In the US  Summer vacation starts in early June and ends around late August. Teachers will give summer homework. There are many classes and camps for middle school students. They can be about sports, cooking, boating or outdoor skills. Some students will try to make money by doing housework, such as babysitting or mowing the lawn(割草坪) for neighbours. Some will also do volunteer work, such as helping old or poor people.

    In the UK  ①Summer vacation starts around June 24 and ends on September 3. In Scotland, teachers hardly give schoolwork to kids to do during the summer. So, many of my friends and their families like to travel abroad.

    In France Summer vacation usually goes from mid-June to the end of August. French students don't have any homework or extra classes over the summer. Some students like travelling around the world. ②They see nature in Africa or visit English-speaking countries to learn English. Other students have fun in France. They go to the beach, see friends and watch movies.

    In Australia Summer vacation starts in late December and ends in early February. During the vacation, students have to finish their homework. They should read and write reports on three to five English books. They also need to work with their classmates to do science projects. Australian students often go to special interest classes during the vacation. They learn singing, cooking and so on.

My friend gang (我的朋友帮)

    I study in an international school. The students in my school come from different countries. Amy, Kathy and Joe are all my good friends.

Tips for Keeping Your Body Healthy

    It is not common for the human body to sit for a long time in the old days. But now sitting for a long time every day is common. Sitting for a long time is dangerous for your health. You can hurt your arms and your neck.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

    People who work in offices often have health problems. People who travel many hours on planes often say they feel bad at the end of a long trip. The following tips can help you if you don't want any problems.

    Sit correctly. Keep your back straight and your feet on the floor. It is very necessary to have a comfortable chair.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Take breaks often. Don't sit for more than thirty minutes{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Having a break can help you do more work in the day.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Water cleans your body and keeps healthy. It's good for you and gives you energy. But please don't drink lots of coffee or tea.

    Move your body. Stretching (拉伸) is a simple and quick way of moving your body while you are sitting down. Stretch your arms, your hands and your shoulders.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. You can also hurt your back

B. Drink water

C. Stand up and have a break

D. Don't stretch a lot if it hurts

E. The chair can help you sit correctly

    "How are you?" is a nice question. It's a friendly greeting that people in the United States use. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It's a question that often doesn't need an answer. The person who asks, "How are you?" expects to hear the answer "Fine," even if the person isn't fine. The reason is that "How are you?" isn't really a question and "Fine" isn't really an answer. They are common ways of saying "hello" or "hi".

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} For example, when someone asks "Do you agree?", the other person may be thinking, "No, I don't. I think you're wrong." It isn't polite to disagree very strongly, so he might say, "I am not so sure." {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

People also don't say exactly what they are thinking when they finish talking to other people. For example, many conversations over the phone end when one person says, "I've got to go now," or the person who wants to hang up gives an excuse such as "Someone is at the door," or, "Something is burning on the stove." {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The person who wants to hang up simply doesn't want to talk any more, but it isn't polite to say so. An excuse is polite, and it doesn't hurt the other person's feelings.

    Whether they are greeting each other, talking about an opinion, or ending a conversation, people often don't say exactly what they are thinking. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. This is a nicer way to say that you don't agree with someone.

B. You'd better not to tell the truth to your family.

C. However, "How are you?" is also an unusual question.

D. The excuse may be real, or not.

E. Sometimes, people don't say exactly what they mean.

F. If you disagree with others, they will hate you.

G. This is one way of being nice to people, and it's a part of the game of language.

    Joining a short-term research program in China has not only allowed Pakistani agricultural scientist Sayyar Khan to push forward with his academic studies, but also given him a chance to see a country he had heard so much about.

    Khan is now doing a one-year research program at the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences. The program is sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and many young talented scientists who come from collaborating countries, such as Pakistan, are given opportunities to work in China.

    Although this is his first visit to China Khan says he is well-informed of the long friendship between China and Pakistan. He is impressed most by the cooperation (合作) in education between China and Pakistan. especially since the start-up of the Belt and Road Initiative ("一带一路"建设) in 2013.

    "Many students from my university and my city have visited China and completed their higher education here." he says, adding that he has met with many of them.

    "I hear news about China on television and read about it in print media, so I know of the rapid development of China in recent decades."

    Khan says the Belt and Road Initiative will have a very positive effect on the world.

    "I hope that I can stay in China to participate in such cooperation projects." he says. Khan says life in Beijing is much easier than he'd expected, thanks to the convenient(便利的)public transportation and restaurants offering food for Muslims(穆斯林). This encouraged him to bring his family to live with him a couple of months ago.

    He says that language is the only challenge for them so far. However, he finds no problem talking with his Chinese colleagues, many of whom speak good English. He also enjoys the relaxing working environment and has a very good relationship with his co-workers.

Customs on Eating

    Food in China and western countries is different. China has about 5000 years' old history. They may spend half of their time on food. Chinese people choose food very carefully. They only use. fresh materials (新鲜的材料) to make food. For example, they only eat fresh fish. Chinese have a lot of ideas for cooking. They can cook a chicken in over ten ways.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Western countries, like England or America, don't have fresh food because they buy their food from supermarkets which only sell stored materials (储存的材料).{#blank#}2{#/blank#}They are healthy for man's body. Western people do not have many skills for cooking, and mostly they only boil, steam (蒸) and bake the food. By the way, western people are very good at making desserts and chocolate. They can make very good cakes and chocolate{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    In China, the person who invites other people for meal would pay for the meal, but it's not the same way in western countries.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} They can afford it. They won't be happy if you pay for them. In western countries like America or England, people will always give tips (小费) to the waiter after they finish the meal in a restaurant. If you don't, the waiter will not be happy. In China this only happens in some top restaurants and hotels in large cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

    Another difference in eating is that:{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Chinese people only have three meals during a day. But western people may have more. They usually have afternoon tea when they would have fruit, cakes or biscuits with cheese.