In 1986, the Honda automotive company wanted to see if it could make a human-like robot, to help in home, play football, balance on one foot, and even dance. Over the years there were some problems but soon the researchers managed to get a robot named ASIMO. It could walk on uneven(不平坦的) surfaces, and move its center of gravity like we do to climb stairs.

    More recently, ASIMO was improved so it could turn round and run at six kilometers per hour, using its upper body to control movement.

    ASIMO is designed to be friendly. It is hoped that robots like this could be used to help elderly people in their home. Honda are also using this technology to help people with disabilities. It can also push a cart(手推车) and open and close doors. ASIMO can even shake hands. It stands 120 centimeters tall, so that it can look into adult faces when they are sitting down. It can hold two kilos in its hands. It can even carry a tray without dropping the contents.

    So, where next for this kind of robot? Well, while ASIMO is attractive, it is still controlled by a human. Researchers in the USA are working on the robots that can learn about the world around them, and give a reply to human touch and voice. The robots are even learning to recognize(辨认) objects, people and vocabulary. Soon the descendants(后代) of these robots may be serving you drinks or helping with jobs at home and at work.

    Libraries give kids a quiet and safe place to read and learn. For over 100 years, libraries have played an important role in Americans' education. But how are these book—filled buildings changing with the times? You may be surprised to find out.

    Benjamin Franklin famously founded(创建)America's first lending library in 1731. But the public library system got its biggest development in the American history in the late 1800's. Businessman Andrew Carnegie donated millions of dollars to help build free public libraries across the country. Between 1886 and 1919, Carnegie's donations helped build 1,679 new libraries.

    Carnegie believed that libraries could offer the chances to Americans, young and old. He knew that the more libraries there were, the more people would have opportunities to read and use books, speeches and news.

    If you can easily find a public library in your community(社区), you'll get more chances. After all, the United States has 9,225 public libraries. Today, libraries keep growing. Seven tenths of the libraries have free Internet. It provides much more information and opportunities to ask for jobs online.

    Libraries are also teaching kids about the fun of reading. The new program Read! Build! Play! adds reading into playtime. As kids listen to a book that is being read aloud, they use Legos(乐高积木)to build images(图像)from the story happily. Today's libraries are always looking for creative programs to bring people into the library.

    Benjamin Franklin once said, "The doors of wisdom(智慧)are never shut." As long as the doors of public libraries are open, what he said is most certainly correct!

Dear Miss Zhao,

    Thank you for introducing the summer camp program to me. This program is organized by Yueyang Education and Sports Bureau (岳阳市教体局). It has brought over 500 middle school students to the countryside to experience the life here.

    We have been in this small village for six days. Every morning we get up early, breathe the fresh air and hear the birds sing in the woods. 我们一走出房子，就可以看到花、草、树木和动物。 We go for walks through the countryside and watch the villagers do their daily activities.

    Li Guoqing, a sixty-year-old villager says, "Thanks to the government, great changes have taken place in the countryside. People mustn't cut down trees or build houses on the farmland (农田). Anyone is not allowed to make our rivers or lakes dirty. All villagers are supposed to put rubbish in the bin."

    We really enjoy the trip and come to realize the importance of protecting the environment. 每个人都应该参与保护环境。 If the environment is taken good care of, we'll have a cleaner and greener world. The clean water and green mountains are our treasures.

Yours truly,

He Wei

Smoke alarms(报警器)

    House fires cause many deaths each year and a large number of these fires are unfortunately set by children.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Kids must understand that they, d better not play with fire. You should keep matches and lighters out of their reach.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} The main job of such an alarm is to protect you while you're asleep. You should have a smoke alarm outside each bedroom and on each floor of your home. You ought to have two plans for getting out of your house if there is a fire and practise these plans in the dark with your family.

    A smoke alarm warns you of the danger. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Take action immediately. When you come to a closed door, check it with the back of your hand. If it feels hot, there may be smoke or fire behind the door, so take care. Once you are out of your house, call the fire department from a neighbor's house. If a family member or a pet is caught inside, you shouldn't go back in. Firemen know how to perform rescues safely {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Change the batteries at least once a year. You should use the test button each month to see if the alarm and batteries are still working. A smoke alarm lasts about ten years. You ought to change it even if it seems to be working.

    About two out of three fire deaths happen in homes with no working smoke alarms.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Most of these deaths can be avoided.

B. But when you hear it, you don t have much time.

C. A smoke alarm is only good if it's working properly.

D. So, it's important to teach them that fire is a tool, not a toy.

E. A smoke alarm greatly reduces your chances of being hurt in a fire.

Here's a content table from Reading for Enjoyment. There are{#blank#}1{#/blank#}modules in this books. Each module has three parts-{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, Reading and Culture. The topics are Friendship, Wild world, Healthy living and{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. The Reading part provides lots of fresh reading passages, which help students improve their{#blank#}4{#/blank#}skills such as finding facts, and bring them great enjoyment as well. The{#blank#}5{#/blank#}part provides rich cultural background through short stories. The book helps open up students' eyes and improve their comprehension abilities.