1． The first astronauts
Since the earliest times, people have looked up at the stars, the moon and the planets. Today people use modern machines (1)       at the sky. This is very different from the situation (2)       years ago when people could only use their eyes. Perhaps they dreamed of (3)       the universe.
When did humans first go into space? The story began not so very long ago, (4)       the first astronauts were not people﹣they were animals.
Scientists wanted to make travelling to space as (5)       as possible for humans. So they decided to experiment with animals and test (6)       in spaceflights. Insects, mice, frogs, dogs and monkeys were some of the animals (7)       first went into space. Many of them (8)       , but they helped to make space travel safer for humans. For their great service, we (9)       forget these animals.
Albert Ⅱ was the first monkey to go into space in 1949. Sadly he died (10)       his spaceship landed back on Earth.
(11)       the result was different for Ham the Monkey. His story ended happily when he return to earth (12)       very good health.
Scientists wanted to know the answer to the important question: could (13)       animal like Ham do the same things in space as he could do on Earth? The answer came when Ham (14)       into space in 1961. Yes, he did everything well and lived for (15)       16 years.

2． John suddenly jumped off the swing without even slowing down. He called out nervously, "Mom, where's Charlie? "He had just (1)       he hadn't seen his new puppy for over an hour.
John looked around the garden, behind the bushes, and under the picnic table. No dog! His mother heard (2)       in his voice as he called her a second time. " Mom, I can't find Charlie!"
She came outside (3)      . "Let's look around the garden first. Don't worry. I'm sure he's close by.
Both son and mother were (4)       now, but still no Charlie. Their calls were not completely wasted, though. Joe, the next-door neighbor, and his two daughters Tania and Julie, immediately agreed to help them (5)       the lost dog.
But even with five people now searching the town's streets, they had no luck. Charlie was still (6)      .
Tania suggested they make posters with Charlie's (7)      . She had done this when her own cat was lost a year earlier, she told John, and the cat was found the next day.
John agreed. When they got home, he made a poster with a photo of Charlie, Then John heard a (8)       and opened his bedroom door. It was Charlie. John was greeted with a big wet kiss. Charlie had been (9)       in the bedroom this whole time, sleeping. John had never been so (10)       in his life!

3． An elephant and a crocodile were once standing beside river. They were disputing which was the better animal.
"Look at my strength, "said the elephant. "I can pull up a tree, roots and all, with my trunk."
"Ah! But your skin is not nearly so thick as mine, "replied the crocodile. "No knife or tooth can cut through it."
Just as they were coming to blows, a lion happened to pass.
"My dear friends !" said the King of all animals, going up to them. "Let me know the cause of your disagreement."
"Will you kindly tell us which is the better animal? "cried both at once.
"Certainly, "said the lion, pointing across the river. "Do you see the soldiers metal hat on that wall?"
"Yes! "replied the beasts.
"Well, then, "continued the lion, " go and get it, and bring it to me, and I shall be able then to decide between you."
Upon hearing this, off they started. The crocodile, being used to the water, reached the opposite side of the river first, and was soon standing beside the wall.
Here he waited till the elephant came up. The elephant, seeing that the crocodile had no way of reaching their goal, raised his long trunk, and took down the hat quite easily.
They then made their way together back again across the river. The elephant was trying to keep up with the fast-moving crocodile in the water and became careless. When he was forced to turn sharply to avoid a floating tree branch, the elephant dropped the hat and it fell to the river bottom. The crocodile noticed the accident, so down he dived, and brought it up in his huge mouth. They then returned, and the crocodile laid the metal hat at the lion's feet. The King took it up, and turning to the elephant, said:"You, because of your size and trunk, were able to reach the hat on the wall but, having lost it, you were unable to get it back. And you, said the lion to the crocodile,"although unable to reach the hat, were able to dive for it and save it. You are both wise and able in your own ways. One is no better than the other."

4． They say that"travel is the best teacher"and there is no better example of this idea than the Ming dynasty travel writer and geographer Xu Xiake (1587-1641). His book The Travel Notes of Xu Xiake, not only encouraged a love of travelling among Chinese people but provided important scientific information about the country's land and geography.
Born into a wealthy Jiangyin family, Xu became interested in books about different places at an early age and wanted to travel. When he was 18, however, Xu's father died and so, it seemed, did his travelling dreams. He now was responsible for the family farm and taking care of his 60﹣year﹣old mother as tradition required.
But his mother had different ideas. Understanding her son's love of travel and valuing the knowledge he could get from such experiences, this modern-thinking woman refused to keep her son at home. She agreed that Xu could travel for three months every year, when there was less farm work.
So at the age of twenty and with his mother's support, Xu set off for the first time, leaving behind not only his mother but his new wife as well. He would repeat this goodbye each year for most of the next 30 years. During this time, he travelled throughout the Ming kingdom, carefully studying the lands he passed through and recording his experiences and many discoveries in a diary This diary, which once had over 500, 000 words, would eventually become The Travel Notes of Xu Xiake.
Although rich, Xu avoided comfortable travel, preferring to go almost everywhere on foot. This way he could research the environment in detail and get a true picture of the natural world. Many of his trips were to hard﹣to﹣reach mountain areas, and through wild forests where few people lived. His willingness to face hardships came at a cost however. Progress was slow and tiring and he was frequently sick, robbed and beaten during his journeys.
Sadly Xu became seriously ill during his last and longest journey, a 4﹣year trip through the Southwest of China. He died in 1641, soon after returning to his hometown for the last time. When his diary was finally printed years after his death, much of it had been destroyed or lost. Although incomplete, it still made Xu a travelling legend around the world.

6． While the start of a new school year is always exciting, this year was even more so for some students at White Cloud Primary School. They became the world's first kids to be taught by an electronic teacher. This electronic teacher is not a human — like robot walking around the classroom Instead, he is a computer﹣created head that appears, when needed, on students computer or phone screens. His name is Bill.
Created by technology company Smart Machines, Bill is able to show human﹣like behavior. He is designed to teach a special program about environmental — friendly power created by the sun and wind. This program, started in 2005, used to be taught by human teachers.
Just like human teachers, Bill is able to immediately respond to the students' questions and opinions about the topic. Thanks to computer cameras, he is also able to see and react to students physical actions. For example, if a student smiles at Bill, he responds by smiling back. This two-way exchange helps get the students' attention. More importantly, it allows the program developers to improve Bills behavior and knowledge base when needed.
The program has been a great success, according to Smart Machines spokesman Robert Frost Frost says, "What is interesting to me is the children's reaction to Bill. He really captures their attention. "Frost thinks kids don't find the experience of being taught by smart machines as strange as older people because have grown up in a time of computers and smart phones.
It is doubtful, however, that human educators will lose their jobs to Bill any time soon. For one, his talking head's knowledge base is not large. More importantly, even the smartest computer programs can't guess and react to all the unexpected situations that educators face daily. Bills future might be as a"personal tutor", providing kids with one-on-one help for different subjects and topics.

7．Smoke alarms (报警器)
House fires cause many deaths each year and a large number of these fires are unfortunately set by children. (1)            . Kids must understand that they'd better not play with fire. You should keep matches and lighters out of their reach.
(2)            . The main job of such an alarm is to protect you while you're asleep. You should have a smoke alarm outside each bedroom and on each floor of your home. You ought to have two plans for getting out of your house if there is a fire and practise these plans in the dark with your family.
A smoke alarm warns you of the danger. (3)            . Take action immediately. When you come to a closed door, check it with the back of your hand. If it feels hot, there may be smoke or fire behind the door, so take care. Once you are out of your house, call the fire department from a neighbor's house. If a family member or a pet is caught inside, you shouldn't go back in. Firemen know how to perform rescues safely (4)            . Change the batteries at least once a year. You should use the test button each month to see if the alarm and batteries are still working. A smoke alarm lasts about ten years. You ought to change it even if it seems to be working.
About two out of three fire deaths happen in homes with no working smoke alarms. (5)            .

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