The surprise party is very popular in America. Most Americans think it’s very _______ to have surprise parties for their friends or family members. It is very possible to plan a surprise party when someone’s ______ is coming. Do you want to know ______ a surprise birthday party is like?

It was a night at Bob’s home. His wife ______ him to go to the kitchen and bring a glass of milk. Bob walked ______ the kitchen and opened the door. Suddenly, he ______ a strange sound and then saw a “bear” standing in front of him. Bob was very ______ and wanted to run away. Just then the “bear” ______ his costurne (服装). It was Bob’s friend, Charles! There were also some people behind ______. All of them said “Surprise! Happy birthday!”.

In fact, there are many ______ of surprise parties in America. A successful surprise party always makes people surprised and excited. What do you think about it?

Are you thinking about what to do in your free time? Come and join us --- the Youth Club! Join in lessons and activities. It’s fun! For more information, call 8376911.

Many people go on winter vacations to get away from the cold weather or the city life. But how do you pick a winter vacation destination (目的地) for your family?

Budget: Know how much you have to spend and what you want to spend on your vacation. Then you can know how far you can travel and what kind of activities you can enjoy.

Family Likes & Dislikes: You don’t want to visit the sea if your family are afraid of water, so you need to know what their likes and dislikes are.

Activities: Know about activities around the vacation destination. For example, if you want to go swimming, can you? If you want to go to parks, are they open?

Accommodations (住宿): Hotels are expensive. Look for vacation home rentals (出租的房屋). You can get so much more that you would never get at a hotel, like pools and private (私人的) beaches. You can also cook by yourselves to save money from eating out.

Oh, at last, the weather is very important too.

In Canada and the United States, people enjoy entertaining (招待) at home. They often invite friends over for a meal, a party, or just for a coffee and conversation. Here are the kinds of things people say when they invite someone to their home:

“Would you like to come over for dinner Saturday night?”

“Hey, we’re having a party on Friday. Can you come?”

To reply to an invitation, either say thank you and accept, or say you’re sorry, and give an excuse: “Thanks, I’d love to. What time would you like me to come?” or “Oh, sorry, I’ve tickets for a movie.”

Sometimes, however, people use expressions (表达) that sound like invitations but which are not real invitations. For example: “Please come over for a drink sometime.” “Why not get together for a party sometime?” “Why don’t you come over and see us sometime soon?”

They are really just polite ways of ending a conversation. They are not real invitations because they don’t mention a specific (确定的) time or date. They just show that the person is trying to be friendly. To reply to expressions like these, people just say “Sure, that would be great!” or “Ok, yes, thanks.”

So next time when you hear what sounds like an invitation, listen carefully: Is it a real invitation or is the person just being friendly?

Students often want to practice their English outside class. One of the best ways to practice your English is to speak to a foreigner. This week’s question comes from a student who is eager (渴望) to start a conversation with the foreigners he sees every day. This student asks, “Is it okay to talk to foreigners I see in the street?”

The answer is yes and no, but probably no! If you see a foreigner who looks lost, it is polite to ask them, “May I help you?” But, otherwise (否则), you should probably let them get on with their business. Situations, however, do exist (存在) where it is quite all right to talk to foreigners. For example, if a foreigner enters your school, classroom, office, shop or restaurant, you can ask them:

－What is your name?

－Where do you come from?

－What do you think of Wudi?

－How long will you stay in Wudi?

There are also situations where it’s OK to talk to foreigners in public places. If you see a foreigner alone in a restaurant, bar or coffee shop, it may be appropriate (合适的) to ask him or her:

－Is this seat free?

－Do you mind if I talk to you in English?

You can probably help them if they are new to China and if they are alone, you may be able to make them feel more welcome.

After a few such questions, you should know whether this person wants to talk to you or not. If they ask you similar questions, or if they give long, informative answers, you’re in luck. If not, then give them their privacy (独处). Talking to strangers is fun if you choose the right time and place.

Do you know Wang Jianjiahe? She is really a star in    51    (swim). Though she is only 17 years old, she is already a member of the national swim team. She    52    (break) the Asian records in the 800m and 1500m freestyle in March, 2019. In the Second National Youth Games (第二届全国青年运动会) in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, she won gold medals in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyle and a bronze (铜牌) in the 200m.

“I am still young and the Youth Games is a good chance (机会) for me    53    (practice) and make myself better,” she said. This was her    54    (one) and also her last National Youth Games, so she really wanted to have great    55    (result) and wonderful memories, and so she did.

As a member of the national team, Wang was seen as a role model by most of her rivals (对手) here. “We are rivals, but outside the pool, we are all friends,” said Wang. “There is no big    56    (different) between me and other swimmers. I might be    57    (fast) now than them, but I believe these young rivals       58    (get) better soon.

For many players, the Youth Games was    59    (they) first big competition. Wang hopes she and other players    60    (learn) to enjoy such big events and do better in sports. And she thinks they can do it.

With a history of more than 1,800 years, dumplings are a classic Chinese food. They are also a traditional dish on Chinese New Year’s Eve (除夕). They are really popular in China, especially in the north of China.

Dumplings usually look like Chinese silver ingots (银元宝). Chinese people like to eat dumplings. There are some interesting ideas about them. For example, the more dumplings you eat during the New Year celebrations, the more money you can make in the new year.

Dumplings have different tastes because of their different fillings (馅). There are many different kinds of fillings. Some popular fillings are pork, shrimp, fish, chicken, beef, mutton and vegetables. Different people like to eat dumplings with different fillings. As for me, I like dumplings with mutton best.

Do you know how to make dumplings? Almost all Chinese people can make dumplings. They think it’s very easy to make dumplings. Here is a recipe for making dumplings.

First, mix the dough (面团).

Second, make the dough into round wrappers (面皮) with a rolling pin (擀面杖).

Third, fill the wrappers with fillings.

Fourth, pinch (捏) the wrappers together.

And finally, cook them in the hot water.

Yours,

       Wang Tao