With the help of the teacher， there has been a great in her spoken English． （improve）
Doing outdoor （activity） can help students improve their abilities and skills．
How do we know the time？ A clock，a watch or a cell phone can help us． However many years ago there were no clocks and knowing the time was not so easy． Over the centuries people have developed different w（1） of telling the time．
About 5，500years ago， the Egyptians i（2） the sun clock． This was a tall stone structure． Its shadow （影子）showed the movement of the s（3） they were able to determine（测定）midday．
About 3，500years ago，the Egyptians made a sundial． It was smaller than the sun clock and could measure （测量）the time for half a day． On c（4） days or at night it was impossible to tell the time with a sun clock or a sundial．
Water clocks were the f（5） clocks not to use the sun． The idea is simple． Water flows（流动） from one container（容器）to another． When the water reaches a certain l（6） it moves a lever （控制杆）and this shows the hours． The Egyptians used water clocks about 3，400years ago． These clocks were popular in the Middle East and China but they f （7） to keep accurate（精确的）time．
In the 13th century，the mechanical clock was invented． This was more accurate， b（8） was expensive to make． Over the next few centuries it was developed． For example， springs（发条）were added around 1500． This i（9） accuracy and allowed clocks to be smaller．
In 1927， the first quartz clock was developed． Clocks became cheaper to build and own． People began depending on them more and more to2 run businesses， markets and so on．
More recently， in1956， came the digital clock． And nowadays satellites（人造卫星）send our cell phones the time to the exact second． There has been a lot of progress in timekeeping but some things never c（10） ． Man of us still have trouble getting out of bed on time and not missing appointments．
（friend） is more important than money between friends．
Once， there was a little girl named Meredith． Meredith enjoyed spending （1） free time with her friends， but there was something different about Meredith． She was always interested in things （2） chemistry and history． Meredith never wanted to （3） about these interests because she was afraid she would be judged（评头论足）． she always learned more about these topics when she was by herself， （4） no one could find out about this． One day， a new girl ， Josie， joined her sixth﹣grade class， and the new girl was （5） to say three things about herself． Josie stood up and（6） to talk about her interests． First ，she said she was （7） in reading and writing stories． Second， she said she liked history． （8） ，she said she enjoyed chemistry． Meredith's eyes lit up with joy． Finally， she had found someone who had common interests as her． （9） that day， Meredith found Josie on the playground and ran over to talk to her． They immediately（立刻） became （10） and start to play at each other's houses on the weekend．
Hometown Feelings
Some people still live in their hometown． However， others may only see it once or twice a year． Nowadays（1） （ million） of Chinese leave the countryside to search for work in the cities．Among these is Zhong Wei，a 46﹣year﹣old husband and father． He（2） （live） in Wenzhou for the last 13 years．With a hard job in a factory， he doesn't find much time to visit his hometown．"I I used（3） （return） home at least once a year， but I haven't been back for three years now．" he says．
Many people like Zhong Wei are（4） （ interest） in how their hometowns have changed．Perhaps large hospitals and new roads have appeared．（5） many places， the government has also built new schools and sent teachers from the cities to help．
"I noticed that's true of my hometown，" adds Zhong Wei．"Children have learned to read and count at my old primary school（6） the mid﹣20th century． But now the buildings are（7） （real） old．I hear they're going to build a new school there．"Zhong Wei thinks such developments are good，and he also knows that his hometown cannot always stay the same．
According to Zhong Wei， （8） ， some things will never change． "In my hometown， there was a big old tree opposite the school． It is still there and has become quite a symbol of the place．Most of the children in my time（9） （ like） to play together under that big tree，especially during the summer holidays． It was such a happy childhood． Our hometown has left many soft and sweet（10） （ memory） in our hearts．"
People who often list things they are thankful for are happier and ．（healthy）
Han Li： Hello， Li Mei What's your favorite subject at school？ Are you good at English？
Li Mei： I do （1） in it now， but last term I wasn't good at it．
Han Li： What was your trouble？
Li Mei： First of all． I couldn't understand our English teacher because she spoke too （2） ．
Han Li： It doesn't matter if you can't understand every （3） ．
Li Mei： Yes． I think so． Second， I couldn't make complete sentences．
Han Li： What did you do about it？
Li Mei： I began to （4） English language TV． It helped a lot．
Han Li： Did you study grammar？
Li Mei： Yes， I took lots of grammar notes in class． Then I started to write my own sentences using the grammar． And it helped me become interested in English and I got an A this term．
Han Li： You are great． I will learn （5） you．
Li Mei： Thank you．
When I was in the sixth grade，I joined a piano competition．I practiced for four hours every day and my piano teacher came three times a week （1） help me．Then the big day（2） （final）arrived．I was so （3） （nervous）when they called my name．I went up（4） started to play．（5） I was playing，everyone sat still and listened．I played the song without any （6） （mistake）．Then I waited for（7） （they）to call out the（8） （win）．When I（9） （hear）my name，my heart was beating so quickly I thought I would stop breathing．I couldn't believe it．I won!It was the（10） （happy）day of my life!
Mum and I were just going out when it began to rain．We had to stay at home，and I（1） （feel） quite bored．Mum got（2） idea． She suggested teaching me to make dumplings．I thought it could be fun，so I said OK．Mum cut the meat and cabbages into small pieces（3） （quick）．Then she showed me（4） to mix them with salt and oil．"Mixing is the most important of all the（5） （step），" she said．I also made some other preparations with her help．When everything was ready，dad came back home（6） his office．Together the three of（7） （we）wrapped （包） the dumplings． At last， we （8） （cook） them．They were so delicious that I ate （9） （many） than twenty． That was the （10） （one） time I learnt to make dumplings． It was enjoyable!
We can't remember clearly when we started to take our mobiles to the dinner table． This often，（1） （ especial） when we eat out． Once a dish comes， （2） of lifting our chopsticks， we take out our mobiles and click． Later， we post the photos onto Weibo or WeChat，waiting to be "liked"． Then we check our mobiles from time to time during the meal to see whether we get"liked" （3） not． We just cannot leave our mobiles for only a meal．
Does that sound familiar to you？ Do you do that often？ If not， how do you feel when others do that while having dinner with you？
A recent study suggests that what we are used to （4） （ do） is not so good． Spending time taking photos of food makes the food less pleasant． To test this， some researchers did an experiment． Some people were （5） （ask） to take photos before they could enjoy food． As a （6） ， it showed that the （7） （many） photos they took， the less delicious the food （8） to them． Why not stop taking photos and just enjoy the food in front of you？
So， next time you go out to have dinner with your family or friends， how about not （9） （ take） photos of food？ Let the food be delicious as it is and share your life with people （10） you． Trust me， and it will be a wonderful time．
If you don't have a deep love for something， don't be （satisfy） until you find one．
Chinese scientists have successfully cloned （克隆）two ．They are named Zhong Zhong and HuaHua． （monkey）
This machine can （translate） simple messages into 24 different languages．
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