必修1Module1MyFirstDayatSeniorHighMynameisLiKang.IliveinShijiazhuang,acitynotfarfromBeijing.ItisthecapitalcityofHebeiProvince.TodayismyfirstdayatSeniorHighschoolandImwritingdownmythoughtsaboutit.MynewschoolisverygoodandIcanseewhy.Theteachersareveryenthusiasticandfriendlyandtheclassroomsareamazing.Everyroomhasacomputerwithaspecialscreen,almostasbigasacinemascreen.Theteacherswriteonthecomputer,andtheirwordsappearonthescreenbehindthem.Thescreensalsoshowphotographs,textandinformationfromwebsites.Theyrebrilliant!TheEnglishclassisreallyinteresting.TheteacherisaveryenthusiasticwomancalledMsShen.WereusinganewtextbookandMsShensmethodofteachingisnothinglikethatoftheteachersatmyJuniorHighschool.Shethinksthatreadingcomprehensionisimportant,butwespeakalotinclass,too.Andwehavefun.IdontthinkIwillbeboredinMsShensclass!Todayweintroducedourselvestoeachother.Wedidthisingroups.Somestudentswereembarrassedatfirstbuteveryonewasveryfriendlyanditwasreallynice.MsShengaveusinstructionsandthenweworkedbyourselves.MsShenwantstohelpusimproveourspellingandhandwriting.Wedothisinafunway,withspellinggamesandotheractivities.Ilikeherattitudeverymuch,andthebehavioroftheotherstudentsshowsthattheylikeher,too.Therearesixty-fivestudentsinmyclassmorethanmypreviousclassinJuniorHigh.Forty-nineofthemaregirls.Inotherwords,therearethreetimesasmanygirlsasboys.Theysaythatgirlsareusuallymorehard-workingthanboys,butinthisclass,everyoneishard-working.Forourhomeworktonight,wehavetowriteadescriptionofthestreetwherewelive.Imlookingforwardtodoingit!ALetterfromaSeniorHighStudentDearLiKang,Howsitgoing?IthoughtIdwritetotellyouabouttheAmericanschoolsystem.SecondaryschoolintheUSusuallycoverssevenyears,gradessixtotwelve.Ninthtotwelfthgradesarehighschool.Attheendoftwelfthgrade,Americanstudentsreceivethehighschooldiploma.Studentsneedahighschooldiplomaiftheywanttogotocollege.Theschoolyearisdividedintotwosemesters,thefirstofwhichisSeptemberthroughDecember,andthesecondJanuarythroughMay.WehaveaLONGsummervacation!Westartschoolat7:50amandwefinishat3pm.Itakepartinallkindsofafter-schoolactivitiesIplayfootball,basketball,volleyball,tabletennisandIgototheaterclub.WillyoutellmesomethingaboutyoursummervacationandtheChineseschoolsysteminyournextletter?Bestwishes,RobMarshallModule2MyNewTeachersTheysaythatfirstimpressionsareveryimportant.MyfirstimpressionofMrs.Liwasthatshewasnervousandshy.Ithinkperhapsshewas,asitwasherfirstlessonwithus.Butnow,aftertwoweeks,theclassreallylikesworkingwithher.Sheskindandpatient,andsheexplainsEnglishgrammarsoclearlythatevenIcanunderstandit!Sheavoidsmakingyoufellstupid!IvealwayshatedmakingmistakesorpronouncingawordincorrectlywhenIspeakEnglish,butMrs.Lijustsmiles,sothatyoudontfeelcompletelystupid!Ithinkmaybeshegoesabittooslowlyforthefasterstudents,butformeitswonderful!IfeelImgoingtomakeprogresswithher.IdguessthatMrs.Chenisalmostsixty.Shesverystrictwedontdaretosayawordunlesssheasksusto.Shesalsoveryseriousanddoesntsmilemuch.whensheasksyoutodosomething,youdoitimmediately!ThereareafewstudentsinourclasswhokeepcomingtoclasslatebuttheyrealwaysontimeforMrs.Chenslessons!Someofourclassdontlikeher,butmostofusreallyappreciateherbecauseherteachingissowellorganizedandclear.Andafewstudentsevenadmitlikingher!Duringscientificexperiments,sheexplainsexactlywhatishappeningandasaresultmyworkisimproving.Physicswillneverbemyfavouritelesson,butIthinkthatIlldowellintheexamwithMrs.Chenteachingme.Mr.Wusonlybeenteachingusfortwoweeksandhesalreadyverypopular.IthinkthisisbecausehereallyenjoysteachingChineseliteraturehelovesit,infact!Hesgotsomuchenergy,thisisoneclassyoudonotfallasleepin!Hesabout28,Ithink,andisrathergood-looking.Hetalksloudlyandfast,andwaveshishandsaboutalotwhenhegetsexcited.Hesreallyamusingandtellsjokeswhenhethinksweregettingbored.EventhingslikecompositionsandsummariesarefunwithMr.Wu.Irespecthimalot.DifferentCountries,DifferentSchoolsItisinterestingtolookatdifferencesbetweenschoolsindifferentcountries.InmanyEuropeancountries,forexample,therelationshipbetweenteachersandstudentsisquiteformal.ThisistrueofFrance,Germany,andSpain,wheredisciplineandrespectfortheteacherisconsideredveryimportant.ThesameistrueofRussia.InnorthernEuropeancountries,however,therelationshipbetweenteachersandstudentsismuchfriendlierandmorerelaxed.InAmerica,studentsandteachersarequiterelaxedwitheachother.InBritain,relationshipsarequiterelaxed,butteacherscanhavebigproblemswithdiscipline.Anotherimportantdifferenceiswhetherschoolsarestateschoolsorprivateschools.Stateschoolsarepaidforbythegovernment,butinprivateschools,theparentspayfortheeducationoftheirchildren.GermanyandFrancehavebothstateandprivateschools,butmoststudentsgotostateschools,whichareverygood.Similarly,Americahasbothstateandprivateschools.MostAmericanchildrengotostateschools,buttheprivateschoolscanbeverygood.Britainhasbothstateandprivateschools.InRussia,childrengotostateschools.Module3MyFirstRideonaTrainMynameisAliceThompson.IcomefromSydney,AustraliaandIm18yearsold.RecentlyIhadmyfirstrideonalong-distancetrain.Andwhataride!AfriendandItraveledonthefamousGhantrain.WegotoninSydneyandwegotoffinAliceSprings,rightinthemiddleofAustralia,morethanfourthousandkilometersaway.Wespenttwodaysandnightsonthetrain.Thetrainwaswonderfulandthefoodwasgreat.Weategreatmealscookedbyexperts!Forthefirstfewhundredkilometersofthejourney,thescenerywasverycolorful.Therewerefieldsandthesoilwasdarkred.Afterthat,itwasdesert.Thesunshone,therewasnowindandtherewerenocloudsinthesky.Suddenly,itlookedlikeaplacefromanothertime.Wesawabandonedfarmswhichwerebuiltmorethanahundredyearsago.Thetrainwascomfortableandthepeoplewerenice.Duringtheday,Isatandlookedoutofthewindow,andsometimestalkedtootherpassengers.IreadbooksandlistenedtomyChinesecassettes(ImstudyingChineseatschool).Onenight,ataboutmidnight,Iwatchedthenightskyforaboutanhour.Thestarsshonelikediamonds.WhyisthetraincalledtheGhan?Alongtimeago,Australiansneededawaytotraveltothemiddleofthecountry.Theytriedridinghorses,butthehorsesdidntlikethehotweatherandsand.Ahundredandfiftyyearsago,theybroughtsomecamelsfromAfghanistan.GhanisshortforAfghanistan.Camelsweremuchbetterthanhorsesfortravelingalongdistance.Formanyyears,trainedcamelscarriedfoodandothersupplies,andreturnedwithwoolandotherproducts.TheAfghansandtheircamelsdidthisuntilthe1920s.Thenthegovernmentbuiltanewrailwayline,sotheydidntneedthecamelsanymore.In1925,theypassedalawwhichallowedpeopletoshoottheanimalsiftheywereaproblem.In1935,thepoliceinatownshot153camelsinoneday.TheMaglevtheFastestTrainintheWorldThefastesttrainintheworld,theTransrapidMaglev,runsbetweenShanghaisPudongAirportandLongyangstationindowntownShanghai.Travelingataspeedofover400kilometersperhour,thetraincancompletethe30-kilometerjourneyineightminutes.Maglevmeans“magneticallylevitated”.TheTransrapidMaglevistheworldsfirsthigh-speedtrainusingmagneticlevitationtechnology.Magneticallylevitatedtrainstravelinavacuumbetweentwomagnets.Therearenorailsandnonoise.Theytravelveryfastandtheyuselessenergy.OnDecember31,2002,PremierZhuRongjiandtheGermanchancellorattendedtheopeningceremonyofthetrainservice.BothleaderstookthetraintoPudongAirport.OnNovember12,2003,theMaglevreachedaspeedof501kilometersperhouronthetrackbetweenLongyangStationandPudong,anewworldrecordspeedforatrain.Module4ASocialSurveyMyNeighourhoodALivelyCityXL:Itsgreattoseeyouagain,John.JM:Itsgreattoseeyou!Itsbeensixyearssincewelastsaweachother,youknow.AndthisisthefirsttimeIvevisitedyourhometown.XL:Yes,Imsogladyoucouldcome.JM:Youknow,IveseenquitealotofChinaandIvevisitedsomebeautifulcities,butthisisoneofthemostattractiveplacesIvebeento.Itssolively,andeveryoneseemssofriendly.XL:Yes,itsoneofthemostinterestingcitiesonthecoast,everyonesaysso.Ifeelveryfortunatelivinghere.AndIlovelivingbytheseaside.JM:youliveinthenorthwestofXiamen,isthatright?XL:Yes,thatsright.JM:Whatstheclimatelike?XL:Prettyhotandwetinthesummer,butitcanbequitecoldinthewinter.JM:SoundsOKtome.Therearealotoftouristsaround.Donttheybotheryou?XL:Yes,theycanbeanuisanceinthesummerbecausetherearesomanyofthem.JM:Oh,lookatthathugeapartmentblock!XL:Yes,theyvejustcompletedit.Therentforanapartmentthereisveryhigh.JM:Ibelieveyou!Thisareassomodern!XL:Yes,thisisthebusinessdistrict.Theyveputupalotofhigh-risebuildingsrecently.Andtherearesomegreatshoppingmalls.See,werejustpassingonenow.mywifesjustboughtabeautifuldressfromoneoftheshopsthere.JM:MaybeIcouldbuyafewpresentsthere.XL:Illtakeyoutheretomorrow.Nowwereleavingthebusinessdistrictandapproachingtheharbour.Wereenteringthewesterndistrict,themostinterestingpartofthecity.ItsgotsomereallyprettyparksJM:Itseemslovely.IsthatGulangyuIsland,justacrossthewater?XL:Yes,itis.Itsagorgeousislandwithsomereallyinterestingarchitecture.JM:Sotheytellme.Doyouthinkwecouldstopandwalkaroundforawhile?XL:Yes,Iwasjustgoingtodothat.Wecanparkoverthere.Afriendstoldmeaboutanicelittlefishrestaurantnearhere.Shallwegothereforlunch?JM:Thatsoundsgreat.Imstarving!CulturalcornerInsomecountriesinwesternEurope,suchasFrance,SpainandBritain,thecountrysideischanging.Lifehasbecomedifficultformanyvillages,andsomearedisappearing.Thereareanumberofreasonsforthis.Firstly,youngpeoplefromvillagesusuallywanttolivesomewherelivelierandtheyoftenmovetothetownsanddonotreturn.Secondly,peoplemovetothecitiestofindwork,asthereareoftenveryfewjobsinthecountryside.Sometimesvillagesremainbecausepeoplefromthecitieshaveboughta“secondhome”inthevillage,wheretheycomeandstayatweekends.Thepriceofhomesgoesupandpeoplefromtheareacannotaffordtobuyahousethere.Anotherproblemisthatitisbecomingmoreandmoredifficultforfarmerstomakemoneyfromtheir farms.Sotheyselltheirlandandfindanotherjob.AllthesethingsmeanthatmanyvillagesinWesternEuropearefightingtosurvive.Wecanonlyhopethattheywillremain.Thecountrysidewouldbeasadderanduglierplacewithoutthem.Module5ALessoninaLabPassageAItishardtothinkofaworldwithoutmetals.Differentmetalshavedifferentuses,forexample,steelisusedincars,andironisusedinelectricalequipment.Whenweusemetals,itisimportanttoknowhowtheyreactwithdifferentsubstances,forexample,waterandoxygen.Thereactionofmetalswiththesesubstancescanbeputinorder.Hereisatablewiththemetalsthatreactmostatthetop,andthemetalsthatreactleastatthebottom.PassageBASimpleScientificExperimentBelowisadescriptionofasimplescientificexperiment.Itshowsushowironreactswithairandwithwater.Aim:Tofindoutifironrusts(a)indryair;(b)inwaterthathasnoairinit(air-freewater);(c)inordinarywater.Apparatus:3cleanironnails;resttubes;testtubeholder;cottonwool;oil;Bunsenburner.IronindryairMethodPutsomeironnailsatthebottomofatesttube.Pushsomecottonwooldownthetube.Leavethetubeforoneweek.ResultAfteroneweek,thenailshavenotrusted.ConclusionIrondoesnotrustindryair.Ironinair-freewaterMethodHalf-fillatesttubewithwater.Boilthewaterforthreeminutes.(thismakessurethereisnoairinthewater.)Puttwoorthreecleannailsinthewater.Addsomeoiltothewater.Thiswillkeepairoutofthewater.Leavethetubeforoneweek.ResultThenailsdonotrustinthetubewithair-freewater.ConclusionIrondoesnotrustinair-freewater.IroninordinarywaterMethodHalf-fillatesttubewithwaterandaddtwoorthreecleannails.Leavethetubeforoneweek.ResultThenailsrustinthetubewithordinarywater.ConclusionIronrustsinordinarywater.CulturalCornerMyfeelingsaboutsciencehavereallychanged.Ineverusedtoenjoyscience,butlastyearIchangedschools,andthescienceteachersatmynewschoolareexcellent.Thesciencefacilitiesareverygood,withlaboratoriesthathaveallthelatestequipment.Ourchemistryteacher,MrLongford,takesustopublicsciencelecturesaboutfourtimesaterm,andthesearealwaysveryinteresting,asthelecturersarepeoplewhohavemaderealdiscoveriesintheirareaofscience.Thefactis,Canadahasmanyfirst-classscientists.Inthelasttwentyyears,sevenCanadianscientistshavewontheNobelPrize!TheNobelPrizeisthehighestscientificprizethereis,soweshouldbeveryproudofthat,Imbecomingmoreandmoreinterestedinphysics,andhavedecidedthatIwanttostudyitatuniversity.ImgoingtotrytogotoeitherMontrealorOttawaUniversity,asbotharesupposedtohavegoodPhysicsDepartments.Myparentsareastonished.TheyalwaysthoughtIwouldbecomeanEnglishteacher!Module6TheinternetandTelecommunicationsPassageTheinternetisthebiggestsourceofinformationintheworld,anditsaccessiblethroughacomputer.Itconsistsofmillionsofpagesofdata.In1969,DARPA,aUSdefenceorganization,developedawayforalltheircomputersto“talk”toeachotherthroughthetelephone.TheycreatedanetworkofcomputerscalledDARPANET.Forfifteenyears,onlytheUSarmycouldusethissystemofcommunication.Thenin1984,theUSNationalScienceFoundation(NSF)startedtheNSFNETnetwork.Itthenbecamepossibleforuniversitiestousethesystemaswell.NSFNETbecameknownastheInter-Network,or“Internet”.TheWorldWideWeb(theweb)isacomputernetworkthatallowscomputeruserstoaccessinformationfrommillionsofwebsitesviatheInternet.Atthemoment,about80percentofwebtrafficisinEnglish,butthispercentageisgoingdown.By2020,muchwebtrafficcouldbeinChinese. TheWorldWideWebwasinventedin1991byanEnglishscientist,TimBerners-Lee.Berners-Leebuilthisfirstcomputerwhilehewasatuniversityusinganoldtelevision!HecameupwiththeideaoftheWorldWideWebin1989whilehewasworkinginSwitzerland.Berners-LeemadeitpossibleforeveryonetousetheInternet,notjustuniversitiesandthearmy.Hedesignedthefirst“webbrowser”,whichallowedcomputeruserstoaccessdocumentsfromothercomputers.Fromthatmomenton,thewebandtheInternetgrew.Withinfiveyears,thenumberofInternetusersrosefrom600,000to40million.TheInternethascreatedthousandsofmillionaires,butBerners-Leeisnotoneofthem.EveryoneintheworldcanaccesstheInternetusinghisWorldWideWebsystem.HenowworksasalectureratMassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyinBoston.PassageBTalkingonamobilephoneisexpensive,soalotofpeoplesendtextmessages.Textmessagesaremuchcheaperthantalkingonamobilephone,andyoucanmakeitevencheaperbyshorteningthewordsthatyouuse.Youcandothisbytakingout“unimportant”lettersinthewords(usuallyvowels)andusingnumbersinsteadofwords(2=to,3=free,4=for,8=ate,soh8=hate,etc.).Youcanalsoavoidusingpunctuationlikeinvertedcommas.Hereisanexample:Imhmnw,whyntgvmeacll?(Imhomenow,whynotgivemeacall?)Whatdoyouthinkthesetextmessagesmean?WhrhvUbn?IvbnwtnghrsfracllDoUwnt2g2thecnmatnite?Igtatxtmssgefrmmyfrnd.Sheshvngaprtyonstrdy.DoUwnt2cm?Mobilephoneusershavedevelopedaseriesofsymbolstoshowhowtheyfeel.Theyarecalledemoticons,nadtherearesomeexamplesbelow.Toreadanemoticon,youhavetolookatitsideways.Forexample,ifyousaysomethinginatextmessagewhichisajoke,youcanfollowitwithasmilingface.Likethis:Whydidtucallme?Imsosad.:)Herearesomeothers.Canyouthinkoftextmessageswhereyoucouldusethem?