From old times, India has been a good friend of China. The two big Asian countries now work more closely on border problems, trade (貿易) and IT.
India is an interesting and mysterious( 神秘的)country with a long history. Around 2,000 BC, Indian civilization (文明) was born. It is one of the four oldest civilizations in the world.India is also the birthplace of  Buddhism (佛教).A famous  Chinese novel, "A Journey to the West", is about a Chinese monk (和尚) who tried very hard to learn about Buddhism from India.
The book comes from a true story. Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk was sent to India by the King of the Tang Dynasty.After many years, he brought back lots of Buddhist books. The name "India" was first used by Xuanzang in his work.
Today, religion(宗教) is still an important part of Indian culture. There are many religions there. Most Indian people believe in Hinduism (印度教).In India, cows are very special animals because  Hinduism  says they are holy (神圣的). So Indians don't sell or eat beef.Like China,
India is a developing  country with a large population(人口). It has  about 1.03 billion people compared to China's 1.3  billion.  More than two thirds of  Indians still live a poor life in the countryside.
India has no birth control so its population is growing fast. By 2030, India could even have more people than China.
Hindi (印地語) is the mother tongue of Indian people. But Britain took India in 1757 and stayed there until 1947. Because of this, English slowly became the other official  language.
【小題1】Why don't Indians sell or eat beef?

From old times, India has been a good friend of China. The two big Asian countries now work more closely on border problems, trade (貿易) and IT.

   India is an interesting and mysterious( 神秘的)country with a long history. Around 2,000 BC, Indian civilization (文明) was born. It is one of the four oldest civilizations in the world. India is also the birthplace of  Buddhism (佛教). A famous  Chinese novel, "A Journey to the West", is about a Chinese monk (和尚) who tried very hard to learn about Buddhism from India.

   The book comes from a true story. Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk was sent to India by the King of the Tang Dynasty. After many years, he brought back lots of Buddhist books. The name "India" was first used by Xuanzang in his work.

   Today, religion(宗教) is still an important part of Indian culture. There are many religions there. Most Indian people believe in Hinduism (印度教). In India, cows are very special animals because  Hinduism  says they are holy (神圣的). So Indians don't sell or eat beef. Like China,

India is a developing  country with a large population(人口). It has  about 1.03 billion people compared to China's 1.3  billion.  More than two thirds of  Indians still live a poor life in the countryside.

   India has no birth control so its population is growing fast. By 2030, India could even have more people than China.

   Hindi (印地語) is the mother tongue of Indian people. But Britain took India in 1757 and stayed there until 1947. Because of this, English slowly became the other official  language.

1.Why don't Indians sell or eat beef?

   A. Because they don't like it.      

B. Because they are afraid of getting ill.

   C. Because they see cows as holy animals.  

D. Because beef is very expensive.

2.What is/are the official language(s) of India?

   A. Hindi     B. English   

C. Both of the above    D. None of the above

Mike is nine this year. He is in Grade Three. His father drives a car in a factory(工廠) and his mother works in a hospital.

   It's a Saturday afternoon. Mike is sitting in the room and reading a book. Kate comes up to him and says, “Brother! Mummy wants you to help her.”

   “What does she want me to do?” asks the boy, “To wash the apples or to cut the cakes?”

“Neither,” answers Kate, “She’s watering flowers in the garden. She wants you to carry some water for her.”

“Why don’t you do that?”

“Mummy says I’m too young.”

“Don’t you see I’m busy now?”

“What are you doing here, then?”

“I’m reading a book. I can’t go there.”

“Is this an interesting book?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Well, let me help you read the book and you go to help her,” says Kate.

6. There’re ____ people in Mike’s family.

A. two         B. three       C. four          D. five

7. Kate is Mike’s _____.

A elder sister   B younger sister  C  elder brother   D younger brother

8. Tom doesn’t go to school because_____.

A it’s Saturday                B he’s ill  

C he wants to read the book      D he wants to help his mother

9. Tom doesn’t want to help his mother because____

A he’s very busy               B he has some homework to do

C he’s very hungry             D he’s very lazy(懶惰)

10. Kate comes to Mike and wants_____.

A to read the book             B to carry water 

C to water flowers             D him to help their mother