With the development of technology, WiFi is becoming more and more popular and important in people's daily life. But have you ever experienced it? Just imagine what life will be like if there is no Internet. Maybe you won't be able to talk with friends, play video games or search for information for your homework on the Internet.

    But in fact, only one third of the world's population are able to get information on the Internet. The rest are too poor to buy WiFi access(使用权) or they live in remote areas. As a result, they live without the Internet.

    Google and Facebook, two world-famous technology companies, have decided to do something about it. Google's Project Loon will try to send balloons which are 15 meters wide into our Earth's stratosphere (平流层) in 2015. The balloons are made of a special material that is three times thicker than the plastic bag we use every day. Each balloon will carry a minicomputer and a WiFi radio. The WiFi radio will send the Internet over the areas it is floating over. Then people can get up-to-date information on weather or news.

    Do you think laughter can help you deal with pain? Scientists from Britain did two experiments(实验). The first was done in a lab. People wore special wristbands(腕带). Some of them were asked to watch comedies while others watched serious programs. Then the scientists tightened(勒紧)the wristbands to see how much pain the people could feel.

    The other test was done at an art festival. Some people watched a comedy show and others watched a drama(戏剧). At the same time, they had to put their backs against the wall and keep their legs bent(弯曲的)just like sitting on a chair. They did this before and after the show.

Scientists found that just 15 minutes of laughter improves people's ability to stand pain by 10%. However, the serious programs and the drama didn't make a difference to pain at all.

    The study found that the magic power of laughter comes from endorphins(内啡肽). These are chemicals(化学物质). They are produced by the human body. They make you feel less pain and can make people feel happier. Exercise can produce endorphins. Your muscles(肌肉)move in and out when you are laughing. Scientists believe that this makes your muscles tiring, so we start to produce endorphins.

    Scientists also found that the only real and relaxing laughter works not just polite laughter.

    Next time you have a headache, get together with a group of Mends, watch a funny movie and laugh. You will soon feel a lot better because laughter is the best medicine.

People eat rice all over the world

Rice is believed to {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(grow) in China or possibly somewhere else in eastern Asia for about 10,000 years. The earliest evidence of rice farming comes from {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 7,000-year-old site near the lower Yangtze River village of Hemudu in Zhejiang province in China.

Rice is a kind of food which requires much labor. In {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(develop) countries, the planting and harvesting is done mostly with machines. However, in much of the world, these things are still largely done {#blank#}4{#/blank#} hand. It takes one farmer 1,000 to 2,000 working hours {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(raise) a rice crop on 2.5 acres of land. The fact that rice needs so much labor means {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(keep) a lot of the population on the land.

Rice is {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(certain) a crop in need of lots of water. The wet rice grown in most of Asia needs hot weather after a period of rain and conditions provided by the Asian rainy seasons affect many places {#blank#}8{#/blank#} rice is grown.

Rice straws (稻秆) {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(leave)in the fields add nutrients (营养物) to the soil after rice is harvested. For the next crop, rice farmers can often enjoy a good harvest by adding little {#blank#}10{#/blank#}no fertilizer (肥料).

Every town in America has a post office. Some are very t{#blank#}1{#/blank#} at the corner (角落) of a shop. You may be u{#blank#}2{#/blank#} of them. Others are large buildings. In the post office, stamps are sold at any window. The post offices sell stamps at different p{#blank#}3{#/blank#}, from one cent to some dollars. In a{#blank#}4{#/blank#}, you can also buy postcard in the post office. It is more e{#blank#}5{#/blank#} to send a letter than a postcard. It always cost you twice more of the price.

What kind of TV programs and films do you like? Everyone has his or her answer. Here are examples of some excellent or important TV programs and films. 

Xinwen Lianbo

Xinwen Lianbois a very famous news program in China. Everyday at 7 p. m, many Chinese people, young or old, watch it on time. This program helps Chinese people to learn about what is happening in the country and around the world. Its history started on January 1, 1978. It is one of the world's most-watched programs. 59. But now less and less people watch it because of the Internet.

Dingjun Mountain

Dingjun Mountain is a 1905 Chinese film. The film came from the Peking opera of the same name. The famous actor Tan Xinpei played the main character Huang Zhong in the film. Although the film is only about 30 minutes long and doesn't have sound, it has an important place in the history of China's film industry (行业). It is the first Chinese film and is a symbol of the start of the industry. 

The Spring Festival Gala (春节联欢晚会)

The Spring Festival is the most important traditional (传统的) Chinese festival. And watching the Spring Festival Gala on Chinese New Year's Eve (除夕夜)is an important activity for Chinese people. On the show, we can see many excellent performers give performances like comedy acts, songs, and dances. 

The tradition of watching the Spring Festival Gala started in 1983. After 40 years the show still makes Chinese people happy. On Chinese New Year's Eve, 60 相当多的人花四个小时的时间观看它。