One night, when I was eight, my mother gently asked me a question I would never forget. "Sweetie, my company wants to promote me but needs me to work in Brazil. This is like your teacher telling you that you've done well and allowing you to skip a grade, but you'll have to leave your friends. Would you say yes to your teacher?" She gave me a hug and asked me to think about it. I was lost in thought. The question kept me wondering for the rest of the night. I had said "yes" but for the first time, I realized the difficult decisions adults had to make.
For almost four years, my mother would call us from Brazil every day. Every evening I'd eagerly wait for the phone to ring and then tell her everything happened during the day. A phone call, however, could never take her place and it was difficult not to feel lonely at times.
During my fourth-grade Christmas break, we flew to Rio to visit her. Looking at her large empty apartment, ▲ It was then I started to understand the difficult choices she had to make. She needed to think about both family and work. Faced with difficult decisions, she used to tell me, you wouldn't know whether you make the right choice, but you could always make the best out of the situation, with a positive attitude.
Back home, I reminded myself that what my mother could do, I could, too. If she managed to live in Rio all by herself, I, too, could learn to be independent. I learn how to take care of myself and set high but achievable goals.
My mother is now back with us. But I will never forget what the experience has really taught me. I've learned a lot because of this separation(分离). There are lots of difficult decisions that we have to face in our life. We need to have a positive attitude no matter what happens.
Who were your best friends five years ago? Is there anyone you would really like to see again? In 1999, Julie Pankhurst, a computer programmer from London, was thinking about her past – and especially the people she used to go to school with.
Julie looked on the Internet for a website to help her find her old school friends. But there was nothing. So Julie and her husband, Steve, started their own website. They called it Friends Reunited.
The site grew slowly at first, but soon they received their first "thank you" email. The man wrote, "Thank you so much. Using your website, I found an old friend from thirty years ago!" Julie and Steve were very excited about this and continued to improve their website. By the end of 2000, there were 3,000 members.
The next year was really hard work for the couple. In January, a national radio station mentioned their website. Their membership doubled in one week! People were talking about the website all over the country, and it became a full-time job for Julie and Steve. In a year, they had four million members!
Now, over fifteen million people in lots of different countries use Friends Reunited to find old school friends, work colleagues and neighbors. Some of the stories which people tell Julie and Steve are amazing. For example, David Webster lost his memory in a car crash. He used the website to find old school friends, and they helped him remember his past.
Julie's simple idea gave us a national obsession (痴迷)—getting in touch with old friends and hearing their news. And it made her and Steve very rich—in 2005, they sold Friends Reunited for
£120 million!
Are you shy? If you are, you are not alone. In fact, close to 50 percent of people are shy. Almost 80 percent of people feel shy at some point in their lives. These days, shyness is becoming more and more common. Now, scientists are trying to understand shyness. They have some interesting ideas about why people are shy.
Is it possible to be born shy? Many scientists say yes. They say 15 to 20 percent of babies behave shyly. These babies are a little quieter and more watchful than other babies. Interestingly, these shy babies usually have shy parents. As a result, scientists think that some shyness is genetic.
Family size might cause people to be shy as well. Scientists at Harvard University studied shy children. They found that 66 percent of them had older brothers and sisters. The scientists said that these children were often bullied(欺侮) by their older brothers and sisters. As a result, they became shy. At the same time, children with no brothers and sisters may be shy as well. Growing up alone, they often play by themselves. They are not able to learn the same social skills as children from big families.
You may also be shy because of where you were born. When scientists studied shyness in different countries, they found surprising differences. In Japan, most people said they were shy. But in Israel, only one of three people said so. What explains the difference? One scientist says the Japanese and Israelis have different opinions of failure. In Japan, when people do not succeed, they feel bad about themselves. They blame (责备) themselves for their failure. In Israel, the opposite is true. Israelis often blame failure on outside reasons, such as family, teachers, friends, or bad luck. In Israel, freedom of opinion and risk-taking are strongly supported. This may be why Israelis worry less about failure and are less shy.
For shy people, it can be difficult to make friends, speak in class, and even get a good job. But scientists say you can get over your shyness. They suggest trying new things and practicing conversation. And don't forget—if you are shy, you are not the only one.
B . 
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D . 
Travel Tips for Holidays Abroad
Everyone loves holiday abroad. They give us the chance to see some sights, have some fun and relax. However, holidays aren't always a great experience. Follow these tips to make sure you enjoy your holiday.
Have you packed your passport? Your tickets? Every year, thousands of people miss flights because they've forgotten their passport, they arrive at the airport too late, or even go to the wrong airport.
How much do you know about the place you are going to visit? Learning a little about the culture of a country will help you understand the people. Learning a few words of another language can also help you make new friends.
Try to reduce the pollution you cause. Travel by train if you can. Flying produces twenty times more carbon dioxide than traveling by train. Of course, it might be impossible to avoid flying, but when you arrive, use buses or trains instead of taxis.
You can help a local community a lot by staying in local hotels and eating in local restaurants. This means that your money will go to local people, rather than to a large international company.
You don't want to forget your holiday. Make a scrapbook-a book of memories-about your holiday. You can show it to friends, or just use it to remember all the good times you had! And don't forget the new friends you made on holiday. Did you promise to send them pictures or presents? Don't forget to do it! Then next time you go on holiday, you can visit them again.
A. Remember the environment
B. Keep a good memory for your holiday
C. Travel with your friends
D. Do some research
E. Get organized
F. Help the local population
The first note I ever wrote for my mother said "Hi, Mom！Have a nice day！Love, Marie!". I was twelve when I wrote it, and I folded the 1 into her change purse.
My mother worked as a cleaner in a clothing factory. I knew that when she 2 meals in the dining hall, she would have to look for change in her purse. I didn't know that she would 3 that note, and always carry it with her.
From the day that I 4 folded the small piece of paper into my mother's change purse, she and I left each other 5 notes. They would be put in the fridge, under a lamp, or beside the TV set. I 6 found one hidden in my shoe. From the outside, our notes may have been general 7 of our days, ideas and wishes. But to my mother and 8, they were a lifelong communication with each other that no one else 9.
On October 20, 2009, my mother died after a long illness. I stood near her bed, 10 her hand, I didn't cry the day my mom died, 11 I didn't cry a week later when I went to collect her things. I was so thankful that she no longer had aches and 12. Recently, I found a note that my mom had 13 me. It had been hidden in the 14 of my favorite childhood book for years. It read "Dear Marie, I love you always.
Miss you a lot. Don't forget me. Be 15! Love, Mom" That day, I cried.
Have you ever heard of Dididache (滴滴打车)? Dididache, a taxi-hailing smart phone app is believed to be created by Tencent, has recently appeared in Xiamen. So far more than 700 taxi drivers in the city (use) the app.
The app shows the real-time locations of taxis on a map using the GPS technology and makes it possible to hail a taxi their smart phones. The users' request will (send) to the nearest taxi drivers who will decide to accept the order or not.
Taxi-hailing apps are very popular in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing, having gained tens of thousands of users. , the city's taxi-control departments doubt its helpfulness and have said it may not be (suit) for Xiamen.
The app has been criticized (指责) for disturbing market order, and creating (difficult) for passengers who do not use the app. Many users complain that they are only useful when most taxis are idle (空驶), and hiring a taxi can still be challenging during bad weather and rush (hour).
Can this app be in use for long? Technology might make great difference to our life.
— S. My mom says it is not good for my health.
⑴擅长英语，喜欢科学，阅读了大量有关动物、植物和著名发明等书籍；
⑵乐于助人、擅长与人打交道，可以给小朋友讲科学家的故事；
⑶整个暑假及平时周末都有空；
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Dear Sir/ Madam,
I am writing to you about volunteering at the science museum.
