Lily came from a very poor family in New York. When she was sixteen years old，her mother died. Her father couldn't 1 her，so she became homeless. Sometimes she stayed with friends， 2 usually she spent all night in the underground. With the help of a3 teacher，she finished high school in just two years and went to Harvard University. Now she gives4 about her experiences. Her story was5 into a popular film.
Ark is from a small country in Africa. When he was six years old，he and some 6 young boys ran away from home because of war. They 7 for hundreds of kilometres to find safety. During the8 ，some of his friends died because they had no food. Ark 9 made it to another country. He wrote a book and told people about his 10 . The money from the book goes to help people of his country.
Christmas is around the corner! It only comes once a year. It's a time to spread cheer， To those we love and hold so dear. Christmas is a time for us to get along. It's a time for those like you and me， To sit beneath（在……下面）the Christmas tree， And share happiness with each other. Christmas is a time to exchange gifts with friends and family. Everybody feels happy and warm when they receive gifts during the holiday. Christmas is a time to celebrate the passing of another year. It is a time to show loved ones how much we care about them. |
"Giving brings more joy than receiving. "We often hear these words from many great people. But do you know who shows this best？They are volunteers.
Volunteers usually spend some of their free time helping others. They may help to look after old and sick people. They may also help to protect animals and the environment.
Usually，people can volunteer to help others in their local cities. But sometimes，they need to work in hard places，such as Africa.
When volunteering，it is important to find a right way to help others in need. Everyone has different reactionsto a disaster or bad event. Not all of them are ready for your help. Show your respect to them and be a good listener.
If you can't help everyone，don't worry. Remember you can still play an important role （角色） to help others. Just try your best to bring the positive （积极的） side of life to people in need.
Health is important to everybody. If you want to lose weight and be healthier，please do these things.
⒈Stop snacking.
a. Feeling hungry is OK.
⒉Change what you eat.
a. Add more green，red and orange vegetables. Eat more carrots，broccoli，and beets.
b. Eat less white vegetables and starches （淀粉）. Eat less potatoes，pasta and white bread.
c. Eat less meat.
d. Eat more fibre（纤维制品），like beans.
⒊Eat fruit.
a. Fruit juice is full of sugar and calories. Eat the whole fruit instead.
⒋Eat less sugar.
a. Make cakes，cookies，ice cream and candy a treat. Eat them once a week.
⒌Walk or bike everywhere you go.
a. Walking and biking are nice exercises. They burn calories.
b. Walk before breakfast and after dinner.
You never finish. You cannot stop and go back to your old ways. To stay healthy，you must do this forever.
Exam time!Most kids would say it's the worst thing about school. But do you know why you take exams？And what's the best way to study for them？Read on and find out the answers. You never know﹣exams might not be that bad after all.
Most kids don't like exams. But interestingly，we can't live without them. They play an important role in our lives.
Exams are not all the same. There are two kinds.
One kind tests （考查） your knowledge and skills. School exams are of this kind. And it's the same with certificate （证书） exams. For example，you need to pass a certificate exam to become a doctor. This shows you're able to treat patients.
The other type helps find talents （人才）. For example，the college entrance examination（高考）. Universities use it as a fair way to choose students.
At middle school，exams are about answering questions on paper. At university，exams arc about writing essays（论文）. Doing an experiment or even drawing a painting can also be university exams.
Kids in different countries take different exams. In the US，many school students do a book report or science report as part of their exams. In Australia，middle school students need to use what they learn in class to make presentations （展示） or speeches. Sometimes，teamwork is part of an exam.
So，exams are your lifetime "friends". Be nice and patient with them. They will help make you a better person.
Chinese people are among the most hospitable （热情好客的） people in the world. They are happy to invite you to visit their home.
As a welcome，the host usually makes tea for you. Then he will offer you snacks like nuts or candy. They will never let you feel lonely.
At the same time，other family members of the home will be cooking a meal for you. Chinese people treat （招待） their guests with a big dinner.
On the table，the guests must be the first to eat. And the host usually picks food for the guests. They make sure that you enjoy eating like you are at home. As you finish eating，the host will usually say："You didn't eat much. "Although you tell them you have had enough，they will still put more food in your bowl.
Does your family welcome guests like this？
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A. Someone in the home will also talk with you. B. Please eat more. C. You always feel their warmth at their home. D. They like to visit your home. E. They always cook more food than a guest can eat. |
John's parents want him to be a pilot like his brother. But John is afraid of（be） up in the air.
When his brother heard this，he said to John，"You can have a try on my helicopter（直升机）（one）. Don't worry about anything. Everything looks much （small） from up in the sky. There's nothing to be afraid of. "
Hearing this，John wanted （give） it a try. When they got on the helicopter，there was a very loud sound. John was so afraid that he closed his eyes （quick）. After about five minutes，he opened his eyes，looked out of the window of the helicopter，and said to his brother："How high （us） are!Look at those people down there. They look as small as ants （蚂蚁），don't they？"
"They are ants，"（answer） his brother. "We haven't taken off yet. "
A Chinese knot is usually made of a thin rope. It can be in the shape of an animal，a flower or a Chinese character with a special meaning. Red ropes are usually used because red is a lucky colour for Chinese people.
Many Chinese knots have special meanings. People think that these knots can bring them happiness or good luck，so they carry the knots with them or put them up at home.
Chinese painting is one of the oldest forms of painting in the world.
Chinese artists first （A） began painting more than two thousand years ago，and painters in China are still using many of the same methods today.
Chinese painters often paint natural scenes，animals or people. （B） 建筑很少被包括 ， unless they make up a small part of a natural scene.
There are two kinds of traditional Chinese paintings. The （C） ____ is the gongbi style （风格）. This style of painting takes a lot of time to make，as everything is painted in great detail （细节）. （D） Often this style also uses a lot of colour. Long ago，most professional （职业的） painters in China used the gongbi style.
The second style of Chinese painting is ink﹣wash painting （水墨画 ）. Ink﹣wash paintings are done very （E） quickly ， and may not always have much colour.
Ink﹣wash paintings also have less detail，because the painter is trying to get across the impression of the scene with just a few brush strokes （笔画）. Long ago，most ink﹣wash artists did not work as painters， （F） ____ painted as a hobby.
However，a good ink﹣wash artist could still become famous.
