Every year, about 600 monkeys are invited to eat fruits and vegetables during an annual feast(盛宴)in Thailand. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}It is said that Rama once rewarded his friend Hanuman, the Monkey King, with some land. Organizers of the annual Monkey Buffet use more than 3,000 kg of fruits and vegetables to prepare for the feast.

    This event is held in England. Though it might sound very gentle, it is actually very dangerous. Running down a very steep hill behind a 7-pound wheel of cheese can be very dangerous. In fact, the police have attempted to ban the event, but participants have refused to carry out the ban. Men and their cheese wheels cannot be separated so easily.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Simple: the cheese is set rolling down the hill, and the racers run down the hill after the cheese. However, as the cheese can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, it rarely happens that someone catches the cheese. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    In this festival, grown men jump over newborns, with their parents' permission. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} This custom has been observed since 1620; any onlookers who seem to be in need of ＂cleaning＂ also get involved in the event.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This Naked (裸的) Festival is held in dozens of places throughout Japan every year, usually in summer or winter. Hidden somewhere in these men is one fully naked man, and touching him is believed to bring good luck.

A. This event is very interesting.

B. Everybody takes an active part in it.

C. So what happens during a cheese roll?

D. The first to reach the bottom wins the cheese.

E. It is held in honor of Rama, the greatest of the Gods.

F. There is a Japanese festival where participants wear little clothing.

G. Wearing scary costumes, the Spanish men attempt to ＂clean＂ babies of evil (邪恶).

    How parents can help children with reading skills

    Making sure that your children read well can help them perform better in school and increase their confidence in their ability to communicate well. The following ways can be very helpful.

    Have your children read to you.

    Have your children choose their favorite book and sit down to read with you each evening. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It doesn't matter whether that starts after dinner or around the time your children go to sleep.

    Stock (储备) your house with reading materials.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It is reported that children who have different kinds of books and magazines to choose from at home actually score higher on standardized tests.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Researchers suggest having your children read signs on the road, menus, game directions, movie listings and other daily things. This will help your children try to understand the importance and applicability (适用性) of being able to read well.

    Pay attention to reading problems.

    See how well your children can sound out words, understand what they have read and use reading context (上下文) to understand the meaning of new words. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} For example, you can take them to reading learning centers.

    Use other reading tools. 

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Take games as an example, try to use them as much as you can, since they can make children look forward to and enjoy the process of improving their reading ability.

A. Read wherever it is possible.

B. Take your children to a library.

C. Make reading an important part of each day.

D. Keep some reading materials available in your house.

E. Games, textbooks and books on tape are good choices.

F. If your children have difficulty reading, get them some help.

    Everyone knows that fish is good for health. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}But it seems that many people don't cook fish at home. Americans eat only about fifteen pounds of fish per person per year, but we eat twice as much fish in restaurants as at home. Buying, storing, and cooking fish isn't difficult. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}This text is about how to buy and cook fish in an easy way.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Fresh fish should smell sweet: you should feel that you're standing at the ocean's edge. Any fishy or strong smell means the fish isn't fresh. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}When you have bought a fish and arrive home, you'd better store the fish in the refrigerator if you don't cook it immediately, but fresh fish should be stored in your fridge for only a day or two. Frozen fish isn't as tasty as the fresh one.

    There are many common methods used to cook fish. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}First, clean it and season it with your choice of spices (调料). Put the whole fish on a plate and steam it in a steam pot for 8 to 10 minutes if it weighs about one pound. (A larger one will take more time.) Then, it's ready to serve.

A. Do not buy it.

B. The easiest is to steam it.

C. This is how you can do it.

D. It just requires a little knowledge.

E. The fish will go bad within hours.

F. When buying fish, you should first smell it.

G. The fats in fish are thought to help prevent heart disease.

Voluntourism — New Trend in Travel

Volunteering to help people in need combined with travelling to faraway places is a new trend in the travel industry. It is called voluntourism. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} On the other side, they volunteer to help others who are not as well off as they are.

    Recent statistics show that in the past few years voluntourism has been one of the fastest-growing areas of tourism. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} They work in orphanages (孤儿院), help build schools, assist in hospitals and do farm work in developing countries. Some of them establish lasting bonds with people far away.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Students see it as a gap year after school; others simply want to take some time off from a job and do something else. Then there are these who are bored and merely seek adventures. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They think it is a cheap way of travelling and don't really want to get involved in hard work.

    Not everyone sees voluntourism in a positive way. Critics (评论家) say that if people really want to help those in need there are many opportunities in their own community to do this. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Travel experts also point out that in some cases voluntourists are made use of by organizations that set up the trips.

A. voluntourism has been expanded into many countries.

B. There are many reasons why people engage in voluntourism.

C. However, many voluntourists do not see volunteering as what it is.

D. Besides, volunteers are often not skilled enough in the tasks that they do.

E. More than 1.6 million people around the world are volunteers in other countries.

F. Standard development programs are often sponsored by international organizations.

G. People travel to other places, learn languages and other cultures and gain new experiences.

    Your children are watching you. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} According to the Health Program, developing healthy habits is an important part for your children. And when it comes to developing healthy habits, parents influence their children more than anyone else.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} What happens during those early years can influence children for the rest of their lives. This includes some eating and exercise habits. Children are very careful, even at a young age. Children watch what others do carefully and imitate the behaviors of those closest to them. As parents, you should do the following: {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you do that, your children are more likely to be enthusiastic about developing theirs.

    Let your children see you taking care of your own physical health by eating fruit and vegetables. Talk to them about healthy habits in appropriate terms and at a proper time. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Computers, televisions and other forms of technology are a major part of life in the 21st century. Unfortunately, as the use of technology in the home increases, so does the time spent watching TV or playing on the computer. So as parents, you should also arrange the time for your children wisely.

A. Don't get rid of technology, but use it wisely.

B. Take part in physical activities and exercise regularly.

C. Be enthusiastic about developing healthy habits of your own.

D. Your actions are speaking to them louder than your words will.

E. Children prefer to imitate their parents rather than listen to them.

F. This can be helpful to teach your children to form good eating habits.

G. It's easy for the children to form their healthy habits when they are young.

    We know that choosing a college major can be very hard. But have no fear! Your choice of major will not lock you into a specific career for the rest of your life. Here's what you need to know about college majors before you commit.

    What is a major?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Beyond general college requirements, you'll also take a group of courses in a subject of your choosing such as Chemistry, Literature, or Political Science.

    How important is my major?

    The major you choose will neither predict nor guarantee your future. Many graduates find jobs that have nothing to do with what they studied in college. If you intend to earn a professional degree after college, you will probably need certain courses. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    When do I declare a major?

    This varies widely across schools and programs. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Others require that you declare upon a major by the time that you set foot inside your first class.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Definitely. One of the most exciting aspects of college life is that it introduces you to new subjects and arouses new passions. However, keep this in mind. Every major has necessary coursework. If you change your major late in the game, it may take more than the traditional four years to earn a degree.

    What are minors and double majors?

    If one field of study doesn't satisfy your intellectual appetite, consider a minor. A minor is similar to a major in that it's an area of academic concentration. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}A double major provides you with an understanding of two academic fields. It allows you to become familiar with two sets of values and views while it also requires you to fulfill two sets of requirements.

A. Can I change my mind?

B. Is my major time-consuming?

C. It's your specialized area of study in college.

D. Most students find one major is more than enough.

E. Some schools may give you one year or more to decide.

F. But many future doctors major in non-science related fields.

G. The only difference is that it doesn't require as many classes.