I try to take part in as many sports as ...

    There's a lot for teenagers to do! Trying new thing is a great way to become more independent, explore your own interests and learn about other places and cultures. 1.

What about going to a festival? 2. Camp festival has The Den, an area for 13-17 year olds, with music, DJs, workshops and activities. - no adults allowed! The three-day Larmer Tree Festival has an excellent Youth Zone where you can chill out(放松). 3. I’d also recommend(推荐)the Citadel. That one is a one-day event, so it's an ideal first-time festival.

What could be better than hiking(远足)in the countryside and staying somewhere beautiful overnight? The Youth Hostels Association has over 200 places to stay in England and Wales, and many of them are close to national parks. The hostels are clean and warm, and they have everything you need. Last summer, I went youth hostelling for four days with a group of friends in the Peak District. 4. What we really liked was being able to cook all our own meals in the kitchen. A one-night stay costs less than ₤20, so it's a bargain.

5. You won't have to organise anything because there are adults to help. But don't worry, they won’t tell you what to do, and you’ll get a lot of freedom to do what you want. Some tours even include volunteer programmes, language programmes or specialities such as photography, so there's something for everyone. One thing's certain: you'll meet lots of other young people and have a great time.

A. Here are just a few ideas

B. We stayed each night at a different hostel.

C. You’ll need a separate ticket for each journey.

D. Camp Bestival and Larmer Tree are really teen-friendly.

E. It's a great way to see some of Europe's most amazing sights.

F. There are also over 50 bands to watch on three different stages.

G. If you love traveling, there are plenty of group tours for teens.

    Language and culture are connected to each other in so many ways: language names and explains important events and people. When the Fourth Earl of Sandwich (1718-1792) ordered a lunch (so that he didn’t have to leave the gaming tables) there was no word to refer to the bread-and-butter-encased food that has ever since borne his name. Another example is grog, a drink of rum(朗姆酒)mixed with water. The word was coined from the nickname(绰号)of Admiral Edward Vernon (1684-1757)—Old Grog. The nickname came from the cloak(披风)of “ grogram ” which he habitually wore, and it provided the word for watered-down rum which he gave to sailors. In Australia it has become the word for alcoholic(含酒精的)drink of any kind. Both sandwich and grog are known throughout the English-speaking world, and have been borrowed into other European languages—sandwich into French, and grog into German.

In Australia some rather more specialised foods go by the names of local heroes and heroines. The lamington owes its name to Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane-Baillie, Second Baron of Lamington, who was governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901. He was well-known for his concern for the treatment of local workers in northern Qucensland. Another sweet, Peach Melba, was invented in 1892 or 1893 by the French cook Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy Hotel, London, to respect the Australian singer Nellie Melba.

Some words have their origin in the sports world. The boxer Larry Foley (1849-1917) stopped boxing at the age of 30, having developed a training school for young boxers. His name is probably the one behind the expression “give someone Larry Dooley". Also a sporting hero was the footballer Roy Cazaly (1893-1963), who is the person in “ Up There Cazaly ” , used well beyond football as an expression of encouragement. He became a great footballer by taking amazingly high marks for the St Kilda and South Melbourne clubs.

1.What's the origin of the word"grog"?

A.It was first used by Vernon.

B.It was borrowed from German.

C.It dates back to the late 18th century.

D.It has some relationship with clothes.

2.Which of the following is related to an Australian singer?

A.Sandwich. B.Grog.

C.Lamington. D.Peach Melba.

3.What is the possible meaning of "give someone Larry Dooley"?

A.Give up somebody. B.Encourage somebody.

C.Give somebody a beating. D.Teach somebody to fight.

4.What similarity do the words and expressions mentioned in the text share?

A.They are difficult to understand. B.They come from people’s names.

C.They have been used for centuries. D.They are mainly used in Australia.

    They may be small, but they build big things! Coral(珊瑚虫), which live in the warm parts of the Earth's oceans, are probably the biggest builders on the planet. Coral polyps turn calcium(钙)from seawater into a kind of hard stone. Slowly, they build up a hard skeleton(外骨骼)around their bodies. When polyps die, their skeletons remain. Young polys attach themselves to the old skeletons and make new skeletons. Over time, various shapes are slowly built up into amazing coral reefs(珊瑚礁).

Scientists sometimes think of coral reefs as underwater cities. There are nearly a thousand coral species. Reefs are also home to millions of sea creatures, like fish, crabs, turtles, and sharks.

Humans don't live in coral reef cities, but we get a lot from them. Reefs create jobs for people in the fishing industry and other related businesses. They also supply us with food. Reefs protect our coasts-the coral slows waves down and protects beaches from wearing. Chemicals from reef creatures help scientists create new medicines, which help doctors treat different illnesses.

Coral reefs are very important, yet we don’t take good care of them. Environmental problems have already killed about twenty percent of the world’s reefs. About half of the remaining reefs are dying, and experts believe all of Earth's coral reefs will be in danger by 2050.

People catch too many reef fish and often damage the reefs. Polluted water also causes problems because reef-destroying algae(海藻)grow in dirty water. Even air pollution hurts coral reefs. Global warming causes warmer ocean water, which can cause polyps to lose helpful algae. Without the algae, coral turns white. If it continues, the coral dies.

Can we save coral reefs? Experts say yes-if we make hard choices. Many people around the world are working to protect reefs. Humans and coral polyps are very different, but we both build amazing cities. We will both win if people protect our beautiful oceans.

1.What can be learned about coral reefs?

A.They turn calcium into stones. B.They can be found in cold waters.

C.They provide food for coral polyps. D.They are formed by the growth of coral

2.How do coral reefs help humans?

A.By taking in pollution. B.By protecting beaches.

C.By improving the environment. D.By giving out important chemicals.

3.The helpful algae give coral its         .

A.hardness B.size C.color D.shape

4.What would be the best title for the text?

A.Cities in the sea B.Reefs in trouble

C.Why are reefs important? D.How can we protect coral reefs?

    Molly Burke was not born blind. She started losing her sight when she was four. Doctor said that she had a rare eye disease that would slowly take away her eyesight completely. In first grade, she learned to read Braille (the language used for the blind) although she could still see. Life was pretty normal for the next few years. However ,in seventh grade, things got worse. Black turned to grey. Yellow turned to white. Soon, Molly couldn’t see the blackboard.

As her eyesight weakened, Molly began using stick to help her walk. This embarrassed her friends, and people stopped inviting her to do things. Then the bullying (欺凌) began.

Molly once broke her ankle and had to use crutches (拐杖) to help her walk. A group of girls, who used to be her friends did something terrible. They were usually responsible for walking Molly to the classroom. Instead, they took the blind 14-year-old outside and down a hill. “I was alone,” remembers Molly. “ I couldn’t see. Nor could I walk.” Luckily, Molly had her cell phone and was able to call her mother for help.

After she finished high school, Molly thought about what she wanted to do before going to college. Her brother was working in a children’s home in Africa, and she wanted to do some things that would help others, too. Then, she found out about Me to We, an organization that has been helping people through volunteering and developing leadership skills. She joined the organization on a youth trip to Kenya to help build a school. While there, she spoke at a local girls’ school. Molly now knew what she wanted to do next — to be one of the speakers at Me to We.

Molly has been speaking to schools all over the USA and Canada about Bullying. Her advice? Be strong! During a speech in Toronto, she spoke to about 20,000 people. They stood up and applauded wildly after her speech. Her father said, “Molly has a real ability to inspire people and to help others who are going through something whether it’s a disability, or bullying, or a different set of challenges.”

1.Why did Molly learn Braille in first grade?

A.She was blind. B.She was interested in it.

C.She would be blind someday. D.She wanted to help her blind friends.

2.What happened to Molly when she was fourteen?

A.She began to lose her eyesight. B.She was left at the foot of a hill.

C.She was beaten by her classmates. D.She had her first cell phone.

3.What did Molly do before going to college?

A.She worked in children’s home. B.She founded Me to We.

C.She taught in Africa. D.She went to Kenya.

4.Molly is sharing her own experience to help other people _____________.

A.be leaders. B.be kind persons.

C.challenge themselves. D.overcome their problems.

Four interesting books about adventures for children

See You in the Cosmos

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng is about Alex and his crazy life. Alex goes to a rocket festival, finds out he has a stepsister, loses his dog, gets seriously injured, and travels around the country, while recording his adventures on his iPod to send to space. Maiah Weidemann, 11, said, “This is one of the best books I've ever read, and I seriously recommend（推荐）it.”

The Cricket in Times Square

The Cricket in Times Square is a 1960 children's book by George Selden and pictured by Garth Williams. It won the Newbery Honor in 1961. The story is about a cricket（蟋蟀）who got lost and ended up in Times Square, New York. He makes friends there that are kind and loving. The question is: Does he get back home?

A Year Without Autumn

A girl named Jenni and her family go on their yearly trip to Riverside Village. Jenni meets up with her best friend, Autumn, at Riverside Village. But when Jenni goes to visit Autumn's apartment and takes an unfamiliar lift, it transports Jenni one year into the future. She works to return to the present, Liz Kessler tells us a story about what true friendship is all about.

The Mysterious Benedict Society(series)

This exciting series by Trenton Lee Stewart is an adventurous story about a group of four kids who are on a mission（使命）to save the world. Each of them has been through lonely times, but they’re working together to save their lives. Nothing is safe, not even their homes. They have to leave their loved ones behind and go into dangerous places undercover. This is a time to remember, and it will change their lives forever.

1.Who is the main character in See You in the Cosmos?

A.Alex. B.Jack.

C.George. D.Maiah.

2.What is The Cricket in Times Square probably about?

A.War. B.Space.

C.Future. D.Friendship.

3.Which novel is set in dangerous environment?

A.The Mysterious Benedict Society. B.The Cricket in Times Square.

C.A Year Without Autumn. D.See You in the Cosmos.