In the UK, bus journeys are very common. Buses are often convenient(便利的) for the people who live or work in the city centre. Passengers can avoid heavy traffic and do not have to pay for the parking. However, taking the bus is just a necessary but boring part of life: They get on the bus, pay for it and sit down or find a place to stand when it is crowded. Everyone seems sad and bored.

    In Latin America, however, bus trips can be wonderful. For a start, films are showed on the buses between cities for passengers to have fun along the journeys. Local buses do not show films, but drivers usually turn on the radio and it can be great for passengers to listen to songs and get relaxed.

    Even better than films and music are the sights and sounds on the buses. Local buses always go to parts of the town that passengers would not visit by themselves. There passengers can see shops that they have never heard about. And they can also see other cultures of the town from the windows of the buses.

    Besides, passengers' luggage(行李) is also interesting. It is common to see a happy dog's head getting out of somebody's bag or a lovely chicken "speaking cheerfully" under somebody's arm. Once on a bus in Peru, a farmer even tied a sheep to the top of the bus. It was quite surprising.

    In all, taking the bus in Latin America is really fun and unforgettable.

    Bikes and cars are two important things. Many Chinese people have cars now, but most Chinese people still like to ride bikes. Do you know why?

    We all know that the bike can't go quickly, but it's easy for people to buy and ride it. As for the car, it needs too much money.

    Most Americans live far from the center of cities or their working places. So they need cars to go shopping or go to work every day. Most Chinese people live near their working places, so they don't need cars to go to work. And it's good for the environment(环境) if people stop driving. So there is a day called “No-Car Day” on September 22^nd every year.

    For me, I like to go to school by bike. It is easy and healthy.

Peter: I found an ID card. My phone number is 512-8843

Jim: I lost a computer game. If you find, call me at 680-7432.

Paul: I lost an English dictionary. Who found it, please call 555-0287.

Sam: I found a notebook with the name (有……名字) “Kevin Clark”. My phone number is 476-3539.

A. Be a Good Listener               B. Care About the Small Acts

C. Begin a Conversation             D. Make Time for Friendships

E. Give a Hand to New Neighbors     F. Remember Their Names

5 Ways To Build Friendship with Your Neighbors

    ①{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Often neighbors don't even know each other's names. But it's okay to be the one to break the ice. So as you see them at work in their yards, smile, wave and say hello. Ask how their kids are or what they think of the price at the local supermarket.

    ②{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Your new neighbors may be feeling lonely and unsure, especially if they're far from home. Your help will be welcomed by them. Leave your telephone number to them. If they have any questions, they can call you.

    ③{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Most of us find it difficult to remember people's names. Writing down the names of your neighbors and note about them, such as "Frank and Jill—Bob's neighbor," helps you remember their names. The next time we see Frank and Jill, we try to call them by name.

    ④{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    If you value a friendship with your neighbors, spend time with them. What better way to meet your neighbors than to invite them to a pool party or holiday open house? Chat with each for five minutes to get an idea of what your neighbors are like so that you can plan for food and music.

    ⑤{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    In a good relationship, it's really the little things that count. Help to bring in the mail for the elderly neighbor when there is a heavy rain. When your neighbor forgets to take in his rubbish cans, roll them back into his yard.

    When it comes to the letter grade on your test or homework, you might notice that there is no letter E. Have you ever thought about why that is so?

    In the A. B. C. D and F grading system, the first four letter are typically considered passing grades. An F in this system simply stands for "fail". The word "fail" happens to start with the letter F, which seems to leave out the letter E, The fact of the matter is that any letter can mean "not-passing" or "fail". Some schools have U grade for unsatisfactory", or I grade for "incomplete."

    Even with all this said, we should also point out that E grade actually has been used pretty commonly throughout the history of letter grades in the US.

    The first college in the US to use a letter grading system like the ones we use today is Mount Holyoke College. In 1897, they began to use the following grading scale:

A: 95-100% (excellent)   B: 85-94%(good)   C: 76-84%(fair)

D: 75%(barely passed)   E: below 75%(failed)

    We can see the inclusion of E instead of F.

    Gradually, the letter grading system became more popular throughout the US. However, many schools decided to drop the E grade and go straight to F. There is no evidence(证据)to really support this, but one possible explanation is that teachers were worried that some students and parents might mistake E for "excellent".

    Why do we have letter grades? Well, part of the reason is that they made grading simpler during n time of great change for schools. As the 20th century began, growing cites and an increase in immigration led to larger school classrooms. Most teachers at that time thought this new letter grading system was an easy, fair and clear way to grade students.

    Today, more and more people argue that letter grades don' t fully reflect(反映)student learning. However, as teachers try to improve grading methods, many parents continue to favor the letter grades they got as kids. They are familiar(熟悉) and easy for parents to understand. So while they might not be perfect, the letter grades probably aren't going away any time soon.

    When was the last time you gave or received a hug? Do your parents hug you before you go to school? In Western countries, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    You might hug your teammates after winning a basketball game. If one of your friends is having a bad day, {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Friends who haven't seen each other for a long time will usually hug each other when meeting.

    Of course, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. After coming to China, I've noticed that people are generally more reluctant (不情愿的) to hug than they are in my home country, the US.

    My Chinese friends told me that hugging is considered to be very intimate (亲密的) in their culture, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}, like couples. Chinese people don't usually hug in public, either.

    But people's attitudes toward hugging can also change.

    I remember watching a video story about a "hugging party" that was held in Shanghai. A local artist held the party, inviting strangers and asking them to hug each other.

    The Chinese participants clearly looked uncomfortable, {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. They decided that hugging doesn't have to be awkward (尴尬的) and can actually be quite nice. So next time you see your mom or dad, give them a hug—see how it makes you feel.