1 . My aunt got sick after her only son died. She was beginning to forget things. Simple tasks became a challenge for her.

    1     Then she went through chemotherapy (化疗) and radiation. Although she could still walk and talk, she forgot a lot of things that happened in the past and even conversations that had taken place a few days before.

My grandmother became my aunt’s caretaker. After school, I would go to my grandmother’s home until my mom got off work.     2     I started preparing meals and talking to my aunt to keep her company.

As my aunt’s symptoms developed, she could not stand for a long period, so we began assisting her as she walked.     3     This was the hardest part for me. But I did it to help my grandmother. After a while I began administering medicine and massaging (按摩) my aunt’s legs to help with the circulation.

    4     I didn’t think I had the courage to help someone who was sick or who could not look after himself. But after assisting my aunt I began to care more about the needs of others. Seeing someone so strong and passionate (热爱的) for life fall sick to the point where she needed assistance with things most people take for granted was a new understanding.     5     This experience not only changed my view on life, but also inspired me to consider becoming a physician’s assistant, or another career where I can help others.

2 . Teen Read Week is a week-long celebration for teens and reading. Teen Read Week is held during the third week of October each year. It aims at encouraging teens to read for pleasure. Reading for fun has many benefits.     1     More reading will improve test scores and broaden teens’ horizons. And it also helps with their future success.

    2     They will plan various activities in hopes of encouraging young adults to pick up a book. Activities can range from simple programs to events featuring special guests and some delicious food.

Some libraries host an open house for teens during Teen Read Week. During an open house, the young adult librarian may talk about his or her library’s services for teens, upcoming teen programs, and collections of books suitable for teens.     3    .

If the budget (预算) permits, some libraries may invite popular authors to their places. Authors who write books for teens can make a public appearance there.     4     If necessary, they can also answer questions from teens. In the end, the library can offer the authors’ books as a prize to some of the teens in the audience.

If you’re reluctant (勉强的) teenage readers, there are tips for you on how to follow Teen Read Week’s spirit — reading for fun.     5     An audiobook (有声读物) can be a good choice to start your interest in reading. You can listen on the way to school. If you like some movies about history, you can try reading related history books. You’ll probably enjoy the more detailed stories presented by the novels.

3 . The English language developed as a result of several invasions of Britain. The first involved three tribes called the Angles, the Jutes and the Saxons. A mix of their languages produced a language called Anglo-Saxon, or Old English. It sounded very much like German. Only a few words remained from the Celts who had lived in Britain.

    1     The Vikings of Denmark, Norway and Sweden arrived in Britain more than one thousand years ago. The next invasion took place in the year 1066. French forces from Normandy were led by a man known as William the Conqueror.     2     The words “parliament” “jury” “justice” and others that deal with law come from the Norman rulers.

The English language was violently influenced by an event that took place more than one thousand four hundred years ago. In the year 597, a Roman religion began its attempt to establish the religion of Britain.     3     Latin was not spoken as a language in any country at that time. But it was still used by some people. Latin made it possible for a church member from Rome to speak to a church member from Britain. Educated people from different countries could communicate using Latin.

    4     English began to grow more quickly when William Caxton returned to Britain in the year 1476. He had been in Holland and other areas of Europe where he had learned printing. He returned to Britain with the first printing press. The printing made it possible for almost anyone to buy a book.     5     Slowly, during the year 1500 English became the modern language we would recognize.

4 . The night the Titanic sank

From a high place on the ship, Fred Fleet, who worked on the Titanic, saw the iceberg just a few hundred metres a way. He rang the bell to warn the people to stop the ship.     1     Soon after that, one passenger, Major Peuchen, noticed that the ship wasn't straight in the water. But nobody listened to him.

    2     Another ship, the Californian, was about 30 kilometres north of the Titanic. When the Californian saw the iceberg, it stopped. It also sent a radio message to warn other ships in the area. At about 11:15 pm, the Californian's radio operator turned off the radio, and went to bed. The Titanic sent a message back, giving its position—wrongly!     3    

Soon after midnight, the crew of the Californian saw rockets going up into the sky from the Titanic. Their captain said, “Fireworks!     4     ”The radio wasn't turned on again, and the Californian didn't move. At 12:25 am on the Titanic, people began to get into the lifeboats.

At 2:20 am on April 15th the Titanic finally sank. Another ship, the Carpathia, heard the Titanic's last call for help.     5     At 4: 10 am, the Carpathia saw the Titanic's lifeboats floating on the dark water, and rescued the survivors. Later, the Californian turned the radio back on, and heard that the Titanic had sunk.

5 . The Story of Music

How did music begin? Did our early ancestors first start by beating things together to create rhythm, or using their voices to sing? What types of instruments did they use?     1     The answers show that the history of music is, in many ways, the history of humans.

So, what is music?

This is difficult to answer, as everyone has their own idea. “Sound that conveys emotion” is what Jeremy Montagu of the University of Oxford and author of the article describes.

    2    

If we take singing, then controlling pitch(音高) is important. Scientists have studied the skulls and jaws of early apes, to see if they were able to make a sound and control pitch. Another important component of music is rhythm. Our early ancestors may have created rhythmic music by clapping their hands.     3    

Many of these instruments are likely to have been made from soft materials like wood, and so haven't survived. What have survived are bone pipes. So, music is old, and may have been with us from when humans first evolved.

But why did it arise and why has it existed?

There are many possible functions of music. One is dancing. Another obvious reason for music is entertainment.     4    

However, the major reason why music arises and exists may be that it brings people together.     5     He concludes: “It has even been suggested that music, in causing such bonding, created not only the family but society itself, bringing individuals together who might otherwise have lived alone.”

6 . Nobel, who was born in Stockholm, is a great scientist famous for his dangerous experiments.

Nobel studied in the USA and then Russia between 1850 and 1859.     1     As is known, bomb is dangerous to life, but Nobel was working under that condition. Once a big explosion in his lab completely destroyed the lab and caused some deaths.     2     He received criticism and satire, but he proceeded with the work rather than losing heart. From 1860s to 1880s, Nobel made many achievements and his inventions were first used in building roads and digging tunnels. Most of the bombs were safer and more possible to be controlled. Even at the end of the 20th century, we still used his methods.

    3     He was quick to see industrial openings for his scientific inventions and built up over 80 companies in 20 different countries. Indeed his greatness lay in his outstanding ability to combine the qualities of an original scientist with those of a forward-looking industrialist.

    4     Seldom happy, he was always searching for a meaning to life, and from his youth, he had taken a serious interest in literature and philosophy. His greatest wish, however, was to see an end to wars, and thus peace between nations, and he spent much time and money working for this cause. To follow his will, a fund was set up to encourage people to make great progress in physics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, literature and peace.     5