Red squirrels used to be a common sight in British forests and countryside. But there are fewer than 140,000 red squirrels left now and most of them are in Scotland. However, grey squirrels (introduced from North America) are now so common that many people dislike them. They can be legally（合法的）trapped and destroyed.

   On first sight, the two types of squirrel are similar. They both have a long tail, which helps the squirrel to balance when jumping from tree to tree, and the same large eyes, small ears and powerful back legs. However, the grey squirrel has a clear physical advantage over the red. The red squirrel has a head-and-body length of 19 to 23 centimeters, a tail length of 15 to 20 centimeters and a body weight of 250 to 340 grams. Compared to this, the grey squirrel is a larger animal. The head and body measures between 23 and 30 centimeters long and the tail is between 19 and 25 centimeters long. Adult grey squirrels are heavier, weighing between 400 and 600 grams. This size allows them to store more fat and helps them to survive a hard winter, which would be fatal（致命的）to their  smaller cousins .

So why are red squirrels losing out in competition with grey squirrels? Size is one factor, but there are others. Red squirrels live high up in trees, while grey squirrels spend more of their time on the ground. This means any loss of forests greatly influences the red squirrel population. Another reason for the grey squirrel's success is its ability to use food provided by people. Like the fox, the grey squirrel can survive in towns and cities. The other problem for the red squirrel is disease. Both squirrels carry a certain virus. While this doesn't seem to attack grey squirrels, it is fatal to red squirrels.

    同学们，自从上了初中，我们的校园生活丰富多彩，可下面有五位来自贫困地区的同学，需要你的帮助。请根据他们的述说，从五幅图中，为他们选出一份合适的礼物，希望他们开心、进步。

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Lin Yang: I know Yao Ming. He is great. I want to play sports with my friends. But we have no soccer balls, basketballs or volleyballs.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Yang Li: I don't have a clock in my home. I don't know the time to go to school. I don't want to be late for school, so I get up early.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Zheng Lei: Our teachers tell us books are our friends. I want to read many books and I want to write books.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Liu Wei: It's very cold here, but I have only an old sweater. It's my mother's. I need new clothes.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Dai Su: My schoolbag is broken(破损的). I go to school with the old schoolbag.

Teenage life—better now, or in the past?

    Does this situation sound familiar（熟悉）?

    You are complaining（抱怨）to your parents about something. Maybe your computer isn't powerful enough to play the latest games.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}.Then you hear…

    “When I was your age, there weren't any computers or video games. And I didn't get a bike until I was sixteen. And it was second-hand.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}”

    So, is it really true that life is better for teenagers now? It is certainly true that many teenagers have got more things nowadays.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}So parents have got more money to spend on each child. And many things are cheaper than they were when our parents were children.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Forty years ago, no one could imagine a world with tiny computers and amazing smartphones. And now these things are necessary—we can't imagine living without them!

    However, technology often means we spend more time at home. And often it's just us, with our computer or television. Teenagers don't do enough exercise.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} And, although young people still get on well with their friends, some people think teenagers today don't have so many social activities as they did in the past.

    What do you think? How is teenage life better these days?

A. And it was too big for me.

B. A typical family is smaller now.

C. Or your friends' bikes are better than yours.

D. So they aren't as healthy as they were in the past.

E. Technology is probably the greatest change in our life.

    Hi! My name is Dave. I am a middle school student but I think my life is different from most other students. After school, I always hunt wild birds and animals with my father, uncles and brothers. I also help them to plant and harvest (收割) crops. I want to be a carpenter. A carpenter is someone who works with wood and fixes (修理) chairs and other things made of wood. I have made lots of things like tables and other furniture.

    My elder sister does many different kinds of things every day. She makes our candles (蜡烛) by using the oil and fat from sheep and cows. These candles give us light at night. She also gets the wool from sheep. My mother and grandmother also teach her to sew. She can make letters and pictures on the cloths with needles.

    I think we live a very happy country life.

    When you wave to a friend, you are using body language. When you smile at someone, you mean to be friendly. When you put one finger in front of your mouth, you mean "be quiet". Yet, people in different countries may use different body languages.

    Once, an Englishman was in Italy. He could speak little Italian. One day while he was walking in the street, he felt hungry and went into a restaurant. When the waiter came, the Englishman opened his mouth, put his fingers into it and took them out again and moved his lips. In this way, he meant to say, "Bring me something to eat." But the waiter brought him a lot of things to drink, first tea, then coffee, then milk, but no food.

    The Englishman was sorry that he was not able to tell the waiter he was hungry. He was ready to leave the restaurant when another man came in. The man put his hands on his stomach, and this body language was good enough for the waiter. In a few minutes, the waiter brought him a large plate of bread and meat.

    Finally the Englishman had his meal in the same way.

Dear Mom and Dad,

    How are you? I hope everything is okay. I'm doing well.

    Here at Valley College, I'm very busy with my English classes at the ESL Center. My teacher says, "It's important to practice English outside the classroom." That's why I'm writing this e-mail in English!

    Sometimes I'm a little afraid to use my English, but people are usually nice. I speak English with others here in the dorm(宿舍) and the dining room.

    I feel very comfortable here. This college has everything! It's like a small city. The student store is next to my dorm. There's a beautiful garden across from the student store. The health center is on the corner, across from my dorm. The sports center is on the corner of College Avenue and Garden Street, There are three coffee shops on College Avenue!

    There is one thing the college doesn't have, Mom: your cooking!

Love,

Sunny