When you start a new school, go to a party or try to know a person, you often need to break the ice in order to start a friendly conversation. Breaking the ice means saying or doing something to stop feeling shy or uncomfortable around someone you don't know well. Almost everyone feels uncomfortable or shy when people meet for the first time. If you feel like this, the following ① tips can help you out.

Smile ② Whenyou smile, people think you're friendly and easy to talk to. They are also very likely to smile back and help you feel more comfortable about starting a conversation.

Be positive  Everybody likes being around happy people. Always look on the bright side of life and see everything positively（积极地）.

Be a good listener.   Don't control the conversation and don't just talk about yourself. ③ 仔细听别人讲，并且问一些关于他们自己的问题。They'll think you're worth talking to.

Be easy-going  ④ Some people may be so shy that they can't break the ice. Don't avoid being around new people just because you feel uncomfortable. If you face a situation again and again, you'll get used to it.

    Animals are natural resources that people have wasted all through our history. Animals have been killed for their fur and feathers, for food, for sport, and simply because they were in the way. Thousands of kinds of animals have disappeared from the earth forever. It's a great pity. It is reported that about 170 kinds in the United States alone are considered in danger.

    Therefore, we must take care of the animals around us. Once they are gone, they will never come back again. Animals are more than just beautiful or interesting. They are more than a source of food. Every animal has its importance to nature. Destroying one kind of animal can cause many problems. For example, when farmers kill large numbers of hawks(鹰), their eat rats and mice, with fewer or no hawks to keep down their numbers, rats and mice multiply quickly.

    Luckily, many people have realized this and have begun to do something to protect animals. Some groups put on performances to make people know the importance of protecting animals. Some raise money to help set up more zoos to keep them safe. Some try to get the government to pass laws on protecting the animals in danger. As a result, the number of these animals is growing.

    Information Card

The Special Olympics

    The Olympics are some of the most exciting sports events in the world. But there is another Olympics about which you may not have heard. This is the Special Olympics, for people with mental disabilities.

    The first Special Olympic Games were held in Chicago in 1968. One thousand people competed in many events. Since then Special Olympic programs have been organized in all 50 states and more than 150 countries. Today more than a million people take part in the Special Olympics.

    Mentally disabled persons over the age of eight may take part in the Special Olympics. These people may also have physical disabilities. People have run in races using crutches or walkers. A young girl enter the long jump event with an artificial leg. A blind runner raced around the track with the help of his coach's voice. A deaf basketball team planned their plays using sign language.

    Winning is wonderful for people who may never have had much success. But training for and entering the Special Olympics is also important. The participants become more confident. They learn how to concentrate in order to play well. Then they use that concentration in school to improve their schoolwork. Like anyone else they feel great when they prove they can do something well.

Savannah City Guide

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    If you want to spend the night in Savannah, you have lots of places to choose from. You can stay at a big hotel, a small inn, or a comfortable motel. Savannah's hotels, motels, and inns are famous for their friendly service. Call one of these places to make your reservation...

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    Savannah is well known for its wonderful restaurants. Many restaurants serve local seafood or old-fashioned Southern food.  The following are some of the best restaurants in the area.

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    If you like to shop, Savannah is the place for you! You'll find all kinds of stores in Savannah. You can go shopping in small stores or big shopping malls.  Are you looking for a special treasure or a great deal? You'll find it in Savannah.

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    There are so many things to do and see in Savannah. The sightseeing is great.  You can visit beautiful historic homes and museums. You can take a boat tour or visit Civil War forts.  With all of Savannah's history, art, and beautiful buildings, be sure to take the time to enjoy all that Savannah has to offer!

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     Savannah has lots of sunshine throughout the year. Summers are hot and humid. Winters are generally mild. Temperatures usually range between 30 degrees Fahrenheit(--1 degree Centigrade) and 90 degrees Fahrenheit(33 degrees Centigrade).

    Why do people cry? Scientists say the body produces tears because they need them. One kind of tears is for the eye, the other is for the heart. They both work as cleaners If something else like dust(灰尘) gets into your eye, tears also come into the eye to clean it out. If you are hurt by something, your strong feelings produce some poisonous chemicals(毒素) in your body, and at the same time, tears come out with them. If these poisonous chemicals are not cleaned out of your body as soon as possible, they will do harm to the heart sooner or later.

    In the United States men have heart problems more often than women do. Doctors say heart problems have something to do with the pressures(压力) of living and working now. Perhaps men suffer more from these illnesses because they do not cry enough. They need to cry more.

    In fact, you can find many ways of reducing the pressures to keep fit. Crying is natural and physical one.

    Zhou Yan, a Junior 3 students in Taiyuan, wishes he never got a mobile phone. Last week he went to see a doctor because his arms and fingers were in great pain, and he could not see very well. The doctor told him that he had "mobile phone disease". A growing number of teenagers(青少年) are getting "mobile phone disease" because more and more people are using mobile phones.

    Zhou got his mobile phone only five months ago. His mum bought it for him to use when he was out. But Zhou used it to send messages to his friends. He sent messages to them all the time, even after going to bed, Zhou started to do badly in the exams because he spent so much time playing with his mobile phone. His mum got very angry with him but Zhou Yan didn't stop playing with the mobile phone until his arms started to hurt, Yang Ling, a doctor, says that if someone uses his mobile phone too much, like Zhou Yan, he might get "mobile phone disease".

    If teenagers find their arms or fingers hurt, they should go to see a doctor as soon as possible. Yang Ling suggests teenagers should try to use their mobile phones less, especially at school. They should try to have fun in other ways, such as reading and doing sports.

Information Card