In the US  Summer vacation starts in early June and ends around late August. Teachers will give summer homework. There are many classes and camps for middle school students. They can be about sports, cooking, boating or outdoor skills. Some students will try to make money by doing housework, such as babysitting or mowing the lawn(割草坪) for neighbours. Some will also do volunteer work, such as helping old or poor people.

    In the UK  ①Summer vacation starts around June 24 and ends on September 3. In Scotland, teachers hardly give schoolwork to kids to do during the summer. So, many of my friends and their families like to travel abroad.

    In France Summer vacation usually goes from mid-June to the end of August. French students don't have any homework or extra classes over the summer. Some students like travelling around the world. ②They see nature in Africa or visit English-speaking countries to learn English. Other students have fun in France. They go to the beach, see friends and watch movies.

    In Australia Summer vacation starts in late December and ends in early February. During the vacation, students have to finish their homework. They should read and write reports on three to five English books. They also need to work with their classmates to do science projects. Australian students often go to special interest classes during the vacation. They learn singing, cooking and so on.

    Stonehenge is one of the oldest places made by man. It took about 700 years to build the oldest part of it is now believed to be 4,800 years old. It is located in the south of England near a small town called Amesbury in an area which has many other ancient monuments.

    Stonehenge consists of several circles. Some of them are made of stone, one is a ditch(沟渠)and one consists of 56 holes in the ground called “Aubrey holes”. Because many of the stones have fallen over or have been moved, it is difficult to see the full shape. The outside circle of stones once had 30 enormous (巨大的) stones, each weighing about 25 tons. On top of them used to be 30 more weighing 7 tons each, so that they made a circle of huge arches (拱形).Inside this was a horseshoe shape of five even bigger arches in which each of the upright (直立的) stones weighed 45 tones. Inside this was a bluestone circle of 60 stones, then a bluestone horseshoe of 19 stones. Finally in the middle was an enormous stone called the altar (祭坛) stones. The bluestone came from some mountains in Wales, 385 kilometers away, and even the other stones came a distance of at least 50 kilometers. Carrying the 80 stones to form the main circles probably took several thousand men several years.

    Nobody knows why it was built. It may have been a kind of church; it may have been a meeting place for the people who lived near. Some people say that it was a means of predicting the position of the sun, the moon and the stars. It has also been discovered that Stonehenge is located on some mysterious (神秘的)lines called “ley lines ” that seem to join together ancient buildings and places in England.

阅读短文，根据短文内容回答问题。

    How do you feel when you go to a birthday party? What about making a speech in front of the class? {#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you think you are too shy and want to be a little braver, try the following. You can make it!

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    There is no need to hide(隐藏) it. When they get to know you're a shy kid, they'll understand you better. This also helps you feel more at ease(自在) in talks.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When you smile, people think you are friendly and easy to talk to. Remember that other people have feelings, too. And most people will stay away from an angry- looking person.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    If you find it hard to start talks, say something nice about people around you. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Think more about ways to enjoy the party or the game. Don't waste( 浪费) time worrying about your looks or whether people like you or not.

    A little stream(小溪) ran down from a high mountain through many villages and forests. Then it reached a desert." I went through so many difficulties. I should have no problem crossing the desert," she thought. As she started, she found herself slowly vanishing(消失)into the sand. After many tries, she still failed." Maybe I can't reach the ocean," she said sadly to herself. At this time, a deep voice said," If wind can cross the desert, so can a river." It was the voice of the desert. But the little stream answered," That's because the wind can fly, but I can not."

   "That's because you can't give up what you are.  Let yourself evaporate(蒸发)into the wind and it can take you across me," said the desert." Give up what I am now? No! No!" The little stream could not accept this idea." The wind can carry the vapor(蒸汽)across the desert and let it leave as rain. The rain will form a river again," said the desert. "And whether you're a river or vapor, your nature never changes." After hearing this, the little stream went into the open arms of the wind. It carried her to the next stage of her life.

    The course of our lives is like the experience of the little stream. If you want to go through difficulties in your life to head for success, you should also change the way you are.