Cake with friends

    On the first day of July, 2019, everyone was amazed. Our teacher held a birthday party for 23 students. Most of the students' birthdays are in July. Our teacher gave them birthday cards. The cards' covers were printed with a group photos of our class. The teacher wrote birthday wishes to the students on the back. It was really sweet!

    Then, we sang a birthday song for the birthday kids. In addition (另外), all of us got to share cream（奶油） cakes, even if our birthdays weren't in July. I thought this was nice. I watched everyone eat their cake together and have some fun talks. It's nice to have good friendships(友谊) like this.

    Then, something funny happened! We started throwing the cake to each other. Some of us drew pictures on the birthday kids' faces. It was a really fun time.

    I was happy to be at school on that day. I watched all of my friends have fun together. I felt like it was one of the happiest times I've ever had in junior high school. I wished that I could stop time or make the best time lest just a few minutes longer. This isn't possible of course. But I do hope that all of my friends can cherish(珍惜) their friendships forever and enjoy friendships, just like I am now.

    I'm looking forward to the future. I hope I can make more good friends in high school.

    Near the village, there is an old famous temple. Some people want to build a new house where the temple now stands, because they can find no other area to build them, while others disagree with them. They meet to decide how to solve the problem. Here are their opinions about it.

The expert wants to protect the temple and believes that there are some interesting things buried in the ground. If it is destroyed or moved, people may never learn about how people lived in the past.

The businessman thinks that the houses should be built. History is important, but we must think about the future. The village needs development and building new houses will offer jobs to hundreds of people.

Villager A says, "We should build the new houses because we need houses to live in."

Villager B says, "We should protect the temple because it can attract many tourists to come for a visit. If the temple is destroyed or moved, we will lose a lot of business."

The village leader thinks that he has a duty to make life better for the villagers. They need jobs and new houses. He also thinks the cultural site (遗迹) is important and they should be careful with it as well.

Homeschooling

What do most people remember about their school days? Playing with classmates during breaks, eating food in the dining hall, or going to the headmaster's office, perhaps. But 850, 000 teenagers in the United States don't experience these things, because they are homeschooled. They don't go to a regular school.

Their parents teach them. Their education takes place at home and in the community. What is it like to be home- schooled? Read Dylan's blog about his homeschooling experience.

MONDAY. July 10

I'm Dylan and I'm 14 years old. This is my third year of being homeschooled by my mom, a university professor(教授). A lot of people ask me how I feel about it. They ask, "Do you miss being in school with other kids?"

Well, my daily life is different from the daily lives of millions of children who go to regular schools, but I'm enjoying my time with my mom. I'm learning things at my own pace. We can go fast or slow. depending on the subject. These days, I'm reading books that most kids only read when they get to college. I'm studying French German, art, and the his tones of the world-things I'm very interested in.

A lot of kids think I never get to communicate with other kids, but that's not true. I get together with the other homeschooled kids during our weekly sports games and at social events. I don't just study at home. My mom takes me to all kinds of field trips-to museums, theaters, libraries and lots of other cool places. And college? I'm not worried about it. I know I'm preparing myself well for it.

Once upon a time, in the middle of a pool, there lived a frog. One day, a princess( 公 主 )rowed. 1 the pool in a boat. As she moved past, the frog raised his head and called to her. 

"Kiss me, and I will 2 a handsome prince. "

"Not likely, "replied the princess, "I rule my own kingdom;I 3 my own armies, I make my own laws. I need 4 prince, handsome or otherwise. What else do you have to offer?"

"Kiss me, and I will give you great5 . "

"I think not, "answered the princess, "I 6 all the money in my country. Your great riches won't bring me any 7  , just make my money less valuable. Is that the best you have to 8 !"

"Kiss me, and 1 will promise you attractive 9 "

"Ha-ha, "sneered (讥讽)the princess, "How very 10 !I may be not good-looking.11 beauty does not last. "

"What do you want then?"the frog stuck to his 12

The princess thought hard, and moved 13

"I want to be happy, "she said quietly and kissed the frog. 

"You 14 love, riches, beauty, and yet you want happiness from kissing a frog! This isn't a fairy tale you know. "laughed the frog, diving into the clear, blue pool. 

Actually, frogs always15 you in the end. It's hard to escape from them. 

Pan Zhanle is a name all the Chinese know now. This summer he made history at Paris 2024 Olympic Games and brought one of the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (最令人激动的) moments for people all over the world. Also, it was the best gift for his {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (第二十个) birthday.

Pan was born in Wenzhou. A large {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (人口) in this city are swimmers. Pan's grandfather is one of them. Pan liked swimming at an early age and often had swimming matches with {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (同学) in summer holiday. Nobody at that time believed that the small boy will be named "Chinese Flying Fish" one day. In 2018, he went to Zhejiang Provincial swimming team and {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (练习) swimming hard every day. However, he had a big problem at that time—He was not tall enough as a swimmer. "Maybe it is better for you to stop swimming." someone {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (建议). Once again, his grandfather helped him. His coaches helped him a lot in {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (训练). Later, in 2023, he got a gold medal in Asian Games. From then on, Pan learned that swimming as much as {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (可能的) might not be difficult. To understand it will be a long {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (旅程) to become a real swimmer and never give up is the most important thing. Now the 20-year-old man is still working for his dream. "I am {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (相当) pleased to make the world record. But it is certainly not the end."