1 . We are collecting more news for our school English newspaper. Would you like to be reporters for it? Welcome! Here are two pieces from the news page.

The best runner

We had a sports day at school yesterday. Last year’s best runner, Li Yu, only won the second prize in the 800-meter race. Instead, Yang Liu from Class Two came first by two seconds. Next year the race is going to be more interesting! Who will be the best runner? I wonder.

Good-bye, Mr. White!

Our English teacher, Mr. White, has finished his two years’ teaching at our school and will leave next month. Mr. White is an excellent teacher and he’s always friendly to us. We’ll never forget his lively and interesting teaching. We are lucky to be his students. We thank him for all his hard work and wish him a good journey home. We will miss you, Mr. White!

2 . I’m Li Lei. Today is my birthday. I want to thank my family for their love. So I want to cook a big dinner for them. I know my mother likes hamburgers and vegetables. But my father likes chicken and tomato soup. He always eats too much meat and it’s not good for his health. I have a brother. He always plays sports with me. He likes hamburgers, too. But he doesn’t like fruit. He likes vegetables like carrots. I also have a sister. She is a very good student. She often helps me with my math and English. She likes salad, fish and French fries. I like chicken and strawberries. I will buy these things for the birthday party. I think the party will be great.

It’s a sunny and warm Sunday morning. My parents, my sister and I are all at home. My parents don’t have to go to work, and my sister and I don’t have to go to school. We     1     all in the yard (院子). Look! My father is     2     his bike. He often goes to work by bike. The bike ride takes him about ten     3    . My mother is watering the flowers. The flowers make our yard very     4    . We all like the flowers. My sister is playing with a dog. It’s her pet dog. The dog is very smart. My mother often takes the dog out for a walk     5     dinner. What am I doing? I’m drawing. I like drawing very much. I want     6     join the art club at school.

It’s a nice day and we’re busy in the yard. We are very happy today!

Hi! I am Tim. What do you usually do on     1     (weekend)? I usually go to see my grandfather in London (伦敦) on weekends.

It is a long way from my home to London. Mick and Ted go with me. We are in the same class and we     2     (be) good friend. Do you know how we go to London? We ride our bikes there! We like riding a lot. We start at ten o’clock in the morning. We take a lot of food and drink with us—bread, milk,     3     (egg) and juice, because we have lunch on our way to London. At about three o’clock in the afternoon, we arrive in London. My grandfather     4     (live) in a big house near a park. He is very happy to see     5     (we), and then he     6     (take) us to the park and we take a walk there. We have a good time with my grandfather. The next day, on Sunday, we ride back home. We are tired but happy.

My hometown (家乡) is a small but beautiful town. I left my hometown ten years ago. Now, when I came back, I found that it changed (变化) a lot.

When I left, there were only a few small shops in my hometown. Now, there is a big supermarket in the south of the town. And there are different kinds of things in it. There was a great park there before, but people cut down all the trees. It is a pity (遗憾).

In the north of the town, there was a town library. It was old and small ten years ago but it is big and beautiful now. There is also a new post office just across from my old school.

In the center of the town, there are also more flowers and trees, and they are so beautiful. I like my hometown very much!

7 . Running is becoming popular these days. Many of us run for our health. Doctors say many of the health problems come from these bad habits: eating too much, drinking too much, smoking too much and not having enough exercise. Doctors tell us, “Eat less, don’t smoke, and exercise more.”

Running is a good exercise because it helps build a strong heart. It also helps most people lose weight. One 68-year-old woman runs three times a week. She runs to lose weight. “I love to eat,” she says.

Running is good for our health in other ways, too. Many runners makes colds and other small health problems go away. “Running is my doctor,” says one man.

Running can also help people to relax. So today men and women of all ages enjoy running.