If you want to speak natural English, it is quite useful to speak some idioms. An idiom is a sentence, or a phrase we use a lot. It is a way to stress (强调) something and to make the expression more interesting. 【小题1】

“Why not have a surprise party for Anna? Don’t let the cat out of the bag.” Can you guess the meaning of “let the cat out of the bag”? 【小题2】. Another idiom about animals is “ants in your pants”. It has nothing to do with the insect, but just means that you are very nervous.

When someone says “That jacket is not my cup of tea”, do you know what he wants to express? It suggests he doesn’t like that kind of jacket. Or when you want to praise someone who is clever or intelligent, you can say, “You are one smart cookie.” Another common one about food is “use your noodle”, which refers to 【小题3】 Lily’s parents brought her up like “apple of their eye” means they loved her very much.

【小题4】 For example, you can say “I see red” to express you are really angry while “I feel blue” to tell others you are unhappy. 【小题5】 And “He is green” just means someone is a new comer or a beginner in a team.

NASA has been building a new telescope, called James Webb Space Telescope. Scientists think it could help them search for signs of alien life! They can watch exoplanets (外行星) with the help of the new telescope.

So far, all the exoplanets we have found are too distant to send astronauts or spaceships to them. Researchers hope the new telescope will help them find out whether there are aliens on these exoplanets!

The new telescope should be able to find out if the exoplanets have oxygen on them. Oxygen is a gas. On the earth, all animals need to breathe oxygen to live. It’s produced by plants and some bacteria (细菌). This means if there is oxygen on a planet, there might be living things as well.

These aliens probably won’t be mankind. Instead, they might be tiny bacteria. Scientists say that finding oxygen doesn’t mean there must be alien life. “We don’t know if life is the only cause of oxygen in an atmosphere (大气层),” NASA scientist Edward Schwieterman said.

The telescope can do more than search for aliens. It can study light from billions of light years away. This will help scientists learn more about what happened at the start of the universe.

Spring fever is not an illness. 【小题1】 It can affect both adults (成人) and children. Daydreaming, a lack (缺少) of interest in work or studies, and a strong interest to go out are because of spring fever.

By springtime, you’ve been in school for about one month. 【小题2】 You see flowers come out; you hear birds singing as they return to their home; you feel warm wind. Summer is coming, bringing with the dreams of swimming pools, water slides (滑水), water games, and freedom from school!

If you have spring fever, you may find yourself daydreaming, looking out of windows, putting off homework.【小题3】 Sadly, if you have spring fever, you will find it difficult to care about your grades.

【小题4】 Kids want to play team sports like soccer and baseball, ride bikes, and play in the park. Spring fever—it isn’t an illness, and it isn’t an excuse. 【小题5】 If you are interested in outdoor activities, you should also try to do well in schoolwork. Remember, the arrival of spring fever tells you that summer will soon be here. Work toward the prize of summer break!