The westerners have more vacation days than us. Some people like to stay at home during their vacation. They work in the garden, visit their friends, read books or watch TV. Many families take their lunch to a park or somewhere far from the city. They like to eat under some trees or near a nice lake. If they live near the sea, they often go to the seaside. There they can fish, swim or enjoy the sun.
The westerners like travelling. They think travelling and outdoor activities are the parts of their lives. They work hard to save money, but their main purpose(目的) is to travel. Most western students often make use of their vacation to camp. There are thousands of camp interesting places in western countries. They can swim, go fishing, attend lectures, and take part in many other activities there. It can help them know the secrets of nature(大自然的奥密), and teach them how to be self-reliant (自立).
We all know that walking is good for our health. But do you know walking can also produce electricity？A Japanese company says it has found a way to power the iPad music players just by walking.
The company is developing shoes that can produce electricity as people are walking. The shoes have a small generator （发电机） and water—filled soles （鞋底）. When people are walking，the steps make the water move fast. Then the small generator changes the power into electric power. Now the shoes can produce enough electricity to run an iPad music player if the wearer （佩戴者） keeps walking. The company predicts （预测） the shoes will be able to produce enough electricity to run a mobile phone in the future. "You will be able to power your mobile phone and talk on it if you connect the phone to your shoes and just keeping walking. " says the spokesman （发言人） of the company.
What will this kind of shoes be like？We are not sure. But one thing is sure—when we have such a pair of shoes，mobile phones are not running out of power.
France is in Western Europe. It is a country with many beautiful places.
Paris is the capital of France. Here you will find many famous places of interest such as the Eiffel Tower. You can go to the Louvre Museum if you like art. The most famous street in Paris is the Champs—Elysees. This is the place to go if you want to visit some shops and department stores.
France is very famous for its wine. There are many vineyards in the centre of France and farmers grow grapes to make excellent French wine.
The south of France lies on the coast，and it is famous for its wonderful beaches. A French town by the sea is the perfect place for a summer holiday，but if you prefer to visit France in winter，you can try skiing on the mountains in the.
France has something for everyone，so why not visit France this year？
The Spring Festival is the most important festival in China. It usually comes in January or February. Several days before it comes. people begin to make preparations. They buy pork, beef, chicken, fruit and many other things. And they often make a special kind of food dumplings. It means : coming together.
On the day before the festival, parents buy new clothes for their children. Children also buy presents for their parents. On the Spring Festival Eve （除夕）, all the family members come back to their hometown. This is a happy moment. Some sing and dance, some play cards and others get the dinner ready. When they enjoy the meal, they give each other the best wishes for the coming year.
They all have a good time.
There are trains to carry people, animals or things. There are fast trains and slow ones. Some trains go through hills （穿越山洞）. In big cities, like Beijing or Shanghai, the streets are usually very busy. So you can find trains under the ground （地下）. People call them subways. They carry people quickly in and out of the city. Can a train run over rivers?Yes, it can. There are many bridges over the rivers. But it is not easy to build（建造）the bridges. Today's trains have dining rooms for people. You may eat something in them on the way if you are hungry. Trains are useful to men, women and children. Many children have model trains. With the model trains they can build their own rails （轨道） and enjoy the wonderful trains.
What class do you find interesting? Is it science, history, music or P. E.? To many students of a school in Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing, "cooking" is a new class. In this class, the teachers don't need to ask children to read any books or look at the blackboard. They need to show the students how to make noodles. And this new class is exciting for students. With the teachers' help, they make the delicious Chongqing noodles. At the end of the class, the students taste(品尝) the noodles with their classmates. In fact, people of Chongqing, men or women, young or old, like to start a new day with a small bowl of Chongqing noodles. So the "cooking" class is very popular (受欢迎的)at school. And it is also popular with parents when they know their little ones are learning to "cook". "What an interesting class for children!" a parent says. "They are so happy!" some people say.
