A lovely rabbit, a cute hamster, some colourful fish, a strange-looking turtle or a snake...What kind of pet would you like? Lots of kids love animals and dream of having a pet.

    But not every family can have a pet. So, in many Western countries such as America, Britain and Australia, primary and middle school classes have their own pets. Looking after a pet is not as easy as you may think! Fish and turtles need clean water and the right food. Hamsters and rabbits need fresh vegetables and a warm place to sleep. Even little mice need good care! What would you feed a pet mouse? How about snakes?

    Class pets teach kids about nature and being responsible. Sometimes the pets have babies. It's very exciting but it also means having more animals to take care of!

    Students take turns to take care of their class pets. Every week the pets have a new “mum and dad” to look after them.

    You may want to know what happens to the class pets during school holidays. At the end of term, the teacher chooses a responsible student. This lucky student keeps the pets at his or her home for the holidays.

    Notes:

1) hamster n. 仓鼠   2) turtle n. 乌龟   3) responsible adj. 负责任的   4) choose v. 选择

    Tea is the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} popular drink in the world {#blank#}2{#/blank#} water. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} tea comes from the tea plant. People {#blank#}4{#/blank#} leaves from it to make tea. The habit of {#blank#}5{#/blank#} tea has a long history in China. {#blank#}6{#/blank#} an old story , Chinese Emperor Shennong {#blank#}7{#/blank#} tea. Lu Yu, a writer {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the Tang Dynasty, wrote the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} book about tea. There are several types of Chinese tea, such as white tea, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} tea and black tea.

    Many students aren't getting enough sleep at night, which means they end up feeling sleepy during class. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}during the day may be a solution.

    According to Forbes, a mid-afternoon nap can {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, increase your energy and help you study even better. But {#blank#}3{#/blank#}should a nap last? The proper time should be between 10 and 30 minutes, Peter Venn, a sleep expert said.

    Sleeping for {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, such as five minutes or so, is not helpful. That's just not enough time to rest. But if you sleep for too long, you may {#blank#}5{#/blank#}feeling uncomfortable.

    You either have it, or you don't—a sense of1that is. But2is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map, while others can3themselves in the next street?

    Scientists say were all4with a sense of direction, but it is not properly understood how it works. One theory is that people with a good sense of direction have worked hard at5it. 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 way6,"says Jim Martland, Research Director of the project. "However,7they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they will8develop the skills. ”

    Jim Martland also emphasizes that young people should be taught certain9to improve their sense of direction. He makes the following suggestions:

    If you are using a map, turn it so that it10to the way you are facing

    If you leave your bike in a strange place, put it near11like a big stone or a tree. Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike. When you return, go back along the12route.

    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. 13your steps 14you know how far you have gone and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out were you are.

    Now you will never get lost15!

Has your mother or grandmother ever made embroidered (刺绣的)clothes for you? In the past, Chinese people often embroidered on hats, shoes and dresses. Some girls would even embroider on a sachet (香囊)as a gift for their lovers.

Shu embroidery comes from Sichuan. It is said that Shu embroidery is the old lest kind of embroidery in China. People began to make it during the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD).They sold it to other countries such as ancient Rome.

Shu embroidery takes time. It might take as long as a whole day to finish just 10 cm. Embroidery workers need to divide each silk thread (丝线) into more than 10 or over 30 smaller threads. Each smaller thread is thinner than a human hair.

Meng Dezhi, who used to work at the Chengdu Shu Embroidery Factory，has been making Shu embroidery for over 40 years. She loves this form of art and wants more people to try it, so she gives lessons in universities. She said. "Although the work is hard, Shu embroidery stands for thousands of years of Sichuan culture. It is a symbol of Chinese culture as well."