These days, picture news is very popular with young people. Here are some photos chosen by Jim.

    I walked quickly out of my church. It was late. My dad was waiting. I stared at the parking lot. Then I saw my dad's little red Honda. "Get in! Get in! Why are you so late all the time?"

    The ride home was not much more than five minutes but each minute moved slowly. We were stuck behind an older man. He wasn't going more than 15 kilometers an hour. My dad started to shout, "Learn how to drive, Grandpa!" He hit the steering wheel (方向盘) with his hands. He was really angry.

    "Dad, stop it. Why do you always …?" He cut me off, "I'd not get stuck at the light because of this fellow!" The older man got to the light just as it was changing. "You're free! Drive away quickly," I thought. I looked over my dad. "Can you believe that, Stephen? I get stuck at every light. There are so many stupid drivers out there," he said angrily.

    Who gives him the right to shout at someone? Anger built inside me. "What if I shouted at my friends when they asked me for help?" I said. I looked out of the window, trying to catch my breath.

    " You know, Stephen, I think you are going to be a psychologist(心理学家)," he said. I remember the last time I tried to say something, he had fumed, "Don't tell me how to drive! If I want your opinion, I'll ask for it! Think about what you say before you talk."

    Usually, he'd be angry that I would doubt his authority(权威), but this time, he accepted what I had said. A sense of pride rose up in me. It had been a short drive, but it had been the best car ride of my life.

The Vine That Ate the South

    Kudzu is a fast-growing vine(蔓生植物) that covers a large area in the southern United States. It is so common that one might think it is a native plant, but it is not. Kudzu was brought to the United States from Japan in 1876. Many Americans thought it was beautiful, and they began to plant it. They didn't know it could grow up to a foot a day during the summer months. Nor did they know it would grow up and over anything in its path.

    In Japan, kudzu experienced cold winters and a short growing season. But in the United States, it has a very long growing season with warm and wet southern weather. It is fine weather for the vine to grow fast.

    In the 1920s, people used the vine to feed farm animals. Ten years later, the government supported to plant kudzu because it kept soil from washing away. However, by the 1950s, the government no longer wanted people to plant the vine. Twenty years after that, the government said it was a harmful plant.

    The vine grows up trees and buildings, making some beautiful shapes. However, trees die after kudzu covers them because they cannot get enough light. Scientists are looking for ways to kill the vine. They used poisons(毒药) to kill the vine. However, some of the poisons made it grow even better. Scientists also find it difficult to dig up Kudzu. The plant is really tough.

    Because kudzu is so hard to kill, some people are making the best of it. So they try to find different uses for the vine. They find the vine can be used to make paper and baskets, it can be used to feed the goats, and it can even be eaten by people. Scientists are studying it in the hope that the vine can be used as a medicine. At the very least, kudzu serves as an example of the unexpected results that can come from non-native plants.

    A recent study from a team of South Korean researchers suggests that eating alone often may lead to poor eating habits and poor food choices. Specifically, the study found that men who ate alone more than twice a week had a greater risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

    For children, eating with their families is not only about preventing bad outcomes (结果)—it is also about developing good ones.

    In 2014, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) looked at data from nearly three-quarters of the world's countries. Among its findings was the fact that students who shared a main meal with their families were less likely to skip school. Children who eat a main meal with their families are also less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol (吸毒酗酒).

    In the report, titled "The Importance of Family Dinners (Ⅷ)" researchers say that "teens who have frequent family dinners are more likely to say their parents know a lot about what's going on in their lives". They also claim that when teens say they feel closer to their parents, they are less likely to use drugs and alcohol.

    Another study from the University of Montreal found that children who ate with their families experience long-term physical and mental health benefits(利益). These children were physically in better shape and drank fewer sugary soft drinks. These children also seemed to have better social skills and they were less aggressive(好斗).

    Professor Linda Pagani says that mealtimes shared with parents "likely provide young children with first-hand social interactions, discussions of social issue (事件) and day-to-day concerns". She adds that they may likely help the child have better communication skills with others.

The story of the magazine

    When you look at the different kinds of colorful magazines in the shops (and online) today, it's easy to think that they are a modern idea. However, magazines have been around since the 18th century and they have been an important part of people's daily lives for hundreds of years.

    One of the earliest magazines was The Gentleman's Magazine which was started in London in 1731 by a man called Edward Cave. He was the first person to use the word "magazine" about a regular publication. The word comes from the Arabic makhzan or storehouse. His idea was that his magazine was a storehouse, or place that you could keep information about many different things.

    Magazines became more popular in the 19th century. They gave people tips to help them with their daily lives, and they often had serialized(系列的) stories which gave the readers a new episode every week. Each part finished at a very exciting point in the story. Famous writers such as Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created serialized novels for magazines.

    One very important serialized novel was Hard Times by Dickens. It came out in 20 weekly parts between 1 April and 12 August 1854 in the magazine Household Words. This magazine was very good value and it was a cheap way for readers to buy a version of a novel.

    Soap operas on TV today are often similar to the serialized novels. These old stories have often been made into modern films or TV series and they are still popular with modern audiences because they are so exciting.

    Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a pianist's concert on a summer holiday evening. After they found their 1, the mother saw two friends in the hall and walked to 2 them.

    It was the boy's first time to come to the hall. He thought it was a good 3 for him to explore the wonders of the concert hall. He 4 and walked around. He walked 5 a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE" (禁止入内).

    When the hall lights turned dark, the 6 would begin. The mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was 7. The mother was 8 worried at that moment that tears were in her eyes.

    The concert began, and the lights focused on the wonderful piano on stage. The mother was 9 to see her little boy sitting at the keyboard, playing the song Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star 10 he did at home.

    At that moment, the great pianist came, quickly moved to the piano and 11 in the boy's ear, "Don't stop. Keep playing." He leaned over(俯身) and began filling in a bass part(低音) with his left 12, then added a running obbligato(伴奏) with his right hand. They played the piano together 13. The old pianist and the young novice(初学者) changed a frightening situation into a wonderful creative experience. The audience stood up and 14 them.

    An artist's achievements and charm depend on not only his perfect skills 15 his good qualities.

    A cat cafe named Miaoxiannv (Cat Fairy)in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, has become popular in this city (recent). It provides customers with a new service  is to scan (扫描) a cat to order a meal.

    Luo An,  overseas graduate, runs the cafe. As Luo seldom stays at the cafe, his only employee would always get into a mess for (be) a waitress, cashier and cat keeper at the same time.

    Thus, Luo came up with the idea (dress) the cats in shirts printed with QR codes. It enables customers to order their meals  using online payment apps such as Koubei and Alibaba's Alipay on their own.

    Besides QR codes, each cat has a self-introduction printed on (it) clothes. These introductions on cats' clothes show their different and (fun) personalities(个性).

    "There are 15 cats at the cafe. Only those with good personalities can serve (customer)," Luo said.

    "Cat lovers are also allowed to buy cat food on the apps and feed the cats (they). and a cat named Azrael is the café's top attraction," said Luo.

要求：

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⒊词数：80-100词左右。

参考词汇： sweet rice dumplings, guess riddles, enjoy firework shows

Dear Tom,

    I am glad to hear that

Yours,

Chen Xu