These days haze(雾霾) is around us here and there. In fact, everyone has the power to change their living habits to help reduce it. Many local governments call on their people to take action to make the air cleaner.

    Transport is one of the biggest contributors(促成物) to haze. When, where, bow, why and what you drive all affect air quality. When one drives to work for one year, he uses as much energy as a bus rider uses in 10 years. So walk or ride your bicycle to work or school whenever possible. If it is necessary, you can use public transport instead of your car. Each person using public transport for a year instead of a car can save nearly a tonne of pollutants, including CO₂, from going into the atmosphere.

    Carpooling is another way to reduce carbon emissions (排放). Carpooling is the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person travels in a car. It immediately reduces your car's emissions by half.

    What you do inside your living space can have a big effect on the air quality outside it. You can do a lot of things inside and around your home that will help you pollute less and save some money.

    A large amount of our energy supply comes from burning coal, another contributor to haze. By cutting down your electricity use, you are cutting down on haze. So you may try to reduce your use of electricity by turning off lights, using your air conditioner wisely during the summer months, or updating some of your electrical appliances to low-energy models. For example, you can use energy-saving lamps that require less energy and last 10 times longer than common bulbs.

    Populations of white-tailed deer (白尾鹿) are growing rapidly in many parts of the United States. As populations grow, food becomes a problem. Many deer die of hunger. Others grow up small and unhealthy. In search of food, hungry deer move closer to where humans live. They eat farm crops, vegetables and even trees. Besides, increased numbers of deer near roads can cause traffic accidents.

    People admire the grace and fast speed of deer. Most people don't want these animals to be hungry and ill. Should people take action to control the growing deer populations?

Should People Take Direct Action?

    Many people think that hunting (打猎) is the best way to control the animal populations. Wildlife managers will see if there's enough food in an area and decide its carrying capacity (容量). Then hunters with licenses are sent to help control the number of deer. Hunting is usually not allowed in cities or suburbs, however.

    Some people have the idea to catch the deer and move them to other places. But this method is expensive and requires finding another place that can accept the deer without breaking the balance of ecosystem.

    Scientists are also working to develop chemicals to control the birth rate in deer populations. But this plan works for only one year at a time.

Should People Take Indirect Action?

    Some suggest bringing in natural enemies of deer, such as wolves, lions and bears, to areas with too many deer. But these animals could also hurt dogs, cats, and even humans. Other communities have built tall fences (篱笆) around areas to keep out the deer. However, this is impossible for farmers.

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    Some people are against any kind of action. They support leaving the deer alone. Animal populations in an area naturally go up and down over time. Doing nothing means that some deer will die of hunger or illness. But finally, the population will reach a size within the carrying capacity of the environment. So, let nature go its own way.

    Mint (薄荷) is a useful plant. You can see it in different kinds of dishes. Mint can bring us many health advantages. It can also help us relax. Don't you believe it? Just smell the plant when you feel tired.

    Now, if you love mint, you don't have to buy it at the market. The plant is very easy to grow. You can plant it all year round, and it can grow well both indoors and outdoors.

    ①Prepare your flower pot (盆)

    Fill your flower pot with soil. Fill soil to a depth (深度) of about 25 centimeters. Use a garden fork to loosen the soil (松土).

    ②Plant your mint

    Plant your mint seeds (种子) 40 centimeters far from each other. If your pot is small, use just one plant or seed.

    ③Put your plant in a proper place

    Mint loves sunlight, but it also likes a bit of shade. Put your plant in a place where it can get both sunlight and shade.

    ④Water your mint

    Mint prefers wet soil. Keep the soil well watered, but don't overdo it. Don't forget to put a plant plate under your pot.

    ⑤Time to harvest

    Mint grows fast. After your plant grows up, you can pick its leaves at any time.

    To make things more fun, why not ask each of your classmates to grow some mint? Let's see whose mint grows the fastest!