English Around the World

    There are more than 3,000 languages {#blank#}1{#/blank#}（speak）in the world. Of all these languages, English is the most {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(wide) used. Recent {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(survey) show that more than 500 million people speak English as their mother tongue.

    From its roots in England, the language was spread around the world {#blank#}4{#/blank#}English traders and English governments in new lands. One of these new lands {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(become) the United States of America. The population of the United States is 309 million,{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (make) it the country with the {#blank#}7{#/blank#}large) number of native English speakers.

    About 300 million people speak English as their second language. There are even more people, like some in Europe as well as in China and Japan,{#blank#}8{#/blank#} study English as a foreign language.

    English has become the base language for international business, for the world's airlines and even for the Internet. Whatever language people speak, they need  {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(know) some English if they work in these fields.{#blank#}10{#/blank#} is clear that the English language is becoming more important.

    A few months ago I left my hometown for Canada to study. I felt nervous because I was going to {#blank#}1{#/blank#}new place with new people. What worried me at first {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(be)that I couldn't speak English {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(fluent), and I also couldn't understand {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(they) customs. Everything was different {#blank#}5{#/blank#} my own country. I had to deal with everything alone

    It was a sad moment {#blank#}6{#/blank#}I had to say goodbye to my family and friends at the airport. Suddenly. I felt unwilling {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (leave)my hometown because l grew up there and had wonderful {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(memory) of the familiar place. However， I know studying abroad was a{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(decide)that I made myself I had to accept the challenge.

    By now I have got used to the new life here already, though I'm looking forward to {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(spend) the coming vacation with my old friends back home.

Comets are among the most beautiful and interesting {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(sight) in the universe. For centuries, people {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(show) great interest in studying them. In 1682, Edmund Halley, an astronomer, noticed a comet that was especially bright and large. Based on his calculations, Halley predicted that this bright comet would return in 1758 or 1759—this was about 75 years {#blank#}3{#/blank#} he first saw the comet. The comet really returned on time and it was named "Halley's Comet" in honor of Edmund Halley.