— I think it ___________ successfully in Zhanjiang last year.
— I cannot agree more.
— She ______ Hong Kong on business for a few days.
— Yeah, you cannot imagine interesting it is if you don't experience it yourself.
— I think so, and we ______ stay at home now.
— Wonderful! I think it is ______ a meaningful TV show that ______ many people like watching it.
— Sounds good!
— . There were good things and bad things about them.
— Yes, I am still wondering .
A wise man was walking from one town to another with a few of his followers, and they happened to pass a lake. So they stopped there to 1 for a while, and the wise man said to one of his followers, “I am very 2. Could you please 3 me some water from the lake?”
The follower walked to the lake 4 the wise man requested. Some people were washing clothes in the water, and right at that moment, several carts (手推车) started crossing the lake.5, the water became very muddy(泥泞的).
Then he went back and told the wise man that the water was very muddy and not 6to drink.
After they had rested for about half an hour, the wise man again asked the 7 follower to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. As requested, the follower went to the lake again. This time he found that all the mud had settled(沉淀) to the 8. The water was very 9and looked fit to drink. So he 10 his water bottle and took it to the wise man.
The wise man took the water bottle and drank, then looked up at the follower. “See what you did to make the 11 clean?” he said. “You let it be for a while and the mud settled down on its own,12 you could get some clear drinking water. Your mind can also be like that lake when it is disturbed(被搅乱的) by something. If you just let it be and give it a little13 it will most likely settle down on its own 14 being put in any effort(努力) at all to15 it.”
China is a country with many colorful days and festivals. The Dragon Head Raising Day (Longtaitou) is one of them.
This special day is on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar (阴历). It stands for the start of spring and farming. This year, the day fell on March 10.
The dragon is important in Chinese culture. We Chinese people call ourselves the “descendants(传人) of the dragon”. Therefore, people celebrate the Dragon Head Raising Day with many customs(传统) about dragons.
On the day in ancient times(古代), people put ashes (灰) in the kitchen. This was to “lead the dragon into the house”. People believed that with the help of the dragon, they could have a good harvest (收成) in autumn.
Also, people eat special foods on that day. The foods are usually named after dragons. For example, people eat “dragon whisker (细须)” noodles and dumplings called “dragon teeth”.
Today, many customs have faded away (消退). But one that has remained is the cutting of hair. It was said that a haircut during the first lunar month may bring bad luck to the mother's brothers. So many people have their hair cut on the Dragon Head Raising Day.
In films, spies(间谍) are lucky people. They are smart and adventurous. But a real spy's life is not that exciting. They must live a life of lies. Their work is dangerous and they may have to pay for it with their lives. American spy Nathan Hale (1755-1776) was one of these people.
Why does someone want to be a spy? Some do it for their country. Some for money. Some just love it. Nathan Hale became a spy for the first reason. He lived during the American Revolution (革命). He and his people fought the British army.
In 1774, Hale joined the American army. Before that, he was a school teacher. Two years later, he chose to be a spy. He had to get information from the British army. He went to the city where the British army was staying. He told them that he was a school teacher and wanted to find a new job. As a young spy, Hale didn't have enough experience. He had told his secret to somebody else. But that person sold him out to the British army. He tried to get information for the American army. Hale finally got something important and decided to go back. He hid some papers in his boots. He went to the river bank and waited for a boat to pick him up. However, British soldiers caught Hale at the river bank and found the papers in his boots.
Hale died on Sept 22, 1776. His final words were: “I only regret(后悔) I have but one life to lose for my country.” He died at the age of 21.
①Hale joined the American army.
②Hale got information for the American army.
③British soldiers caught Hale.
④Hale became a school teacher.
⑤Hale told his secret to somebody else.
When you cough or sneeze, you'd better turn your head away from others and cover your mouth with the full part of your hand. And then, you should say, “Excuse me.”
This seems so simple, but it is surprising how many kids have never been told to do this. Actually, I notice adults all the time who cough and sneeze in public without placing a hand over the mouth. One important thing I point out to the kids is that after they sneeze or cough on their hands, they should wash their hands as soon as possible. If not, they will be passing those germs (细菌) along to everything and everyone they touch.
If you come to a door and someone is following you, hold the door. If the door opens by pulling, pull it open, stand to the side, and allow the other person to pass through first, then you can walk through. If the door opens by pushing, hold the door after you pass through.
After a few weeks of seeing kids try to get through doors in the school and watching them enter restaurants as the door hit other people, I knew I had to discuss the problem with my students. Teaching them small acts of kindness, such as letting someone else go through a door first as they hold it open, may seem unimportant, but it can go along way toward helping students realize how to be polite and thank others. Once they've been told, they're halfway there.
When we have to go up moving stairs, we will stand to the right. That will give others who are in a hurry a choice of walking up the left-hand side of the moving stairs. When we are going to enter a lift, the underground, or a doorway, we will wait for others to exit before we enter.
After college when I moved to London, I was surprised at how polite everyone was in the subways. I was even more touched when I traveled to Japan. In both places, people made efforts to make way for others. On moving stairs, everyone stood to the right and walked to the left. On lifts, everyone would stand over to the side and allow others to exit before they would begin to enter.
In the deserts(沙漠)of North Africa and Saudi Arabia lives the smallest fox with the largest ears. This animal is the fennec fox.
Fennec foxes have ears that are 5 to 6 inches long. That's big for an animal that weighs less than four pounds. Their ears help shed (去除) body heat. And， as you may have guessed， they also provide great hearing.
It's also interesting to think about the hair of fennec foxes. Why would a fox that lives in the desert need a thick， fur coat? Actually， the desert isn't always warm. During the nighttime， a desert can be terribly cold! A fennec fox's fur keeps them warm during those desert nights. They also have long bushy tails that they use as a blanket. And the hair on their feet protects them from the hot sand in the daytime.
Fennec foxes live in small communities of dens (兽穴).They spend most of the day sleeping in their dens， out of the hot sun. Then， when night comes， they come out in search of food. In addition to(除……之外) their great hearing， fennecs also use their great sense of smell and big eyes to track down dinner.
Fennecs eat both meat and plants. They like eating birds， eggs， insects， snails， fruit and leaves best. Fennec fox mothers have one to five babies at a time. Sometimes they are in danger. They have to be careful with predators (捕食性动物)， such as caracals (a type of wild cat) ， jackals， eagle owls， hyenas and humans. Humans catch them for their fur and to sell as pets.
Fennec Foxes
Living areas
◆of North Africa and Saudi Arabia.
Appearance
◆They are th of all foxes with the largest ears. ◆Their thick furthem warm in the cold desert night. ◆The hair on their feet protects them from the heat of the sand during the.Ability
◆They have very goodand eyesight with big ears and eyes. ◆They are also good at tracking down dinner with their great sense of.Character
◆They live in small communities. ◆Theyin their dens most of the day. ◆Atthey become active and come out in search of food.Food
◆They eat both meat and plants. ◆Theirfoods include birds， eggs， insects， snails， fruit and leaves.◆They are hunted by caracals， jackals， eagle owls， hyenas and humans.
