If you visit the animal shelter in Salinas, California, you'll see huge wood cutouts(剪下的图形) of a dog and a cat. These signs were placed in front of the building to catch people's attention. The supersized cut outs make people curious and encourage them to visit the shelter— and maybe even adopt(收养) a pet. Each year, the Salinas shelter takes in around 2,000 dogs and 2,000 cats. The animals are either strays or are dropped off by people who couldn't take care of them. Of the 4,000 animals, some of them are finally adopted into new homes. Some animals are moved to other shelters. And, unluckily, some cannot be saved because they are too sick or are considered dangerous.   

   Animal shelters provide food, medicine, and a safe place for animals to sleep. But they are not ideal homes. The shelters are loud, and the animals stay in small cages. The people who work at shelters do their best to care for the animals, but the animals do not always get the attention or exercise they need.  

   To prevent so many animals from becoming homeless, pet owners should take care of their pets. One of the best ways to care for pets is to spray or neuter them. This surgery prevents cats and dogs from having more babies. And that reduces the number of homeless animals that end up in shelters.

    If you travel by air across the center of Africa or South America, you fly over forests for thousands of kilometres．These great forests are the seas of trees．They are full of thousands and thousands of different kinds of plants and animals．However, the world's forests are getting smaller all the time．We are cutting down the trees because we need wood, and we need more farmland as well．Some people say that there will not be any forests like these left in 20 to 30 years．What will happen if they disappear? If we cut down our forests, a lot of plants and animals will disappear from the world, in a lot of places the new farmland will soon look like the old deserts, for example, crops will not grow there．What's worse, it will not rain very often, and the weather will get very hot．Perhaps the climate of the world will change, which will be dangerous for everyone in the world．That is why we must take care of our forests．

    Solar storms shake Earth's magnetic field(磁场). They not only influence human technology, but also animals, reported Forbes.

    Studies show that many animals use changes in Earth's magnetic field to find directions. These changes provide the animals a general compass(指南针) for south and north. Animals can also use them as landmarks.

    For example, scientists have found special cells in part of a bird's eye nervous system(神经系统). They seem to react to changes in the magnetic field.

    Some fish species, like the common trout，have cells with magnetic sensors in their nasal cavity(鼻腔). In 1994 "magnetic sense" was also discovered in sea turtles.

    Some whale species may use magnetic sense to navigate (导航) the oceans. A dysfunction of this sense may explain the still mysterious beachings (动物搁浅). Sometimes several hundred animals, such as whales and dolphins, are driven out of water along beaches. They usually can't breathe under their own weight and die slowly.

Nowadays, "toilet revolution" is a thing in China.China isinvesting seven billion yuan in the project.The money is spent building or upgrading(改进) toilets in 30,000villages.

Experts have agreed that a "toilet revolution" is very important.Bettertoilets mean healthier lives and better living standards.Better toilets can alsohelp encourage tourism and improve the economy.

"Toilet revolution" was started in 2015.Chinese president Xi Jinpingthen called for improvement to toilets across China.The government has investedmore than 1.6 billion yuan in the project since then.Nearly 70,000 toilets havebeen built or upgraded.By the end of 2017, 45 percent of rural residents (居民) had been usingstandard toilets.In 2013, that number was only 36 percent.

In cities popular with tourists, more expensive toilets have been built.Thesetoilets have ATMs, Wi­Fi and recharging (充电) stations for mobile phones.Some toilets, meanwhile, havebeen expanded (扩大). Now, they have special cubicles (隔间) for the disabled and adults with young children.

China, in fact, is not alone in focusing on toilets.According to Bill Gates'foundation, forty percent of the world's population doesn't have flush toilets.UNICEF(联合国儿童基金会) says atleast 1.2 million young children die of diarrhea each year.Contact with human wasteis the main cause.Gates says toilets of the future will be able to save 800 livesevery day.

Nowadays, it's very usual for people {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(order) takeout, but did people eat takeout in ancient times?

Maybe you don't think so. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} fact, there was take out in the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279).  According to history books,  Emperor Xiaozong (1127–1194) liked ordering takeout late at night. His servants{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(go) out to pick up the dishes and bring them back to the palace.

Common people also ordered takeout. The owners of restaurants got their waiters to go out into the streets and ask loudly which dishes could {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(send) that day. People could then place an order. Delivery(快递)  {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(work) would bring food to their homes later. In the famous Song Dynasty painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival(《清明上河图》).  {#blank#}6{#/blank#}takeout worker is doing delivery work.  We can easily see the man {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(walk) with food in his hand in a hurry.

People at that time even had boxes for takeout dishes. {#blank#}8{#/blank#} they weren't like normal boxes. They were long{#blank#}9{#/blank#}(wood) boxes with several layers(层).  People also used plates made of two layers of porcelain(瓷). Hot water could be put between the first layer and the{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(two). In this way, they could keep the dishes warm.

The Dragon Head-raising Festival

China is a country with a long and rich history. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The Double Second Festival（the Dragon Head-raising Festival or Longtaitou Festival） is one of them. This special day is on the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar. It stands for the start of spring and farming. 

The dragon plays an important role in Chinese culture. Dragon culture is one of the most popular cultures in China. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} People celebrated the Dragon Head﹣raising Festival with many customs（习俗） about the dragon in ancient times. 

On this special day，people put ashes （灰） in the kitchen. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} People believed that if the dragon went into their houses，they could have a good luck all year round. People also ate special food. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} For example，people ate noodles called" dragon whiskers noodles" and dumplings called" dragon ears". Besides，people sent gifts to each other, picked vegetables and went on a spring outing.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Today people hurry to have their hair cut，especially have their children's hair cut on the Dragon Head-raising Festival. They want to make themselves have new looks and have a good year.