New York, London, Paris and other big cities are exciting places to live in. There are many interesting things to see and do. You can go to different kinds of museums, plays and movies. And it’s easy to get to these places by bus, taxi and subway. ①You can also buy things from all over the world.

But there are serious (严重的) problems in big cities too. It’s expensive to live there. A kilo of potatoes may cost 2—3 euros (about 20—30 RMB) in France. With that money, we can have a good meal in a nice restaurant in China. And there are many people in big cities, too. Every year many people move to the cities to find jobs, to study at good schools and get good medical care (医学救护). So you have to wait in line when you go to many places. Living in these big cities, sometimes you may find it difficult to get a job or find a good apartment to live in. Also it is hard to keep the cities safe and clean.

【推荐1】Roman numerals were invented over 2,500 years ago. They came from ancient Roman. The Romans were active in trade and business. They had a system of writing, but they needed a way to record numbers so they developed their own system of numbers. That was Roman numerals.

Around 500 AD, a new number system was born in India. It was later known as Arabic numbers because it was largely used by Arabian businessmen and people. Roman popes (教皇) stopped the use of Arabic numbers when the new system came to Europe. They said that Roman numerals were invented by God and were perfect to use. However, compared with Arabic numbers, Roman numerals didn't have a symbol for zero and were too complicated ( 复杂) to use. From the 14th century on, Roman numerals began to be taken place by the more convenient Arabic numbers.

Today, people still use Roman numerals, though not so often. You may find these numbers on some clocks or the front pages of books. You may also see them after the names of kings, queens or popes ( e. g. Elizabeth II ). Sometimes they are used on gravestones (墓碑) as well.

【推荐2】Once thirty thousand years ago, people from northern Asia went to America. Today, we call these people Indians.

The Indians went to America because the weather began to change. Northern Asia became very cold. Everything froze. They had to move or die. How did the first Indians go to America?   They walked!

Later Columbus found the New World in 1492. At first, only a few Europeans followed. They traveled to America in boats. For the next three hundred years, about 500, 000 people went there. Then the number grew very quickly. From 1815 to 1915, over thirty-two million Europeans left their countries and went to the United States. The biggest groups were from Germany and Italy. These Europeans spoke many different languages. Most of them took almost no money. They went to America so that they could find a better life.

Bullies are a big problem in schools. Every week, many children are afraid to go to school. They are afraid they will be picked on(找茬) by a bully. One study found that 52% of children reported being bullied at least once a week. Sixty percent say that they know someone who could harm them. One student was always being joked because he was short. He didn't like to go to school because he had to face the bullies.

Some children choose not to go to school at all so they can avoid the bullies. When they miss school, students fall behind their classmates. A new program is helping put an end to this problem. The program is teaching kids how to deal with bullies. This is helping more children feel safe in school.

One school principal is working to end this negative behavior. Last year, he decided to let students know bullying is not allowed there. Students are now encouraged to report bullies and stand up for themselves. Those found to be bullies face harsh penalties (严厉的处罚). Students at his school participate in a program called "Be Bold". In this program, students work together to prevent violence（暴力）. They do skits（小喜剧） and go into classrooms to talk about the problem. They give other students strategies (策略) on how to deal with bullies.

The principal says that the school has changed since he has addressed（重点指出） the bullying problem. But there are other steps parents can take to help their children with this problem. First, students and their parents should know the school's rules about bullying and what they should do if it happens. Second, children should be taught to stand up for themselves. They should try to resolve issues by talking them out. If the problem continues, parents and children should record each incident. Children should tell someone if they are being joked. Many children keep bullying a secret. Third,   Parents should look for warning signs of bullying. These can include cuts and bruises (瘀伤), worrying, wanting to stay home from school, or a sudden drop in grades.

Mr and Mrs Smith come from New York. New York is a big city in America. They have two children: a son and a daughter,and their names are James and Susan. They are students and they are studying Chinese in Beijing. Now Mr Smith works in Beijing with his wife. They teach English in a middle school. They can speak some Chinese and make some friends here.

Mr Smith likes swimming and reading at weekends. Mrs Smith likes swimming and reading too.

James and Susan like playing games and swimming with their Chinese friends.

John Smith is James’s uncle. He is forty years old and works on a farm near New York. He likes swimming, too. He wants to work in Beijing. But he can’t speak Chinese well. So he is still there and goes to Chinese classes every week.