A forest fire that burned 55 square kilometers was finally brought under control on Wednesday morning. The fire started on Sunday in Black Bear State Park and quickly spread to nearby areas.

    On Monday, police evacuated (疏散) the small town of Lawson and asked the people to leave their homes. The fire destroyed 20 homes in the area and caused heavy damage (损坏) to 40 others.

    Nobody was hurt. Officials said the damage to homes and cars was between $l million and $2 million. The fire spread quickly in the hot, dry weather. Firefighting was difficult because of strong winds. Firemen from 55 fire departments in the state joined the National Fire Service to put out the fire. Some kept fighting for 24 hours. Fire engines (消防车) and helicopters (直升机) dropped water onto the fire. In order to control the fire, firemen cleared a way around the fire.

    Police closed King Road to traffic on Tuesday because of heavy smoke. Thousands of tourists had to drive an hour north to Queen Road to pass the fire area. Local police think open fires left by tourists might be the cause of the accident and ask tourists to follow the rules in case such accidents ever happen again.

    Mum and dad are two of the most important people in your life. You probably see at least one of them every day. And they influence (影响) you more than anyone else you meet in your 1ife. So if your mom loves to read, you just might grow up carrying a book wherever you go, just like she does.

    But parents do a lot more than just passing on their hobbies. Mums and dads care for（关心）their children from the minute they were born. So they are the people we should respect(尊敬) and love best. It's very important to stay close, get along, and build a strong relationship with your parents. But not every child knows how to do this. Here are some ways to help you.

    Spend time together. Don't play a computer game or watch TV, ask your mum and dad to play with you. Go outside together, or read a book out loud.

    Be kind. Little things might mean a lot to your mum or dad. You can make your parents happy with a hug (拥抱), a card, or a joke（笑话）. It's also lovely when a child cleans up his or her room without being asked. And if you try not to fight with your brothers or sisters, your parents might be very happy.

    Do your best at whatever you do. You don't have to be perfect, but when you do your best, you make your parents proud(自豪). It makes them happy to see how you're turning into a great kid. Why? Because it lets them know you're doing a good job.

Should mobile phones be allowed at school?

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Some mobile phones are more than just phones-they are being used as radios, cameras and MP4 players, and they are also used to send e-mails or surf the Internet. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    People have different ideas about whether students should use mobile phones at school or not, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If their parents have something important to tell then, they can call their teachers for help. If someone's mobile phone rings during a Chinese class, he and his classmates can't concentrate on what the teacher is saying. Some parents also point out that their children often use their mobile phones to download(下载） unhealthy information from the Internet. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Other people believe that we can find some ways to use mobile phones to help students learn better in the classroom, since many of today's mobile phones are like mini computers. And children usually know more than adults about how to use new technology. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    What are your answers to the question?

    Tea does not mean the same thing to everyone. In different countries people have different ideas about tea-drinking.

    Chinese people drink tea at any time of the day at homes or in teahouses. They prefer their tea with nothing else in it. The Japanese way of having tea is very old and full of meaning. There is even a special room for tea-drinking in Japanese homes. In England, almost everyone has a cup of tea in the late afternoon. The English usually make tea in a teapot and drink it with cream and sugar. They also eat cakes and cookies with tea. Americans usually use tea bags to make their tea. It's faster and easier. They drink tea mostly for breakfast or after meals. In summer they drink cold tea or iced tea.