Members of an international organization are called the Global Greeters. They offer travelers the chance to get to know a city as well as local people do.

    Unlike the professional guides(专业导游), the volunteer greeters act more like neighbours. They take visitors to visit the city–either on foot or public traffic—to discover favourite neighbourhoods, cafes and parks.

    All the programs work a little differently, but the basics(基本项目) are the same. The tours are free and last anywhere for two or four hours. Volunteers can be all ages, and their ages and interests try to match the travelers.

    New York City(USA)

    Big Apple Greeter is the pioneer “welcome visitor” program founded in 1992 by New Yorker Lynn Brooks. More than 300 volunteers now can welcome guests from all over the world in 22 languages. Greeters explain the New York City subway and bus systems and show guests around one or more of their favourite neighbourhoods. Like many greeter organizations, Big Apple accepts online donations to help with its daily costs.

    Houston(USA)

    Houston Greeters will organize activities such as golf, biking or an outing to an Astros game(太空人队的比赛). Another activity is to arrange a tour in need of a particular interest.

    Chicago(USA)

    Chicago Greeters help visitors visit one of the city's many famous neighbourhoods. The group organizes walks through Ukrainian Village on the Near North Side and Andersonville, home to Scandinavian restaurants and shops and Middle Eastern bakeries. Guides will also organize tours around themes such as fashion, film or public art.

    France

    In France, English speaking volunteers for Parisien d'un Jour lead visitors through hidden corners of Paris, often ending with a lively discussion on a café balcony. Guides in Lyon organize walks around themes such as shopping, markets and sports.

① Tian Yi Pavilion (天一阁) is in the center of the city. Xu Zheng wants to write a report about the history of Ningbo. He needs to go to Tian Yi Pavilion to look for some information (信息). There is a bus station near his home.          

②Wang Hao Lives in Shanghai. He likes travelling (旅游). So he is going to Beijing. He'd like to get there quickly. He is sure he will have fun in Beijing.               

③This month Yuan Fang will visit her grandparents in her hometown (家乡). It's about 1,000 kilometers away. Yuan Fang wants to get there in 10 hours. And she can enjoy the sights (风景) along the way.        

④Guo Jing likes taking photos. She likes the photos of rivers and mountains best. She is very happy that her parents will take her to the Three Gorges (三峡). She wishes she can take many photos when they're travelling on the water.           

    While you are at the bookstore, you may be faced with a difficult decision: e­ books or paper books? Each one has its advantages and disadvantages. Making the best decision depends on a number of factors(因素).

    An e­ reader can carry a whole library wherever you go, which is great for travelers or those who always want a choice of reading materials. Although e­ readers are convenient, high levels of screen brightness from an electronic device(电子设备) can cause eye problems. A study in the Information Science Research found that young people preferred e­ readers, like smart phones or iPads. That's why most teenagers are short­sighted.

    Many book lovers prefer paper books and value the feeling of them. Paper books are very well designed, they look and smell good, and they carry with them a more human touch. Avid(热衷的) readers prefer reading on paper .Perhaps this is their choice because paper books give them a sense of ownership .It is reported that reading on paper rather than an electronic screen is better for memory and focus .But paper books are heavy and they are not convenient to carry.

    Which is your decision, an e ­book or a paper book?

    Popular music in America is what every student likes. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class and at lunchtime. Students with cars buy the large speaker and play the music loudly as they drive in the street.

    Adult(成年的) drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather and the life of American people. Most of the radio programs are music.

    Pop or popular music singers make much money. They make a CD or tape and radio stations use them in many places. Once the popular singer is heard all over the country, young people will buy his or her tape. Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.

    There are other kinds of music that is important to Americans. One is called folk music. It tells stories about the common (普通的) life of Americans. Another is called Western or country music. It is about country life and the love between a country boy and his girlfriend. They are very popular among young people.

    Hi! I am Mike. I have a sister and two brothers. We live in a happy family. Nancy is my sister. She is the oldest. She is a kind girl. She is beautiful. She likes learning. She studies very hard. She gets up early and finishes her breakfast quickly. Then she goes to school by bike. David is my brother. He is older than me. But he is a little lazy. He gets up late and then washes his face, brushes his teeth in a hurry. Then he goes to the bus stop without breakfast. He usually plays basketball after school. In the evening, he seldom does homework. He goes to bed late. Jack is our little brother. He is a lovely boy. He gets up very slowly and then he usually takes a shower before breakfast. He goes to school in his father's car. He likes watching TV in the evening.