Of all our national holidays, I like Thanksgiving Day best. It’s not the turkey dinner that I love most, and it’s not the football. It’s the family and friends around our table. Maybe you guessed I would say that!

I’m not sure I could love this day more, but “Countdown to Thanksgiving” (pages 14-17) is full of ideas that I think might make our celebration even more special. I can’t wait to share the joke about vampires and try the Quirky Turkey game with my family.

Mostly, though, I’m just looking forward to gathering in the Thanksgiving spirit. I look forward to feeling happy and full—not just with delicious food, but also with gratitude. I like the feeling of thankfulness. It’s like a big, warm bear hug from a loved one. Having this holiday reminds me to appreciate the people in my life all year round.

What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving? What are you thankful for this year? I hope you’ll write and tell me.

From all of us at Highlights, happy Thanksgiving!

Your friend,

Christine

___①___ For more than 100 years, going to the cinema with friends and family to watch new films has been a tradition that lots of people have loved. It’s a great experience to sit in comfortable seats and eat a bucket of popcorn while watching the latest films on the big screen (屏幕). However, with the growth of Internet these years, some people find it’s easier to watch films at their own home. What do you think? ___②___

Yes—it’s an amazing experience. ___③___ Going to the cinema is a really fun activity to enjoy with friends and family. It’s a chance to leave the house, enjoy a film with other people, and even eat some delicious popcorn. It’s wonderful to watch films on a large screen and enjoy surround sound at the same time. It’s very easy to lose yourself in a film while at the cinema. Lots of films are specially made for the big screen and films are not so good when watched on a TV.

No—they are expensive. ___④___ It can cost a lot of money to go to the cinema, especially when the whole family is going together. People don’t just have to pay for the tickets but the snacks and drinks too. Most popular films usually stay in the cinemas for about four weeks, and sometimes it doesn’t take long before we can watch them online. There’s no need to see films at the cinema if we can watch them at home in a month or two. Watching films online is much easier too, because people can watch the film and stop it whenever they like.

Are you looking to buy a small, cute pet? If you’re thinking about getting a rabbit, make sure to think twice! Rabbits can be fun pets. However, there are important things that you should know if you want to keep one or more rabbits in your home. Don’t let their cute appearance fool you — rabbits are a lot of work!

The first thing to know is that rabbits are very social animals. That means they need as much friendship and attention as people do— maybe even more. For this reason, it’s a good idea to have two rabbits. If you don’t have the money to buy two rabbits, make sure you have enough free time to spend with the one you choose.

To keep healthy, rabbits also need a lot of physical activities. A pet rabbit needs at least four hours of daily exercise every day. Because of this, it’s best for you to have a large yard for them to run around in.

Rabbits like biting things because their teeth never stop growing. To keep their teeth from getting too large, rabbits have to use them on things. Be sure to cover any furniture or wires (家具或电线) that your rabbits can reach.

And lastly, rabbits get scared easily, so they do not get along well with very young children. They are better pets for older, more responsible kids. Though not for everyone, these cute animals are wonderful pets for patient and prepared people. So, think carefully before deciding to have one as a pet.

In 1987, Jennifer Jones became the first Black dancer to join the Rockettes, a famous dance company best known for its Radio City Christmas Spectacular. With her new picture book, on the line: My Story of Becoming the First African American Rockette, she hopes to inspire a new generation of dancers.

Jones is at the age of 56 this year. She grew up in Randolph, New Jersey. When her love for dance began in primary school, she did not see many performers who looked like her. An important moment in her life came when her parents took her to New York City to see the Broadway musical The Wiz. In the show, all the performers are black people. “My parents showed me that we can be Black and dance on such a stage,” Jones told the magazine.

Jones first tried out for the Rockettes in 1987 and became a member of it. She made her first appearance with the company in the 1988 Super Bowl halftime show. Jones said she was very happy to make history with the Rockettes—which had not had a dancer of color in its 62-year history—and to know she was helping to open doors for other Black performers.

In her new book, Jennifer Jones shares her journey into dance history. “What will my story be?” is the question she hopes readers will ask themselves after they read her book. “I want to inspire children to follow their dreams,” she said, “and really go after what they want in life.”

When they go home, Rat rows the boat. Mole watches Rat.

He says, “Rat! Please, I want to row, now!”

“No, no. It looks e    81    . But it’s difficult.”

Mole is silent for a minute. But then he suddenly t    82     the oars (桨) from Rat. Rat is very surprised. Then the b    83     turns over. Now Rat, Mole and the picnic b    84     are all in the water!

“Help! It’s cold!” cries Mole. Rat helps Mole to s    85    . Rat saves the boat and the picnic basket, too.

Mole is very wet. “I am r    86     sorry, Rat.”

“It’s OK, Mole!” Replies Rat. “Look, come and stay with me for the summer. I can t    87     you to row. And I can teach you to swim too.”

Mole is so happy that he doesn’t know w    88     to say. When they get home, Rat makes a fire. Then he tells Mole the stories about the r    89    . After dinner, Mole is tired. Mole’s little b    90     is next to the window. He lies in bed and listens to the river outside. He can hear the wind in the willows, too. Mole stays with Rat for the summer. He learns to row. And he learns to love water.