Toby's family often goes on ski (滑雪) vacations. They are great fun. The snow is cold and wet, but the sun is warm. Toby loves the 1 of skiing down a mountain. It's always great.

    But there is one thing that Toby doesn't 2about skiing. There are so many things to 3. The most important things are the skis and ski boots (滑雪板和滑雪靴), of course. He also has to wear big socks to keep his feet 4and long underwear (内衣) for his legs. And he can't 5his hat and mittens (连指手套).

    Toby didn't like ski lessons before. He knew it was 6to learn, but he didn't like his teachers. They always gave very boring lessons. Also, the lessons always took very long 7they had to wait for everyone to get ready.

    However, this year Toby was glad to have the8. One time Toby's hat flew off while he was going down the mountain. One of the teachers went and got it9him. The teachers also showed him10to stop faster and turn better. Lessons were not so bad after all!

Chongyang Festival {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (celebrate) on the ninth day of the ninth month on the traditional Chinese calendar, and it is also known as Double Ninth Festival.

In Chinese culture, the number nine is thought to be yang. The ninth day of the ninth month is a double yang day and "double"{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (mean) Chong in Chinese, so it got the name Chongyang Festival. The ninth month also heralds（预示）the coming of winter, so it is a time when the living need warm clothes, and some people make the festival a time for {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (provide) special clothes for their ancestors（祖先）.

During the festival, people usually {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (climb) mountains, wear the zhuyu plant, drink chrysanthemum (菊花) wine, and eat Chongyang cake. Cake in Chinese is pronounced "gao" meaning high, so people consider climbing a high mountain to be the same as eating cake. Also, people think they {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (do) better than before after eating the cake.

Double Ninth Festival is also Seniors' Day— a day to care for the elder people and to let them {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (enjoy) themselves. On the day, many communities organize retired people to go out {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (climb) mountains.

There are many colors in nature. But do you think that a color has weight? Let's do a test.

First, put two objects with the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} weight into two boxes. Then cover the boxes. Third, wrap (包裹) one box with a red piece of paper, the other with white. Now hold the boxes {#blank#}2{#/blank#} your hand one by one. Which one is {#blank#}3{#/blank#} ? It is certain that you will think the red one is heavier. Why do you think so? A scientist did many {#blank#}4{#/blank#} and found that different colors have different weights in a man's mind.

Also, scientists say that people accept the colors they like, and {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the colors they hate. So your body and mind will be {#blank#}6{#/blank#} by using the colors you like. Or you'll be nervous {#blank#}7{#/blank#} even get ill. For example, you {#blank#}8{#/blank#} blue and hate red. If you stay in a room with red windows and wallpaper for two hours, you'll feel you have been there for {#blank#}9{#/blank#} hours. But if the room is blue, you'll feel you have been there for only an hour, And, if a person walks {#blank#}10{#/blank#} of a blue room and into a red room, his temperature will rise. That means our body temperature will change with different colors.

A: Hi, Mary. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

B: I enjoy watching soap operas. Do you like them?

A: {#blank#}2{#/blank#} I don't think they are interesting. 

B: Then what do you like watching?

A: I like watching sports shows. They are very exciting.

B: {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

A: I watch them five times a week. 

B: {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

A: Yes, you are right. 

B: What's your favorite sport?

A: {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I often play basketball after school.

Dear Tony,

I go to a new school in Cambridge now. I like it very much. I'm making a lot of new friends. 

I'm studying new subjects, like science. It's very interesting. We're using computers and learning how to use the Internet. We write e-mails(电子邮件) to people in different countries. I'm learning how people live in different countries. It's great!

We do P. E. on Wednesday in the afternoon, Sometimes we stay in the sports hall to do sports and I like that too. I play basketball after school on Mondays. I like playing basketball a lot. I'm enjoying my new school!

Write and tell me what you're doing in your school in China!

John 

Did you find or lose anything? Here are some lost and found notices.