When we meet someone for the first time, we often would like to talk about ourselves. We just want to show the best to others. But why not listen? Sometimes, listening is better than talking. Then how to be a good listener? Here are a few suggestions:
◆Look at the speaker. It shows you are listening carefully. It's also a good way to “talk” to your friend with your eyes.
◆Don't cut in. Give your friend enough time to say what she or he thinks. Don't stop your friend's words. Even if you want to say something, you should wait till your friend finishes.
◆ Try to understand. When you are listening, try to catch her or his feelings and ideas. It helps you know your friend better. And your friend will feel better about you. She or he may think you are the right person to talk with.
◆Show your ideas at the right time. "It's interesting." "What happened next?" … These are useful when you are listening. And you can give advice when your friend asks for it.
It's never too late to become a good listener. It can change your life and the lives of the people in your life.

When 4-year-old English family member Prince George(乔治王子) started his first day of school in September, Chinese language was on his curriculum(课程表).

And he wasn't the only one kid. According to a report published by the British Council(英国文化协会) in September, about 51 percent of UK parents want their children to learn Chinese, because it's one of the most useful languages.

In fact, the popularity of Chinese made the UK government start the Mandarin Excellence Programme in September last year. Its aim(目的) is to make at least 5000 English students speak Chinese well by 2020.

Yet, the UK isn't the only country showing a growing interest in Chinese. The language becomes the second most spoken foreign language in the USA this year, after only Spanish, with over 2.1 million speakers.

Many US famous people such as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Malia Obama, former US President(总统) Barak Obama's daughter, study Chinese as a second language.

In April, Arabella and Joseph Kushner, grandchildren of US President Donald Trump, sang the traditional folk music Jasmine in Mandarin for Chinese President Xi Jingping when the two leaders met in Florida.

So far, 67 countries have studied Chinese in their national curriculum, reported the Chinese website.

Chinese has become more and more{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    My dream home is a house made of glass and it has a garden. It is not far from the sea. It is a smart house with a library. There are one million books in it! There is a big 3­D TV in the living room. How cool it is to watch my favourite films with it! It is never too cold or too hot in the rooms. When I walk into a room, the lights are turned on. The house can keep itself clean.

    There is a garden in front of the house. Many flowers are in it. And there is also a small lake behind the house. At weekends, I can watch the fish swim around or do some fishing by the lake.

    The house is far from the city centre, but there is a mini airport (机场) in it so I can fly to other places in my mini plane if I want to go shopping or do some other things. Does the house sound cool? Maybe in 20 years, my dream will come true.

    American schools begin in September after a long summer holiday. There are two terms in a school year; the first term is from September to January, and the second is from February to June. Most American children begin to go to school when they are five years old. Most children are seventeen or eighteen years old when they finish high school.

    High school students take only five or six subjects each term, they usually go to the same classes every day, and they have homework for every class. After class, they do a lot of interesting things.

    After high school, many students go to colleges. They usually have to pay a lot of money. So many college students work after class to get money for their studies.

⑴{#blank#}1{#/blank#} People might grow plants and vegetables in the sea in about 50 years.

⑵{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The Lost World is an exciting American movie. People, especially school students, may like it better in free time.

⑶{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Though you could buy the world, you could not buy a happy family, good friends or knowledge (知识).

⑷{#blank#}4{#/blank#} For parents with children, an important problem is getting the children away from the television to do their homework.

⑸{#blank#}5{#/blank#} When you need help for your homework, go to the library. You may find magazines, newspapers and big dictionaries there. They can always help you.