chinese pianist, always loved music. He was born in 1982 in Chongqing. When he was a small boy, e could hum songs and difficult pieces of music. He began to learn the accordion at the age of four, and he started to learn the piano when he was seven. In October 2000, Li Yundi took part in the 14th Chopin International Piano Competition in Poland. He won first prize in his group. He was also the first Chinese pianist in the 70-year history of the competition to win this prize.

8

My dream job

When I grow up, I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m going to move somewhere interesting. Paris sounds like a city that I could enjoy. There are lots of art exhibitions there. I want to be an artist. So how am I going to do it? First, I’m going to find a part-time job for a year or two and save some money. Then I’m going to be a student at an art school in Paris. And I’m going to study French at the same time. Next, I’m going to hold art exhibitions because I want to be rich and buy a big house for my parents. I also want to travel all over the world. One day, I’m going to retire somewhere quiet and beautiful.

New Year’s Resolution Survey Results

We got over 1,000 letters, faxes and e-mails from our readers about their New Year’s resolutions. Many readers are going to work harder in school this year. Lots of readers are going to play sports. Some readers are going to eat more vegetables. A few readers are going to learn a new language. Some girls are going to exercise more to keep fit. Some parents are going to study the subjects their children learn at school. They want to communicate better with their kids. One old lady is going to leave her job and she wants to find a job as a language teacher in China.

Nancy,

Thanks for taking care of my dog. Could you please do these things every day? Take him for a walk. Give him water and feed him. Then wash his bowl. Play with him. Don’t forget to clean his bed. Have fun! See you next week.

Thanks

Tomas

Where I'm from, we’re pretty relaxed about time. If you tell a friend you're going to their house for dinner, it’s okay if you arrive a bit late. Spending time with family and friends is very important to us. We often just drop by our friends' homes. We don't usually have to make plans to meet our friends. Often we just walk around the town center, seeing as many of our friends as we can!

In Switzerland, it’s very important to be on time. We’re the land of watches, after all! If someone invites you to meet them at 4:00, you have to be there at 4:00.If you're even fifteen minutes late, your friend may get angry. Also, we never visit a friend's house without calling first. We usually make plans to see friends. We usually plan to do something interesting, or go somewhere together.

Dear Laura,

Thanks for your message. I’m having a great time on my exchange program in France. It’s even better than I thought it would be. I was a bit nervous before I arrived here, but there was no reason to be. My host family is really nice. They go out of their 9

way to make me feel at home. And you wouldn't believe how quickly my French has improved! I’m very comfortable speaking French now. Although I still make lots of mistakes, it doesn't brother me like it used to. My biggest problem is learning how to behave at the dinner table. As you can imagine, things are really different from the way they are at home. For example, you’re not supposed to put your bread on your plate. You’re supposed to put it on the table! I thought that was pretty strange at first, but now I'm used to it. You’re not supposed to eat anything with your hands except bread, not even fruit!(You have to cut it up and eat it with a fork)Another thing is that it is very rude to say you're full. If you don't want any more food, you should just say,‖ It was delicious.‖ Also, it’s rude to put your hands in your lap. You should always keep your hands, but not your elbows, on the table. I have to say, I find it difficult to remember everything, but I'm gradually getting used to things and don't find them so strange any more. I’ll write soon and tell you more about life in France. Hope you're having a good school year.

Wang Kun

10

八年级下 英语背诵材料 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. In ten years, I think I’ll live in Shanghai, because I went to Shanghai last year and fell in love with it. I think it’s really a beautiful city. As a reporter, I think I will meet lots of interesting people .I think I’ll live in an apartment with my best friends, because I don’t like living alone. I’ll have pets. I can’t have any pets now because my mother hates them, and our apartment is too small. So in ten years, I’ll have many different pets. I might even keep a pet parrot! I’ll probably go skating and swimming every day. During the week I’ll look smart, and probably will wear a suit. On the weekend, I’ll be able to dress more casually. I think I’ll go to Hong Kong on vacation, and one day I might even visit Australia.

Eve: I need to get some money to pay for summer camp. What should I do? Anna: Well, you could get a part-time job.

Eve: I don’t have time.

Maria: I have an idea. You could borrow some money from your brother. Eve: No, he doesn’t have any money, either.

Dennis: I think you should ask your parents for some money.

Anna: Or you could sell your CDs.

Eve: No, I don’t think so. I love my CDs.

Dennis: Maybe you could have a bake sale.

Eve: No, I can’t bake.

Dennis: Then maybe you should call‖ Teen Talk‖, the radio advice program.

Dear Mary,

I have a problem, and I need your help. I always thought I was popular at school. But I just found out that my friends were planning a birthday party for my best friend, and they didn’t invite me. Everyone else in my class was invited except me, and I don’t know why. I can’t think what I did wrong. I’m very upset and don’t know what to do. What do you think? Can you help me?

Yours,

Lonely Kid

11

Tony: What are you doing for vacation, Lin Hui?

Lin Hui: I’m going to Tibet for a week.

Tony: That sounds interesting! What are you doing there?

Lin Hui: I’m going hiking in the mountains. How about you, Tony? What are you doing for vacation?

Tony: I’m visiting my friend in Hong Kong.

Lin Hui: Oh, yeah? How long are you staying?

Tony: Well, have a good time! Send me a postcard from Hong Kong!

Lin Hui: Sure. Show me your photos when we get back to school.

Ben Lambert’s Vacation Plans!

Ben Lambert, the famous French singer, is taking a long vacation this summer! He thought about going to Greece or Spain, but decided on Canada. ―I always take vacations in Europe,‖ he said. ―This time I want to do something different. I heard that Canada is beautiful, and I know there are many people there who speak French.‖ Ben is going to Canada’s Great Lakes. He is leaving the first week in June and staying until September. He plans to have a very relaxing vacation. ―I’m taking walks, going fishing, and going bike riding. I’m planning to spend time in the beautiful countryside .I love nature. I hope I can forget all my problems! At night, I’m renting videos and sleeping a lot…a great vacation! I can’t wait!‖ Dear grandma,

How’s it going? I hope that grandpa is well now. I was sorry to hear that he had a cold last week. I hope you are in good health.

Things are fine here. I finished my end-of-year exams last week and got my report card today. I always get nervous when I see the envelope from school in the mail, but luckily I did OK this time. I had a really hard time with science this semester, and I wasn’t surprised to find that my worst report was from my science teacher. She said I was lazy, which isn’t true. It’s just that I find science really difficult. Another disappointing result was in history. My history teacher said I could do better. The good news is that my math teacher said I was hard-working. And my Spanish teacher said my listening was good.

Well, that’s about all the news I have for now. Mom and Dad send their love.

Love,

Alan

End of Year Party

I want you to remember the rules for school parties.

1. Don’t wear jeans! If you wear jeans, we won’t let you in.

2. Don’t bring food to the party. If you do, the teachers will take it away.

3. Don’t bring friends from other schools. If you do, the teacher will ask them to leave.

4. Don’t leave the gym during the party. If you do, the teacher will call your 12

parents.

5. Don’t run or shout at the party. If you do, you’ll have to leave.

6. Please bring your ID card. If you don’t have your ID card, you can’t go to the party. For many young people, becoming a professional athlete might seen like a dream job. If you become a professional athlete, you’ll be able to make a living doing something you love. If you become famous, people all over the world will know you. Many athletes give money to schools and charities, and do a lot of work to help people. This is a great chance that many people do not have.

However, professional athletes can also have many problems. If you are famous, people will watch you all the time and follow you everywhere. This can make life difficult.

If you play sports for a living, you job will sometimes be very dangerous. Many professional athletes get injured. And if you become rich, you will have a difficult time knowing who your real friends are. In fact, many famous people complain that they are not happy. They say they were happier before they became rich and famous. I’m talking to you from the Hilltop School Skating Marathon. Here; students are skating to raise money for charity. For every hour they skate, each student raises ten Yuan for charity. The skating marathon has been going for five hours now, and several skaters are still skating. Alison was the first one to start and has been skating for the whole five hours. Next is Sam, and he has been skating for four hours Ming has been skating for four hours too, and Li Chen just started an hour ago.

Dear Jack,

Thanks for sending me the snow globe of the monster. I love it. In fact I think it’s probably my favorite. I’ve been collecting snow globes for seven years, and now I have 226 of them. My mom says I have to stop, because we’ve run out of room to store them. They’re all around our apartment. I even store them in boxes under my bed. The first one I ever got was a birthday cake snow globe on my seventh birthday. I particularly love globes with animals. I have a big one with bears in it and another one with penguins. If you know anyone else who collects him or her, please tell me. I’d like to start a snow globe collectors’ club. By the way, what’s your hobby?

Love Ellen Dear Larry,

Your father is at a meeting and I’m going shopping. I need your help.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. If you finish these tasks, we can go to a movie tonight

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The trendiest kind of pet these days is the pot-bellied pig. David Smith of North

London has a pot-bellied pig named Connie. ―Pot-bellied pigs make the best pets,‖

said David. ―She watches TV on the sofa with me every night. She’s my best friend.‖

However, life with a big isn’t always perfect. ―When I got my pig, she was small,‖

said David, ―but she eats a lot. Now she’s too big to sleep in the house, so I made her

a special pig house. Also, pigs need a lot of love. Sometimes I don’t have enough time

to spend with her.‖

I can’t stand it!

We asked some people what annoyed them. Here’s what they said:

I don’t like when a shop assistant has a conversation. When that happens, I

usually say,‖ Would you mind helping me?‖ And I don’t like it when shop assistants

follow me around. Then I say, ―Could you please not follow me around? I’ll ask you

if I need some help. ‖Usually they shop assistants say they are sorry, but sometimes

they get mad. If that happens, I won’t go back to that store again.

I get annoyed when someone talks to me while I’m reading. This happens to me

all the time in the school library. When it happens, I usually talk to the person because

I want to be polite. But because I’m polite, people don’t know I’m annoyed. So they

do the same thing again. Perhaps in the future I should try not to be so polite.

Have you ever been to Disneyland?

Most of us have probably heard of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and many other

famous Disney characters. Perhaps we have ever seen them in movies. But have you

ever been to Disneyland? In fact, there are now several different Disneyland

amusement parks around the world.

Disneyland is an amusement park, but we can also call it a theme park. It has all

the normal attractions that you can find at an amusement park, but it also has a theme.

The theme, of course, is Disney movies and Disney characters .For example, you can

find a roller coaster in most amusement parks, but in Disney, the theme of the roller

coaster is Disney characters. This means that you can find Disney characters all over

the roller coaster. You can also watch Disney movies, eat in Disney restaurants, and

buy Disney gifts. And you can see Disney characters walking around Disneyland all

the time!

Have you ever heard of a Disney Cruise? These are huge boats that also have the

Disney theme. You can take a ride on the boat for several days, and you can sleep and

eat on board. There are also many attractions on board, just like any other Disneyland.

You can shop, go to Disney parties, and eat dinner with Mickey Mouse! The boats

take different routes, but they all end up in the same place. That is Disney’s own

island.

It is just so much fun in Disneyland!

Come to the Hilltop Language School and change your life.

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Here’s what two of our students said about our school.

When I was a young girl, all I ever wanted to do was travel, and I decided that the best way to do this was to become a flight attendant for two years now. It’s a really interesting job because I travel all over the world. I discovered that the most important requirement was to speak English well, so I studied English at the Hilltop Language School for five years before I became a flight attendant. It was because I could speak English that I got the job. Thank you, Hilltop Language School!

Mea Shan

I want to be a tour guide. In fact, it’s all I have ever wanted to be. I want to travel, especially to English-speaking countries such as the United States and Australia. However, I know that I have to improve my English, so I’ve started taking lessons at the Hilltop Language School. The Hilltop Language School has really helped me learn English. I’ve been a student here for a year now, and I really love it. Maybe when I leave school I’ll think about becoming an English teacher rather than a tour guide!

David Fang

A: This is great weather, isn’t it?

B: It sure is. But it’s a little hot for me.

A: Oh, I love hot weather; A: I’m going to Today Beach. B: I usually go to Sandy Beach.

A: B: No, it’s never crowded. Well, have a good day! B: Goodbye.

Dear Kim,

Sometimes it isn’t easy being the new kid at school, but I had a wonderful time on Saturday night. Thank you so much for inviting me. I didn’t know some of the girls, but they were all really friendly to me. And the video you showed was really funny. I feel like part of the group now.

Maria

Dear Tony,

Thanks for showing me the school last week. I was having a hard time finding it until you came along. And I enjoyed meeting Carlos. He’s really good at math, isn’t he? He said he’d help me with my math project. Friends like you make it a lot easier to get along in a new place.

Bill

Dear Allen,

Thanks for the tickets for next week’s game. I’m sorry you and your father can’t go, but I’m really happy to have the tickets. I’m going to ask my cousin, Tommy, to go with me. I’ll think of you as we watch the Black Socks win the game. (I hope!)

John

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九年级 英语背诵材料 How do you learn best？

This week we asked students at New Star High School about the best ways to learn more English. Many said they learnt by using English. Some students had more specific suggestions. Lillian Li, for example, said the best way to learn new words was by reading English magazines. She said that memorizing the words of pop songs also helped a little. When we asked about studying grammar, she said, ―I never study grammar. It’s too boring.‖

Wei Ming feels differently. He’s been learning English for six years and really loves it. He thinks studying grammar is a great way to learn a language. He also thinks that watching English movies isn’t a bad way because he can watch the actors say the words. Sometimes, however, he finds watching movies frustrating because the people speak too quickly.

Liu Chang said that joining the English club at school was the best way to improve her English. Students get lots of practice and they also have fun. She added that having conversations with friends was not helpful at all. ―We get exciting about something and then end up speaking in Chinese,‖ she said.

How I learned to learn English

Last year my English class was difficult. First of all, it wasn’t easy for me to understand the teacher when she talked. To begin with, she spoke too quickly, and I couldn’t understand every word. Later on, I realized that it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand every word. I was also afraid to speak in class, because I thought my classmates might laugh at me. I couldn’t always make complete sentences, either. Then I started to watch English-language TV. It helped a lot. I think that doing lots of listening practice is one of the secrets of becoming a good language learner. Another thing that I found very difficult was English grammar. So I decided to take lots of grammar notes in every class. Then I started to write my own original sentences using the grammar I was learning. It’s amazing how much this helped. Now I am enjoying learning English and I got an A this term. My teacher is very impressed.

My biggest problem

My biggest problem is that I’m too busy, when I was young, I used to have so much time, but these days I get up early and stay in school all day. Then I go right home and eat dinner. Before I started high school, I used to spend a lot of time playing games with my friends, but I just don’t have the time anymore. In the evening, I used to watch TV or chat with my grandmother, but now I have to study. I love music, and my father used to take me to concerts. These days, I hardly ever have time for concerts. I do my homework and go to bed. I really miss the old days.

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He used to cause a lot of trouble

Martin Murray is a fifteen-year-old boy. He used to be a ―problem child‖, but a recent conversation with his mother changed his life. He didn’t use to give his mother many problems. However, after his father’s death a few years ago, Martin’s life became much more difficult. His mother couldn’t afford to pay for her child’s education. To do this, she had to work, and so was often not at home.

His mother looked after him as well as she could. Unfortunately, Martin still caused problems for himself and his family. He was not interested in studying and he often got into trouble with the police. Luckily, his mother was very patient and didn’t give up. In the end, she made a difficult decision: to send him to a boys’ boarding school. Martin hated it and used to cause a lot of trouble. One day, he told his teacher he wanted to leave the school. Even the teacher agreed that Martin was wasting his time.

The head teacher said it was necessary for Martin to talk with his mother. Martin called his mother, but to his surprise, this phone call changed his life. ―It was exactly what I needed,‖ he said. ―My mother helped me to understand how much she had given me. She also told me that even though my father was no longer with us, he was watching me and would always take pride in everything good I do. That’s when I decided to change. I realize that since my father died, I have been afraid of being alone, and have tried to make my mother pay more attention to me.‖

Now Martin has really changed. He has been working hard and is now one of the best students in his class. How was he able to change? His mother’s love helped him to feel good about himself, and as Martin himself says,‖ It’s very important for parents to be there for their children.‖

The other day, my friends and I talked about the rules that we have in school. At our school, we have to wear uniforms every day. The problem is that all my classmates think the uniforms are ugly. We think young people should look smart and so we would like to wear our own clothes. Our teachers believe that if we did that, we would concentrate more on our clothes than our studies. We disagree. We would feel more comfortable and that is good for studying. If we can’t do that, we should be allowed to design our own uniforms. That would be a good way to keep both teachers and students happy.

It’s also probably a good idea for parents to allow teenagers to study in groups during the evening. I know we get noisy sometimes, but we learn a lot from each other. We also think that vacations should be longer. At present they are too short. Longer vacations would give us time to do things like volunteering. Last summer I had an opportunity to volunteer at the local hospital, but I couldn’t because I had to go back to school. It would be a good experience for me because I want to be a doctor when I’m older.

Helping and Learning

At our school, we sometimes have a special day to help others. Last year we went to an old people’s home and sang songs and performed a play for them. The old 17

people were very happy. We should be allowed to take time to do things like that more often. For example, we should visit primary schools and help teach young students. I want to be a teacher when I’m older, so it would be a great experience for me. Other students would like to do other jobs. For example, my friend Tian Ge wants to write for a newspaper. She should be allowed to volunteer at the newspaper office once a week. On Friday, January afternoons, many students are sleepy after a long week of classes. Some students should be allowed to have Friday afternoons off to volunteer and help others.

Should I be allowed to make my own decisions?

Many teenagers have hobbies. But sometimes these hobbies can get in the way of schoolwork, and parents might worry about their child’s success at school. Teenagers often think they should be allowed to practice their hobbies as much as they want. Do you agree?

Liu Yu, a fifteen-year-old boy from Shangdong, is a running star. He is on his school running team and has always wanted to be a professional athlete. However, his parents won’t allow him to train as much as he would like to. ―Of course we want to see Liu Yu achieve his dreams,‖ says Mr. Liu, ―and we know how much he loves running. That’s great, and my wife and I have watched him in every one of his races. We have nothing against running! But we do think that our son needs to be realistic. Now that he is getting older, he needs to think about what will happen if he doesn’t become a professional runner in the end.‖

Liu Yu doesn’t really agree. ―Well, I should be allowed to make decisions for myself,‖ he says. ―My parents have always taught me the importance of working hard and not just to do what I enjoy. I understand this. But I’m serious about running. Being a professional runner is the only thing I have ever wanted to do.‖

Mr. and Mrs. Liu believe that Liu Yu should study hard in the evenings, and so they don’t allow him to practice running on school nights. ―I know this might seem strict,‖ says Mrs. Liu, ―but we think we’re doing the right thing. He has to understand that very few people can become professional athletes. It’s a very difficult dream to achieve. We don’t allow him to practice every day because we think he needs to spend time on his homework.‖

But Liu Yu still doesn’t agree. ―I know my parents care about me,‖ he says. ―But they are always talking about what will happen if I don’t succeed. But I will succeed! I think I should be allowed to make this decision for myself. Only then will I have a chance of achieving my dream.‖

probably confident. Social situations don’t bother you in the slightest. You know what you want, and you know to get it. Sometimes you might annoy people you’re so confident. and fairly confident, you have plenty of friends, and you enjoy the company of other people. People come to you when they want advice. Your friends would probably say 18

that you are easy to get along with. like talking to one or two person rather than a group. You would also rather stay at home and read a book rather than go to a party. You have a small circle of very good friends. Your friends would probably say you are a good listener.

Dear Anna，

I’m really anxious, because I can’t find my backpack. I think I dropped it during the concert so it might still be in the symphony hall. I really need it because I have a math test tomorrow. It’s crucial that I study for it because it makes up 30% of the final exam. I tried to call you but your mom said you were still at your optometrists appointment (I hope your new glasses look nice!).If you have any idea where it might be, please call me.

Thanks,

Linda

What would you do if…?

Martain Robinson is a famous doctor who has a lot of experience dealing with teenagers. His new book, What Would You Do If…? came out last month. It gives advice on what to do in lots of different situations. Here are tow pages from the book. ACCIDENTS

Q1: What would you do if you cut yourself by accident?

D: You should cover the cut with a clean cloth and press it hard. If it’s a deep cut, you should see a doctor.

Q2: If my grandmother fell downstairs and wasn’t moving, I’d hurry to call the hospital first. Is that correct?

D: Yes, speed is very important. Get the medical help first, then make her comfortable and stay with her.

Q3: What would you do if you burned yourself by accident?

D: Well, first find out how bad it is. Then put the burned area under cold running water.

Q4: What would you do if you injured your knee while running?

D: If I felt some pain, I’d stop exercising. And if it hurt for more than a few days I’d see a doctor.

PROBLEMS

P1: A friend offers you cigarettes at a party.

A: Of course you should refuse! If I were you, I’d also talk to your friend about the

dangers of smoking.

P2: Children often think medicine is candy and eat it.

A: You must always hide medicine from children, and you should tell children to

ask their parents before they eat ―candy‖ they find.

P3: An ―internet friend‖ has asked if you could meet.

A: You should tell your parents about it, agree to meet in a public place, and you

shouldn’t go alone.

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P4: You get pimples when you are nervous.

A: You should drink lots of water and ask your doctor for advice.

Subject: Can you help? From: Fran

Dear Knowledgeable

My best friend，Mei, has a problem. There is a really important English speech contest for our whole city next month. Our classmates want her to represent the class in the school contest. Everyone is sure she will win. It’s probably true. Mei is very clever and can speak English really well. In fact, she always comes top in the school exams. The problem is that she’s very shy. She doesn’t want to let her friend down, but she’s terrified of speaking in front of other people. She’s my friend, so she can tell me that she’s shy. But she can’t tell everyone that. I don’t think they would believe her. I can’t think of any good advice to give her, but you always come up with good solutions to people’s problems. What do you think I should tell Mei? What do you think I should tell the rest of the students?

Fran Strange events in Bell Tower neighborhood

Our neighborhood used to be very quiet. However, these days, strange things are happening in our neighborhood and everyone is unhappy. Zhou Gu, the local school teacher, is extremely worried. When he was interviewed by the local newspaper, he said, ―Every night we hear strange noises outside our window. My wife thinks that it could be an animal, but my friends and I think it must be teenagers having fun. My parents called the police, but they can’t find anything strange. They think it might be the wind. I don’t think so!

Zhou Gu’s next door neighbor Qi Hui is unhappy too. ―At first, I thought it might be a dog, but I can’t see a dog but I still hear the noises outside‖

Everyone in our neighborhood is worried, and everyone has his or her own ideas. There must be something visiting homes in our neighborhood, but what is it? Yellow River Fisherman

This is Hong Tao’s latest movie .I like Hong Tao. He’s made some great movies over the years. Unfortunately, this is the worst movie. If you’re looking for entertainment, stay at home and watch TV. Yellow River Fisherman is too long, and it’s really boring. It does have a few good features, though. I thought the fisherman’s wife was really funny.

Amy Kim Photography

Be sure to see this exhibition at the Lido Gallery. Amy Kim is one of the best-known Chinese photographers in the world today, and some of her most famous photos are on display in this exhibition .she really has something for everyone. There are many great photos of people and of the countryside. The few city photographs are less successful. I see the same things every day and they don’t interest me as much. 20

But this is a great show from a world-class photographer. Whatever you do, don’t miss this exhibition.

Wild and Windy

Over the years, we’ve seen musical groups with pretty strange names come and go. Few have stranger names this band. As the name suggests, the band has lots of energy. And they play the kind of music that I love to hear. Every song is really loud and you often can’t understand the words, but this is okay because the lyrics aren’t very good. However, these are musicians who make us happy-even on a Monday morning!

Dear Pan Pal,

I’m having a great time in Hong Kong, although I have to be honest and say that I prefer Shanghai. Still, it’s a great place to visit and I’m lucky to be here for six-month English course. Some other students are learning French. I might like to learn it too. What languages would you like to learn?

There’s just so much to see and do here. Last night I went to a Chinese music concert. Most of my friends like loud music that they can dance to. I prefer quiet, traditional music so the concert suited me just fine. What kinds of music do you like? Before the concert we went for Italian food. Do you like it? There are lots of different kinds of food here. My host family is taking me to an Indian film festival next weekend. I’m not sure what to expect because I’ve never seen an Indian before. Have you? Some people say they’re boring, but others say they’re great.

What kinds of films do you prefer?

Yours,

Lingling

I only eat food that tastes good

How important is keeping healthy to you? A group of young people got together to discuss this question. Here’s part of their discussion.

PETER: I’d like to stay healthy, but to be honest, I only eat food that tastes good. And if food tastes good, it’s usually bad for you, isn’t it? Cola tastes better than water, for example.

TONY: Well, food that is bad for you can taste good! But I prefer not to eat too much food that is fried, like, er, French fries. Do you eat fast food, Laura?

LAURA: Do I eat fast food? Never! I love to eat food that is healthy. I want to take care of my health, so I eat mainly fruit and vegetables. Oh! And I stay away from sugar you do too, don’t you?

TONY: Hm, yes. And I think most people are in agreement that fruit and vegetables are good for health. But, um, I would say that fast food itself isn’t always bad for you, but too much of it is not good.

LAURA: Actually, did you know that it’s been found in laboratory testing that some types of oil are really bad for us? So I don’t eat anything that’s been cooked in oil. Also, did you know that some foods might cause cancer? Like burnt barbecued meat. I’ve heard eating burnt food like this can increase the risk of cancer.

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PETER: Really! But I love to eat meat that’s well cooked, even if it is a little burnt. It’s delicious, and meat isn’t really dangerous, is it?

LAURA: Oh! Yes, it is! I never eat meat. It’s not at all good for our health. If I were you, I’d eat nuts instead.

TONY: Well, I agree it’s good to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, but I think it’s also fine to eat some meat or fish. People who eat a balanced diet should be healthier than those who only eat biscuits and hamburgers, shouldn’t they! I prefer to only eat food that I like, but isn’t it important to eat food that’s healthy, even if you don’t like it? The main thing is to have a good balance.

Dear Ace Travel

My family and I want to take a trip this summer somewhere in eastern China. I hope you can provide me with some information about the kinds of vacations that your firm can offer. We would like to travel to an exciting place and we do not mind how far we have to go. It has to be a place where we can do lots of outdoor activities, we especially love hiking and swimming, but any kind of outdoor activity is fine. We also need to stay in an inexpensive hotel or apartment. It would be nice if we could get a room with a kitchen so we could save money by cooking our own meals. The room needs to be big enough for three people. Also we would like to stay at a place with a big pool or somewhere near the ocean. Could you please give me some suggestions for vacation spots? Also, please let us know if it is best to travel by plane, train or bus. We would like to be away for about three weeks.

Thanks you very much!

S.T. Zhang

I’d Love to sail across the Pacific

We all dream about things that we would like to do and things we hope to achieve in the future. But are everybody’s dreams the same? Here are some of the findings of a survey about hopes and dreams, in which thousands of students across China took part.

What are the hopes of teenagers?

We received several different answers to the question:

What would you like to do after finishing your education? It seems some students would like to start work as soon as possible, so that they can help provide better lives for their parents. Other students hope to continue studying after finishing school and to go to university. Although money is important, many teenagers said they want to do job they enjoy. According to the survey the most popular choice of job is computer or programming.

What are the dreams of teenagers?

Teenagers have all kinds of dreams. Some are more realistic than others. For example, many students said they would like to be volunteers at the 2008 Olympics, maybe working as translators or tour guides. And quite a few said they dream of going to the moon one day.

According to the survey, less realistic dreams are also common, but many students reported that they were willing to work hard to achieve their dreams. Quite a 22

few dream of becoming famous, perhaps famous sportspeople or singers. Some said

they’d love to go on exciting trips, one student said she’d love to sail across the

Pacific Ocean. And then there are dreams that are impossible; three students said

they’d like to be able to fly!

Conclusion

It was clear from the survey that teenagers have similar hopes. It seems that

most students hope to have a good education and find a good job. On the other hand,

students dream of very different things, and even crazy things. It is very important to

dream, so hold on to your dreams; one day they may just come true.

Being a volunteer is great!

Number 77 High School is home to three very special young people: Li Huiping,

Lin Pei and Zhu Ming. These three students all volunteer their time to help other

people. This volunteer work takes each of them several hours a week, so it is a major

commitment. Huiping loves to read, and she puts this love to good use by working in

the after-school care center at her local elementary school. Here, she helps young

children to read. Lin Pei loves animals and plans to study to be a veterinarian when he

leaves school. He spends every Saturday morning working in an animal hospital. Zhu

Ming wants to be a professional singer. He sings for groups of people at the city

hospital to cheer them up. ―Volunteering is great!‖ says Huiping. ―Not only do I feel

good about helping other people, but I get to spend time doing what I love to do.‖ Lin

Pei says he has learned more about animals. Zhu Ming says he has met some

wonderful people at the hospital. The three students plan to set up a student volunteer

project at their school. ―Don’t put it off,‖ says Huiping. ―Become a volunteer today!‖

Last week everyone was trying to cheer up Jimmy, the Bike Boy. But this week,

Jimmy is happy again. On Monday, he told a radio interviewer that he had run out of

money to buy old bikes. He also put up some signs asking for old bikes and called up

all his friends and told them about the problem. He even handed out advertisement at

a local supermarket. Then he told the teachers at school about his problem and they

set up a call-in center for parents. The strategies that he came up with worked out fine.

He now has sixteen bikes to fix up and give away to children who don’t have bikes.

I’ll send you a photo of Lucky.

Dear Miss Li,

I’d like to thank you for sending money to ―Animal Helpers‖, an organization set

up to help disabled people. You see, you have helped make it possible for me to have

―Lucky‖, who has filled my life with pleasure. Let me tell you my story.

Being blind, deaf, unable to walk or use your hands easily is something that most

people cannot imagine. But there are many people who face these challenges, and I

am one of them. Because I can’t use my arms or legs well, normal things like

answering the telephone, opening and shutting door or carrying thing have always

been difficult for me. Then one day last year, a friend of mine said that she would like

to help me out. She said she would talk to ―Animal Helpers‖ to see if it would be

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possible for me to get a specially trained dog. She also thought a dog might cheer me up. I told her that I love animals and that I’d love to have a dog.

After six months of training with a dog at ―Animal Helpers‖, I was able to bring him home. My dog’s name is ―Lucky‖-a good name for him because I feel very lucky to have him. You see, I’m only able to have a ―dog-helper‖ because of your kind donation!

How does Lucky help me, you might ask? Well, he has been trained to understand different instructions. For example, I say, ―Lucky! Fetch my book,‖ and he does it at once. He is very clever and understands many English words, even some difficult ones like ―upstairs‖.

Lucky is an amazing dog. I’ll send you a photo of him if you like, and I could show you how he helps me too one day. And so I thank you again for supporting ―Animal Helpers‖. It is very important that this organization does not run out of money. Your donation is greatly appreciated and the money is well used to help disabled people like me.

Best wish, Liz Smith Who invented tea?

Did you know that tea, the most popular drink in the world (after water), was invented by accident? Although tea wasn't brought to Western world until 1610, this beverage was discovered over there thousand years before that. According to an ancient Chinese legend, the emperor Shen Nong discovered tea when he was boiling drinking water over an open fire. Some leaves from a nearby bush fell into the water and remained there for some time. The emperor noticed that leaves in the water produced a pleasant smell. It was quite delicious. And in this way, one of the world’s favorite drinks was invented.

Do you know when basketball was invented?

If you travel around china you will notice a very popular everywhere you go --basketball. This much-loved and active sport is enjoyed by many, for fun and exercise.

The sport of basketball is a little over hundred years old. It is played by more than 100 million people in over 200 countries including china, where basketball has been played in parks, schools, and even in factories.

Basketball was invented by a Canadian doctor named James Naismith, who was born in 1861. When he was at college, his class was once asked to invent a new game that could be played indoors during the long winters. Dr Naismith created a game to be played on a hard wooden floor, so the safety of the players was important. Knocking into players and falling down would be dangerous.

Dr Naismith divided the men in his class into two teams and taught them how to play his new game. The aim of basketball is for players to get a ball into the ―basket‖: a net hanging from a metal hoop. Players shoot from below the basket and may use the ―backboard‖ for guiding the ball into the basket. Players move towards one end of 24

the court while throwing the ball to each other.

It is believed that on December 21st, 1891, the first basketball game in history was played. Then in 1936 in Berlin, it became an Olympic event. A team from china took part, and although they didn’t win they used the experience to help develop the game at home. Since then, the popularity of basketball has risen worldwide, and the number of foreign players in America’s NBA (national basketball association has increased. Basketball has also become a more popular sport

for people to watch, and many young people dream of becoming famous basketball players.

I’ve never been late for school, but yesterday I came very close. My alarm clock didn’t go off, and by the time I woke up, my father had already gone into the bathroom and I had to wait for him to come out. I had to really rush. I took a quick shower, had some breakfast, and then ran off to the bus stop. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, the bus had already left. I started walking, but I knew I couldn’t get to school on time. Luckily, my friend Tony and his dad came by in his dad’s car and they gave me a ride. When I got to school, the final bell was ringing, only just made it to my class.

In 1938, a radio program by actor Orson Welles announced that aliens from Mars had landed on the Earth. He described where they had landed and told how they were moving across the United States. Welles was so convincing that hundreds of people believed the story, and panic set off across the whole country. By the time the authorities revealed that the story was a hoax, thousands of people had fled from their homes.

One April Fool’s Day, a reporter in England announced that there would be no more spaghetti because the spaghetti farmers in Italy had stopped growing spaghetti. Many people ran to their local supermarket to buy as much spaghetti as they could. By the time people realized that the story was a hoax, all of the spaghetti across the country had been sold out.

A famous TV star once invited his girlfriend onto his show on April Fool’s Day. He asked her to marry him. She was thrilled, because she said ―yes‖, he replied, ―April Fool!‖ That little joke didn’t have a very happy ending. The TV star lost both his girlfriend and his show. They’re all at the mall.

After school, a lot of young people go to the mall. We decided to talk to some students about why they go there.

Interviewer: Why do you go to the mall?

Yu Yue: I go to the mall because my friends hang out there, but I don’t really like it. Interviewer: Oh? Why not?

Yu Yue: The air isn’t fresh. I prefer being outside. Also, it’s usually crowded.

Interviewer: And how about you?

Li Jun: Oh, I love the mall. There’s always some-thing happening. There are a lot of free concerts there. It’s also just fun to watch people.

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Hu Peng: I like the mall, too. I like to go in the music store and listen to CDs. I also like to look at books in the bookstore.

Yu Yue: Well, when I go into stores I always spend too much money!

Eat, have fun and learn in Watertown! to visit the world’s largest water slides and eat at Uncle Bob’s. A different rock band plays at Uncle Bob’s every night. Kids will enjoy the Clown City Cafe. They have organized games and the staff dress up as clowns.

There’s also a lot for parents in Watertown. If they love good food, they can find it at the Farmer’s Market where the food is delicious cheap. While the children have fun, parents can take dance lessons on the beach. And everyone can learn something in Watertown. There are three museums! Teenagers love the Sports

Could you please lend me your pen?

Asking for information or help is a very common necessary activity, especially when we visit a foreign country. So knowing how to ask for information politely is important. In English, ―Where are the restrooms?‖ and ―Could you please tell me where the restrooms are?‖ are similar requests-both are correct English, but the first could sound rude. It’s important to use correct language, but sometimes this alone is not enough-we need to learn how to be polite when we make requests.

In English, just like in Chinese, we change the way we speak when talking with different people. The expressions you use might depend on whom you are speaking to or how well you know them. If you say to your teacher, ―Where is my book?‖ this will sound rude. But if you say, ―Excuse me, Mr. West. Do you know where my book is?‖ your question will sound much more polite. On the other hand, it might be alright to say ―Where is my book?‖ in some situations, perhaps with people you know well. And you would not usually say, ―Peter, lend we your pen.‖ A very direct order like this can sound rude in English. Usually in English polite questions are longer and include extra language such as ―Could you please…?‖ or ―Can I ask…?‖It sounds more polite to say, ―Peter, could you please lend me your pen?‖ Sometimes we might even need to spend some tine leading in to a question or request. For example, if you stop a stranger in the street, we might first say, ―Excuse me. I wonder if you can help me‖ or ―I’m sorry to trouble you but,‖ before asking them for help.

It might seem that speaking politely is more difficult than being direct, and in a way this may be true. However, in order not to offend people, learning about language etiquette is just as important as learning grammar or vocabulary. And doing this will also help you become better at English, or any other language you wish to speak.

Where I’m from, we’re pretty relaxed about time. If you tell a friend you’re going to their house for dinner, it’s okay if you arrive a bit late. Spending time with family and 26

friends is very important to us. We often just drop by our friends’ homes. We don’t usually have to make plans to meet our friends. Often we just walk around the town center, seeing as many of our friends as we can!

Dear Laura,

Thanks for your message. Yes, I’m having a great time on my exchange program in France. It’s even better than I thought it would be. I was a bit nervous before I arrived here but there was no reason to be. My host family is really nice. They go out of their way to make me feel at home. And you wouldn’t believe how quickly my French has improved! I’m very comfortable speaking French now. Although I still make lots of mistakes. it doesn’t bother me like it used to. My biggest challenge is learning how to behave at the dinner table. As you can imagine, things are really different from the way they are at home. For example, you’re not supposed to put your bread on your plate. You’re supposed to put it on the table! I thought that was pretty strange at first. But now I’m used to it. You’re supposed to eat anything with your hands except bread, not even fruit! You have to cut it up and eat it with a fork. Another thing is that it is very rude to say you’re full. If you don’t want any more food, you should just say, ―It was delicious.‖ Also, it’s rude to put your hands in your lap. You should always keep your hands, but not your elbows, on the table. I find it difficult to remember everything, but I’m gradually getting used to things and don’t find them so strange any more. I’ll write soon and tell you more about life in France. Hope you’re having a good school year.

Wang Kun

You’re supposed to write quickly!

Can you write in English? And can you also write e-mail English? Maybe not. E-mail English is a new kind of written English that is being used to save time.

A lot of e-mail English words might look unfamiliar to us-many look like rubbish! This is because they come from a computer program called ICO, which means I seek you. ICO is an e-mail ―chatline‖ that people use to have online conversations with friends. One Canadian teacher says, ―People can use their computers to talk to each other. But you are supposed to type quickly so the other person doesn’t get bored. Using e-mail English helps you write quickly.‖

E-mail English mostly uses two types of word. The first is ―abbreviation‖. This is formed by using the first letter of each word in the phrase. For example, BTW means ―by the way‖, and CSL means ―can’t stop laughing‖. The second kind of word is a ―homophone‖ – it’s created by combining letters and symbols or numbers to sound like other words. An example of this would be to write ―great‖ as ―gr8‖, or to write ―see u later‖ as ―CU18r‖.

When you write e-mail English you do not use punctuation marks only in the traditional way. You are also supposed to use them to show the emotion you are feeling. These are called ―emoticons‖. The advantage of using punctuation marks is that you can make faces with them. The most common one is the happy face-it looks like this :) and it is made with a colon and a right bracket beside it.

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E-mail English is fun-it’s almost like writing riddles. You can learn by yourselves, and experiment with your own ideas. It is not rude to write e-mail English but it is important to use it only at the proper time—when you are e-mailing a friend or sending a message to a friend on a mobile phone. But you shouldn’t use it in class, and remember your teachers will not be pleased if you write e-mail English in a test! Restaurant science

Restaurant owners have to know how to make food. . They also have to know how to make money. Here are some things they’ve learned from scientific studies. The color red makes people hungry. Red also makes customers eat faster. Many fast food restaurants, therefore, have red furniture or walls. Soft colors like pink and light blue make people relaxed, so they spend more time eating their meals. Soft light makes people look good, but it makes food look bad. Loud music may be nice at first, but it soon makes people want to leave. Hard seats also make customers want to eat quickly and leave. Many restaurants, especially fast food restaurants, use this knowledge to make customers only sit for about 20 minutes before they leave. Because customers don’t stay very long, small restaurants can serve many people every day. P104

Advertising: pros and cons

In the modern world, advertising is everywhere! Some people think that ads are great. Others hate ads, saying that they make our cities and countryside look ugly. Many ads are aimed specifically at teenagers, and some young people see more than 100 advertisements a day. It’s true that some ads can be very useful. For instance, they can help you to compare two different products so that you can buy the one you really need. They can also help you save money. When prices are listed, you can go to the store with the lowest price. Ads also tell you when stores are having sales. However, some advertising can be confusing or misleading. Sometimes the words sound good but don’t really tell you anything about the quality of the product. At other times, the picture in an ad looks a lot better than the real thing. So you have to be careful. At times an ad can lead you to buy something you don’t need at all.

Dear Diary,

I thought today was going to be really bad. To start with, it was raining, and rainy days make me sad. And it was my birthday, but when I got up, no one was home, and Mom and Dad hadn’t left me a note .I walked to school with my best friend, Gu .She didn’t say anything either. This made me a little angry. After all, I remembered her birthday last month, in class, the teacher asked me for my homework, but as I was so tense when I left home, I had forgotten to bring it with me. That made me annoyed with myself. But things got better .Gu invited me for lunch .I was so surprised .Mom and Dad and all my friends were there .I had a wonderful surprise birthday lunch. That made me VERY happy. Subject：So busy! From: Crystal 28

Hi Jake,

Sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner. I have so many chores to do today. I have to I started about an hour ago, but I haven’t finished. Then I have to take the dog for a walk, water my mom’s plants and do some shopping. I haven’t done any of those things yet because my grandfather came to chat with me. He loves talking and I love listening to him. He stared telling me about all of the chores he had to do when he was a kid. He had to get up at 5 am to chop wood and light the fire for breakfast. Then he had to collect water from the village well. Then he had to feed the animals – he and his family lived on the farm.

Anyway, I have to run now.

Take care,

Crystal

Don’t miss the New Ocean Waves!

Do you like pop music? Most people do. One of the best bands on the music scene is the New Ocean Waves. In the last twelve months, they’ve had three major concerts and made a hit CD. They’re going to appear on CCTV next month. And then they’re going to go on a world tour in which they will perform in ten different cities. Be sure not to miss them if they come to a city near you – if you can get tickets, that is.

―For years, we played other people’s songs,‖ says lead singer Zhu Wen. ―But now we play mostly our own songs. We’ve had a few songs in the top ten, but we really hope to have a number one hit some day.‖ Good luck to the New Ocean Waves! They’re off to a great start. And they’re really nice people. Did you know that they gave half of the money they made to a charity for homeless children?

He’s already visited the place where his ancestors lived.

Have you been back to the place where your ancestors lived, worked, studied and played? Robert Qian, a Chinese Canadian, already has. Now in China, he has found that his family is like a tall tree with long roots.

Robert is just one young overseas Chinese who has come to visit his ancestors’ homeland, as part of the In Search of Roots summer camp program. The program is organized by the local government of Guangdong Province. This program started in 1980, and so far has brought thousands of overseas Chinese students to China usually between 16 and 25 years old. Most, like Robert, can hardly speak any Chinese and have never been to China before.

The students mainly visit parts of Guangdong Province in southern China. During the two-week camp, they study Chinese culture, see changes that have happened in that area, and visit interesting sights. Going to their ancestors’ village is often the most exciting part of the trip. The students feel that they are part of the village, and experience village life. They drink from the village well, go for walks through the countryside, and watch the villagers do their daily activities.

Cathy Qin, a young American student, had this to say, ―Thanks to In Search of Roots, I am beginning to understand my Chinese roots and who I am. It has been a great trip, and I have so many memories of China to take with me.‖

The program leaders believe strongly in the program and say that the purpose of it 29

is to give young overseas Chinese the chance to learn more about themselves. ―I’ve really enjoyed the trip so far,‖ says Robert. ―This has been a big step for me, and I’m looking forward to finding out more about my roots during my time here.‖ Dear Editor,

I am writing to say that I am against building a new zoo in our town. Zoos are terrible place for animals to live. I have visited a lot of zoos in my life, and I have never seen one I liked or one that was suitable for animals to live in. Just last week, I visited a zoo and could not believe what I saw. The animals are kept in tiny cages and can hardly move at all. And they are only given food once a day. Is this a good way for animals to live? I do not think so.

Sincerely,

Disgusted

Dear Editor,

I visited our zoo yesterday and I was very surprised to find hardly anyone there. Zoos are very important places. They are like living textbooks for young people. They provide homes for many endangered animals and help to educate the public about caring for them. If we don’t support our zoos, they won’t have enough money to take care of so many fine animals. I urge all of your readers to visit our wonderful zoo soon.

Sincerely,

Animal Friend

The house of trash

You have probably never heard of Amy Winterbourne, but she is a most unusual woman. She lives in a house that she built herself out of trash. Well, the stuff used to be called trash, but now it’s called ―recycled‖ material. The windows and doors came from old buildings around the town that were being pulled down. The walls are made from old glass bottles that are glued together. The roof is made from discarded tiles. And the president Jackson Smith said, ―Amy is an inspiration to us all.‖

And what does Amy do in her spare time? She makes model toys out of old TVs and sells them to raise money for the Children’s Hospital.

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