【推荐1】We know animals have feelings. They can feel afraid. We also think they feel love, since they have strong relationships with each other. Then do animals have a sense of humor like us?

A parrot (鹦鹉) named Bongo Marie

Sally Blanchard’s parrot Bongo Marie didn’t get along with her other parrot, Paco. In fact, Bongo Marie clearly didn’t like Paco at all! One day, Sally cooked a chicken for dinner. “Oh, no! Paco!” Bongo Marie said loudly and excitedly. Sally said,“That’s not Paco.” “Oh... no,” said Bongo Marie. This time, she sounded disappointed. Then the parrot laughed loudly. She seemed happy with her own joke.

Yoga (瑜伽) dog

Jean Donaldson enjoys doing yoga and so does her dog Buffty. While Jean does yoga, Buffy carefully places her toys on Jean’s body. If a toy falls, Buffy runs to put it back. Why does she do this? “She may think it’s very funny!” says Jean.

Animal laughter

Can dogs “laugh”? A study shows that dogs can tell each other when they want to play. They make a special sound — a kind of“laugh”. A scientist recorded the sound and then played it for dogs. He found that all the dogs seemed to like it.

So do animals have a sense of humor? Perhaps the answer is“yes”!

【推荐2】There is a zoo named Zhongshan Zoo in our city. There are many animals. Some animals are very friendly. But some other animals are not. Tigers, lions and some snakes are dangerous. That’s why they must be in cages. But I don’t think it’s good for animals to be in cages. They need to be free. The animals in cages cannot be happy.

Tigers usually live in forests and mountains. They are strong and can run very fast. They run after small animals like rabbits and deer and eat them, but now they are in small cages. They have nothing to   do every day. So they walk around in the cages, and they want to come out. When they are tired, they sleep. I am kind of sorry for them.

【推荐3】Welcome to the Great Zoo. Do you like animals? Please come to the Great Zoo. There are many kinds of animals here. The elephants are from Africa, and they are big. The lions are from the USA, and they are smart. The koalas are from Australia and they are cute. The pandas are from China, and they are friendly.

【推荐1】The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms (节气). “Lichun”, Start of Spring, is the first solar term of the year. After that everything turns green and becomes full of energy; people can see clearly that the daytime is becoming longer and the weather is becoming warmer.

Here are some things you should know about Start of Spring.

As a solar term, Start of Spring had already entered people's lives in the Spring and Autumn Period. According to some experts, the 24 solar terms were used for the first time in books during the Western Han Dynasty, when the Start of Spring was set as the Spring Festival. In 1913, the first day of the first month of the lunar year was officially made as the Spring Festival and it went into effect the following year.

In many parts of China, people follow the custom of “biting the spring” on the day of Start of Spring. They eat spring pancakes, spring rolls, or a few mouthfuls of carrots to welcome the coming-new-spring.

Spring is the best season for kite-flying, a traditional folk activity, which has a history of more than 2,000 years. It can help build one's health and prevent illnesses.

Besides “biting the spring”, “beating the spring cattle” is also a folk tradition for farmers. People make the cattle with paper, earth or clay first. Then they are beaten by farmers with a colorful whip (鞭子), driving away winter laziness of the cattle and expecting for the good harvest.

In China, it is said that the egg can be set upright on the day of the Start of Spring. It is believed that if someone can make the egg stand on that day, he will have good luck in the future.

【推荐2】An American called Simon goes to London to see his friend, Rick. Rick tells him that his flat is on the first floor. When he gets there, Simon goes straight to the first floor of the building. But people there tells him that there is no Rick on that floor. Do you know why?

In fact, English people call the first floor of a building the ground floor. The floor above the ground floor is the first floor, but Americans call it the second floor.

The story shows that there are a few culture differences(不同点) between English and America, though(虽然) they both speak English.

English people usually hide(隐藏) their feelings. They seldom start a dialogue(对话) with strangers(陌生人). For example, on the train they often spend their time reading newspapers or books. But Americans are quite different. They’re more active(积极) and easier to talk with.

English people and Americans use different　　1　　for many things. English people usually use football, eraser and mail, but Americans use soccer, rubber and post.

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【推荐1】Many parents today worry about their children’s diets. Then what is a healthy diet for children? Miss Jones from Happy Children Hospital gives the following advice (建议):

◆ Children shouldn’t eat food with too much salt, because it can cause high blood pressure (高血压).

◆ Children should eat food with less fat, oil and sugar. They should not eat too much junk food.

◆ Fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins (维生素). Children need to eat fruit and vegetables often.

◆ Water is important to everyone. Children need to drink enough water every day.

◆ Children need to eat breakfast every day. It is good for their bodies and minds.