Chinese students work hard to learn English. Do you know American kids are {#blank#}1{#/blank#} to learn Chinese? About 50,000 American students now study Chinese .“Because of china's fast growth, Chinese is more useful than{#blank#}2{#/blank#}languages,” said Scott McGinnis, a Washington language expert.

    For example, in 1999,only three Chicago schools had Chinese classes. This year more than 20 do. In many US cities , students take Chinese lessons during holidays{#blank#}3{#/blank#}on the weekends. But Chicago schools teach Chinese during the regular day. Last year China gave them 3,000 textbooks because they had done a good job.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Chinese classes are becoming popular, it is one of the most difficult languages. It totally takes an English speaker about 1,320 hours to become good at Chinese , but it only takes 480 hours to learn French, Spanish or Italian.

A: Hi, Eric, how do you go to work every day?

B: I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} to go to work by bike, but now I have to go by train.

A: Why do you have to go by train?

B: Because my company has moved to another city. Now everything has {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

A: Yes, it may be a long way. When do you have to get up every morning?

B: I have to get up at 5:30 every morning.

A: Oh, so early! How long does it {#blank#}3{#/blank#} you to get there by train?

B: For at least one and a half hours.

A: It's a long trip. Why not have some sleep on the train?

B: That's a good idea. I do sleep during the trip, or I will be {#blank#}4{#/blank#} all the morning.

A: Do you get home late sometimes?

B: Yes. Sometimes I can't get home until 9:00 p.m.

A: Then you must be very {#blank#}5{#/blank#} after getting home.

B: You're right.

    It is hot and wet in Chongqing these days. I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the weather here but I love the food and scenery(风景). This morning, it was rainy. We didn't have any special {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. My parents and I just stayed at the hotel and I felt really {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Luckily, it stopped raining at noon. We went to eat {#blank#}4{#/blank#} special- Chongqing hot pot(火锅)for lunch. There is a big {#blank#}5{#/blank#} between Chongqing hot pot and Beijing hot pot. The food here is really spicy(辛辣的) . After lunch, we {#blank#}6{#/blank#} to visit Foreigner Street in Chongqing {#blank#}7{#/blank#} a visitor told us that it was a good place to visit. Foreigner Street is really {#blank#}8{#/blank#}! There are lots of old buildings and nice food from all over the world. We {#blank#}9{#/blank#} Italian coffee, Indian cakes and British tea there.{#blank#}10{#/blank#} was nice and we really had a good time in this street.