How do we know what's right or wrong in English? Languages such as French and Spanish each has an official(官方的) organization that tells you what's correct. But there is nothing like that in English. So what can we do?

    There is, of course, Standard English. This is the kind of English you read in newspapers or in formal letters. It is also the English you learn at school or in textbooks.

    However, Standard English is not official English. And unbelievably, linguists（语言学家） think Standard English is on the same level as all other types of English such as Cockney English, Yorkshire English, South African English, Australian English, Singaporean English… And according to linguists, there is no such thing as Standard Spoken English.

    English is changing all the time. Every year, new words appear and others disappear. Words change too. For example, for many years, the Latin word “agendum” was the accepted singular form and “agenda” was the plural form. However, these days, very few people use the Latin-sounding“agendum”, with “agenda” being the accepted singular form, and “agendas” the plural.

Newspapers each has their own style when they write certain things. For example，The Guardian puts dates like “21 July 2011”(with the day first, followed by the month and no commas). However, the news agency Reuters writes them like this “July 21, 2011”(with the month first, and a comma(逗号) between the day and the year). Other newspapers have different ways of doing it too. So, as you can see, there's no one “correct” way —there's a variety of ways and each one is acceptable.

    Next time someone tells you that something is wrong, tell them that it isn't wrong, It is just English.

(Each answer should be no more than four words)

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to our fashion show (时装秀). I am Millie from Class, Grade 7. Today we are going to show you different styles of clothes. 

Look at me. I am wearing sports clothes and a pair of trainers. Trainers are light and comfortable and are popular among young people. 

Here comes Simon. He is wearing a purple shirt and a pair of gray trousers. His red and gray tie (领带) matches his clothes. He looks smart. 

Now Amy and Daniel are coming. They look cool! Amy is wearing a yellow cotton blouse and a blue scarf. Daniel is wearing a blue T-shirt. Both of them are wearing blue jeans (牛仔裤). Young people really like jeans！

Look! Here comes Sandy. She is wearing a red silk blouse, a black wool skirt and a pair of red boots. She looks modern and beautiful! 

……

That's all for today's show. Thanks for coming.

Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends. They believe that their family members，and in particular（尤其是） their parents，don't know them as well as their friends do. In large families，it is quite often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for help. 

It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or a circle of friends. Even when they are not with their friends，they usually spend a lot of time talking on the phone. This communication is very important in children's growing up，because friends can discuss something difficult to say to their family members. 

However，parents often try to choose friends for their children. Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends. The question of "choice" is an interesting one. Have you ever thought of the following questions? Who chooses your friends? Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you? Have you got a good friend your parents don't like? 

Your answers are welcome._

Ben could hear strong winds outside his home in Alabama. Black clouds were making the sky very dark. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The news on TV reported that a heavy rainstorm was in the area.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} Ben's dad was putting pieces of wood over the windows while his brother was making sure the flashlights (手电筒) and radio were working. He also put some candles and matches on the table. Ben was helping his mom make dinner.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}After dinner, they tried to play a card game, but it was hard to have fun with a serious storm happening outside. The family went to bed at 10 o'clock. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} He had to listen to some music to calm himself down. He finally fell asleep when the wind was going down at around 3:00 a.m.

When he woke up, the sun was rising. He went outside with his family and found the neighborhood in a mess. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}The family joined the neighbors to help clean up the neighborhood together. Although the storm broke many things apart, it brought families and neighbors closer together.

"I'm going shopping in the village," George's mother said to George on Saturday morning. "So be a good boy and don't get into trouble. And don't forget 1 good care of Grandma." Then she well out.

Grandma 2 in the chair by the window when she opened one little eye and said, "Now you heard 3 your mother said, George." "Yes, Grandma," George said.

George was bored to tears. He didn't have a brother or a sister. His father was a farmer, and the farm they lived on was miles away from anywhere, 4 there were never any children to play with. He was tired of staring (注视) at hundreds of pigs, hens, cows and sheep. He was especially tired of having to live in the house with his grandma. Looking after her all by himself was hardly 5 way to spend a Saturday morning.

"Go and make me a cup of tea for a start, 6 sugar and milk." Grandma said. Most grandmothers are lovely, kind, helpful old ladies, but not this one. George's grandma was a woman who was always complaining (抱怨) about something or other. She spent all day 7 on her chair by the window.

George was told that Grandma used to be a gentle lady, but as she grew older, she was not able to look after 8 and even worse, she was easy to get angry.

"We 9 be nice to the old, George," His mother always told him.

Thinking of this, George went into the kitchen and made Grandma a cup of tea with a teabag. He put one spoon of sugar and some milk in it. He stirred (搅拌) the tea well and carried it into the living room 10 .