One of the greatest mysteries on Earth is the statues which stand on Easter Island. Easter Island, which was almost uninhabited when it was discovered on Easter Day in 1722 by a Dutch captain, is the most distant island in the world covered with hundreds of giant statues, each weighing several tons and some standing more than 30 feet tall.
    Who built these statues and why and how did they get there? Nobody knows the answer for sure.
    One theory suggests that Easter Island was first inhabited by Polynesians, who traveled thousands of miles in their canoes（独木舟）in 400 A.D. However, the ocean currents（洋流）which carried them there would not take them back, so that they could not leave.
    The statues appear to have been made out of the top edge of the walls of a volcano on the island. Then, it may have been rolled or dragged down to the foot of the volcano(火山). Then, it was stood upright（直立）and ropes were tied around it, which was made to act as a pulley（滑轮）. Over a period of months, a statue could be walked for miles down to the ocean. Finally, it was placed in line with other statues, all of them looking towards the center of the island.
    This process was difficult. If a statue fell over, it was too heavy to be pulled upright again, so the islanders went back and carved another statue.
    The population of Easter Island must have reached 11,000. Later, the resources of the island were used up and people began fighting and eating each other. Work on the statues stopped and the statues were knocked over. When the first Europeans finally arrived on the island, most of these people had died out.

In Britain you're allowed to drive a car when you're seventeen. You have to get a special two-year driving license before you can start. When you're learning, someone with a full license always has to be in the car with you because you aren't allowed to drive the car on the road alone. You don't have to go to a driving school — a friend can teach you. The person with you isn't allowed to take money for the lesson unless he's got a teacher's license.
Before you're allowed to have a full license, you have to take a driving test. You can take a test in your own car, but it has to be fit for the road. In the test you have to drive round for about half an hour and then answer a few questions. If you don't pass the test, you're allowed to take it again a few weeks later if you want to. In 1970 a woman passed her fortieth test after 212 driving lessons! When you've passed your test, you don't have to take it again, and you're allowed to go on driving as long as you like. Britain's oldest driver was a man who drove in 1974 at the age of 100.
Before 1904 everyone was allowed to drive, even children. Then from 1904 car drivers had to have a license. But they didn't have to take a test until 1935. On the early days of car driving, before 1878, cars weren't allowed to go faster than four miles an hour, and someone had to lead the car with a red flag.

Dear Malia and Sasha,

    I know that you've both had a lot of fun these two years. You have been to many picnics and had all kinds of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you eat. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom. So now I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

    When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me—about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with those smiles and suddenly, all my big plans didn't seem so important any more. I soon found that the greatest happiness in my life was that you were so happy. And I realized that my own life wouldn't mean much if I couldn't make you two happy. In the end, girls, I ran for(竞选)President: Because of what I want for you and for every child in the US.

    I want all our children to go to school so that they can learn and grow. I want them to have the chance to go to college—even though their parents don't have enough money. And I want them to get good jobs.

    I want us to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our earth cleaner and safer. And I want us to see no difference of different colors and areas because we are all equal.

    I hope both of you will start to give others the chances you've had. You know, this country has given our family so much, so you have to, and really should, give something back. When you are doing something larger than yourself, you will realize how helpful you are.

    These are the things I want for you—to grow up in a world in which you can make your dreams come true. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and get what you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.

    I am so proud of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am thankful every day because you behave so well when we get ready to start our new life together in the White House.

Love，

Dad

    There are many different kinds of festivals around the world. Here are four of them.

    Saint Patrick's Day in Ireland

    Ireland is an island country. It's in the west of Europe, There are wide green fields.

    Saint Patrick's Day is on 17th March. It's an important holiday in Ireland. This holiday is to remember Saint Patrick. He did good things for the people of Ireland.

    During the holiday, there are parades and lots of green. You can see people in green clothes, and you can even see green buildings.

    Red Wednesday in Iran

    Red Wednesday is a fire jumping festival in Iran. It is on the eve(前夜) of the last Wednesday of the year. People jump over the fire. They hope that it will take all the bad things away.

    Quebec Winter Carnival in Canada

    When winter comes, it's party time in Quebec City, Canada. The Quebec Winter Carnival is all about outdoor fun. It starts from the end of January and ends in mid February.

    One of the most popular activities is the dog sledding race(狗拉雪橇比赛). It has more than 30 teams and the race goes on for 6 kilometres. You can see happiness on every face.

    The Desert(沙漠) Festival in Tunisia

    Tunisia is a very important country in North Africa. Every year on the last Sunday of December, the Desert Festival is held in Tunisia. As "Ships of the Desert", camels are very important in the festival. There is camel racing and camel wrestling(摔跤).

    In the eyes of many foreigners, Chinese are the best hosts and the worst guests in the world. They're not really bad guests, but because the guest­host relationship in China is much different than in some Western countries, it appears they are not nice guests. And Western hosts sometimes look rude in the eyes of Chinese guests.

In China, guests are almost like gods. Whenever I enter a Chinese person's home, there is always fruit on the table for me, and someone is quick to bring me a cup of tea or water. In the West, generally the guest is not a god. Acting according to the host's way of doing things is usual behavior for a guest.

    My wife's mother, a very kind elderly Chinese lady, doesn't smoke. When I see some of her guests smoking in her house, as a non­smoker, I feel unhappy. Usually I want to stop them directly, but I must realize that in China, to be a good host, she must not do that. In most North American homes, if you are a guest, and the hosts are not smokers, you should not smoke in their house. At the very least, you could ask, "Is it OK if I smoke?" But, don't be surprised if they say, "No, you can't smoke." In our culture, if you smoke in their home, you are a bad guest, but if they do not allow you to smoke in their house, they are not a rude host.

    Guests in China also have special habits. Some Western people may not adapt to these habits very soon. Thankfully my wife is Chinese, so whenever we visit a Chinese family she tells me to buy them a gift. However, giving a gift to a host is not always necessary in my country. So, if you invite international guests to your house, don't be too surprised if they don't bring you a gift.

    In China, you probably won't need to change the guest­host relationship very much because you will probably only be the host, and Chinese are naturally very good hosts. If Western hosts invite you to their house, try not to be too surprised if their style of treating you is not what you have expected.

I'm Eason. I {#blank#}1{#/blank#} in "New York with my family. I like reading very much, and I have many books at {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, I'm in the school book club now. There're{#blank#}3{#/blank#}students and three teachers in the club. We meet from 7:00 to 8:00 {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  Wednesday afternoon. We usually{#blank#}5{#/blank#}about one book together. Our teacher {#blank#}6{#/blank#} asks us some questions about the book. All of us want to answer them, because it's interesting {#blank#}7{#/blank#}a game. We can borrow (借) a book from the club, but we must take it back {#blank#}8{#/blank#}  It's fun joining the book club, because we can also make {#blank#}9{#/blank#} friends here. There's a new book {#blank#}10{#/blank#}every month in the club. I like the show very much and I never miss (错过)it!