In 1834, the clock tower in London was burned down. People planned to build a new clock which would be the biggest and best in the world. So the clock had to be big and keep very good time. The big clock was made in two years. Five more years later the tower was finished. Then people put the big clock in the tower, and made it ring out for the first time on July 11, 1859.

   In order to give the big clock a good name, people held a meeting. Someone wanted to call it the Queen of Bells, and someone thought Victoria was good. At last, a man named Benjamin Hall stood up. He was a big man. Before he started to speak, someone shouted, “Why not call it Big Ben?” Everybody laughed and agreed with him.

   From then on, Big Ben became its name. And it also became a famous building of London. People all over the world write to Big Ben. They even send birthday presents—bottles of oil-to help keep Big Ben running. Big Ben is not only a clock but also a dear friend of people.

    What will happen in 100 years? What will the changes be? Can you imagine? The population is growing faster. There will be more people in the world and they will live longer than people now. Maybe some of the rich can live on the moon. Hand-held computers will be much smaller and more useful and there will be at least one in every home. The Internet speed will be much faster. People will work fewer hours than they do now and they will have more free time for sports, watching TV and traveling. Traveling will be much easier and cheaper. There will also be changes in our food. No one will eat meat every day, they will eat more fruit and vegetables instead. Work in the future will be different, too. Dangerous and hard work can be done by robots. Because of this, many people will not have enough work to do. This will be a problem.

Information Card

    People visit other countries for many reasons. Some travel on business; others travel to visit interesting places that are only found in other countries.

    Wherever you go, and for whatever reason, it is important to be safe. A tourist can attract a lot of attention from local people. While most people you meet when traveling are sure to be nice, there are dangers—theft（偷窃） being the most common. So prepare for your trip in advance（预先）.

    As you prepare for your trip, make sure you have the fight paperwork. You don't want to get to your destination(目的地) only to find you have the wrong visa, or worse, that your passport is about to expire(到期). Also, make sure you travel with proper medical insurance, so that if your are sick or injured during your travels, you can be treated. If you want to drive while you are abroad, make sure you have an international driver's license.

    If you need to take medicine with you—such as travel-sickness pills—keep it in its original container(容器). If you don't, you may find yourself doing a lot of explaining to customs officials at your destination.

    Buy a guidebook and read about the local customs of the country you are going to. Also, try to learn a few basic words and phrases—don't assume(假设) that the local people will speak your language.

    When you get to your destination, you'd better use official transport. Always go to the bus and taxi stands; don't accept rides from strangers who offer you a lift. If there is no meter（记程器） in the taxi, agree on a price before you get in. If you prefer to stay in cheap hotels while traveling, make sure you can lock the door of your room from the inside. If you are traveling with valuables such as jewelry, or a lot of money, you should ask about a safe（保险箱） for storing them in. Finally, remember to smile. It's the friendliest and most sincere（真诚的） form of communication, and it is sure to be understood in any part of the world!

    Do you have a beautiful dream? What are you going to be when you grow up? Almost everyone has their own dreams in their life. The dreams are very important to them. The dreams can make them work harder.

    Wu Jun is studying in a school now. His dream is to be a teacher in West China. Many children there want to go to school but they can't. Their families are very poor and their parents don't have enough money to send their children to school. But going to school and studying is the only way to change their life. Teachers are greatly needed there, so he wants to be a teacher to help them. He will be kind to his students and make friends with them. He will give them love and teach them how to be a useful person. He thinks it is the greatest job in the world.

根据短文内容，回答下列问题。

Amy: What's your hobby, John?

John: I like playing football with my classmates and playing the piano at home. What about you, Amy?

Amy: I like watching films and playing table tennis.

John: Are you good at playing table tennis?

Amy: No, I'm not good at it. Can you play table tennis?

John: No, I can't. And I don't like it. What about music, Amy?

Amy: I like listening to music.

    To figure out your birth number, add up the numbers in your birth date, like in the example, until there is only one digit. Example: March 20, 1950.

    3+20+1950=1973=1+9+7+3=20=2+0-2The birth number in this example is"2", "the peacemaker".

    2's are the born diplomats(外交家). They are aware of other's needs and moods and often think of others before themselves. They're naturally analytical and they don't like to be alone. Friendship is very important and can lead them to be successful in life.