Tom has two good friends. They are Jack and Mark. They have different hobbies. Tom likes football. He often plays football on weekends. He thinks playing football can make him strong and healthy. He is in the school football team.

    Jack doesn't like sports. He likes listening to music. He likes Jay Chow best. He buys many of his CDs. He often listens to music on the way home after school. He thinks music can make him happy.

    Mark likes taking photos. He has a good camera(照相机). When he is free, he often takes it out and takes some pictures. Some of his pictures are in newspapers(报纸) now. He thinks we live in a beautiful world. He wants people to see the beautiful world in his pictures.

    Besides the spelling of the word, there are, clearly, many differences between American and British humor.

    There is a common belief in the U.K. that Americans don't understand irony (讽刺). This is of course not true. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Irony may show up in American comedies(喜剧), but people there don't use it as much as the British do in daily life.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It actually runs in the blood of the British people. They use it as much as prepositions(介词) in everyday conversations, as a way of playing with their friends and laughing at their enemies, as well as themselves. This may sometimes make people unhappy if the listeners are not used to it.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} After Americans use irony, they will clearly say that they are "only kidding". They feel the need to make a joke clearer so that it will not make other people uncomfortable.

    Humor is tied so much to culture. American jokes are more clear and forward, a bit like Americans themselves. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} This may result from the fact that British culture is more reserved(矜持的) than American culture.

    However, we still find that certain American comedies have made huge success in Britain and vice versa(反之亦然). {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Summer is here. One of the best ways to cool off on a hot summer day is to jump into a swimming pool. Swimming is great exercise, and a trip to a pool or beach is a good way to have fun with friends. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, so it's important to stay safe as you do it. Here are a few things you can do to swim safely.

    ●Swim only in areas set for swimming.

    Don't swim unless there is a lifeguard (救生员) on duty. If you're on a beach near the ocean, this is especially important. In some places, fast currents (急流) can sweep swimmers away without warning. So if a sign says "no swimming", please take care.

    Be careful when diving (跳水) into the water headfirst.

    Most pools have deep ends where diving is safe. In natural water, don't dive unless you know that the water is deep enough. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, causing injury (伤害) or death.

    ●Make sure you have a partner with you.

    Nobody knows what will happen while you are swimming. If something goes wrong, you can get help from that person as soon as possible. In this situation, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    ●Pay close attention to children's safety.

    Kids who don't know how to swim should wear life jackets. But by themselves they are not enough, {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. If you have a pool at home, put a fence (围栏) around it in case children fall in. And if a child disappears, check the pool first.

    This is a home of the future, a smart home, where technology can do almost everything. Imagine we are in the year 2050; ①the computer wakes Tom up in the morning as usual. In front of him is a to-do list of the important events for the day, and it is provided by the computer， too. According to Tom's request, the computer serves a list of possible dishes. All the dishes are nice.

    As Tom eats breakfast, the computer reminds him to reply to Lucy. Before Tom finishes his next bite, Lucy's computer receives the message. Then Tom goes to the supermarket. The store's system checks his car when he drives to the pickup area and greets him. "Good morning, Tom! Your order is in Case 4. Thank you for shopping." When Tom removes his order from Case 4, the trade is completed automatically(自动地) over the information superhighway. That is, the money is electronically paid into the bank. Soon after arriving at the office, Tom reads another message from Lucy, telling him that she will go to have dinner with him.

    The smart home can also do many other things:

    Find things like keys and mobile phones.

    ②        (打开或关闭) machines and lights with your voice.

    Clean your home from clothes to buildings automatically.

    Record everything and everyone entering and leaving the house.

    Take care of each member of the family, young or old.

    ③With the development of technology, the smart home will come true in the future. It is sure to play an important part in our life.

    Every country has its own way of cooking. American people have their own way of cooking, don't they?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} But if you think that American people don't like cooking, you are wrong. It's true that most Americans eat fast food for their breakfast and lunch. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Parents see the importance of teaching their children how to cook, and most Americans say that home-cooked meals are the best.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For example, baking(烘烤 )is the most popular way of cooking in America {#blank#}4{#/blank#} American cooks(厨师) pay attention to(注意) the balance of food. When planning a big meal, they try to cook meat, a few vegetables, some bread and sweet food. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}_ There are so many kinds of colorful foods, so the meal is healthy and looks beautiful, too.

A. But they also think cooking is interesting

B. They also like to make the meal look beautiful

C. Most people in the United States like fast food

D. Americans have their own way of cooking

E. Most American families have ovens (烤箱)