Red squirrels used to be a common sight in British forests and countryside. But there are fewer than 140,000 red squirrels left now and most of them are in Scotland. However, grey squirrels (introduced from North America) are now so common that many people dislike them. They can be legally（合法的）trapped and destroyed.

   On first sight, the two types of squirrel are similar. They both have a long tail, which helps the squirrel to balance when jumping from tree to tree, and the same large eyes, small ears and powerful back legs. However, the grey squirrel has a clear physical advantage over the red. The red squirrel has a head-and-body length of 19 to 23 centimeters, a tail length of 15 to 20 centimeters and a body weight of 250 to 340 grams. Compared to this, the grey squirrel is a larger animal. The head and body measures between 23 and 30 centimeters long and the tail is between 19 and 25 centimeters long. Adult grey squirrels are heavier, weighing between 400 and 600 grams. This size allows them to store more fat and helps them to survive a hard winter, which would be fatal（致命的）to their  smaller cousins .

So why are red squirrels losing out in competition with grey squirrels? Size is one factor, but there are others. Red squirrels live high up in trees, while grey squirrels spend more of their time on the ground. This means any loss of forests greatly influences the red squirrel population. Another reason for the grey squirrel's success is its ability to use food provided by people. Like the fox, the grey squirrel can survive in towns and cities. The other problem for the red squirrel is disease. Both squirrels carry a certain virus. While this doesn't seem to attack grey squirrels, it is fatal to red squirrels.

Which musical instrument shall I learn?

Many people would like to learn how to play a musical instrument, but they are put off by one big problem：What to play? Here are a few questions to help you decide.

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    Many instruments are of different use，but some are more fit for certain types of music. Some instruments may lead themselves better than others to the music you like, so consider this before you start.    Do you want to play with other people?

Think about your long-term future as a musician. If you want to play with other people, what sort of instrument would be most practical? Your first thought of playing the violin, for example, might disappear when too many people are competing with you！

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Many people live in flats and practicing the drums, for example, will drive your neighbors crazy. Think about where and when you are going to practice, as well as the feelings oI the people you live with or near.

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This is quite a big factor. Many instruments can be bought at different prices. But this doesn't change the fact that many, such as the piano, are always pretty expensive. If you can't afford your chosen instrument，will you be able to borrow someone else's or hire one?

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Talk to people you know who already play instruments. They might even let you try theirs. It's also a good idea to find an experienced music teacher, preferably one who plays a few different instruments, who can give you some advice and push you in the right direction.

AStill not sure?

BWhere are you going to practice?

CHow much money can you spend?

DAre you weak or strong?

EWhat king of music do you like?A

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}  Do you like music? Why or why not?（不少于5个单词）

    The Smiths live at 87 King Street. In the morning, Mr. Smith goes to work and the children go to school. Their father takes them to school every day. Mrs. Smith stays at home every day. She does the housework. She always eats her lunch at noon. In the afternoon, she usually sees her friends. They often drink tea together. In the evening, the children come home from school. They arrive home early. Mr. Smith comes home from work. He arrives home late. At night, the children always do their homework, then they go to bed. Mr. Smith usually reads his newspaper, but sometimes he and his wife watch television.

    Casey was painting the sets (粉刷布景) for the school play (戏剧). When she worked, the actors practiced on stage (舞台). A girl named Amelia played an important role in it. Now she was singing.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}She saw the actors practice again and again. She remembered the words to all the songs by heart.

    Casey's friend Kareem helped her paint. "You should try out for the next play," he said. "You're good."

    Casey said, " {#blank#}2{#/blank#}"

    The next day, Casey and Kareem finished painting the last part of the sets. They were cleaning up their brushes and paints.

    "It's too bad!" Ms. Brown came in and said. " {#blank#}3{#/blank#}She can't be in the play. What will we do?"

    Kareem and Casey heard this. "You know all the words to the songs. You can take over Amelia's part!" said Kareem

    "No, I can't," said Casey.

    "Sure you can. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You must do it!" said Kareem.

    Casey really wanted to act on stage. She thought, " {#blank#}5{#/blank#}" Then she took a deep breath (深呼吸) and walked to Ms. Brown, "I know what we can do!"

    Jia Meng used to keep a diary in Chinese. But one year ago, the 14-year-old girl from Heilongjiang Province began to write her diary in English, because Jia found her mother was reading her diary secretly. She changed the language because her mother can't read English. “It's like killing two birds with one stone.” said Jia, “My private things become safe and my English improves a lot.”

    Jia's mother is not the only mom who reads her child's diary. Recently, Renmin University of China had a survey among over 23,000 parents. The results show that 40% of parents read their children's sectects. That's why many teenagers try to find ways to protect their privacy(隐私).

    Wu Lei, 15, of Shanxi, keeps a diary, too. But he doesn't write it on paper. He writes online which he thinks is perfectly safe because his parents know nothing about the Internet.

    Lu Huan, 13, of Guangdong, said her parents always secretly listened to the talk between her friends and her on the telephone in their room. To solve this problem, Lu asked her parents to buy her a mobile phone.

    “Parents want to know what is going on in their children's lives,” said Shao Xiazhen, a teenage expert in Beijing. “But sometimes they go about it the wrong way.” Shao suggested to teenagers that instead of hiding their secrets, talking to parents should be a better solution. “If your parents know that you are safe, they'll let you keep your secrets.”

Information Card

    Emperor penguins are the largest penguins on Earth. Each adult is over a metre tall, and can weigh up to 40 kilograms.

    For many months each year, emperors live near the sea in large groups called colonies. However, in May, the weather gets colder and ice covers large areas of ocean. Each colony moves many kilometres from the water.

    Sharing the work

    There, each mother penguin lays just one egg. Then all the hungry mothers must walk back to the ocean to find food. The father penguins put their eggs on top of the feet, under a special piece of skin called the brood pouch. For two months, the father penguins keep the eggs safe and warm. Antarctica. Most animals leave for warmer places, but the father penguins stay. In this time, without food, a father penguin can lose almost half of his weight.

    New life

    Then the babies begin to hatch! The mother penguin returns just in time to see her baby come out of its egg. The chick is then moved to her bored pouch. This can be difficult. If the chick falls, it can freeze quickly, so the penguin parents must be very careful! Once this is done, the father penguin can go back to the ocean to find food.

    Growing up

    Over the next few months, penguin parents take turns to go to the ocean for food. They each make the trip several times, bringing back food for the chick. The chick grows quickly and is always hungry.

    Into the water

    By December, winter is ending. The chick is five months old and can live on its own. Soon it enters the water for the first time. It will swim and eat until next April, and then return here. After a few more years, it, too, will start its own family.

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