April 22nd every year marks the start of Earth Day, a day that is celebrated annually to raise awareness about our home planet and how we can save it from being damaged. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

①Green-up your home

    This is one of the most common things that people do whenever Earth Day rolls around, that is, switch off(关闭) their lights. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Conserve(节约) energy by switching off all power or electricity points whenever they are not in use. In addition, take out all the plugs from plug points even after switching them off.

② {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Cars, being the greatest source of air pollution, can be left at home this weekend. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Other greener choices are carpooling, riding a bike or you can also walk if you want a healthier choice and if your workplace is not that far away from your home.

③Be a little dirty

    No, we don't mean it 'that way'. We simply mean to say, don't take a bath. Yes, conservation of water is super essential. A day or two without a bath won't harm you, but it will certainly do a lot of good for our planet. A daily shower isn't a matter of health; it's a matter of comfort. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    The future of our planet is in your hands!

A. Started in the year 1970, Earth Day is now celebrated in more than 190 countries each year.

B. Showering every day can wash away the natural oils that our skin and hair need.

C. Do something every day that will improve your surroundings to make the planet a better place to live in.

D. Traveling via public transport is the better choice.

E. Leave your cars at home.

F. Below, we have made a list of things you can do to celebrate Earth Day.

G. However, this is not something you should do just for a day or for only an hour.

    One of the most popular vacation destinations for young families is the home of relatives. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}  Here are some tips for making sure you are invited back again.

    Be considerate

    Every family has their own way of doing things. Keep these things in mind when you're visiting.

    If your host family are early to bed and early to rise, don't keep them up talking until one o'clock in the morning.

    If your host family gets angry about kids running wild, either plan to keep a close eye on your kids or plan to stay somewhere else. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    Offer to help out

    Playing host to a family with children can be quite a challenge. Make sure you help lighten the load.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Offer to help with cooking and cleanup. Make your beds and run to the store for milk. Better yet, don't ask. Just start working.

    Help pay for food

    This may not apply, if you're visiting parents and they insist on paying for everything and they can afford it. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}  Use your judgment when it comes to parents. However, if you're visiting cousins, it will be a great help to them if you buy your  share of the food.

    Show your appreciation

    No matter whom you are visiting, make sure you let them know you appreciate their hospitality(盛情招待). {#blank#}5{#/blank#}  Or leave some fresh flowers when you leave. If you don't have enough money, write them a letter, letting them know how much fun you had and how much you appreciate them.

A．Don't expect your hosts to supply your every need.

B．Offer to take them out to dinner on your last night in town.

C．Make sure you don't leave your things behind while visiting a family.

D．In that case you may hurt your parents if you insist on paying for food.

E．Try not to disturb someone who is in the middle of exams.

F．Staying with relatives is a great way to save money while getting away from home for a while.

G．Having a talk with your children about expected behavior while visiting is always a good idea.

    Fun doesn't have to be expensive

    Everyone likes to have fun, but not everyone has much money to spend. Here are some free or cheap ways to enjoy yourself.

    Go outside

    Going outside in good weather can be a lot of fun if you don't want to stay at home. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you live in a city, you can go window-shopping. Or you can explore an old part of town and admire the buildings.

    Try a hobby

    While you're out, take pictures of things you find. Planning and taking pictures can make you aware of the beauty all around you. Photographic equipment can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. You probably already own a camera or a cell phone that can take pictures. Other creative hobbies can also be done with basic materials. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Find an event

    Libraries often hold free public events. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}And while you're there, borrow a book or movie for free. Museums and universities also hold free events.

    If you can't find a free event, you can volunteer at an event that requires tickets. People who organize concerts and plays need help.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Sometimes they reward volunteers with free tickets.

    Meet a friend

    Relationships are often the best things in life. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} For example, invite a friend for a walk, an event or a time working on your hobby. Hosting doesn't have to be difficult. If your friend comes in the afternoon, you don't have to serve a meal. You can sit and talk, play board games or card games or watch a movie together.

A. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

B. Stop by one to find out what's going on.

C. Hike or bicycle with a friend on a nearby path or in a park.

D. Whatever you do, find a friend to share it with.

E. It's a good idea to stay at home to watch a movie.

F. You can set up or take down chairs or greet visitors.

G. Drawing and writing require nothing more than a pencil and paper.

                                                                                 Are Your Clothes Causing Pollution?

    Very small pieces of plastic, called microfibers, are polluting rivers and oceans.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Clothes worn for outdoor activities and exercise are often made of artificial material, which is useful in keeping warm. But they contain very small plastic fibers, which may also be harming the environment when you wash them. When people wash these clothes, very small pieces go down the drain (下水道) with the wash water.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Pollution caused by plastic is not new, but recent studies have shown the effect of microfibers in the environment.

    Studies show very small microfibers are ending up in our waters, which may come from waste water treatment factories. A 2015 study found them in fish from California.

    Microfibers, effect on food supplies.

    Beyond the waterways, the researchers say microfibers may end up in soil and agricultural lands.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}This means there is much to be learned about microfibers and the environment. Some studies have shown that microfibers end up inside sea animals, like oysters.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Researchers say that the fibers tend not to move into the tissue of the fish, but it needs more study.

    Steps to save or keep microfibers from the environment.

    Until more information becomes known, there are steps to take to reduce the amount of microfibers in the environment. People should use less of the artificial materials. If we already have those in our lives and we're using them, an important step would be washing them less.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}A bag is being designed in which to wash these clothes. It traps the microfibers in the bag and it may be available for purchase soon.

A. New technology may also help.

B. Studies on microfibers in the environment.

C. They can also move around the atmosphere.

D. Studies on how much of the microfibers is released.

E. The source of these microfibers may surprise you: your clothes.

F. Washing machines keep microfibers from escaping with wash water.

G So if these microfibers have been found in fish and seafood, are they safe to eat?

    "The calm before the storm" is a very familiar expression. It is usually used to describe a peaceful period just before a very stressful situation or a tense argument. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They noted that before certain storms the seas would seem to become calm and the winds would drop.

    But why is it often so calm before a storm? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} According to US website HowStuffWorks a calm period occurs because many storms, tornadoes and hurricanes draw in all the warm and damp air from the surrounding area. As this air rises into the storm clouds, it cools and acts as "fuel for the storm, like petrol in a car."

    Once the storm has taken all the energy it can from the air, it is pushed out from the top of the storm clouds and falls back down to ground level. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} So once it covers an area, it causes a calm period before the storm.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} First count how many seconds there are between a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, roughly three seconds equal one kilometer. A good judgement is that if your count is below 30 seconds, you should seek shelter straight away.

    However, due to the complexity of storm system, calm doesn't always go first. So, your best bet is to keep yourself updated with weather reports for any predictions regarding a coming storm in your area. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    Near the city of Yogyakarta in Java(爪哇岛)is not only one magnificent(宏伟的)monument, Borobudur(婆罗浮屠), but a second equally impressive one. Prambanan, the second monument, shares a remarkable number of things in common with Borobudur.

    First, both huge temple complexes (建筑群) are thought to have been built at about the same time, around 850 AD. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Some historians think that both temples were created during the era of the Sailendra Dynasty

    Second, in both cases, the temples appear to have been abandoned just after they were completed. Why were they left alone, isolated (被孤立) in the mountains of Java? {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It certainly took a great deal of effort to build the monument, so why would their use come to a standstill(停止)without a very good reason?

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Prior to efforts to restore and preserve them in the 1800s, they lay in ruins, covered with plants. Today, both Borobudur and Prambanan are UNESCO World Heritage sites, famous for their religious art.

    Although there are so many similarities, there are important differences. For example, Prambanan, east of Yogyakarta, is a Hindu temple, while Borobudur, northwest of the city, is a Buddhist temple. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Overall, its individual (个别的) buildings are smaller than those of Borobudur. Borobudur sits on a hill and you can make it out from some distance. On the other hand, Prambanan is spread out over a flatter area. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Perhaps it is due to the eruption of the volcano, Mount Merapi.

B. Borobudur and Prambanan each tell their sacred stories in vivid detail.

C. Borobudur temple is one of the best-preserved ancient monuments in Indonesia.

D. However, scholars are not completely sure about the exact dates of construction of either place.

E. Finally, you can go inside the Hindu temple, but you must admire the Buddhist one from the outside.

F. Borobudur is one huge structure with ten levels, but Prambanan is a group of eighteen temple buildings.

G. The third common factor is that both priceless monuments suffered a great deal of damage during the centuries when they were left alone.