People use money {#blank#}1{#/blank#}  food, books, bicycles and hundreds of other things they {#blank#}2{#/blank#} .When they {#blank#}3{#/blank#} ,they usually get paid in money.
    Most of the money used today{#blank#}4{#/blank#}  metal or paper. But in ancient times people often used all kinds of things as money. One of the first kinds of money was shells（贝壳）.
    In ancient China, cloth and knives {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  money. Elephant tusks（象牙）,monkey tails（尾巴）and salt were used in some parts of Africa. Rice was also a kind of money used by the ancient people on some islands. Cows and other animals were used as money. too.
The first copper（铜）coins {#blank#}6{#/blank#}  China. They were round and had a square（正方的）hole in the center. Different countries have used different metals for their money. Later some countries {#blank#}7{#/blank#}  to make coins of gold and silver（银）.But gold, silver and copper were heavy {#blank#}8{#/blank#}  when people needed a lot of coins to buy something expensive. The Chinese were the first {#blank#}9{#/blank#}  paper money. The first paper money didn't {#blank#}10{#/blank#}  like the paper money we use today.

      Thailand's most celebrated festival is the Songkran Festival. It starts on April 13^th and{#blank#}1{#/blank#} for three days. Songkran is a Thai word which means "move" or change places" as it is the day whenthe sun changes its position. It is also{#blank#}2{#/blank#} as the "Water
Festival" because people believe that water will wash away the bad luck.
    The Thai people{#blank#}3{#/blank#} this festival with water . Everyone gets wet and since it is the{#blank#}4{#/blank#} season of the year, the custom is quite enjoyable. Songkran is a Public Spring Cleaning Day , supported by the local{#blank#}5{#/blank#} . Anything old or useless must be thrown away or it will{#blank#}6{#/blank#} the bad luck to the owner.
    During the festival, young people put scented (有香味的)water into the{#blank#}7{#/blank#} of elders and parents as a kind of respect. The elders in return{#blank#}8{#/blank#} the young people good luck. People also pour water over each{#blank#}9{#/blank#} 
    Thailand is almost completely an agricultural society and this has also been a perfect time to take a{#blank#}10{#/blank#} from hard work.

Dear Brad,

    In about 3 months, I will take a very important test. If I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (pass) the test with good grades, I can get to the 10^th grade and choose a good school {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (study) in. Now I am trying my best to make my dream {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (come) true. At the same time, I'm the monitor in my class, which means I should do lots of things for my class. I am so busy with my school work and duties as a monitor that I don't have enough time {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (keep) a balance between them. Gradually I become lazy. The other day, my head teacher {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (tell) me that she was disappointed in my poor performance as the class monitor. Her words really discouraged me.

    What should I do now, to give up or not to give up as the class monitor? I must {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(do) my best in school because how well I do will influence where I go after this school year is over and it can affect the rest of my life. {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (be) a class monitor is also a valuable learning experience because my teacher trusts me {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (be) a good leader. I don't want {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (go) to my parents for suggestions, for they will get worried about me. Can you tell me how {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (choose)?

                                                                                                                                                                                  Yours,

                                                                                                                                                                                   Gates

    Imagine a life without arms or legs! You can't hold anything in your arms. You can't walk anywhere with you feet. How would you last a day like that? Would you{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (微笑) at yourself in the mirror like Nick Vujicic, the 29-year-old Australian?

    Nick was born without limbs(四肢)，so life was not{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (容易) for him. At school many students played {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (笑话) on him because he looks different from everyone else. He was refused to be their friends, so he always felt {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (孤独的). However, he faced that bravely. He{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (学习) to type and write with two toes(脚趾) at the age of six, and he could even surf and play golf. In college, he achieved great {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (成功) and was among the most excellent students in the studies. And he decided on what to do later in his life—to encourage others to work hard for their {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (梦想).

    Now Nick is one of the most {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (受欢迎的) speakers in the world. He travels to many countries and gives speeches about his story{#blank#}9{#/blank#} (对抗)difficulties. “Living life fully is about looking at what you have, not what you don't have.” he said. His story encourages{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (百万) of people. “ I tell people to keep on getting up when they fall and to always love themselves,” he said. “If I can encourage just one person, then my job in this life is done.

    In a history class, our teacher, Mrs Bartlett asked us to make a poster in groups about the culture that we were studying. She told us to write the names of three friends we wanted in one group and she would think about o{#blank#}1{#/blank#} choices(选择).

    The next day, I was told to be in a "bad" group. The boy in the group was too weak in English, and the other two girls always w{#blank#}2{#/blank#} strange clothes. Oh, how I wanted to be with my f{#blank#}3{#/blank#}!

    With tears(眼泪) in my eyes, I walked up to Mrs Bartlett. She looked at me and seemed to know what I was there f{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. I told her I should be in the "good" group. She gently placed a hand on my shoulder(肩膀). "I know what you want, Karma," she said, "but your g{#blank#}5{#/blank#} needs you. I need you to help them. Only you can help them." I was surprised and moved. Her words c{#blank#}6{#/blank#} me up.

    "Will you help them?" she asked. "Yes," I r{#blank#}7{#/blank#}. Then I bravely walked over to my group. I sat down and we started. Each of us did a part according to our interests. Halfway through the week, I felt m{#blank#}8{#/blank#} enjoying our group. We did a good job together. Nobody e{#blank#}9{#/blank#} Mrs Bartlett believed in our group.

    Amazingly, our group got an A. But I think the A should be r{#blank#}10{#/blank#} by Mrs Bartlett. Mrs Bartlett brought out the potential (潜能) in four of her students.

    There is a special kind of hotel in Quebec, Canada. It has a bar, a church, a shop and a small movie theater.These things are not unusual. But this hotel is only open from J{#blank#}1{#/blank#}to March every year. Why? Because it is {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) of ice and snow! When the weather {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(get) warm, the hotel melts (融化) and closes. Every winter, the hotel owners{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (build) the hotel again.

    Everything in the Ice Hotel is made of ice and snow. All the furniture, such as the {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (table) and chairs, is made of ice, even the beds are made of ice! So people use special sleeping bags on the ice beds. Inside the Ice Hotel, the temperature is about 3 degrees blew zero.

    When people sleep, the sleeping bags keep them w{#blank#}6{#/blank#}. In the morning, they can have a hot breakfast. After breakfast, people can enjoy winter activities. They can go skiing or ice fishing, or they can go s {#blank#}7{#/blank#} in the dining room. A{#blank#}8{#/blank#}the end of the day, people can relax at the bar. They can have drinks in glasses made of ice. Many people e {#blank#}9{#/blank#}the Ice Hotel every year, but they can only enjoy it for a short time b {#blank#}10{#/blank#}it melts again.