Information Card

    People in many places celebrate Christmas on December 25.

    In the USA, Christmas is a long holiday. Shops are usually not open on Christmas Day. And family members have a party together. There are usually Christmas Trees in houses, and children can find presents from their parents in the trees. In many places, children put a stocking(长筒袜)on the bed, because they think Father Christmas will put nice presents in the stocking at night.

    Things are different in China. The Chinese don't have a holiday at Christmas. Shops are open and there are usually Christmas sales(促销) in many shops. There are no family parties, but there are parties for young people in nightclubs and hotels. There are no stories about Father Christmas or presents in stockings. But young lovers(恋人) give each other presents.

    "I sometimes get up at three or four in the morning to surf the Intern"

    "I check my e-mail almost forty times a day."

    "I seldom spend less than three hours each time on the net."

    "spend more time in chat rooms than with my 'real-life' friends."

    Do you know any people like these? They are part of a new addiction(瘾) called Internet addiction. According to experts，Internet addicts(迷)spend at least thirty to forty hours online every week. They lose control of the time they spend on the Internet.

    For example, one college student was missing for several days. His friends were worried and 1ooked for him everywhere but couldn't find him. They called the police. The police found the student in the computer lab: he was surfing the Internet — for seven days straight.

    A study shows that about six to ten percent of Internet users become addicted. The teenager spend more time on the Internet than with friends and family. That's why some experts worry most about young people.

    Is "surfing the Internet" a hobby or all addiction for you? You may have a problem if you have one of the following symptoms(症状):

    You go out with your friends less and less.

    You can't wait to get online again.

    You've decided to spend a short time online，but then you spend several hours.

    You do not go to important family events or you do not do school projects because you like to spend hours on the Internet.

    What is the solution? Some experts suggest that people set strict limits(限制) on their time for Internet use. You have to learn to control it，or the Internet would control you.

Information Card

    Now it was Jerry's turn. And Jerry would ride Wild Lady！I watched Jerry in the chute.

    Jerry dropped down on the horse's back. He was ready to go. "Outside!" He called.

    The gate of the chute opened. And then nothing. Wild Lady didn't move. What was the matter?

    Suddenly Wild Lady jumped out like a tiger. She jumped-with all four feet off the ground. She was quick, still I could see Jerry's spurs(马刺). He had them in the right place.

    Again Wild Lady jumped, kicking and turning. Then she began a quick turn. Now I knew why all the riders were afraid of her. Around and around she went. Again and again she dug her front legs into the ground and kicked up behind. Jerry's neck moved back each time the horse jumped.

    Now Wild Lady was turning fast-so fast that Jerry looked like part of her. Once I saw Jerry bounce(单起)up high, off to one side, "That's it!" I thought. But no! She was still riding.

    I was trying to count off the seconds with my fingers. But I was lost in the watching. I dug my nails(指甲)into my hand until it hurt. Wild Lady jumped higher and higher.

    Again the horse threw Jerry into the air. The people around me stood up. I couldn't see what was happening. But I heard, "Come on!" That was Jerry landing on the horse's back. Everybody was shouting. And they were still shouting when the bell rang. It was all over. Jerry had stayed on that horse for eight long seconds.

    Now I had seen Jerry ride. I don't know how he felt while he was on that horse. But I know how I felt watching him. That eight seconds was a long time for Jerry. It was a long time for me too!

    When I was a child, my parents always told me that I never talk to strangers. This was part of a whole list of things I should never do: Never accept food or candy from strangers, never get in car with strangers, and so on.

    But if we didn't start conversation with strangers, we'd never make new friends. We would never get a job. ①We may miss the joy that comes from talking with strangers. And the more people you know, the more chances you can find.

    The following passage offers you some advice on how to ②break the ice.

    Don't just stare at your shoes. Go and say "Hi" to that new guy. It will be easier to break the ice if you know more about different cultures.

    British: Beautiful day, isn't it?

    The weather in Britain is changeable. So, it's one of the topics the British care most about. And there's a simple rule: Say "Yes" whether you agree with the person's idea on the weather or not. ③That's because the British start a conversation using the weather so that they can continue their talk.

    French: Where did you go on holiday?

    To talk with a French person, the safest way is to ask about his or her last holiday. French students enjoy a 10-to-15-dayholiday every two months. French employees(雇员 )get more than six weeks of holidays per year.

    American: So, where are you from?

    The US is so big and people move so often that location is always source(来源) of talk. You can try to find connection with the place they're from. For example, if someone is from Los Angeles, you could say, "Oh. I have friend who studied there."