The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modern traffic and modern communication equipment(通讯设备). Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but it has brought new problems. One of the biggest is pollution. To pollute means to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even hear it. Man has been polluting the earth. The more people, the more pollution. Many years ago, the problem was not so serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place, people moved to another place. They are slowly polluting the whole world.

    Air pollution is still the most serious. It's bad for all living things in the world but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily.

Many countries are making rules to fight against pollution. They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city, and from putting dirty smoke into the air.

Pollution by SO₂ is now the most dangerous kind of air pollution. It is caused by heavy traffic. It is sure that if there are fewer people driving, there will be less air pollution.

    The earth is our home. We must take care of it. That means keeping the land, water and air clean. And we must take care of the rise in population at the same time.

My daughter and I were driving from Los Angeles to Dallas.We were running low on gas（汽油）somewhere in New Mexico and hoped to meet a gas station soon.

But that didn't happen and we realized we were not going to make it to the next town.So my daughter made up a sign that said， "Low on gas.Can you help me？" and held it outside her window，hoping a driver in the next lane（车道）would notice it and stop.

There weren't too many cars passing by us at that time.It was a desolate stretch of the road and about3：30 p.m.on a weekday.A truck was driving along in the neighboring lane ahead of us.We caught up with it in the hope that the driver would notice the sign.An elderly gentleman was driving it and after an expression of confusion（困惑） on his face，he seemed to have noticed the sign and slowed down to pull over.We pulled over right behind him.

He was friendly and was willing to help us.At first he thought we didn't have enough money to buy gas，so he offered to buy us gas at the next town Roswell that was about 10 miles' away!

When we explained our trouble，he said he was a factory worker and was returning home from work.His factory was about 10 minutes away and they had gas there，so if we could give him 20 minutes，get a can of gas and fill up our car for us.We could not believe our good luck!

We were filled with thanks for the kindness of strangers such as this person when we waited for him to return.Sure enough，he was back with the can.He refused to take payment for the gas.Tears came down，as did our warm thanks.

How would you feel if you get hugs after dinning in a restaurant? Tim Harries gives free hugs 1 every customer at the end of each meal. The atmosphere at his restaurant "Tim's Place" is2 positive that customers call it "the 3 restaurant in the world". Tim' s Hug has4 interesting name on the menu called a "love" treat. The 5 man is probably the only Down syndrome sufferer (唐氏综合症) in the U. S. to own a restaurant. Also, he was chosen as Student of the Year6 he was in high school! So, when a man like Tim hugs you, it is sure7 a special and unforgettable experience. 

When Tim expressed 8 interest in opening a restaurant, his friend Keith who was a businessman supported him. Tim hired many people. Some served the guest, some kept the place clean, and9 did the cooking. Since Tim got to know10 people wanted to feel at home at a restaurant, the idea that his customers can11 the free hug has been carried out. Many customers have meals 12 at Tim' s Place. Since five years ago, Tim 13 out over 1900 hugs. he keeps counting by14 a special Hug Counter. Sometimes he may feel tired after a whole day' s work,15 he' ll never give up giving out free hugs. 

We all need good friends and want to get on well with them. But what do you do when you and your best friend have 1 ideas? At first, I didn't know what to do when this happened to my best friend Karina and me.

When we first met at a summer camp, we got along so 2 that we shared stories, laughed a lot, and quickly became inseparable(形影不离的)friends. But then something happened at a picnic. "Did you hear the news about the shopping center?" asked one of our friends Levar. "Some people plan to 3 many trees to make room for a shopping center."

"That's terrible! It will be bad for our environment(环境). We have to 4 that," I said.

"I don't think so," said Karina. "The shopping center will give people new jobs."

"But animals will 5 their homes!" I said. "I want people to have 6 , but it doesn't have to do such a terrible thing."

I wanted Karina to join me in 7 trees, but she didn't want to. I was so angry that I didn't 8 her for days. Later, my mother knew it and said to me seriously(严肃地), "No two people are the same. You should 9 each other. Don't let the 10 make you lose a good friend." After listening to my mom's words, I said sorry to Karina. Now we're still good friends.