In thetime it takes you to read this sentence, the population of the Earth will have grownby 10 people. That may not sound much, but it is about 14,000 people an hour. Thatis the same as adding most of the population of Germany to the world every year!

   Most of these new people are born in developing countries. These countriesare found in much of Africa, South America, and parts of Asia. In the developedcountries of Europe and North America, the population is growing very slowly. Thisis because women in these countries have, on average, only one or two children.In the developing countries, many women have five or more children. In 1950, aroundone quarter of the world's population lived in the developed countries. By 2050,these countries will be the home to only around one tenth of the world's people.

   In the developing countries, more than one billion people already live belowthe poverty line (贫困线).These people don't have enough food to eat and they live in poor housing;children get little or no time at school and suffer from many kinds of diseases.

   The United Nations (UN) tries to guess population growth. At the beginningof the 21st century, the world's population was around six billion people. The UNhas said that the world's population will level off at 12. 5 billion people by theyear 2100. Other people think the world's population will continue to grow, reaching14 billion people before it becomes stable or even falls.

   Why do we play sports? You might say "to get exercise" andyou'd be right. To have fun? That's true, too. But there's more. In fact, thereare at least five more reasons. According to the report, people who play sportsget1 more than just healthy.

   People who play sports do better in school. You might think that playingsports will2 all your study time. But a research shows thatstudents who play sports do better in school than3 whodon't. Exercise improves learning and memory, which can help students becomemore active in class.

   It's4 that people who play sports learn teamwork andgoal setting skills. Sports teach valuable life skills. When you work withcoaches, trainers, and teammates to win games and achieve goals, you'relearning5 tobe successful. Those skills will serve you well at work and in family life.

   Sports are good for people's health. Besides being healthy and keeping ahealthy weight, people who play sports are also less possible to smoke. And6 inlife, people who exercise have fewer chances to have cancer (癌症)or some otherillnesses.

   Playing sports improves confidence. People who play sports feel betterabout themselves. Why? It builds confidence when you know you can practice,improve, and7 your goals. Sports are also a feel-goodactivity8 they help people get in shape, keep a healthyweight, and make new friends.

   Exercise cuts the pressure. Playing sports can make you have less9 andhelp you feel a little happier. A person's mood (心情)improves during exercise. Friends canalso help improve your mood. And being on a team creates close relationship10 friends. It's good to know your teammates willsupport you - both on and off the field!

One Day of a Middle School Student

My name is Jill Green. I am a teacher of a middle school in England. 1 want to tell the school day of my school to you.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}The first lesson is at 9:20 a.m. It lasts(持续) an hour. The students can have a break(休息) from 10:20 a. m. to 10:45 a. m. Most girls like to talk, but most boys like to play ball games.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}After the break, students have the second lesson. During(在.....期间) the first quarter of the lesson, teachers usually have a test(测 试)for the students.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Lunch time is from 12:00 to 1:10 p. m. All students have their lunch at school. After lunch, students like to go to some clubs. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They can also watch TV, play games or tell stories in the clubs.

Students read some books and have the last lesson in the afternoon.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Then students go home.

Mary and Lisa are sisters. They like the same colour— blue. They like the same sports— swimming and basketball. They go to the same middle school. But they aren't in the same class. They like music and art. Art is their favourite subject. 

But Mary and Lisa have a big difference (不同之处) . Mary has many friends. They like to play with her. But Lisa doesn't have any friends. Their mum sees the difference. She says to Lisa, "My dear, your smile (微笑) is very beautiful. Why not smile often?" Lisa says OK and she tries smiling often. Children come to Lisa. They like her smile. They want to make friends with her. Now Lisa has many friends. She is very happy.