It's March, 2050.

   Frank and Mary Smith wake up in their comfortable house in the morning and switch on the bedroom computer to get the latest news. They used to read the Times, but changed to electronic newspapers many years ago.
   There is the usual news about space: another space flight has returned from Mars and scientists have discovered a new planet. Then they turn to business news: the US dollar has risen greatly in Shanghai, one of the world's leading business centres. Mary tells the computer to buy 5,000 dollars, and there is a quick response that it has been done.
   As they watch the screen, Mary orders one of the household robots to make coffee for them.

   Frank disappears into the study to join a video conference with his partners around the world. He is a computer engineer, working for several companies. This is his third job: he used to be in marketing and then television.
   Mary has a quick look at the shopping channels - the usual selection of electric cars, household robots and cheap travel offers - before picking up the video phone to talk to her assistant. She also has a job and she is doing medical research. Both she and Frank used to have an office desk in London, but in 2014 they decided to move to the seaside and work from home.
   Frank and Mary have one daughter, Louise, who also has her own workstation at home. She goes to school only one day a week, mainly to play with other students. Classrooms disappeared in 2030 because there was no longer any need for them: communications systems have made it much easier to learn at home.
   Louise, now thirteen, is studying Chinese at present, which has become a world language as important as English. Louise has many Chinese friends. They communicate by computer.
   According to the family doctor, Louise will live to at least 130. Her wish is to work for a few decades (十年) and then spend her time on music and painting.

      This week we asked students at New Star High School about the best ways to learn more English. Some said they learnt by using English. Some students had more specific suggestions.

      Lillian Li said the best way to learn new words was reading English magazines. She said that she never studied grammar. She thought it was too boring.

      Wei Ming felt differently. He has been learning English for six years and really loves it. He thought studying grammar was a great way to learn a language. He also thought that watching English movies was a good way to watch the actors say the words.

      Liu Chang said that joining the English Club at school was the best way to improve her English. Students got lots of practice and they also had fun.

    At present, people use money every day. It is very important in our life{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Long ago, people didn't need money{#blank#}2{#/blank#} As time passed, people learned to raise home animals and plant crops(庄稼). Sometimes, families produced more than they needed, so they started to trade with other families. Later, people began to use money as a way of exchange(交换).{#blank#}3{#/blank#} They used shells, salt and large stones.

    During the 7th century B．C.(公元前), people began using coins as money. They were easier to carry{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    The Chinese were the first to use paper money, as early as the 11th century. The Italian traveler Marco Polo saw the Chinese using money when he visited China in the 1200s{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Today, we have many ways to pay for things. Often, a bank card is used for paying. It is safer and quicker than using a lot of paper money. Besides, proudly, Chinese always use Internet and mobile payment, such as Alipay and WeChat.

A．Do you know the history of money?

B．Instead, people still use paper money.

C．They were similar to the money at present.

D．Later, countries began to make their own coins.

E．However, it was not the kind of money we use today.

F．They lived on wild animals, fruits and other plants.

G．European countries started using paper money in the 1600s.

   The Greens are ready for a dancing party. Mr. Green wears a white shirt and black pants. He looks handsome(英俊的). Mrs. Green is quite pretty today. She wears a white blouse and a blue skirt. What about Gina? She looks beautiful, too. Her T-shirt goes well with her skirt. Her T-shirt is light blue and her skirt is blue. She really likes blue. Gina's brother Tom wears a yellow T-shirt and blue pants. He also wears a hat. He looks cute.

Customs on Eating

    Food in China and western countries is different. China has about 5000 years' old history. They may spend half of their time on food. Chinese people choose food very carefully. They only use. fresh materials (新鲜的材料) to make food. For example, they only eat fresh fish. Chinese have a lot of ideas for cooking. They can cook a chicken in over ten ways.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Western countries, like England or America, don't have fresh food because they buy their food from supermarkets which only sell stored materials (储存的材料).{#blank#}2{#/blank#}They are healthy for man's body. Western people do not have many skills for cooking, and mostly they only boil, steam (蒸) and bake the food. By the way, western people are very good at making desserts and chocolate. They can make very good cakes and chocolate{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    In China, the person who invites other people for meal would pay for the meal, but it's not the same way in western countries.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} They can afford it. They won't be happy if you pay for them. In western countries like America or England, people will always give tips (小费) to the waiter after they finish the meal in a restaurant. If you don't, the waiter will not be happy. In China this only happens in some top restaurants and hotels in large cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

    Another difference in eating is that:{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Chinese people only have three meals during a day. But western people may have more. They usually have afternoon tea when they would have fruit, cakes or biscuits with cheese.