The most common disease in the world is the cold. It often starts with a sore throat. You sneeze and your nose runs. You usually have a headache, too. Often you have a cough later. It's not a serious disease, but you can feel quite bad.

    There isn't a cure (良药) for a cold, but you can take some medicine to make you feel better. For example, you can take aspirin (阿司匹林) to get rid of (去除) your headache. It is good to rest. and to drink a lot of water, too. A doctor once told me. "With the right medicine. a cold will last for seven days. With no medicine, it will go on for a whole week!"

    A long time ago, people understood that some plants made them feel better. For example, the juice of lemons (柠檬) makes a sore throat feel better. In modern times, scientists have found out which chemicals (化学药品) are in them. Man, of our medicines today are made from those chemicals. There are some diseases that we can't cure yet. And nobody has found a cure for old age. But because of modern medicines, the average people now live longer than their grandparents.

    Steve visits the nursing home near his house two afternoons each week. On one of those days, he reads to his friend Martin. On the other afternoon, he plays cards and talks with Mrs. Johnson. Steve enjoys spending his extra time this way. He is a volunteer. A volunteer is a person who helps another person or has a job for which he or she does not get paid. A volunteer donates his or her time for free.

    Everyone else in Steve's family is also a volunteer. Steve's mother Mary volunteers one afternoon each week at the local hospital. She talks to patients, delivers flowers, and helps the nurses with odd jobs. Steve's sister Gina volunteers two afternoons at the museum. She welcomes visitors and answers their questions. Steve's father David also is a volunteer. He is a volunteer fire fighter for the town in which they live.

    Steve's family thinks volunteering is very important. Steve's parents think being a volunteer helps to teach values. Steve and his sister learn how to be kind and respect other people.

    Steve's family does volunteer work to give something back to the community. They want to help people who are not as fortunate as they are.

    A family of volunteers

    According to a new survey, student safety has become a big problem.Now in many big cities of China, many schools start a new lesson: self­protection. Students like this lesson because there are no exams or boring classes. And they can learn how to save lives and know how to stop danger before it really happens.

    Lin Li, a teacher from Yantai, gives young students advice on how to deal with danger.

    If you are in a traffic accident

    If a car hurts you, you should remember the car number.If it is a bicycle, try to call your parents before you let the rider go.This is because you don't know how seriously you are hurt.

    If it is raining hard and there is lightning

    Don't stay in high places and stay away from trees.

    When there is a fire

    Get away as fast as you can.Put wet things on your body and try to find an exit.Do not take the lift.

    If someone is drowning

    If you can't swim, don't get into the water.Cry out for help.

Remember that danger is never as far away as you think.Take care of yourself at all times!

    If you are robbed (抢劫)

    Keep calm.If you cannot cry for help or run away, give the robber your money.Try to remember what the robber looks like and tell the police later.

Information Card

    The population of Earth is still going up. There will be less and less good land for growing crops in the future. People worry that there will not be enough food for everyone in the middle of this century.

    Recently scientists have discovered one strange plant named fedtschenkoi（玉吊钟）may help. It can absorb（吸收）carbon dioxide(CO₂) at night. It only needs 10 times less water than food plants like beans. This means it can grow in the desert(沙漠).

    In which ways could this plant help us?

    Since deserts are increasing in size because of the changes in Earth's climate, growing plants there will be more and more important. Although it is dangerous to eat this plant, scientists can still study something about it: how it absorbs CO₂ at night while many other plants only do this during the day, and why it is suited to the desert.

    There is another direction to take the research in. Producing a desert plant to eat will be difficult, but there is still possibility to use the genes(基因)from this plant and put them into food plants.

    The other way is to grow this type of plant for fuel(燃料). At the moment we grow plants for fuel in good land. If we do it in deserts instead, more good land can be used to grow plants for food.

    Desert plants have special qualities, which could be an answer to our future food or energy needs. Scientists are working hard on it.

    It may take a long time for some people to learn to speak English. However, by following these tips（实用的提示） you should be speaking English in no time.

    Tip I: Forget about having a large vocabulary. Only learn the words you will need most. For example, if you are traveling in an English-speaking country, make a list of all the possible sentences and questions that you would need to know, such as "Do you know where the nearest bathroom is? "and" I am lost. Can you help me?" Think about what sentences you would want a traveler to know if they came to your country and couldn't speak your language.

    Tip 2: Once you have a list of vocabulary that you think will be most useful to you, make sure you understand the meaning of each word and know how to use each word in a sentence. Try making lists with new words and sample sentences(例句). Ten new words is enough on each list. Then stick(粘贴)the lists up all over your house where you can easily see them. Practice every day. Whenever you see a list, make sure you stop and read through it.

    Tip 3: Now pronounce these words and sentences properly. Try to learn pronunciation by listening to how English speakers pronounce words. Watch English TV shows, listen to English radio programs and try to talk with as many English speakers as you can, online or in person.

    I wish you the best of luck and I hope my tips are helpful!