Benjamin Banneker was born a few months before another great American—George Washington. Benjamin was black, but he was not a slave (奴隶). He and his mother and his grandmother were free. Benjamin's grandmother came from England. In America she got a job and worked for many years to pay for her boat trip across the ocean. After working many years, she saved enough money to buy a farm. Benjamin lived with her for a while. She taught him to read, write and do arithmetic (算术).

    Benjamin's neighbours knew that he was clever. They were not surprised when he built a large wooden clock. He made each piece after studying a small pocket watch. The clock made him famous, for it was one of the first clocks built in America. People from other places began to send hard problems of all kinds to Benjamin to settle.

    Thomas Jefferson heard of Benjamin Banneker's ability to settle hard problems. He asked Banneker to help build the city that was to be the capital of the United States—Washington, D.C. Banneker worked hard on the plans for the city. He marked where the streets and buildings—the Capitol (美国国会大厦), the White House, and many other places should be built.

    Later, L' Enfant, the Frenchman who had designed the new city, had a quarrel, and went back to France in anger. He took all of the plans away. The workmen couldn't build without any plans to follow.

    For a while it seemed that the plans for the capital might have to be changed, but Benjamin Banneker remembered the plans he had helped draw. He drew each again as he had built each piece of his clock.

    If it weren't for Benjamin Banneker, Washington,

    D.C might look very different from the way it does today.

Edward's Travel Tips

What kind of place do you usually choose to stay for the night during a trip? Expensive hotels that may make you feel like you don't get what you pay for? Or cheap hotels that put you  {#blank#}1{#/blank#}five strangers in the same bedroom? If both  {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(choice) sound terrible to you, here's something new: holiday apartments.

In a holiday apartment, you have more space than what  {#blank#}3{#/blank#}hotel room can give you. Everything in the apartment   {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(be) free to use. The living room, the kitchen, the study, and of course the bedrooms are all for 

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (you) own use. Some apartments even have a  {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(true) lovely garden or a game room. You'll feel at home in the holiday apartment. One of  {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(good) things is, a holiday apartment is not expensive. The price  {#blank#}8{#/blank#}a holiday apartment for two people is often lower than that of a hotel room for two. You only need  {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(pay) a little more for a third or fourth person.  {#blank#}10{#/blank#}you travel with friends or your family, a holiday apartment will be a good choice!

Today, we are living a rapid(快速的) life. We always try to get things done {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. On weekdays, we are {#blank#}2{#/blank#} studying or working. One of the {#blank#}3{#/blank#} is that we don't have enough exercise. If we exercise for one hour a day, we will work {#blank#}4{#/blank#} for50 years and live a happy life. 

Scientists have found that people who often exercise are healthier than those who don't, whether they do it indoors or outdoors. According to a report, students can learn better and feel {#blank#}5{#/blank#} when they have more time to play sports at school. Many young women enjoy doing yoga or {#blank#}6{#/blank#} to relax and stay beautiful. In some housewives'opinion, doing housework is a good way to burn calories(卡 路 里). It can keep them moving when getting their house {#blank#}7{#/blank#}. In order to be {#blank#}8{#/blank#} and full of energy, some men like running, riding bicycles or playing ball games. You will be healthy both in the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} and mind by doing exercise. This weekend, don't make any plans. Just get up early and start {#blank#}10{#/blank#} .

Cultural exchange is our goal. Come and help us make this a reality.

The American-Chinese Culture Exchange Center (ACCEC) are now looking for some volunteers from middle school for our summer camp from August 20th～30th in 2022.

During the summer camp, 300 students aged from 7 to 10 will fly from America to China to learn about Chinese culture. They will visit some places of interest and learn Chinese as well. We will try our best to provide the best camping experience, so we are looking for "the best of the best" volunteers.

◆ Needed skills: Good at Chinese and English. Patient enough to get on well with children. Active in learning. Always ready to help. Good at communicating with others and work well as a team.

◆ Training: Before the camp, all volunteers need to receive a 10-day training. Learning how to work with the children and how to teach Chinese to them.

◆ Age: 14～17 years old.

If you are interested, please send an e-mail to us at accecsummercamp@163.com by July 20th, 2022 or call Miss Chen at 13022657911.

Last Sunday, Claire's dentist told her the bad news:she had to start wearing braces (牙箍). Some of her teeth were not growing in straight. They might bring problems to her other teeth. 

Claire was not happy with the news. She thought of all the food she couldn't eat. She thought she would have a different smile. She did not want to have something different from others. 

The big day came, and Claire made her way to the dentist's office. Claire watched a TV show when the dentist put braces on her teeth. She tried to think of something fun so that she did not get scared. It seemed to take forever(要花很长时间) for the dentist to finish . . . . In the end, the dentist told her to sit up and gave her a mirror. 

Claire looked at herself in the mirror. Her smile was new, but she didn't like it. Claire's mom took her to get ice-cream to make her feel better. She just had to get used to(适应) the braces. It would all be worth(值得) it because she would have a beautiful smile two years later!