An old saying goes ”Laughter is the best medicine.”It's true that laughter is really good for our health. So, the next time you're feeling stressed, try to laugh a lot, ①develop a sense of humor and watch funny films.

The Comic Relief charity, an organization that helps people in need, uses laughter to raise money. Every two years in spring, many English people put on a red nose, make a fool of themselves and do "silly” things to make themselves and others laugh. Examples of silly things you can do are:

• Invite friends round to your house to watch funny films. They have to pay to watch the films—those with the most comfortable chairs pay more—and for food and drinks.

• Hold a talent show at school and ask your friends and teachers to sing, dance or tell jokes. Sell tickets for the show to the rest of the school.
• Have a red nose party at your house. All your friends come dressed in red—including red nose—and your serve red food and drinks. If they don't wear red, they have to pay a fine.
  
• Get the students in your school to make funny sculptures(雕塑)using all kinds of materials. Sell tickets to your Red Nose Day exhibition and part of the money goes to Comic Relief.

      The organization has helped people for more than 20 years. And how much have they collected since the first Red Nose Day? Over￡600 million!②             . In New Zealand, for example, people have made big red noses which they put on the front of cars and even buildings.

    We need animals. Every animal has its place in the balance(平衡)of nature. We should try to help save the animals.

    Some people think zoos are good places. The zoos give the animals the comfortable and safe living places. If the animals get hurt or ill, people will take care of them. The zoo is a good place to know the rules in the wild world. We can be much closer to nature. We can know more about the animals in the zoos by watching, listening even smelling instead of just looking at the pictures in books.

    Some people don't think animals feel happy in the zoos. Animals like pandas, wolves and bears usually live in the wild. They play and find food by themselves. They are free and happy in the wild. If they are in the zoos, food is enough and rooms are comfortable. They do not need to do their best to find food to eat or places to stay in. They just walk around, sleep day and night, but they are not free at all.

I think we should build national parks as wild life nature reserves to protect animals. If we do nothing, animals will get fewer and fewer.

    Now, many young people like shopping on line. But for most people, they still like shopping in the market. Let's see some famous markets around the world.

    There is an unusual market at a place called Damnoen Saduak in Thailand. In this market, people sell fresh fruits on their boats. It's open from 6: 00 in the morning to the noon every day.

    Many Belgians(比利时人) say that the Grand Place is the most beautiful square in the world. It is home of a colorful flower market. It's open every day except Mondays. On Mondays, instead of flowers, there's a wonderful bird market!

    One of the world's most famous markets is the Sonora Market in Mexico. You can buy toys, birds, herbs and medicine. There are all kinds of things. It's open every day from early in the morning till late at night.

    In England, every weekend, thousands of young people t ravel to the Camden Market to go for street fashion CDs and tapes. Many people also go there for fun.

    Humans can't stop natural disasters because we can't stop the power(力量) of nature.

    For example, a flood comes when there is too much water on the land. Sometimes, it can come after a big rainstorm at sea. Then too much sea water comes onto the land. Fast moving flood can hurt us. It can also hurt our homes. We can't stop the water from coming, but we can try to stop the water by making a wall with sandbags. Sometimes, the sandbags help stop the water. Sometimes they don't.

    An earthquake happens where land moves. The land goes up and down and all around. The land shakes. We may be hurt by things that fall down in an earthquake. Falling things can start fires. We can't stop an earthquake from coming. We can try to make our homes strong in order to prevent them from falling down in an earthquake.

    A tornado(龙卷风) is fast air that goes around and around over the land. A tornado can pick up everything. It can break anything in the way. A typhoon is a big storm with fast moving wind and rain. It begins at sea and can come onto the land. Its fast winds can hurt us and our homes.

    We can't stop the power of nature, but we can go to places where we will feel safe.

Street Markets Around the World

    There are many ways of shopping. You can shop by telephone, by post or through your home computer, but for many people, the most exciting way to shop is also the most traditional—at a street market. You can find markets anywhere in the world. Here are four of them:

    There are many "floating markets" in Asia; perhaps the most unusual(非同寻常) is in Thailand(泰国), at a place called Damned Saduak. It's open from six in the morning to the noon every day. People sell fresh fruit from their boats.

    Many Belgians(比利时人) say that the Grand Place is the most beautiful square in the world. It's the home of a colorful flower market. It's open every day except(除了) Monday. On Monday, instead of(替代) flowers, there's a wonderful bird market.

    One of the world's famous markets is in Mexico City(墨西哥城)—the Sonora Market. You can buy toys, birds, herbs(草本) and medicine. There're all kinds of things. It's open every day from early in the morning till late at night.

    In England, on Saturday and Sunday thousands of young people from all over London travel to the Camden Market—it's the place to go for street fashion, CDs and tapes. Many people also go there for fun.

    ①Mike lives in Zhengzhou of China. But he is from Canada. He is 12 years old this year. ②He speaks English. And he speaks Chinese a little. Mingming is his good friend. He is a Chinese boy. He often goes to the English Corner. He likes to speak English there. ③It helps him with English. Of course, he often helps Mike with Chinese. Mike has a pet at home. It is a dog. He likes it very much. ④The name of it is Wangwang. Mingming likes it, too. So he often plays with Wangwang in Mike's home.