How long does it take to build a new house? It usually takes about six months or more. But each year, thousands of people work together to build new homes in just four months! Who does this wonderful work? Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is a group that builds homes for families in need. It has branches in different states around the USA. This group works all over the world, too. Volunteers help build the homes. They are unpaid workers. Volunteers can be builders and painters. They can be teachers or bankers. Some are students.

    Habitat for Humanity has built more than 300,000 houses. More than 1.5 million people live in these houses. Building a home is hard work. Volunteers learn how to put up walls. They use tools and machines. These selfless volunteers work with the family that will live in the house. Everyone works together to make the family's dream come true.

    Suruchi Srikanth has worked with Habitat for Humanity for four years. She began volunteering in high school. She has built many homes with other volunteers. She takes her responsibilities(责任) seriously. Volunteers know that if they don't help, homes might not get built. They are good citizens(公民) who care about other people.

    Stanford is a world famous university on the west coast of the US. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, because the poor boy died of a strange disease.

    Tourists are often surprised at the beauty of Stanford. Among the green trees, buildings with yellow walls and red tops make up a beautiful picture. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. That's because they were the favorites of Mrs. Stanford.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. It stands at the center. It was built by Mrs. Stanford to remember her husband who devoted himself to the university. There, students and teachers can communicate with God, and they can also hold great activities, such as concerts and celebrations.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. It is the landmark of the university. A man named Hoover had done a lot for the university. The things he once used can be seen on the first floor. On the top of the tower, tourists can have a good look at the whole campus.

    As one of the world top universities, Stanford has many subjects that stand among the top ones in the world. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. If you want to study computer in a university abroad, maybe it is your best choice.

    When Paul was a boy growing up in Utah, he happened to live near a copper smelter, and the chemicals that poured out had made a wasteland out of what used to be a beautiful forest. One day a young visitor looked at this wasteland and called it an awful area. Paul knocked him down. From then on, something happened inside him.

    Years later, Paul was back in the area, and he went to the smelter office. He asked if they had any plans or if they would let him try to bring the trees back. The answer from that big industry was "No".

    Paul then went to college to study the science of plants. He told the teacher about his plans. Unfortunately his teacher says, "It will be a waste of your time to try to do it." Everyone knew that, he was told. Even if he was knowledgeable as he had expected, he wouldn't get his idea accepted.

    Paul later got married and had some kids. But this dream would not die. And then one night he did what he could with what he had. Under the cover of darkness, he went to secretly into the wasteland and started planting.

Every week, he made his secret journey into the wasteland and planted trees and grass. For fifteen years he did this against the common sense. Slowly rabbits appeared. Later the company actually hired Paul to do what he was already doing.

    Now the place is covered with fourteen thousand acres of trees and grass and bushes, and Paul has received almost every environmental award Utah has. It took him so many years until his hair turned white, but he managed to keep that impossible promise he made to himself as a child.

    New York is a very large city with more than eight million people. How do so many people move on their way to work or school? In New York you can travel by subway, bus, taxi and private car.

    The subway runs on the railroad lines under the city. Travelling by subway is the fastest way to get around the city. The second way to travel around the city is by public bus. It is a slower way to travel. This is because the traffic is very heavy.

    You can also travel around the city by taxi. This is very expensive, but the taxi will take you to every place you want to go. If the traffic is heavy, the taxi will be slow too.

    During the mornings and afternoons, there is the "rush hour". This is the time when the traffic is very heavy with people going to and from work. The last way to get around New York is using your private car. It is inconvenient（不方便的）because you will perhaps be driving during the "rush hour". The best time to travel around the city is from 9 am to 4 pm, because it isn't the "rush hour".

    Some people around you look so cool and happy, but you often feel lonely. Or the friends you have do not really understand you that make you feel lonely, too. So what can be done when you have this feeling?

    Understand people's differences

    Not everyone has to do things the same way or behave the same way. Find people who have the same feeling. That is always a good basic for the friendship. You can take part in activities outside school like sports, art classes and dancing classes. There you can have more chances to find people who have the same interest as you.

    Develop your friendship

    Friendships do not just happen, and they need work. Phone your friends once in a while. Being there when they need you means that they will do the same for you.

    Accept others' invitations

    Even if someone invites you to a neighborhood street party, you never know who else will be there. Laughing and playing together could start a new friendship.

    Start a club

    Make your circle of friends big by starting a club. Going camping together or regularly (有规律地) going to the movies doesn't take much time.

    Do you know what Alzheimer's disease (阿尔茨海默病) is? World Alzheimer's Day falls on September 21 every year.

    People with this disease are very forgetful. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When US high school student Sarah Earp saw this problem in her family, she decided to do something.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} More people joined it and donated (捐献) their money. And they also learnt more about the disease. Earp gave the money to a group that helps people with Alzheimer's. "Alzheimer makes some people's life a lot harder," she said. "I would really like to help them."

    She made videos about the disease and showed them to students. Earp sits beside her aunt, who has Alzheimer's in one video. Her aunt says "that's terrible" after hearing some facts (事实) about Alzheimer's.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Earp also put up posters (海报) around her school.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} She also made a Facebook page that lets people tell their own stories about Alzheimer's.

    The girl says she hopes to continue (继续) helping people with Alzheimer's in the future.

A. She took out all her own money to help people with Alzheimer's

B. But the next moment, she has already forgotten what Earp was talking about

C. Earp started a project (项目) this year and has raised more than $3,000 so far.

D. They tell students to keep their brains healthy by exercising and playing chess

E. They always ask people the same questions again and again.