—He went to the mountains.

—He'll come this weekend. He     me that by e-mail.

—       .

—Yes. It's really boring. There is     in it.

    In the United States, Monday is the beginning of the workweek(工作周). It is the day most Americans like 1. And it is certain that the day they like most is Saturday. Saturday is the 2of the workweek, and it is the beginning of the weekend. Life is 3at weekends. Most Americans take care of their houses, cars or gardens. They 4the feeling that they can do what they like. The workweek is for things you have to do, but the 5is for things you want to do. Some people may get in a car and go for a 6in the country. They like to take part in outdoor activities. They 7go to a restaurant or see a film on Saturday night.

    The 8of weekends is a recent invention(近期的发明). In the 1870s, rich people began to speak of 9weekends in the country visiting friends. For most people, however, the workday was six days 10.

    I often dreamed about Pisa when I was a boy. I read about the famous building called the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But when I read the word Pisa, I was thinking of pizza. I thought this tower was a place to buy pizza. It must be the best place to buy pizza in the world, I thought.

    Many years later I finally saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I then knew that it was Pisa and not pizza. But there was still something special about it for me. The tower got its name because it really did lean to one side. Some people want to try to fix it. They are afraid it may fall down and they don't want it to lean over the city.

    I do not think it's a good idea to try to fix it. The tower probably will not fall down. It is 600 years old. Why should anything happen to it now? And, if you ask me, I like what it looks like. Nothing is perfect. It seems to say.

    And who cares? Why do people want things to be perfect? Imperfect things may be more interesting. Let's take the tower in Pisa. Why is it so famous? There are many other older, more beautiful towers in Italy. But the Leaning Tower of Pisa is the most famous. People come from all over the world to see it.

    Students in Japan are trying a new kind of travelling. In the past they could only go to the museums. That was boring for the teenagers. They often went by bus. Many of them felt sleepy in the museum. But now they can go out of doors. They can go to factories, villages and many other places they like.

    Experiential education (体验式教育) is now very popular in North America. It is also becoming more and more popular in Japan. Just look at the JTB, Japan's biggest travel agency. It has more than 300 different travel programs for students and schools. More than 25 schools have taken part in the programs.

    Where are the students going? They travel to fishing villages in Kyushu and farming villages in China. Some even go to English classes in England. Wherever they go, they enjoy helping the disabled(残疾的). By doing so, they learn how to take care of others. It's an experience that students will never forget.

    Travelling in Japan also does the farmers and fishermen good. Now there are many people visiting their villages. Visitors' coming every year brings them a lot of money and a better life.

             you              your vacation?

—她为她的爸爸买东西了。

—      she do last night?

—She       for her father.

We       photos yesterday.

Did you       last weekend?

I       .