It was a quiet village in which there was a military camp(军营). It was far from the towns and cities and there were some high mountains around. Of course it was a good place for training the new soldiers. But it was difficult for the young men to go outside. Mr. White, an officer of forty, was strict with them and he hardly let them leave the camp.

    Once Mr. White was ill in bed. He couldn't work and a young officer, Mr. Hunt, began to train the new soldiers instead of him. He knew the young men well and let nine soldiers go to the nearest town to have a holiday. But night fell and none came back to the camp. He was worried about it and stood at the gate. It was five to twelve when Mr. Hunt decided to go to the town and see what was happening with the young men. He started the car quickly and set off. At that moment the nine soldiers came back. It seemed they were all drunk. Of course they found the officer was angry.

    "I'm sorry, sir," said the first soldier. "I left the town on time. But something was wrong with my bus on my way here. I had to buy a horse and made it run fast. Bad luck! It died and I had to run back."

    And the other seven soldiers said they were late for the same reasons. It was the last soldier's turn. He said, "I'm sorry, sir. I got on a bus on time, but…"

    Having heard this, the officer became even angrier and stopped him at once. He called out, "If you say something was wrong with your bus, I'll punish you at once!"

    "No, no, sir," said the young man. "My bus was all right, but the dead horse were in its way!"

    In a big room on the second floor of the New York City Department of Sanitation's East 99th Street garage, 63-year-old Manhattan native Nelson Molina was listening to a Frank Sinatra CD he found in the trash. "The Way You Look Tonight" was playing through a music player. In fact, the entire space was filled with items strangers threw away. "My family kept everything," said Molina. "Nowadays, people throw it all away." Molina, during his 34 years as a sanitation worker （环卫工人）, gave these items a second life.

    Molina grew up in a housing project with his parents and five other kids in the family and had a habit of picking up unused items at a young age. "My family was poor, so we didn't get much for Christmas," he said. "I'd go out to look for a toy for my sisters, maybe a truck for my brothers." He kept his early morning habit secret from his friends, but not out of embarrassment: "I didn't want the competition."

    On the job, Molina had his sixth sense for finding items. "I could tell, sometimes just by the sound, whether a bag was filled with bottles or a different kind of glass," he said. He kept special finds on the truck, and then put them in out-of-the-way places in the sanitation garage. After almost 10 years, he began showing his discoveries. "It's not a normal practice." said NYC Department of Sanitation assistant chief Keith Mellis. Recently, a team of New York University students has taken on the task of cataloging （分类） the tens of thousands of objects, in hopes that the collection, which has hardly been open to the public, might one day be shown in an official sanitation museum.

    When he was young, Louis Armstrong was taking what was called “Creole jazz”, which was also called dance music, and combining it with trumpeter (小号手) Buddy Bolden, to create what would eventually become today's jazz.

    Armstrong accomplished that with almost no formal training. He received little training before he was placed in the New Orleans Colored Waif's Home at the age of 12, after a run-in (小争执) with the police. The punishment turned out to be a mixed blessing, for he also had the opportunity to play in a real band.

    While at the Waif's, Armstrong also got the chance to hear some of the city's finest musicians. Cornetist Freddie Keppard performed in a nearby club. So did trumpeter and bandleader, King Joe Oliver, who took the boy under his wing and taught him how to read music and work on his playing technique.

    When Oliver left for Chicago, Armstrong chose to stay in New Orleans and work with some of the other top musicians of the day. In Chicago, King Oliver offered him a place in his band in 1922. It became Armstrong's biggest challenge yet — the band had no parts written for trumpet, so he was forced to listen to King Oliver and improvise (即兴创作).

    Soon, Armstrong's undeniable talent was getting notice. Even classically trained musicians would come to hear the incredible sounds this young man created.

    Lil Hardin, the bands piano player and the future Mrs. Armstrong, explains that Oliver kept Armstrong in the second trumpet-chair so that Oliver would still be “King”. Hardin convinced him to leave the band.

    Armstrong moved to New York City in 1924 to join Fletcher Henderson's band and then flew solo. In 1925, Armstrong put together the Hot Five, expanding his popularity even more. Armstrong recorded his first composition, Cornet Chop Suey, one of the most copied jazz solos of all time. This monumental 1928 recording blends (混合) artistry, endurance and showmanship that has rarely, if ever, been matched in Jazz.

    Perhaps you have heard a lot about the Internet, but what is it, do you know? The Internet is a network. It uses the telephone to join millions of computers together around the world.

    Maybe that doesn't sound very interesting. But when you've joined to the Internet, there are lots of things you can do. You can send e-mails to your friends, and they can get them in a few seconds. You can also do with all kinds of information on the World Wide Web (WWW).

    There are many different kinds of computers now. They all can be joined to the Internet. Most of them are small machines sitting on people's desks at home, but there are still many others in schools, offices or large companies. These computers are owned by people and companies, but no one really owns the Internet itself.

    There are lots of places for you to go into the Internet. For example, your school may have the Internet, you can use it during lessons or free time. Libraries often have computers joined to the Internet, you are welcome to use it at any time.

    Thanks to the Internet, the world is becoming smaller and smaller. It is possible for you to work at home with a computer in front, getting and sending the information you need. You can buy or sell whatever you want by the Internet. But do you know 98% of the information on the Internet is in English? So what will English be like tomorrow?

    With all the recent concern about the environment, people want to see their money used to better the planet. Here are four well-known environmental organizations.

    World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

    The World Wildlife Fund is perhaps one of the best-known organizations for the protection of endangered species and their habitats around the world. They've been around for over 45 years. You can donate through their website worldwildlife.org, join their organization as a member, or adopt an animal through their online adoption center.

    National Geographic Society (NGS)

    National Geographic Society is well-known for their magazine and their specials on TV. The organization itself is one of the longest-running in the world—they've been around since 1888, focus on exploration and conservation of forests, oceans, habitats, species and societies. You chopse to donate through the website nationalgeographic.com，buy something at their online store, or order a magazine subscription.

    National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Founded officially in 1937, the National Wildlife Federation tries to protect wildlife at all costs. In fact, they believe that having the public educated is the best way to help the environment—the more you know, the more you can protect the world we live in. Donations to the NWF can be made through their website nwf. org or through other options, like matching gifts, workplace giving, or memorial donations.

    Ecology Fund, com

    Set up in 1976，Ecology Fund, com is run on user clicks. Advertisers buy ad space on the site every time someone clicks. The money goes to buy endangered wilderness land to protect it from companies that would destroy it. So far, Ecology Fund, com has bought land in many areas. The best thing about this site is that you needn't donate any money—all you have to do is click.

The best places to see giant pandas are, of course, in Chengdu, hometown of giant pandas. But there are zoos/parks in other China cities where you can see giant pandas if you can't get to Chengdu.

Dujiangyan Panda Base

● Location: Dujiangyan Prefecture, 67 km (41 mi) or 

● 1.5 hours from Chengdu

● Pandas: about 20

● Activities: panda viewing, and panda keeper program

● Suitable for: those who want a less-crowded panda base or to join in a one-day volunteer program

● Time needed: half a day

Dujiangyan Panda Base focuses on breeding, wilderness training, and releasing pandas into the wild.

Only 1.5 hours from Chengdu, it is the most easily-accessible panda base offering a panda keeper program.

Wolong Panda Base

● Location: 121 km (175 mi) west of Chengdu, 3 hours' driving

● Pandas: about30

● Activities: seeing pandas, panda keeper program, hiking in wild panda habitat

● Best for: taking part in a volunteer program in a peaceful environment

● Time needed: 2 days

Compared with Dujiangyan, Wolong Panda Base is much further away from Chengdu. Thus, it is less frequented by visitors. Besides, Wolong National Nature Reserve is considered to be the real hometown of wild pandas.

Chongqing Zoo

● Location: Chongqing City, conveniently on subway line 2

● Pandas: about 16

● Activities: Seeing pandas only

● Time needed: 2 hours

● Best for: travelers who visit Chongqing or take a Yangtze Cruise

Chongqing Zoo boasts 16 pandas, which is second to Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center among the city zoos. Located in the "Mountain City", Chongqing Zoo is built on the mountain slopes. The panda house utilizes the mountainside and includes a rock cave. So, you have to climb up a little for a panda visit there.