1、Unit 1Learning a foreign language is usually tough, but knowing the basic greetings is a polite and simple thing to do. It shows that you have an interest in the culture. Each countries has its own customs and ways of saying hello. For example, British people like me greet each other by talking abou
2、t the weather, while in China they will say你吃了吗?The most mon form of greetings in many countries when you are introduced to a new friend is a handshake. But shaking hands is rare in Japan. The Japanese greet each other with a short bow and not returning someones bow is considered very rude. The degr
3、ee of the bow is directly related to the difference in status between the two individuals. Greetings between friends are just a nod of the head, while a low-ranking worker should greet a superior with a long and deep bow.Also, a great first impression can be important, and once made its very difficu
4、lt to change. To make a good impression, you need to act as if you are meeting a good friend. This is a pretty good starting point for developing a good relationship.In daily life, we also need to be careful about first meetings. For example, someone may phone you to ask for your personal informatio
5、n. You need to be cautious, because they may ask you for this in order to steal your email address, your money, your credit, or your identity.So, it is important to learn the proper way to greet people and make a good first impression. It is equally important to be careful in giving strangers your p
6、ersonal information.Unit 2My mother is my best friend, and I can talk to her about anything. She helps me through everything, and we dont have any secrets. Whenever I feel lonely, my mother is the only person I can talk to.My mother has been my best friend for as long as I can remember, and I prefer
7、 her pany over anyone else. She is kind, intelligent, funny and a good listener. I can say without bias that Ive never met another person more worth being friends with. Sure, Ive had friends, but I just liked my mom more than them. I didnt feel the need to go shopping with my friends and Ive kept co
8、ntact with hardly anyone from those years of my life. To this day, I tend to relate better to people decades older than me. I have given my mother so much access to me that it is difficult to be myself. My friends told me that Im living in a house without walls emotional walls.At 25, I am only now l
9、earning how to make and maintain friendships outside of my family circle. Feeling that my mom doesnt understand my life has encouraged me to develop a new circle of friends that has nothing to do with her. Its helped me to keep some things private from her. I started setting boundaries. For example,
10、 my mother doesnt know what music Im listening to. I still feel the urge to tell her, but now theres a voice in the back of my head that reminds me some things need to be mine and only mine. By nature of being a great best friend and parent, my mom understands and accepts this. I hope its a pliment
11、to my mother that her role in my life has always been too forting and too loving so much so that I had to start keeping a distance from her.Unit 3People in different countries cook various kinds of food. The historical, geographical and climate features of where they live and their ways of life infl
12、uence their cuisines. People in South Korea love to have pickles. In Thailand, most people enjoy spicy food, as Thai curries can be really hot. The Japanese prefer to have raw food and sea food, for they live in a small island. In Italy, most people have pizza and pasta with every meal. There are ma
13、ny specialty pizza restaurants all over the country. The British love fish and chips. The traditional foods in the United States are hot dogs, cokes and other fast foods. American style fast food chains are currently on the increase all over the world. Most people in Europe or Britain have a simple
14、but nutritious breakfast such as whole-meal bread, juice, milk and bacon. Some Americans have a sandwich and coffee for lunch on weekdays. Chips are also called French fries or fries for short.Similarly, food is the best way to explore Chinese culture. Chinese traditional food is mostly made of grai
15、n. Balanced nutrition is important in Chinese food. Western people value time very much, so sometimes they eat fast food to save time as well as keep enough energy.This is quite different from the Chinese attitudes towards food, as they often eat together to municate with friends and family. Unlike
16、the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. They tend to cook more than enough, especially when they treat our guests at home, as they will do their best to show their warmth.We are what we eat, and we choose food to suit ou
17、r ways of life.Unit 4It seems true that every kid in school is learning English. Why do you want to learn English? Learning English is very useful. Some people want to know English well to gain more knowledge. We can read books, listen to music, watch movies and surf the internet. For example, songs
18、 in their original form tend to be better when you can truly understand them and 55% of all written content on the internet is in English. Whenever you have a problem, you can Google it to find a way to solve the problem. Others like to learn English for more practical reasons, such as taking a scho
19、ol exam, getting a job or working in a large international pany. For instance, French and Chinese business partners may municate in English. If you can speak English with confidence and get your message across clearly, it is a critical advantage that can help you advance further in your career. Lear
20、ning a language can be so much fun. Some people learn them in order to meet new people from around the world. Its also fun to learn about other cultures and their traditions. Maybe you like the culture, the country and even have a desire to even live or visit there. As well as being useful and fun,
21、learning a language helps improve your memory, and decision-making skills. As a required course of schools at different levels in China, and as an item to be tested at different stages of ones learning and working life, English is with us the whole way through our lives. Students performance in lear
22、ning English and in taking English tests is of vital performance importance to achievements at school and to their opportunities for further learning. In fact, English is an influential factor that affects the quality of life. English is a global language. We simply have many more options, and those
23、 options can help you in life. Like it or not, it is here with us, helping us lead a richer and happier life through a different perspective.Unit 5There can be tough times. The weather is getting worse, the traffic is always overcrowded and the tests can be really difficult. These may make you sad.
24、Sometimes you are in a bad mood and sometimes you feel happy. You may feel better when its a sunny day or you find a way out of a problem. That is happiness.So, how do we find the path of happiness? This seems to be the million dollar question. There are tons of books on the subject. The more you re
25、ad, the more confused you are. Evaluating what makes us happy might take more time and energy and actually make us unhappy. We may look at ourselves and decide what we like and dont like and set about making changes. It doesnt have to be big changes. Look in the mirror and be glad. If you dont like
26、what you see, change it. Make the solution that simple!You may be saying “Sure, that sounds easy”, It is always easier to talk about problems than to take the obvious actions to fix them. But for the most part, things are as difficult or as easy as we determine them to be. Sometimes we just make thi
27、ngs harder than necessary. Being unhappy takes no courage or effort. True achievement lies in struggling to be happy. As we grow and progress we will realize who we really are and what makes us happy and what we are responsible for. Steve Jobs said “Good times, hard times, but never bad times”.Unit
28、6There are a great many hobbies to choose from. Some people enjoy reading and writing, while others choose to spend their time on swimming and cycling. I have many hobbies, but reading and jogging are my favorite. When I have free time, I often read some famous books. Through reading I can open my m
29、ind as well as my heart. Through reading I bee more and more knowledgeable. I often jog on the school playgrounds in the early morning. Jogging not only helps me build my body, but also cultivates my perseverance.My father is a man with wide interests. His favorite pastime is playing weiqi, chess. H
30、e often plays chess with his friends in the park, sometimes on the side of the road. Recently, my father taught me how to play Go. Go is a puzzle game that originated in China. It is both a kind of petition and a leisure game in daily life. My mother is a food lover and crazy about cooking. Without
31、much effort, she can make very delicious meals of different styles. On the weekends or holidays, my parents and I will go to the supermarket to buy some ingredients and seasonings to cook what we like. My father and I will help wash vegetables. Sometimes my mother teaches me some cooking skills. I l
32、ike to enjoy fine food with my parents in our spare time.Every year my family will go travelling once or twice and we are very fond of family travelling. For one thing it is exciting to visit different places and get to know the customs of the local people. And for another travelling is one of the b
33、est ways to learn.Unit 7Learning about your feelings is a way to develop your emotional intelligence as well as an opportunity to learn more about you. It is sometimes tough to share your feelings with others. If you do not tell anyone that youre feeling sad, frustrated, worried or upset then its ju
34、st you and these bad feelings. If you keep feelings locked up inside, it can make you feel sick!Before sharing with anyone figure out what feelings you have by making a list of your feelings in your head. Write it out on a piece of paper or drawing pictures. This can help you find what is really bot
35、hering you.Your parents and close friends want to know if you have problems because they love you. They cant know the real you unless you let them into your world by opening up. If you dont want to talk with them find a trusted counselor who can help you talk about your problems or concerns. Talking
36、 about your feelings can be the first step towards getting it.Once you know who you can talk with pick a time and a place to talk. If you feel shy about sharing your feelings, you dont have to share every feeling. Similarly, you dont have to solve every problem. After you talk with your friend or a
37、counselor, you will almost always feel better. You are not all alone with your problems and worries. It doesnt mean your problems and worries will magically disappear, but at least someone else knows whats bothering you and you can help find solutions.If sharing with others makes you feel unfortable
38、, it is normal. The more you practice sharing your feelings, the more natural it will feel. You can also choose to listen to your friends feelings. This may be challenging as you need to give your undivided attention. It does not work well if you read text messages while listening to your friend. Tu
39、rn off the technology and maintain eye contact with your friend and listen to understand his or her feelings.The rewards of opening up are profound. Sharing your innermost feelings and being accepted is a basic human need and can be incredibly healing.Unit 8Health is the most important thing in the
40、world. Health makes it possible for us to live, love, and laugh. It includes two aspects: first, physical health and secondly, mental health.To keep physically healthy, first of all we should have a balanced diet. Eat more vegetables and fruits which are full of vitamins. We should also eat meat whi
41、ch provides us protein. Try to avoid junk food. Also regular physical exercise does well to our health. Sports like jogging and swimming help keep us healthy and happy. Bear in mind that a certain amount of exercise is not a waste of time. Whats more we have to get rid of the bad habits that damage
42、our health such as smoking, drinking, and staying up late. Develop some healthy habits such as going to bed early and rising early. Enough time for sleep will help one bee rested and refreshed.There are many ways to help achieve mental health. First we should have a positive attitude towards life. W
43、hen we e across difficulties and setbacks, we should not be frustrated. Stay optimistic and brave. Secondly we should get along with our classmates, teachers and parents. They help us a lot. They are our treasures. Without them nothing seems enjoyable. Thirdly know how to lower your level of stress. Stress can encourage us to make progress but also may influence our life negatively. Relax yourself and always look on the bright side of life.Physical health is equally important as well as mental health. Follow these suggestions and you will bee a healthy person.