You either have it, or you don't—a sense of direction, that is. But why is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map, while others can lose themselves in the next street?

    Scientists say we're all born with a sense of direction, 1it is not properly understood how it works. One theory is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it. Research being carried out at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don't use it, we lose it.

    "Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around." Says Jim Martland, Research Director of the project. "However, if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they2develop the skills."

    Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people should be taught certain skills to 3their sense of direction. He makes the following suggestions：

    If you are using a4, turn it so it relates to the way you are facing.

    If you leave your-bike in a5place, put it near something like a big stone or a tree. Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike. When you return, go back along the same route.

    Simplify the way of finding your direction by using lines such as streets in a town, streams, or walls in the countryside to guide you. Count your steps so that you know6you have gone and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where you are.

    Now you need never get lost again!

    Suppose you find a bright yellow bike on a street corner in the city. You hop on(跨上)it and 1. But wait—isn't this stealing? No, it isn't. 2 shouts, "Stop! Thief!" That is 3 this free ride is just fine with the city.

    You 4 find hundreds of free yellow bikes in some US cities. The idea began in Portland, Oregon, in 1994. People saw a need for 5 transportation, and they wanted to help 6 pollution. So, to get citizens(市民) 7 their cars and onto pollution-free bikes, they 8 the Yellow Bike Project.

    The 9 bikes are painted bright yellow and placed throughout the city. People can hop on the yellow bike and ride to run errands(短程差事), to work 10 to school. Then, they leave the bike for the 11 rider. There have been times when bikes have been stolen, but most people 12 the rules, because they think it is not wise to 13 the bike that's already free.

    Portland's 14 was quickly loved by a lot of people. Within two years of its starts, similar programs were 15in cities in six other states.

The kites in Weifang never disappoint. Every year the Weifang International Kite Festival amazes visitors with creative kites, as "paper birds" of varied designs keep appearing in the sky.

Kites in China can originate from the Warring States Period when Mozi made the first "wooden kite". Kites didn't actually become popular until the Ming Dynasty. By the middle of the Qing Dynasty, artists who were good at kite making began to appear in Weifang. In 1984, the first Weifang International Kite Festival was held.

Kites were used in China during the wars at the very beginning. For example, they can be used to record wind readings, similar to ship flags at sea. Over time, kites became connected with relaxing activities, and were often flown during festivals and holidays.

Today, kite-flying is a popular activity in China, and the Weifang International Kite Festival is one of the largest kite festivals in the world. In 2024, 622 kite artists from 59 countries and areas took part in the event. Zhang Xiaodong,74, has attended all the festivals. In the early days, he only brought traditional kites to take part in the competitions, but this time, he used sound and light to make the story of Chang'e flying to the moon come "alive".

The festival is a great platform to share kite-making skills. It also brings the people of China and other countries closer. As one citizen put it, "No matter how far away kite lovers go, there is always a 'thread' in their heart that can pull them together."

What do pandas，tigers，whales，lions and wild camels have in common （共同的）？They are all endangered（濒临灭绝的）. Here are the reasons. 

Hunting：For centuries，people hunted elephants for their tusks，killed tigers for their fur，and caught many other animals for their meat. 

Foreign animals：In 1505，some people discovered a beautiful island named Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. People brought dogs，pigs，monkeys and rats with them，but this was bad news for dodo birds. The birds did not have natural enemies （天敌） before. They ate fruit that fell from trees and built their house on the ground. But when people came，dodo birds were in big trouble—men killed them for their meat，and the new animals broke their homes and ate their eggs. The number of dodo birds became smaller and smaller and finally extinct. The last dodo bird was killed in 1681.

Loss of living space：People cut down forests for farming and building houses. People build dams （水坝） to make sure they have enough water. While we make our lives comfortable，other animals have less and less space. 

With a history of more than 1，800 years,dumplings are a traditional Chinese food. They are also a must for Chinese New Year. They are popular in China,especially in north China. Even some foreigners are interested in1 them. 

Chinese dumplings2 be made to look like ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots (银锭). It's said that the more dumplings you eat3 Chinese New Year, 4 money you can make in the coming year. 

People usually put minced meat (绞碎的肉) and vegetables in thin round dough skins (面皮) to make dumplings. Popular fillings are minced pork,fish,chicken,beef,and vegetables. People cook5 in different ways. 

Some people believe 6 people shouldn't eat sauerkraut (酸泡菜) dumplings during Chinese New Year. Because it means7 poor and difficult future. People like8 Chinese cabbage dumplings because it means one9 a lot of fortunes in the future. 

When making dumplings,there should10 a good number of pleats (褶) so that they will bring wealth. Sometimes a coin is put in dumplings,and the one who eats it is supposed to become wealthy. 

Hello! I'm Grace White. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}And White is my last name. I'm a student in No. 5 Middle School. I'm at school now. Look! {#blank#}2{#/blank#}It is yellow. What's on my desk? Three black pens, a blue ruler and an English book. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}She likes blue. Amy is my good friend. She is a nice girl. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}I often call her. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}He likes English very much. And the pens? Of course, they are mine.