A: Hey, Ben. Long time no see.
B: Hi, Maria. I visited many places, met different people and enjoyed delicious food.
A: Wow, you must have had a great time.
B: Yes. I've bought some gifts for you and Tom.
A: Oh, it is beautiful. It's made of silk, isn't it?
B: Yes, it is. I bought it when I was in Hangzhou.
A: I like it very much. Thanks.
B: It's a Beijing Opera facial mask (面具). I bought it in Beijing.
A: It's fun.
B: Red means the man is brave and loves to help others.
A: That's nice. I'm sure Tom will love it.
|
A. The umbrella is for you. B. But why is it painted red? C. What did you get for Tom? D. Hangzhou is famous for its silk. E. I just came back from China yesterday. |
A famous symbol in American culture is a cartoon animal--Mickey Mouse. Mickey first 1 in a cartoon in New York in 1982. Walt Disney was the father of Mickey. He made lots of cartoons with Mickey. Many people around the world love the mouse with two 2 ears. He was so popular because he was like a common man, but he always tried to face any danger and solve the problems all by himself. In Disney's early films, Mickey was 3, he lost his house and girlfriend, Minnie. 4, he never gave up his efforts and always won at last. Most people want to be like him. Now Mickey Mouse is still one of the most popular 5 characters in the world.
Being street smart is an important skill to have and a good way to take care of yourself.
Always carry your phone with you, but do not look at 1while yon are walking. Be able to communicate or call for help is important, so keep a list of useful numbers. But put your phone away while you are walking so that you can keep your2 up see what's going on around. If you do need to check your phones,3 and look at it quickly.
Don't wear earphones4 you are out. If you have to 5something when you're out, use only one earphone or play it at a very low volume(音量).
Travel with6 or family members when possible and never go anywhere with a stranger. It's 7 to be careful with strangers. Remember not to get into a stranger's car if they call you over.
8dark and out-of-the-way places. Do not take a short cuts through dark areas, even if it will make your trip much faster. If you have to go to unsafe places, go 9 someone you know or speak to someone over the phone while you are there.
Run and shout if you feel unsafe. Run away as fast as you can towards a police station, hospital, on nearby business for 10 . Shout as loudly as you can to get the attention of people nearby.
I recently returned from a trip to New York. I had such a great time in the modern city. However, at first I was very nervous because my English was so bad. Later I knew that I needn't worry a lot when I learned some useful expressions.
Could you please tell me …?
It is probably the English expression I used most because I was outside all day traveling. Knowing how to say "Where is …" and "How can I get to …" politely will certainly be convenient.
Numbers: One to ten.
Knowing numbers will help you pay the right money, or get on the right bus.
On my way back from New York, the stewardess (女乘务员) came up to me and asked me a question. While I couldn't understand, I guessed that she asked for my seat number as she asked other passengers to take their seats. 25F was my seat number. I knew two and five, but I didn't know twenty-five. Instead of speaking I gestured (打手势) two and five with my hands. The stewardess smiled at me and said "OK". Hand gestures can work, but knowing how to say the numbers is also important!
Excuse me.
Getting people's attention in a polite way is important, especially when you need help.
Thank you.
We are travelers, so it's polite of us to say "thank you" often.
Are you interested in Chinese traditional arts? Do you want to learn how to make them by hand? If so, come and join our clubs this weekend in our school.
Sky Lantern Club
Sky Lanterns are made of bamboo and covered with paper. They were first used to ask for help when people were in trouble. Today, they are used to show happiness and good wishes.
Time: Saturday 8:30 a.m.—10:30 a.m.
Price: ¥320/term (Materials: ¥50)
Place: Building 3; Room 501
Chinese Knot Club
Chinese Knots are usually made of red and yellow ropes (绳子). They are used to express good wishes, including happiness, love, peace and so on.
Time: Sunday 2:30 p.m.—4:30 p.m.
Price: ¥350/term (Materials: ¥20)
Place: Building 3; Room 603
Paper Cutting Club
Paper Cutting turns a simple thing like a piece of paper into a beautiful piece of art. Pictures about flowers, animals and so on are put on windows, doors and walls as symbols of good wishes and good luck.
Time: Saturday 9:00 a.m.—11:00 a.m.
Price: ¥300/term (Materials: ¥10)
Place: Building 3; Room 502
Two persons, 5% off, materials free; Three persons or more, 10% off, materials free
Speaking English fluently (流畅地) might be difficult for you now. But all you need are the right methods and confidence (自信). I have prepared some advice for you.
Stop Being a Student
Stop thinking of yourself as someone who is learning English, and think of yourself as someone who speaks English. It's a small change, but it will make you feel more confident and help you use the English you already know better.
Try to Learn Phrases
Speaking English fluently means being able to express your thoughts and feelings. Your goal is to speak English in full sentences, so why not learn it in full sentences? You'll find that English is more useful in your life if you study whole phrases, rather than just simple words.
▲
Studying English for an hour once a week isn't usually enough to make any real progress. The best way to quickly improve your English is to spend at least a few minutes practicing every day.
Don't Be Afraid to Make Mistakes
Sometimes it can be difficult to put all those rules and words together into a simple sentence. Don't let the fear of saying something wrong stop you from speaking. Even if you think you're making a mistake, keep speaking anyway. Most of the time, people will understand what you're trying to say. The more you speak, the easier it will be.
A: Can I help you, madam?
B: Yes, please! I need a blouse.
A: How about these ones? They are nice and of the latest style.
B: Which one would you like to ?
A: I think either the white one or the blue one is great for you.
B: What are they made of?
A: The white one is made of silk and the blue one is made of cotton. You can have a feel to these two materials.
B: I can feel the clearly. Oh! Are these blouses made in China? I just … I just want to buy a blouse made in factories.
A: Yes. They are American , but they were made in China. Hmm ... How about this one?
B: OK. It is what I want, I think. How much is it?
A: 99 dollars.
B: OK. This is the money and please it for me.
A: Here you are.
B: Thanks. Er... Is Killen's Bookstore ? I want to buy some stamps.
A: Oh, no. But there is another one — Sunshine Bookstore which you can get to in a short time.
B: Could you please tell me how to get there?
A: Just go along the road and stop you get to New Times Mall. The bookstore is on its second floor. There are many stores there. So be not to miss it.
B: Thanks.
A: You're welcome.
|
fail hard low other possible prepare punish repeat risk silence star want |
A young man didn't know how to face his work. He went to the park and sat under the tree. Then a sound from the tree bothered him. He looked up and found a squirrel (松鼠) running in the tree.
The squirrel was jumping from one high tree to . Minutes later, it jumped to get to a higher branch (树枝), but the branch was so far out of reach that the jump looked . And sure enough, the squirrel missed. But it didn't matter. The squirrel still landed (降落) safely on a branch several feet . Then it just climbed up a little higher and reached the branch it really .
An old man sitting near the young man said, "I saw a lot of squirrels jump like that. A lot of them , but none of them got hurt. I guess they need it if they don't want to spend their whole life in one tree." The young man thought, "If a little squirrel is to take a chance (机会), do I have less courage (勇气) than a squirrel?"
The young man decided to put what he had been thinking about into practice. And sure enough, he landed safely in a position (位置) he thought possible.
Shoot for the moon. Even if you fail, you will land among the , and you will still end up higher and better than where you are now. Since life is short and time goes by so fast, why not make it the best one possible?
There is a beautiful country in South America. It's in the shape of a heart. The country is Brazil.
Carnival (狂欢节) is the most famous holiday in Brazil. It is important to people because it's a time of happiness, freedom, and almost a whole week without work.
People in many countries celebrate Carnival but the celebration in Brazil is the most famous. During the festival, people wear colorful costumes, go out into the streets and dance with their friends, relatives or strangers.
During the holiday, people close shops and come out on the streets to celebrate life. There are many different Samba schools. They make a parade (游行) to show their music, art pieces and hand-made cars. Every year the parade tells a different story. Each city has one or more schools like this.
I like Carnival, but I don't agree that the party should keep going on. Unluckily, some people aren't friendly and give it a bad name, leaving a bad impression (影响) of this holiday, but it is the only national holiday that makes all different kinds of people stay together.
A. People follow them all the way.
B. Carnival in Brazil is an important holiday.
C. Carnival is one of the world's biggest celebrations.
D. It is not about a big moment in history or about a famous person.
E. Like at every other popular party, people drive, dance and have fun.
F. Different cities of Brazil have their own ways of celebrating this week-long holiday.
Christmas is one of the happiest times of the year. It's time we spend with family members, giving gifts to each other and eating plenty of delicious food. However, at the same time it can also be a nervous time. You have to spend much time and money planning and buying presents for everyone. You need to clean the rooms or even clear some of them out and put up the Christmas tree, the decorations and the balloons. And you have to communicate with your friends and relatives whom you perhaps wouldn't usually spend so much time with. So what can we do to deal with these things to enjoy the happy season to the fullest?
Usually, you have to face the busy shops to do your Christmas shopping during this holiday. That can make you stressed out. To stay calm (冷静的) during this holiday, you can start your shopping early. In other words, you can buy presents for people before Christmas comes so that you can save yourself some money. What's more, you can buy your presents on the Internet, which means that you can find anything you can think of, and you can do it in your living room. It's much cheaper, so you can save money.
Did you once drink more than usual, eat cakes you didn't want or do something else which leave you feeling tired? Remember that it's your right to enjoy Christmas the way you want to and that you should take no notice of those who tell you that you're not being Christmassy.
Finally, you'd better have low expectations (期望). If your expectations are high, you will make yourself upset. Don't let yourself be pressured (迫使) into making the Christmas perfect. So, just be satisfied to have a pleasant evening with your family and let what happens happen.
|
How to solve Christmas |
|
|
Introduction |
Christmas is a happy family time but it also make us nervous. |
|
Causes |
We have to spend much time for the holiday and communicating with friends and relatives. |
|
Ways |
◆ Do shopping , such as doing Christmas shopping online in advance. ◆ Learn to and spend Christmas in your own way. ◆ Don't expect too much to getting yourself upset. |
