Red squirrels used to be a common sight in British forests and countryside. But there are fewer than 140,000 red squirrels left now and most of them are in Scotland. However, grey squirrels (introduced from North America) are now so common that many people dislike them. They can be legally（合法的）trapped and destroyed.

   On first sight, the two types of squirrel are similar. They both have a long tail, which helps the squirrel to balance when jumping from tree to tree, and the same large eyes, small ears and powerful back legs. However, the grey squirrel has a clear physical advantage over the red. The red squirrel has a head-and-body length of 19 to 23 centimeters, a tail length of 15 to 20 centimeters and a body weight of 250 to 340 grams. Compared to this, the grey squirrel is a larger animal. The head and body measures between 23 and 30 centimeters long and the tail is between 19 and 25 centimeters long. Adult grey squirrels are heavier, weighing between 400 and 600 grams. This size allows them to store more fat and helps them to survive a hard winter, which would be fatal（致命的）to their  smaller cousins .

So why are red squirrels losing out in competition with grey squirrels? Size is one factor, but there are others. Red squirrels live high up in trees, while grey squirrels spend more of their time on the ground. This means any loss of forests greatly influences the red squirrel population. Another reason for the grey squirrel's success is its ability to use food provided by people. Like the fox, the grey squirrel can survive in towns and cities. The other problem for the red squirrel is disease. Both squirrels carry a certain virus. While this doesn't seem to attack grey squirrels, it is fatal to red squirrels.

    My name is Grace. Today is Sunday. It is a nice day. It is also my grandfather's birthday. He is 80 years old. My parents and I go to his home. We don't get up early because the alarm clock (闹钟) doesn't work. We don't have much time for breakfast. We go to a supermarket to buy some fruit and a birthday cake at eight thirty. Then we go to my grandparents' home quickly. We get there at 11:15. My grandparents are very happy to see us. We have lunch at 12 o'clock. After lunch, we play chess with my grandfather. It is interesting. We go home at about four o'clock in the afternoon. It is a happy day.

    Hello! My name is Zhou Aiguo. I'm from Wuhan. I live （居住） at Zhongshan Road. My English name is Tim. I like drawing pictures. I'm now studying at No. 1 Secondary School. Peter is my good friend. He is in Class 8, Grade 7. We are in the same class. My telephone number is 8329746. You can write letters to me. Remember （记住） my post code is three one zero zero one two. You can send e-mails to me. My address is ZhouAiguo@126.com. I like to be your friend.

    There are five people in my family. We all like watching TV, but we like different TV shows.

    My grandpa is a great fan of Beijing Opera. He likes watching it very much. Now he is in a Beijing Opera club. There he talks about Beijing Opera and acts with other Beijing Opera fans.

    My grandma likes cross talk, and she often watches them when she is free. Her favorite cross talker is Guo DeGang.

    My father is a reporter in a TV station. He watches all kinds of TV shows, but he likes news program best.

    My mother is a teacher. Her favorite TV shows are soap operas. She thinks they are very interesting. But I think they are boring.

    I like playing basketball, so my favorite TV shows are sports shows.

    Reading is a good hobby for all kinds of reason.

    First, reading is fun. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. You will never feel bored or tired.

    Next, you can read a book anywhere—in a car, on a plane, or even in the bathroom.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. It is so easy to get a book.

    Another good reason for reading is that it is useful. If you read as a hobby, you will get better and better at it. And you will read faster and find it easier to understand what you read. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, you will probably find your schoolwork becomes much better.

    Some people say that reading is not in fashion. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. You can read on the Internet. The more you read, the more knowledge you will get. Good readers may become writers, too.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

    Reading is a wonderful hobby. Why not start reading right now?

    Thank you for watching Around China. I'm Li Ling, a reporter from CCTV. Now, we're in Penghu, Taiwan. The beach here is really beautiful and clean. Today is sunny, but the weather is hot and humid. There are lots of people. Some people are taking photos; some are swimming in the sea, and others are lying on the beach. Look at this group of young men playing beach soccer. They are only wearing sports shorts and sunglasses. They are running barefoot (赤脚的). They really look cool. I'm surprised that they can play so well in this heat. This is a very beautiful and interesting place. It's also a good place to relax. I like here so much that I really don' t want to leave.