You might have seen this in US TV dramas. A group of girls knock on people's doors, trying to sell cookies. What are they doing? They are Amercican Scouts（女童子军）,and {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (sell) cookies is a tradition of {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (they).

    Selling cookies is just one activity among all the fun things that Girl Scouts do. The Girl Scouts of the USA is a group {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (found) in 1912.It offers all kinds of activities to girls and lets them learn skills.

    Boys can be scouts too. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} they join a different group called the Boy Scouts of America (RSA), {#blank#}5{#/blank#} was founded in 1910.

    Now there are 1.9 million Girl Scouts in the US, according to the group, Usually, they go {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (camp) and learn how to build fires and use a compass. Sometimes they also stay {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (indoor) doing crafts or learning arts. Every time they do an activity or pass a test, they get a badge.

    The Boy Scouts love to win the badges too. They have a ranking system. And winning enough badges is {#blank#}8{#/blank#} must to get into a {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (high) rank. The highest rank is "Eagle", which {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (require) at least 21 badges. Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon, and Bill Gates, the father of Microft, were both Eagle Scouts when they were young.

    The task of being accepted in a university begins early for some students. Long before they graduate {#blank#}1{#/blank#} high school, these students take special courses to prepare for{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (advance) study. They may also take one or more {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (examine) that test how well prepared they are for the university. In the final year of high school, they complete applications and send them to the universities{#blank#}4{#/blank#} interest them most. Some high school students may be required to have{#blank#}5{#/blank#} interview with people from the university.{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (neat) dressed and a little bit frightened, they are determined to show that they have a good attitude and the ability to succeed.

    If the new students {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(accept), many universities will offer an instruction program for them {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(get) to know the procedures for students' advising, university rules, the use of the library and all the other major services of the university.

    Beginning a new life in a new place can be very {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (puzzle). The more knowledge students have about the school, the{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (easy) it will be for them to adapt to the new environment. However, it takes time to get used to college life.

Pinky: Hello, Ann! This is Pinky. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} was your weekend?

Ann: Wonderful. We had a family dinner.

Pinky: Your whole family?

Ann: Yes, all of us. We went to our favorite restaurant, the Golden Crab.

Pinky: I {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (not know) that was your favorite. It's mine, too.

Ann: The food was good as usual, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}we started dinner late. My brother Paul's car broke {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. He and Jennifer got there after nine. We were all feeling very {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (hunger) by then.

Pinky: I thought his car was {#blank#}6{#/blank#}new one. What was the trouble?

Ann: I don't know. Paul says that new cars are not as good {#blank#}7{#/blank#} old ones. He says their steering wheels are not so good.

Pinky: By the {#blank#}8{#/blank#}, Ann. Can you do me the favor to lend me your computer? My computer doesn't work.

Ann: Sorry, Pinky, but I {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (lend) it to Nancy. Why don't you ask Emily? I'm sure she'll lend you {#blank#}10{#/blank#}.

    As we all know, Columbus was a great explorer. He left Spain in September 1492,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (look) for gold. Native Americans greeted him, offering gifts of corn. Columbus found little gold on that trip, but he collected many {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (plant), including corn, to bring back to Spain.

    Columbus didn't know it, but the corn was much {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (valuable) than gold. Farmers from Europe to Asia accepted it {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (immediate). They grew it on cold mountainsides and in rainforests. So it {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (feed) millions of people all over the world today.

    On his second trip, Columbus brought back a few chocolate beans to make chocolate. Europeans and Asians loved this new drink, and soon they were paying a great deal of money for the beans. Chocolate beans became so valuable in Central America {#blank#}6{#/blank#} they {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (use)as cash for 200 years.

    Tomatoes and potatoes took some time to become popular. Eventually, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}, they became the basis of a lot of popular foods. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} is hard to imagine life without fried potatoes or chocolate. Thanks{#blank#}10{#/blank#} native American culture, many people are able to enjoy lots of tasty food.