This is a story about a famous American woman. Her name is Helen Keller. When she was only nineteen months old, she got an illness. It made her blind(瞎的) and deaf (聋的). She couldn't see or hear anything, so she couldn't learn to speak. When she was six, a young teacher came and taught her to read and write. Her name was Ann Sullivan.

    Later, when she was ten, Miss Sullivan took her to another teacher, Sarah Fuller. Sarah Fuller taught her to speak. Helen put her fingers on Miss Fuller's face and into her mouth. In this way, she learned to speak. She went to school and became famous because she was one of the first blind and deaf persons to learn to speak. She began to write books and to help the blind in many parts of the world. Her hard work and her courage(勇气) made people in all countries love her.

根据短文内容回答问题。

Teenage life—better now, or in the past?

    Does this situation sound familiar（熟悉）?

    You are complaining（抱怨）to your parents about something. Maybe your computer isn't powerful enough to play the latest games.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.Then you hear…

    “When I was your age, there weren't any computers or video games. And I didn't get a bike until I was sixteen. And it was second-hand.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}”

    So, is it really true that life is better for teenagers now? It is certainly true that many teenagers have got more things nowadays.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}So parents have got more money to spend on each child. And many things are cheaper than they were when our parents were children.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Forty years ago, no one could imagine a world with tiny computers and amazing smartphones. And now these things are necessary—we can't imagine living without them!

    However, technology often means we spend more time at home. And often it's just us, with our computer or television. Teenagers don't do enough exercise.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} And, although young people still get on well with their friends, some people think teenagers today don't have so many social activities as they did in the past.

    What do you think? How is teenage life better these days?

A. And it was too big for me.

B. A typical family is smaller now.

C. Or your friends' bikes are better than yours.

D. So they aren't as healthy as they were in the past.

E. Technology is probably the greatest change in our life.

    Do you go to school by bus? It is very important for you to know how to be safe when taking a bus, no matter whether you like it or not.

    First, don't run to the bus stop, but walk. While you are at the bus stop, you should wait in a safe place. Do not run or play while waiting. And never get into a car with a stranger.

    Second, don't talk in a loud voice when you are on the bus, so the driver will not be disturbed(打扰). If you need to talk with the bus driver, you'd better wait until the bus stop. Never throw things on the bus or out of the windows. Never play near the emergency exit(紧急出口). When there is a fire, the most important thing is to break the window with a hammer or any sharp things and then jump out.

    Third, when you are getting off the bus, make sure you walk (not run) three more steps away from the door. This is the best place to be around a bus. Stay away from the bus wheels and watch out for moving cars!

    Last, if you leave something on the bus, never return(回到) to the bus to get it. The driver may not see you come back and he may begin moving the bus. Also, if you drop something near the bus, tell the driver before you try to pick it up, so he will know where you are.

    English is the first language of several countries. However, it has many differences. British, American, and South African English are all spoken differently. In many English language courses, the British and American differences are taught. There are important differences between the two.

    Probably the biggest difference between American and British English is the vocabulary. Different words and expressions are used to talk about the same thing. For example, in the United States, people throw their garbage into the trash can. In England, people throw their rubbish into the dustbin. In Britain, people take a lift to the fifth floor. In America, people take an elevator.

    American and British grammar can be also different. For example, speakers of British English will ask "What did you do at the weekend?", but Americans usually say "on the weekend." In the United States people usually say "I've gotten a new car.", but in the UK they will say "I've just got a new car."

    The pronunciation in American and British English is also different, even when the spelling is the same. The word "tomato"—pronounced "to-mah-to" in British English—is a classic example of this.Vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation are three ways English is different in different parts of the world.

    Learning all these is not easy, so English learners should just know that they are always there.

    Don't be too surprised if you see a car going down the road without a driver in Beijing these days. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Last month, Baidu began to test its self-driving cars on open roads in Beijing.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Since then, companies like Tesla, Uber and Baidu have been working to produce and test their own self—driving cars.

    Self-driving cars are safer than regular cars. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}They can remove the stress of driving and allow disabled or blind people to get around more easily.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}In one test, researchers pointed a laser pointer (激光棒) at the car's sensors (传感器) while it was moving. The car mistakenly thought that the laser beam was in its way and slowed down or changed the direction.

    The software that is used to direct the cars may not be safe enough. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}When we use our computers or smartphones, they sometimes crash (崩溃) without any reason. But if this happened to a self-driving car, the result could be deadly. Improvements to the software could be a solution to this problem.