Last summer holiday, I took part in a teaching project and volunteered{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(teach) in a countryside primary school for two weeks.

    When we arrived at the school, though shocked by the poor living conditions, we quickly adapted {#blank#}2{#/blank#} to the life there. My good friend Tom and I were in charge of the third year students, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(consist) of just 18 boys and girls. We not only taught them English and maths, but also organized some after-school {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(activity) for them. Gradually, I found that many of the students were actually quite 6{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(talent). But some had to leave school early, which is{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(large) because their families were under heavy financial pressure, and they had to find a job to support the family.

    As well as giving lessons, we also helped set up a reading room in the school {#blank#}7{#/blank#} students hardly had any access{#blank#}8{#/blank#} good reading materials except textbooks. With the help of school staff and students, we cleaned out an abandoned classroom. When we placed the books students and teachers in my high school {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(donate) onto the shelves, I found the students were more than excited and {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(dive) into reading there.

    Two weeks quickly passed and we had to leave. I did not know how much we had actually taught them, but for me I learned a great deal—cherish what I possess and study harder.

    Today we talk about a word that is a feeling as well as a place. This word is “home.” Long ago in the 1700s, “home” was used as a verb,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (mean) “to be guided to a destination.” So, when you home in on something, you get {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(close) to your target. For example, you could say, “Police are homing in on the suspects.” That is also where we get homing pigeons－pigeons that can find {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (they) way home after being released.

    But today, “home” is more often used as a noun. And it has a very emotional {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(connect) for American English speakers. You can remember the meaning of the word by the expression “home is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the heart is.” That expression means home is anywhere you feel love and comfort. It is a place where you belong, and often a place you consider your origin. In other {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (word), “home” is not {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(simple) a building where you live—that's a house. There is a big difference {#blank#}8{#/blank#}a home and a house.

    The writer, Thomas Wolfe, had {#blank#}9{#/blank#} different idea about home. In 1940, his book “You Can't Go Home Again”{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (publish). Today we use this title to mean that the ideas and feelings that you had as a child often change when you are an adult. So, even if you return to the place where you grew up, time and distance have changed your perspective (观点).

    Voyages of people from England play {#blank#}1{#/blank#} important part in spreading English {#blank#}2{#/blank#} is frequently spoken as an official or common language in many countries. All based on British English, the English {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (speak) in those countries can be well understood by native English speakers. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (actual) these Englishes have been gradually changing in accents, spellings, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (express) and the usages of vocabulary. Because {#blank#}6{#/blank#} this fact, you can make use of the differences{#blank#}7{#/blank#}(tell) which country the foreigners of your block are from. For example, if a boss fluently {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(command) his driver, "Come up straight to my apartment by elevator and take some gas for my trucks and cabs", instead of {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(request), "Please come to my flat by lift and take some petrol for my lorries and taxis", you can recognize {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(he) American identity, while the latter suggests that he is British.

    We could learn vocabulary while we are asleep. Researchers showed it is possible {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (learn) new information while sleeping deeply, and recall this information later. They did tests to see {#blank#}2{#/blank#} a person could remember new words and their translations while sleeping. The answer is yes. The language areas of the brain remember vocabulary during sleep, especially during deep sleep. While sleeping, our brain switches on for about half a second and then switches{#blank#}3{#/blank#} for half a second. The active state {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(call) "up-state". This is how our brain could learn new vocabulary.

    The Amber Room was considered one of the wonders of the world. It {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (design) for the palace of Frederick I and thought highly of {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (it) fancy style and design. The whole{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (decorate) of the Amber Room was very splendid (富丽堂皇). Tons of amber as well as gold and jewels were used to make it, which makes it an {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (amaze) treasure.

    However, the next king of Prussia, Frederick William Ⅰ, decided to give it as {#blank#}5{#/blank#} gift to the Russian Emperor, Peter the Great, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} gave Prussia a troop of their best soldiers in return.

    Unfortunately, during the Second World War, the Nazi Germany was {#blank#}7{#/blank#} war with Russia. Nazis invaded Russia and some of Nazis {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (secret) removed many objects from the Amber Room. After that, what happened to it {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(remain) a mystery.

    Recently, the Russians and Germans {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (build) a new Amber Room at the summer palace so that they can appreciate it and remember the history.