Tea, coffee and cocoa are three major drinks all over the world. Tea is drunk by the largest number of people in the world. Tea, as well as silk and porcelain, began to be known by the world over a thousand years ago and has been an important Chinese export since then.

   Tea has a history of over 4, 000 years and China is the home of tea. In ancient China, tea was used as a kind of medicine, while nowadays people drink tea daily. Longjing, Pu'er, Wulong and Tieguanyin are all famous tea. Thanks to the mild climate and rich soil in Fujian, Zhejiang and Yunnan, tea is produced mainly in these provinces.

   The words for tea in different languages came from Chinese, like “cha' i” in Russian. And the Japanese character for tea is written exactly the same as it is in Chinese.

   Over the past centuries, Chinese people have developed their unique(独特的)tea culture, which includes tea planting, tea-leaf  picking, tea making, tea drinking and so on. Tea is also popular in some sayings, like “A friendship between gentlemen is like a cup of tea.” In dances, songs, poems and novels, tea is often mentioned, too.

    David found that he was a bit fat these days. He went to buy an exercise machine so that he could try to lose some weight(减肥).

    At first, he put it in the basement(地下室).But he did not use it often. He seldom went into the basement.

    Next, he moved it into his bedroom. But he still didn't use it very often. That's because he would only go into the bedroom when it was time for him to go to sleep.

    Finally, he moved it into the living room. He put the machine next to the window. His wife thought maybe this would finally work. He could exercise and look outside at the beautiful garden at the same time.

    After a week or so, his wife asked David how his exercise was going. He said, "Well, yes, I do a little more exercise these days. Every time I want to open the window, I have to walk around the exercise machine."

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}⑴Enjoy beautiful scenery on Turkey's Turquoise Coast. The water is clear and calm with temperatures of 25°～28°in July and August. You don't need any previous kayaking（独木舟）experience to enjoy this trip. However, you do need to be quite fit, as you will be on the water for 4~6 hours a day.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}⑵Experience diving and sailing in the Indian Ocean in March and April. Enjoy warm, clear water and white, sandy beaches. Spend all of your stay on one of our yachts（游艇）with first-class service and excellent food. Explore remote and unspoilt reefs, and see a wonderful range of underwater sea life.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}⑶Would you like to discover the underwater world of the dolphin? Join us in July or August in the clear waters around the Azores. You will receive training from expert guides（专业导游）to gain confidence in the water with the animals. We often see eight different species of dolphin during our trips.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}⑷Come to Iceland in summer to see the biggest waterfall in Europe. Gauifoss, the "Golden Waterfall" is a truly spectacular（壮观）sight. The water from the River Hvítá and water from glaciers come together and fall 32m in two stages. You can follow a path quite close to the falls, which provides wonderful opportunities（机会）for photos and videos. Warm clothing is essential（必要）.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}⑸If you enjoy nature, you will love lake Balaton.

Much of the area around the lake is part of a protected national park. We have expert guides with knowledge of local plants and animals. That will take you on long walks around the park. The marsh area of the lake is home to a wide number of bird species.

    A group of students from the US have been in China for a week. Here is part of their chat history (聊天记录) on WeChat.

20:45

    Hi, everybody! Anything to share today?

20:49

    Yes. I went to a restaurant to have dinner with some friends this evening.

    When we finished the meal, the waiter brought us the bill. It was 270 yuan.

    We gave him 300 yuan and left 30 as a tip(小费) for his service(职务).

To our surprise, he returned us the change!

    Really? How kind he is!

20:53

    @Sunny It's different form that of the US. I worked in a restaurant in my free time. I accepted tips. Well, something interesting happened to me this morning…

20:55

    I couldn't find the bus stop. I came up to a man who was walking near me and showed him the bus number. He nodded and asked me to follow. We walked for about 10 minutes and finally got to the bus stop. I wanted to give him a hug (拥抱) to show thanks, but he just said goodbye and walked away. I couldn't believe that he had taken so much trouble for a stranger(陌生人)!

    It seems that Chinese people don't usually hug.

    I guess so. It's really unforgettable!

21:02

    I agree. The Chinese people I have met these days are all so friendly, polite and helpful. Well will enjoy the rest of our trip for sure.

    August has always been difficult for me. It is the time when I realize that the books my English teacher assigned(布置) to me are not going to read themselves and that I have a difficult month in front of me.

    You might think that I don't want to spend my summer reading, hut that's not the problem；I love reading. On the first day of summer holiday this year, I borrowed a Gathering of Old Men by African-American writer Ernest Gaines. I enjoyed it very much. I read all the magazines that my parents subscribe to(订阅) and spend about     minutes every day with the morning newspaper.

    So why do I hate summer reading for school？Because the books on summer reading lists are often slow-going and just uninviting(不吸引人的) . Teachers don't under-stand that summer reading can be interesting as well as educational. They choose books called "spinach books": good for you, but not much fun to take in. Every summer, I read them, hate them and get bitter about the experience.

    This bitterness started three years ago when 1 began high school. As preparation. my English teacher told me to read The Age of Innocence(《纯真年代》). At 14, I couldn't understand the love 100 years ago in the story. I only know my love for baseball. The Age of Innocence was completely different to my life. What is more, sometimes I guess teachers don't think exciting plots make for "good literature". To me, a good writer describes events and characters in a way that makes the reader want to know what happens next.

    If I were making up a summer reading list, it would include The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. Higgins. The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe, and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. These are all books that have literary value(文学价值) and can also entertain kids. If the teachers could add a little fun into the books they assign, my Augusts would be a lot more enjoyable.