A road is just like a bridge between two places. The Silk Road has been a bridge between East and West. But the Silk Road is not a single route! It is a series of trade and cultural transmission routes. From the time Zhang Qian opened up the world-famous Silk Road during the Han Dynasty, until the Yuan Dynasty, it enjoyed a history of about 1,600 years.

 This ancient road begins at Chang'an (now Xi'an), and it reaches Dunhuang, where it divides into three, the Southern Route, Central Route and Northern Route. And then it ends in Eastern Europe, near the Mediterranean Sea(地中海). The Silk Road is about 6,500 kilometers long. It goes across one-fourth of the planet. (3)In fact, there is another trade road which is called the “Silk Road on the Sea” in the southwest of China.

 The Silk Road was very important to both China and the rest of the world. Besides trade, knowledge about science, arts and technologies were shared across the Silk Road. The Four Great Inventions of China was introduced to the West and Chinese also knew about the religions of the West. (4)In this way, languages and cultures developed and influenced each other. Today, places along the Silk Road are great places of interest, such as the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an and Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu.

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It seems that a family just isn't complete (完整的) without a pet. But if pets aren't suitable to a family's lifestyle or environment, they can quickly lead to problems such as stress or arguments (争执). To save yourself and your family such problems, treat this decision seriously.

When choosing a pet, people must consider the family's health. Many people are allergic (过敏的) to cats and dogs. Perhaps a dog or cat with short hair will be fine. And a dog might not be the best choice for a child who is naughty (顽皮的) because the dog might bite him or her. Some people can also have problems with certain pets. It's a good idea to spend a little time with the pet around each member of the family before making your decision.
Consider the quality of life of the pet, too. If a pet is used to having space to run around, it can quickly develop psychological (心理的) problems when it is kept in a small flat all day. If pets are allowed to run about in areas with lots of traffic, they can meet an early end. Cats shouldn't be brought into homes that already have large dogs because they won't be able to get along well with each other.
The decision as to what kind of pet to choose is very important. If you find the right one to suit (适合) everyone in the family and their lifestyle, then it's time to choose one. Remember that your decision is important because it can have effects that last for many years.

    A music club was set up in Class One, Grade Eight. The students who like music can join the club. There are some students in it now.

    Li lei likes rock music best. He says, "Rock music is my favorite, because it makes me happy and exited. It sounds exciting and most people like it. I am going to become a famous singer of a band when I grow up."

    Wang Ming says, "I am from the country. So I liked country music when I was young, and I still like it now. I will sing a song when I'm sad, and then I'll get better."

    The twins like jazz best because they can dance to the music.

    Jack says, "I like pop music, but I do well in playing musical instruments, so I like classical music best. I want to continue studying classical music."

    Han and Xue like folk music best, they say it sounds wonderful. They are ready for the next school concert.

Information Card

    Mrs. Cooper is over 90, but she can still play a game of Words with Friends, a popular puzzle game app, on her iPad. She says that the Apple product(产品) has changed her life.

    Mrs. Cooper lives in a house close to Manchester Airport in London. She often uses her iPad to track the planes that fly overhead and explore(探索) the world with Google Earth.

    "I'm crazy about the planes, so I choose the Flight Tracker to see where the planes around me are going. It's a wonderful way to keep in touch with the world," she said. "I use it nearly all the hours of daylight, 2-3 hours in the morning, then again in the afternoon."

    Mrs. Cooper taught painting when she left school. She had a laptop（手提电脑）, but struggled（费力）with it. " Her problem was that she couldn't see the cursor（光标）, and her hands shake so hard that she almost can't use the mouse." said her 63-year-old daughter, Jean. "I was in America visiting my daughter, and I played with an iPad and decided to buy one for my mother."

    Jean got some apps for the iPad, so her mother could learn how to use them. "She uses it several hours a day, and is curious(好奇的) to keep up with everything new. She reads the news, sends emails and uses Face Time to make video calls to us all. We're glad that she can enjoy her life with the magic thing." she said.

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   The Greens are ready for a dancing party. Mr. Green wears a white shirt and black pants. He looks handsome(英俊的). Mrs. Green is quite pretty today. She wears a white blouse and a blue skirt. What about Gina? She looks beautiful, too. Her T-shirt goes well with her skirt. Her T-shirt is light blue and her skirt is blue. She really likes blue. Gina's brother Tom wears a yellow T-shirt and blue pants. He also wears a hat. He looks cute.

    In 1995, the UNESCO's General Conference held in Paris designated the World Book Day on April 23 to say thanks to books and writers worldwide and to invite everyone to be a lifelong reader.

    The following reading list consists of 5 books, 3 in English and the others in Chinese, about China and Chinese culture.

    ⒈Insights into Chinese Culture (中国文化读本)

    As an overview of Chinese culture, this book shows many ways of Chinese culture, they include Chinese customs, scenic spots, science and technology, folk art, literature and international cultural exchanges. Many people think it a perfect start for anyone who wants to learn about China.

    ⒉Quotations from Confucius (孔子语录)

    This book keeps most of the words and thoughts from Confucius, who is the greatest educator and thinker in history. People around the world think Confucius' teaching ideas and philosophy are still working in today's education.

    ⒊Chinese Folk Art series (中国民间艺术系列读本)

    Published by Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House, each book focuses on one folk art, such as paper-cutting, clothing and Chinese New Year picture. Readers can enjoy the beautiful photos and learn the history and development of each art.

    ⒋Chinese Characters (中国汉字)

    This book offers us a main introduction about the wonderful culture of Chinese characters. With enough examples, it proves that learning the most difficult language in the world can be rather interesting.

    ⒌Symbols of China (中国符号)

    Taking a special way to explain Chinese culture, this book chooses over a hundred cultural symbols and tell the story behind every one of them. Like a hundred small mirrors, these symbols show the value of traditional Chinese culture.