There were many problems when people first moved into the cities in the US and UK. Many lived in bad conditions in poor housing. The governments on {#blank#}1{#/blank#} sides of the Atlantic, worked to improve the living conditions of city dwellers (居民). For a while, especially in the U.S., city life came to be seen as the best and most exciting way to live. Living in the rural areas was regarded as boring. Who wanted to be struggling to {#blank#}2{#/blank#} a living in the country doing hard agricultural labor?

    Many in the UK believed that they had a much better chance of improving themselves in the city. It would be {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (easy) to move from the ranks of manual laborers to the middle classes {#blank#}4{#/blank#} they could get better jobs and education. However, Britain has always had a deep love of the beauty and peacefulness of the countryside. The upper classes have always liked to have a {#blank#}5{#/blank#} both in London and in the country. They still wanted to go to the country {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the summer.

    Over the last two generations in the UK and US, industrialization has slowed down and more people have become {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (dissatisfy) with life in urban areas. They are concerned about overcrowding, too much traffic and pollution. What most people want now is a life in the country. They want to move to a village, small town or small holding outside of the city {#blank#}8{#/blank#} they can have more space and some peace and quiet. Developments in transportation {#blank#}9{#/blank#} that people can continue longer distance, so more people are living as far as they can from urban centers.

People also believe that village and small town life is better for children. Many say that the schools,

{#blank#}10{#/blank#} the primary schools, are better in smaller villages. The classes are smaller and some say there will be more positive influence on their children and that their social life will be more fulfilling and nurturing.

    China has splendid culture with a long history. Chinese opera is one of the {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(old) dramatic art forms in the world.During the Tang Dynasty,the Emperor Xuanzong established an opera school {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the poetic name Liyuan (Pear Garden). Since the Yuan Dynasty, encouraged by court officials and emperors, it{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(become) a traditional art form. During the Qing Dynasty,{#blank#}4{#/blank#}became fashionable among ordinary people. Performances {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(watch) in tearooms, restaurants, and even on temporary stages.

    It developed from folk songs, dance, talking, antimasque(滑稽戏) and especially distinctive dialectical music. Gradually it combined music, art and literature into one performance on the stage.{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (accompany) by traditional musical instruments, actors present unique melodies which may sound strange to {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(foreign) as well as beautifully written dialogues, which are of high literary {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(valuable). These dialogues also promoted the development of distinct literary styles, such as Zaju in the Yuan Dynasty. For Chinese, especially older folks,{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (listen) to this kind of opera occasionally is {#blank#}10{#/blank#}real pleasure.

    Last Friday a storm swept through two villages in the New Territories,{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(destroy) fourteen homes. Seven others were so badly damaged{#blank#}2{#/blank#}their owners had to leave them, and fifteen others had broken windows or roofs. One person was killed, several were{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(serious) hurt and taken to hospital, and a number of other people received smaller hurt. Altogether over two hundred people were homeless after the storm.

    A farmer, Mr. Tan, said that the storm began early{#blank#}4{#/blank#}the morning and lasted for over an hour.

    "I{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(eat) with my wife and children," he said," when we heard a loud noise. A few minutes later our house fell down on top of us. We tried our best{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(climb) out but then I saw that one of my children was{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(miss).I went back inside and found him, safe{#blank#}8{#/blank#}very frightened."

Mrs. Woo Mei Fong said that her husband had just left for work when she{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(feel) that her house was moving. She ran outside at once with her children.

    Soldiers helped to take people out of the flooded area and the welfare department brought{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(they) food, clothes and shelter.

    Pausanias has come on a magical journey {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (find) out about the present-day Olympic Games. So he asks a Chinese girl, Li Yan about the Olympics. He tells Li Yan {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Greek cities used to compete against each other {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the honour of winning. No other countries could join in, nor could slaves or {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (woman). Li Yan tells Pausanias that every four years athletes from all over the world {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (admit) as competitors, and all countries can take part if {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (they) athletes reach the standard to be admitted to the games. Women are not only allowed to join in but play {#blank#}7{#/blank#} very important role in gymnastics, athletics, etc. At the same time, there is just as much {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (compete) among countries to host the Olympics as to win Olympic medals. The spirit of the Olympic Games {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (stay) the same as before: It is all about being able to run faster, jump higher and throw {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (far).

Cathy: Stan, do you have a minute?

Stan: Oh, hi, Cathy. What's up?

Cathy: Well, I am really {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (disappoint) with the situation in the office.

Stan: I am not in that very often. It is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} noisy that I can't work.

Cathy: Yeah. I {#blank#}3{#/blank#} have finished my papers yesterday, but Jack kept {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (ask) his students to come in and out.

Stan:  Has anybody spoken to him about it?

Cathy: No, not yet. So we should come up with an idea {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(stop) him doing that kind of things.

Stan: Yeah. I am not able to do my work and {#blank#}6{#/blank#} are you.

Cathy: Could we ask for a kind of meeting room? When teachers have to talk with their students, they could use the meeting room instead {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the office. You know, there is {#blank#}8{#/blank#} room down the hall.

Stan: You mean that little storage room? Oh, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} would be too small.

Cathy: Are you sure? With those things taken out, it might be {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (big) than it looks.

Stan: Good idea.