Zhang Min is looking for a shirt in a big shop. /7uAf{  
May I help you? YxWA] yL  
Yes. I'm looking for a shirt. e<r}{=1w  
What size? tl^![Z  
I'm not sure. I think I take Size 8. P:fcbfH+  
Here is a nice Size 8. It's brown. How do you like it? =k:yBswi  
I think it's a little darker. Do you have any shirts a little lighter? s> JW
NP  
Yes. We have shirts in all kinds and in all colors. Why don't you look through and pick out the one you like? !Hx[ `3  
OK, thanks. Can I try this yellow one on? l1eF&wNC  
Of course. The dressing room is over there. .?)gn]#  
(five minutes later) o((!3H{D  
Well, how does it fit? k@>y<A{;D  
I'm afraid it doesn't fit me well. H,0Io  
Don't worry. Try another.  $M|  
l'twy$V4|~  
John is doing some shopping in a supermarket. 4}Dfi5:   
Excuse me, can you tell me where the fresh produce section is? l#fwNM/F  
Sure. Do you see the green wall there? giORc   
Yes. Eh&-b
6:  
The fresh produce section is right in front of that. You can see "fruits" and "vegetables" above. rObg:(z&\  
See it. Thanks very much. ,dXJCX8so  
(John heads for the green wall. He finds what he wants. In six minutes he goes back to the cashier.) 2k M;7:  
Excuse me, sir. You need to bag the bananas at the produce section. T,/:5L9  
Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't quite sure what to do. Should I go back? Sc9}WU
 
Yes, please. #D-Ttla  
\EW<;xq  
Sam and Jenny are shopping for Christmas Day in the market. GS+Z(,J>=  
Wow, there are so many people here today. $3]]<oH  
Yeah, people always buy out the stores before the big holidays. Sy"!Q%+|  
Here is the meat section. How many kilograms of meat do you want? y&6 pc  
Well, we've got about ten people coming to dinner. So the more, the better. 3GPGwzX |  
All right, five kilograms of beef and five kilograms of pork. Are we ready to check out? _&e$?hY  
Not so fast. We haven't even started! I still have a lot of other things to buy. S
#*aB2ZS  
Well, if that is the case, we need to go slowly and check one section after another. \S0QZQbz/  
(Hours later, they come to the cashier.) r<5i  
These are all we want. How much does it cost? I R~szUY6  
One hundred and fifty dollars altogether. Credit card? LG;U?:\  
Yes, here you are. z!aU85y  
OK. Here is your credit card. Please sign your name here. 7gE/g`"#  
nQ#NW8*Fs  
<-"[9 w  
Shopping in Supermarkets h^'+y1
 
I know some people like to do grocery shopping, but I also know a lot of people who don't like it at all! People who don't love grocery shopping would go to supermarkets. In those large stores you can find almost everything in need to raise your family or to clean your home just in this one place. IlZ$Jd  
The supermarket helps save money and time. The little corner grocery store is often more convenient. It opens to late hours when the supermarket is closed. But in the grocery store, you have to spend more on most things, because store owner can only buy a small number of cases of one produce from the producer, while the supermarket chain can buy thousands of cases at a time; so the supermarket can buy cheaper and sell cheaper to you. `\yQn7 Oq  
Sometimes, the supermarket is very crowded. There are long lines at the check-out counter. But even so, it would take us much less time to go from one small shop to another. We can do the family's shopping once a week or two or even more only in one supermarket. Y_/w}HB   
@#"6_{!j_X  
Shopping *g"Xhk  
We have many different ways of "going shopping" and the most common one is going to stores. But in recent years, shopping on the Internet has become a fashionable trend. Is the Internet shopping the way of the future? cUr5x8<W).  
Most of American households now have personal computers. And shopping by computer (or "shopping on-line") attracts more people today. Shoppers can also use their computers to order many different products, such as flowers, food and T-shirts. And new on-line shopping services appear every day. -nqq;|%  
With the development of computer science, soon in the future people may be able to shop for anything, anytime and anywhere in the world. But in China, things are a little different. Most people don't like to make use of on-line shopping service. Not every family in China has a computer, and especially in the countryside, very few families own a computer. Another reason is that people don't believe in on-line shopping and there are many cases of on-line theft in China. Only by solving these problems can the service of on-line shopping develop fast.

Anna is at the post office. She asks the clerk some questions. _{2/QP}  
Good morning! 'wA4yJ<  
Good morning! What can I do for you? +.J/7gD  
Yes. Can you tell me how much it costs to send a postcard to Tokyo? X1XmaO%A  
A moment, please. Let me check for you. Do you need anything else? rM0Idc.$&&  
Yes. I need stamps to send eight postcards. How much are they? Dqg01_O9O  
Eight cents each. Anything else? &HBC9Bx/(  
I also need ten fifteen-cent stamps. ,1 ^IFBJ  
Here you are! T@R2H&L  
Thanks! \Lg{GN.  
ms6dl-_t  
Bill goes to the post office. He wants to send a letter to the US and pick up his parcel. HhB&vi  
Good afternoon! 3H`r|R  
Good afternoon! I'd like to send this letter to the US. Can you tell me how much it costs, please? R*O< (  
It depends on the weight of the letter and the kind of mail you'd like to use. F;8 Uvj  
I'd like to send this letter by airmail. ,zOv-pH  
OK. Let me weigh the letter first. It's a bit heavy. You need to buy 1.2 dollars' stamps for it. m](q,65 2  
Oh, yes. And I have to pick up my package. This is the parcel notice. +[":W?j  
Wait a minute, please. Here you are. `zOn(6B;U  
Thank you very much. yq6:7<  
Not at all. hQ}y(2A.XI  
X\1.,]O >  
Ann wants to send a parcel. ~=t K17i  
Is there anything I can do for you? R6`,}<A]@  
Yes. I want to send this parcel. )sLXtV)nm6  
What are there in the parcel? Z$y~:bz  
There are books and papers. do DpTwvh  
Let me check. It coats you two dollars.  zt 2#6v  
Here you are! I also need to buy some postcards. Which window is that? 2h#_n'DV  
Go to Window 9. Wait a second, Miss! n{=Nf|=  
Yes? b,lIndj#  
You forgot to put your address down on the surface. Here is the pen. zXGi  
Oh, sorry. I'll put it on right now. Is everything done? -Q" N;&'[&  
Yes. It's OK. Here is your receipt. 8B;HMD  
Thank you very much. -J^t#R^$`  
:xZ^Jq91  
China's Oldest Post Office .-}F~FES  
A letter written about 2,000 years ago has been found. It could make people believe that there was a post office on the Silk Road. It's said that this post office is oldest one in China. C%Fc%}[  
The letter has been found in the Xuanquanzhi Ruins in northwest China. The writer of the letter sent his greetings and wishes from a faraway place to his friend. The letter is the best-saved personal letter from the Han Dynasty. aK]H(F2#  
The Xuanquanzhi Ruins lie in an important pass of the Silk Road. Ruins of light towers built during the Han, Jin and Qing Dynasty, can still be found near the Xuanquanzhi Ruins today. C/YjMYwKgv  
The ruins have been found in the last ten years of the 20th century. The discovery is one of the top dicoveries in China during the last ten years of the 20th century. People have discovered wooden pieces, paper and silk used to write down the work of the post service and other things. They will help people better understand the history of the Han Dynasty. NU%<Ws=  
VH6J @m  
World Post Day +J7xAyv_Oz  
The World Post Day is on October 9 each year. It is the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. It was called World Post Day in the UPU Congress, held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. Since then, many countries across the world take part in it every year. q]wP^;\Jl  
In many countries, the Posts take his chance to introduce new postal products and services. In most countries, many special activities are organized during this period. Many countries take October 9 as the open days of post offices, mail centers and other places. Besides, special stamps are published on the World Post Day. There are many other activities, say, the shows of World Post Day posters in post offices and other public places. Meetings and workshops are held, as well as cultural, sport and other activities. . NT9dX  
Each year, the Director General of the University Postal Union sends a World Post Day message to all Posts. Furthermore, there is a main theme for the World Post Day every year. The theme of World Post Day of 2005 is "The postal sector, an important partner in the information society".

Mr. White comes to a hotel to book a room. tz)aQ6p\X  
Good afternoon, sir. Can I help you? 5yI_uQR  
I want a room, please. =66dxU?}  
What kind of room would you like, sir? We have single and double rooms. HbX>::J8  
I'd rather like a double room. 2)Grl;T]s  
One double room. Right. For how many nights, sir? C,P>7  
Four nights. >u ,Ac:  
Would you please fill in the form? }Ry:})  
OK. I have finished. How much is the room? z8G1[ElY  
400 RMB per night with tax. ` |Pfa  
All right. I take it. P hs4]!  
Here's is your key, sir. Room number is 405. Have a pleasant stay. If there is something I can do for you, please let me know. {Xb 6wQ"  
Thanks a lot. 'c*Q/C;  
My pleasure. yl/-!  
ijEMS1$=7  
Bush asks for service at the hotel. 3gV 17a  
Hello! What can I do for you? 6c,]N@,Zw  
This is Room 316. Please bring me a pot of coffee and some ice. *pK bMG#  
All right. Please wait for a few minutes. Anything else? 1O]'iS"  
Yes. I would like to have some clothes dry-cleaned. Mrysy)x  
Please put your clothes in the paper bag and write down the contents of the clothes on it. Sio^FOTD  
Will it be ready by tomorrow? i
Z}Afj  
Sure, sir. Fk=Sx<TX  
By the way, I'd like a wake-up call, please. &YC Z L  
Could you tell me what the time is? @SeInew;`l  
7 o'clock tomorrow morning. Thank you. FcVQ_6  
You're welcome. _/(DEF+G  
tl
jZE)  
Mr. Black is going to check out. ko<u0SjF)u  
Good morning, sir. What can I do for you? }p,#rOX:A  
I'm leaving at 9:00 a.m., so I'd like to check out now. DQ%bcXs  
Yes, sir. May I have your room number? 7q\&  
Room 1936, and my name is Norman Black. p[oR4 HWr  
All right. Please wait a minutes. I will get your bill for your right away. cxX/ b,  
Thanks. dpAj9CX(  
Here is your bill. Please check it and put your name here. <14,xYpE  
OK. Excuse me, what's this charge for here? QFekj@  
That's for the lunch you ordered from the room service. )/4eT\ =  
Oh, yes, it's on Sunday noon. I almost forgot. Sorry about that. 0\tV@ 6p2=  
That's all right. oF'_x,0  
Well, here is the credit card. zXX= WH  
Thank you. I hope we'll have the pleasure to serve you in the future. Wish you have a good trip. eBT+|  
`-_kOxe3  
Mr. and Mrs. Smith at Hotel C2e.RTxc  
In the past, Mr. Smith and his wife had always spent their summer holidays in a small hotel near the sea in England. #*;G8yV  
However, this year is not the same. The husband made some money in his business, so they decided to have a change. They planned to go to Rome and to stay at a really good hotel while they visited the famous city. X|&v]mJ  
They flew to Rome and arrived at their hotel late one evening. According to their experience, they thought that they would have to go to bed hungry. Because in the small hotel, there was no meal served after seven o'clock in the morning. Therefore, when the clerk received them in the hall of the hotel and asked them whether they would be taking dinner there at night, they were very surprised. !2=m |,  
"Do you still serve dinner then?" Mrs. Smith asked. ,zF^^,lO7  
"Yes. Certainly. Madam," answered the clerk, "we serve it until half past nine." `@<>"ff#F  
"Then, what are the times of meals?" asked Mr. Smith. gh9Gc1tKt  
"Well, sir, we serve breakfast from seven to half past nine." the clerk answered. P~}Yj@2  
Hearing this, Mrs. Smith cried out loudly, "But that hardly leaves any time for us to see Rome!" op8[8pt%  
i<\WRzVT  
A Letter from Royal Hotel 5,_DM  
Dear mother, 3g79/w  
I'm writing to you from our hotel. Peter and I are on vacation with the children for a few days. We're having a few problems. /Fj*sS8  
The weather isn't very good. In fact, it's cold and cloudy. Right now it's raining cats and dogs out of the window. to9X2^  
The children aren't very happy. In fact, they're having a trouble time. Right now they're sitting in the bed, playing cards and watching TV. 0{^ 0>H0  
The hotels here are expensive, and the food isn't very good. In fact, Peter is at doctor's office now. He is having a problem with his stomach. F:~k4uTW\b  
All the other hotels here are beautiful and new. Our hotel is ugly, and it's very, very old. In fact, right now a worker is fixing the toilet. W?H-Ng3E  
As you can see, mother, we're having a few problems here, but we are happy. We're happy to be on vacation and we're happy to be together. o? LJ,Z  
See you soon. @f!r"P]  
uqHI/4  
Love, > I>=/i^  
Alice

An old lady comes to the bank. [z:bnS~yiD  
Good morning. What can I do for you? %8T:rS  
I want to get some money from ATM. But I don't know how to use it. Could you be so kind to show me how to use it? w\'Zcw,d  
I'd be glad to, Madam. o4b!U%  
Thank you. \"qXlTQ1_9  
Firstly, you put in your card. ?zKVXK7}0  
Well. "9-duDg  
And then you enter your password. OH28H),}  
All right. ?'K}bmdt}.  
Then you choose the amount you want to take. How much do you want? N1KYV&'o  
RMB 800. 0:**uion  
Well, in this case, you should enter the number here, and press "Enter". ,sk;|OA I  
So simple?  Oah}7!a)  
Yes. It's easy to learn. /'
=C<HSO  
Thank you very much. You've been very kind. ^\cB&<h  
My pleasure. 6:B[8otQ  
%#NaM\=8v  
Jim and Lisa meet at the bank. .bvB8VOrW  
Good morning, Lisa! uG3t%CmN  
Morning! Jim. Glad to meet you here! You also want to deposit some money? @3[Z QF  
No, I'm here to pay my telephone bill. (@O F Wc"p  
Really! I never know that we could go to bank to pay the telephone bill. Does the bank offer such service? .*D~ .!  
Yes, I've been paying my bills in this way for quite a long time. :9c QK]O6  
I didn't know it before. What else does the bank offer? tCK
%vd%  
Well, there're many. You can pay your tuition through the bank. pq>"GEN  
Wow, that's great! :SSe0ZZ_6b  
Right. The banks are going to better their service to attract customers. A7-QOqST(  
Anyway, it makes our life more and more convenient. ^MUtmzh  
8;.WX  
Sam and Juliet are talking about Internet-banking. 6+FmYp  
Juliet, I have heard that you like doing on-line shopping. Why don't you use the Internet-bank? rO 6oVz#x  
Internet-bank? I've heard it before, but can you tell me more about it? >t?;*K\x"  
Yes. Internet-banking means a kind of self-help services offered by the bank for its clients by the Internet. You could check your money and do many other services on the Internet. rj QV;kX>  
Could I pay my bills on the Internet, too? Az6f I*yP  
Sure. As long as you have a computer and it connects to the Internet. qbHb 24I  
How wonderful! In this case, I could do shopping without a step out of my bedroom! That's what I want! 3yDa5q{  
The Internet-banking is quite convenient. I think it's the very thing for you. v%=G~kF}[  
I can't agree with you more! I want to use it! Is it very difficult to use? P$Xig  
No. If you have a bankcard, you can open it at the bank. D>~z{H
%\  
It's great! JpxJZJ  
1Xt%O86
 
The Danger of "Cashless Society" ,K6s'3O(LW  
With the use of credit cards and cell-phone shopping, people can go through a whole day without using cash. As it is said, we are moving into a "cashless society". In the "cashless society", people needn't bring cash with them any more. The "caskless society" gives people more and more convenience, however, it brings people more and more danger at the same time. XJC|6"n  
First of all, cards have one important weakness: they can be lost. People have already found a way to solve the problem. People have already found a way to solve the problem: Putting a store-valued microchip in people's bodies. In this case, when people want to buy something, all they need to do is waving their hands in front of the sensor. tV@!jaj\  
This is exactly the kind of thing that a lot of people see as a great danger of "cashless society". In such a society, people from the banks to the shops know what you spend on and where. To many people, cash means freedom. The "cashless society" makes our life more convenient but less free. !V$m!i;  
\$V~kgQ0  
The World Bank V3xC"maA@  
Nowadays, the World Bank plays a very important role in the world. It is a group of five international organizations. Its headquarter is in Washington, D. C. The Bank has been founded on 27 December, 1945, following the Bretton Woods agreements. The World Bank offers financial support to countries in difficulties and helps less developed countries to fight with poverty. W'-B)li  
Together with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank organizations are sometimes called the Bretton Woods institutions after the name of Bretton Woods where the international conference took place. w8kp6_i'  
At present, most of the World Banks activities focus on developing countries. The World Bank gives help to the developing countries to improve education, agriculture and industry. It also gives loans at low rates to member countries. {XC# -3O  
For a long time, the World Bank has been strongly criticized by many people. They say that the World Bank is the tool of the US or other big western countries. They think that the activities of the World Bank are not for the benefit of developing countries, but for the good of developed countries.

Li Mei is asking Jack for suggestions on English speaking. kd+tD!:F(  
Excuse me, Jack, do you have a minute? </33>Fu)  
Yes, what can I do for you? ~
)%DiGW&  
Well, you see, I've been learning English for several years, but I still can't speak much English. Could you tell me how I could speak English better? V(<(k,8
=  
Mm. Why not try to speak English with other students? Aj "SSX!L  
I want to, but every time I open my mouth, I seem to make mistakes. So sometimes I just give up. VQHQvFRZ)  
I guess speaking a foreign language isn't easy. It's likely to make some mistakes at the beginning. !)h?2#V8;  
Do you mean that I shouldn't be afraid of making mistakes? 
^=Egf?|[  
That's right. And I think you should speak as much as you can. ]]lM)  
Thanks for your suggestion. | sZu1K  
My pleasure. Good luck on your English. o!}/& '(  
5 @61=Au  
Alice and Jack are talking about learning Chinese. Eumdv#Qg  
Hello, Jack! How about your first Chinese class? V9<CeTl'  
Well, it's interesting. But there is a problem. \X0wr%I  
Oh. What's it? q<!KtI4  
Well, you know. Most of the students in my class have learned Chinese before they came to Middle School. But I didn't. So... ~7"6Y]  
So when they speak Chinese with the teacher, you don't understand them and don't know what to do. Cd51.Sk(l  
Right. But how do you know that? aIABx!83>  
Because I felt the same as you when I went to Middle School. p:gM?2p1  
Did you? But our Chinese is so good now! *'hvYl/?>  
Yes. So you need to practice and study harder than others from now on. Then you will soon catch up with them. XqK\'8]\Mw  
Thank you, Alice. B#9T6|2  
I0]"o#LjT  
Lily is talking about her study with Li Ming in an international school. 4E.K6=k|=a  
Do you like this international school? Zfn390_  
Yes, I do like it. I can meet people from different countries. m1(cN%DBd  
It must be very exciting to study with students from abroad. A1nEp0%Y  
You said it. But sometimes there's also misunderstanding. /"%QIy'{  
It's understandable. After all, you speak different languages and have different habits. Do you have any problems living in China? (Jb[_d*  
Not really. I moved to China with my parents two years ago. I got to know the Chinese people. And I have many Chinese friends. They help me a lot. B)`^/^7  
 %Jc>joU  
(6Sf#M  
How to Deal with Study Problems 9QryW\6.@z  
Many students face a lot of problems of study. The problems may be like this: the teacher speaks too fast, or it is difficult for you to understand some of the new words. It is possible that you don't find the subject interesting. Or you may think all the other students are better than you. All these feelings are understandable.  >o"3:/3  
How to deal with these problems? Here are some suggestions to help you. WxFrqUz  
First of all, you need to read each lesson before class. Read something about what you are going to learn or do some exercises firstly. This will help you get an idea of the class and find something you don't understand. YOHYXhc{S  
Secondly, listen carefully when your teacher speaks. You needn't worry if you didn't catch everything. Take some notes. After class, copy out the notes clearly. It will help you understand the text better. KGI0|Z]n~  
Then, you may talk about the lesson with your friends both before the after class. Trying to do this will make it easier for you to learn by heart what the teachers have taught in class. ^"d!(npw  
Lastly, do the exercises with a plan. By doing exercises, you can go over your study and understand it better. ,lly=OhKb  
Following the above suggestions, you may have a clear idea of what you have learnt, and manage your study well. jW-j+WGSM  
ceu}Lp^%/  
Lucy and Her Study L('G1J}  
I began to learn English when I was a pupil. At the beginning, my English was very poor. My biggest problem was speaking. I felt nervous when I spoke. My classmates always laughed at me. By and by, I dared not speak before people.  }Rc8\,  
Then, my class was assigned to Miss Bennet. She was from Britain. I heard that she was very kind to her students. When I walked into her class, things began to change. One day, Miss Bennet gave us homework to read an article. The next morning, she asked me the first question. My answer was not an excellent one, but it proved that I had read the article. Later, when my classmate gave a wrong answer, Miss Bennet asked me to get it right. My correction showed me to be a smart person. Thus, my teacher helped me see myself differently and gain self-confidence. l&d 6G0  
From then on, I made more effort to learn English. Miss Bennet was always ready to help. With her help, my English has improved a lot. Finally, I took part in the Speaking Contest of our school, and won first prize.

Dave is waiting for the English exam. 1x3>XN]a  
Hey, Dave, what's up? r=4vN=:  
I'm waiting for my English exam. But... I don't know, I... u+Sj#iZ  
Oh, I see. You're too nervous. Come on, try this. Take a deep breath. 9l
R-  
Do you think that works? ^o-)y"GJ  
Sure. It works well. And maybe you come too early. You know, getting here too early will make you nervous. {9;x\($&a  
But I'll be more nervous if I'm late. Xwz'h;Ks_  
Well, if you arrive at class earlier, you can get seated and place everything you need on the desk. That's enough. iw=~j  
I'll try your way next time. Come to think of it, I feel better now. Thank you very much. A deep breath does work. Zk<Y+!  
EHF dQ0gIa  
Susan has just failed in the French exam +8Q5[lh2]j  
What's going on, Susan? You look very sad today. O3En+m~3n)  
You know... I did a very poor job on French. Prqr,  
You mean... you mean you failed the exam? X ApSKJ  
Yes... How can I tell my parents? They think I can do better than anybody. Oh... I really don't know what to say to them. 3( o~|%  
Cheer up. Don't worry. I heard that there would be a make-up exam at the end of the year. You can have another try.  PE&$2(  
Are you sure? #``Alh8  
Yes, my teacher told me. !JnxNIr&i|  
So that means I can try to make it up? /:+MUw7~  
That's true. So you need to go over your lessons before the exam. R&@N Fin  
Yes, I will try my best. z:W|GDD1  
Come to me if you have any problems. (yv)zg9  
Oh... thank you so much! You've been so kind. 7f]O /  
Xp?WoC N  
Susan is asking Mr. Zhang about the exam in China. 5$%CRm  
Mr. Zhang, could you please say something about how High Schools in China choose their students? :BVYS|
%  
It's done by an exam. Students have to take part in the exam held by the city. ,ek0)z.  
How often is it given? o) sX?IiC  
Once a year. @q<d^]po  
Can all the students go to High Schools? nV>=n,+s"  
No. Not all of them can enter High Schools. Some will go to vocational schools to learn a skill. @jT=SFf  
OK. I see. Then do colleges choose students in the same way? o!sHK9hvJ)  
Almost. But there is a difference. J 7]LMw7  
What is it? x>
[f+Tc  
To enter college, students have to take part in the National College Entrance Examination. It is also held once a year. But students all over the country will take the test in the same days. N7#,x9+E  
How about those who fail? :,pdR>q%(y  
Some of them will try the next year. oRQ(l I>
 
Thank you very much, Mr. Zhang. m?]= =9  
You're welcome. 8 _|"+Ze  
an,JV0  
Late for Exam n$E'+kox  
Victor studies in Grade Two at No. 1 Middle School. He usually gets up at 7 o'clock. He does his morning exercises for twenty minutes, takes a long shower, has a big breakfast, and leaves for school at 8 o'clock. He usually rides his bike to school and gets there at 8:30. i?IV"*Ob1N  
This morning, however, he got up at 6. He did his morning exercises for only five minutes. He took a very quick shower and had only a cup of coffee. He left at 7 o'clock. Py~N.@(:1u  
Why did Victor rush out of the house an hour earlier this morning? Because his bike had been stolen and he had to take the bus. He had to walk a mile from his house to the center of the town. He had waited fifteen minutes for the bus before it arrived. And after he got off the bus, he walked half a mile to his school. t[%ELHV  
However, Victor didn't get to school on time. By the time he went into the classroom, the exam had already begun, and some of the students had already finished their exams! He got there 50 minutes late. His teacher got angry and shouted at him. Poor Victor! He had really tried to get to school on time this morning. .y2np  
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Examination in Europe: Old and Modern }080=E  
D~r{(u~Ya  
In old times the most important examinations were spoken work, not written. In the school of ancient Greek and Rome, tests usually took the form of saying poetry aloud or giving speeches. \5R>+[n!  
In the European universities of the Middle Ages, some students would work for higher degrees. They could discuss questions about their field of study with people who had made a special study of that subject. This still can be found today as part of the tests and exams for the doctor's degree. O^<\]_l  
However, modern exams are written work. In the exam, all students are tested on the same questions. Students have the same exam, just timed by electric clocks and carefully watched over by the teachers. e<-^  
One kind of tests is about facts, not personal opinions. The teahcer writes a lot of questions in such exams. Each question has only one correct answer. However, with each question there are still three other statements that look like the right answer. If the students have mastered their knowledge, they are supposed to be able to tell the right answer.

Robert and Kitty are talking with each other in the morning. )*6]m1  
Kittly. How are you this morning? Y.FqWJP=p  
Not too bad, I guess. I haven't been feeling very well these days. sv}k_6XgY  
You're much thinner since last time I saw you. The business trip must have been hard. rZ[}vU/H`  
No, that was not the problem. bp"@vlv  
Well, haven't you been eating well? &USKudXmb  
Yes, I've been eating eating OK. jNjm}8`t  
What's the matter? Please tell me. V+04X
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I don't know. Maybe it's the job, the pressure. B+)HDIPa-  
Maybe you should take a few days leave. A holiday may help to take you away from these annoying things. MLVrL r t  
Thank you, Robert. I will do as you tell me to. Well, have a good day. E+'P|~>oX  
You too, Kitty. Take it easy! (t Y0/s  
_c:}i\8R  
Jones decided to give up smoking. He came to Lucy to tell her about it. Ep }{m<8c  
I have some good news! O:G5n 5J  
What is it? ?7?hDw_Nk  
I've decided to stop smoking. Wra$  
That's great! Who pushed you to think about stopping smoking? MTyBGrs(  
Nobody, but my body tells me. These days I am always coughing. So in order to keep healthy, I have to give it up. A.[~}ywH  
Do you really think you are able to do that? aFfd!a"n  
I think so. But it won't be easy, because I have been smoking since I was a soldier twelve years ago. De j_(Dz_S  
Have you ever tried to give it up before? <r`^iR)%  
Yes, many times. But every time I've stopped, I will start again after a few days. eG&3E`[  
I hope you'll make it this time. 
MjjN  
I hope so too. After all, I can't keep on smoking for the rest of my life! 4ju=5D];  
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There is something wrong with Carl. So he goes to the doctor's.  [v%j?  
What seems to be the problem? _{k-&I  
I haven't been myself for some time. I think I must have fallen ill. r9\7I7z  
Are you eating OK? 4lCEzWo[/  
I'm eating fine, more or less. Last night, I thought I was going to bring things up. z\F#td{r  
Do you sleep well? <meQ  
Sometimes I do, but sometimes I don't. This morning, I felt too sick to get out of bed. e]!`Cl-f80  
I think you may have caught the flu that's going around. And you do seem a little tired. I'll give you some medicine. Have a good rest and try to take it easy at work. ?D?ldg  
Thanks, doctor. _G62E$=  
&%= ]lP]  
How Much Water Is Needed per Day Yvn*
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Many people believe they should drink eight glasses of water a day. Why? Because that is what they have been told all their life. But a new report on science gives some different suggestions: people should drink according to their bodies; they should drink as much water as they feel like drinking. aS  $ J `  
The report says most people meet their daily needs for water by letting thirst be their guide. It also gives people some good suggestions: women should get about 2.7 liters of water every day, while men should get about 3.7 liters. ,qz:(Nr  
There is an important difference. The report does not tell people how many glasses of water to drink. Instead, the experts say it may not be possible to know how many glasses people really need. This is because the daily want of water can include the water in foods. .0a,%o8n  
People do not get water only by drinking eight glasses of water per day. People also drink fruit juices and milk. They drink coffee and tea. These all contain water. So no one seems sure why good health needs eight glasses of water a day. EvJ<X,Bo  
b;2[E/JKB  
Home Remedies for Common Illness c|2+J:}p  
When people have a cold, a fever, or the flu, they usually go to the doctor's for help. But many people also use home remedies for common illness. Here are some simple home remedies. Kt*kARN?  
Colds: lots of people eat hot chicken soup when they have a cold. They find that it can clear the head and the nose. Some people rub oil on their chest for a cold. Other people drink a mixture of red pepper, hot water, sugar, milk or vinegar. :|z.F+-/
 
Cough: drink warm liquids or take some honey. #*~3gMI{=  
Headaches: apply an ice pack or cold clother to your head, or splash your face with cold water. It's also a good idea to put your hands into hot water and leave them there for several minutes. Also, you shouldn't read or watch TV. tZz *O%  
Burns: put the burn under cold water or put a cold handkerchief on it. It's important not to put ice on the burn. V/@7XAt  
Insomnia: drink a large glass of warm milk. It's also a good idea to soak in a warm bath.

It's raining hard outside. OB>Pk_eQK  
Oh, dear! You are all wet. You should have taken your umbrella. +F ]X  
I left it home. What a downpour! `Q' 0
l},  
Take your coat off or you'll catch a cold. I think a cup of hot tea will do you good. #t>w)`bA
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That would be nice. Thank you, Annie. @M?;~M?B]J  
It's raining cats and dogs outside. Do you think it'll let up soon? 4S`2")V  
I don't think so. ))K3pKyb  
What does the weatherman say for tomorrow? 4ac2^`  
Good news. The weatherman says it will be cloudy and warm tomorrow. <=W;z=$!Bb  
Nv{r`J.  
Bob and Mary meet on their way to school. ' jf$3  
Oh. my god, the snow! I almost lose my way. Mm;kB/1  
So do I. I haven't seen such thick snow all my life! vSb$gl5H  
That's nothing compared to the snow in Moscow. /59jkcA+  
You said it. Have you heard the highways have already been closed? m-xSF]q=<  
They need to be closed. It is dangerous to drive in such heavy snow. zYvf}L&]h  
Right. I read a report one day that in Berlin, there was heavy snow, and people were even not allowed to go out. SzR7:U  
Really? That's interesting. OlL FuVR  
y'?ksow  
Ann and Bill are on the way to school. They are talking about weather. 5 ?~ ?8Hi  
What a terrible day! Isn't it? /o Q^j'v  
Yes, it is. It's not like what the radio says.  yr9%,wwN  
I think it'll clear up this afternoon. Don't you think so? ~Gx"gK0  
Yes, I agree with you. It should have some sunshine. The wind has been blowing all morning. How windy! Q
x}\[  
What will the weather be like tomorrow? Did you listen to the radio? uH!uSB2  
Yes, I did. The radio says it will be sunny tomorrow. .Zv@iL5  
Oh, that's nice! I wish it would stay this way at the weekend. K;^$n>Y  
As long as it doesn't rain! There was great amount of rain last month. Isn't it annoying? gVO<W.?  
I'm afraid you are not quite right. Rain is good for us sometimes! 9y"R,  
4iMo&E<  
YC+}H33  
A Weather Report lf3QMr+  
Take heart, New Yorkers! The rain is not here to stay. We can expect clear skies tomorrow and a warm and sunny weekend. Highs should be around 28c and lows near 22c. It would be a perfect day for a family to travel out. Make your weekend plan! pB*8D  
There's no change in the near future for the hot, wet weather in west coast. Nine days of the heat wave ended in another record temperature. The record of 33 degrees for July 17th in 1943 was broken by today's high of 34 degrees. Shops are unable to keep up with the need of people who come for fans and air conditioners. Don't worry, you could go to the seaside to cool yourself down. ' P5ttI#|  
The weather is so changeable in Alaska that it looks like the end of the sweet summer we've been enjoying. Low tonight 8 degrees, high Wednesday 14 degrees. rG)K? B~  
The weather office has given a notice today that the bad weather makes driving dangerous. A car accident has closed Road 2. If you must be on the road, you should be very careful. N. R,[K  
v0Ww~4|],  
The Greenhouse Effect ^'9:n\SKQ  
Have you ever seen a greenhouse? Most greenhouses look like small glass houses. Greenhouses are used to grow plants in the cold weather. Greenhouses work by getting heat from the sun. The glass panels of the greenhouse let in light but keep heat from escaping. This causes the greenhouse to heat up, much like the inside of a car parked in sunlight, and keeps the plants warm enough to live in cold weather. ,v(K|P@  
The Earth's atmosphere is all around us. It is the air that we breathe. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere behave much like the glass panels in a greenhouse. The greenhouse effect is the rise in temerature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane, for example) trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earth's average temerature would be about 60F. Because they warm our world, these gases are referred as greenhouse gases. 0$Rl78>(  
The greenhouse effect is important. Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would not be warm enough for humans to live on. But if the greenhouse effect becomes stronger, it could make the Earth warmer than in usual. Even a little extra warming may cause problems for humans, plants and animals.