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SIGN YOUR CHILD UP FOR “FLY TO THE MOON CLUB”

AND ENJOY A FREE * FLIGHT TO ANY DESTINATION IN ASIA!

With a registration fee of just $50 per child, children under the age of 12 can join Eagle Airways'

FLY TO THE MOON CLUB as members.

They can then enjoy the same benefits onboard Eagle Airways' newest Boeing-797 to any destination in the world!

BENEFITS YOU CAN'T MISS!

• A free * flight to any destination in Asia

• 30% off any course at Tanya Language School

• 20% off any purchase made at Ruby Bookstore

• A free notebook with every purchase above $50 at Starlight Stationery

• A free bowl of dessert for a family of four at Don's Diners dinner ordered

• A birthday gift on your child's birthday

• A free album containing pictures taken during the journey

All bookings made before 12 September will receive free travel insurance for the entire family! **Insurance is issued by Live Life Insurance Group.

10% OFF ALL BOOKINGS for departures from 5 to 11 September

* Child must be accompanied by two paying adults.

** Terms and conditions apply.

    "Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the baby was lying in her arms and she moved the fold of  cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped(喘气). The doctor turned quickly and looked out of the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears.

    Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was imperfect. When he rushed home from school one day and threw himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be unfortunate. He cried out the tragedy, A boy, a big boy… called me a freak(怪人).

    He grew up, handsome. A favourite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. “But you might communicate with other young people,” his mother blamed him, but he felt a kindness in her heart.

    Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, “You're going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret.” The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged.

    Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. One day, he asked his father, “Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her.” “ I do not believe you could,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know… not yet.”

    The years kept their secret, but the day did come. He stood with his father over his mother's casket, Slowly. Tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish brown hair to reveal the mother had no outer ears

    “Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut,” his father whispered, gently, “and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?”

    What's fiercer than a lion? The honey badger (蜜獾), one of the toughest mammals in Africa and western Asia. Honey badgers stand less than a foot high. They are only a couple feet long. They weigh just over 20 pounds. Yet they have a reputation for toughness that is far greater than their size.

    So what makes the honey badger so tough? They have speed, but so do many animals. They aren't stronger than lions, so how do they stop them? The thing that sets the honey badge apart is their skin. Their skin is thick and tough. Arrows, spears, and bites from other animals can rarely go through it. Not only is their skin thick and tough, it is also loose. This allows them to twist and turn to fight back while another animal is attacking them.

    Honey badgers have long, sharp claws. These claws are good for attacking and even better for digging. Honey badgers are some of nature's most skilled diggers. They can dig a nine-foot tunnel into hard ground in about 10 minutes. They love to catch a meal by digging up the holes of frogs and snakes. They also use their digging skills to create their homes. They live in small holes in the ground and defend them fiercely.

    You don't get a reputation like the honey badger by running from danger. The honey badger is a fearless and tireless fighter. They will attack any creature that threatens them, man included. Because of the honey badger's reputation, most predators (食肉动物) avoid them. Some animals use the honey badger's reputation to their advantage. Adult cheetahs (猎豹) have spotted coats, but their kittens have silver manes (鬃毛) and look like honey badgers. Some scientists believe that their coloring tricks predators into avoiding them.

    You might be wondering: "If honey badgers are so tough, how did they get a name that makes them sound like a piece of candy?" The answer makes sense. Since honey badgers have such thick skin, bees rarely harm them. So honey badgers love to attack beehives(蜂窝). Honey badgers run after honey so aggressively that beekeepers in Africa have to use electric fencing to hold them back. There's nothing sweet about that.

    Do you need useful and interesting books? Here we've got plenty for you.

Successful Fishermen

    Fishing is a healthy hobby. You can enjoy fresh air when you go fishing in the countryside. This book will teach you how to choose fishing places and how to make good fishing rods(竿) easily. Many kinds of fishing skills are shown in the book. Read it and you will become a more successful fisherman.

    Best Learners

    This book can give you the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers and students themselves. Read this book and learn:

    What the three difficulties in study are and how to deal with them.

    What to do if you are not interested in a subject you are studying.

    Twenty­six simple exercises to help you study easily and fast.

    You will get more from this book. For younger students, you can buy Learn in Study for Beginners. It is easier to understand.

    How to Keep Pets

    A pet can be our best friend. Do you have pets in your house? Are they in good shape? This book not only offers you many colorful pictures of lovely pets, but also provides you with the knowledge about:

    How to choose right pets for yourself.

    How to build houses or nests(窝) for your pets.

    How to feed the pets and how to keep them clean.

    Buy this book and you will learn more.

    We have many other books on sale. For more information enter www. knowbetter com. If you buy two or more books at a time, you'll get 10% off.

    Since 50 years ago, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.

    Recently, two researchers, Jose Millan and Michelle Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland, demonstrated (展示) a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person's thoughts.

    In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand. He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts.

    "Our brain has billions of nerve cells. These send signals through the spinal cord (脊髓) to the muscles to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the muscles," Tavella says, "Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external world and also to control devices."

    The researchers designed a special cap for the user. This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp (头皮) and sends them to a computer. The computer interprets the signals and commands the motorized wheelchair. The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path. They help the computer react to commands from the brain.

    Prof. Millan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain signals and turns them into simple commands. "The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices. One example is this wheelchair." He says his team has set two goals. One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from. And the other is to guarantee that they can use the technology over long periods of time.

There is {#blank#}1{#/blank#} lovely panda. She lives with her parents and they lead a happy life in the forest. One day the panda {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (pick) a huge pumpkin and wanted to take it home. But the pumpkin was too big for her {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (take) it home on her own. She could do nothing but sit beside the pumpkin. She thought {#blank#}4{#/blank#} if she waited there, she might turn to a passerby for help.

Suddenly, she saw a bear {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (ride) a bike towards her. She watched the bike and suddenly, she jumped and shouted {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (happy), "I know! I have a good idea—I can roll (滚动) the pumpkin. It's just like a wheel!" Therefore, she rolled the pumpkin to {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (she) house. When her mother saw the big pumpkin, which was {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (big) than her little daughter, she was {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (surprise), "Oh, my God! How can you get it home?" The little panda answered proudly, "I can't lift it, but I can roll it." Her mother smiled and said, "{#blank#}10{#/blank#} a clever girl you are!"