Do you feel stressed and confused when you‘re learning English? Frustrated by your lack of progress? Well, don‘t worry. You‘re not alone! Zhao Xing, from Beijing felt just like this. So he decided to write to ‗International English Learners‘ Blog site‘. A blog is an online diary, where people across the world communicate and discuss issues with each other.
Zhao Xing‘s Blog
Hi, I‘m Zhao Xing from Beijing. I‘m really struggling to learn English and I just need some help! I‘ve got an exam coming up soon and I need to improve my speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Please help me! I feel like I‘m going mad! Any advice? June, china
Zhao Xing! I know just how you‘re feeling. There must be other people in your situation. Why don‘t you get together and set up some kind of ‗English Speaking Club‘? You can talk to each other about your life, your worries… It‘s an excellent way to improve your English and enjoy yourself! Li Ming, UK Hi there!
Like you, I‘m struggling to lean English grammar and especially pronunciation—they speak so fast here and have really strange accents! Try to watch some English films and don‘t worry if you don‘t understand everything—just guess what they‘re saying. Daniella, Spain
It‘s a good idea to read English newspapers. Isn‘t there one in China called China Daily? Get your notebook out and write down and then translate some words you don‘t know! You‘ll find words repeat themselves and you‘ll find words repeat themselves and you‘ll quickly build up your vocabulary.
Sam, Australia
How about getting a pen friend? I‘d be happy to be yours. We can send each other messages. Don‘t be shy! Good luck in your exams. Take a deep breath, smile and you‘ll be fine!
EXERCISES
1. Match the word with its correct meaning in the text. frustrated making a great effort struggling increase build up discouraged
2. Answer the following questions briefly. 1. What can people do on a blog?
2. Which two people have a similar problem? 3. What does Sam advise Zhao Xing to do?
WORD BANK
stressed 感到（身体或精神）压力的 confused 困惑的；烦恼的 frustrated 受挫折的 lack 缺乏 progress 进步 online 在线的 communicate 沟通 issue 问题
struggle 努力 come up 接近；即将发生 improve 提高 situation 情形
1
TERM REPORTS End of Term Report Student‘s Name Subject Teacher Zhao Xing English Mr. Dickens Zhao Xing has always been a hard-working pupil. However, he finds that studying English is very difficult. At the beginning of the term, he was struggling to keep up with his classmates. So I was very pleased that at the end of this term, Zhao Xing came top of his class. All areas have improved greatly. In his writing, his spelling and punctuation are much better. He is able to correct his own work and help correct other pupils‘. In speaking, he is much more confident. He can have English conversations with his friends and with me. He takes part in group work and he is not afraid to speak anymore. He is able to read and understand quite difficult texts much more easily. When I ask him questions in English, he smiles and can answer them quickly. Zhao Xing should feel very positive about the progress he has made this term. If he continues like this , he will do very well indeed. End of Term Report Student‘s Name Subject Teacher Sam Smith English Mrs. Black Sam is a popular member of the class. He is also very clever. However, He is results this term in English have been very disappointing. In his final writing exam, he made a lot of mistakes and came last in the class. He should try and check his writing more and concentrate on his spelling. When he is speaking, he should remember to speak more slowly and clearly. Sometimes, it is very difficult to understand what he is saying. He doesn‘t seem to listen carefully either. His knowledge of basic English grammar is poor. He needs to buy a good grammar book and study it every day. I realize that Sam is the youngest member of his class. He is an intelligent pupil who could do well, if he tries harder. EXERCISES 1. Fill in the blanks.
1. At the beginning of the term, he was struggling to keep up ________ his classmates. 2. He is able ________ correct his own work and help correct other pupils‘. 3. He takes part ________ group work and he is not afraid to speak anymore.
4. He should try and check his writing more and concentrate ________ his spelling. 2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) 1. Zhao Xing‘s English teacher is Mrs. Black. ( ) 2. Zhao Xing has made great progress in English. ( ) 3. Sam is not as hard-working as Zhao Xing. ( )
WORD BANK keep up with跟上 punctuation 标点 positive 确定的，有信心的 continue 继续 disappointing 令人失望的 concentrate on 全神贯注于 basic 基本的intelligent聪明的
2
GHATTING ONLINE
Zhao Xing:
Hi Sam. How‘s it going? It‘s great to have an online pen friend. I‘m feeling great today. We got our end of term reports and my parents were so pleased. I‘ve never seen them smile so much. How about you? Sam:
Hi Zhao Xing. Yes, it‘s good to hear from you. My report came today and I‘ve never seen my parents look so unhappy. I can‘t believe it. Zhao Xing:
I‘m sorry to hear that. Do you remember the advice June gave me about setting up an English club? Well, I did! A group of us meet after school and talk about things that interest us. Often we just talk about films we have seen. There‘s only one rule when we meet – you must speak English! I enjoy meeting different people. It‘s really helped me to feel confident when I speak English in class. Why don‘t you try and do the same? Sam:
That‘s a really good idea, thanks. There are lots of people from different countries in my school. The trouble is, they stay in little groups and don‘t mix very well. Zhao Xing:
It must be difficult for you. There must be things you can do outside school. I really like football, so I‘ve joined a football club. It‘s great because we do something we really enjoy and speak English at the same time! And we get fit as well! How about trying the same? Sam:
I can‘t play football but I can play the drums! I‘ve got a friend who can play the guitar. Another can play the piano. Maybe we could make a music group instead! Zhao Xing:
Yes, great idea. Do it and let me know how you get on. But make a rule for your music group. When you are together, you may only sing and speak in English! EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct words or phrases to fill in the blanks. Set up fit instead
1. You should keep ________ with diet and exercise. 2. If there is no coal, oil can be used ________. 3. His uncle _________ a factory three years ago. 2. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. What kind of friends are Zhao Xing and Sam? 2. What is the rule for Zhao Xing‘s English club? 3. Why can‘t Sam set up an English club? WORD BANK mix 交往 fit 健康的 guitar 吉他 instead 代替
3
YOUR THREE--- MINUTE INTERVIEW(Ⅰ)
Each week, we send out our school reporter to interview pupils about their lives. See what interesting experiences Li Ming(from China has had since coming to the UK! What the most exciting experience you’ve had?
I love listening to pop music, especially western singers like Robbie Williams and the band Coldplay. I think Robbie Williams is a great musician and his concerts are always a sellout. It was my dream come true when my school organized a trip to one of his concerts in London. Well I went and it was absolutely fantastic. The sound was brilliant and it was so exciting. I‘ll never forget that evening.
What’s the most embarrassing experience you’ve had?
After Robbie Williams‘ concert, we all went for something to eat in Chinatown. All my friends asked me what I thought would be nice to eat. I ordered lots of tasty Chinese dishes. When the food came, I showed my friends how to use chopsticks. I was nervous and dropped some food in the teacher‘s drink! I felt so embarrassed.
My friends loved the food, so it was fine in the end. Who’s the most famous person you’ve met?
Most of the vegetables are not very nice! I had ‗mushy peas‘ which I think are peas that have been overcooked. I felt sick.
What’s the best food you’ve eaten here?
Well I enjoyed the food in Chinatown! I am starting to enjoy western food though, especially roast lamb on Sundays.
What’s the most beautiful place you’ve visited?
We went on a school trip to a place in the north of England called ‗the Lake District‘. It was
wonderful. It is a little like Hangzhou in China. There were so many beautiful lakes and mountains. We climbed a famous mountain called ‗Helvellyn‘. The views were fantastic but I was really tired the next day! WORD BANK pop music 流行音乐 band 乐队
sellout 卖完， 脱销 organize 组织 absolutely 绝对地
fantastic 极妙的，极好的 brilliant 非常好的 Chinatown 唐人街 tasty 好吃的
embarrassed 尴尬的，难堪的 mushy peas 酥豆儿，豆泥 overcook 蒸煮过度 roast lamb烤羊肉 district 地区
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YOUR THREE--- MINUTE INTERVIEW(Ⅱ)
What’s the most exciting experience you’ve had?
Just being in a different country is fantastic. When you are abroad. everything so new and exciting. The best experience was when we went with the school to the Great Wall. I remember studying it at school in the UK. I never thought it was so big and so wide. We went for a long walk along the top of it.
What’s the most embarrassing experience you’ve had?
I‘m trying to learn Chinese but it‘s a very difficult language. I‘m sure I‘ve said a lot of embarrassing things. The people are so kind though. They just laugh and smile when I speak Chinese.
Who’s the most famous person you’ve met?
Last week we visited the Olympic Stadium and there was a really famous Chinese athlete there. It was the former table tennis star, Deng Yaping. It was a wonderful experience. What’s the worst food you’ve eaten here?
We went to an Italian restaurant last week and had pizza. It was cold and had only vegetables and no meat on it.
What’s the best food you’ve eaten here?
Definitely roast duck! We went to a famous restaurant in Beijing. It was absolutely delicious and we ate far too much. I‘ve eaten duck in England but it tasted much better here. We also got chips! The seafood is lovely too—so tasty.
What’s the most beautiful place you’ve visited?
We went on a trip to the Summer Palace. We sat beside the lake and had our picnic. There was a beautiful boat made out of marble and lovely bridges across the lake. It was the most beautiful place I‘ve ever been to. WORDBANK athlete 运动员 former 以前的 Italian 意大利的 definitely 无疑地 delicious 美味的 chips （复）炸薯条 picnic 野餐 marble 大理石
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THE MOST FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE
People sometimes ask me, ― What‘s the most frightening experience you‘ve ever had?‖ Well, it happened when I was 12. It was also the most uncomfortable experience I have ever had. My mother, my sisters and I left Heathrow Airport to go on holiday to Cyprus.
My dad came to the airport to say goodbye. Unfortunately he was working and could not come with us. We got on the plane. The take-off was fine. Later the air stewards served us our meals. I was busy eating when the plane rocked. My plate went flying. Most of the other passengers‘ plates fell too. I remember thinking that there must be food everywhere.
All of the lights in the plane went off. The seatbelt signs came on. The plane kept on bumping. I was scared tat there might be a serious problem. I wished that my father was with us. Then we heard the captain of the plane. He said, ―I‘m sorry, ladies and gentlemen. We are going through a storm. Please stay in your seats‖.
The air stewards also had to stay in their seats. There was no one who could clear away our plates and food. My drink had fallen on my trousers and I was so uncomfortable. There was thunder and lightning outside.
We had to sit like that for more than an hour while the plane bumped along. After a while I wanted to go to the toilet. So did everyone else, I‘m sure. The air stewards tried to stay calm and polite. It seemed like hours before we were allowed to move again and clear up. I did not feel well after all that bumping around. Luckily the plane was alright and we landed safely. We later found out that we had passed through one of the most violent storms ever over the Mediterranean Sea! EXERCISES
1. Match the word with its correct meaning in the text. steward having great force
rock an attendant on an airplane violent move from side to side
2. Circle the correct answer to complete the sentence.
1. Unfortunately my ________ was working and could not come with us. A. mum B. sister C. dad 2. While the plane bumped along, I felt very ________. A. scared B. excited C. unhappy 3. The plane was flying over _________.
A. the Atlantic Ocean B. the Mediterranean Sea C. the Dead Sea WORD BANK
Heathrow Airport (英国伦敦的)希思罗机场 Cyprus 塞浦路斯 （地中海东部一岛） unfortunately 不幸的 take-off 起飞
stewards 飞机乘务员
rock 摇摆 seatbelt 安全带 bump 颠簸 scared 恐惧的
go through 经历 clear away 收拾、整理 clear up 整理 violent 猛烈的 Mediterranean Sea 地中海
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IT’S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
If your answers to these questions are ‗yes‘ then read on . Find out more about the ‗Edge into Space Competition‘ below.
What do you have to do for the competition?
You have to design or invent something. You can either design something that can be developed in space to make life on earth better. Or else you can design something that can be developed on earth to make life in space better. The choice is yours! Who can enter the competition?
You must be between 13 and 17 years old and live in the United Kingdom. Can I work on my own?
No. You need a team of two to four people together to create your idea. You‘ll need your school or college to help you and give you some time to work on the project. What kind of person or team are they looking for? Young people who are creative and have imagination. Do we actually have to make the product?
No. But you do need to design it and say why it would be useful and who for. What is the prize?
The prize winners will win a two-week trip to NASA‘s space camp in Houston and Florida this summer. You will:
Meet and talk to astronauts
Work with scientists who are studying at NASA Visit the Kennedy Space Centre Watch a shuttle landing And lots more! How can I enter?
Just complete the form and send it with your idea to our address. Good luck! WORD BANK design 设计 develop 开发 create 创造 project 项目
creative 有创造力的 imagination 想象力 address 地址
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YOU WERE A SCIENTIST
Li Ming and two of his friends entered the competition and guess what?
They won! Now Li Ming is talking about his experience with some classmates.
Richard: I hope you don‘t mind my asking, Li Ming, but why are you standing holding a model rocket?
Sue: Don‘t you know anything, Richard? Li Ming won that competition about designing something for space.
Richard: Wow! That‘s amazing. I didn‘t know you were a scientist! Li Ming: Well, I‘m not. I just got an idea after talking with some friends. Richard: So, what was your idea? Or is it a secret?
Li Ming: Not at all. At first we thought of a golf course that could be used on the moon. Sue: So what happened to that idea?
Li Ming: We decided that people would be unhappy if they lost all their balls in space. We suddenly
got a new idea. We designed a tent which astronauts could use as a base while exploring the moon.
Richard: Great idea! I‘d love to go camping in outer space! Sue: So, what about the trip to America? What was the best bit?
Li Ming: We went to a space station. Everything was very comfortable to make life easy for the astronauts.
Richard: What about sleeping? How do they stay in their beds? Li Ming: I think they are tied down.
Richard: Sounds nice. Imagine never having to get up!
Li Ming: We learned how rockets work and fired them as well. We got in a pretend spacecraft. It‘s
just like a real spacecraft.
Sue: So, what did you see? Lots of green men? Li Ming: No, Lots of black space.
Richard: So, where are you going for your next holiday, Li Ming? Jupiter? Li Ming: Very funny, Richard. But watch this space! EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct words to fill in the blanks. amazing explore tie
1. The scientists are designing a new spacecraft to _________ outer space. 2. Tom _______ his kite to a post yesterday afternoon. 3. What an _______ painting!
2. Decide whether the following statements are true(T) or false (F).
1. After Li Ming won the competition. He became a scientist. ( ) 2. Li Ming and his friends designed a golf course that could be used on the moon. ( ) 3. They did not get in a real spacecraft. ( ) WORD BANK
model 模型 amazing 另人惊奇的 golf course 高尔夫球场
tent 帐篷 base 基地 explore 探测 outer space 太空， 外层空间 bit 一小段情节 tie 束缚 fire 发射 pretend 仿制的
pretend 宇宙飞船 spacecraft 宇宙船 Jupiter 木星
8
A VISIT TO A SPACE CENTER
While Li Ming was in America, he went with his class to visit a space centre. There he heard an
astronaut, Piers Sellers, talk about his journey into space.
Piers told them all about his trip on the space shuttle Discovery. When Li Ming saw Piers, he had just returned to earth after a 13-day journey to the International space Station.
Astronauts have to spend years in training before they can go into space. Piers waited a long time before the ‗big day‘. Piers had been excited but also very nervous before take-off. He said, ―It‘s difficult to keep calm and relaxed during the count-down. The take-off was very frightening.‖
Piers said that being in outer space was amazing. He saw the sun and all the planets. He saw the galaxy with its billions of stars. Unfortunately he couldn‘t see China‘s Great Wall. When Yang Liwei, China‘s first astronaut, went into space, he couldn‘t see it either. But the earth still looked ‗very beautiful‘.
Life was different in space. The food tasted fine but it was like baby food. The food tasted fine but it was like baby food. The astronauts had to eat out of a toothpaste tube. It was difficult to brush their teeth or have a shower. Water floats in bubbles in space. There was a special ‗air toilet‘.
Besides all the work Piers had to do, they exercised on exercise bikes and rowed for about two hours every day. Piers also kept a diary.
A German astronaut stayed at the International Space Station to work for another six months. Piers had to return, but he was glad to be back. His journey into space was a wonderful experience. But he said that now he just wanted to spend time with his family and have a good meal without if floating away!
EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
1. There he heard an astronaut, Piers Sellers, ________ about his journey into space. 2. Astronauts have to spend years in _________ before they can go into space.
3. When Yang Liwei, China‘s first astronaut went in to space, he couldn‘t see the Great Wall ________.
2. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Where did Li Ming visit while he was in America?
2. What do you think the ‗big day‘ in the third paragraph means?
3. Who stayed at the International Space Station after Piers returned to earth? WORD BANK
International space Station 国际空间站 train 训练
count-down 倒计时 galaxy 星系 billion 十亿
toothpaste tube 牙膏筒 brush 刷 shower 淋浴 float 漂浮 bubble 气泡 row 划（船）
9
GETTING MONEY TO GO TO SCHOOL
For several years, there has been a real problem at schools in the UK. Some pupils enjoy school, get on well with their teacher and attend classes. A large number of pupils, however, do not come to their lessons. They pretend that they are ill and write their own notes from their parents. Their attendance is very poor. These pupils often drop out of school completely. A head teacher at a school in Newcastle, in the north of England, had an idea. If pupils come to 90% of classes, they will get ￡80 a term. Here is what some people around the world thought about his idea.
―I‘ve been a teacher in a secondary school since 2004 and I‘ve never had a pupil miss any of my classes. I think it‘s the teacher who should get the extra money.‖ (Mr. Barnes from Australia)
―You either want to learn or you don‘t. You either care or you don‘t. I‘m 15 and I‘ve been at school for 10 years. I think the people who get the money will just spend it on bad things.‖ (Zanya from Singapore)
―I‘m 14 and I‘ve been at secondary school since I was 12. I‘ve never missed a class and I think it‘s a really good idea. I used the money to buy books and go on holiday!‖ (Oliver from the UK)
―You can pay them but you can‘t make them learn. School is a great place to be. I‘ve been in secondary school for two years. I can make friends and get an education for life. If you give kids money to just go to class, they will sit there and do nothing. What a waste of an education!‖ (Petra from Austria) EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct words to fill in the blanks. attend miss extra 1. She has never _______ a lesson. 2. He did a lot of _______ work.
3. Mrs. Smith decided not to ________ her son‘s wedding. 2. Match the person with his or her opinion.
Mr. Barnes Giving kids money can‘t make them learn. Zanya It is a good idea to pay the pupils.
Oliver The kids who get the money will spend it on bad things. Petra It‘s the teacher who should get the extra money. WORD BANK attend 上（课），参加 pretend 假装 attendance 出勤 drop out（of）退出 head teacher 校长 secondary 中级的 miss 未出席的 extra 额外的 waste 浪费
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WHAT GREAT PROGRESS
Sometimes children need extra help to learn at school. In some schools in England. volunteer tutors work with children who are struggling to learn to read and write. The tutors spend time with them, away from their class, to help them learn to love books and enjoy school. There children can then become more confident about school and learning.
Lorna is six years old and struggling with her reading and writing. This is a report from her tutor, Mrs. Snow, who has been visiting her at school.
When I first started working with Lorna, she was very shy and didn‘t really enjoy reading. Her class teacher told me she was very quiet in class.
During our lessons together we spent lots of time reading books. We also played word games to help with her spelling and writing. As time went on, Lorna began to relax and became more confident. She realized that reading and writing could be lots of fun!
Lorna even wrote a book by herself about Beauty and the Beast. She also drew some lovely pictures to illustrate it. What great progress!
Her favorite reading book was called Alice‘s Adventures in Wonderland. She was very happy every time we sat down to read it!
Her class teacher is very pleased with how well Lorna is doing. Lorna proudly tells her classmates about what she has done in each lesson with me. I think they all want to join in s well!
I am very pleased that Lorna is also spending more time at home reading with her mum and dad. They are all enjoying reading books together. Lorna now even reads to the dog! Lorna tells me that they have bought her a special bookmark to use in her reading books. EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
1. These children can then become more confident ________ school and learning. 2. This is a report _______ her tutor who has been visiting her at school.
3. Lorna tells me that they have bought her a special bookmark _______ use in her reading books. 2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. Six-year-old Lorna has difficulty reading writing. ( ) 2. Lorna wrote a book by herself about Alice‘s Adventures in Wonderland. ( ) 3. Lorna enjoys reading very much now. ( ) WORD BANK
volunteer 志愿的，义务的 tutors 辅导教师 relax 放松
illustrate 说明， 加插图于 favorite 特别喜爱 adventure 冒险的经历 proudly 骄傲的 bookmark 书签
11
HOW LUCKY WE ARE HERE
Saturday,5th June Dear Estelle,
I hope you‘re well and not working too hard! I‘ve been revising for my exams now for the last two weeks. That‘s why I haven‘t written for such a long time. I can‘t wait for the holidays but I‘ve really enjoyed this term.
Since the beginning of this year we‘ve been doing this project called ‗World Class‘. Have you heard of it? Not everyone in the class could take part, but luckily I could. The school chooses a ‗twin school‘ in a completely different area of the world. Our head teacher chose a school in Uganda. They gave us someone to write to from that school. For three months, I‘ve written to a girl called Louisa, who is the same age as me.
It‘s been so interesting to hear about her life. She‘s told me all about her school and described her daily life. I can‘t believe that her school doesn‘t have any electricity. She goes to school from eight o‘clock in the morning until six o‘clock in the evening. I can‘t believe how lucky we are here! She also told me that she often can‘t go to school because she has to look after her baby brother and sister. She‘s tried to teach me some of her language and it‘s really difficult.
I love it because it‘s the first time I‘ve thought about what life must be like somewhere else. I can‘t believe people miss classes here when everything is so easy for us. I think more people should help out with projects like this. At the weekend we‘re going to have a sports day to help raise money to send to the school. Perhaps one day I‘ll be able to go to Uganda and meet Louisa myself—who knows!
Anyway, it‘s nearly time for bed, so I‘d better stop now. Lots of love, Suzanne EXERCISES
1. Match the word or phrase with its correct meaning in the text. luckily take care of
twin with or by favorable chance look after similar
2. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Why hasn‘t Suzanne written for such a long time? 2. What do the students who take part in the project do? 3. What has Louisa tried to do? WORD BANK revise 温习 luckily 幸运地 twin 相似的
Uganda 乌干达（非洲国家） describe 描述 electricity 电 raise 筹集
12
LET ME BE
My parents came and asked me just the other night.
If school was OK and if I was all right. I said Mum I‘m just fine, I‘m happy you can see, Just stop asking questions and let me be.
But the next day came and she asked me again, I said Mum why do you have to ask me the same Question every day every day—It‘s driving me mad. You‘re driving me mad, son, and making me sad.
Your father and I think your music isn‘t good, So we were sitting and thinking if you could Just turn your music down or better still Turn it off completely coz it‘s making us ill.
Well my answer is clear and that‘s my goal, It‘s rap that moves my body my mind, my soul!
Pop music‘s great, isn‘t it? Isn‘t it? Techno music‘s sometimes such a hit. What about classical, jazz or blues? What have you got to win or lose?
Well my answer is clear and that‘s my goal, It‘s rap that moves my body, my mind, my soul! You went to a rock concert, didn‘t you son? You danced and you rocked until the night was done. The music was lively and the beat was strong, And you loved the guitar and you loved the song. Well my answer is clear and that‘s my goal, It‘s rap that move my body, my mind, my soul!
You think modern music‘s sad but also fun, You‘ve played the guitar and you‘ve played the drum, So why can‘t you listen to something else instead? Your dad‘s got a pain going right through his head.
Well my answer is clear and that‘s my goal, It‘s rap that moves my body, my mind, my soul! Yes, it‘s rap that moves my body, my mind, my soul! EXERCISES
1. Match the word or phrase with its correct meaning in the text. Turn off objective goal over
done stop the operation of
2. Decide whether the following statements are true(T) or false (F) 1. The son is probably spending too much time on music. ( ) 2. His father thinks pop music is great. ( ) 3. The son can play the guitar and the piano. ( ) WORD BANK
the other night 前两天夜里
drive (someone) mad 把（某）人气疯了 better still 就更好了，更好是
Turn off 关闭，停止 ‘coz （非正式）因为 goal 目标 rap 说唱音乐 soul 灵魂、心灵
techno music 电脑化乐器弹奏出的音乐，又名电子合成乐
hit 成功 classical 古典 jazz 爵士乐 blues 布鲁斯（蓝调 ）音乐 rock 摇滚乐 done 结束的 beat 拍子 pain 疼、痛
13
AN INTERVIEW WITH ELVIS PRESLEY
Imagine you could talk to the ‗King of Rock and Roll‘. Imagine he hadn‘t died. Well, read on!
(Reporter=R; Elvis Presley=E)
R: So Elvis, you were born on 8th January 1935, weren‘t you? E: Yes, that‘s right. I was born in a place called Mississippi. R: Mississippi‘s pretty famous, isn‘t it?
E; Yes. Mostly because people find it difficult to spell!
R: So, tell me something about your childhood. Life wasn‘t easy, was it?
E: No, not really. We were a poor family. My father was a milkman, so he didn‘t make much money. I was the only kid who went to school with no shoes on. After I left school, I became a part-time truck driver.
R: But it was your father who bought you your first instrument, wasn‘t it?
E: No, actually it was my mum. She bought me 10th birthday. I‘ll never forget that. I‘ll never forget my mother.
R: She died when you were quite young, didn‘t she? E: I was 24 when she died.
R: You‘ve always liked listening to rock and roll, haven‘t you?
E: Yes. I grew up loving music. I listened to blues, pop and gospel music. I loved any type of music, especially loud music and of course, rock and roll was always my favorite. R: You haven‘t always had your own recording studio, have you?
E: No, I made my first record in a studio owned by someone else. That was in 1954.
R: People say your music has changed as you‘ve grown older. It‘s become a bit more commercial, hasn‘t it?
E: I don‘t know. People say all kinds of things about me. They say I‘ve put on weight too. I‘m not too fat, am I?
R: It doesn‘t really matter. You‘ll always be the greatest musical artist of the 20th century, however much you weigh! WORD BANK
Mississippi 密西西比（美国州名） pretty 相当地
milkman 送奶工人 part-time 兼职的 instrument 乐器 rock and roll 摇滚乐 grow up 成长、长大 gospel music 福音音乐 recording studio 录音棚 record 唱片
commercial 商业的 put on weight 体重增加
14
A SURVEY ABOUT MUSIC
1. Do you prefer lively music □ or sad music? □ 2. Do you prefer serious music □ or fun music? □ 3. Do you prefer slow music □ or fast music? □ 4. Do you prefer quiet music □ or loud music? □
5. Do you prefer traditional music □ or modern music? □ 6. Do you prefer the trumpet □ or the violin? □
Richard is trying to guess Helen’s answers and Helen is trying to guess Richard’s. Helen: I‘m sure you put lively music for No.1, didn‘t you Richard?
Richard: No, I didn‘t actually. I prefer sad music. I love music that makes me cry. I bet you put
modern music for No.5 though, didn‘t you?
Helen: No, you‘re wrong actually. I put traditional. I love all those German and Austrian
composers, like Bach, Handel and Mozart. But you prefer modern, don‘t you?
Richard: No, I put traditional too. My elder brother taught me to waltz. Ever since then, I‘ve loved
listening to classical music. I‘m a great fan of old Beethoven.
Helen: Well, what about No.4-loud or quiet. You hate quiet music, don‘t you?
Richard: Rubbish. You don‘t seem to know me very well, do you? The quieter the better for me. I
hate all that dramatic stuff?
Helen: OK. Let‘s see if I can get the last one right. I think you probably said you prefer the violin to
the trumpet. I‘m right this time, aren‘t I? The violin‘s a lot quieter than the trumpet and a lot more beautiful.
Richard: Not when you play it. It sounds like you‘re killing a cat!
Helen: How on earth can you day that! You‘ve never heard me play, have you? Richard: Unfortunately, I have. EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct words or phrases to fill in the blanks. prefer seem sound like 1. I can‘t __________ to understand the story. 2. Your idea __________ a good one.
3. Grandpa __________ tea to coffee and he also likes talking while drinking. 2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). 1. Richard actually does not like lively music. ( ) 2. Helen is a fan of Beethoven. ( ) 3. Richard thinks Helen plays the violin very badly. ( ) WORD BANK
prefer 更喜欢 bet 敢断定、打赌 traditional 传统的 Austrian 奥地利的
composers 作曲家 Bach 巴赫（德国作曲家） Handel 亨得尔（生于德国的英国作曲家）
waltz 跳华尔兹舞 fan 迷、狂热者
rubbish 废话 dramatic 戏剧性的 stuff 东西 trumpet 小号、喇叭
15
ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
Zhao Xing, Beijing
Hi folks. It‘s me again, asking for help! We‘re doing this project at school about famous animal stories from around the world. Does anyone know any good ones? Li Ming, UK
Hi there, Zhao Xing. Nice to hear from you again. You want animal stories, do you? Well, our teacher told us a famous English story last week. It‘s not really about an animal, but it‘s got a lot of animals in it. It‘s called Alice‘s Adventures in Wonderland. Have you heard of it? Well, if I tell you the beginning you might remember it.
A little girl was sitting with her sister on the bank of a river. She felt really bored and sleepy. As she was waiting for her sister to finish reading a book, she suddenly saw a rabbit run by. The rabbit looked as though he was going to a party and he was carrying a watch. He seemed to be late. He put the watch in his pocket. The little girl knew she should really wait for her sister, but she decided to follow the rabbit. The rabbit had very pink eyes!
She followed him across a field and under a hedge. The rabbit went down the hole and she did the same. But it was a very, very deep hole and she went down and down and down for a very long time. As she was falling, she saw lots of strange things. She finally hit the bottom of the hole and that‘s when her adventures started. Alice meets lots more animals on her visit to ‗Wonderland‘. Was it all real or was it a dream? You‘ll have to read Alice‘s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll yourself if you want to find out what happened to Alice! EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
1. Hi there, Zhao Xing. Nice to ________ ________ you again.
2. The little girl knew she should really wait for her sister, ________ she decided to follow the rabbit.
3. The rabbit went down the hole and she did the _________. 2. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Who told Li Ming a famous English story last week? 2. Where was the little girl sitting with her sister? 3. What did she see as she was falling down the hole? WORD BANK ask for 请求 bored 无聊的
as though 好像、仿佛 pink 粉红的 hedge 树篱 hit 与某物接触 bottom 底部
16
JONAH AND THE WHALE
Daniella, Spain
Hey Zhao Xing! Did you ever find that English newspaper? How did your exams go?
I know a good story, But it‘s about a whale. It‘ from the Bible actually. It‘s called Jonah and the Whale.
One day God asked a man named Jonah to do something for him. The people of Nineveh were all being bad. God asked Jonah to tell them to stop their violence and evil. But Jonah didn‘t want to help them. He did not want to go and share God‘s message with them.
So he decided to run away. He ran to the sea and found a ship which was going in another direction. He got on the ship and fell asleep. While he was sleeping, a terrible storm started. The men were all very frightened. They began to throw the ship‘s load overboard. The captain went to find Jonah, who was still sleeping. They asked him where he was from. He admitted to them that he was running away from God. The sailors knew the storm was Jonah‘s fault. He must have done something wrong to make his God so angry.
―Yes, it‘s my fault,‖ said Jonah. ―If you throw me into the sea, this storm will stop.‖ So they did and the storm stopped. A big fish, possibly a whale, swallowed Jonah. He stayed inside the whale for three days and three nights. He prayed to God and promised that he would to go Nineveh and preach to the people as God had told him to. After that the whale spat Jonah out onto dry land. Jonah went to Nineveh as he had promised.
Many people question whether this story can be true. But there are reports of at least two people who survived after being swallowed by a whale. Zhao Xing, I‘ve got to go but you will be able to find out more about this story in your library or bookshop. EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct words to fill in the blanks.
share fault promise survive 1. Soon he began to find ________ with me. 2. Mary ________ her cake with a friend. 3. Few people ________ after the flood.
4. He _________ to write soon but we haven‘t heard from him yet. 2. Circle the correct answer to complete the sentence.
1. As Jonah didn‘t want to help the people of Nineveh, he decided to _______. A. go home B. run away C. hide himself 2. The storm was ________ fault.
A. the captain‘s B. the sailors‘ C. Jonah‘s 3. The whale spat Jonah out onto _________.
A. a ship B. dry land C. a flat rock WORD BANK
whale 鲸 Bible 圣经 Jonah 约拿(希伯来先知) Nineveh 尼尼微(古代亚述的首都) violence 暴行 evil 罪恶 share 分享message 消息\\口信 direction 方向 fall asleep 入睡 storm 暴风雨 load 装载物 overboard 在船外 captain 船长
admit 承认 fault 过错 swallow 吞下inside 在…之内 pray 恳求 promise 允诺 preach 布道 spit (spat, spat)吐出
question 怀疑 report 传说 survive 幸存\\生还
17
THE MONKEY KING
June, China
Zhao Xing! How‘s it going? Why don‘t you do The Monkey King? You know that really famous story from China? I‘m sure you must know it, but here‘s the first part.
The Monkey King was born from a stone. He wanted to live for ever. He was really intelligent and knew what to do. He could change himself into 72 different things, like a tree, a bird or an insect. While he was changing himself, people just watched and couldn‘t believe it. He used the clouds in the sky to travel around! One time he flew 180,000 miles on a cloud.
The trouble was, the monkey thought he was the king. But he wasn‘t. The Emperor was. So, the real king decided to give the monkey a title to keep him quiet. But the monkey found out that everyone was laughing at him. He was extremely unhappy and decided to fight. At last, the Emperor asked Buddha for help. The Buddha moved a great mountain to fall on top of him. As the mountain was falling on him, he nearly managed to get out of the way. He didn‘t but he didn‘t die either. The trouble was he couldn‘t move. Five hundred years later, a monk helped the monkey get out from under the mountain. That‘s when the real story began. You must remember it , don‘t you, Zhao Xing? It‘s a great story. Sam, Australia
Hey, I love all your stories! I don‘t know any famous ones, but I can tell you what happened to me the other day. I was waterskiing in this competition. I was far out in the water and everyone was cheering me on. Suddenly, I saw a huge whale. Incredibly I missed him by about two metres, but it was an amazing sight. I could have ended up like Jonah! EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
1. He could change himself into 72 different things, ________ a tree, a bird or an insect. 2. But the monkey found out and everyone was laughing ________ him. 3. A monk helped the monkey get out from _________ the mountain. 4. I was far out in the water and everyone was cheering me _________. 2. Answer the following questions briefly. 1. What did the monkey want to do?
2. What did the monkey use to travel around?
3. What was the trouble when the monkey was under the mountain? 4. What was Sam doing when he saw a huge whale? WORD BANK insect 昆虫 title 官职 laugh at 嘲笑
extremely 非常地\\极端地 fight 战斗 Buddha 佛
get out of the way 让开\\避开 water ski 滑水
cheer on 为…打气, 鼓励 huge 巨大的 incredibly 不能相信地 end up 结束\\告终
18
LOOKING BACK: SCHOOL MEMORIES
Tessa is now 18 years old. She remembers her time at school well. Some of it was good but some of it brings back bad memories. My First day
I‘ll never forget my first day at primary school. I remember there was a funny smell in the school and I felt really nervous. We were in assembly and the head teacher was introducing himself. A girl next to me started asking me questions about my shoes! I wanted to listen to the head teacher but I didn‘t want to be rude to my new friend. So, I told her about my shoes. Suddenly the head teacher looked at me with an angry face. ―Be quiet when I am speaking! Go and sit in the corner.‖ I remember feeling so stupid. My First Teacher
I remember her name was Mrs. Simpson. She was really pretty and had a lovely smile. She had a soft voice and always wore the same sweater! She seemed so nice after that horrible head teacher. Sports Day
Sports day was the best day of the year! I used to practice for the running race and one year I actually won! I used to cheer my friends on when they ran their races too. My Nickname
Everyone in the class had nicknames. Some of the nicknames were funny and some weren‘t very nice. There was this really thin girl who everyone called ‗spider legs‘. I remember they used to call me ‗mushroom head‘ because my hair stuck out on either side. It made a lasting impression on me. Not a good one. EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct words or phrases to fill in the blanks.
bring back funny rude used to 1. It is _________ to stare at people or to point.
2. His story __________ our happy childhood together.
3. Helen ____________ write poems when she was at high school. 4. He told such a _________ joke last night.
2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F)
1. My first day at primary school was wonderful because I made a new friend. ( ) 2. My first teacher was nice and kind. ( ) 3. I like my nickname very much. ( ) WORD BANK bring back 使记起 assembly 集合
rude 粗鲁的\\无礼的 soft 温柔的
sweater (套头)线衫 race 竞赛
nickname 绰号 spider 蜘蛛
mushroom 蘑菇
stick out 突出\\伸出 lasting 持久的
19
LOOKING BACK: LI MING’S FIRST IMPRESSION OF LIFE IN THE
UK
Remember Li Ming from China who came to study in the UK? He‘s been here for nearly two years now. But he‘ll never forget his first few weeks of living in a different country. The Food
In China, I‘ll eat almost anything. I remember the first food I tasted at school in England. We had this soup and it tasted of nothing at all. In China, our food is quite salty, but it‘s the salt that makes it taste nice. A friend persuaded me to try some cheese and biscuits. I thought biscuits were the same as ‗cookies‘ in America but I was wrong. Again, the biscuits tasted of nothing at all and the cheese was really sour. Introductions
In China when you meet someone for the first time, you sometimes shake hands. I was so surprised when my friend‘s mother gave me a kiss when I left his house. I felt so embarrassed and I know I went very red. Transport
When I want to go anywhere in China, I just take my bicycle. Here in England, I have to get a bus everywhere. It‘s really confusing because buses don‘t stop automatically like they do in Beijing. You have to put your hand out, ring the bell or press the signal button. Socialising
I remember when I went round to a friend‘s house and I wanted to say thank you to his mother. In China, we often give people cakes as presents. The boy‘s mother stared at the cake. She was trying to be polite but I knew it was the wrong present to take. In England, a cake is more often given on someone‘s birthday. EXERCISES
1. Match the word with its correct meaning in the text.
persuade without you having to do anything confusing difficult to understand
automatically talk into (doing something) 2. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. What was the first food Li Ming tasted at school in the UK? 2. How did Li Ming feel when his friend‘s mother gave him a kiss?
3. What do you have to do if you want to stop a bus in England to get on or off? 4. Why did the boy‘s mother stare at the cake? WORD BANK soup 汤 salty 咸的
persuade 说服，劝说 cheese 奶酪 biscuit 饼干
cookie （美国）小饼干
sour 酸的 shake hands 握手 confuse 使迷惑 automatically 自动地
20
MY IMPRESSIONS OF HALLOWEEN
Lin, from China was in the UK on a very special night of the year. It was 31st October—Halloween. Here are her impressions of that special night.
I had a wonderful time last night. Last week we learned something about ‗Halloween‘. I bought some sweets secretly. At about six o‘clock, 10 children were walking towards our door. They were all dressed as ghosts. We said ―Happy Halloween‖ to each other. We screamed and made faces. We made different horrible sounds. And then my hostess gave each of them some sweets. They said ―Thank you‖ and went next door.
After that more than 10 children came. We pretended to be scared and they got some sweets. The same thing happened about several times and my hostess was in a panic. She told me she didn‘t have any sweets left. To her surprise, I took out three bags of sweets. She was very glad. She told me to give the sweets to the children when they came. I waited and waited, but nothing happened. I couldn‘t bear it. I went outside the house and I walked down the street. After a while, I met some boys. I waved and shouted, ―Hey boy, I have got some sweets. Come with me, please.‖ I showed them the way to my host family‘s house and gave them the sweets.
The children told me that was the most enjoyable Halloween they had ever had. British children are lovely, aren‘t they? It‘s easy to make friends with them. Then I walked around to find more children until I had given away all my sweets. This was the most exciting experience I had in Britain. I think people go to work day in, day out. They need some funny things to do. Some things make life unusual. So that‘s why they created festivals. What do you think? EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
1. At about six o‘clock, 10 children _____________ towards our door. 2. To her _________, I took out three bags of sweets.
3. The children told me that was the most ___________ Halloween they had ever had. 2. Circle the correct answer to complete the sentence.
1. On Halloween children can get ________ from their neighbours. A. money B. gifts C. candies
2. When my hostess had no sweets left, I took out _________ bags of sweets. A. one B. two C. three 3. People created festivals to make life __________.
A. scary B. unusual C. common WORD BANK Halloween 万圣节 sweet 糖果
secretly 偷偷地、秘密地 ghost 鬼、幽灵 scream 尖叫 hostess 女房东 panic 惊慌
to one‘s surprise 使某人感到惊讶的是 bear 忍受
enjoyable 令人愉快的
day in, day out 一天又一天地
21
ON TABLE MOUNTAIN
We were all so excited to be in Cape Town in South Africa. A group of us had come with our favorite teacher, Mrs. White, on a special trip from the UK.
Cape Town is called the ‗Mother City of Africa‘. It is in the Western Cape, which is known as one of the most beautiful areas in the world. There are many different styles of building. Many different people have settled in Cape Town over the centuries. Some of the people who have settled there include the Indonesian, French, Dutch, British and Germans. There are also the local Bushmen and Hottentot tribes, and the African people from further north. Many Chinese have also made Cape Town their home.
Table Mountain is a beautiful big mountain right in the middle of the city. It is flat at the top. It looks like a table.
Our plan was to hike up the mountain that day. It is a long walk and Mrs. White wanted to stop often. She was obviously very unfit. Every time we stopped, we sat down and saw the beautiful white sandy beaches. Robben Island, the glittering blue sea, the green hills and the beautiful city below. Every time we wanted to move on, Mrs. White would ask us to wait a little longer.
Obviously we stopped too often because we suddenly realized it was getting late. The sun was starting to go down. Lights were coming on in the city. We had taken far too long and now we would not make it to the top before dark. We would not get to see the view on the other side. Mrs. White looked really embarrassed. ―I think we have to turn around and go down again,‖ she said. EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct words or phrases to fill in the blanks. known as settle hike make it 1. He __________ out to the reservoir (水库).
2. We‘re too late; I don‘t think we will ___________. 3. He is ___________ a fair judge.
4. Her parents __________ in the country after their retirement. 2. Answer the following questions briefly. 1. What is Cape Town called? 2. Where is Table Mountain?
3. Why didn‘t they make it to the top? WORD BANK
Cape Town 开普敦（南非的立法首都） South Africa 南非（非洲南部的一个国家） style 风格
settle 安家、定居 over 在…期间
Indonesian 印度尼西亚人 Dutch 荷兰人
Bushmen 布须曼人
Hottentot （西南非洲的）霍屯督人
tribe 部落、部族 flat 平坦的 hike 徙步旅行、远足 obviously 明显地，显然 unfit 不强健的 beach 海滩 glittering 闪烁的
make it （非正式）及时到达，赶上
22
LOST IN OXFORD
Alex and his parents were travelling from the north of England to Oxford. Alex was really excited and happy because he had an interview at Oxford University. His parents were taking him for his interview. His father was really happy because he had just spent a lot of money on a satellite navigation system. The man in the shop told him, ―You‘ll never be lost again. It knows exactly where you are and where you are going.‖ He believed the man in the shop and he wanted to try it out.
I‘m so glad I bought this satellite navigation system,‖ system,‖ said Alex‘s dad. ―It‘s a waste of money,‖ his mum said. ―A good map is much cheaper.‖
―Yes, but you‘ve never been good at map reading,‖ said his dad to his mum. The satellite navigation system kept speaking to them as they drove along.
―Turn right at the next junction, then take the second turning on your right,‖ The voice was an American woman.
Alex‘s dad listened carefully and did what the voice said.
―Go across the bridge and down the hill,‖ said the American voice. ―Bridge? I can‘t see any bridge,‖ said his dad.
―You know best,‖ said his mum. She was really thinking she was right. ―At the roundabout, take the second turning on your left,‖ the voice said. ―What roundabout?‖ said his dad. ―Darling, I think we‘re lost.‖
Alex‘s mum turned round to her husband.
―Then turn that stupid thing off and let‘s look at the map. Didn‘t you know there‘s a place called Oxford in America? It‘s probably trying to take us there!‖
They stopped the car and looked at the map. They were nowhere near Oxford. Luckily, Alex‘s mum was a good map reader and they arrived in time for his interview. Alex got his place in Oxford! EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
1. Alex and his parents were travelling _________ the north of England ________Oxford. 2. Alex‘s dad listened carefully and did the voice said.
3. Turn that stupid thing _______ and let‘s look at the map.
2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F)
1. Alex was really happy because he had just got a satellite navigation system. ( ) 2. The satellite navigation system kept telling them where to go. ( ) 3. They finally arrived in Oxford by following the map. ( ) WORD BANK
satellite navigation system 卫星导航系统 try out 试验 junction 交叉点 turning 转弯处 roundabout 环形道
23
BUS TOUR OF LONDON
―Hi. I‘m Peter Smith. I‘m your tour guide today. Welcome on board the London Sightseeing Bus. You can hop on and off as often as you like. Please make sure you‘re comfortable. Relax as we drive you round some of London‘s most famous places.
―We‘re departing from Westminster Underground Station. On your left you‘ll see the Houses of Parliament. Did you know there are 1.000 rooms, 100 staircases and six restaurants in there? Ever wanted to be a politician? Well, that‘s where they all work. Look up and you‘ll see the big clock. It is called Big Ben. If you‘re lucky you‘ll hear it chime.‖
―The bus is moving on now. On your left, on the corner, you will see Downing Street. You might see the Prime Minister if you‘re lucky. You might have heard of 10 Downing Street on television. That‘s where our Prime Minister lives.‖
―Now, we‘ll travel back to Westminster Bridge and go across the bridge over the River Thames. You can‘t miss the London Eye on your left. It‘s a very large wheel that you can go around in to get a fantastic view of London. That is if the weather is clear!‖
―Travelling further along the river, on your right, you‘ll see the Tate Modern Art Gallery. You should visit the gallery if you enjoy modern art. Walk through the building and enjoy the thousands of famous paintings. Now we‘re crossing Tower Bridge. This bridge is able to open to allow large ships to pass through. On your left, you‘ll see the Tower of London. It is the original castle of London. It is a very interesting place to visit. That is where two of Henry VILL‘s wives had their heads chopped off.‖
―You are welcome to hop off the bus here and get back on later!‖ EXERCISES
1. Match the word with its correct meaning in the text. hop on leave underground cut depart get on chop subway
2. Put the following places in the correct order according to the text. A. Tate Modern Art Gallery B. London Eye
C. Tower of London D. Downing Street
E. Westminster Underground Station WORD BANK
tour guide 导游 sightseeing 观光 hop on/off 上车/下车 depart 离开
Westminster 威斯敏斯特（ 伦敦市的一个行政区，英国议会所在地） underground 地铁 Houses of Parliament 英国的国会大厦 staircase 楼梯 chime 鸣
Downing Street （英国伦敦的）唐宁街 River Thames 泰晤士河
Tate Modern Art Gallery 塔特现代美术馆 Tower Bridge 塔桥
Tower of London 伦敦塔 chop 砍
24
FACT FILE: ANIMALS IN DANGER
How much do you know about animals in danger? Try and answer the questions below.
●Which animals are most in danger and why? ●What can we do to help protect them? Now check your answers and find out more.
10 million reptiles are killed every year. Their skin is used to make fashion items, like handbags and shoes.
The main reason whales are in danger is that man kills them for their meat and oils.
Orangutans live in rainforests. They want to live in peace, but people are cutting down the trees for wood and farming. This is a big problem because the trees are the orangutan‘s homes. They are very difficult to find and study because they are shy animals. They are also our cousins!
There isn‘t enough bamboo for pandas to eat because man has cut down nearly half the bamboo forests. Research has shown that there are only about 600 giant pandas left in the wild in the world. Most of them live in China.
Some people steal the turtle‘s eggs to eat. The skin of the turtle is used to make some jewellery. In the Far East, rhinoceros‘ horns are used to make medicines. They are also used to make ornaments.
So what can you do to help protect them?
● Try not to buy jewellery made from animals.
● try to help keep the planet clean and free from pollution. ● Tell other people about what you‘ve learned. WORD BANK reptile 爬行动物 fashion 时髦、时尚
Orangutan （红毛） 猩猩 rhinoceros 犀牛 ornament 装饰品
25
I CARE! HERO OF THE MONTH!
Every month, junior high schools in China choose one hero of the month. This person is a hero because he or she has done something to help protect animals in danger. Huang Jing decided to write a letter to the President of China. Dear Mr. President,
I have been doing a project at school recently about animals in danger. I think the situation all over the world is absolutely awful. I am writing to you to suggest what China should do to help protect animals more.
I know that there are nearly 2,000 nature reserves in China, which is good. I live in Beijing and there are about 30 reserves outside the city. We visited one of them last month to see for ourselves. I feel so sorry for the giant panda. It‘s one of the most popular animals in the world and a real symbol of China. We learned that pandas mainly live on bamboo, and that a panda can eat half its body weight of bamboo in 24 hours! That‘s a lot of bamboo. I think we should try to do more to stop cutting down their forests. Pandas are already a rare animal and it would be so sad if they became extinct forever.
The other animal we should try to protect more is the Chinese alligator. These creatures live in some parts of eastern China. These beautiful animals live if freshwater rivers and lakes but the water in some places isn‘t clean enough for them to live in. It‘s really dirty in fact. The government should stop factories polluting the lakes and rivers.
If we protect these beautiful animals in China, more people may wish to visit China to see them. They could be an important tourist attraction. It would be good if more people came to visit our beautiful country, especially to see the quieter areas in the country. Now most visitors just see the cities.
I know that you will listen to me. I hope you will encourage more people to think about such an important subject. Sincerely yours, Huang Jing EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct words to fill in the blanks.
awful symbol extinct attraction 1. The elephants were the main _______ at the circus.
2. The weather is _______ so the only thing to do is to stay in. 3. The lion is often used as a ________ of courage.
4. The wooly elephant has been _______ for a long time.
2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) 1. There are about 40 reserves outside Beijing. ( )
2. Pandas only eat bamboo, so we should stop cutting down bamboo forests. ( )
3. The author thinks the freshwater lakes are not clean because the water is polluted by factories. ( )
4. At present few visitors go see the quieter areas in the country. ( ) WORD BANK
awful 糟糕的 nature reserve 自然保护区
symbol 象征 extinct 灭绝的 Chinese alligator 扬子鳄 attraction 吸引人的事情
26
TELL US ABOUT…A BOOK WHICH YOU CAN’T PUT DOWN!
I‘m reading this brilliant book, called The Great Kapok Tree. It‘s by Lynne Cherry. My parents gave it to me as my birthday present and I just can‘t put it down.
It‘s set in the tropical Amazon rainforest. The author visited the rainforest for that she could find out about what was happening for herself. As I‘m sure you know, man is cutting down so many of the forests and trees there. A lot of animals and plants are in danger because of this. Lynne Cherry painted lots of pictures while she was there. She used these as illustrations for her book. They‘re beautiful too.
So, here‘s what happens in the story. The main character is the woodcutter. He comes into the wood with two other men. All the animals are noisy and happily chatting in the forest. Suddenly they see the men with axes in their hands and they become quiet. They know what the woodcutter‘s job is—to cut down the great kapok tree. But it‘s a very large tree and the rainforest is very hot. The woodcutter soon gets tired and falls asleep under the tree. As he sleeps, all the animals come up to him and whisper in his ear. There is a jaguar, a frog and many other animals.
One of the animals says to the woodcutter, ―What happens tomorrow depends on what you do today. Please don‘t destroy our home. We will have nowhere to live. When you wake up, Please think again.‖
The woodcutter wakes up but I‘m not going to tell you what happens in the end. You‘ll have to read the bok to see if he cuts the great kapok tree down or not. To cut or not to cut! Read it and you won‘t put it down! EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
So, here‘s what happens in the story. The main _______ is the woodcutter. All the animals are noisy and happily ________ in the forest. Suddenly they see the men with axes _______ their hands and they become quiet. They know what the woodcutter‘s job ______ --- to cut down the great kapok tree. But it‘s a very large tree and the rainforest is very hot. The woodcutter soon gets tired and falls asleep under the tree. A he sleeps, all the animals come up to him and whisper ______ his ear. 2. Answer the following questions briefly. 1. How did the author get the book? 2. What is happening in the rainforest?
3. When the woodcutter wakes up, what does he do? WORD BANK kapok 木棉 tropical 热带的 Amazon 亚马逊河 illustrations 插图 woodcutter 伐木者 jaguar 美洲虎
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WHAT’S ON? ---TEAHOUSE
Beijing People‘s Art Theater presents Teahouse by Lao She on Saturday November 5 at 8 pm and Sunday November 6 at 3 pm at New York State Theater.
If you‘ve never seen this amazing play, then you have to come!
The play takes place in a typical, old Beijing teahouse. The main characters are the teahouse‘s owner (Wang Lifa) and his customers, who all live in the same neighborhood. They come in and out of the teahouse and chat to each other.
The play reflects changes in the lives of almost 70 characters. It‘s in three parts. The first act takes place in 1898 at the time of the Qing Dynasty. The second act jumps forward 20 years and the final act takes place in 1948.
In Teahouse, the writer Lao She says goodbye to the old Chinese society and hello to the new one. It‘s about the changes that have taken place in Chinese society in almost 50 years. All types of people come to the teahouse in Beijing. Some come to do business. Others come just to sit and pass the time. There are some good, kind people and there are also some bad, nasty characters. They meet, they talk, they argue, they gossip and then they get on with their lives.
Teahouse was first performed in 1958. It is still one of the most popular plays in China. It is a favorite work by one of China‘s most popular writers Lao She is a master of 20th century play writing. Anyone who is interested in Chinese life and history should see the play. It helps one to understand Chinese culture better.
To be sure to get a ticket, book now!
We promise to make this an evening you‘ll never forget. EXERCISES
1. Match the word with its correct meaning in the text.
typical talk about other people‘s behavior and private life neighborhood do something to entertain people
gossip having the usual features of a particular thing
perform a small area of a town or the people who live there 2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. The play reflects changes in the lives of more than 70 characters. ( ) 2. It takes about 50 years from the first act to the final act. ( ) 3. People who go to the teahouse are generally friendly. ( ) 4. The play has been performed countless times in China since 1958. ( ) WORD BANK typical 典型的
neighborhood 社区，街坊 reflect 反映
gossip 闲聊、说闲话 nasty 恶意的、卑鄙的 perform 表演、演出
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WHAT AN ENJOYABLE PERFORMANCE
(Late on Friday evening)
Tom: What shall we do tomorrow night, Lim? It‘s Saturday night, so we ought to do something special!
Lim: Well, have you seen this? (Lim shows Tom the advertisement from the New York Daily.) I
can‘t believe this play is on in New York. It‘s such a brilliant play.
Tom: Teahouse? I don‘t think so. I want to do something exciting on a Saturday night.
Lim: We have to go and see it! I promise you , like it says, it‘ll be an evening you‘ll never forget. Tom: But I don‘t speak Chinese. How will I understand anything? Anyway, I haven‘t got enough money.
Lim: Don‘t be stupid. It‘s translated into English. I‘d offer to pay for you, but look. it‘s quite cheap
and anyway, I haven‘t got much money either. We can‘t miss it! Come on. I really want to go. By the way, remember to bring a cushion because it‘s quite long. (Saturday evening—later after the play)
Tom: What an enjoyable performance! I‘m really glad I agreed to go. Lim: Me too. I told you you‘d enjoy it. And a full audience! Tom: I loved the waiter. He was such a great actor.
Lim: I know, and so was the man who played Wang Lifa. Tom: It just reminded me of life in an American café. It must be really similar to a Beijing teahouse.
Even though people don‘t sit and drink tea, they sit, chat and gossip about business, family and friends.
Lim: Well, why don‘t you write your own play? You could call it Tom‘s Café! I promise to come and see it.
Tom: Come and see it? Think again! You‘ll have the main part! EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
1. I can‘t believe this play is _______ in New York. 2. I‘m really glad I _______ to go.
3. It just reminded me ________ life in an American café. 2. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Why doesn‘t Tom want to go and see the play? 2. Why does Lim say they need to bring a cushion? 3. Which character does Tom like best? WORD BANK offer 提供
by the way 顺便说一下 cushion 软垫
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TOM’S CAFÉ
Act one Characters
Tom is the owner of the café. Harrison, JULIA AND Sandra are his customers. There is also a waiter, called Hank. Place
Tom‘s Café is in Manhattan, Downtown, New York. Julia: Hey Harrison! How‘s it going?
Harrison: Hi Julia. What would you like to drink? Julia: Can I have a chocolate milkshake please?
Harrison: (Waving to the waiter) I would like a chocolate milkshake and a diet coke. (The waiter goes and gets their drinks and serves Julia and Harrison.) Harrison: It‘s lovely to see you Julia. I‘ve missed you.
Julia: Oh really. So who was that girl you were with last night? Harrison: Girl? No, that was my friend Steve. He‘s a boy actually.
Julia: A boy? Well, he sure looked like a girl to me. Come on, Harrison. You promised to be good to me.
(Sandra walks into the café and gives Harrison a kiss on the cheek.) Harrison: Oh hi, Sandra. How‘s it going?
Julia: Sandra? You look very like a boy I‘ve heard of called Steve? Sandra: I look like a boy? Harrison, do you think I look like a boy? Harrison: Well, no. Not really. (The owner calls the waiter over.)
Tom: Hank. Get those three another drink. They look like they need something. Waiter: Would you like something to drink?
Sandra: I‘d like an orange juice, please. I only have natural drinks. That‘s how I keep so slim. (She looks over to Harrison.) That‘s the way you like me to look, isn‘t it, Harrison? (Julia picks up her milkshake and throws it over Harrison.)
Julia: Well, you can keep your milkshake. You can keep your lies and your friend who looks like a man. Waiter! Call a taxi.
(Tom calls the waiter over.)
Tom: Get her a taxi, Hank. Would you like another milkshake while you‘re waiting? EXERCISES
1. Write out the word according to its meaning.
1. c __________ a sweet brown food that you can eat as a sweet.
2. d __________ of drinks or food containing less sugar or fat than ordinary ones 3. s __________ attractively thin
2. Match the sentences with the person who says them.
I would like a chocolate milkshake and a diet coke. Julia I only have natural drinks. That‘s how I keep slim. Harrison You can keep your lies and your friend who looks like a man. Sandra WORD BANK milkshake 奶昔
diet （有助于减肥等的）特定饮食 slim 苗条的
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COMING TO THE UK? WEATHER TIPS
One day you might come to the United Kingdom to study or for a holiday. If you do, there‘s one thing you should know. English people just love talking about the weather. Wherever you are, if you meet someone you don‘t know, just talk about the weather. It‘s our favorite topic. Here are a few phrases you can use: For Good Weather
·Lovely day, isn‘t it? Not a cloud in the sky. ·What a beautiful sunny day!
·Nice and cool today compared to yesterday. ·Looks like it might be a pleasant day. For Bad Weather
·It‘s freezing, isn‘t it? Feels like it might snow. ·What a windy day!
·It‘s so cloudy. I‘m sure it‘ll rain.
·Looks like showers, doesn‘t it? Hope you‘ve brought an umbrella!
If you want to really impress the British people, learn some of these weather sayings. ―When a cow tries to scratch her ear, it means a shower is very near.‖ ―Rainbow at noon, more rain soon.‖
―The sharper the blast, the sooner it‘s past.‖
The further south you live, the better the weather. That is one of the reasons why houses in the south of England are more expensive than those in the north. So, come on over and remember those tips!
EXERCISES
1. Choose the correct words to fill in the blanks.
phrase compare shower
1. _________ this with that, and you will see which is better. 2. I got caught in a ________ on my way here.
3. I like the _______ ‗being one‘s own boss‘, and I would like to have my own business. 2. Put the phrases in the correct group.
1. Lovely day, isn‘t it? Not a cloud in the sky. 2. It‘s so cloudy. I‘m sure it‘ll rain. 3. Looks like it might be a pleasant day.
4. Looks like showers, doesn‘t it? Hope you‘ve brought an umbrella! 5. The sharper the blast, the sooner it‘s past. 6. What a beautiful sunny day! 7. What a windy day! WORD BANK
phrases 说法，惯用语 compare 比较 shower 阵雨 scratch 擦、刮
blast 阵风、一阵狂风
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FAMOUS PLACES AROUND THE WORLD
The best time to visit… ·China
China is a huge country so it depends on where you go. The best time to visit is autumn. During that time, temperatures are pleasant wherever you are. If you don‘t like the heat, don‘t come in summer. In Beijing, in summer, the average temperature is up to 30 degrees centigrade! ·Mexico
The weather in Mexico is hot, wet and sticky for most of the year, except in Mexico City. February to April is the best time to visit. It can get very stormy at the end of August. From time to time, there are hurricanes and tornados. ·Greece
The best time to visit Greece is April to June. If you like snow, then go to the northwest of the country in winter. It‘s great for skiing. If you just want to sit on a beach and see the sunshine every day, then August is the perfect month. But, be careful! Temperatures are really high. In the southeast of Greece, it might be 30-35 degrees centigrade. ·South Africa
South Africa has a pleasant climate, with lovely warm sunny days most of the year. The summer is from November to February, and the weather is really hot at this time. In August, it‘s winter and the weather is usually warm, except at night. South Africa has the world‘s highest daily hours of sunshine. ·Australia
Remember that in July and August, it‘s winter in Australia. The hottest months are from November to March. The best time to go is September or October. It‘s warm enough to go to the beach. But this does depend on which part of Australia you go to. It‘s cool enough to tour around, and it‘s not too rainy. If you prefer it colder, go in August. EXERCISES
1. Match the word with its correct meaning in the text. average uncomfortably hot, wet, and dirty sticky not unusually high or low tornado an extremely violent storm
2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) 1. The best season to visit Mexico is spring. ( )
2. In the southeast of Greece, in August, the temperature is similar to that in Beijing in summer. ( )
3. When it is winter in Greece, it is also winter in Australia. ( ) 4. When it is summer in South Africa, it is winter in Australia. ( ) WORD BANK average 平均的 sticky 黏糊糊的 hurricane 飓风 tornado 龙卷风
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WHERE TO GO THIS HOLIDAY
Leo and her parents are trying to decide where to go on holiday this year. They have two weeks in August and they just can‘t decide.
Dad: Right, let‘s try and decide where we‘ll go. Egypt looks nice but it says the best time to go is in
autumn. It might be a bit too hot in August.
Mum: Yes, I think it may be too much for us. I don‘t like walking around in all that heat.
Leo: Oh come on! We could go to the coast. We don‘t want to be packing an umbrella, do we? I‘d
rather pack my swimsuit!
Dad: It‘s OK for you, Leo. Your mother and I don‘t like hot weather. Leo: Well, what about Mexico? Oh no, sorry. It‘s hot there too.
Mum: Yes, and it says there may be hurricanes. We don‘t want one of those!
Dad: Yes, you‘re right, love. I hate stormy weather and I‘m frightened of lightning and thunder.
Leo: I just want to go somewhere really relaxing. I just want to sit on the beach for the day and get a
really good sun tan. Greece looks perfect.
Mum: You know how cross your dad gets on a hot beach, Leo. It‘ll be too much for him.
Dad: Yes, you‘re right. I couldn‘t stand those high temperatures. The last time I went to Greece I
ended up in hospital.
Leo: Well, OK then. What about Australia? Our summer is Australia‘s winter. It says if you prefer it
colder, go in August.
Mum: Oh, it‘s too far, Leo. You know I don‘t like travelling by plane. I get in a real panic. Dad: Well, it looks like we‘ll probably have to stay in England. Leo: Oh no! What an exciting summer we‘ll all have. EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
1. We don‘t want to be packing an umbrella,_________? 2. I couldn‘t _______ those high temperatures. 3. _________ an exciting summer we‘ll all have!
2. Circle the correct answer to complete the sentence. 1. The best time to go to Egypt is in ________.
A. spring B. autumn C. winter 2. There may be hurricanes in ________.
A. Greece B. Mexico C. Australia
3. The reason why Mum doesn‘t want to go to Australia is that it‘s ________. A. too far B. too cold C. too hot 4. The family will probably ________.
A. go to Greece B. go to the beach C. stay in England WORD BANK pack 打包
tan 晒后的棕褐色肤色 cross 生气的，恼怒的
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CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS IN THE UK
How much do you know about customs and traditions in the UK? Decide if the following statements are true or false. (Don‘t look at the answers until you‘ve finished!) 1. You mustn‘t give a tip to a waiter in a restaurant. T□ F□ 2. You can‘t buy alcohol until you‘re 18. T□ F□
3. If you go round to someone‘s house, you must take some flowers. T□ F□ 4. If you are invited to someone‘s house, you must accept the invitation. T□ F□ 5. You mustn‘t kiss in public. T□ F□ 6. It‘s lucky if you see a black cat. T□ F□
7. When you greet someone, you must kiss them. T□ F□
8. You mustn‘t see your future husband the night before your wedding day. T□ F□
9. In some areas, drivers can‘t sound their horn after 11 o‘clock at night. It makes too much noise. T□ F□
10. You can drive as fast as you want on some roads. T□ F□ 11. You can‘t use your mobile phone in a petrol station. T□ F□
12. If you spill salt, you mustn‘t throw it over your shoulder. It‘s bad luck. T□ F□ 13. If you‘re a boy or man, you must walk on the outside of the pavement. T□ F□ 14. If it‘s your birthday, you must wear new clothes. T□ F□ WORD BANK tip 小费
alcohol 酒，酒精 horn 喇叭
petrol station 加油站 spill 洒，倒出 pavement 人行道
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LIFE IN THE UK
Li Ming‘s friend Wu Bin is coming to the UK to visit him. He‘s asked Li Ming to tell him something about life in the UK before he comes. Dear Wu Bin,
I‘m getting really excited about your visit. I hope you are too. I must day, life is really different here. English people do some very strange things!
In the UK, you must drive on the left. I know you‘re too young to drive but you have to remember this when you cross the road. I nearly got run over the other day! You know in China, if you want a taxi, you can just put your hand out and one stops immediately. Well, here you must go to a special place where there is a long queue of people waiting. Or you can ring a taxi company to order one. Shopping is difficult on a Sunday. I can‘t believe how early the shops close. It seems like you can‘t buy anything after six o‘clock in the evening.
You asked me about living in an English house. The most difficult thing is using a knife and fork. I can use chopsticks if I want, but I want to do the same as other people. Something really surprised me the other day Mrs. Johnson (my host mother) hung up her washing in the kitchen! I couldn‘t believe it. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have a cat, a dog and two rabbits. Well, can you imagine, the other day, all four animals were running around in the kitchen.
Another thing, people drink could water all the time and they drink tea with milk! They don‘t have rice with every meal, and they put carpet all over their houses. Life here is strange, but I‘m enjoying it. Lots of love and see you soon, Li Ming EXERCISES
1. Find in the text words with opposite meanings of the following ones. 1. same d__________ 2. usual s__________ 3. forget r__________ 4. dislike e__________
2. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). 1. In the UK, you can take a taxi wherever you are. ( )
2. You‘d better go shopping before 6 pm on a Sunday in the UK. ( )
3. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson do so many strange things that Li Ming finds it hard to live with them. ( )
4. Before you go to the UK, it is a good idea to know something about the English people. ( ) WORD BANK run over 碾过
hung up 把…挂起来 carpet 地毯
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THE MOST AMAZING TRIP TO CHINA
Dear Sue:
I‘ve just got back from the most amazing trip to china. I really enjoyed it there, but I must say life is very different. Chinese people do some very strange things!
The food was fantastic but there was so much I had to remember. It was difficult enough just to use chopsticks. But in China, you must be careful where you put your chopsticks! You can‘t put them straight up in your rice bowl. It‘s bad luck and looks really rude. Chinese people often eat in big groups and the table top spins round. You know in England. we dig in and try and get. the best bits. You mustn‘t do this in China. You should take the pieces closest to you. Mind you, all the food is delicious so it doesn‘t really matter!
I went round to a friend‘s house one evening. In England it‘s OK if you arrive a little bit late, so I did the same. My friend‘s parents looked a bit annoyed. Later she told me that in China you must always arrive on time. I took the family a present and wrapped it up carefully. I was so surprised because they didn‘t open my present. My friend told me that most Chinese prefer not to open the present in front of the giver.
You mustn‘t give a Chinese person a watch or a clock as a present. The word for ‗clock‘ in Chinese means the same as ‗death‘ so it‘s really bad luck.
I nearly got into trouble one day. In England you can cross the street wherever you want. In some parts of China you mustn‘t do this. I crossed the street and a policeman blew a whistle and told me to stop.
Even though everything is different, I had a great holiday. Even though everything is different, I had a great holiday. Lots of love, Doris
EXERCISES
1. Fill in the blanks.
1. But in China, you must be careful ______ you put your chopsticks! 2. I took the family a present and ________ it ______ carefully. 3. I nearly _______ trouble one day.
2. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Why can‘t you put the chopsticks straight up in your rice bowl?
2. When Doris went to a friend‘s house, why did her friend‘s parents look a bit annoyed? 3. What happened to Doris one day when she crossed the street? WORD BANK spin 旋转
dig in 形始大吃 wrap包装
got into trouble 陷入困境 whistle 哨子
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