It'll soon be the birthday of one of my closest friends, Susie. I still cannot decide what to give her. She's a rare friend because she has been there for me all the time whenever I need a friend to talk to. I can always depend on her to be the first to arrive to give me advice when I have problems. I guess I am so lucky to have her as a friend.

    It's more than seven years since I first met Susie in our school. I joined the theater group and she was a director then. At first I thought she was intimidating but in the end I realized that she needed to keep a strict image in order for her actors and actresses to take her seriously. And then during practice I got a chance to know her better. In fact, she was a friendly and warm-hearted person. Soon we become good friends.

    I don't know exactly what to give my friend on her birthday as I believe she has everything. So it's really hard to buy her a gift she will like. This year I want something different and special but I don't know what to give. One day I searched the internet without any purpose and to my surprise there is a really lovely site where you can buy all kinds of gifts.

    I scanned（浏览）some of their items and I found cool and exciting gifts. I chose a special personalized bracelet（手镯）. I'm sure that this will look perfect on her. I put our arms as part of the design of the bracelet so that it'll remind us that we'll forever be friends. I can't wait to give her my gift but I won't tell her yet. I don't want to destroy the surprise.

    Pound for pound, healthy food is cheaper than junk food, according to a new research from the U. K.

    The Institute of Economic Affairs found that the average cost for a “wide range” of healthy foods was about £ 2 per kilogram, compared with £ 3 a kilogram for less-healthy products such as processed and ready-made foods.

Still, study after study finds that cost is often a barrier when it comes to healthy eating. Convenience drives consumers to care about habits more than prices, the U. K. study concluded. Taste and convenience often play a larger role in people's food choices than price or nutritional quality.

    “Processed foods are extremely expensive, especially when it comes to the nutrient value. Some of the healthiest, most inexpensive foods aren't so attractive. Beans cost next to nothing, especially when bought dry and in great amounts. They take time and some skills to prepare. ” said Ciara Foy, a nutritionist.

    Instead, busy parents reach for the chicken. “You might be getting something that has enough calories to fill you up but you're actually not getting any nutrients, so your body's going to keep wanting more and more food,” said Foy. “And that's why in North America we, re overfed and undernourished (营养不良的).”

    Makers tend to try to promote their product based on perceived health benefits, which makes consumers confused at times with what is a healthy product and how much you should pay for those benefits. The most expensive items, healthy or not, are the ones that end up in the trash. “A lot of people waste a lot of food,” Foy said. It's estimated that more than $ 30 billion of food is wasted in Canada every year. Foy recommends taking a look in your fridge to see what needs to be used up when planning for the next night's meals. “If you actually cut down on the waste you'll find that you can afford healthy food,” Foy said.

    One form of social prejudice against older people is the belief that they cannot understand or use modern technology. Activities like playing computer games, going on the Net and downloading MP3s are only for the youngsters. Isn't it unfair that older people enjoying a computer game should be frowned（皱眉）upon by their children and grandchildren?

    Nowadays older people have more control over their lives and they play a full part in society. Moreover, better health care has left more people in their sixties and seventies feeling fit and active after retirement. Mental activity, as well as physical exercise, can contribute to better health. Playing computer games is a very effective way of exercising the brain.

    When personal computers were first introduced, most older people didn't believe they would ever familiarize themselves with it. Now computers have been around for a few generations and retired people have gradually become more relaxed about using them for fun. Gamers over 65 prefer playing puzzle games and card games. Kate Stevens, aged 72, says: 揑 find it very relaxing. It's not very demanding, but you still need to concentrate.”

    Another development that has favored 揼rey games? is a change in the type of videogames available on the market. There's a greater variety of games to choose from, including more intellectual and complex strategy（策略）and simulation（模拟）games. Internet Chess and Train Simulator are among the most popular of these. Train Simulator is based on real-world rail activities. Players can choose from a variety of challengers, such as keeping to a strict-timetable and using helper engines during a winter storm.

    Some people argue that 揼rey gamers? simply don't have the skills required for computer games, and that teenagers are better. This couldn't be further from the truth. Most computer games require the kind of analytical thinking that improves with practice, which means that the 揼rey gamers may well be far better than gamers half a century younger than them.

    Most animals on land are known to us, but many living things underwater are not. Now let's get to know some of them.

    Sea cucumber

    Sea cucumber are strange animals living at the bottom of the sea. They wear brown or pale green coats with many sticks up. When summer comes, they stay deep to sleep because they are afraid of heat. And when it is autumn, they move to shallow (浅的) water and get their food.

    Pike

    The pike is a kind of freshwater fish. They are good swimmers and like swimming near boats, waiting to be fed. They have sharp teeth to catch fishes. When they are young, they live in groups. However, when they grow up, they prefer to live alone.

    Cuttlefish

    A cuttlefish can swim quite fast, so it is also called rocket (火箭) fish. It has eight arms and two feelers on its head, just around its mouth. It ejects ink (喷墨) when it is in danger. Its meat is delicious, and it is often the first choice for many people.

    Octopus

    An octopus has long arms, with which to catch food and protect itself. When it is sleeping, one or two of its arms are still on duty, keeping moving. Once it feels something dangerous, it can wake up at once to take action.

Following My Dream

I grew up in a poor family with six brothers, three sisters, my father and mother. We had little money and few goods, but plenty of love and attention. I was happy and energetic. I understood that no matter how poor a person was, he could still afford a dream. 

My dream was athletics. By the time I was sixteen, I could throw a ninety-mile-per-hour fastball and hit anything moving on the football field. And I was so lucky that my high-school coach was Ollie Jarvis, who not only believed in me, but often told me "The dream is priceless." However, when I was about to get off the ground, one particular thing happened, which almost ruined (毁坏)my long-held dream. 

It was the summer holiday in Senior Two and a friend recommended me for a summer job. I was offered $12.25 per hour. Compared with the average $3.5, that was a big sum. I was so excited, because this meant a chance for money in my pocket, certainly, money for a new bike and new clothes, and the start of savings for a house for my mother. The prospect (前景)of the job was inviting, and I wanted to jump at the opportunity. 

Then I realized I would have to give up summer baseball training to handle the work schedule. I didn't dare to tell my coach. I thought of the advice my mother often gave me when I lacked courage, "If you make your bed, you have to lie in it." I decided to talk to my coach by myself. After all, my dream of buying my mom a house and having money in my pocket was worth facing his disappointment to me. I gathered my courage and knocked at his door…

What should one do even if he was poor in the author's opinion? {#blank#}11{#/blank#}

Why did the author want to give up summer baseball training? {#blank#}12{#/blank#}

What is the coach's attitude towards the author's dream? How do you know that? {#blank#}13{#/blank#}

What would happen when the author knocked at his coach's door? {#blank#}14{#/blank#}

The Silk Road is neither an actual road nor a single route. It instead refers to a trade network which {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (date) from the Han dynasty of China. German geographer and traveler Ferdinand first used the term "silk road" in 1877 C.E. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (describe) the well-traveled pathway of goods between Europe and East Asia. Although the trade network is commonly referred to {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the Silk Road, some historians favor the term Silk Routes because it better reflects the many paths {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (take) by traders.

One of the most {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (influence) travelers of the Silk Road was Marco Polo. He traveled with his father to China when he was just 

17. Upon his return, he wrote about his adventures, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (make) him and the routes he traveled famous.

From China, merchants carried silk to Europe, where it was well received by the nobility and wealthy people. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} traveled together with silk from Asia were jade, porcelain, tea and spices. In exchange, horses, glassware, textiles and manufactured goods traveled eastward.

The significance of the Silk Road to human history has received widespread {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (recognize). Towns along {#blank#}9{#/blank#} routes grew into multicultural cities. The exchange of information gave rise to new technologies and innovations {#blank#}10{#/blank#} would change the world. Today, parts of the Silk Road are listed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.