I like to travel. I have been fortunate enough to make trips to half a dozen countries in Europe. I enjoy seeing new things, experiencing other cultures and m{#blank#}1{#/blank#} new people. My wife and I recently came back from a driving trip that covered more than 17, 000 kilometers and a little more than six weeks on the road. It was a wonderful adventure filled with new sights and s{#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    We're home now and have settled back into our daily routine of life. We live in a small town, so there are not the same sorts of attractions o{#blank#}3{#/blank#} in a big city. That does not, of course, mean there is nothing to do, just that we don't have the big shows and all the shops and other activities a city can provide. Actually, our town is a f{#blank#}4{#/blank#} place where people say hello to you on the street whether they know you or not, a place where you can walk to almost anywhere you want to go and leave the car at home and a place where being outside is usually very nice because we have generally good weather.

    I find that when I am at home, particularly for a while when we have just r{#blank#}5{#/blank#} from a trip, I feel very pleased. Perhaps it is because everything around me is familiar and the daily routine is so much the same that I can move through it almost without thinking. Perhaps it is because our friends are here, because we can have meals at home instead of always being in restaurants a{#blank#}6{#/blank#} it's nice to let someone else do the cooking and because I can sleep in my own bed. There are times I think it would be nice to simply stop travelling and stay home.

    We will travel again and we feel fortunate to be able to do so. It's a wonderful world and we want to see as much of it as we can. S{#blank#}7{#/blank#}, one of the best things about travelling for me is coming home. I'm very content here even if it is difficult to say exactly why.

    I'm sure you all know how important recycling is. Recycling is when you collect old things and turn them into new things. It sounds like magic. B{#blank#}1{#/blank#} in fact it's very scientific.

    How it all works? The first thing is to collect items that can be recycled. Soda cans are made out of metal. Some bottles of juice are made out of g{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Magazines and newspapers are made out of paper. Bags are made out of plastic. Many o{#blank#}3{#/blank#} old things can be recycled, too.

    Let's get back to the process（过程）of recycling. Once you put all your items in a recycling factory. There, the materials get separated. They go into d{#blank#}4{#/blank#} piles. There are special machines that crush（挤压变形）each pile together. The materials c{#blank#}5{#/blank#} into square cubes（立方体）. They are really heavy. It is h{#blank#}6{#/blank#} for humans to carry them. Companies buy these cubes and turn them into n{#blank#}7{#/blank#} products.

    Now let's take a closer look at how old paper is transformed（改变形态）. First the paper is torn（撕）into tiny p{#blank#}8{#/blank#}. Then a special water with chemicals is poured onto them. The fibers start to stick together. In time, a completely new roll of paper is c{#blank#}9{#/blank#}! If there were things written or printed on the first paper, they disappear.

    Recycling keeps our planet healthy. It reduces waste and saves money. It a{#blank#}10{#/blank#} saves energy. You can do your part. So just remember the golden rule always recycle your products!