Some people seem to have extraordinary (非凡的）memories. Zheng Aiqiang, a “memory athlete” on TV show Super Brain, can remember 2,660 numbers in just one hour!

    You would think people like this have special brains. But according to a recent study by researchers from the US and the Netherlands, the brain structures（结构）of ordinary people and 23 of the world's leading memory athletes show no difference.

    That's because good memories can be trained. New research in the journal Neuron (神经元期刊) suggests that you can become a super memorizer with just six weeks of hard training.

    Researchers found that technique (技巧）called loci, invented by ancient Greeks, can greatly help improve memory. By using loci, you are using your imagination to improve the brain's memory networks. You can link（关联）something you need to remember with a place that you know very well. For example, to remember a list of numbers, imagine yourself walking through your house. Each thing is linked to a number. For example, zero could be handle（把手）on the door and five could be the painting on the wall.

    In one study, some ordinary people were given 20 minutes to remember 72 words. First they could only remember 26 of them. But when they were taught loci, they could remember 62 words.

    “Not everyone can become a memory champion. But everyone using the technique can improve a lot from the level they're at,” said Boris Konrad, one of the researchers in the study.

    Everyone needs friends. But how do you find real friendship and keep it?

    The American writer Sally Seamans tells young students some smart ways to find friends. Sally says founding friendship is just like planting a tree. You plant the seed (种子) and take care of it to make it grow.

    First, you should choose a friend. What makes a good friend? It is not because a person has money or good looks. A good friend should be kind and patient. For example, if you have a bad day, a good friend could listen to your complaints (抱怨) and do his or her best to help you. To make a friend, you can't be too shy. You should make each other happy and share your lives.

    But things can not always be happy. Even the best friends have fights. What should you do when you have a fight with your friend? You have to talk to him or her. When there is no one around, have a good talk. If he or she doesn't want to talk, you can write a letter.

    There are three steps to be friends again:

    Tell him or her how you are feeling, say what your friend did wrong and talk about why you did this or that. Remember that friendship is one of the most important things in your life.

    The Chongyang Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month and is also called the Double Ninth Festival. As both the month and the day are nine, it got this name. To celebrate the day, people usually climb mountains and enjoy chrysanthemum (菊花), so the festival is also known as the Height Ascending (登高) Festival or the Chrysanthemum Festival. In China, nine has the similar pronunciation with the word “forever”, meaning long life. So the Chinese government set the day as the Seniors' Day.

    The festival has a history of over 2000 years. During the Warring States Period, there was the Chongyang Festival. But it was only celebrated in the imperial palace. From the Han Dynasty, it began to be popular among the common people. The name of the Chongyang Festival first appeared in the Three Kingdoms Period. During the Jin Dynasty, there were customs of enjoying chrysanthemum and drinking wines on the day. It was not (A) officially set as a festival until the Tang Dynasty. Since then, all the people have spent the festival with kinds of activities. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, people in the imperial palace all ate flower cakes to celebrate. The emperor climbed the mountain on the day as well. In 1989, the Chinese government set the day as the Seniors' Day.

    As September has the clear sky and fresh air, it is a very good time to climb the mountain. There will be a happy sense of excitement by climbing the mountain in this season. Also, it is good for health. Since the Western Han Dynasty, it has been the custom of climbing on the Chongyang Festival.

    On the day, enjoying chrysanthemum is very popular as the flower means long life. Drinking chrysanthemum is regarded as a way to prevent disasters and bad things. Inserting Zhuyu and sticking chrysanthemum are also traditions to avoid the bad as (B) they have special smells which can repel (驱逐) insects and keep out the cold.

    Eating Chongyang cakes is another tradition on the festival. There is no fixed way of the cake but the one with nine layers (层) with two sheep on it is the best. Two sheep means Chongyang. Nine layers show people could do well in everything.

    It was a cold night. The taxi driver didn't take even one passenger all day. When he went by the train station, he saw a young man coming out with two bags in his hands. So he drove to him and asked, “Where are you going, sir?”

    “To the MP Hotel,” the young man answered. When the taxi driver heard this, he didn't feel happy any more. The young man would give him only three dollars because the hotel was near the train station. But suddenly, he had an idea. He took the young man through many streets of the big city. After a long time, they arrived at the hotel. “Here we are! You should pay me seventeen dollars, please,” the taxi driver said to the young man. “What? Seventeen dollars! Do you think I'm a fool? Only last week, I took a taxi from the train station to this hotel and I only gave the driver fifteen dollars. I know how much I have to pay for the trip.”

Shanghai Noon

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The film is an action film as well as a Western. It is also a comedy. The film happens in 1881. It begins in China, but most of the film happens in the US.

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    The story is about Wang Chong trying to save Princess Peipei from bad guys. While he is looking for Princess Peipei, Wang Chong and the train robber share many funny adventures.

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    The main character is Wang Chong, played by Jackie Chan. Lucy Liu plays Princess Peipei. Owen Wilson is the robber.

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I like all the funny fighting and the jokes in this film. There are a lot of amazing scenes, too. I think all the stars act very well. Go and see Shanghai Noon if you like funny action films. It's an enjoyable film. I would give it eight out of ten.

The last paragraph is mainly the writer's {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.
A.plan

B. story

C.advice

D. experiences

He Zhuowen, 14

    Some of us students are still afraid to sleep alone. But my robot can help. It can read stories and sing songs to you when you go to bed. You can have a nice sleep every night with my robot.

Li Zihao, 14

    I'd like to make a robot cleaner. Our parentsare very busy with work, but they still have todo some housework when they get back home. A robot cleaner can help with the housework a lot. Then Mom and Dad can play or talk with us. Isn't that great? Zhang Liaoxing, 13

    All robots should be able to protect their owners. My robot is as powerful as the famous hero Robocop. But it is much smaller. It looks like a student. We go to school together every day. But when there is an emergency (紧急情况), it will protect us students and fight against the bad guys(家伙) at once.

Wang Yuwei, 13

    I often feel lonely, so my robot will be very friendly and kind. It can know your feelings and react (反应) like your friends. I will also let the robot read, so it knows a lot and can teach us about right and wrong, just like our parents. In a word, with my robot, you won't feel lonely any more.