Now many people like to keep dogs as their pets. But how did dogs become humans' close friends?

    In some places of Europe (欧洲), about 10,000 years ago, some wild (野生的) dogs often came to human's houses to find food. The wild dogs looked different from the ones today. They looked like wolves (狼). At first, they felt ① frightened. They always stood and looked for a short time. Then they got the food and ran away. Sometimes the young dogs couldn't run fast and people caught them. People trained them and the young dogs grew up with the help of people. Slowly, the wild dogs became home dogs. They could make home safe when people were away. They helped people hunt (狩猎). They helped people keep warm on cold nights. ② Sometimes, they could smell and hear danger before people could. In some cold places, they helped people pull (拉) things people need.

    Now there are more than 400 different kinds of dogs in the world. And they look different from each other. The number and kind are growing all the time. Today, some people mainly (主要地) regard dogs as pets. In fact, dogs are really our close friends. We should protect them from being killed.

    When you are learning a language, listening, speaking and writing are important, but reading can also be very helpful. When you read, you can not only learn some new words, but also learn how to use them. When you read a passage, it gives you a good example for writing. Here are some good reading tips.

    Firstly, try to read at the right level (水平). Read something that you can understand. If it is too hard for you, it is not interesting.

    Secondly, try to understand the new words. If there are four or five new words on a page, don't use a dictionary. Instead, try to guess their meanings as you read. Mark (作标记) them with a pencil. Then look them up in a dictionary when you finish reading, and write them in your own vocabulary book. Try to remember them.

    Thirdly, try to read for a short time once a day. Fifteen minutes or half an hour every day is better than two hours every Sunday. For example, you can read before you go to bed, or after you get up or at lunchtime.

    Lastly, read something that interests you. Choose a newspaper, a book or a magazine about a subject that you like. It will be easy enough for you to understand.

    TFK Kid Reporter Dahlia Suiter spoke with the writer of Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink.

    You just said that you didn't think you'd become a writer. Why?

    I didn't know what I would be. There were times when I wanted to be a scientist. I loved reading about biology.

    ①{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    I never thought about writing stories for adults (成年人). It was always for children because when I was a child, books were so important to me.

    ②{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Revision(修改) is my favorite part. If I can add (增加) something surprising at the same time, I'm happy about that, too.

    ③{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Writing is hard, and if you're not having fun with it, why do it? "Save ( 保存) what you write" is very important because you may need it. You may need that part you cut.

    ④{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    I hope the book will open up new places to go with writing.

    ⑤{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Yes. Writing can be a good way to discover (发现) yourself. You learn about yourself when you write. Writing also slows your thinking down, and you can make discoveries and go places that you don't expect.

    If you go into the forest with friends, stay with them.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you do get lost, this is what you should do.

    Sit down and stay where you are. Don't try to find your friends. Let them find you. You can help them to find you by staying in one place.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Give them a signal(信号)outing or whistling (吹口哨) three times. Stop. Then shout or whistle three times again. Any signal given three times is a call for help.

    Keep on shouting or whistling, always three times together. When people hear you, they will give two shouts or two whistles.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    If you don't think that you will get help before night comes, try to make a small room with branches(树枝).

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} ? You would have to leave your little branch room to look for something to eat and drink. Don't just walk away. Pick up small branches and drop them as you walk so that you can find your way back.

    That is all to say.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    When talking about inventors, who do you first think of? Forget Thomas Edison. Meet the teenage inventors at the 24Jiangsu Adolescents Science & Technology Innovation Contest (青少年科技创新大赛).

    Wang Xingyu, 14, from Kunshan No. 2 Middle School, invented "a safe line' in the zebra crossing. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} "I put a spray tube (喷管) in the zebra crossing. When the light is red and  somebody crosses, it sprays water. If the light is green, it will not work, "said Wang. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} "Theres a water channel (管道) in the ground, so the water will be collected and used again, "he said.

    Zong Wangchen, 15, from Nantong Special Education Middle School, also got his invention idea from daily experience. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} When he walked on the sidewalk for the blind, he often came across obstacles（障碍物 ）. Once he even hurt his nose. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Users tie radar on their knees and wear the loudspeaker around their necks. When they meet obstacles, the radar will see them and the loudspeaker will make a sound to tell the users.

    Chen Huijuan, an official from Jiangsu Association for Science and Technology, was surprised at these inventions." {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Get inspiration（灵感） from small things in life and you can be an inventor too. "he said.