You probably don't think about soil often, but the following report may help you learn about science of soil.

What is soil made of?

Soil is made of sediments (沉积物) and humus(腐殖质). Sediment is small pieces of rock broken down over time by rain, ice, and wind. Sediment is often found in water. Humus comes from decayed(腐烂的) plants and animals. It helps give plants a lot of the food they need to grow.

How does soil form?

Over centuries, rock breaks down into very small pieces.

The rock pieces mix with humus.

The humus gets thicker and thicker over time. Soil is formed(形成)l

How are soils different?

Soils can be different colors and have different textures(质感). Texture is how the surface of an object feels. Color and texture are two features(特征) of soil.

Plants and soil

Plants do not grow well in some soils. Sandy soi1 is too dry. It does not hold water. Soil with too much clay is too thick. Most plants grow well in dark, rich garden soil that has different sediments and a lot of humus in it.

    Hello! I'm Sally White. I'm from the USA. And now I am in Shanghai with my family. My telephone number is 62118795. Look! That is my schoolbag. It's yellow. Some of my school things(东西) are in it. But I can't see my watch in it. I lost it. I must find it. I see a watch in my brother, Bob's hand so I ask him. "Is this watch mine?" He says, "No, it isn't. This isn't your watch It's Lisa's." Lisa is my sister. She opens her schoolbag and finds a watch in it. She says to me, "Your watch is in my schoolbag. Here you are." Those are my parents. They are teachers. I love my family.

Information Card

    Should friends be different or the same? Different people have different ideas. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. I am outgoing. I like to have friends who are similar to me. Both my best friend Linda and I like traveling. We went to Italy with our families last summer vacation. We stayed there for two weeks.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

My name is Mary. I like to have friends who are different from me. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. I am quiet and I like reading very much. Betty likes sports and she plays ping-pong well.

    I'm Peter. I like to have friends who are like me. It can be very helpful. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}and my good friend Rick is quiet, too. Sometimes I don't know what to do with my problems and he can tell me what I should do.

    I'm Bill. I have both kinds of friends. I think it is important. That makes my life more interesting.

    Spring Festival is the most important festival in China. On Chinese New Year's Eve, family members get together and have a big meal. In many places people like to set off fireworks. Dumplings are the most traditional food. Children like the festival very much, because they can have delicious food and wear new clothes. They can also get some lucky money from their parents. The money is given to children for good luck. People put New Year scrolls(卷轴) on the wall for good luck. Spring Festival lasts 15 days. People usually visit their relatives and friends. People enjoy Spring Festival very much, because during this time they can have a good rest.

    A good book can help you learn more things than you can learn in class. If you want to get into a good reading habit(习惯), here are a few ways.

    Plan your time

    You should give yourself at least thirty minutes for reading every day. When time is set, nothing can change it.

    Always carry a book

    Wherever you go, take a book with you. When you leave the house, make sure that you always carry a good book as well as your school things.

    Find a quiet place

    Find a place in your home where you can read a book quietly and no one will trouble you. There should be no television, computer, music or even noisy family members around you.