In the US  Summer vacation starts in early June and ends around late August. Teachers will give summer homework. There are many classes and camps for middle school students. They can be about sports, cooking, boating or outdoor skills. Some students will try to make money by doing housework, such as babysitting or mowing the lawn(割草坪) for neighbours. Some will also do volunteer work, such as helping old or poor people.

    In the UK  ①Summer vacation starts around June 24 and ends on September 3. In Scotland, teachers hardly give schoolwork to kids to do during the summer. So, many of my friends and their families like to travel abroad.

    In France Summer vacation usually goes from mid-June to the end of August. French students don't have any homework or extra classes over the summer. Some students like travelling around the world. ②They see nature in Africa or visit English-speaking countries to learn English. Other students have fun in France. They go to the beach, see friends and watch movies.

    In Australia Summer vacation starts in late December and ends in early February. During the vacation, students have to finish their homework. They should read and write reports on three to five English books. They also need to work with their classmates to do science projects. Australian students often go to special interest classes during the vacation. They learn singing, cooking and so on.

Dear Sir/Madam,

    ……

                                                        Yours,

                                                     Zhang Hong

A: Hi, Molly. Where's your brother Larry? I thought he was joining us.

B: Hi, Kathy. I'm sorry.  He is working late tonight.

A: Oh, Larry's working late again?

B: Yeah, he is.

A: I see……I really don't think sixteen-year-olds should be allowed to work at night.

B: Oh, I disagree with you. Teenage boys never get tired.

A: Well, maybe.

B: That's true. He needs time to do homework.

A: And you know, Molly……he should really cut his hair.

B: Oh, I don't know.

A: Yes, I do. It doesn't look clean. And I think he should stop wearing that silly earring.

B: Hmm……I disagree. I kind of like it. It looks cool!

A: You know another thing that worries me?

B: Yeah, I know. I think he shouldn't work on weekends

A: That's right. He needs to spend time with friends.

—        . I hope I can go there again.

-- I'd love to.           I'm afraid I have no time.

    When July comes, children know they'll have their exam and the school year will  1 soon. Boys and girls will have nearly a two-month holiday and they'll leave school  2 train or by car to  3 their parents.

    The summer holidays are the  4time of the year for most children. The weather is usually good. So children can spend most of their time   5  outside. If one lives in the countryside, he can go and play in the woods or in the fields. If he 6 in a big town, he can usually go to a park to play.

    The best place for children to spend their summer holidays is the  7 . Some children are lucky enough to live near the sea.   8 for those who don't live there, if they have the luck to stay in one of the big seaside towns for a week or two, they will  9   it all the following school year.

    Now,  10 makes children like the seaside so much? I think they are the sands, the sea and the sun. The feeling of sand under their feet, salt water on their skin, and the warm sun on their backs make them very happy.