It’s fun!
It’s easy!
八年级下册
义务教育教科书
英
语
八年级下册（衔接三年级起点）
English 英语 义务教育教科书
( 衔接三年级起点 )
[ 中 国 ] 河 北 教 育 出 版 社
[ 加拿大 ] DC 加拿大国际交流中心 合作编写
English 英语 义务教育教科书
( 衔接三年级起点 )
八年级下册
致 同 学
亲爱的同学们，新的学期开始了，欢迎大家继续使用这套《英语》教材！
本册《英语》教材供八年级下学期使用。
上个学期我们接触了一些非常有意思的话题，也许你们还记忆犹新，除了 家庭节日、社区邻里、交通工具及相关职业表述外，我们还一起探索了自我 成长的心理过程。
这个学期，春天来了，万物复苏，在这个春意盎然的季节，让我们一起来 感受春天的气息。有哪些奇异的植物和动物我们还未曾见识过？哪些和春天 相关的节日与活动还未曾了解？除了这些，我们还会涉猎一些地理、历史、
风土人情和奥林匹克运动话题的内容。此外，我们还会和大家共同思考一些 问题：互联网能带给我们什么？怎样保护我们赖以生存的自然环境？
本册教材篇章阅读较多，旨在加大阅读技能方面的培养和训练。同学们一
定不要去过于关注词和句的细节而丢掉对文章整体结构的理解。我们在Let ’s
Do It! 中专门安排了一些阅读后的活动，希望能对同学们有所帮助。
语言功底需要慢慢积累。每天进步一点，有一天你会突然发现：原来我的
英语水平已经这么棒了！
Units Functions Grammar
Unit 1 (P1~16) Spring Is Coming!
Talking about the Weather
and Spring Word Building
Talking about Outdoor Activities
Unit 2 (P17~32) Plant a Plant!
Talking about Plants and
Gardening Word Building
Unit 3 (P33~48)
Animals Are Our Friends Talking about Animals Indefinite Pronouns (some, any)
Unit 4 (P49~64) The Internet Connects Us
Talking about the Internet Adverbial Clause with “if”
Unit 5 (P65~80) Buying and Selling
Raising Money Object Clause Talking about Business
Unit 6 (P81~96) Be a Champion!
Talking about the Olympics and Records
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives and Adverbs Object Clause
Unit 7 (P97~112) Know Our World
Talking about Contrast and Comparison
Present Perfect Tense
Passive Voice Unit 8 (P113~128)
Save Our World
Talking about Cause, Effect
and Purpose Using “it”
Pronunciation (P129~130) Vocabulary (P131~143)
Structures and Expressions (P144~147) Irregular Verbs (P148~149)
Grammar (P150~155)
Contents
Lessons 1 ~ 6
Spring Is Coming!
Functions
Talking about the Weather and Spring Talking about Outdoor Activities
Grammar
Word Building
Structures
It will reach 10°C during the day.
My class is also planning a field trip to the countryside.
Everyone longs for spring.
UNIT 1
We Will Learn
Lesson 1: How’s the Weather?
• How is the weather in your hometown in spring?
• Have you ever heard a weather report? What expressions do they often use?
THINK ABOUT
IT
Danny: Good morning, everyone. I’m Danny Dinosaur on the radio. What’s the weather like today? Here’s the weather report. Today is Friday, February 28. It will be snowy and hot.
Jenny: (She laughs.) Danny! When it snows, it’s not hot. It’s cold.
Danny: OK, it’s not hot. It’s not snowing, but it is cloudy.
Jenny: What’s the temperature?
Danny: Let’s see. It will reach 10°C during the day.
Brian: It’s quite warm today. Spring is coming. Is it going to rain, Danny?
Danny: Yes! There will be a shower this afternoon. Maybe there will be a thunderstorm. I hope not! I’m scared of thunder!
Jenny: Wow! What strange weather! Now talk about the sunrise and the sunset.
Danny: This morning, the sun rose. This evening, the sun will set.
Jenny: No, no! Tell us the exact time!
Danny: The sun rose at 7:25 this morning and it will set at 6:09 this evening.
Dig In
Here are some weather icons:
sunny rainy cloudy windy lightning thunderstorm foggy snowy thunder shower
Let’s Do It!
Listen to the passage and fill in the table.
2
Date Weather Temperature Time
Day time ________ Sunrise ________
Night ________ Sunset ________
Danny is writing a weather report. Help him complete it.
1
Hello everyone. Here’s my weather report. Today is Friday, ________
28. It is ________. The ________ will reach 10°C during the day. It’s quite warm today. There will be a ________ this afternoon. Maybe there will be a ________. Today, the sun rose at 7:25 a.m., and it will set at 6:09 p.m.
Make new words by combining the words below. Complete the sentences with the compound words.
3
1. Can you hear the thunder? Maybe there will be a ________.
2. The days are getting longer. The ________ today is two minutes earlier than yesterday.
3. A: Will Peter come to the party on Saturday?
B: I think so. ________ he will come with Jim.
4. Lin Tao’s dream is to be a ________ player. He wants to be like Yao Ming.
Work in pairs. Talk about the weather in your hometown. Then write a short weather report and share it with the class.
4
Example:
It’s time for the weather report. Today is… The temperature is… The
may sun thunder basket
rise ball be storm
________ ________
Lesson 2: It’s Getting Warmer!
• What do you know about spring?
• Which season is your favourite?
THINK ABOUT
IT
Dear Jenny,
Today is March 1. Spring has arrived in Shijiazhuang.
The temperature was 10°C this morning. This
afternoon, it reached 15°C. It was quite warm and the
air was fresh. I need neither my heavy winter coat nor my boots now!
On my way to school this morning, I saw some winter jasmine blossoming.
Here, people believe the blossom of this flower always tells the coming of spring, so we call winter jasmine “the welcoming-spring flower”.
The days are getting longer and the sun rises earlier in the morning. The warm sunshine feels good after the cold winter days. Every morning, I see lots of people exercising in the park. Some practice Tai Chi. Others sing and dance.
Children run around or play on the swings.
We will have a school basketball game next week. My class is also planning a field trip to the countryside. We will plant trees, enjoy the beautiful flowers and play games. Wow! I can’t wait.
What’s the weather like in Canada? What do you like to do in spring?
Wang Mei
Learning Tip
How do you pronounce “10°C”? That’s “ten degrees Celsius” or
Let’s Do It!
Read the lesson and write true (T) or false (F).
1
1. The temperature reached 15°C in the morning. ( )
2. Wang Mei is still wearing boots. ( )
3. Wang Mei saw some winter jasmine on her way to the park. ( ) 4. Wang Mei’s class is planning a field trip to the countryside. ( ) Read the lesson again and tick all the scenes mentioned.
2
The grass grows.
The weather is warm.
The air is fresh.
The flowers blossom.
The trees begin to sprout.
The days get longer.
The sun rises earlier.
The birds fly back from the south.
What do people like to do in spring? Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the words in the box.
3
reach enjoy rise practice plant
1. When I ________ that village, it was dark.
2. It is getting warm. Many people like to ________ Tai Chi in the park.
3. The flowers in the park have blossomed. My grandparents go there to
Talk about spring and outdoor activities. You can use the sentences in Activities 2 and 3.
4
________ the flowers every morning.
4. The sun ________ early now. Let’s get up early and play ping-pong together.
5. Many people go to the countryside to ________ trees in early spring.
Lesson 3: The Sun Is Rising
THINK ABOUT
IT • How do you feel about the air, flowers and birds in spring?
• Do you know any songs or poems about spring?
The sun is rising,
Spring is coming, The snow is melting, Come with me.
Climb the hillside, The weather is warming, The wind blows gently, Through the trees.
One by one,
The flowers blossom.
Enjoy them One by one.
The sun is rising, Spring is coming, See it bring,
The season’s change.
Dig In
“The Sun Is Rising” is a song about spring. Spring is a favourite theme for songs and poems in all languages. Look at this poem:
Spring Dawn
Sleeping lazily at dawn in spring, Sound of birdsong all around.
Last night’s wind and rain still ring,
Read the song and underline the phrases that describe spring.
Then listen and put the pictures in the correct order.
1
Let’s Do It!
Example:
So many flowers blossom.
Pets come out and play.
Really big bears wake up from their dreams.
I enjoy going for walks with my friends.
No tree is left standing without any leaves.
Go ahead, jump for joy because spring is here.
Pick a spring word. Then use each letter in the word to start a sentence.
2
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO OUTSIDE IN SPRING?
The weather is warm in spring. Many people like to play outside and have fun. What do you like to do in spring? Write down your ideas.
What do your friends like to do outdoors in spring? Interview a friend in another school, another city or another country.
PROJECT
Write the activities you like to do.
Write the activities your friend likes to do.
Lesson 4: The Spring City
• Would you like to live in a place where there are no winters?
• What do you enjoy most about spring?
THINK ABOUT
IT
When we think of spring, we think of a season of fine, warm weather and clear, fresh air. We think of new life, green plants and budding trees all around us.
Everyone longs for spring. Spring is a short season in many places around the world. But in my hometown, it feels like spring nearly all year round.
The weather here is neither too hot nor too cold. The average winter temperature is 15°C. In summer it never gets too hot.
The average temperature is 24°C. The city gets about 1 000 millimetres of rain every year. There’s plenty of sunshine too, with about 2 250 hours of sunshine every year. Because of the spring-like weather, you can find hundreds of beautiful flowers and trees anytime of the year.
Can you guess my hometown? Yes, it’s Kunming — “the Spring City”.
I love my hometown.
Read the lesson and answer the questions.
1
Let’s Do It!
1. What’s the average temperature in winter/summer in Kunming?
2. How much rain does the city get every year?
3. How many hours of sunshine does the city get every year?
4. Why are there many flowers all year round in Kunming?
Listen to people talking about their hometowns and match the names with the sentences.
2
Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the phrases in the box.
3
long for think of feel like because of
1. She didn’t go to school ____________ her illness.2. He always ____________ his friend when he is in trouble.
3. They ____________ sunshine during the long rainy days.
4. It’s so hot today. It ____________ summer.
Work in pairs. Talk about the spring in your hometown.
4
Susan Mike Zhang Jing
Tom Dong Chao
Spring begins in April and ends in June. The temperature is between 4°C and 15°C.
It is warm and wet. Spring begins in November.
The average spring temperature is 5°C. It is very cold.
The weather is neither too hot nor too cold. The average spring temperature is 20°C.
They celebrate the Festival of Colours to greet the coming of spring.
• What outdoor activities do you usually do in spring?
• Have you ever been a babysitter?
Lesson 5: Babysitting on a Spring Day
THINK ABOUT
IT
Danny is babysitting his cousin Debbie on the playground. Brian is with them.
Danny: Thank you for helping me, Brian. This is my first time babysitting.
Brian: You’re welcome, Danny. But where is Debbie?
(Danny turns around. Debbie is on the monkey bars. She is climbing very high.) Danny: Hold on, Debbie! Don’t fall off!
(She climbs down, runs to the swing and climbs on.)
Debbie: Push me, Danny! Push me up higher!
Danny: OK. (He gives her a push.) Debbie: (She laughs.) Push harder!
Brian: Can I give you a push?
Debbie: No, I want Danny to! Higher, Danny!
Danny: (He is tired and hot.) It’s time to stop swinging, Debbie.
Debbie: (She gets off the swing.) Let’s run! Let’s play catch. Or soccer?
What about basketball? Let’s play!
Danny: I know a good game. Let’s play
“Lie on the Grass”.
Brian: Shall we look at the clouds, Debbie?
Debbie: OK! That one looks like a big, white rabbit! It’s jumping up and down! I want to jump, too! Come on, Danny! Danny?
(Danny runs towards Debbie.) Danny: Come down, please!
Debbie: I want to climb higher!
Brian: Come down, Debbie. You’re too high up. Let’s play on the swings
Zzzzzz…
Let’s Do It!
1 Read the lesson and answer the questions.
1
1. Who is Danny taking care of?
2. Is it Danny’s second time babysitting?
3. What activities does Debbie like?
4. Why does Danny fall asleep on the grass?
1 Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the phrases in the box.
2
thank… for hold on look like fall off
1. This dress fits you very well. You ___________ a movie star in it.
2. Be careful! ___________ to that bar! I’m coming to help you.
3. Jenny, ___________ you ___________ helping me practice my spoken English.
4. Lily, look after your little sister. Don’t let her ___________ the bed.
1 Danny wrote in his diary about his day as a babysitter. Put the paragraphs in the correct order.
3
Dear Diary,
( ) I woke up before the sun rose this morning. Today I would be a babysitter! I thought about it all day at school.
( ) Next, I pushed her on the swing. Brian wanted to give her a push, but Debbie said no. She loves her big cousin!
( ) When the sun set, I took Debbie home. I helped her brush her teeth and climb into bed. I read her a story. At 9:30 p.m., my aunt and uncle came home.
( 2 ) After school, Brian came with me. We went to the playground. I thought that it would be easy to babysit there. I was wrong!
( ) I wanted to lie on the grass, but Debbie wanted to play games. We ran, we climbed, we played catch and we played soccer. Finally, we had
supper. Debbie ate hers in about one minute! Then she was running again! So was I!
( ) First, Debbie climbed up very high. I was scared that she would hurt herself, but she held on well.
( ) I can’t write any more tonight. I’m too tired.
1
• What clothes do you wear in spring?
• What interesting things do you see in spring?
Lesson 6: Stories about Spring
THINK ABOUT
IT
Dear Wang Mei,
It isn’t snowing today, but there is still snow on the grass. In Edmonton, the weather in March can be cold and snowy or warm and sunny. It’s a little wild. The temperature can be as low as -15°C, but it can also reach 15°C. Still, sometimes it snows in April and May! The temperature drops below zero on those snowy days. We probably won’t see any flowers until May or June!
After school today, we played outside. We played “snow” soccer. We had to wear our jackets and boots, but it was fun. Danny fell into the snow!
Maybe next month we will play in our shorts and T-shirts!
I like the Chinese name for winter jasmine. It’s interesting. Here, we have Groundhog Day on February 2 for the coming of spring. In spring, many families drive to the countryside on weekends. A popular place to go is a sugar bush. It’s so much fun to make syrup.
I love spring because of all the fun activities. Also, summer follows it!
Talk to you soon!
Jenny
Culture Tip
Groundhog Day is on February 2. On that day, a small animal called a groundhog comes out of a hole in the ground. If it sees its shadow, then spring won’t come for another 6 weeks. But if the groundhog does not see
Read the lesson and answer the questions.
1
Let’s Do It!
1. Why does Jenny think the weather in Edmonton is a little wild?
2. What activities do people in Canada do in spring?
3. Why does Jenny love spring?
Fill in the blanks with the words in the box.
2
low until zero drop
1. The boy didn’t stop running ________ he reached the finish line.
2. Water turns into ice at ________ degrees Celsius.
3. The temperature in Shijiazhuang can be as ________ as -3°C in spring.
4. In my hometown, the temperature can ________ below zero at night.
Read the passage and fill in the blanks with the sentences below.
3
Winter is long, cold and dark, so people stay inside most of the time. When spring arrives, people turn their thoughts to the outdoors.
________ They like to wear light shirts and blouses on warm spring days.
________ There are lots of activities: cycling, in-line skating and picnicking in the park. Many schools have soccer teams and other clubs for their students. Spring is a time to look forward to flowers and fresh food from the garden. Many people go outside and work in their gardens.
________ Everyone loves spring.
A. What fun outdoor activities do people like to do in spring?
B. Spring is a season of hope.
C. People don’t need to wear heavy clothes to keep warm.
Think about things you can do in spring and why you do them.
4
I like cycling!
Oops!
Unit Review
Building Your Vocabulary
Grammar in Use
Riddle:
It is a season. People always think of it as a time of rebirth, renewal and regrowth.
Answer:
It’s ________.
__ __ __ __ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __
__ __ __ __ __
I. Unscramble the words and discover the answer to the riddle.
i n s t e d a s h u p l y n e a r d w i n p l n t e y g o n l
II. Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the words or phrases in the box.
1. Don’t worry. We have ________ time to get ready for the trip.
2. ________ Lucy ________ her sister passed the English exam.
3. This year, our school organized lots of ________ to enrich our lives.
4. Brian ________ the door open and went into the room.
5. He did ________ watch TV ________ 10:00 p.m.
6. The ________ age of these workers is 20. They are really active.
push plenty of not… until neither… nor average activity
Match the words to make compound words. Then make sentences using the new words.
news home
country thunder
any play
hill sun
week
Listening and Speaking
I. Listen and repeat. Pay attention to the letters in red.
1. Tell us the exact time!
2. I know a good game.
3. When it snows, it’s not hot.
4. I love spring because of all the fun activities.
II. Listen to the dialogue and answer the questions.
1. What is Steven going to do this Saturday?
2. Who will go to the countryside together with Steven?
3. What time will they meet at the park gate?
III. What season do you enjoy most? What do you like about it? Talk about it with your partner. You can use the ideas below.
The Weather
It is too hot/cold/windy/snowy.
The weather is just right.
It gets warmer/colder.
Sunrise/Sunset
The sun rises early/late.
The sun sets at about 6:00 p.m.
The days get longer/shorter.
Putting It All Together
Read the passage and answer the questions.
Festivals in Spring
The Spring Festival: The Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year, falls on the first day of the first lunar month, and ends on the fifteenth day. There are all kinds of cultural activities during this festival. Firework shows, dragon dancing and lion dancing are very common. It is a time for families to get together. No matter where they are, people come home to celebrate the festival with their families.
Maslenitsa: Maslenitsa draws its roots from religious activities, but now it is about the new birth of nature. Pancakes are an important part of the celebration because they are round, yellow and hot, just like the sun. The festival lasts for a
Environment
Flowers blossom and trees turn green.
There are many fresh fruits and vegetables.
It is cold and there is snow and ice everywhere.
Activities
I love swimming in the sea.
I can go boating with my parents.
We go skiing during the winter holiday.
Hills, loud with new water, Running swiftly under ice As clear as glass.
Flowers, tiny, brave and
Trees, smelling fresh with life.
Leaves opening slowly Under the pale blue sky.
The sun, warm and golden, Self-Evaluation
Find more examples from this unit. Then mark your stars.
I. Talking about the Weather and Spring
It’s quite warm today. Spring is coming.
I can describe the weather and spring in English.
II. Talking about Outdoor Activities Children run around or play on the swings.
I can describe outdoor activities in English.
III. Word Building
maybe thunderstorm sunrise I know a lot of English compound words.
Enjoyment
1. How long does the Spring Festival last in China?
2. What are some common cultural activities during the Spring Festival?
3. Why are pancakes an important part of the celebration of Maslenitsa in Russia?
4. Who celebrates the Festival of Colours?
The Festival of Colours: Every year, Indian people celebrate this festival to greet the coming of spring. During the celebration, people pray, dance and share special food. They throw bright, colourful powders at friends and strangers. Hugs and smiles are also a part of the celebration. Everyone has fun.
Lessons 7 ~ 12
Plant a Plant!
Functions
Talking about Plants and Gardening
Grammar
Word Building
Structures
It’s fun and important to plant plants.
Gardening is a very enjoyable hobby.
That is the whole purpose of growing a garden.
UNIT 2
We Will Learn
Lesson 7: Planting Trees
• When is Tree Planting Day in China?
• What are the basic steps for planting a tree?
THINK ABOUT
IT
It’s March 12. Li Ming and his classmates are on a hillside. They are planting trees as a school project. A worker is there helping them.
Li Ming: Excuse me, sir. We are digging a hole. Is it big enough?
Worker: Maybe you should make the hole a little bigger. It must be large enough to hold the roots of the seedling.
Li Ming: I see. Thank you.
Worker: Now, put the seedling inside, cover the roots and fill the hole with dirt.
Then pack the dirt around the new tree with your feet.
Wang Mei: OK. By the way, there is another group of people down the hill. Are they also coming to plant trees?
Worker: Yes. Many people are worried because the environment is changing, and they want to do something to help.
Li Ming: These changes are serious. When there is a dust storm in spring, it gets windy and dirty everywhere.
Wang Mei: Ms. Liu told us the wind blows the dirt and the sand here from the north. Nothing can stop the wind because there are not many trees left.
Worker: Exactly. A lot of rich lands in the northern area have turned into desert.
Li Ming: I suppose tree planting is very important work.
Wang Mei: For sure. I really like this project. It’s also a great way to learn about nature.
Worker: Yes. It’s fun and important to plant plants. Oh, and please remember to put a little water in
Let’s Do It!
Read the lesson and write true (T) or false (F).
1
1. Li Ming and Wang Mei were having a picnic on a farm. ( )
2. They asked a teacher for help. ( )
3. Li Ming saw another group of people on the hillside. ( ) 4. Wang Mei really liked the project. ( )
Fill in the blanks with the words in the box. Then put the steps for planting a tree in the correct order.
2
Put the ________ of the seedling into the hole.
Put a little water in the ________ of the hole.
________ the roots and fill the hole with dirt.
Pack the dirt ________ the new tree with your feet.
Dig a ________ big enough to hold the roots of the seedling.
bottom hole around cover roots
Complete the passage with the missing phrases.
3
The Green Great Wall was built across _________ of the country. What is the Green Great Wall? It is made up of strips of human-planted forest.
Each year _________ blow a lot of soil off the land. Things are getting more and more serious. About 3 600 square kilometres of grassland are taken by the Gobi Desert every year.
The Green Great Wall project started in 1978. By _________, people hold back the expansion of the desert and raise northern China’s forest coverage by 5% to 15%. By the year 2050, _________
will be about 2 800 miles long.
Work in pairs. Read the lesson and the passage above again. Why should we plant trees? Talk about it and list at least three reasons.
4
A. the Green Great Wall B. planting more trees
C. dust storms D. the northern part
Lesson 8: Why Are Plants Important?
• What plants grow near your home?
• Why do we need trees?
THINK ABOUT
IT
Danny, Jenny and Brian are walking in a forest.
Jenny: I love this forest. There are so many trees and plants. The air is always clean and fresh.
Brian: Yes. Trees and other plants help clean the air.
Jenny: That’s true. It’s pleasant to walk in the forest. When the weather is sunny and hot, you can sit in the shade under a tree. It’s nice and cool.
Danny: I’m hungry! Maybe I can eat a plant!
Brian: Sure, Danny! Look, there is an apple tree over there!
Danny: Is there a donut tree?
Brian: Donuts don’t grow on trees!
Jenny: Trees and other plants are important to people. They help us fulfill our basic needs.
Brian: That’s for sure. People use trees and other plants in many ways. The trees and plants take energy from the sun and turn it into food. Medicine and clothing are also made from trees and plants.
Jenny: The forest is important to animals, too. Many animals live in the forest and eat the fruit from the trees. They eat other plants, too.
Brian: And plants cover the soil. That way, the wind and water don’t carry the soil away. Plants also make everything look beautiful.
Danny: In a word, we can’t live without plants!
Let’s Do It!
Read the lesson and tick the items mentioned.
1
People can eat plants or use them as medicine.
Plants help make the air clean and fresh.
Many animals live in the forest.
Books, paper, pencils and erasers all come from plants.
Animals eat the fruit from the trees.
The plants cover the soil and can stop the dust.
When the weather is sunny and hot, people can sit in the shade under a tree.
The plants make everything look beautiful.
People use wood from trees to build houses and furniture.
Work in pairs. Think about why we need plants. Discuss it and fill in the mind map. You can use some ideas from Activity 1.
3
Functions of trees (plants) Food or medicine:
_________________
Shelter:
_________________
Clothing and school things:
_________________
Environment:
_________________
Complete the passage with the correct forms of the words in the 2 box.
There are many trees and plants. It’s ________ to walk in the forest. When the weather is sunny and hot, you can sit in the ________ under a tree. Trees and other plants are one of our ________ needs for life. Many things are made from trees and plants. Most animals live in the ________ and eat the fruit from the trees. And plants ________ the soil. That way, the wind and water don’t carry the soil away.
basic shade forest cover pleasant
Lesson 9: Gardening with Mary
• What’s your favourite TV program?
• Have you ever watched a program about gardening on TV?
THINK ABOUT
IT
Show: Gardening with Mary Time: Saturdays, 2:00 p.m.
TV channel: ABS (channel 53)
Do you like gardening? Don’t miss “Gardening with Mary” on Saturday afternoons. Mary Green will show you the best way to grow all kinds of plants. She has lots of good advice for every gardener!
What kinds of flowers will grow best in your garden? When is the best time to plant vegetables? How much water do new trees need? Mary knows.
She has all the answers!
“Gardening is a very enjoyable hobby,” says Mary Green. “First, you have fun working in your garden. I just love to dig in the soil! Then, you can enjoy fresh flowers, vegetables and fruit from your own garden.”
Mary Green has written many popular books about gardening: Grow Your Own Food, Green Is My Favourite Colour, Smell the Roses and more. Now she has a TV show! Watch Mary at work in her own garden. She will plant an apple tree. She will show you the best place to grow potatoes. She will tell you about her favourite flowers: roses.
“I have a special show about roses,” says Mary Green. “I love roses!
Roses smell so wonderful. Are roses difficult to grow? No! You just have to choose the right kinds of roses for your garden.”
Log onto our website and post your questions there. In every show, she will read the posts and answer your questions.
Let’s Do It!
Read the lesson and choose the correct answers.
1
1. “Gardening with Mary” is on ________.
Saturday afternoons Saturday evenings
2. Mary Green will show us the best way to grow ________ on the show.
roses all kinds of plants 3. Mary Green thinks roses are ________ to grow.
easy difficult
Are the books below written by Mary? Listen to the names of the books and tick the ones mentioned.
2
Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the words in the box.
3
answer plant water garden show
1. They especially like ________ flowers. They have a garden full of ________.
2. This flower needs lots of ________. You should ________ it every day.
3. Who can ________ this question? The ________ is very easy.
4. Mary likes ________ so much. She spends most of her time in the ________.
5. Yesterday, Mr. Cox ________ us the best way to make noodles on the TV ________.
The words in the box play different roles in each sentence above.
How are they different? Can you find more words like those?
Grow Your Own Food Secrets
to Farming
Creating a Forest
Garden
Smell the Roses A Guide to
Planting Roses
Green Is My Favourite
Colour
Planting for Fun
Lesson 10: Make Your Garden Grow!
• Do you like gardening?
• What is fun about growing a garden?
THINK ABOUT
IT
There are many ways to grow a garden. You must consider many things when you decide to begin gardening.
Does your garden get enough sun? That’s important. Most plants need a lot of sunlight to grow well.
Does your garden have good soil? You can test it to make sure. To make the soil rich enough, you can put compost in your garden. It is the best food for plants.
Is it easy to water your garden? Plants need water to grow strong and stay healthy. Usually, rain waters plants, but sometimes there is not enough rain, and the garden gets dry. You need to keep water nearby.
Hands-on Activity
Plant your own seed in a pot. Just follow these steps:
• Dig a small hole. Put the seed in it.
• Cover your seed with soil.
• Water your seed every day. It can’t water itself!
• Put it in the sun. Plants need sunshine!
What else do you need to consider for your garden? Think about animals. Rabbits, squirrels and many other animals will try to get into your garden and eat your plants. You need to make a fence. It can help keep these small animals away from your garden.
Finally, don’t forget to have fun. That is the whole purpose of growing a garden. You have fun planting it. You have fun taking care of it.
And best of all, you have fun eating all the great food from it.
Let’s Do It!
What do you need to consider to grow a good garden? Read the lesson and tick the factors mentioned.
1
Read the lesson again and write true (T) or false (F).
2
1. Before we begin gardening, there are many things we need to consider. ( ) 2. Few plants need a lot of sunlight to grow well. ( ) 3. Sometimes there is not enough rain, and the garden gets dry. ( ) 4. A fence can help keep small animals away from your garden. ( ) 5. Getting exercise is the whole purpose of growing a garden. ( ) The words in italics are from this unit. Tick the correct answers to complete the sentences.
3
1. If you put one thing ________ another thing to hide it or keep it safe and warm, you cover it.
over under
2. Before you plant a garden, you should consider or ________ carefully about something.
look think
3. The purpose means the ________ for something.
reason time
4. The engineer tests the machine to ________ if it works well.
check make
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO PLANT?
PROJECT
Suppose you have a garden, what do you want to plant? Write a passage and present it to your classmates.
Example:
I want to plant vegetables in my garden. I’d like to plant tomatoes and eggplants. I will water them on time. My grandpa is good at farming.
heat light space a fence temperature climate water air soil sunlight
Lesson 11: Amazing Plants
• How many plants can you name?
• Have you ever heard about any special plants?
THINK ABOUT
IT
A flying flower?
Look at this plant. Its flowers look like egrets. What are egrets? They are a kind of bird. Because this plant’s flowers look like flying egrets, people call it the egret flower. It grows in eastern Asia. Isn’t it beautiful?
Can plants be shy?
We all know that people can be shy. But how can a plant be shy? When something touches this plant’s leaves, they close up tightly. After a few minutes, the leaves open up again. This plant is fun for small children to play with.
What makes a tree laugh?
When it comes to laughing, this tree is really funny.
This is because the fruit of this tree has a hole in it.
If the wind blows, this amazing tree “laughs”. When people first hear it laughing, they are usually quite surprised and begin to laugh along with the tree. It grows in the middle of Africa.
Can a fossil be alive?
Look at this plant. It grows in the southwest of Africa. Like most plants, it has roots. But it has only two leaves and a stem. Its two leaves continue to grow for its whole life. Does it look old? This plant can live
Let’s Do It!
Listen and number the sentences.
1
When you touch this kind of plant, it closes up tightly.
This plant can live as long as 1 500 years. It really is a fossil.
Look at these flowers! They look like flying egrets!
This amazing tree laughs when the wind blows.
Read the lesson and fill in the table.
2
Fill in the blanks with the correct words. The first letter is given.
3
1. Don’t t________ the dish! It’s very hot!
2. China is a country in e________ Asia.
3. He was too s________ to talk to others.
4. She cut her hair very short and everyone was s________ by her new look.
Look for more amazing plants and talk about one of them. You can talk about the following aspects.
4
Task tips:
What is it? Where does it live? What does it look like?
Plant Place Feature
South America, China and other countries.
When something touches its
leaves, they close up tightly. After
a few minutes, they open up again.
Lesson 12: Danny’s Plant
• What is agriculture?
• What kind of plants do you want to grow?
THINK ABOUT
IT
Date: March 28
Weather: Sunny and warm Dear Diary,
I have a lot to write about this week!
I want to write a report about agriculture.
Agriculture is all about growing plants and raising animals for food.
To learn more about plants, we planted some seeds. I planted one in a small pot. I gave it plenty of water, and it sprouted a few days later. Soon, it grew a stem and a leaf.
Now, something new is growing at the top of the stem. It’s a flower bud. It will open up and turn into a flower. Later, the flower will become a head, and the head will turn into seeds.
I’m going to look after my plant carefully. I’ll put the pot in the yard. There, it can get some sunshine. I’ll cover it when the weather is cold. I’ll send some seeds to Li Ming. I think he will love them.
Now I’m going to draw a beautiful picture of my plant.
Danny
Let’s Do It!
Read the lesson and answer the questions.
1
1. What did Danny and his classmates do to learn more about plants?
2. What happened after Danny watered the seed of his plant?
3. Why will Danny put the pot in the yard?
4. What does Danny want to send to Li Ming?
What parts of plants do we usually eat? Group them into the baskets.
3
Parts of Plants We Eat
Complete the sentences and label the plant.
2
A. A bud opens up and becomes a ________.
B. A ________ grows under the ground and gets water from the soil.
C. A ________ is the long thin part of a plant.
D. ________ are parts of a plant. They grow from a stem, from a branch or directly from the root.
leaves roots
fruits
seeds stems
apple
potato eggplant corn
peanut
onion
lettuce celery cabbage
carrot pea
sugarcane
sunflower
Unit Review
Building Your Vocabulary
Grammar in Use
I. Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the given words.
1. We had a ________ (please) journey to England this summer.
2. It is ________ (amaze) that this tree laughs when the wind blows.
3. The children are drawing with their ________ (colour) markers.
4. Be ________ (care) with your handwriting.
5. After the earthquake, they became ________ (home) people.
6. They are ________ (happy) about the bad news.
II. Write out the words according to the requirements.
1. hope ________(adj.) 2. water ________(v.) Complete the clues and do the crossword.
2. The e________ sky turned pink as the sun rose.DOWN 3. A g________ is a place outside. You grow plants in it.
4. She was supposed to be on a trip. So when I saw her here, I was s________.
7. They have learned English in school. M________ of them understand English well.
1 7 5
2
6 3
4
ACROSS1. This project is challenging, but it’s good for everyone. If you have time, you should c________ it.
5. You should never judge a book by its c________, but should you judge a story by its title?
6. The stone is brown and round. It has a h________ in the centre.
s d
7. sun ________(adj.) 8. danger ________(adj.) 9. cover ________(v.) 10. lazy ________(adv.)
Listening and Speaking I. Listen and repeat.
1. I drew a picture of my plants.
2. Are they also coming to plant trees?
3. What makes a tree laugh?
4. When something touches this plant’s leaves, they close up tightly.
II. Listen to the sentences and circle the words or phrases you hear.
1. A. dust storm B. TV channel C. a flower bud 2. A. dry B. shy C. cry
3. A. eastern B. northern C. southern
4. A. at the top of B. in the bottom of C. in the middle of 5. A. by the way B. in a word C. best of all
III. Suppose you are Danny. Bring a photo of a plant to class and talk about it with a partner. Answer the following questions:
1. What kind of plant is it?
2. What is it used for?
3. Is it important to us?
4. How can we protect this plant?
Putting It All Together
I. Read the passage and answer the questions.
Are Plants Important to All Animals?
Plants and animals are living things. All living things need food for energy.
Without a way to get energy, they would die. Plants and animals get their food in different ways. A plant uses the energy in sunlight to make food for itself. Without sun or oxygen, small plants would not be able to grow into bigger plants. If you put a seed in the ground and give it water and energy from the sun, it will grow. It will grow into good food for other living things, mainly animals. Some animals, such as cows and pandas, eat plants. Some animals eat other animals. We call these animals carnivores. Still, plants feed all animals! How? Think of a tiger. The tiger eats animals that eat plants.
1. What are living things?
2. Do plants and animals get their food in the same way?
3. How does a plant make food for itself?
4. What do animals eat?
II. How do you plant a plant? Write down your answer and discuss it with your partner.
1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________
Self-Evaluation
Find more examples from this unit. Then mark your stars.
I. Talking about Plants and Gardening Please remember to put a little water in the bottom of the hole.
I can discuss plants and gardening in English.
II. Word Building
Plant a plant!
It gets windy and dirty everywhere.
I know a lot of English prefixes, suffixes and conversion words.
There was a plant.
There was a plant.
A pretty little plant.
A pretty little plant.
The prettiest plant, The prettiest plant, That you ever did see.
That you ever did see.
And the plant in the hole, And the plant in the hole, And the hole in the ground, And the hole in the ground,
And the green grass grew all around, All around,
And the green grass grew all around.
Pretty Little Plant
Lessons 13 ~ 18
Animals Are Our Friends
Functions
Talking about Animals
Grammar
Indefinite Pronouns (some, any)
Structures
Dogs are friendly and loyal.
When animals are scared, they can be dangerous.
For this reason, tigers are important to the environment.
UNIT 3
We Will Learn
Lesson 13: Danny’s Big Scare
• Do you have a pet? What is its name?
• What kind of pets would you like to have?
THINK ABOUT
IT
Meow
!Aieeeeee
!The doorbell is ringing. Jenny goes to open the door.
Jenny: Hello Danny. Come in, please.
Danny: I ran all the way to your house.
Would you and Brian like to go to the zoo this Saturday? I hear there are some new animals at the zoo.
Jenny: Good idea. Brian isn’t at home. He hasn’t been to the zoo in Edmonton yet. I think he will be glad to go.
(Danny screams!)
Jenny: Danny, what happened? Why did you scream?
Danny: I tried to sit down, but a tiny tiger jumped off the sofa!
Jenny: That’s my new friend — Zoe. She is Aunt Jane’s cat. Her family went on a vacation and she asked me to take care of Zoe. You almost sat on her. She’s afraid of you now.
Danny: Sorry, Zoe. Don’t be afraid of me. Come here! I have some donuts for you.
Jenny: Danny! Zoe likes to eat fish. She doesn’t like donuts.
Danny: She’s gentle and quiet. I’d love to have a pet, too.
Jenny: What pet would you like to have?
Danny: I’d like to have a dog. Dogs are friendly and loyal.
Jenny: Yeah. They even help people sometimes.
Let’s Do It!
Read the lesson and underline the sentences that describe pets.
1
Example:
Zoe likes to eat fish.
Read the lesson again and fill in the blanks.
2
One day, Danny ________ all the way to Jenny’s house. He ________ the doorbell, and Jenny welcomed him. Danny asked Jenny and Brian to go to the zoo on Saturday. Jenny thought it was a good idea. Suddenly, Danny screamed!
He told Jenny he saw a ________ tiger jump off the ________.
Look at the list of popular pets. Match each pet with the reasons why people might have it as a pet. Finally, tick the pets you have or would like to have.
3
The most popular pets in the world Reasons
cats dogs fish birds other small mammals (rabbits, ferrets…) others
Work in groups. Interview your group members about their pets and complete the survey.
4
Do you have a pet?
If yes, what is it?
If no, what pet would you like to have?
Can you describe your pet?
• What does it look like?
• What does it eat?
• What does it like/dislike doing?
• How do you look after it?
quiet kind loyal lovely cute helpful
good companions
Lesson 14: Amazing Animals
• Can you name some animals you have never seen before?
• What animals do you think are amazing? Why?
THINK ABOUT
IT
Can fish fly? Most people would say no. Look at this fish. It looks like a bird with its large wings. It can jump out of the water and flap its wings up to 70 times a second. You can see flying fish all over the world. It flies out of the water to avoid enemies.
Long-eared jerboas look like mice. With their long ears, they also remind people of rabbits. Their ears are much longer than their heads. They live in the deserts of Asia. On the sand, they jump like kangaroos! What a cute animal!
Kiwis are birds, but they can’t fly. Kiwis can be as big as chickens. Like all birds, they lay eggs — big eggs. People call them Kiwis because they make the sound: keee-weee. Kiwis live in New Zealand and are a national animal of the country. Do you like them?
Long-nosed monkeys live in Southeast Asia.
They are famous for their large noses. Their noses are as big as eggplants! When the monkeys are happy or excited, they shake their noses. That’s funny!
Let’s Do It!
Listen to the passage and write true (T) or false (F).
1
1. Jerboas have long ears and look like mice. ( ) 2. Jerboas’ front legs are longer than their back legs. ( ) 3. Jerboas are good at jumping. ( )
4. They live all over Europe. ( )
Fill in the blanks with the words in the box.
2
1. The ________ didn’t see the cat nearby. It ran out the cave and was caught by the cat.
2. In summer, he likes to go to the beach. He enjoys walking on the ________.
3. These days, more and more people are raising chickens, not only because chickens are great pets, but also because they ________ eggs.
4. Birds use their ________ to fly.
5. The driver had to stop suddenly to ________ an accident.
6. Man has no greater ________ than himself.
lay wings enemy avoid mouse sand
Suppose you are a zoologist and fill out the animal information cards.
3
Name: Long-eared jerboas Where do they live?
________________________
What makes them amazing?
They look like
________. With their long ears, they also remind people of
________.
Name: Long-nosed monkeys Where do they live?
________________________
What makes them amazing?
________________________
Name: Kiwis
Where do they live?
________________________
What makes them amazing?
They are birds, but they can’t fly. They
Name: Flying fish Where do they live?
________________________
What makes them amazing?
• What animals do you think are dangerous? Why?
• What rules should we obey at the zoo?
THINK ABOUT
IT
Lesson 15: The Zoo Is Open
It’s Saturday. Jenny, Danny and Brian don’t have classes today. They go to the zoo.
At a quarter to eleven, Brian, Jenny and Danny arrive at the zoo. They go through the entrance and see a sign.
Jenny: We don’t have any pandas at the Edmonton Zoo, Danny.
Danny: Why not?
Jenny: Pandas live mainly in China.
They eat bamboo. We don’t have any bamboo here in Edmonton.
Danny: I see. But we have lots of grass here. Look at those giraffes. They like eating grass. Maybe the pandas could eat some grass instead of bamboo.
Jenny: And maybe you could eat some carrots instead of all those donuts.
Danny: You’re funny, Jenny. I’m a dinosaur, not a rabbit.
Danny: (He points to the sign.) Why can’t we take photos?
Brian: Maybe cameras scare the animals. When animals are scared, they can be dangerous.
Jenny: Look! There’s a bear. And he’s sleeping.
Danny: It’s nearly noon. He’s very lazy!
Wake up, Mr. Bear! I have some donuts for you!
Jenny: Danny, stop! You can’t feed donuts to a bear!
Brian: Remember the sign? We can’t feed the animals.
Danny: Oh, that’s right! Sorry, I forgot.
Listen and tick the correct answers.
1
Let’s Do It!
1. What day is today?
Saturday. Sunday.
2. Where do they go?
The zoo. The park.
3. What time is it when they arrive?
11:15 a.m. 10:45 a.m.
4. What do they see at the entrance?
A photo. A sign.
5. What animals do they see?
A bear and a panda. A bear and some giraffes.
Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the words or phrases in the box.
2
1. This box is too big. It can’t ____________ the door.
2. We took the plane ____________ the train to travel there.
3. Excuse me, can I ____________ here? It’s beautiful!
4. The boys are playing soccer on the street. It’s very ____________.
5. I never remember my dreams when I ____________.
6. It was ____________ 10:00 p.m. when he got home last night.
danger nearly instead of go through take photos wake up
WE’RE GOING TO THE ZOO!
PROJECT
Have you ever visited a zoo? Write a story about your trip to the zoo. Don’t forget to answer these questions:
• When did you go to the zoo?
• Who went to the zoo with you?
• What animals did you see?
• What animals did you like best? Why?
• Did you feed any animals?
Lesson 16: The Bear Escaped!
• What do you know about April Fools’ Day?
• Have you ever played a trick on a friend? What did you do?
THINK ABOUT
IT
Jenny and Brian are in the classroom. They are looking for Danny.
Jenny: (She whispers.) There’s Danny, Brian. And he is sleeping! Let’s do it now!
Brian: (He smiles.) OK.
(They quietly walk over to Danny.)
Brian: Danny! Danny! Wake up! The bear at the zoo woke up! He escaped! We heard about it on the radio!
Danny: (He is excited.) He escaped? That’s great!
Jenny: No, Danny! What will happen if he comes to our neighbourhood?
Brian: On Saturday, you asked the bear to wake up. You wanted to give him some donuts. Do you remember? Maybe the bear is coming to get his donuts!
Jenny: (She laughs.) Maybe you will have a new pet, Danny — a pet bear!
Danny: Oh no! I don’t have any donuts today. He will be angry!
Brian: He might eat you instead, Danny!
(Danny jumps up and down.)
Danny: Run, everyone! There’s a fierce bear coming. Protect yourselves!
(Danny suddenly stops and thinks.)
Danny: Hey… Wait a minute. Why are you laughing? You’re joking, aren’t you?
Brian & Jenny: (They point at Danny.) Happy April Fools’ Day!
Culture Tip
April Fools’ Day is the first day of April. In most Western countries, people like to play jokes on each other. When you play a joke on somebody,
Lesson 16: The Bear Escaped!
Read the lesson and fill in the blanks to complete the story.
1
Let’s Do It!
Today was April Fools’ Day. Jenny and Brian wanted to play a trick on Danny. Danny was sleeping. Jenny and Brian ________ him up. They told Danny a bear ________ from the zoo. Danny was not scared when he first heard the news. ________, he felt happy. Then he heard the bear was coming for his donuts. He was scared and told everyone to run. But he soon realized they were playing a ________ on him.
Listen to this introduction about bears. Then correct the following passage.
2
Search for more information about April Fools’ Day on the Internet or in books, then do the following things.
3
1. Write down the information on a piece of paper.
2. Exchange it with a partner or a group member.
3. Imagine today is April Fools’ Day. Work in groups and think about how you can play a joke on your friends. Whose joke is the most interesting?
trees. The number of bears is getting bigger and bigger.
Bears are gentle animals. A bear usually has a large body with long, strong legs, a long nose and a short tail. While polar bears eat meat and giant pandas feed on grass, other bears eat both meat and fruit. Bears can run faster than tigers and lions. They are good swimmers. They are also good at climbing
There are only seven kinds of bears in the world now. We should protect them and stop them from disappearing.
• Where can you usually see a tiger?
• Do you think tigers need our help? Why or why not?
Lesson 17: Save the Tigers
THINK ABOUT
IT
“Save the tigers” is a group of volunteers. These volunteers hope to save the tigers of the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, the number of tigers in the wild was around 100 000. But today that number has dropped to a few thousand.
Tigers live in the forests of Asia.
Learning Tip
There are currently six types of tigers: the Bengal tiger, the Siberian tiger, the Sumatran
They usually have orange fur and dark stripes. Tigers are symbols of strength and courage. In many stories, they are brave. The tiger is at the top of the food chain.
It helps keep the number of other wild animals in balance. For this reason, tigers are important to the environment.
In recent years, tigers have been in danger of disappearing. Some people hunt and kill tigers for money. People have cut down a lot of trees as well.
As forests disappear, tigers lose their homes. The number of tigers in the wild is quickly decreasing and we must do something about it.
Save the Tigers group works to protect the tigers.
These tigers live in a zoo.
Let’s Do It!
1 Read the lesson and match each paragraph with its main idea.
1
A. Tigers are in danger of going extinct.
B. “Save the Tigers” is a volunteer group that hopes to stop the tigers from disappearing.
C. Tigers are important to the environment.
1 Work in groups and discuss some ways we can 3
1 Read the lesson again and find some sentences to support the main idea of each paragraph.
2
Save the Tigers
Paragraph 1 Paragraph 2 Paragraph 3
Save the Tigers
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
• Do you think there is friendship between animals?
• What different animals have you seen living well together?
Lesson 18: Friendship Between Animals
THINK ABOUT
IT
Dear Li Ming,
This week we learned about some interesting animals.
I used to think only the same animals live together. But yesterday I learned that sometimes different animals live together. Do you know about the rhino? It is big and strong. But it always lets a small bird, an egret, sit on its back.
Are they having fun together? Maybe, but mainly they are helping each other.
The egret helps the rhino stay healthy by cleaning its skin. It also makes noise to warn the rhino about coming danger. The rhino helps the
egret get food easily. How? It scares small insects hiding in the grass, and the egret eats them.
Isn’t that interesting?
Danny
Dear Danny,
What a beautiful relationship they have! Sometimes different animals get together not just to survive, but also for friendship. Have you heard the story of Owen and Mzee? Last week we read that story in class.
It’s a very sad story, but it has a very happy ending. Owen, a baby hippo, lost his parents in a big storm. Mzee is a 130-year-old tortoise. The two found each other and became good friends. They ate, slept and swam together.
That’s a true story of friendship! It touched many people’s hearts.
“How do they understand each other?” I asked Ms. Liu. She said, “Good friends can show they care without words.”
She’s right. Friendship truly has no boundaries.
