Martin is an American boy. He is eight years old. His parents   41  _ five years ago and he is now living with his grandmother in New York.

　　One morning,  Jimmy ,  one of his classmates, came to his home with an exercises book in his hand. Jimmy lives in a house not far from Martin's. They often go to school together.

　　"Would you help me with this maths problem?" Jimmy said as soon as he came into the room. "It's too hard for me and I can't work it out."

　　"Let me try, " Martin said. "I   42  it isn't too hard for me. "

　　Martin tried his best but he couldn't work it out,   43   .

　　"If we had a small computer,  all the problems would be  44   for us to do. " Jimmy said.

　　"A small computer . . . , " Martin thought for a minute,  then he said, "I've got an idea. We can   45  one in a shop. "

　　"A computer is very   46   ,  and we don’t have enough money. "

　　"That's OK, " said Martin. "We can ask the new president (总统)   47  some money. He said he would help anyone in trouble. I' m sure he will help us. He is very rich, you know."

　　So they decided to write a letter to the new president. Soon the letter was finished and they hurried to the post office.

　　In front of the post office stood a small box. They   48   the letter into the box carefully and went home happily.

The next morning, they    49   the post office on their way to school. They found   50  ,  the box was not a post box but trash-box (果皮箱).

Martin is an American boy. He is eight years old. His parents   41  _ five years ago and he is now living with his grandmother in New York.

　　One morning,  Jimmy ,  one of his classmates, came to his home with an exercises book in his hand. Jimmy lives in a house not far from Martin's. They often go to school together.

　　"Would you help me with this maths problem?" Jimmy said as soon as he came into the room. "It's too hard for me and I can't work it out."

　　"Let me try, " Martin said. "I   42  it isn't too hard for me. "

　　Martin tried his best but he couldn't work it out,   43   .

　　"If we had a small computer,  all the problems would be  44   for us to do. " Jimmy said.

　　"A small computer . . . , " Martin thought for a minute,  then he said, "I've got an idea. We can   45  one in a shop. "

　　"A computer is very   46   ,  and we don’t have enough money. "

　　"That's OK, " said Martin. "We can ask the new president (总统)   47  some money. He said he would help anyone in trouble. I' m sure he will help us. He is very rich, you know."

　　So they decided to write a letter to the new president. Soon the letter was finished and they hurried to the post office.

　　In front of the post office stood a small box. They   48   the letter into the box carefully and went home happily.

The next morning, they    49   the post office on their way to school. They found   50  ,  the box was not a post box but trash-box (果皮箱).

Martin is an American boy. He is eight years old. His parents   41  _ five years ago and he is now living with his grandmother in New York.
　　One morning,  Jimmy ,  one of his classmates, came to his home with an exercises book in his hand. Jimmy lives in a house not far from Martin's. They often go to school together.
　　"Would you help me with this maths problem?" Jimmy said as soon as he came into the room. "It's too hard for me and I can't work it out."
　　"Let me try, " Martin said. "I   42  it isn't too hard for me. "
　　Martin tried his best but he couldn't work it out,   43   .
　　"If we had a small computer,  all the problems would be  44   for us to do. " Jimmy said.
　　"A small computer . . . , " Martin thought for a minute,  then he said, "I've got an idea. We can   45  one in a shop. "
　　"A computer is very   46   ,  and we don’t have enough money. "
　　"That's OK, " said Martin. "We can ask the new president (总统)   47  some money. He said he would help anyone in trouble. I' m sure he will help us. He is very rich, you know."
　　So they decided to write a letter to the new president. Soon the letter was finished and they hurried to the post office.
　　In front of the post office stood a small box. They   48   the letter into the box carefully and went home happily.
The next morning, they    49   the post office on their way to school. They found   50  ,  the box was not a post box but trash-box (果皮箱).

Martin is an American boy. He is eight years old. His parents   41  _ five years ago and he is now living with his grandmother in New York.
　　One morning,  Jimmy ,  one of his classmates, came to his home with an exercises book in his hand. Jimmy lives in a house not far from Martin's. They often go to school together.
　　"Would you help me with this maths problem?" Jimmy said as soon as he came into the room. "It's too hard for me and I can't work it out."
　　"Let me try, " Martin said. "I   42  it isn't too hard for me. "
　　Martin tried his best but he couldn't work it out,   43   .
　　"If we had a small computer,  all the problems would be  44   for us to do. " Jimmy said.
　　"A small computer . . . , " Martin thought for a minute,  then he said, "I've got an idea. We can   45  one in a shop. "
　　"A computer is very   46   ,  and we don’t have enough money. "
　　"That's OK, " said Martin. "We can ask the new president (总统)   47  some money. He said he would help anyone in trouble. I' m sure he will help us. He is very rich, you know."
　　So they decided to write a letter to the new president. Soon the letter was finished and they hurried to the post office.
　　In front of the post office stood a small box. They   48   the letter into the box carefully and went home happily.
The next morning, they    49   the post office on their way to school. They found   50  ,  the box was not a post box but trash-box (果皮箱).

　 Some British and American people like to invite friends for a meal at home. You should not be upset（不安的）if your English friends don’t invite you home. It doesn’t mean they don’t like you.

　 Dinner parties usually start between 7 and 8 p.m. and end at about 11. Ask your hosts（主人）what time you should arrive. It’s polite to bring flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine as a gift.

　 Usually the evening starts with drinks and snacks（小吃）. If you want to be extra polite, say how much you like the room, or the pictures on the wall. But remember－it’s not polite to ask how much things cost.

　 In many families, the husband sits at one of the table and the wife sits at the other end. They eat with their guests.

　 You’ll probably start the meal with soup or something small, then you’ll have meat or fish with vegetables, and then dessert（甜点心）, followed by coffee. It’s polite to finish everything on your plate and to take more if you want it.

　 Did you enjoy the evening? Call your hosts the next day, or write them a short “thank you” letter. British and American people like to say “thank you, thank, thank you” all the time!

（　）1. If your English friend doesn’t invite you to dinner at home, it means he or she ______.

　 A. doesn’t like you　　　　　　　　　 B. likes you

C. can’t afford to do so　　　　　 D. is too busy

（　）2. It’s impolite ______.

　 A. to ask about the price of a certain thing

　 B. to say “thank you” to hosts

　 C. take nothing with you when you are invited to dinner

　 D. to eat up everything on your plate

（　）3. The meal ends with _______ usually.

　 A. soup　　　　　　　 　　　 B. coffee

　 C. meat or fish　　　　　　　　　 D. dessert

（　）4. When you are invited to a dinner party, you’d better _______.

　 A. ask what time you should arrive

　 B. take your wife with you

　 C. drink as more as possible

　 D. eat more snacks as you can

（　）5. Which of the following is true?

　 A. The hosts like the people who sit closer to them.

　 B. The hosts like the people who ask them time, price, age, etc.

　 C. The husband and the wife usually sit together.

　 D. You can call your host the next day or write a letter of thanks after that.