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.

Stop Phubbing (别当低头族)

Last month, Justin Valdez, a college student was shot in subway in San Francisco, the U.S. The surveillance(监控) video showed that before Justin was killed, the killer pulled out the gun several times, and even wiped his nose with it. However, nobody noticed the killer. The surrounding passengers all focused on their mobile phones.

We may see the same scene everywhere in the life: in subway, restaurants. Elevators, roads, people are watching their mobile phones. From family reunion to date with a friend, people can't stop checking their WeChat, Facebook on the mobile phone and snubbing(无视) the persons in front completely. Not only the young people, but also the olds and the kids.

“Phubbing” is a new word which comes from the words “phone” and “snub”. It means the habit of snubbing someone in favor of(只顾着) a mobile phone. The word “phubbing” was included in the Australian National Dictionary in 2012. So we can see phubbing is spreading globlly.

Phubbing seems innocuous(无害的); however, it disturbs our life. Stop posting photos. Let's put down the mobile phone and enjoy the real taste of food and the warmth of interpersonal(人与人之间) communication.

Information Card

    Some people seem to be born happy. Nothing seems to get them down. However, some people seem to have everything going well but they still do not seem to be happy. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    ●Listen to music

    Music is good for people. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Light music can help us relax; some pop music can make us feel happy. You can listen to it, or take up playing an instrument in your spare time.

    ●Have a pet

    You may not have a pet of your own, but pets are so good at making people happy. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Some pets are lovely and some need exercise, which is helpful to you, too.

    ●Stay fit and healthy

    Try to keep fit and healthy by exercising every day. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} The great thing about exercise is that it helps release (释放) chemicals and these chemicals make you feel happy!

    ●{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Often it is the small things that make people happy. Being kind and smiling at people in your daily life can make others happy, and at the same time, it will also build happiness for you.

    Charlie works on a farm. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}And on weekends, he likes riding a bike with his friend David.

    Last Sunday, it was sunny and warm. Charlie and David rode on the road {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Then they saw an overturned(翻到的)car. A driver and a penguin were in the car. Charlie and David helped the driver and the penguin get out of the car. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The driver asked Charlie to take the penguin to the zoo.

    “{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Charlie, and I will take the driver to the hospital," said David. "OK!" said Charlie.

    A few hours later, David saw Charlie walking down the road with the penguin in his arms. "Charlie, I told you to take the penguin to the zoo." said David. "I did. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}" said Charlie.

    Mr. Smith is a teacher. Yesterday he did a survey of what his students did on their last day off and this is what he learned.

    Linda went to see her grandparents. Her grandparents live in the countryside. They are very old. But they don't like to live in the city. They want to have a quiet life. Tom helped his parents do some housework. He cleaned the room, took out the trash, washed all the clothes. At noon, he helped his mother cook lunch. Mary look after her little brother because her mother was ill. Her father had to look after her mother in the hospital. Mike studied history at home. He isn't good at history. He thinks it is too difficult for him. His father helped him. Both his father and his mother hope that Mike can be good at all his subjects. They want him to study in a famous university one day.