The famous scientist and thinker, Charles Darwin, was born on February 12, 1809. As a boy, Charles liked to go for walks in the fields and forests. He enjoyed watching nature, and comparing what he saw with everything he had read in science books.

    At sixteen, Darwin was sent to Edinburgh University to become a doctor. But he was interested in the history of nature. Then he was sent to study in Cambridge University. He left the university in 1831. Some time later he heard that the ship Beagle was going on a trip to South America and wanted a scientist. His teacher advised him to go. So when the Beagle left England in December, 1831, Darwin was on it. The trip lasted almost five years.

    In 1842 Darwin went to live in Ken. Darwin understood that plants and animals are not always the same, and that they really change. By 1859 Darwin had finished his famous book "The Origin of Species". Darwin continued his studies in science before he died in 1882.

A.   B.   C.   D.   E.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}⑴The Japanese eat noodles on New Year's Day and their birthday. In Japan, noodles are a symbol of long life.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}⑵The onion in Greece is a symbol of birth and regrowth(重新生长). People in Greece don't eat onions on New Year's Day. They hang(悬挂) them on the front door.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}⑶In the Philippines, people always put 13 different kinds of fruits on the table on New Year's Eve. Every fruit is round in shape.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}⑷In America, people like to eat some green vegetables. They think eating green vegetables on New Year's Day can bring them money and success(成功).

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}⑸In Spain and some Latin American countries, people eat twelve grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve one grape for good luck in each month of the new year.

    Critical thinking(批判性思维) is trying to improve the way you think. People use critical thinking in every area of life to solve problems and evaluate claims(评估主张).

    Like every other skill, critical thinking takes practice. When a problem comes our way, we need to think critically to decide how to solve it. When we see an advertisement, for example, we should stop and think. Advertisements are made to make people feel certain that they are true, and then people can buy the products. But is what the advertisement says true? Is it making a claim? Or does it only interest us? Critical thinking is important and stops us from making poor choices. In fact, we are using it if we ask questions naturally about what we see.

    Practice makes perfect. While you are growing in critical thinking, you'll become a wiser and more thoughtful person. There are many ways of doing practice. Here are a few.

    Read about a topic people disagree on. Look at articles or books on all sides of the subject. For each side of the subject, think carefully and evaluate it.

    When you see or hear a claim, ask questions about it. Who is making the claim and why?

    Evaluate your own thinking. Where and why do you think uncritically? How can you improve?

    Critical thinking should be part of everything we do. It may help you to succeed at work or school. Make yourself into a habit of critical thinking. Change your thoughts and change your world.

    The giant panda is one of the most popular animals in the world. A giant panda can grow to be 1.5 metres tall and weigh up to 150 kg. People think the giant panda is very lovely. So it is not surprising that the World Wide Fund for Nature chose the giant panda as its symbol. The WWF tells people that giant pandas are in danger and raises money to save them.

    The giant pandas only live in China. There are fewer than 1, 600 giant pandas left in the wild. The main reason why pandas are endangered is that the area where pandas can live has become smaller.

    The WWF works to help giant pandas in the wild in many ways. One of the ways that help them is to increase the size of panda reserves. Some reserves need to be joined together by planting bamboo between them to make "corridors(通道) ". These are paths that lead from one reserve to another. No one may harm the pandas in these areas. The corridors let pandas move from one habitat(栖息地) to another to look for food.

    People are working very hard to make sure the giant pandas do not die out.

    "Dreams may be more important than sleep. We all need dreams." some scientists say. Dreams take up about one quarter of our sleeping time. People have several dreams each night. Dreams are short films. They come to us over and over again. That may be because the dreamer is worrying about something. Dreaming may be a way of trying to find an answer. Sometimes we wake up with a good feeling from a dream. But often we can't remember the dream. Dream can disappear quickly from memory. Some people dream too much to sleep well.

    Gordon stands in the hallway(走廊). No one is there. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It's 8: 10 a. m. He is late for class. He has to go to the music room, but he doesn't know where it is.

    He knows the music room isn't on the first floor. His classroom is on the first floor. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} He knows he has to walk quickly. The teacher will be worried(担心的).

    Gordon goes to the second floor and he turns(转弯) to the right. He goes down the hallway. On the left, he sees a door. "It may be the music room," he thinks. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} A young teacher is in it. Gordon asks the teacher, "Sorry, I'm new here. Do you know where the music room is?"

    "Sure," the teacher says. "It's on the third floor. Go upstairs and turn left. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} That is the music room. "

    Gordon thanks her and goes upstairs. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} "There you are!" Mr. Lewis says. "Your music teacher Mrs. Green asks me to find you." Gordon says, "I find you first!"