When people travel abroad(国外), they sometimes stay in the homes of the local people. This is a homestay.

    I am living with an old English couple, in the west of London. They have a clean four-bedroom house. This is a new house. It has two bathrooms and a garden with many beautiful flowers. I have a bedroom of my own.

   There are some shopping centres and a restaurant near the house, and the house is close to an underground station. It takes about 30 minutes to take an underground to the centre of London.

    I think a homestay may be a good choice for you if it is your first time to visit abroad. The local people are friendly and helpful. If you want to celebrate the holidays with them, you will get to know more about their culture and customs.

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    There was once a King and he wanted to find out who could paint the best picture of peace. And he would offer a prize to the artist. Many artists tried. The King looked at all the pictures but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them.

    One picture was of a calm(平静的) lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with white soft clouds. Everyone thought that was a perfect picture of peace.

    The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged(崎岖的） and bare（无遮蔽的）.Above was an angry sky. And it was raining and lightening. Down the side of the mountain, a waterfall fell quickly. This did not look peaceful at all.

    But when the King looked carefully, he saw behind the waterfall a bush(矮树丛)growing in a crack（裂缝） in the rock． In the bush a mother bird had built her nest（巢，窝）, There, she sat on her nest… in perfect peace.

    Which picture do you think won the prize?

    The King chose the second picture."Because, "said the King, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the middle of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.

Last week we asked students at Guanghua High School about the best ways to learn more English. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Some students had more specific suggestions. Bruce Li, for example, said the best way to learn new words was reading English magazines. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}When we asked about studying grammar, he said, “I never study grammar.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Wei Ming feels differently. He has been learning English for six years and loves it a lot.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} He also thinks that watching English movies isn't a bad way because he can watch the actors say the words.

    Liu Chang said that joining the English Club at school was the best way to improve her English .{#blank#}5{#/blank#}And they also have fun.

Son: I'm going to start my own business, dad.

Dad: You'd better not, son. It is not as easy as it seems.

Son: {#blank#}1{#/blank#} In fact, I have already made a business plan. I will start from a one-person studio(工作室).

Dad: Don't you like the job you're doing? I thought you enjoyed computer programming.

Son: I love what I am doing. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If I work in someone else's company, I have to do what they ask me to do, not what I want to do.

Dad: {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It will be much more stressful than working for someone else.

Son: I know. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

Dad: What if it doesn't work out? {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Son: Many people succeeded because they failed. If I fail, I'll just try again!

Dad: Well then, go for it! Follow your dream and get what you want.

Dear Mr. Zhang,

    Next week, a group of exchange students (交换生) from the USA will come to visit Taizhou.

    I make a plan for them. We will eat breakfast at our school first. Then we can take them to Mei Lanfang's Former House (故居) by bus. It takes only 25minutes. They can learn to sing Beijing opera there. In the afternoon, we will go to Tiandehu Park and take some photos there. In the park we can have a picnic as our lunch. Then we will go to the cinema to watch a new film. After that the girls can go to the shopping malls to buy things they like and we will take the boys to our school playground to play football for one and a half hours.

    In the evening we shall invite(邀请) them for dinner in a restaurant. They can try Chinese food. I' m sure they will have a good time in our city.

Yours love,

Tony