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.

    In North America, people are always in a hurry. Children have special lessons or sports activities after school. Parents often work late and don't get home until 7 or 8 o'clock at night. More than 50% of women work at full—time jobs, and many people do part—time work.

    When a family wants to eat a meal together, often(A) there isn't enough time to prepare the food.  That is why fast food is so popular in North America.(B) People spend about 40% of their money buying fast food.

    Fast food is the food ____(C)___ pizza, sandwiches or fried chicken. People can buy the food from a restaurant chain(连锁) like Pizza Hut, McDonald's or KFC. (D) Fast food saves work and time, but it is usually junk food.

    Fast food is popular in many countries. American fast food companies(公司) now have restaurants all over the world. But not everyone is happy about the spread(扩张)of North American fast food. Some people in Italy want to fight against(抵制) it . (E)They don't want any more fast food chains to open in their country. They also want to fight against the spread of fast food everywhere in the world.

Personal Information of Teachers

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Jane Birch is from America. She can speak5 languages and has been to 14 countries. She is very popular with students and has many ways of learning foreign languages.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Daisy Chambers, a smart lady, is good at playing the piano. She has been learning it for ten years. Amazingly, she learns it all by herself. Many students are her fans.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Rod White is a creative teacher and inventor. He believes that invention is for every one and everyone can be an inventor. In his class, students find it great fun to do scientific experiments.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Emily Roy has written many stories. Students love reading her books. She always recommends good books to her students. She plans to write a book to share how reading changes her life.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Lewis Nichols is an excellent swimmer. He takes part in the winter swimming competition every year. He thinks that swimming in cold water builds up not only his body but also his will.

    To be healthy and happy is important for each of us. Do you want to improve(改善)your health and feel better? Here are some ways.

    Eat whole foods. Eat some healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and a little meat. If you have a healthy eating habit, you'll be happier.

    Exercise. Take up a sport you really like. If you want to keep healthy, try to exercise for 30 minutes a day, twice or three times a week．

    Get enough sleep. It is best to get eight hours' sleep a day. A cup of milk before sleeping may help you get a good sleep.

    Keep yourself busy. This is good because it stops you from having bad habits. To keep yourself busy, you can walk around the house, spend time with your pets, do a sport, or do a hobby you enjoy.

    Spend time with your friends. Spend time and have fun with them. Talk with them, but you shouldn't talk about anything bad. You should stay with the people who are healthy and happy.

    One day, my father and I were in line to buy tickets for the circus(马戏表演). And a family was standing in front of us. The family had eight children. Their clothes were not expensive were but clean. The children talked about the clowns(小丑),elephants, monkeys and other things excitedly. It was their first time to go to the circus.

    The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted. He answered, "I want eight children's tickets and two adults' tickets, so I can take my family to the circus."

    The ticket lady told him the price. The man's wife lowered her head and there was no smile on the man's face. He quietly asked, "How much did you say?"

    The ticket lady said the price again. The man didn't have enough money. How could he tell his eight kids the bad news? My dad put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a $20 bill and dropped(使......落下)it on the ground. (In fact, we were not rich!) Then my dad said, "Excuse me, Sir, this dropped out of your pocket."

    The man knew what was happening. He looked into my dad's eyes, held(握住)my dad's hand in his, and took the $20 bill. "Thank you, Sir, thank you. This really means a lot to me and my family."

    My father and I went back home. We didn't go to see the circus that night, but we didn't care.