M3U1reading

　　Fog

　　Fogwarning

　　WhenPollylefthomethatmorning,thecitywasalreadycoveredinagreymist.Atlunch,theradioforecastthatthemistwouldbecomeathickfogintheafternoon.Atfouro'clock,Pollyleft　workandsteppedoutintothefog.Shewonderedifthebuseswouldstillberunning.

　　NobusestoKingStreet

　　Onceoutinthestreet,shewalkedquicklytowardsherusualbusstop.

　　‘Howfarareyougoing?’thebusconductoraskedherbeforehetookherfare.

　　‘KingStreet.’saidPolly.

　　‘Sorry，Miss’repliedtheman,‘thetruthisthatitistoofoggyforthebustorunthatfar.TaketheUndergroundtoGreenPark.Theweathermightbebetterthereandyoumightbeabletogetataxi.’

　　Atallman

　　AsPollyobservedthepassengersonthetrain,shehadafeelingthatshewasbeingwatchedbyatallmaninadarkovercoat.AtlastthetrainarrivedatGreenParkstation.Whiletherestofthepassengersweregettingout,sheglancedatthefacesaroundher.Thetallmanwasnowheretobesoon.

　　Footsteps

　　WhenPollygottothestationentrance,itwasempty.Outside,wherevershelookedthefoglaylikeathick,greycloud.Therewasnooneinsight.PollysetofftowardsParkStreet.Assheheardaman’svoiceinherearsaying‘Sorry.’Themanmovedaway.Shecouldfeelherheartbeatingwithfear.

　　Thehelpfulstranger

　　Thensheheardthesoundagain-softfootstepsbehindher.Aminutebefore,shehadwishedforsomeonetocomealong.Nowshewantedtorun,butfearheldherstill.Thefootstepsseemedclosenow.Thenaman’svoicecameoutofthedarkness.‘Isanybodythere?’

　　Pollyhesitated.Atlastsheanswered,‘Hello,IthinkI’mlost.’

　　Afewsecondslater,ahandreachedoutandgraspedherarm.Pollyfoundherselfstaringupatthefaceofanoldmanwithabeard.‘MaybeIcanhelpyou.Whichroaddoyouwant?’heasked.

　　‘Iliveat86KingStreet.’Pollyreplied.‘Justtakemyhand.’saidtheman.‘Comewithme.You’llbeallright.’HetookPolly’shand.‘Watchoutforthestephere.’

　　Inhisotherhandthemancarriedastick.Pollyheardithitthestep.‘Icanremembersometerriblefogs,butmaybethatwasbeforeyourtime.Ican’tseeyourface,butyousoundyoung.Howoldareyou?’‘Justtwenty.’answeredPolly.

　　‘Ah,twenty!Aniceagetobe.Iwasyoungonce.Nowwe’reatthecrossroads.Turnlefthere.’

　　‘I’mquitelostnow.Areyousureyouknowtheway?’Pollywasbeginningtofeelfrightenedagain.’‘Ofcourse.Youreallyshouldn’tfeelanxious,’Heheldherhandmorefirmly.

　　Thegratefulhelper

　　‘Hereweare.KingStreet.’Hestopped.

　　‘Thankyousomuchforcomingtomyaid.’saidPollyinrelief.‘Wouldyouliketocomeinandrestforawhile?’

　　‘It’sveryniceofyou.’saidtheman,‘butI’llbeoff.Theremaybemorepeoplelosttoday,andI’dliketohelpthem.Yousee,afogthisbadisrare.Itgivesmethechancetopaybackthehelpthatpeoplegivemewhenit’ssunny.Ablindpersonlikemecan’tgetacrosstheroadwithouthelp,exceptinafoglikethis.’

　　M3U2reading

　　Allthroughhistory,peoplefrommanydifferentcountriesandcultureshavelivedtogetherinBritain.TheEnglishlanguageismadeupofthegrammarandvocabularythesepeoplebroughttoBritain.ThatiswhyEnglishhassomanydifficultrulesthatconfusepeople.

　　OldEnglish

　　O

　　thispeacefulvolcanodestroyedthewholecity!

　　Day10,24July

　　Finally,wearrivedinLoulanafterseveraldaysoftravelling.Thiscommercialcitywasbusyandwealthyabout2,000yearsago.ItwasastoppingpointonthefamousSilkRoadbetweentheEastandthewest.ItisbelievedtohavebeengraduallycoveredoverbysandstormsfromAD200toAD400.Iamsoexcitedtobehere!

　　Day11,25July

　　Anscholarfromthelocalculturalinstitute,ProfessorZhang,toldusthataroundtheyear1900theEuropeanexplorerSvenHedindiscoveredtheruinsoftheLoulanKingdom.Sevenfoundtheremainsofbuildingsburiedbeneaththesand,togetherwithalotoftreasures,includingcoins,paintedpots,materialssuchassilk,documentsandwallpaintings.Whenwewenttothecity,wesawthecitywalls,palaces,temples,workshopsandtowers.Wefoundtheruinsmostinteresting.Therewasanancientwatersystemthatranthroughthemiddleofthecity.Thedesertwasonceagreenlandwithhugetrees,buttheywerecutdownandthatresultedinthecityfrombeingburiedbysand—whatapity!