Baseball is one of the favorite sports in the USA. Children play baseball in sports fields or in parks. At summer picnics, there is often informal (非正式的) baseball game. Boys and girls, young and old take turns to bat. Each team has 9 players.
   American football is perhaps the most popular sport in the USA. The football season begins when the baseball season ends. More people are interested in football than baseball. When there is an important game, thousands of people sit beside the radio or in front of the television to hear the result.

Thumbs Down to Texting (屈指发短信)

    Do you have a mobile phone? Do you send text messages to your friends and family?

    Text messaging or “texting” is becoming very popular. But, scientists have discovered that texting can give us problems with our hands. Be careful! Too much texting can cause swelling in our thumbs. Our thumbs were not made for pushing small buttons, over and over. Scientists call this problem RSI. We spoke to a doctor called Harriet Wilson, who treats many sick people with RSI. She says we need to see how much time we are spending in typing text messages. If we are spending more than 10-15 minutes at once, we could have problems in the future.

    As mobile phones develop, they are getting smaller with buttons closer together. Texting with a smaller phone is worse than using a larger phone with bigger buttons. Using a computer keyboard and playing video games can cause the same problem. So more and more people could find themselves with RSI. Among them, most are university students and teenagers, as they do not know the risks of spending so much time using computer, video games and mobile phones. If we don't do something about this, too many young people could grow up in terrible pain.

    A good book can help you learn more things than you can learn in class. If you want to get into a good reading habit, here are a few ways.

    Plan your time

    You should give yourself at least thirty minutes for reading every day. When time is set, nothing can change it.

    Always carry a book

    Wherever you go, take a book with you. When you leave the house, make sure that you always carry a good book as well as your school things.

    Find a quiet place

    Find a place in your home where you can read a book quietly and no one will trouble you. There should be no television, computer, music or even noisy family members around you.

    Conan Doyle, a famous writer, the creator of the famous character Holmes, was telling a story about himself in which he was the laughing-stock（笑柄）.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When a taxi pulled up, he placed his suitcase in the car and took a seat next to it. 'Where can I take you, Mr. Doyle?" asked the taxi driver politely. Doyle was very surprised. He asked, {#blank#}2{#/blank#}"The driver answered, 'No, sir, I have never seen you before."

    Doyle couldn't believe and asked him how he knew he was Conan Doyle. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} People who return from Marseilles always come to the taxi-stop. Your skin tells me you have been on vacation.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Your clothing is very English, and not French. And so, I deduce（推论） that you are Sir Conan Doyle," said the driver.

    Doyle was astonished by the driver's words and said, "This is truly amazing. Your are talented and a real-life counterpart（对应的人） to my creation, Holmes." "Thanks to another thing," the driver said. "What is that?" {#blank#}5{#/blank#}"

A. Have we met each other before?

B. One day he was waiting at a taxi-stop outside the railway station in Paris.

C. This morning's paper had a report about you being on vacation in Marseilles.

D. Your name is written on your suitcase.

E. Your right finger suggests to me that you're a writer.

    Children know that summer is probably the most fun of all seasons.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} especially for children aged 14 and under. In the first study of children's safety in the US, the National Safe Kids Campaign(运动) (NSKC) found that nearly half of the injury-related(与受伤相关的) deaths among children happen in summer.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They always know summer is a dangerous season for children. During the summer, children are out of school and spend more time outdoors.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} "While we encourage children to be active and spend time outdoors, they need to understand the importance of safety, "said Everett Koop, an expert of the NSKC.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} the NSKC started a "Make It a Safe Kids Summer" campaign during National Safe Kids Week, from May 5 to May 12. Here are some important summer safety tips from the NSKC:

    Always wear your seat belt.

    Make sure there is an adult around when you decide to go swimming.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

    Obey all traffic laws.

    Sleep plays an important role in our life. A lack of sleep can influence our ability to work and study.

   ①    

    Normal people need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. But for teenagers, a healthy amount(数量) is about 8 to 10 hours. Sadly, only of people manage that.

   ②    

    Tiredness usually reaches its highest twice a day, at 2 a.m. and 2 p.m. That explains whys students easily fall asleep in afternoon classes. So sleeping at noon for a while helps us work better in the rest of the day.

   ③    

    People can make mistakes if they don't get enough sleep. Students cannot pay attention in class or do well in sports. Drivers who have fallen asleep while driving have caused 1%﹣10% of the traffic accidents in our life. And we can imagine what will happen if a doctor feels sleepy at the operating-table!

   ④    

    There are several ways that can help us sleep better, such as avoiding drinks that make us excited late in the day, going to sleep at the same time each night, and sleeping in a comfortable place that is dark, quiet and warm.

A. Bad influences

B. Sleeping hours

C. The most tiring moments

D. Good sleeping habits