1mean,take,patient,fast,sentenceJack:Annie,I’malittlenervous.IhavetofinishreadingabookandgiveareportnextMonday.Annie:Thatdoesn’tsoundtoobad.Jack:ButI’maveryslowreader.Annie:Justreadquicklytogetthemainideasatfirst.Don’treadwordbyword,readwordgroups.Jack:ButIdon’tunderstandmanyofthewords.Ihavetouseadictionary.Annie:Trytoguessaword’sbyreadingthebeforeandafterit.Youprobablyunderstandmorethanyouthink.Jack:Thatsoundsdifficult!Annie:Well,be.Ittime.Youcanbecomebetterbyreadingsomethingyouenjoyeveryday.Themoreyouread,theyou’llbe.2Throw,wash,same,hot,luckyClara:Guesswhat?I’mgoingtoChiangMaiintwoweeks.Ben:Wow,soundslikefun!ButIbelievethatAprilisthemonthoftheyearthere.Clara:Yes,that’strue.Butthere’saWaterFestivaltherefromApril13thto15th.Ben:Iwonderifit’stothewaterfestivaloftheDaipeopleinYunnanProvince.Clara:Yes,Ithinkso.ThisisthetimeoftheThaiNewYear.Peoplegoonthestreetstowaterateachother.Ben:Cool!Butwhydotheydothat?Clara:Becausethenewyearisatimeforcleaningandawaybadthings.Thenyou’llhavegoodinthenewyear.3BigexcitingstartanywayquicklyHeWei:ThisisFunTimesPark—theamusementparkinourcity!Alice:I’mtotrytherides!HeWei:Whereshouldwestartwith?There’sSpaceWorld,WaterWorld,AnimalWorld...Alice:Beforewedecide,couldyoufirsttellmewheretherestroomsarefirst?HeWei:Pardon?Restroom?Youalreadywanttorest?Butwehaven’tevenyet!Alice:Ohno,Idon’tmeanthat.Imean...youknow,awashroomorbathroom.HeWei:Hmm...soyoumean...thetoilets?Alice:Yes!Sorry,maybepeopleinChinadon’toftenusetheword“restroom”whentheyspeakEnglish.HeWei:That’sright,wenormallysay“toilets”or“washrooms”inEnglish.,they’rejustoverthere.Alice:OK.I’llbe!HeWei:Noproblem.Youdon’tneedtorush!4SuchsincehaveturnDoAlfred:Thispartyisagreatidea!Gina:Iagree.It’sbeenthreeyearswelastsawourprimaryschoolclassmates.Alfred:It’sinterestingtoseehowpeoplehavechanged.Gina:Billychangedsomuch!Heusedtobesoshyandquiet.Alfred:Yeah,hisfacealwaysredwhenhetalkedtogirls!Gina:Iusedtoseehimreadinginthelibraryeveryday.Alfred:That’sbecausehewasareallygoodstudent.Hestudiedhardandgotgoodscoresonhisexams.Gina:heusetowearglasses?Alfred:Yes,andheusedtobethin,too.Butlookhowbigandstrongheisnow!Gina:He’ssopopularnow.Lookatallthegirlsaroundhim!5Pam:Chinaisfamousfortea,right?LiuJun:Yes,bothinthepastandnow.Pam:WhereisteaproducedinChina?LiuJun:Well,inmanydifferentareas.Forexample,AnxiandHangzhouarewidelyknownfortheirtea.Pam:Howisteaproduced?LiuJun:Well,asfarasIknow,teaplantsaregrownonthesidesofmountains.Whentheleavesareready,theyarepickedbyhandandthenaresentforprocessing.Pam:Whathappensnext?LiuJun:TheteaispackedandsenttomanydifferentcountriesandplacesaroundChina.Pam:ItseemsthatmanypeopleallovertheworlddrinkChinesetea.LiuJun:Yes,peoplesaythatteaisgoodforbothhealthandbusiness!6Paul:HeyRoy,thesubjectformyschoolprojectis“Smallinventionsthatchangedtheworld.”Canyouhelpmethinkofaninvention?Roy:Mypleasure!Letmethink...hmm...Iknow!Thezipper!Paul:Thezipper?Isitreallysuchagreatinvention?Roy:Thinkabouthowoftenit’susedinourdailylives.Youcanseezippersondresses,trousers,shoes,bags...almosteverywhere!Paul:Well,youdoseemtohaveapoint.Roy:Ofcourse!IthoughtaboutitbecauseIsawawebsitelastweek.Thepioneersofdifferentinventionswerelistedthere.Forexample,itmentionedthatthezipperwasinventedbyWhitcombJudsonin1893.Butatthattime,itwasn’tusedwidely.Paul:Really?Sowhendiditbecomepopular?Roy:Around1...
