Speaking exams can be stressful! What if you don't understand the examiner (考官)? What if you don't get the exact word you need? Don't panic (惊慌)! Remember that everyone gets nervous in exams, especially oral exams. So, don't worry and our tips will help you feel more confident in a speaking exam.

★ Listening to as much English as possible will help to improve your speaking. Listening to songs, and watching films, TV series or video clips will help you feel more confident about speaking.

★{#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you speak English regularly in class, you will find it easier to speak in an exam.

★{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It's not a race. Before you speak, think carefully about what to say and speak a little slower than normal.

★{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Use words and expressions you have used before. If you don't know a word, think of another way to say it.

★{#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you find this difficult, practice with a friend at home. Stand at opposite ends of a room and speak to each other in English. Or speak to each other in English on your computers.

★{#blank#}5{#/blank#} So, take some deep breaths before the exam and try to relax.

    Weekends are short. They are only two days out of a seven-day week. To make your weekends look longer, you need to plan it better. Here are some ideas.

★Get up at your usual time. The biggest mistake(错误) is to think that the weekend is a good chance(机会) for getting up late. So getting up early can make you feel the weekends are longer.

★Finish homework as early as possible. Nobody wants to do homework, but we have to do it. The earlier you do it at the weekend, the better you will feel. You can do homework from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a. m. on Saturday morning. After doing your homework , you can plan your weekends well.

★Go out to enjoy weekends. Weekends feel longer if you get out and enjoy them. Think about what you like to do. Plan a sports activity, for example, playing football in the park. You can also plan to go to a museum, a zoo, or a park.

    Four ways to have a good school life

    Your schooldays should be some of the best and happiest days of your life. How can you get the most from them, and be sure you do not waste (浪费) this great chance to learn?

Be active(积极的) at school

    Don't say things are difficult or boring. Take interest in school life and your school subjects. Join lots of activities. Put up your hands quickly in class. Go around the school with a big smile. If you are not working, you are wasting your time at school. Teachers cannot make everything enjoyable（令人愉快的）.

Keep fit

    If you don't eat a good breakfast, you will be thinking about food in class. If you go to bed late and don't have enough sleep, you will be sleepy in class. Play enough sports every day in order to keep your body strong.

Face the problem

    Do not say you will do things tomorrow. If you get behind the class, it is very difficult to get back in front. You cannot finish the race if you rest all the time. Everyone fails some exams, loses some matches and has bad days. Don't make small problems very big and important. Don't forget to ask for help. You are young, and no one thinks you must do everything quite well!

Spend the weekends

    Don't waste time lying in bed on Saturday or Sunday morning. Go and play sports, get together with friends in the park to relax, learn to play the piano, or help someone with problem. If you don't want to go out, there are also a lot of things to do. You may read a book, practice English or help Mum with housework.

    Follow our advice, and have a happy school life!

    Look at the tower! Nothing is wrong with your eyes. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} As the name says, the Leaning （倾斜的）Tower of Pisa leans. It is in Pisa, a city in Italy.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} In 1173, people in Pisa began to build the tower. In 1178, when the tower was just three storeys（层）tall, it began to lean. There were wars in Pisa at the time. So the construction（建造）of the tower stopped for years. After about 200 years, in 1370, people finished the construction.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} It is 55.86 meters tall.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} There are many opinions. One goes like this: The tower is very tall and heavy, but the ground is made of soft sand and clay. When the ground sinks, the tower leans.

    Did you know these? The tower was first the bell tower to a large church.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Each bell stands for a musical note（音符）. From 1990 to 2001, the tower was closed to visitors. Workers repaired it. The tower may stand for another 200 years.

阅读短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。

A.The tower has eight storeys.

B.There are seven bells in it.

C.There is something wrong with the tower.

D.Why does it lean?

E.Let's know about its history

    Long long ago there was a thief. Do you know what he did one day？When he wanted to steal(偷)the bell on his neighbour's door, he walked up to the door, took hold of(抓住)the bell and pulled hard. The bell made a very loud noise. The thief was afraid and went home.

    Then he sat down to think. "I must do something about the noise," he said. He thought and thought. At last he had an idea, "Ah, I'll put some cotton(棉花)in my ears. Then I won't be able to hear the noise." The next day he went to the door of his neighbour, and took hold of the bell. This time he pulled even harder. The bell rang loudly, but the thief did not hear anything. With another hard pull he got the bell off the door. Just then the neighbour came out.

    "Steal my bell? I'll teach you a lesson," the angry man shouted. And he hit the thief on the nose.

    The thief did not know how the neighbour found out he was stealing the bell." Why did he come out just then?" he wondered.

    Hi, I'm Wang Li. Today my father buys a new computer for me. It has a keyboard, a screen, a mouse and a printer. I am very happy because I can download(下载) some things from the Internet and print my homework. Do you know how to do your homework on the computer? Let me tell you! First, turn on the computer. Next, click the mouse on new document. Then, write your homework in the new document.

    Of course, I can play computer games on Saturdays and Sundays. I love the computer. What about you, my friend?