Dear Mike,
     We got your letter yesterday. Yes, we can visit you at Christmas. We thought to spend Christmas at
home, but now we are going to be with you. Jack will not be in school then. The weather in Chicago is
cold, but it doesn't matter. Sometimes we like the snow. We got our plane tickets. We will get to your city
on the 18th. We will stay with you for two weeks. Is that all right with you? We'll take our favourite
recipes (食谱), so we can have a nice Christmas dinner.
      See you soon . 
                                                                                                                                    Love
                                                                                                                                    Mom and Dad
1. This letter is from Mike's _________.
2. In Chicago, it is _________ now.
3. Mike has a brother called __________. He is in school now.
4. Mike's parents will go to his city by _________.
5. His parents will come back on _________ 31^st .

      Bargaining is the rule here in Beijing. At least, it is so in most markets and back-street clothes shops.
Bargaining is an art and if you are unfamiliar (不熟悉) with it, we'd like to offer you some advice. The
tips (窍门) here are often used in Beijing but may help you at any place in the world where bargaining is
practiced.
      DO NOT say how much you want to pay for an item (物品) unless it's near the end of the bargaining.
Always try and drop the seller's offering price as much as possible before opening your mouth with a price.
     DO throw out really low prices like 10 RMB with a big smile.
     DO keep smiling from the beginning to the end. The seller usually continues bargaining with a happy
smiling face. Getting angry hardly gets you the price you want. KEEP in mind the price offered by the
seller at the beginning is usually at least 40％ over the generally reasonable price. It can be up to 500％
over.
      DO have an idea of what the item costs. You can ask your friends, people in the hotel or others you
know, or look at the list below. This is very general and is based (根据) on a market like Xiu Shui. You
may not be able to get the lowest prices at Xiu Shui, especially on a weekend when there are lots of
tourists around.

1. Who is this passage written for?

A. Owners of back-street shops.
B. Businessmen in Beijing.
C.Those who are good at bargaining.
D. Those who travel in Beijing.

2. What is the topic the writer is mainly talking about in this passage?

A. Beijing markets.
B. Bargaining tips.
C. Lowest prices.
D. Sellers' offer.

3. What is the most important thing to do in bargaining with the seller?

A. Keep smiling.
B. Be patient.
C. Don't get angry.
D. Don't say anything.

4. What is NOT included in the tips often used to bargain in Beijing?

A. Find out the true price and go to the markets with friends.
B. Don't offer your price until the end of the bargaining with a smile.
C. Drop the seller's offering price four or five times (倍) until he agrees.
D. Don't go to markets at the time when there are too many tourists.

5. Which of the following can help you get an item you want at the lowest price?

A. Whenever you go shopping,take a price list with you.
B. You can bargain for anything at the price of 10 RMB.
C. The price range (范围) for you to bargain is usually between 40％and 500％.
D. Xiu Shui Market is the biggest shopping center where prices are always reasonable.

     Many people in Beijing have returned to school only because they have become parents. Parents are
searching for help to solve a problem: the education of their "only c   1   ". One student complained
about his father, who liked smoking, always left the s   2    of smoke in the room and he could not do
his homework there. Another wrote that his father often played Majiang and the n   3    kept him awake
most of the night. Many parents know l   4    about home education and keep making mistakes. "Parents'
schools are badly n   5   .'' an official (官员) said.
1.______ 2.______ 3.______ 4.______ 5.______

Dear Helen,
     This has already been a great trip and I haven't even left the airport yet! Even leaving Shanghai was
exciting. We went to Pudong (浦东) International Airport on the new super fast train. It travels at four
hundred and thirty kilometers per hour! Before the train line was built, it took a long time to get to the
airport by taxi or bus.
     We have quite a long time to wait here in Hong Kong before we fly to London tomorrow. In the old
Hong Kong airport only had a few small televisions, but the new airport has lots of super sized televisions
showing sport, comedy (喜剧) and music shows. The old airport only had a few shops selling newspapers
and books, but the new airport has shops selling all sorts of different things. The new airport hotel offers
many special service-including a foot massage (按摩) service! Dad said we can go there later to relax
(放松).
      There weren't many restaurants in the old airport, but it's hard to decide which restaurant to go to
in the new airport. There are so many different ones with food from all over the world. I left my bag in
a restaurant and I thought I lost it, but it was safe in the lost and found (失物招领处) house.
      The airport has a bus that can take you for a quick sightseeing and shopping tour of the city. I hope
you are well!
     See you soon!
1. How far does the new super fast train travel per hour?
___________________________________________________________
2. Where will the writer go tomorrow?
___________________________________________________________
3. The old Hong Kong airport had lots of super sized televisions, didn't it?
___________________________________________________________
4. Where did the writer find his bag?
___________________________________________________________
5. How can they go sightseeing and shopping?
___________________________________________________________

Dear boys and girls,
      I'm very happy to be your guest speaker today. It is a great pleasure to visit your school and meet all of
you here. I would like to tell you all by myself. I have been a reporter for the past fifteen years. I chose this
job so I could travel the world, but the job has taught me many unforgettable lessons. The work is sometimes
difficult. I have seen wars, earthquakes, poverty (贫穷) and death. But I have also seen courage, hope and
happiness.
     In India, I visited a city where there were many homeless children. Some were very young and lived in
the streets. But then a wonderful lady called Rosa opened a home for them. In a year, she was looking
after two hundred children, feeding them, teaching them and giving them hope.
     Another time, I was in Japan after a terrible earthquake. In a place, I found an old lady whose house
fell down. Her son was missing and people around her said that there was no chance that her son was alive.
But the lady did not give up hope. For four days, she kept moving heavy stones by herself. She did not stop
until she found her son. He was still alive.
      Here in China, I met a young boy with a serious illness. He had to have twenty operations in hospital.
But when I met him, he was still smiling. Now when my life is difficult, I always remember the courage
of the three people.

1. The writer chose the job as a reporter to _____.

A. meet homeless children
B. teach children some lessons
C. make a speech
D. travel the world