Do you know "World Reading Day"? It is on April 23rd. It is the eighteenth "World Reading Day". As we know books are very important for us.

    In Germany, more than 70% of the people like reading: They often read. They read in their homes. They read in libraries. They read in parks. They even read in hospitals. Parents often read books for kids.

    It is easy to buy books in Germany. There are many bookshops in Germany. They are in big cities and small town. A bookshop can sell many books every day. Germans also like to buy books on the Internet. More and more people buy books on the Internet.

    In Germany, people often have reading parties. They are happy at the parties.

    Do you love reading? Hope you enjoy it!

A. Be a Good Listener               B. Care About the Small Acts

C. Begin a Conversation             D. Make Time for Friendships

E. Give a Hand to New Neighbors     F. Remember Their Names

5 Ways To Build Friendship with Your Neighbors

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    Often neighbors don't even know each other's names. But it's okay to be the one to break the ice. So as you see them at work in their yards, smile, wave and say hello. Ask how their kids are or what they think of the price at the local supermarket.

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    Your new neighbors may be feeling lonely and unsure, especially if they're far from home. Your help will be welcomed by them. Leave your telephone number to them. If they have any questions, they can call you.

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    Most of us find it difficult to remember people's names. Writing down the names of your neighbors and note about them, such as "Frank and Jill—Bob's neighbor," helps you remember their names. The next time we see Frank and Jill, we try to call them by name.

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    If you value a friendship with your neighbors, spend time with them. What better way to meet your neighbors than to invite them to a pool party or holiday open house? Chat with each for five minutes to get an idea of what your neighbors are like so that you can plan for food and music.

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    In a good relationship, it's really the little things that count. Help to bring in the mail for the elderly neighbor when there is a heavy rain. When your neighbor forgets to take in his rubbish cans, roll them back into his yard.

    My school is so beautiful. It is in a small village in Germany. There's a special activity in my school. And I'm sure you've never heard about it. It is called Abi-Ulk. It's the favourite day for us.

    Every summer in our school, we have the Abi-Ulk day. On that day, students will no longer take lessons in classrooms but rush onto the playground. They can play games together and have fun for a whole school day. How about the teachers? They have to sit in an obstructed(堵住的) area to ensure that they can't control the students on the other side of the playground.

    Last year's Abi-Ulk impressed me a lot. I still remember that it was a hot day. We all went to the playground. But this time, we didn't just play games but had a water fight！Everyone had a water gun. We ran after each other and tried to shoot others with water. The fight was so exciting！After an hour, we all got wet. Then, the school band started to play. Teachers came from their "obstructed area" and joined us. We danced and sang. What a fun day!

    Once upon a time, in the forest there lived a baby elephant, who had no friends.

    None of the animals wanted to be his friend because he was too large.

    One day, a wild fire happened in the forest. The animals ran to safer places. The dry trees caught fire and the fire was sure to go all around the forest. The baby elephant ran to the nearest river, collected much water in his trunk (象鼻) and rushed to the burning trees. He sprayed (喷) the water on the fire. Finally, he put out the fire.

    Later, while he was resting after the hard job, all the animals and birds came to him and expressed their thanks for his kind help in time. They were now ready to regard (把……看作) him as their good friend and their hero. They said, "A friend in need is a friend indeed."

    The baby elephant was happy to get so many friends and played games with them. He walked through the forest, carrying several small animals and birds on his back.

    Vienna is a beautiful old city on the River Danube in the center of Europe. It's the capital city of Austria and the center of European classical music. In the 18th century a lot of musicians came to study and work in Vienna.

    In the Strauss family, there were two composers called Johann Strauss: the father and the son. The father, Johann Strauss the elder, wrote and played music for traditional dances, called the waltz. His dance music made him famous all over Europe. The son, Johann Strauss the younger, was also very successful and popular. He wrote over 150 waltzes. In 1867 he wrote The Blue Danube waltz.

    Mozart was another very important composer. He was born in Austria in 1756. Before he was six, he played not only the piano but also the violin. His family took him around Europe and he gave concerts in many cities. He wrote hundreds of wonderful pieces of music. But he became very poor and died in 1791 when he was only 35. Like Johann Strauss, father and son, he was a great European musician, and many people still think his music is perfect.