Some birthday customs（习惯） are quite similar（相似） in many parts of the world—- birthday candles, birthday games，and birthday cakes. But some customs are more special to some countries. Here are some children talking about their customs.

Linda—I am fourteen. I come from Aruba. In our country, children take something special to school for their classmates and all teachers. Every teacher gives the birthday child a small present like a pencil, an eraser or a postcard. The birthday child doesn't need to wear special uniform(校服). He or she can wear family clothes.

Lucy—I am one year older than Linda. Denmark（丹麦） is my country. We hung a flag(旗帜) outside a window to show that someone in that house is having a birthday. Presents are placed around the child's bed while they are sleeping so they will see them at once when they wake up.

Tom—I am as old as Linda. I am from Brazil(巴西). The birthday child receives a pull on the earlobe(耳垂) for each year in my country. The birthday person also gives the first slice of cake to his most special friend or relative, usually mom or dad.

    Welcome to the Friendship Club of our school!You will meet many teenagers here and make friends with each other．{#blank#}1{#/blank#}．

    First，be friendly and polite to everybody in the club．This will make people feel

    comfortable when they talk to you．{#blank#}2{#/blank#}．

    Second，be honest．{#blank#}3{#/blank#}．If we find that you tell lies to other club members，we will ask you to leave the club．

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}．This will make your friends trust you and it will also help you know more about your friends．If you tell your friends secrets to someone else，you will hurt their feelings．

    At last，be generous （慷慨的） and helpful to your friends Sharing thoughts，ideas and opinions will help you know more about each other．

    Please remember our advice when you come to the club．{#blank#}5{#/blank#}．We hope to see you there!

    Bobsledding (雪橇运动) is a fast and exciting winter sport. A bobsled has a two-person team or a four-person team and it goes at about 100 kilometers an hour. When a bobsled team goes down the course, the other teams wait and watch. Then each team tries to go down faster than the others. Each team can try several times. In the end, the fastest team wins the. prize.

    This is a true story about a bobsledder, Eugenio Monti from Italy. The year was 1964. The place was the bobsled course at the Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. The two best teams were Eugenio Monti's Italian team and Tony Nash's British team. After their first two runs, these two teams were equal (同等的). Then the Italians made their third run, and it was the fastest of all. The British team got ready for their third run, but suddenly a bolt (螺栓) on their bobsled broke. The British bobsled could not go down.

    When Monti heard this, he took a bolt from his bobsled and sent it to the British team. The British team put the bolt on their bobsled. They went down very fast and won. The British team got the gold medal (金牌), but everyone talked about Monti. They called him a great sportsman. He also got a special prize, the 1964 International Fair Play Trophy ( 国际公平竞赛奖杯). Many people think this trophy is a greater prize than a gold medal. It was new then, but now it is given every year to a great sportsman or sportswoman.

    In Australia there is a famous island called Fraser Island. A great many visitors come here for holidays every year. Why? The reason is that it is special. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. In fact, it is the largest sand island in the world. It's about 175 kilometers long and 25 kilometers wide.

    Though the island is a popular place of interest, there is no airport on the island. The long beach along the east coast works as the airport. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    On the island there are sand hills without any plants, but there are forests with old trees, beautiful flowers and over a hundred lakes, too. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Every year, visitors come to enjoy the island's natural beauty. People like camping and hiking here. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Animals were killed for food and this made them in danger of extinction(灭绝). They threw rubbish everywhere, and the lakes were seriously polluted.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Rules have been set up. For example, visitors are not allowed to use motorboats(摩托艇)or go fishing in the lakes, and they mustn't leave any rubbish.

Dear daughter,

    You are a wonderful person and your mother and I love you. It will not be long before you leave school to make your way in the world. Can I give you some friendly advice? Here are some things that you should never do.

    Never get upset with your look.

    We think you look great. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Eat well, take exercise and be healthy. Some girls worry too much about not getting the perfect shape. You look fine.

    Never put yourself at serious risk.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} And sometimes you have to avoid things that look like they might be fun, like smoking.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    You are great and able to achieve great things, so believe in yourself. When things go badly, never stop believing. Some girls get upset, doubt themselves and lose confidence. Then many problems can follow.

    Never give less than your best.

We are very proud of what you have achieved. You should be proud, too.     {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Never forget that your parents love you.

    Whatever happens in life, your family will still be your family. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} We are here for you and we will try to help.

Love,

Dad