Classic Is Never Gone

    Every year hundreds of films areproduced, yet how many are forgotten after six months? Movies come and go, as throw away as popcorn bags left on the floor of a cinema. But of those few films that people do remember, there is one that is truly “evergreen”(常青).

Whether you are young or old, or where you are in the world, the 1939 classic Gone with the Wind never seems to become unpopular. Last year the film celebrated its 75^th birthday.

    The movie comes from a best-selling book of the same name by US writer Margaret Mitchell. Hollywood was soon interested in turning the novel into a movie.

    The story is set in the periods before, during and after the American Civil War (1861-1865). It is about relationships between members of high-class families living in the south of America.

    The Civil War period piece highly rewarded the time and effort of the film makers who worked on it. Over twenty years, nostudio went beyond it in making the most money of any film ever made. It's the kind of movie that every studio dreams of making.

Dear Grandma,

    How are you? I am very busy this month. (A)September 5th is my good friend Gina's birthday. I will go to her birthday party in the evening. On the eleventh, (B)我有一个英语测试. On September 17th, I have a baseball game. You know I love baseball. On the 24th, I have a school trip. On the 28th, I'll go to Mr. Cool's Clothes Store. The clothes there are on sale that day. I want to buy a pair of sports shoes and a T-shirt. The hats there are very nice. I will buy one ① ________ you. Oh, Grandma, I'm very sorry I can't go to see you ② ________ my parents this month. See you next month.

 Yours,

Eric

    Xitang is an ancient water town in Jiashan Country, Zhejiang Province. It is close to Shanghai. Since some scenes of the movie Mission: Impossible Ⅲ were filmed there, it has become very popular, both at home and abroad. More and more tourists from Western countries add this town to their "must — see" lists(列表)when they are traveling in Shanghai and Hangzhou.

    Xitang is a quiet town. You will feel very relaxed in this water town, and be surprised by its beauty. Along the river, over 10,000 people live in the old buildings built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Most of them run gift shops and provide service for tourists here.

    Somethings special inⅪtang

    Ancient Lanes(小巷)

    There are 122 lanes ill Xitang. long and short, wide and narrow(狭窄的). No matter from which point you start, you can find and other place in the town. It's amazing, isn't it？

    Button(纽扣)Museum

    Xitang mikes all kinds of buttons. Button Museum is on the west street in xitang and it has a collection of over 1,000 buttons through the ages.

    Xiyuan Garden

    Xitang Garden is similar to other classic gardens in the south of China. It has trees, flowers, towers, bridges, lakes and waterfalls.

    Improving Listening Skills in the Classroom

    Listening is a skill that needs to be learned and used well to be able to succeed in any environment. In the classroom, great listening skills mean the difference between a successful student and one who struggles(挣扎)in school.

    Come to class rested.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}When your body is well taken care of, your mental(精神的)focus will be much better. If you come to class sleepy or tired, it may be impossible for you to keep your eyes open and concentrate(集中)on what the teacher is saying.

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Have everything you need at the start of the class. If you have homework, make sure you are ready to hand it in. Bring out your notebook and pen so you can start taking down notes. Also, try to read your textbooks before coming into class. It will help you understand more easily what your teacher is talking about.

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    When you're in the front of the class, you'll have an easier time hearing what the teacher has to say. You won't have a daydream when the teacher is near you.

    Take down notes.

    Write down what you hear in class. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} It will also make you concentrate more on what is being said so you can properly take notes. Try to concentrate when you are in class so that you are able to get the key points during a lecture.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Once you learn techniques(技能) to help you with this skill, you should see an improvement in your listening.

    Whether it's one day off or a week, you don't need to be among people to have a great time. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You can spend your holiday on your own doing something you have no time to do in your everyday life.

    Eat your favorite foods. They can bring you much pleasure for sure. You can make a healthy meal at home. Cook something you love but usually don't have time to make. Instead of having meals at home, you can also go to a local restaurant for something special. Eat it there, or bring it home. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Stay away from technology. You may have a chance to find the real beauty of life. Maybe you can't help playing with your smartphones all day while you are on holiday alone. Why not create more time to go hiking, fly kites or do some other outdoor activities? {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You can go shopping, see a film, or take a class. Take your time to search for something even small that you want. Going to see a movie or a show alone can be a fun experience. Use your holiday as a chance to try something new like dancing or painting.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Leave your worries behind and try to be a master of your own, but remember that nothing is more important than safety.

    Fire was discovered many thousands of years ago. The first time humans saw fire was probably when a tree was destroyed by lightning(闪电).Humans soon learned how to make a fire. They probably made the first fire by rubbing (摩擦)two sticks together. Fire was very important to humans. They needed fire to keep warm at night. They used fire to cook food. ⑶They used fire to keep enemies and wild animals away. In some parts of the world fire was used to send messages. The Indians in America, for example, used fire to make smoke as a message. In some other countries people lit fires to warn their friends of danger. ⑷Fire was also used to give light. Before the invention of the oil lamp(灯), humans burned sticks to get light. One man even used fire to tell the time. He invented a candle clock. He made a candle that took exactly twelve hours to burn. Then he marked this candle in twelve equal(相等的) parts. He lit the candle and could tell the time by counting the number of parts left of the burning candle. But the candle clock did not always work well. If there was a wind blowing on the candle, it burned too quickly.