In the past, Tom didn’t help out at home. His mom wasn’t very happy with him. Now, things are different and she is very happy. Tom is like any other teenager. He goes to school, does his homework, meets his friends and enjoys doing sports. But between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, Tom does something different. 1.他为全家人做饭：Mom, Dad, younger brother Joe and older sister Emma.
2. “I think it’s important for teenagers to learn to cook meals. Math and English are important, of course, but they need other skills to help them in today’s world. 3. First I taught Tom how to cook easy meals. Then he started using recipes (食谱) in my cookery books. Yesterday he made vegetable soup. It was very good!” said Tom’s mom.
“I love cooking and I think I’m really good at it. None of my friends cook meals. I don’t know why. 4.它不难，而且很有趣。” said Tom.
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I believe that children should do some chores at home. I disagree that children should only study hard and do well at school. Of course, 1.对孩子们来说努力学习是重要的。 However, I think it is unfair for parents to work hard outside and do all the housework. 2.Children should do some chores to help their parents. For example, 3.他们可以整理他们的床铺和打扫房间。 This can help children to understand responsibility (责任感).
What’s more, 4.doing chores can also help children to be independent and teach them how to look after themselves. 5.If children learn to depend on themselves, it will be better for their future.
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Dear Frank,
How are you these days! As a middle school student, I’m writing to tell you something about my school day. I have eight lessons a day and each lesson is 40 minutes. 1. On Tuesday, the first class is math and it begins at 8:00. Then at 8:50 I have history. In class, our teacher tells us many interesting stories. I’m very interested in what happened in the past. Then at 10:10, I have English. It is relaxing and we often sing English songs together. At 11:00, I have Chinese. 2. 我们的语文老师，王老师总是对我们很好。All the students in my class like him.
The lunchtime is from 12:00 to 1:30. The food in the dining hall is delicious. 3. Then, we have geography at 2:00 p.m. Geography is my favorite subject. 4. Most of my classmates say it’s boring, but it’s important for me. I can learn many things about the world, such as countries, cities, rivers and mountains. Then I have P.E. at 2:50 and computer at 3:40. At 4:30, our school has a new class for us this term. It teaches us first aid (急救) as a part of health education. 5. 对于我们而言学习急救是很有用的。
Are you busy this term? What’s your favorite subject? I’m looking forward to your reply.
Yours,
Linda
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Eric lives in a big city with his parents. But he doesn’t like the life there. (76).上周末，他去乡下看望了他的祖父母。It was a nice trip. (77).On the first day, he went fishing with his grandpa. It was so much fun. There was a river near his grandparents’ house. (78).The water in the river was very clean, and there were many fish in the river. On the second day, he fed chickens. It was interesting. (79).He liked watching chickens running around him. The weather there was great, and the air was so clean. He watched stars with his grandma at night. They were so beautiful. (80).他在大城市里很难看到这些星星的。Eric was lucky to have the trip.
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One day, my wife Kathy and I were at home.
1. I was working in my room while my wife was cooking in the kitchen. Suddenly, she asked me, “Christmas is coming. What present do you want?”
At that time, I worked hard during the daytime and took classes in the evening to finish my college degree(学位). 2. At weekends, I offered free help to the students and had to prepare for my driving test. All of these made me tired. So I shouted, “All I really want is a break, a break!”
Before Christmas Eve, I received a beautiful box with “Merry Christmas” on its cover from my wife. 3. 这个盒子特别重以至于我一只手都拿不了。When I opened it, an unusual gift appeared in front of my eyes. It was a brick (砖)!
“I really didn’t understand what you wanted it for. But you sounded so sure of it. So I went to look for one, from one store to another. I couldn’t find any, however. 4. 我朋友告诉我，我可以从砖厂订购一个。So here you’ve got it,” Kathy said.
After ten minutes of laughing, I hugged Kathy and said “thank you” to her. Then I laid the brick on my desk carefully. Now, every time I feel upset, I will pick it up and laugh for a while. Then I can carry on. That’s the best Christmas present I’ve ever received.
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Dear Jenny,
1. Thank you for your e-mail. I love P.E., too. 2. 我们在星期五有一场篮球比赛。When do you finish your school? 53. My school finishes at 4:00 P.M. So what do you usually do after school? 3. On Monday I have an art lesson for an hour after school. And on Tuesday I play basketball at school with my friends for an hour. On Wednesday I watch TV after school. There is a good basketball game on TV. On Thursday I always go shopping (去购物) with my parents. I like that very much. On Friday my good friend Anna comes to my home. 4. 我们在我房间里玩电脑游戏。
Write and tell me what you do after school.
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《The value of time》
I always think there is not enough time. For example, I have just taken a three-day holiday. But when I look back, I just feel that it’s only one day. There goes a proverb, 1.“时间就是金钱”. Now I want to say, time is more precious than money, because when money is spent, we can earn some more again.
However, when time is gone or lost, never will it return. 2.Time goes without being noticed. The time for our study and work is usually limited. 3.So I think we must make full use of our time. But it’s a pity that I am always not aware of the importance of time until it’s too late.
4.所以我们应该养成节约时间的好习惯, because wasting time is equal to wasting one’s life. 5.Do not put off what can be done today till tomorrow!
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Hi! I’m Mary. I’m a middle school student. 1. My family and I have healthy eating habits. In my family, we have three meals a day. 2 早上，我和我妈妈喜欢吃鸡蛋和面包。 Besides these, my father also likes a box of milk. He thinks it’s really nice. For lunch, we always eat hamburgers and vegetables. I like carrots very much. 3. 它们对我的健康有好处。 4. In the afternoon, my mother has some fruit like bananas, strawberries and pears. What do we have for dinner? 5. We only have some vegetable salad and chicken.
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My name is Tina. I’m a student. Today is Sunday. I don’t go to school. In the afternoon, I do some shopping with my mother. We go to a clothes store first. 1.我妈妈想买一件T恤衫。 She likes red, so she tries on a red one. It looks nice on her. 2.它多少钱? Oh, it’s sixty yuan. My mother takes it at last. 3. She also buys a skirt for me for fifty yuan. I like it very much. What does she buy for my father? Look! 4. A pair of trousers is in the bag. They are black. It’s my father’s favorite color.
Then we go to a big supermarket. 5. Many things in it are on sale. We buy some fruit and vegetables, and they are 15 yuan.
What a happy day!
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Mom,
I forget(忘记)to bring many things today. 1. Can you bring my things to my school? They are my math book, my notebook, my ruler, my red hat, my watch, my ID card. Now I tell you where they are. 2. 数学书在书柜里。The notebook is on the desk. 3. Under the notebook is my ruler. My red hat is on the chair. 4. 我想我的手表在床上。My ID card is on the bed, too. Can you bring them to school at nine o’clock? 5. Thank you for helping me!
Cindy
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