Which university would you like to go to in the future? It's not too early to think about it right now.

    Students at Hilltop School had a University Week at the end of last month. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} For instance, they designed a flag for a virtual(虚拟的) "University of Hilltop".

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}He said he started the program to help students form their aims.  "University may not be for everyone, but we want the program to help students form their aims." He said.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Eric, a student in Grade 8, said, "University Week made me realize that university is only four years away. I should do research about where I want to go. "Paul, another student in Grade 8 said that he realized there were so many universities for him to choose. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    The school also invited people to give career talks. The first talk was given by Captain Brown, a policeman. He talked about how to choose a career way. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    "The program opened up the students' eyes." Said Mr Miller.

A. According to the students, the program worked well.

B. Eric thinks it's too early to think about which university to go to in the future now.

C. During this week, they took part in all kind of activities.

D. Mr. Miller is the teacher who started the program.

E. After the research, he said he wanted to choose the University of California.

F. He also talked about the importance of math, reading and writing in his career as a policeman.

    The summer solstice(夏至), around June 21, is the longest day of the year in the northern half of the world. On that day, the sun is the highest in the sky, so the earth gets the most hours of light. People in many countries celebrate that day in a holiday called Midsummer.

    Different countries celebrate Midsummer in different ways. In towns in Sweden, people put up a Midsummer Pole(仲夏柱) made of wood covered with flowers. They dance and sing around it. After wards, they eat fish, new potatoes and strawberries. That night, young people pick seven different flowers and put them under their pillows(枕头) when they sleep to dream about the person they will marry.

    In Finland, people go out to the country and build huge fires to celebrate Midsummer. In the past, people believed that the fires drove away bad luck. Now, they're a reason to get together with friends for a big party all night. Because Finland is so far north, the sky is light most of the night on Midsummer. Many Finnish people start their summer vacations on that day.

    In some parts of Spain, people have big parties and enjoy fireworks(烟花) on the beaches at night to celebrate Midsummer. Some people believe that plant medicines work the best if they are made on Midsummer, so women go out to collect the plants that night. Some people put the plants in water and then wash their faces with the water for good health. And of course there are special foods: fish, potatoes and corn bread.

    How important is music? When they are asked this question, students and parents usually answer that music is nice, but not very important. It is often considered only as entertainment, but not the first choice for education. This opinion is shortsighted. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Music tells us who we are. Music reflects the creators' thinking and values, as well as the social environment it came from. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The jazz influence that George Gershwin and other musicians introduced into their music is obviously American because it came from American musical traditions.

    Music provides a kind of ability to know the world in a different way. Science explains how the sun rises and sets. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}We need every possible was to discover and response to our world.

    Music is a form of thought, as powerful as science. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Through the language we express our feelings, our discoveries, our ideas, our imagination and our hopes so that they can be shared with others. When we do not let our children receive good music education, we take away from them the meanings that music expresses. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Music does.

    So music education is much more necessary than people generally realize.

    My name is Mary. I am a middle school student. I like traveling. And I dreamed of visiting Beijing many times before. Last month I went there with my parents. I was so excited that I couldn't go to sleep the night before we started. I got up early and packed my backpack for the trip the next morning. It took us 25 hours to get there by train .After the breakfast and a short rest, we began our visiting plan. We visited many places of interest in Beijing, such as the Great Wall, the Palace Museum and the Summer Palace. They are all very fascinating, especially the Great Wall. We really enjoyed ourselves that week.

    After visiting so many exciting places of interest, I felt tired but happy because I learned a lot about the history of the city. As soon as I arrived home, I talked about it on the Internet with my classmates and showed them some photos that I took. They were happy to see the photos and they said what a great trip I had had.

When you open a map on your phone, you might think it is guided by the Global Positioning System (GPS) without giving it a second thought. However, today, most of the online maps in China uses the Beidou Navigation Satellite System(BDS，北斗卫星导航系统).

China started to build the BDS 30 years ago. Back in 1978, the US already started providing navigation services with its GPS. However, depending on a navigation system from another country is not safe.

In 2020, after over 20 years of hard work, Beidou completed its global network. The BDS became the fourth global navigation system after the GPS of the United States, Galileo of the European Union and GLONASS of Russia.

The BDS is the first navigation satellite system to provide a global short message communication service. It means you can text others in places without phone signal or internet. For example, in February 2023, a hiker got lost in heavy snow in Inner Mongolia. He sent a text message using the BDS-powered chip in his phone and got saved in time.

Besides, the Beidou system plays an important role in disaster prevention and response(灾害预防和响应). Rescuers(救援人员) can communicate through the BDS quickly and clearly.

No matter where you are in the world, the BDS can help guide your way. By 2023, it had provided service for over 120 countries. "By 2035, China will build a positioning, navigation and timing system with the BDS at its main aim to provide more smart services," Ran Chengqi, director of the China Satellite Navigation Office, said at a news meeting in 2018.

In ancient(古代的)China, people have three names: their last name, first name, and courtesy name(字). Do you know Li Bai? His last name is Li. his first name is Bai. and his courtesy name is Taibai. 

People use their first names when they are with their family or friends. And your elders like your grandparents and parents call your first name at home. But people use their courtesy names when they work. 

Boys get their courtesy names when they are 20 years old. Girls get their courtesy names after they get married(结婚). 

People's courtesy names have something to do with their first names. For example, Zhuge Liang's first name is Liang. It means "bright". His courtesy name is Kongming. And the meaning is "very bright".