Most students in America like popular music. They carry small radios and MP3 with earphones and listen to music. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Students with cars buy large speakers and play the music loudly when they drive on the street.

    Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio when driving to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, and the life of American people. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

      Pop or popular singers make much money. They make CDs or tapes which radio stations use in many places. Once the popular singer is heard all over the country, young people buy his or her tape. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

      There are other kinds of music that are important to Americans. One is called folk(民间) music. It tells stories about the common life of Americans. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} This was started by cowboys (牛仔) who sang at night to the cows they were watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music.

A. Most of the radio programs are music.

B. Another is called western or country music.

C. They often play music before class, after class, and at lunch time.

D. Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer.

E. Now the singer has become a national star.

①Jack let me play with his favorite toy car. I made it go too fast and it  crashed(摔坏).  {#blank#}1{#/blank#}  

②All my friends have many new clothes. But my parents can't afford them. I think it is a shame(遗憾的事). {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  

③My close friend always want me to give him the answers in exams. But I really don't want to do that. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}  

④My friend Jenny always takes a MP3 with her and listens to loud music. I think it may hurt her ears. But she doesn't seem to care. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  

⑤Sam saw some bird eggs under a tree when we had a trip in the forest. He wanted to take them home. I stopped him. He was angry with me. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  

A. Try to tell him it is wrong for you two to do that. Then try to help them with his lessons in you spare time.

B. Tell him that he is doing something bad to animals. If he takes the eggs home, how will their mother feel when she can't find them?

C. You can get some examples from papers, magazines or TV shows, and let her know it's really bad.

D. Say sorry to him first. And try to repair it. Or you may give him your favorite toy car instead. Or to buy a new one for him.

E. A person's look or appearance(外表)doesn't mean everything. The most important thing is to study hard and have a good future.

Family Traditions

    Where are your family traditions? The following information comes from several readers：

JARED:{#blank#}1{#/blank#}We take turns picking a movie to watch together. It's fun because I watch something my parents like, and they watch something I like. My mother likes old black and white movies, so I see a lot of them! We also make pizza and eat it in front of the TV.

WINNIE:{#blank#}2{#/blank#} My favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs. My mom usually cooks, but my dad and sister help. On my sister's birthday, we eat pizza. On my mom's birthday, we have chicken, and on my dad's birthday we have steak. Of course, we always have a birthday cake, too. What are your family tradition? The following information comes from several readers:

DANNI:{#blank#}3{#/blank#}My family is really busy. We have a large family, and it's not easy for everyone to get together at the same time. On that day, we go to a nice restaurant and we talk and talk and talk.

SUZIE:{#blank#}4{#/blank#}After dinner, we go to the living room and play a board game, such as Scrabble  or Monopoly. We have about seven different ones we play, but we only play one game a night. I plan to keep this tradition after I start my own family.

ROB:{#blank#}5{#/blank#}I get up early and make something special, such as a mushroom omelet with fruit salad. Then I put it on a tray with a newspaper and a flower, and bring it to my mother for breakfast in bed. She always acts surprised, but I do it every year.

    Joy always rides her bike to school. It's four miles to school and it takes her about fifteen minutes. Joy likes riding to school. She says it's good for her health.

    Edward usually goes to school by bus. He likes talking with his friends on the bus. It's about ten minutes' journey (旅程) to school by bus.

    Mary's home is near the school. She usually walks to school. It's about five minutes' walk. Mary says she likes taking walks after meal.

A. Eric has changed a lot in the past few years. He understands that people should care about others, especially those in need. He gives away money and things to poor people and is praised for his kindness.

B. Frank has been in China for five years and known a lot about Chinese culture. But it seems too hard for him to speak Chinese well and he's considering giving it up.

C. Dale has made great progress in spoken Chinese with the help of Mr. Zhang. And he's very comfortable talking with others in front of crowds. Now he has great interest in it and often takes part in speech competitions.

D. Jim has stopped playing computer games. His parents helped him a lot to change. Now he exercises with his father in the morning every day. He always says, “Doing sports makes me active and healthy."

E. With the help of his older brother. Tom is able to play some computer games now. And he often plays them with his brother on weekend to relax.

F. With the help of Mr. Smith, Mike has become quite interested in painting. What's more, he won first prize in all art competition yesterday. Many people say that he has changed a lot and will be a great painter.

G. John wants to change and he is trying to be active in class now. He's still a little afraid when answering the teachers' questions, but he will put up his hands at once as long as he knows the answers to the questions. What's more, he will take part in a speech competition this term.

    A young man went to visit a wise man who lived deep in the mountain. He wanted to ask for wisdom of life.

    "Excuse me! {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Is it the day we were born or the day we die? Is it the day we fall in love or the day we are successful?" the young man asked.

    "None. The most important day in our lives is today." the wise man replied calmly.

    "Why?" the young man was very surprised. "{#blank#}2{#/blank#}"

    "No. Nothing has happened today."

    "So is it because of my visit?"

    "Even if nobody visited me today, today is still very important, because today is the only wealth we have. No matter how important yesterday is, it has gone by; {#blank#}3{#/blank#}No matter how ordinary and boring today is, it is in our hands."

The young man still wanted to ask something, but the wise man stopped him and said, "When we are talking about the importance of today, we have wasted a lot of it. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Having understood this, the young man nodded and then went down the mountain.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Therefore, what we should do now is to forget yesterday and tomorrow and catch hold of today!