It's June 6. It's Jenny's birthday. She comes home and sees a card on the table. It says, "There is a present for you, Jenny. Go and look for it in your bedroom (卧室)." Jenny runs to her bedroom. She sees a red box on her bed. She opens it. There is another (又一) card in it. Jenny takes it out and reads, "Dear Jenny, I'm your present. My first letter is in 'some', but not in 'come'. My second letter is in 'have', but not in 'save'. My third letter is in 'live', but not in 'love'. My fourth letter is in 'for', but not in 'of '. My fifth letter is in 'take', but not in 'cake'. What am I?"

    Jenny thinks and then she says, "Aha, I know! But where is it?" Jenny finds (找到) it behind the door.

    Summer is a great time to get a new hobby. It's something that can start now and last all through the year. If you like music, think about some music lessons such as guitar or drum. You may think about joining in the music team for teens. You can also make some new friends there. Do you collect your favorite things? Now it's the time. There are many fun things to collect like postcards, especially sports cards. If you enjoy taking photos, you can choose the photography classes. And don't forget to share your wonderful pictures with your family members and friends. How about cooking? Try to read some books about cooking. Maybe you can cook with your morn. That will be great fun. If you are bored (无聊的) at home, bike-riding is also a hobby. Why not go bike-riding? You can get exercise as well as enjoy the beauty of nature. Maybe you have a nice summer.

Information Card

    About one hundred years ago many educated people learned and spoke French when they met people from other countries. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It has become the new international language. There are more people who speak English as a second language than people who speak English as a first language. Why is this?

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} One of them is that English has become the language of business. Another important reason is that popular American culture (like movies, music, and McDonald's) has quickly spread all over the world. It has brought its language with it.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I don't know. It's important to have a language that the people of the earth have in common. Our world has become very global(全球性的) and we need to communicate with one another. On the other hand, English is quite a difficult language to learn and it brings its culture with it. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Scientists have already tried to create an artificial(人造的) language that isn't too difficult and doesn't include any one group's culture. It is called Esperanto. But it hasn't become popular. But maybe the popularity of English won't last that long either. Who knows? There are more people in the world who speak Chinese than any other language. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Do we really need that?

B. So it is important for people to learn French.

C. There are many reasons why English has become so popular.

D. Today most people speak English when they meet foreigners.

E. Maybe someday Chinese will be the new international language.

F. More than six thousand languages are spoken in the world today.

G. Is it good that English has spread to all parts of the world so quickly?

    Not many kids are willing to help around the house, but if you start early and then make a list of chores that need to be done and by whom, they'll soon come to accept it as a part of life.

    ①随着孩子们长大，他们或许会为在家里做家务索要钱。Should you pay them? It's up to you.

    Sarah doesn't think you should ever pay children for chores with money or rewards (奖赏) ."This will make them think that the chore is an 'extra (额外的事物)'that they don't have to do if they don't feel like doing it," says Sarah.

    "If children are trying to save for something specific like a computer game, it may be an idea to give them extra chores like washing the kitchen floor, watering plants or washing the car that you will pay for," "Liz says." ②Then at the end of the month they get a little extra pocket money. It teaches them about saving up, and working for the things they want."

    Mary likes to run. Ever since she was in the third grade, she has been training to run long distances. Now that she was in her eighth grade, her parents agreed to let her run in the Banana Classic. The Banana Classic is a ten-kilometre race. It takes place every year in Mattydale. The winners get a lifetime supply (提供) of peanuts and fruit juice.

    Mary practised by running ten kilometres, twice every day. On the average (平时的) run, she would finish in thirty minutes. Last year's winner finished the race in twenty-six minutes and ten seconds!

    On the day of the race, Mary ran faster than she ever had in the past. As she came across the last kilometre, she was in the fourth place. She picked up the pace (步伐) and quickly reached the second place, just as she could see the finishing line. She ran as fast as she could in a mad dash (冲刺) to the finish line, but she just wasn't fast enough to get ahead of the leader.