“Who needs a shopping mall（购物中心）if you have Taobao?" says Wang Lin, 28, a writer in Beijing.

    Taobao, China's largest online shopping site（网上购物网站）, has become an important part of Wang Lin's life. She spends lots of money on Taobao.

    A growing number of Chinese Internet users like Wang have found the joys of online shopping. Most online shoppers are students or young workers. More women shop online than men; Clothing and home-use products are the most popular on line.

    It was reported that more than 250 billion (十亿) yuan was spent on online shopping last year, 80% through Taobao.

    Taobao means "looking for treasure" in Chinese. People can find almost everything they need on Taobao, from clothes to books, from candies to DVD players.

    You may question the security of online shopping, Wang Lin said, "It's very safe and convenient. Unless you receive the products from the sellers and are satisfied with them, the shop owner will not get the money. You can also get your money back if you want to return the products.”

    A long time ago, there was a big apple tree.A little boy liked playing around it every day.

    As the little boy grew up, he no longer played around the tree.One day the boy came back to the tree.He looked sad. “What's troubling you?” asked the tree.The boy answered, “I want my own house. I need money to buy it.”

    “You can pick my apples and sell them. Then you will have money.”

    A few years later, the boy returned. He told the tree that he wanted to go sailing(航海) around the world.

    “Use my branches(树枝) to build your boat. You can sail far and be happy.” So the boy cut the branches to make a boat. He went sailing and didn't return for a long, long time

    Many years later, the boy returned. ”Sorry, but I don't have anything for you anymore,” the tree said, crying.

    “All I need is a place to rest. I am tired after my travels.”

    The tree replied, ”Good ! Old tree roots(根) are the best place to rest.” The boy sat down and the tree was glad.

    The tree in this story is like your parents. Your parents are reliable and giving, like a tree, and will always love you, no matter where you are.

    In Thailand, people do not eat with chopsticks, like in China, Japan, and Korea. They use spoons and forks.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Because most food is already cut. If you need to cut things use the side of your spoon.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you are right-handed, keep the spoon in your right hand and the fork in your left hand.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The rice is not on the same plate with the other food. It is not necessary to finish all you rice or all your food. It is good to leave a little on your plate. If you eat anything, it means you want more.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}The host(主人)will ask you two or three times if you want more food . It is the same with whatever you are drinking. During the meal, never empty your cup or glass. When it is less than half full, your host or neighbor will fill it again.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Always refill(再加满) your neighbor's glass. This means that you must keep an eye on your neighbor's glass all through the meal.

    Marco Polo was from Venice, Italy. In 1271, at the age of 17, Marco went on a trip with his father and uncle to China. Today people often travel to different places around the world. But it was very hard for people from Europe to visit China then. After three and a half years, the Polos reached China in 1275.

    While he was there, Marco Polo worked for Kublai Khan, the emperor of China. He was able to learn and experience many things that were new to Europeans. In his diary, he wrote, "Kublai Khan's palace is the greatest I've ever seen. The streets of the new capital, Dadu, are so straight and so wide." Paper money also took him by surprise, since it was not yet in use in the West at that time. Homes were heated with "black stones… which burn like wood." Those stones were coal, and most of the Europeans knew little about it then.

After 17 years in China, Marco and his family finally returned to Venice. After he returned home, Marco completed a book called The Travels of Marco Polo, full of facts about his wonderful experiences in China.

⑴{#blank#}1{#/blank#}   ⑵{#blank#}2{#/blank#}   ⑶{#blank#}3{#/blank#}   ⑷{#blank#}4{#/blank#}  

    GIY stands for "grow it yourself'. There is a new fashion for growing your own food. And there are a lot of reasons why growing your own food is a good idea.

    GIY helps reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions (排放物). Food in supermarkets travels a long way, which produces a lot of CO₂. If you grow as many vegetables as you can at home, you can help save the earth.

    GIY can be good for people's health. Compared with supermarket vegetables, vegetables you grow by yourself are better for your health. Because they have more nutrients (营养品) and they don't have chemicals.

    GIY can also save your money and make you popular. First of all, seeds are much cheaper than vegetables. And secondly, you can save more by planting the most expensive and the most productive (多产的) vegetables. Thirdly, you can give your vegetables to friends and neighbors, which will make you very popular.

    Don't worry if you don't have much space. To GIY, you don't even need a garden. You can use pots on your balconies (阳台). And don't worry if your space could get much sunshine. You can plant vegetables that don't need a lot of sunshine.

    Grow your own vegetables now. You will have both a healthier body and a healthier social life.

Just In Time

    "Come on, Sasha," my father shouted. "Put the book down and get your clarinet(竖笛). We have to leave now if you don't want to miss the class."

    A clarinet class? I thought to myself. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Yes, I would like to miss the class. "Coming"{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. I got out of the bed and picked up my clarinet and rushed to the car.

    My dad started the engine and we drove off. "Hope you have a wonderful class," my dad said. "In my dream," I spoke very quietly. "Not again," my dad said angrily.

    I look out of the window{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. "Car traffic", I said under my breath with a big smile. This is my lucky day because I am going to miss the class.

    While we were waiting for the cars to start driving again, I was sitting in my car seat, singing a song. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. What's important is that I was going to miss the class. "Great! Ten minutes passed," I said excitedly. My dad looked at me angrily. The car started to move.

    "Finally," my dad took a deep breath. We got there and I had only missed a few minutes of the class.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

    "Just in time, Sasha. I was thinking you might be getting worried that you were going to miss the class," my teacher made a joke on me –knowing well that I hate the clarinet class！