课文版+课后题 2025-2026学年外研版英语八年级下册

八下课文+书后题 教师版 已校对过出版教材 八年级下册Unit1 Career talks Understanding ideas Saying goodbye to my years up high 1. Hello, everyone. It's so nice to see you on my last day at work. The past 30 years were filled with both challenges and joys. All my days up high in the air will be kept in my memory. 2. I still remember my first summer as a "spiderman". It was a day much hotter than today! I was wet all over. Drops of sweat fell in my eyes. When I opened them, I saw a kind woman smiling brightly at me. She opened the window and handed me a piece of juicy watermelon. That was the sweetest watermelon of my life. 3. I'm reminded of some other friends I met through the glass. There was this sweet newborn baby. I watched her grow bit by bit. She was always excited when I appeared outside her window. She laughed as her cat tried to "catch" my brush. Later, she drew a picture of me and showed it to me! Happiness passed through the glass and into my heart. One day, her mother held up a note for me: the family was moving. I felt sad, but also happy that we were once friends. 4. Window cleaning is not always considered a good job, but I'll never regret it. I have met a lot of kind people and been part of many warm stories. I found a sense of achievement in my job. 5.Today I am saying goodbye to my job as a "spiderman". And you are going to start your days up in the air. The city shines brighter because of us, and the job will make us shine, too. Best wishes to you all! P6 根据课文回答问题： Choose the best summary of the speech. a. The speaker wishes to go back in time and change something about his job. b. The speaker thinks that more people should consider being window cleaners. c. The speaker feels thankful for both the challenging and the nice moments of the job. Complete the post with the correct form of the words and expressions from the speech. Jake On my first day as a "spiderman", I was encouraged by Robert's speech. From him, I learnt more about the challenges and 1joys of the job. I was really moved by these warm stories. The woman was so 2 kind to give him a piece of watermelon on a hot day. 1 hour ago 👍12 …… Julie: The story about the baby was really touching. Robert watched her 3 grow bit by bit. She was always 4 excited to see him at the window. She even drew 5 a picture of Robert! They became friends. Eric: Robert was right. Some people don't consider 6 window cleaning a good job. But they should! The city 7shines brighter because of these "spidermen"! Everyone should try to have a sense of 8achievement from their own work. Developing ideas From mouse catcher to space tour guide... Which jobs will soon be history, and which ones are on the way in? People's jobs have changed throughout history. If you lived in the mid-1300s, you might have been a mouse catcher. The job was well respected centuries ago, but few people do it today. Now, technology is developing at an even faster speed. Some traditional jobs are disappearing. However, new ones are springing up to meet new needs. Jobs soon to be history Cashier Cashiers in shops and supermarkets may not be necessary in the near future. They may soon be replaced by machines. People can pay on their own in these places. Pilot Autopilots were first used in planes over a century ago. With the development of new technology, there might be no need for human pilots in the future! Jobs of the future Space tour guide Space tourism began in 2001. In the future, travelling to space will surely be provided at a lower cost. Space tour guides will be needed to lead people to the moon and beyond! Virtual reality fashion designer In the future, more people will work and play in virtual reality. People will need cool and fashionable clothes, so VR fashion designers will be greatly needed! Comments Cynthia263: The idea of flying in a plane without a human pilot is scary! Is the technology safe enough? Will pilots' jobs go up in smoke? JerryMc: Um, sign me up for a space tour, please! But what if I lose my job as a cashier? How will I make enough money to pay for the tour? JZhang00: How fast the job market changes! We can't just sit at our desks and expect things to stay the same. P14 Complete the research report with the words and expressions from the passage. Research report Changing jobs Findings ·People's jobs have 1 changed throughout history. ·Technology is 2 developing faster and faster. Some 3 traditional jobs are disappearing. But new ones are also springing up to meet 4 new needs. Examples Jobs soon to be history: ·Cashiers may become unnecessary, as they may be 5 replaced by machines. ·With the development of 6 new technology, human pilots may not be needed. Jobs of the future: ·Travelling to space will become much cheaper. 7 Space tour guides will be needed. ·VR 8 fashion designers will be needed to make people look good in virtual reality. 八年级下册Unit2 Growing pains and gains Understanding ideas You just don’t get me! [Mum is sitting in the living room, worried. The clock reads 10:27 pm. The son runs through the door, out of breath.] Son: (breathing quickly) I'm back... Mum: Look at the time! Do you remember your promise? Son: (in a low voice) Yes, I promised to be back before 9 tonight. But... Mum: (interrupting) A deal is a deal! The promise wasn't kept, so you can't stay out late next time. Son: Mum, please listen... I was heading back at 8:30. Mum: Then why are you late? Son: On my way back, I realised that my phone was at Jiacheng's house. I had to go back to get it. Mum: Why did it take that long to get your phone? Son: Halfway back, I noticed an old woman under a street lamp. She was wearing a thin blouse and it was cold. She looked pale. I asked her if she needed help. She said she was lost. Mum: So you sent her home? Son: No! She couldn't tell me her address. Mum: Then what did you do? Son: I checked and saw that a yellow band was attached to her wrist. It had her information on it. But I couldn't call her family without my phone. So I gave her my jacket and took her to the nearest police station. I waited with her until she was taken home by a policewoman. After that I ran to pick up my phone and came home. Mum: Oh, what a night! I'm sorry for being cross with you. But why didn't you phone me from the police station? I was so worried! Son: Oh, I didn't think of that... Sorry, Mum... Mum: Now I understand. I'm very proud of you. P22 根据课文内容回答 Choose another suitable title for the play. a Remember what l taught you. b Always help the elderly. c Please listen to me Complete the notes with the correct form of the words and expressions from the play. · Setting ·The living room ·The clock reads 10:27 pm. · Characters ·Son ·Mum · Plot ·The son was 1 heading back at 8:30. On his way, he realised that 2 his phone was at his friend’s house. ·He went back to get it and noticed a(n) 3 old woman under a street lamp. She looked 4pale. ·He couldn't 5 call her family. So he 6 took her to the police station. ·He ran to 7 pick up his phone and came home, but it was very late. ·The mum was angry and 8worried at first, but was very 9proud of her son in the end. Developing ideas From pain to gain 21 Oct 2021 Dear diary, I had a really bad day. I tried out for the basketball team, but the coach said I wasn't tall enough. This has been my dream since I was a little girl! I have practised so much, and it all ended today. I feel very bad.... 17 Sep 2025 Dear diary, 1 I was just reading my diary from four years ago. How time flies! Back then, I was so disappointed at being too short and failing to get on the basketball team. I couldn't help laughing at my heartbreaking words then. Basketball was really a big deal for me. But things changed soon after that. 2 I was so hurt by my failure back then, and my friends were all worried. "Why not try something else, like swimming or skiing?" suggested my best friend. At first, I swam just to take my mind off things. But soon, I fell completely in love with the sport. I've won several competitions now and I've made a lot of friends. My life has taken a different turn. 3 It's great to look back and see my pains and gains with fresh eyes. Growing up will never be an easy thing. But we need to look at challenges the right way. 4 Now I understand that failure is a part of life. It may fall upon us at any stage in our lives. I have experienced many other terrible moments since then. But I have never felt so bad again. I know clearly that failure lasts just a moment. When one door closes, another opens. Life is waiting for us with many other surprises. 5 Tomorrow is another day. P30 根据课文回答问题： Complete the chart with the words and expressions from the passage Four years ago I 1 tried out for the basketball team. But I failed because l wasn't 2 tall enough. I was so 3 disappointed about this. Then my 4best friends suggested that I should try something else. I tried swimming and soon fell completely 5in love with the sport. Now I have won competitions and made friends. My life has changed. I look back and see my 6 pains and gains with fresh eyes. Now I understand: 7 Growing up will never be easy. We should look at 8 challenges the right way. 9 Failure is a part of life. But it lasts just 10 a moment. 八年级下册Unit3 What makes a great team？ Understanding ideas What can I do? Dear Ms White, 1 Thank you for making me director of our drama, Snow White. It is a great honour for me. I've never been a leader before. But a problem appeared during the very first task - giving out the roles. Lisa and Mary both wanted to play the princess. Some of the team thought Mary was better. The others went with Lisa. Everyone looked at me and expected me to decide. But I just froze. Actually, I thought Mary was better, too. But what if I was wrong? What if I hurt Lisa's feelings? 2 My silence made Lisa angry. "I'm out!" she shouted and stormed off. Then the whole team was silent. My first day as a leader was awful! What should I do? Could you please advise me? Yours, Tony Dear Tony, 1 I completely understand your difficulties. Sometimes good teamwork is hard to achieve! So the leader should take responsibility in times of disagreement. 2 Here is my advice: 3 First, you should discuss the matter with Lisa. Why does she want to play Snow White? What are her strengths and weaknesses? You should work with her to find out. 4 Then, why not have Lisa and Mary both try two roles? For example, Snow White and the queen. All the team members can vote for the most suitable person for each role. 5 Remember: You're the director, but you don't have to deal with all the problems yourself. You have a whole team, so ask them, too! 6 I hope my advice is helpful. Best wishes, Ms White P38 根据课文回答 Choose the best summary of the emails. a Tony made a wrong choice and doesn't feel like a real leader. b Tony isn't a confident team leader and Ms White encourages him. c Tony has a problem as a team leader and Ms White makes suggestions. Complete the table with the correct form of the words and expressions from the emails. Tony's problem He had a problem during the very first task—1 giving out the roles. ·Some of the 2team thought Mary was better as Snow White, but the others 3went with Lisa. ·Everyone expected Tony to 4decide but he just froze. ·Lisa was 5angry and wanted out. Ms White's 6advice The team leader should take 7responsibility in times of disagreement. ·Tony should 8discuss the matter with Lisa and find out her strengths and weaknesses. ·Tony should have Mary and Lisa 9both try two roles. All the team members can 10 vote for the most suitable person. Developing ideas No “I” in “team” 1 At noon on 24 May 1960, four climbers stood alone on "the roof of the world". They were near the top of a thirty-metre-high wall of rock. It was called the Second Step. The top of Mount Qomolangma seemed right within reach. But no one had ever climbed the last few meters of the Second Step before. 2 Liu Lianman led the way. He tried four times. Each time, he fell back into the snow. The thin air took his strength away. "I'm not strong enough to try again," he thought. So he chose to be a "human ladder" for his teammates! He lowered his body and let Qu Yinhua stand on his shoulders. Slowly, bit by bit, Liu stood up and helped Qu climb to the top. Every second was painful, but Liu stood still. And he did the same for Gong Bu. Then he and Wang Fuzhou climbed up with a rope. 3 But Liu was too tired to keep going. The team were worried, but they had to carry on. They gave Liu all their oxygen. It was dangerous to climb without oxygen, but they knew Liu needed it. They made every effort through the cold and dark. Hours later, they reached the top of the towering mountain at 4:20 am on 25 May. They were the first Chinese to do so! They were also the first people to climb the difficult North Ridge. What's more, no one had done so without using oxygen! 4 When they returned to base camp, they were welcomed as heroes. People cheered for Liu, too. He did not reach the top, but he shouldered his team into China's mountaineering history. P46 根据课文回答问题 Complete the table about the story. No “I” in “team” 1.Who were the team members? Liu Lianman, Qu Yinhua, Gong Bu and Wang Fuzhou 2.When did the story happen? From noon on 24 May 1960 to 4:20 am on 25 May 1960. 3.What happened to the team before they reached the top of the Second Step? They were near the top of the Second Step of Mount Qomolangma, but no one had ever climbed the last few meters before. （AI搜索：）·Liu Lianman tried to climb the Second Step four times, but he fell back into the snow each time because of the thin air that took away his strength. ·He was not strong enough to keep trying, so he decided to be a human ladder for his teammates. 4.What challenges did they experience later? Liu Lianman led the way. He tried four times but failed. The thin air took his strength away. （AI搜索：）·Liu Lianman was too tired to go on climbing. ·The air was very thin, so climbing without extra oxygen was dangerous. ·They had to go through the extreme cold and darkness. 5.What did they do to get through the challenges? Liu Lianman chose to be a "human ladder" and let his teammates stand on his shoulders to climb to the top. Qu Yinhua, Gong Bu and Wang Fuzhou gave Liu all their oxygen and they carried on without oxygen through the cold and dark. （AI搜索：）·They chose to carry on climbing instead of giving up. ·They gave all their oxygen to Liu Lianman to help him. ·They made every effort to keep moving through the cold and dark. 6.Did they succeed in the end? Yes, they did. They reached the top of Mount Qomolangma at 4:20 am on 25 May 1960. They were the first Chinese to do so. What’s more, no one had done so without using oxygen. （AI搜索：）Yes, they did. They reached the top of Mount Qomolangma at 4:20 am on 25 May 1960. They were the first Chinese to reach the top, the first people to climb the difficult North Ridge, and the first to do so without using oxygen. 八年级下册Unit4 Helping out Understanding ideas Adding some colour 1 "Excuse me, may I have a purple crayon, please?" five-year-old Leah asked a nurse. "I want to colour the butterfly." 2 "Sorry, but I can't find one," said the nurse. "I'm afraid you'll have to draw a grey butterfly." 3 This conversation happened in a waiting room at Sunshine Hospital. The hospital provided colouring books for young patients. But there were never enough crayons. Why? Well, crayons may carry viruses and spread diseases. They can only be used once. Then they must be thrown away. The hospital had many new patients every day. It just couldn't afford new crayons for every child. 4 Leah was born with a serious disease, and she made many hospital visits. “A lot of the time she’s in great pain,” her mum said. “But colouring has helped her get through it.” Leah didn’t want other young patients to feel her disappointment. “It can be boring to wait for X-rays and treatments. I want them to feel good,” she said. “There must be something for me to do.” 5 Leah planned to buy 500 boxes of crayons for the hospital. However, all her pocket money was only enough for about 40 boxes. Because of her illness, she couldn't do chores for money, either. 6 It might sound impossible, but Leah didn't give up. With the help of her family and friends, she held many activities to raise money. And she would always be there in her wheelchair. Word spread fast, and Leah's story went public. So far, she has collected 2,675 boxes. 7 "She is a kind girl," said one nurse. "She's added colour to this hospital. The waiting rooms are now filled with happier kids and brighter pictures!" P54 根据课文回答问题： Choose another suitable title for the passage. a A grey area b Out of the blue 出乎意料、突如其来 c A little life colourer 给生活增添色彩的人 Complete the table with the words and expressions from the passage. The problem Leah was born with a serious disease. She made many 1hospital visits. One day, she asked a(n) 2nurse for a purple crayon to colour the butterfly. But there wasn't one. Causes of the problem ·The hospital provided colouring books for 3young patients. ·Crayons may carry viruses and spread 4diseases. They can only be used once. The hospital couldn't 5afford new crayons for every child. Solutions ·Leah 6planned to buy 500 boxes of crayons for the hospital, but she didn't have 7enough (pocket money). ·She held many activities to 8raise money with the help of her family and friends. Soon, her story 9went public. ·She has collected 2, 675 boxes. Comments Leah is a kind girl. She's 10added colour to the hospital. Developing ideas The circle of goodwill 1 It was just before 2:30 pm in my hometown, Wenchuan. I was having a music lesson at school. Suddenly, the ground shook hard and I was thrown to the floor. It was an earthquake! People were shouting all around me. I jumped to my feet and rushed outside. I was shocked to find all the other buildings were reduced to pieces. I was shaking all over with fear. Then, a pair of strong hands reached out to me - I was saved. 2 I can never forget those soldiers, firemen, doctors and nurses. Day and night, they raced against time to save as many people as possible. I was deeply touched by their courage and hard work. So I made up my mind to become one of them. And I did! I graduated from college and became a nurse. 3 One day, I heard another hospital needed support. Right away, I signed up to help. I still remembered the warmth of those helping hands 12 years ago. It was time for me to offer mine. 4 The work was by no means easy. The head nurse, Ye Man, gave me a lot of help. For me, she was a patient teacher and a kind friend. However, this wasn't the beginning of our connection. She had offered a helping hand to Wenchuan 12 years ago. Can you imagine my surprise? At that time she was my age, and also a new nurse, just like me! 5 Even today, I still feel lucky to have had such an amazing experience in life. Love leads to love, and so creates a circle of goodwill and kindness. P62 Complete the chart with the correct form of the words and expressions from the passage. The circle of goodwill When the writer was a student, she experienced a(n) 1 earthquake. A pair of strong hands 2 saved her from the disaster. She was deeply touched by the 3 courage and hard work of those soldiers, firemen, doctors and nurses. So she decided to become one of them. After graduation, she became a(n) 4 nurse. One day, another hospital needed 5 support. She 6 signed up to help right away. The head nurse, Ye Man, gave her 7 a lot of help. To her surprise, Ye Man had 8 offered a helping hand to Wenchuan 12 years ago. 八年级下册Unit5 Looking into nature Understanding ideas Secrets caught in time 1 Imagine a dinosaur in an ancient forest. It is running around, looking for its next meal. With an angry cry, it opens its mouth, raises its beautiful feather-covered arms, and... 2 Wait, feathers on a dinosaur? For hundreds of years, people believed that dinosaurs looked like huge lizards. Just look at all those dinosaurs in books, films and TV shows! However, thanks to a piece of amber, scientists now know that this idea is wrong. In the amber from Southeast Asia, they found the tail of a dinosaur - with feathers. 3 These beautiful golden stones quietly keep pieces of the past. They can tell us whether dinosaurs had feathers, but that's not all. They also help us understand that life on earth has always changed. A piece of amber from Northern Europe, for example, holds a flower. This species no longer grows in this area. But the find proves that it did 35 million years ago. In the future, amber may also help us discover if other species have changed over time. 4 Thanks to amber, more than 300 unknown species have been discovered. In a piece of amber from Africa, scientists found 13 ants. Research shows that they are a completely new species. Scientists used to believe that ants came from the northern half of the earth. The discovery of this African species has changed old beliefs about the history of ants. Who knows whether this piece of amber will tell us more secrets? 5 As a window on the past, amber has been much studied. However, it's still not fully understood. We should put more effort into research. Then we can use this key to unlock more secrets of nature. P70 根据课文回答问题： Choose where you are most likely to read this passage. a In a popular science magazine about findings in nature b in a newspaper report on exhibitions about dinosaurs c in a sci-fi book about travelling 160 million years into the past Complete the diagram with the words and expressions from the passage. Amber shows us 1 secrets caught in time. It shows us what ancient species looked like. 2 Thanks to a piece of amber, scientists know that dinosaurs had feathers. It helps us understand that life on earth has 3 always changed. A piece of amber proves that a species of flower grew in Northern Europe 4 35 million years ago. It helps us discover new species. More than 300 5 unknown species have been discovered. Scientists found a new species of 6 ants in a piece of amber from Africa. Amber is a(n)8 window on the past, and a key to unlock more secrets of 8 nature. Developing ideas Plants for life 1 Nature presents us with endless wonders. Most people get interested and ask questions. But one person took his interest all the way to the fields. He was born in the flowering season of early summer, and made plants his life. This person was Wang Wencai. 2 For over 70 years, Professor Wang explored China’s plants with great passion and hard work. He discovered and named about 1,370 new plant species. To carry out his research, he spent years in wild mountains and forests. Once, he fell seriously ill while doing field work in Yunnan. Though he nearly died, Wang never stopped his work. He lost sight in his right eye at the age of 83. But he didn't let anybody know. With a magnifier in hand, he still carried on with his researches for another 10 years. 3 Despite his huge success, Wang seldom thought about personal honour or wealth. Although he received the First Class Award of the National Natural Science Awards twice, he hardly mentioned it. For him, the award belonged to the team, and he was just doing his job. In fact, Wang was always quiet about his achievements. He was such a great scientist. But for a long time, even his granddaughter had no idea. 4 Plants grow and sleep with the seasons. So did Professor Wang. He passed away at the age of 96 with the falling leaves of autumn. When people came to say goodbye, they didn't hear any sad notes. Instead, they got to listen to Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony. This was Wang's favourite piece of music. It softly told people about his lifelong exploration and love of nature. P78 Complete the diagram with the words and expressions from the passage. Plants for life: Wang Wencai took his interest in nature all the way to 1 the fields. He made 2 plants his life. Achievements ·He 3 discovered and named about 1, 370 new plant species in China. ·He received the First Class Award of the National Natural Science Award 4 twice. Spirit He explored China's plants with 5 hard work. ·He 6 fell seriously ill while doing field work in Yunnan, but he never stopped his work. ·He lost sight in his right eye, but he still 7 carried on with his research for another 10 years. He seldom cared about 8 personal honour or wealth. ·To him, the National Natural Science Award belonged to 9 the team. ·For a long time, even his granddaughter 10 had no idea about his achievements. 八年级下册Unit6 Living with nature Understanding ideas From the eyes of Lao Shu 1 It was an early morning of Grain in Ear. Lively birds sang sweetly in the trees. Villagers hurried to the fields. Under the blue sky, golden fields shone like the sun. The wind blew, sending sweet smells into the air. Adults were busy cutting the wheat. Children raced behind to pick up the ears. 2 This is one of the best memories of my childhood. I grew up in the countryside of Shandong Province. Most of the villagers there lived by farming. The 24 Solar Terms meant so much to them. The changes of the terms guided both their farming activities and daily lives. The terms helped them understand why things happened at certain times, and how they should react. When I grew up and left my hometown, the 24 Solar Terms followed me. I always feel excited when a new term is set to begin. I longed to share these feelings in my paintings and poems. 3 I didn't know how popular the paintings would become. I'm so happy that many people, especially the young, are taking a new interest in the ancient wisdom. In the hundreds of comments below my posts, others shared similar memories and feelings. Now people may be moving away from farming. However, the ancient way of dividing time stays close to our hearts. 4 The 24 Solar Terms are known as the "Fifth Great Invention of China". They help people understand why nature works this way. Many of the 24 Solar Terms bear social and cultural meanings, too. People celebrate their arrival with traditional activities. For example, many people still eat spring pancakes at Start of Spring and dumplings at Start of Winter. The ancient calendar has never disappeared from the life of the Chinese. P86 根据课文回答问题： Choose Lao Shu's idea about the24 Solar Terms. a They are the only way to understand the changing of weather through the year. b They stay part of people's lives, even though fewer people are farmers. c Most people don't understand them, so they need to be studied by experts. Complete the notes with the words and expressions from the passage. The 24 Solar Terms in Lao Shu's eyes ·Most of the villagers in Lao Shu's hometown lived by 1farming. ·The 24 Solar Terms 2guided both their 3farming activities and 4daily lives. ·He always feels 5excited when a new term is set to begin. ·He longed to share these feelings in his 6painting and poems. ·Many people, especially the young, are 7taking a new interest in the 24 Solar Terms. ·The 24 Solar Terms help people understand why 8 nature works this way. ·The 24 Solar Terms also bear social and 9 cultural meanings. Developing ideas A river of life below the earth 1 You probably remember the Flaming Mountains from Journey to the West. But do you know where the real Flaming Mountains are? They are in Turpan, in the east of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 2 It's known as one of the hottest areas in the world. The desert sand can be as hot as 80°C in midsummer. That's enough to make your feet burn! It may sound crazy, but the locals can cook an egg on the desert sand. Rainfall in Turpan is only 16 mm a year. It is one of the driest places in China. How do people survive in such a terrible climate? The secret lies in the ancient karez system. 3 The karez system in Turpan includes more than 1,000 wells. They appear every 20-30 metres. Some of them are 100 metres deep! Under these wells are large underground canals. Water from the mountains falls into the wells. It then runs underground in the canals. It is kept cool and safe from the desert heat. There are over 5,000 km of underground canals in the area. That's nearly as long as the Yellow River! Thanks to the karez system, people can grow plants for food in this difficult environment. And amazingly, all of this was completed with only hand tools! No wonder it's among the top three projects of ancient China. 4 Today, the area faces a water shortage. There is less water from the mountains, lower rainfall and a large increase in water use. Although modern technology is solving some problems, the karez system still plays an important role. Now, more and more young people are taking action to protect it. The centuries-old water system will surely be carried into the future. P94 Complete the diagram with the words and expressions from the passage. The karez system Why is there such a system? ·Turpan is known as one of the 1 hottest areas in the world. ·It's also one of the 2 driest places in China. ·It has a terrible 3 climate for people to survive. How does it work? ·There are more than 1,000 4 wells appearing every 20-30 metres. ·Under the wells are large 5 underground canals. ·Water falls into the wells and ゚6 runs underground in the canals. It is kept 7 cool and safe from the desert heat. Why is it important? ·The system allows people to 8 grow plants for food in difficult environment. ·It's among the 9 top three projects of ancient China. How is it now? ·The area is facing a(n) 10 water shortage. ·Young people are taking action to 11 protect the karez system. 2 / 2 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $ 八下课文纯享版 已校对过出版教材 八年级下册Unit1 Career talks Understanding ideas Saying goodbye to my years up high 1. Hello, everyone. It's so nice to see you on my last day at work. The past 30 years were filled with both challenges and joys. All my days up high in the air will be kept in my memory. 2. I still remember my first summer as a "spiderman". It was a day much hotter than today! I was wet all over. Drops of sweat fell in my eyes. When I opened them, I saw a kind woman smiling brightly at me. She opened the window and handed me a piece of juicy watermelon. That was the sweetest watermelon of my life. 3. I'm reminded of some other friends I met through the glass. There was this sweet newborn baby. I watched her grow bit by bit. She was always excited when I appeared outside her window. She laughed as her cat tried to "catch" my brush. Later, she drew a picture of me and showed it to me! Happiness passed through the glass and into my heart. One day, her mother held up a note for me: the family was moving. I felt sad, but also happy that we were once friends. 4. Window cleaning is not always considered a good job, but I'll never regret it. I have met a lot of kind people and been part of many warm stories. I found a sense of achievement in my job. 5.Today I am saying goodbye to my job as a "spiderman". And you are going to start your days up in the air. The city shines brighter because of us, and the job will make us shine, too. Best wishes to you all! Developing ideas From mouse catcher to space tour guide... Which jobs will soon be history, and which ones are on the way in? People's jobs have changed throughout history. If you lived in the mid-1300s, you might have been a mouse catcher. The job was well respected centuries ago, but few people do it today. Now, technology is developing at an even faster speed. Some traditional jobs are disappearing. However, new ones are springing up to meet new needs. Jobs soon to be history Cashier Cashiers in shops and supermarkets may not be necessary in the near future. They may soon be replaced by machines. People can pay on their own in these places. Pilot Autopilots were first used in planes over a century ago. With the development of new technology, there might be no need for human pilots in the future! Jobs of the future Space tour guide Space tourism began in 2001. In the future, travelling to space will surely be provided at a lower cost. Space tour guides will be needed to lead people to the moon and beyond! Virtual reality fashion designer In the future, more people will work and play in virtual reality. People will need cool and fashionable clothes, so VR fashion designers will be greatly needed! Comments Cynthia263: The idea of flying in a plane without a human pilot is scary! Is the technology safe enough? Will pilots' jobs go up in smoke? JerryMc: Um, sign me up for a space tour, please! But what if I lose my job as a cashier? How will I make enough money to pay for the tour? JZhang00: How fast the job market changes! We can't just sit at our desks and expect things to stay the same. 八年级下册Unit2 Growing pains and gains Understanding ideas You just don’t get me! [Mum is sitting in the living room, worried. The clock reads 10:27 pm. The son runs through the door, out of breath.] Son: (breathing quickly) I'm back... Mum: Look at the time! Do you remember your promise? Son: (in a low voice) Yes, I promised to be back before 9 tonight. But... Mum: (interrupting) A deal is a deal! The promise wasn't kept, so you can't stay out late next time. Son: Mum, please listen... I was heading back at 8:30. Mum: Then why are you late? Son: On my way back, I realised that my phone was at Jiacheng's house. I had to go back to get it. Mum: Why did it take that long to get your phone? Son: Halfway back, I noticed an old woman under a street lamp. She was wearing a thin blouse and it was cold. She looked pale. I asked her if she needed help. She said she was lost. Mum: So you sent her home? Son: No! She couldn't tell me her address. Mum: Then what did you do? Son: I checked and saw that a yellow band was attached to her wrist. It had her information on it. But I couldn't call her family without my phone. So I gave her my jacket and took her to the nearest police station. I waited with her until she was taken home by a policewoman. After that I ran to pick up my phone and came home. Mum: Oh, what a night! I'm sorry for being cross with you. But why didn't you phone me from the police station? I was so worried! Son: Oh, I didn't think of that... Sorry, Mum... Mum: Now I understand. I'm very proud of you. Developing ideas From pain to gain 21 Oct 2021 Dear diary, I had a really bad day. I tried out for the basketball team, but the coach said I wasn't tall enough. This has been my dream since I was a little girl! I have practised so much, and it all ended today. I feel very bad.... 17 Sep 2025 Dear diary, 1 I was just reading my diary from four years ago. How time flies! Back then, I was so disappointed at being too short and failing to get on the basketball team. I couldn't help laughing at my heartbreaking words then. Basketball was really a big deal for me. But things changed soon after that. 2 I was so hurt by my failure back then, and my friends were all worried. "Why not try something else, like swimming or skiing?" suggested my best friend. At first, I swam just to take my mind off things. But soon, I fell completely in love with the sport. I've won several competitions now and I've made a lot of friends. My life has taken a different turn. 3 It's great to look back and see my pains and gains with fresh eyes. Growing up will never be an easy thing. But we need to look at challenges the right way. 4 Now I understand that failure is a part of life. It may fall upon us at any stage in our lives. I have experienced many other terrible moments since then. But I have never felt so bad again. I know clearly that failure lasts just a moment. When one door closes, another opens. Life is waiting for us with many other surprises. 5 Tomorrow is another day. 八年级下册Unit3 What makes a great team？ Understanding ideas What can I do? Dear Ms White, 1 Thank you for making me director of our drama, Snow White. It is a great honour for me. I've never been a leader before. But a problem appeared during the very first task - giving out the roles. Lisa and Mary both wanted to play the princess. Some of the team thought Mary was better. The others went with Lisa. Everyone looked at me and expected me to decide. But I just froze. Actually, I thought Mary was better, too. But what if I was wrong? What if I hurt Lisa's feelings? 2 My silence made Lisa angry. "I'm out!" she shouted and stormed off. Then the whole team was silent. My first day as a leader was awful! What should I do? Could you please advise me? Yours, Tony Dear Tony, 1 I completely understand your difficulties. Sometimes good teamwork is hard to achieve! So the leader should take responsibility in times of disagreement. 2 Here is my advice: 3 First, you should discuss the matter with Lisa. Why does she want to play Snow White? What are her strengths and weaknesses? You should work with her to find out. 4 Then, why not have Lisa and Mary both try two roles? For example, Snow White and the queen. All the team members can vote for the most suitable person for each role. 5 Remember: You're the director, but you don't have to deal with all the problems yourself. You have a whole team, so ask them, too! 6 I hope my advice is helpful. Best wishes, Ms White Developing ideas No “I” in “team” 1 At noon on 24 May 1960, four climbers stood alone on "the roof of the world". They were near the top of a thirty-metre-high wall of rock. It was called the Second Step. The top of Mount Qomolangma seemed right within reach. But no one had ever climbed the last few meters of the Second Step before. 2 Liu Lianman led the way. He tried four times. Each time, he fell back into the snow. The thin air took his strength away. "I'm not strong enough to try again," he thought. So he chose to be a "human ladder" for his teammates! He lowered his body and let Qu Yinhua stand on his shoulders. Slowly, bit by bit, Liu stood up and helped Qu climb to the top. Every second was painful, but Liu stood still. And he did the same for Gong Bu. Then he and Wang Fuzhou climbed up with a rope. 3 But Liu was too tired to keep going. The team were worried, but they had to carry on. They gave Liu all their oxygen. It was dangerous to climb without oxygen, but they knew Liu needed it. They made every effort through the cold and dark. Hours later, they reached the top of the towering mountain at 4:20 am on 25 May. They were the first Chinese to do so! They were also the first people to climb the difficult North Ridge. What's more, no one had done so without using oxygen! 4 When they returned to base camp, they were welcomed as heroes. People cheered for Liu, too. He did not reach the top, but he shouldered his team into China's mountaineering history. 八年级下册Unit4 Helping out Understanding ideas Adding some colour 1 "Excuse me, may I have a purple crayon, please?" five-year-old Leah asked a nurse. "I want to colour the butterfly." 2 "Sorry, but I can't find one," said the nurse. "I'm afraid you'll have to draw a grey butterfly." 3 This conversation happened in a waiting room at Sunshine Hospital. The hospital provided colouring books for young patients. But there were never enough crayons. Why? Well, crayons may carry viruses and spread diseases. They can only be used once. Then they must be thrown away. The hospital had many new patients every day. It just couldn't afford new crayons for every child. 4 Leah was born with a serious disease, and she made many hospital visits. “A lot of the time she’s in great pain,” her mum said. “But colouring has helped her get through it.” Leah didn’t want other young patients to feel her disappointment. “It can be boring to wait for X-rays and treatments. I want them to feel good,” she said. “There must be something for me to do.” 5 Leah planned to buy 500 boxes of crayons for the hospital. However, all her pocket money was only enough for about 40 boxes. Because of her illness, she couldn't do chores for money, either. 6 It might sound impossible, but Leah didn't give up. With the help of her family and friends, she held many activities to raise money. And she would always be there in her wheelchair. Word spread fast, and Leah's story went public. So far, she has collected 2,675 boxes. 7 "She is a kind girl," said one nurse. "She's added colour to this hospital. The waiting rooms are now filled with happier kids and brighter pictures!" Developing ideas The circle of goodwill 1 It was just before 2:30 pm in my hometown, Wenchuan. I was having a music lesson at school. Suddenly, the ground shook hard and I was thrown to the floor. It was an earthquake! People were shouting all around me. I jumped to my feet and rushed outside. I was shocked to find all the other buildings were reduced to pieces. I was shaking all over with fear. Then, a pair of strong hands reached out to me - I was saved. 2 I can never forget those soldiers, firemen, doctors and nurses. Day and night, they raced against time to save as many people as possible. I was deeply touched by their courage and hard work. So I made up my mind to become one of them. And I did! I graduated from college and became a nurse. 3 One day, I heard another hospital needed support. Right away, I signed up to help. I still remembered the warmth of those helping hands 12 years ago. It was time for me to offer mine. 4 The work was by no means easy. The head nurse, Ye Man, gave me a lot of help. For me, she was a patient teacher and a kind friend. However, this wasn't the beginning of our connection. She had offered a helping hand to Wenchuan 12 years ago. Can you imagine my surprise? At that time she was my age, and also a new nurse, just like me! 5 Even today, I still feel lucky to have had such an amazing experience in life. Love leads to love, and so creates a circle of goodwill and kindness. 八年级下册Unit5 Looking into nature Understanding ideas Secrets caught in time 1 Imagine a dinosaur in an ancient forest. It is running around, looking for its next meal. With an angry cry, it opens its mouth, raises its beautiful feather-covered arms, and... 2 Wait, feathers on a dinosaur? For hundreds of years, people believed that dinosaurs looked like huge lizards. Just look at all those dinosaurs in books, films and TV shows! However, thanks to a piece of amber, scientists now know that this idea is wrong. In the amber from Southeast Asia, they found the tail of a dinosaur - with feathers. 3 These beautiful golden stones quietly keep pieces of the past. They can tell us whether dinosaurs had feathers, but that's not all. They also help us understand that life on earth has always changed. A piece of amber from Northern Europe, for example, holds a flower. This species no longer grows in this area. But the find proves that it did 35 million years ago. In the future, amber may also help us discover if other species have changed over time. 4 Thanks to amber, more than 300 unknown species have been discovered. In a piece of amber from Africa, scientists found 13 ants. Research shows that they are a completely new species. Scientists used to believe that ants came from the northern half of the earth. The discovery of this African species has changed old beliefs about the history of ants. Who knows whether this piece of amber will tell us more secrets? 5 As a window on the past, amber has been much studied. However, it's still not fully understood. We should put more effort into research. Then we can use this key to unlock more secrets of nature. Developing ideas Plants for life 1 Nature presents us with endless wonders. Most people get interested and ask questions. But one person took his interest all the way to the fields. He was born in the flowering season of early summer, and made plants his life. This person was Wang Wencai. 2 For over 70 years, Professor Wang explored China’s plants with great passion and hard work. He discovered and named about 1,370 new plant species. To carry out his research, he spent years in wild mountains and forests. Once, he fell seriously ill while doing field work in Yunnan. Though he nearly died, Wang never stopped his work. He lost sight in his right eye at the age of 83. But he didn't let anybody know. With a magnifier in hand, he still carried on with his researches for another 10 years. 3 Despite his huge success, Wang seldom thought about personal honour or wealth. Although he received the First Class Award of the National Natural Science Awards twice, he hardly mentioned it. For him, the award belonged to the team, and he was just doing his job. In fact, Wang was always quiet about his achievements. He was such a great scientist. But for a long time, even his granddaughter had no idea. 4 Plants grow and sleep with the seasons. So did Professor Wang. He passed away at the age of 96 with the falling leaves of autumn. When people came to say goodbye, they didn't hear any sad notes. Instead, they got to listen to Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony. This was Wang's favourite piece of music. It softly told people about his lifelong exploration and love of nature. 八年级下册Unit6 Living with nature Understanding ideas From the eyes of Lao Shu 1 It was an early morning of Grain in Ear. Lively birds sang sweetly in the trees. Villagers hurried to the fields. Under the blue sky, golden fields shone like the sun. The wind blew, sending sweet smells into the air. Adults were busy cutting the wheat. Children raced behind to pick up the ears. 2 This is one of the best memories of my childhood. I grew up in the countryside of Shandong Province. Most of the villagers there lived by farming. The 24 Solar Terms meant so much to them. The changes of the terms guided both their farming activities and daily lives. The terms helped them understand why things happened at certain times, and how they should react. When I grew up and left my hometown, the 24 Solar Terms followed me. I always feel excited when a new term is set to begin. I longed to share these feelings in my paintings and poems. 3 I didn't know how popular the paintings would become. I'm so happy that many people, especially the young, are taking a new interest in the ancient wisdom. In the hundreds of comments below my posts, others shared similar memories and feelings. Now people may be moving away from farming. However, the ancient way of dividing time stays close to our hearts. 4 The 24 Solar Terms are known as the "Fifth Great Invention of China". They help people understand why nature works this way. Many of the 24 Solar Terms bear social and cultural meanings, too. People celebrate their arrival with traditional activities. For example, many people still eat spring pancakes at Start of Spring and dumplings at Start of Winter. The ancient calendar has never disappeared from the life of the Chinese. Developing ideas A river of life below the earth 1 You probably remember the Flaming Mountains from Journey to the West. But do you know where the real Flaming Mountains are? They are in Turpan, in the east of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 2 It's known as one of the hottest areas in the world. The desert sand can be as hot as 80°C in midsummer. That's enough to make your feet burn! It may sound crazy, but the locals can cook an egg on the desert sand. Rainfall in Turpan is only 16 mm a year. It is one of the driest places in China. How do people survive in such a terrible climate? The secret lies in the ancient karez system. 3 The karez system in Turpan includes more than 1,000 wells. They appear every 20-30 metres. Some of them are 100 metres deep! Under these wells are large underground canals. Water from the mountains falls into the wells. It then runs underground in the canals. It is kept cool and safe from the desert heat. There are over 5,000 km of underground canals in the area. That's nearly as long as the Yellow River! Thanks to the karez system, people can grow plants for food in this difficult environment. And amazingly, all of this was completed with only hand tools! No wonder it's among the top three projects of ancient China. 4 Today, the area faces a water shortage. There is less water from the mountains, lower rainfall and a large increase in water use. Although modern technology is solving some problems, the karez system still plays an important role. Now, more and more young people are taking action to protect it. The centuries-old water system will surely be carried into the future. 2 / 2 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $