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A. What is it about? B. I'm almost done. C. What are you reading? D. It's well worth reading. E. But I haven't read it yet. |
A: Hi, Jill.
B: A Little Prince, a classic novel. Have you heard of it?
A: Yes.
B: Oh, it's so fantastic that I couldn't put it down.
A: Wow!
B: Hmm ... A story between a pilot and the little prince from another planet.
A: Sounds interesting!
B: Yeah. It also satisfies the taste of both kids and adults.
A: Oh, I can't wait to read it. Can you lend it to me?
B: Sure.
An e-mail from a man named Ben came in to Steve's restaurant.
"Dear sir, my mom loves your pancake so much. Every time she visits Richmond, your restaurant is her must-go place," he wrote. "1 , she is seriously ill in Boston. Could you give me the recipe (食谱) so that I can make it for her?"
Steve, the owner of the restaurant, replied with another2 , "I'd like to meet you in Boston and make it3 for her."
Steve drove over 500 miles and reached Ben's house. Ben's mom was so4 to see Steve.
"Why did you drive all the way up here to5 for me?" She was so happy and touched.
"Because you're an amazing and sweet lady!"
Claude Monet brought sunshine into painting.
He was one of the first artists to work1 . That may sound2 to us today. But before 1870, most artists did all their paintings in rooms.
They used models dressed up as Greek gods or heroes from history.
They painted with dark colors so their pictures would look more3 .
However, Monet and his artist friends4 the rules. They took their paints and brushes to paint lakes, flowers and woods in the open air. They wanted to show
5 sunlight made water and boats look at different times during the day. If they painted people, they always painted common people. They used6 colors and painted quickly.
For years, Monet had7 in making money. Sometimes he could not pay the rent (租金); sometimes his family had no heat; sometimes they went hungry.
8 , Monet would not give up.
Today, he is one of the most famous artists ever. Paintings by Monet sell for millions of dollars and 9 in museums around the world. We're all lucky that Monet never10 .
A Survey on Sports in Chengdu
by Class 1, Grade 9
Q: What are Chengdu people's favorite sports?
Walking is No. 1 favorite. Another four most popular sports are running, ping-pong, swimming and badminton. Greenways and parks near their homes are green gifts for Chengduers to do sports conveniently.
Q: Do Chengdu people do sports just to lose weight?
Not really. Physical shape doesn't matter that much.
The chart on the right shows the reasons for exercise
Q: Do Chengdu people use much technology when doing sports?
Yes. Technology, such as smart watches, sports apps or smart gyms, is used to record exercise habits, provide suggestions, give reports on health and even remind people to do sports.
Host: As we know, the British have been sending cards since the 19th century. They spend about 1,700,000,000 pounds on cards every year. However, the number of people sending cards and letters is falling. More than 30 percent of UK children have never sent or received a handwritten letter. Should the tradition of sending cards and letters be stopped?
Group A:
We live in a fast-developing world and using snail mail is unnecessary. Making paper uses lots of energy and some cards are hard to recycle. It's bad for environment. What's more, cards are expensive to buy and so is posting. Nowadays, we usually use our phones and computers because they are quick, easy and free. Traditional cards and letters are out of date. They are not young people's cup of tea. It's no surprise that most of them end up as litter.
Group B:
The tradition has been around for hundreds of years and should stay. Sending a handwritten letter or carefully chosen card shows that you care. Phone messages and emails are quick and easy, but they seem to carry less feeling. Sending letters is good for children because it is a chance to practice writing skills. Also, it's fun! Receiving post makes you feel special and it's important if someone lives far away or is lonely — just imagine a birthday without cards!
B . 
C . 
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Locals Care for Natural World Grasslands and lakes in Sanjiangyuan have taken on a new look and many wild animals have come back. On January 24, 2003, China set up Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve to protect the area and the wildlife. Local people joined in the project, picking up waste and protecting the animals. |
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China Successfully Grows Rice in Space How to grow food in space if humans live there one day? For nearly 40 years, China has developed over 260 new types of seeds (种子) in space. Recently growing rice at Tiangong Space Station makes a big step forward. It can also solve food problems on Earth. |
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Doctors Sent to West Africa Doctors are flying to an island off the coast of West Africa after a new flu broke out. They will test different medicines to find a way to deal with it. To get things better, they will also offer medical care and help train local nurses there. |
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▲ A strong earthquake hit Turkey on February 6. More than 8,000 international rescuers (救援人员) around the world went to help, including the Blue Sky Rescue Team from China. They helped save lives and rebuild homes. |
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Scientists Fight against Plastic Pollution A natural material, fungi (真菌), used to break down a type of plastic called polypropylene turned out to be useful. Scientists at the University of Sydney found that after 90 days, between 25% and 27% of polypropylene broke down and after 140 days, polypropylene became completely safe. |
A: You look worried. What's the matter?
B: I'll have a ping-pong match against Mike tomorrow. I think I'll it because he is much better than me.
A: Don't worry too much. Let's play a game. Look, is this glass of milk half-full or half-empty?
B: Half-empty. What's the of it?
A: This game is used to test people's opinions. The opinions show people treat life in two different ways. I guess you don't often believe things will turn out well.
B: No, I don't. When I face challenges, I always feel nervous about what lies .
A: Perhaps you don't have a good of challenges. Why don't you think positively? I mean, look at the bright side.
B: But how?
A: If Mike beats you, don't be sad. Think about his strengths and your weaknesses,
. And the learn from him.
B: Maybe you're right. I need to be worried, but I don't know why I can't help worrying.
A: Well, worrying is not always bad. It warns you of risks, just like a fire alarm. However, the trouble is that sometimes it goes off there isn't a huge danger.
B: I see. So a half-full glass of milk means thinking positively. The game teaches me to the way I think. I'll learn to do it. Thanks.
A: Hope things work out.
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actual advantage chance child difficult difference few hear many possible silence tell |
Do you believe a rose plant says "I want some water" or a tree shouts "My arms hurt"? Maybe you will say this could only happen in some stories.
In fact, plants are not always . A recent study has found plants shout when they are in need of water or having their stems cut. "Even in a quiet field, there are
some sounds that carry information. However, the pitch (音高) is too high for people ," said Lilach Hadany, a professor from Tel Aviv University.
The researchers used microphones to record some tomato plants and found that stressed plants send out sounds than unstressed plants. "When tomatoes are not stressed at all, they are very quiet," Professor Hadany said. They also trained a machine in the differences between thirsty plants and cut plants. The result shows that when the causes of stress change, they shout . After the team recorded many kinds of other plants, they found that many plants like corn, wheat and grape plants send out sounds when they are under stress, too.
"There is a that a lot of communication is happening," Professor Hadany said. "Because other plants can probably hear the call of the stressed plants."
Sound recordings of plants could bring humans lots of , especially in farming. For example, people will make sure whether corn is getting enough water or where water is needed most without much .
Money may not buy happiness, but it helps. Many teenagers want to learn how to manage money before going out into the world. This idea is raised by Dr. Mara Harvey, a money expert. The following are some of her tips.
Learn to make money. Ask parents or neighbors if you can do chores to make pocket money. These could include washing a car or taking the dog for a walk. In this way, you can also improve your communication skills, which will help when you have a grown-up job, too.
Help your money grow. Money can't grow if it's sitting inside a piggy bank. Put your money in the bank and you can get interest (利息) . One day you may feel surprised at how much money you have.
Make a plan. If you have a big event, such as a holiday coming up, it might mean you will need to spend more of your pocket money. Try making a plan for spending and saving. Then it will help you take control of your money.
Figure out how much you can reasonably spend each month. Spend your money on what you truly need. Then try to cut down on spending. For example, rather than eating out, you can choose to cook at home.
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A. Spend your money wisely. B. Be smart with your money. C. Set a goal of saving money. D. Save your money in the long run. E. Agree on the value of different jobs before you start. F. Write down how much money you have and what you are spending. |
Maps mark seas, countries, cities and our homes, and guide us through the world. To know them better, let's take a look at how maps have changed over the centuries.
Many ancient countries used maps. One of the first is thought to have been drawn on the wall in Lascaux, France, around 16,500 years ago. Hidden among the drawings of birds and bulls (公牛) is a map of the stars. The Babylonian Map of the World is the oldest known earthly map, which shows Babylon and its neighboring towns on the stone.
Claudius Ptolemy made maps go global. Born in Egypt around 100 AD, he was the first person to try to make a world map. With the help of math, Ptolemy marked around 10,000 locations from Britain to Asia and Africa.
Perhaps the most commonly used world map is the Mercator Projection. It was introduced in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator. An important part of maps is the imaginary lines of longitude, latitude and the equator.
Mercator took the globe and made it flat (平的), but to do this he had to make the areas further north and south larger, while the areas nearer the middle stay about the right size. The reason for this is that the Earth is like a ball, but a map is flat. It is easy to find places, but some people said it was unfair because places including Canada, the UK and Europe appeared much bigger than they really were.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, modern technology allowed map makers to produce maps showing locations exactly. Today, many people view maps on their phones. Researchers are working to map the floor of the oceans and to locate every tree on Earth. Scientists are also trying to map the past by using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This invention will collect light from stars and may find the secrets about the beginning of the universe (宇宙).
The History of Maps
Maps provide us with information of .
Ancient maps
* One of the first maps is a map of around 16,500 years ago.
* The oldest earthly map is the Babylonian Map of the World.
Maps go global
* The first world map was drawn by using .
* The imaginary lines introduced to the Mercator Projection made it most commonly used, but it still needed .
Maps and
* Maps can be used on the phone.
* Maps can help us know more about the oceans, the land and the universe through JWST.
