Oxfam International, usually known as Oxfam, is one of the biggest charities. Oxfam’s ideas are simple: everybody in the world must have the right to live, f    1     to keep them healthy, clean water to drink and medical care. All these ideas are connected.

Oxfam began its work d    2     World War Ⅱ. At that time the Greeks didn’t have enough to eat because of the war. People in Oxford d    3     to give money and food to people in Greece. So the name Oxfam comes from two w    4    —Oxford and Famine (饥荒).

After the war Oxfam joined other organizations to form Oxfam International. Nowadays this charity helps people in over ninety c    5     in Africa, South America and Asia.

Oxfam works in two ways. Firstly, it o    6     help in emergencies (紧急事件). In 2010 there was a big earthquake in Haiti. Over 200,000 people died and many more l    7     their homes. Doctors and volunteers provided medical help and gave out food and brought clean water to the villages. The s    8     way Oxfam works is to help people prevent future disasters. Oxfam has started a project called GROW, which helps farmers produce more and better food.

But how does Oxfam pay for it all? In order to raise money, this charity has run charity shops, where you can buy things that people d    9    , like clothes, toys and food. Another way to get money is with “ambassadors”, famous people who do voluntary work for charities and collect money. Ambassadors have different skills b    10     the message they send is the same—we should do what we can to help people in need!

On 18 May, International Museum Day is celebrated around the world. It’s an event that aims to make people think about what museums o    1     and why they are exciting places to visit.

A museum is a place where objects from far away or long ago are d    2     for the public to enjoy. There are hundreds of museums around the UK. What can you e    3     to see in a typical museum? Things can include animal skeletons from around the world, dinosaur remains, ancient tools, important paintings and items belonging to kings and queens. Museums have all kinds of things that will amaze and c    4     your attention. For example, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History has bones and skin of the extinct dodo bird. There are no o    5     dodo remains like this in the world.

As well as things to see, there are fun attractions to e    6    . London’s Natural History Museum has an earthquake simulator and at the National Space Centre, you can ride in a lift alongside a space rocket.

“I have been to lots of museums. I enjoy visiting museums because you go back in time and imagine w    7     life was like back then. I really like museums that let you play and interact with some of the artifacts.”

So how to visit the museums? Start with a l    8     museum. With the help of an adult, search online for a place that’s near you and see what attractions it has and when it’s o    9    . Check if you need to pay to visit and whether you must book before going. Museums can get very b    10     at weekends and during school holidays.

Community connects us with each other. A community is a p    1     where people live, work and play together. It’s just like a school, where s    2     help each other to learn. People in a community h    3     one another, too.

People in a community have different skills. They often help neighbors s    4     all kinds of problems. For example, sometimes people do not feel well. The d    5     and nurses will make them feel better. There are also some engineers. They may help people f    6     their broken bicycles or washing machines. When people don’t know what to wear to a party or how to design their homes, the artists will give them some a    7    .

Some college students work as volunteers in their s    8     time. They often do some cleaning for the old people and help students with their h    9    .

Community is not a building or an organization. It is like a big f    10    . Members of a community have a sense of trust, safety and caring for each other.

Chinese chopsticks, an ancient and unique tableware (餐具), carry important cultural meanings. They began in China over three thousand years ago. Chopsticks are usually made from bamboo, w    1    , metal or plastic, with sharp ends for picking up food.

In Chinese eating, there are important r    2     for using chopsticks. People believe that it’s not good to stick them into food b    3     it is unlucky. Also, p    4     at people with chopsticks or waving them in the air is impolite. Furthermore, using chopsticks as drumsticks is not allowed, which is a    5     good manners.

Chopsticks have s    6     worldwide, being used in many Asian countries. What’s really interesting to see is that more and more Western people are w    7     to experience using chopsticks for dining. There’s no doubt that eating with chopsticks is becoming more popular.

Nowadays, chopsticks come in different styles, from traditional bamboo to m    8     eco-friendly materials. It shows how people care about the environment and stay healthy. What’s more, chopsticks play a big role in Chinese cooking culture. They have become a b    9     between the East and the West in cultural exchange. They represent how Chinese like to eat together nicely and p    10    , as well as Chinese dining customs.

Generally speaking, chopsticks have completely become a symbol of Chinese food culture. They also show the wisdom of Chinese people.

Li Huaiyuan, a primary school student from Hunan Province, takes his favourite Changsha dialect (方言) course every Friday afternoon. Li’s parents are from different places in Hunan Province and speak different dialects, so the f    1     communicate mainly in Mandarin (普通话). “I take the course because I want to learn different dialects. I’m glad that I have a c    2     to learn Changsha dialect at school,” the boy said.

According to Li Xiaoling, headmaster of the school, it’s helpful to promote (推行) Mandarin, but it’s also important to p    3     dialects. She started the dialect course for students last September, and lots of professors from universities have agreed to t    4    . Except for listening and speaking, students also learn idioms (习语) and the c    5     behind the dialect.

Zhou Sheng, a teacher of the course, said he spent more than ten years working in other cities. When he r    6     to Changsha, the dialect sounded strange to him as it was heavily influenced by Mandarin. “Many people are w    7     about the disappearance of the dialect as it is becoming less used in their daily lives,” Zhou said.

The course has also won s    8     from local people. They say such courses should be offered to students at d    9     levels of education.

“We do not expect all children to learn perfect Changsha dialect, but they should understand the i    10     of dialects. One day they may work for the research and protection of dialects as they grow older,” said Zhou.