What do you think is the most common illness? Do you get ill sometimes? We are lucky to live now because there are lots of medicines to make people better．

     The most common illness in the world is the cold．It often begins with a sore throat．Then you sneeze and your nose runs．You usually have a headache，too．Often you cough later．It's not a very bad illness but you can feel quite ill．   

     There isn't a cure(治愈)for a cold but you can take medicines to make you feel better．For instance aspirin(阿司匹林)can stop your headache．It is good to rest and to drink a lot of water，too．A doctor once said to me，“With the proper medicine a cold will last for seven，days．With no medicine it will go on for a whole week!”

     Where does our medicine come from? A long time ago people knew that some plants made them feel better．They ate the leaves，the roots，the I fruit or the seeds of those plants．For instance the juice of lemons makes a sore throat feel better．

     In modern times scientists have looked at these plants and found out which chemicals(化学物质)are in them．Many of our medicines today are made from those chemicals．   

     There are some illnesses which we can't cure yet．And nobody has found a cure for old age．But because of modern medicines most people now live longer than their grandparents．   

    The Chongyang Festival is a traditional Chinese festival. It is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth lunar(阴历) month. It's also called the Double Ninth Festival.

    The festival started as early as the Warring States Period (475-221BC). It has a history of more than 1, 700 years. Among the numbers from zero to nine, nine is the highest odd number(奇数). People believe that two "ninths" meeting together stand for a long life. So it is a special holiday for Chinese people to show love and respect for their elders. They hold many kinds of activities in honor of old people to wish them good health and a long life.

    The festival comes during the golden time of fall. On the day, people traditionally drink Chrysanthemum(菊花)wine, eat Double-Ninth Cakes and climb mountains. They also carry a kind of plant, its name is dogwood, People in ancient times believed that the plant could drive away evil(邪恶的) spirits and prevent them from catching an illness in winter.

    Recently, Gina felt sad. Several unhappy things happened to Gina. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} After hearing her words, the friend invited her to her home for tea and said, "All trouble will disappear after tasting tea."

    Gina couldn't believe her, but she still decided to go for relaxation. At the friend's home, her friend took out a square box and said, "I asked someone to buy the tea from China. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} "Then, her friend opened the box slowly, took out a spoon of tea carefully, put it into the teapot(茶壶)gingerly. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Only one minute later, the friend poured out a cup of tea and asked Gina to taste it. Gina drank it but nearly puked(吐）it out. She shouted, "Is this tea? {#blank#}4{#/blank#} " The friend just smiled She repoured boiled water into the teapot. After a minute, the friend poured out another cup and asked Gina to try the second one. Gina took a drink and found it was not as terrible as the first one but still bitter(苦的) {#blank#}5{#/blank#} When Gina drank the fifth cup, a sunny smile shone on her face. She said, "It tastes good! I've never tasted such a wonderful flavor(味道)."

    The friend said, "Life is just like this! Only when we taste it patiently can we feel happy."

    Parents are the most important people in your life. They have looked after you since you were born, so you should always love them. You should get on well with them. But some children don't know how to do this. Here are some ways to help you.

    Spend more time with your parents. Don't spend too much time playing computer games or watching TV. Instead you can ask your parents to play with you. You can talk or go outside with them if they have time.

    Be kind to your parents. You can make them happy with a smile when you come home. You can send your mother a card on Mothers' Day or tell your father a joke on his birthday. You can also clean your room by yourself.

    Work hard. If you do your best in your studies, your parents will be proud (自豪的) of you.

Information Card

    It's my schoolbag!

    It's 5: 10 in the afternoon. A policeman(警察)stands near No. 2 Middle School. He talks(谈话)with some students.

    "①这是你的书包吗?" asks he.

    "No, it isn't, "says Eric.

    "It looks like(看起来像)John's, "says Mike.

    "No, it is not his schoolbag, "says Tom." His schoolbag is red, but it's green. "

    Mary comes and says, "②Peter can't find his schoolbag. It's his, I think(认为). "

    "It isn't his, "says Harry." His schoolbag is ③      , but it's small."

    "Where is your schoolbag, Jim?" asks Mike.

    "Oh, dear! It's my schoolbag! Thank you! "

    Wang Jie is a young talented writer. Her new book The Fifth Day of the Sixth Month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar (《六月初五》) has just come out.

    "I'm happy to write something every day. I have been writing all the years and will never stop," says Wang.

    Wang has lived a meaningful and rich life. Besides being a writer, Wang also has a heart of gold. She has a great love for charity work.

    "We should do our best to end poverty," says Wang.

    She has helped more than 100 children living in the poor mountain villages. She donates much money and books to them. She hopes to help them with their studies and their lives.

    "Doing good deeds, like passing on love and justice(正义) and doing charity work, can make me keep a peaceful mind. I have always been trying my best to have complete peace of mind," says Wang. With a peaceful mind, Wang can write all the way, and her peaceful mind comes from her good deeds. She is a beautiful writer with a beautiful heart.

    We will soon read another book of hers Flowers fall in Chang'an(《花落长安》). It is a thick book with about 600,000 words.