A lovely rabbit, a cute hamster, some colourful fish, a strange-looking turtle or a snake...What kind of pet would you like? Lots of kids love animals and dream of having a pet.

    But not every family can have a pet. So, in many Western countries such as America, Britain and Australia, primary and middle school classes have their own pets. Looking after a pet is not as easy as you may think! Fish and turtles need clean water and the right food. Hamsters and rabbits need fresh vegetables and a warm place to sleep. Even little mice need good care! What would you feed a pet mouse? How about snakes?

    Class pets teach kids about nature and being responsible. Sometimes the pets have babies. It's very exciting but it also means having more animals to take care of!

    Students take turns to take care of their class pets. Every week the pets have a new “mum and dad” to look after them.

    You may want to know what happens to the class pets during school holidays. At the end of term, the teacher chooses a responsible student. This lucky student keeps the pets at his or her home for the holidays.

    Notes:

1) hamster n. 仓鼠   2) turtle n. 乌龟   3) responsible adj. 负责任的   4) choose v. 选择

Drinking Kungfu Tea is one of the most famous customs in Chaoshan area. In Chaoshan, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}family has tea sets. Tea must be {#blank#}2{#/blank#}several times a day. Chaoshan people can not be without tea for a day, so the {#blank#}3{#/blank#}hing Chaoshan people usually treat guests is to make tea.

Kungfu Tea is not a kind of tea. It's a {#blank#}4{#/blank#}to make tea. The reason why it is called Kungfu Tea is because it is made in a very particular way. The word "Kungfu" in Chaoshan dialect means to pay {#blank#}5{#/blank#}to the way of doing things. Here it refers {#blank#}6{#/blank#}he way of cooking and tasting tea. Chaoshan Kungfu Tea has become {#blank#}7{#/blank#}mportant part of the study of Chaoshan culture. Drinking Kungfu Tea {#blank#}8{#/blank#}kind of social activity in people's daily life, which leads to many customs.

It seems that there are so many cultures and emotions in a {#blank#}9{#/blank#}cup of Kungfu Tea. Chaoshan people enjoy a slow pace of life. It's really wonderful for them to make a cup of tea after a day's work and taste it {#blank#}10{#/blank#}.

Singapore is a city of different cultures. Walking through the streets of Singapore, you can{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (听到)different languages spoken, such as English, Chinese and Malay. People from different cultures live and work peacefully with each other and share their traditions.

In Singapore, cultural differences are shown in building styles, shops and in many other ways. Take food as an {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (例子), each culture has its own place to sell their traditional food, but there are also the {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (著名的) hawker markets. Different foods are sold in these {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (繁忙的) markets.

And these are very {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (受欢迎的) with Singapore citizens and {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (游客) from around the world. The food is good and very{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (便宜的).

Singapore is also an interesting city. Large numbers of people, ideas, etc, are mixed together {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (在……下面)the same sky. English is used for business, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (虽然)the official language here is Malay. Now, however, there is a strong Chinese business community and also a growing Indian business community. Singapore welcomes talented people from around the world and {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (希望)they will live there all their lives.

It's very important to keep (保持) safe at any time! Many students {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the US always take the school bus to school every day. Parents think that taking the school bus {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (be) very safe. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} sometimes it is also dangerous. Some

students were injured(受伤) {#blank#}4{#/blank#} they didn't follow the school bus rules(规定). {#blank#}5{#/blank#} are the school bus rules?

●Arrive at the bus station {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (early).

●Wait for the bus at the bus station.

●{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (not)play around the bus station.

●Don't run here and there at the bus station.

●Don't walk {#blank#}8{#/blank#} fight on the bus when it is going.

●Don't get off the bus if it doesn't stop.

These rules are {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (good) for students. Remember them and don't break (打破) {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (they). So you can keep yourself safe.

In the eyes of many foreigners, Chinese are the best hosts and the worst guests in the world. They're not really bad guests but because the guest-host relationship in China is much different than in some Western countries it appears they are not nice guests. And Western guests sometimes look rude in the eyes of Chinese guests.  

　　In China guests are almost like gods. Whenever I enter a Chinese person's home there is always fruit on the table for me and someone is quick to bring me a cup of tea or water. In the West generally the guest is not a god. Acting according to the host's way of doing things is usual behaviour for a guest. 

　　My wife's mother is a very kind elderly Chinese lady who doesn't smoke. When I see some of her guests smoking in her house, as a non-smoker I feel unhappy. Usually I want to stop them directly but I must realize that she must not do that. In most North America homes if you are a guest and the hosts are not smokers, you should not smoke in their house. At the very least you could ask "Is it OK if I smoke?" But don't be surprised if they say "No, you can't smoke." In our culture if you smoke in their home you are a bad guest, but if they don't allow you to smoke in their house they are not a rude guest.

　　Guests in China also have special habits. Some Western people may not adapt to these habits very soon. Thankfully my wife is Chinese so whenever we visit a Chinese family she tells me to buy them a gift. However giving a gift to a host is not always necessary in my country. So if you invite international guests to your home don't be too surprised if they don't bring you a gift. 

　　In China you probably won't need to change the guest-host relationship very much because you will probably only be the host and Chinese are naturally very good hosts. If Western hosts invite you to their house, try not to be too surprised if their style of treating you is not what you have expected.