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　　Music is an international language．The songs that are sung or played by instruments are beautiful to all people everywhere．

　　Popular music in America is what every student likes．Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class, and at lunch．Students with cars buy large speakers and play the music loudly as they drive on the streets．

　　Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work．They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, politics, and activities of the American people．Most of the radio broadcast is music．

　　Pop or popular music singers make much money．They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in every state．Once the popular singer is heard throughout the country, young people buy his or her tapes．Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer．Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her．Now the singer has become a national star．

　　There are other kinds of music that are important to Americans．One is called folk music．It tells stories about the common life of Americans．Another is called western or country music．This was started by cowboys who would sing at night to the cows they were watching．Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music．

　　Serious music for the concert halls is called classical music．Music for instruments is called orchestra music(管弦乐),such as the symphonies(交响乐)of Beethoven．There is opera(歌剧)for singers．There is ballet(芭蕾舞剧)for dancers like the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai in China．

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　　The first Europeans came to America in 1492 with Christopher Columbus．Since that time people have come to America from all over the world, from Europe, Africa, and Asia, and they have brought their music with them．This mixing of people and music has created American music．Music is a very important part of our lives．

　　Music is for dancing, drinking, eating, loving and thinking．Some songs remind us of our childhood or youth．Others remind of the people we love．

　　Many important occasions, like weddings and funerals have special music．Every nation has a national song like the American “The Star-Spangled Banner”．In the US, high schools and colleges have school songs, too．

　　Music is a part of the history of America．It expresses the problems and feelings of its people．As the years pass, the music grows and changes．

　　Modern science has also changed music．Inventions like records, radios, movies, electric instruments, tape recorders, and videos have changed the way we play and listen to music．They have helped to make music an important form of international communication．

　　American music, from the earliest folk songs to modern “pop”, is known around the world．Music is one of America’s most important exports．It brings the people of the world together．Even when people cannot understand the same language, they can share the same music．Many people learn and practice English by singing songs, understanding American music can help you understand American people．“Put a dime(10 cents)in the juke box(自动点唱机),baby．” Let’s listen to the music!

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　　With the help of a local inventor’s time machine, Marty travels back to the 1950s．There his ‘80s hipness stands out, and he inadvertently interferes with the fledgling romance of his parents-to-be．Can Marty keep them together?He’d better, or his own future will fade away．Featuring：Christopher Lloyd, Michael J．Fox．A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr．55 min．

　　In this sequel to the popular Beethoven, our canine hero falls for Missy, who soon has puppies．Missy’s greedy owner, Regina, who sees only money in the little purebreds, separates mom and pups from Beethoven．His owners rescue the puppies, but Regina still has Missy．Featuring：Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt．A Universal Pictures release,1 hr．26 min．

　　Despite the popularity of his treats, candy maker Willy Wonka shuts himself inside his factory．But then Willy holds a contest, offering five lucky children the chance to see his company．Poor but pleasant Charlie Bucket finds a ticket, as do four less-deserving children．Featuring：Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore．A Warner Bros．release,1 hr．56 min．

　　Based on actual events, this film follows the life of Jim Braddock, a boxer in New York City during the Great Depression．After a series of losses, Braddock is forced into retirement．But he never gives up his boxing dream, and neither does his manager．Featuring：Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger．A Universal Pictures release, 2 hr．14 min．

　　Lawyer Fletcher Reede has never told the truth in his life．Then his son makes a birthday wish that his dad would stop lying for 24 hours．Suddenly, Fletcher’s mouth spouts everything he thinks．His compulsion brings disaster to the courtroom, where he must defend a client whose case was built on lies．Featuring：Jim Carrey, Justin Cooper．A Universal Pictures release,1 hr．25 min．

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　　Ice dancing developed from ballroom dancing, particularly the waltz, and was very popular in the early 1900s．It requires well-trained, exact footwork; conformity(协调)with one another’s steps; and a keen sense of timing and rhythm．Ice dancing differs from pairs skating in that ice dancers are restricted(限制)to lifts no higher than the man’s shoulders and there are no jumps．One skate must be on the ice at all times．

　　Ice dancing competitions are made up of three principal parts：compulsories, original dance, and free dance．In compulsories, partners must perform two dances selected by the ISU, for example, waltz, tango, or polka．Compulsories involve set patterns in which dancers perform and repeat steps at certain points around the arena(竞技场)．Although the steps are predetermined, dancers are encouraged to interpret(display)them for artistic charming．Each compulsory dance counts for 15 percent of a pair’s final score．

　　The original dance, formerly known as the original set pattern dance, requires skaters to design their own performance to their choice of music, set to a speed and rhythm previously announced by the ISU．It counts for 35 percent of the final score, and skaters receive marks for composition and presentation．In the free dance, the partners perform a dance to music of their choice．They are given marks for presentation and style as well as for technical value．This dance counts for 50 percent of the final score．

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　　I fell in love with England because it was quaint(古雅)－all those little houses, looking terribly old-fashioned but nice, like dolls’ houses．I loved the countryside and the pubs, and I loved London．I’ve slightly changed my mind after seventeen years because I think it’s an ugly town now．

　　Things have changed．For everybody, England meant gentlemen, fair play, and good manners．The fair play is going, unfortunately, and so are the gentlemanly attitudes and good manners－people shut doors heavily in your face and politeness is disappearing．

　　I regret that there are so few comfortable meeting places．You’re forced to live indoors．In Paris I go out much more, to restaurants and nightclubs．To meet friends here it usually has to be in a pub, and it can be difficult to go there alone as a woman．The cafes are not terribly nice．As a woman, I feel unsafe here．

　　I spend a bomb on taxis because I will not take public transport after 10 p．m．I used to use it, but now I’m afraid．

　　The idea of family seems to be more or less non-existent in England．My family is well united and that’s typically French．

　　In Middlesex I had a neighbour who is 82 now．His family only lived two miles away, but I took him to France for Christmas once because he was always alone．

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　　Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson River must remember the Catskill Mountains．They are a branch of the great Appalachian family, and can be seen to the west rising up to a noble height and towering over the surrounding country, when the weather is fair and settled, they are clothed in blue and purple, and print their beautiful shapes on the clear evening sky, but sometimes when it is cloudless, gray steam gathers around the top of the mountains which, in the last rays of the setting sun, will shine and light up like a crown of glory(华丽的皇冠)．

　　At the foot of these mountains, a traveler may see light smoke going up from a village．

　　In that village, and in one of the houses(which, to tell the exact truth, was sadly time-worn and weather-beaten), there lived many years ago, a simple, good-natured fellow by the name of Rip Van Winkle．

　　Rip’s great weakness was a natural dislike of all kinds of money-making labor．It could not be from lack of diligence(勤劳), for he could sit all day on a wet rock and fish without saying a word, even though he was not encouraged by a single bite．He would carry a gun on his shoulder for hours, walking through woods and fields to shoot a few birds or squirrels．He would never refuse to help a neighbor, even in the roughest work．The women of the village, too, used to employ him to do such little jobs as their less helpful husbands would not do for them．In a word, Rip was ready to attend to everybody’s business but his own．

　　If left to himself, he would have whistled(吹口哨)life away in perfect satisfaction; but his wife was always mad at him for his idleness(懒散)．Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was endlessly going, so that he was forced to escape to the outside of the house－the only side which, in truth, belongs to a henpecked husband．

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　　THE BEST SHOPPING IN SYDNEY

　　Sydney is one of the world’s biggest cities and has something for everyone when it comes to shopping．You will find excellent Australian products alongside the best that the world has to offer．At the bottom of Sydney Tower, you can shop in 160 of Sydney’s favorite stores including 16 jewellery stores and many gift and fashion shops．It’s all at Westfield Centrepoint．

　　Tel：9231 9300．

　　SOVEREIGN HILL

　　This prize-winning living museum is where Australia’s history comes alive!

　　Visit daily or stay for the night and experience life of the Gold Rush days．A wonderful nightly sound and light show, “Blood on the Southern Cross” tells the story of the famous Eureka Uprising．Enjoy shopping along with real life character and entertainment．4-star hotel and breakfast．

　　Tel：5331 1944

　　ANCHORAGE RESTAURANT

　　Come and enjoy our delicious Cantonese seafood right on the water’s edge in the historic fishing port of Williamstown with views of the city centre across Port Philip Bay．

　　Open 7 days a week

　　Lunch：Sunday to Friday

　　11∶00 a. m．－2∶00 p. m．

　　Dinner：Monday to Saturday

　　5∶00 p. m．－10∶30 p. m．

　　Tel：9397 6270 or 9397 7799

　　COOK’S COTTAGE

　　Built by James and Grace Cook, parents of Captain James Cook, Cook’s Cottage stands proud in the Fitzroy Gardens as a reminder of life in the eighteenth century, and as a Celebration and commemoration of the life and travels of Captain James Cook．

Open 9∶00 a. m．－6∶00 p. m．daily, and until 5∶30 p. m. during the summer．

　　Information：9419 4677．

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　　How to protect children Web fans from unsuitable material on-line while encouraging them to use the Internet has long been discussed in the USA．For some parents the Internet can seem like a jungle, filled with danger for their children．But jungles contain wonders as well as dangers．With good guides, some education and few precautions(预防措施),the wilds of the Internet can be safely navigated(航行)．“Kids have to be on-line．If we tell our kids they can’t have access to the Internet we’re cutting them from their future,” said an expert．Most kids have started to learn to use search engines．Many of them are great for finding tons of interesting sites, and they can also locate places where you might not want your kids to go．There are search engines designed just for kids．A certain software contains only sites that have been selected as safe．But the most popular that was to limit access would be to use what is known as “a content screener(过滤器)”．But this can’t be wholly reliable(可靠的),and the best thing parents can do is to talk to their kids and let them know what’s OK or not OK to see or do on the Internet．Another way is that mum or dad is nearby when the child is surfing the Internet．A few other tips：

　　－Don’t put the PC in a child’s room but keep it in an area where mum or dad can keep an eye on things．That also makes the Internet more of a family activity．

　　－Ask your child what he or she has been doing and about any friends they make on-line．

　　－Tell your child not to give on-line strangers personal information, especially details like address and phone number．

　　－And tell your children never to talk to anyone they meet on-line over the phone, send them anything, accept anything from them or agree to meet with them alone．

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　　Your home in 2007 will have fewer wires, cleaner air, and a group of fun products to keep you healthy, informed, and entertained．In its latest technology forecast, Battelle has announced what it expects will be the 6 most important technological breakthroughs in household products over the next few years．

　　1．Disappearing Cords and Cables Wires will begin to disappear from view in homes as we move toward wireless communication, data transmission and energy distribution．That mean more cordless telephones, wireless connectors to the Internet, and even electric lamps and small appliances that don’t have to be plugged in．These energy-saving products include roofing boards that serve as solar-collectors, reducing the need for electricity transferred by wires to homes．

　　2．Home Waste Management Imagine an in-home system that sorts, recycles and deals with home waste－getting rid of the need for hand sorting．We may even see the development of systems for at-home ?water? treatment and recycling．

　　3．Highly Miniaturized Communication and Electronic Products In a few years, we will have developed wristwatch-size phones and highly specialized, hand-held, wireless computers that will help us perform a variety of day-to-day activities, from managing your banking and investments to planning your weekend entertainment．

　　4．Virtual Reality Products Virtual projections and sound environments will be used to increase computer games, music systems, video entertainment systems, and exercise equipment．We will see a convergence(汇聚点)of home entertainment, information, and exercise．

　　5．Electronic Commerce We will enjoy electronic shopping and banking, including financial transactions(金融交易)that are error-free, safe, easy to use, and low cost．

　　6．Voice-controlled Products Products throughout the home, such as televisions, computers, lights, and other electronic instruments, will be operated by voice commands．

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　　Everyone loves Adventureland!The Parks and Exhibitions were built for you to explore(探索), enjoy, and admire their wonders．Every visit will be an unforgettable experience．You will go away enriched, longing to come back．What are you going to do this time?

　　Explore places you have never been to before, and experience different ways of life．

　　Visit the Amazon jungle(丛林)village, the Turkish market, the Tai floating market, the Berber mountain house and others．Talk to the people there who will tell you about their lives, and things they make．You can try making a carpet, making nets, fishing．．．

　　This exhibition shows how progress will touch our lives．It allows us to look into the future and explore the cities of the next century and the way we’ll be living then．Spend some time in our space station and climb into our simulator(模拟装置)for the Journey to Mars!

　　This is not really one park but several．

　　In the Safari Park you can drive among African animals in one of our Range Cruisers：see lions, giraffes, elephants in the wild．Move on to the Ocean Park to watch the dolphins and whales．And then there is still the Aviary to see．．．

　　This is the center of Adventureland．Run out of film, need some postcards and stamps?For all these things and many more, visit our underground shopping center．Come here for information and ideas too．