How is your winter vacation going? What are you doing now? Are you studying or are you having a good time with your family? My family and I are having fun in China. We are on a vacation in Kunming, Yunnan. Kunming is a great city. I like the weather in Kunming very much, especially in summer. 4. It is sunny and cool today, just right for having a trip. How is the weather in New York City? It is cool and cloudy, isn’t it?

5. 昨天我们去了动物园。There were lots of animals there, such as pandas, elephants, tigers and so on. I loved watching them running around. They were so cute. And koalas were my favorite. Because they looked so funny. Then we visited a science museum and saw many robots. If you’re interested in science, you can come here.

We will have dinner in a noodle restaurant called Yunnan Rice Noodle House tonight. It is not far from the hotel. We can just walk there. There are different kinds of noodles there. Beef and tomato rice noodles are their special. They are so good. You should come to try them someday.

See you soon.

Li Hua

Jamie got a new camera(照相机) for her birthday. She liked taking pictures, but this time, she wanted to do something special. She was going on a trip with her family to Washington D.C. Along the way, she wanted to take pictures to remember her trip.

The first place they stopped along the way was a beach in North Carolina. The sky was blue and the water was clear. She took great pictures of the sky and the sea. She really enjoyed swimming in the salty sea water, too.

Next, they moved along to Washington D.C. There were lots of things to see. There were museums and all kinds of buildings. She took many pictures of the buildings.

With only a few quick stops in museums and at a few parks on the way home, Jamie filled her camera completely. Finally, it was time to go home. It was hard to go, but she knew there would be more trips to wonderful places like Washington D.C.

Next year she hopes to go to the West. She wants to see the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. Maybe she could see some of the Rocky Mountains. With a camera, there will be no end to what she wants to see, because each trip and each place is a new set of pictures!

Shopping in Singapore is really a pleasure for tourists. The Great Singapore Sale happens every year, usually during the summer months. Singapore’s famous shopping stores welcome a great number of visitors from all over the world. Their shopping hours last till midnight. During this time, nice and cheap goods are on sale for tourists to choose from. Tourists can also try delicious food there and experience the Singaporean nightlife.

Stores offer discounts (打折) of up to 70% or even higher if people use their credit cards. For tourists that hold a special Tourist Card, they can enjoy a lot of benefits (好处), such as discounts on many kinds of goods. The card also gives discounts when you visit local attractions such as Singapore Zoo.

It is well worth checking out in the different shopping areas of Singapore during this 8-week Singapore Sale. Orchard Road is surely the best place for shopping in the country. A large number of restaurants and clubs can be found in this area. Marina Bay includes both big stores and small shops, so everything you would want to buy can be found here.

Advice for tourists planning to enjoy this festival of shopping: travel light and take a comfortable pair of shoes with you, for you are sure to do a lot of walking and return with your bags much heavier.