Long ago, people did not need money. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    As time passed, people learned to raise animals and crops. Sometimes, families produced more than they needed, so they started to trade (交易) with other families. Later, people began to use money as a means of exchange. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}They used shells, rice, salt, large stones, etc.

    During the 600s BC, people began using coins as money. They soon found that coins were easier to carry than goods (货物) and lasted a long time. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    The Chinese were the first to use paper money, probably as early as the eleventh century. The Italian traveller Marco Polo saw the Chinese using paper money when he visited China in the 1200s. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Today, we have many ways to pay for things. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Often, people prefer to pay for things by card. Paying with a card is easier and safer than carrying around a lot of "real" money.

There are many interesting stories between Father and Son.

One day, Father and Son were walking slowly 1 a river, suddenly Son cried, "Daddy, look, there is a woman falling into the river!"Without thinking too much, Father jumped into the water and 2to the woman, "Don't worry, lady. I'm a good swimmer and I will try my best to save you." Father pulled the woman on to the bank (岸边). He was 3but happy. But the lady was not thankful to Father at all; instead, she slapped Father heavily. She jumped into water again. Oops! This was a 4competition !

It was snowing 5, but Son was very happy. He spent a lot of time making a snowman with Father. It was tall and big. Son liked it very much. But at night, someone 6the snowman down. When Son saw this the next morning, he cried sadly. Father was angry and decided to find out who did this. He was dressed as a snowman and stood by the road. One man came here and wanted to push the snowman again. Bang! The snowman kicked his ass. "Oh, my god! I met a ghost! "The man ran away quickly.

One morning, Son told Father he didn't 7well. Father brought some warm water to Son and asked him to have a good rest, and then Father hurried out to 8some medicine; but on his way to the medicine shop,he found that he 9his money at home. When he opened the door, he found Son 10the cat happily .Father was so angry that he told Son to go to school at once.

It's 5 o'clock. Sean Murphy is on his way home from work. He is tired and the bus is full, but when he thinks of seeing his lovely family at home, his heart is full of joy again.

"I want to see my wife, my children and my mother," he thinks. "But first of all I want to sit on the sofa. I want to relax and read a good book."

Finally Mr. Murphy is at home. He is very tired now but he is happy. He says hello to his family. Then he sits down on the sofa, stretches(伸展)his legs and lifts up his book.

"Now I can relax," he thinks and smiles. But Mr. Murphy is not alone in the room. His mother is playing the guitar and his wife is playing the piano. His two younger children are fighting and his two older children are arguing about the television. And the pots and pans are bubbling on the cooker(炊具).

It's the same every day. Poor Murphy is very unhappy. He talks to his friend about his problem at a bus stop.

Mr. Murphy's friend listens to him carefully. Then he says: "Go and see Linda McCormack! She is a very clever woman. She knows the answer to everything."

Mr. Murphy thinks it worth(值得)a try. The next day, when he gets home, he doesn't go into the house as usual. He goes to the garage(车库)and gets on his bike.

    Mary likes to run. Ever since she was in the third grade, she has been training to run long distances. Now that she was in her eighth grade, her parents agreed to let her run in the Banana Classic. The Banana Classic is a ten-kilometre race. It takes place every year in Mattydale. The winners get a lifetime supply (提供) of peanuts and fruit juice.

    Mary practised by running ten kilometres, twice every day. On the average (平时的) run, she would finish in thirty minutes. Last year's winner finished the race in twenty-six minutes and ten seconds!

    On the day of the race, Mary ran faster than she ever had in the past. As she came across the last kilometre, she was in the fourth place. She picked up the pace (步伐) and quickly reached the second place, just as she could see the finishing line. She ran as fast as she could in a mad dash (冲刺) to the finish line, but she just wasn't fast enough to get ahead of the leader.

Becky was in the bathroom. She was brushing her1 and the tap（水龙头）was on. "Turn that tap off. " a voice came out. Becky was scared. She looked around，but saw no one. "Turn off that tap. You are2 water!"

"Who. . . who are you?" Becky's voice was3 . 

"I'm a drop of water. Do you know4 I'm from?"

"From the tap，I think，" said Becky. 

"Yes. But a few days ago，I was in a cloud. Then I dropped into a river. The river carried me to a lake. Then I travelled to your city and it was time5 cleaned up. "

"Get cleaned up?" Becky asked. 

"Yes. I was6 during my journey，so they must clean me up. Then I travelled7 the pipes（水管） under the ground. I waited there8 you called me，and here I am. After you've finished with me，I'll go to a sewage plant（污水处理厂）. Then they'll push me into the river and I'll go 9 to the sea again. "

 "Again?"

 "Yes，So10 not to pollute me or waste me!"

Nature is amazing! Take a close look at the world of insects, and you'll discover many unbelievable things. Consider butterflies (蝴蝶), for example. They have beautiful wings and magical flying skills. On summer days, you always see them flying freely over flower gardens and wild fields.

But did you know how butterflies become the flying insects? It is one of the wonders of nature. In the beginning, the mother lays a small and colourful egg on a leaf or stem of a plant. It is hard to believe that the egg will become something completely different in a few days. It becomes a walking insect. This insect is called a caterpillar. It now has legs, eyes and a large body. A new life begins. The caterpillar can eat, walk and see. But it is still not a butterfly.

Soon, after growing big, the caterpillar makes a cover for itself. It covers itself in the nice protective blanket (保护层) and goes to sleep. This is known as the "pupa (蛹)" stage. After some time, the blanket breaks and a wet butterfly appears. It now has six legs, a mouth, eyes and wings. Shortly, the beautiful butterfly spreads (张开) its wings and flies away. After a few weeks, this butterfly lays her eggs, and the cycle (循环) begins all over again.

This is just one example of the wonders of nature. Look around the natural world, and you will learn many truly amazing things.