Zeb Hogan is always traveling around the world to save endangered fish.

This famous ecologist(生态学家) grew up in a city in Arizona, America, but he had a big backyard with lots of trees. He spent his free time climbing trees and catching animals with his brother. They each had their favorite places in the biggest tree and they worked out ways to climb from tree to tree without ever touching the ground. Their family went camping in the summer and they would usually visit zoos and aquariums(水族馆) on their family vacations. His clearest memories as a child all had to do with animals and the outdoors. As he was older, he became interested in animal shows on TV and he would wake up early to watch Wild, Wild World of Animals before the other family woke up.

    One day when we talked about fish, he said, “As an ecologist, Mr. White, you should know that fish in most parts of the world have a hard life, such as the Mekong giant catfish, the Chinese paddlefish, taimen, and the Murray cod. They are all in danger and have to do with all kinds of challenges all by themselves. Water pollution is one of them. So these fish really need our help."

    Uncle Lee is coming to have dinner with us. Mom and I go shopping. We don't have any meat. We need to buy some. It's ten yuan a kilo before. But now two kilos are sixty yuan. I say, "Mom, let's buy some fish." Mom answers, "OK." Fish is Uncle Lee's favorite food. We buy one kilo and a half. We also buy some vegetables and some chicken, but we don't buy any hamburgers. Uncle Lee doesn't like them at all. Mom also wants to buy some apples for me. You know, I like bananas, oranges and peaches, but I like apples best. But we can't find any. We go home at a quarter to five in the afternoon.

    My name is Bill. I'm from England. I am a worker. I work in a clothes shop. My wife , Ann, is a teacher. She teaches English in a junior high school. We have two kids: a son and a daughter. They are students. Jim is our son. Now he is in his favorite T-shirt and blue pants. Sally is our daughter. She likes blue very much. Now she is in her blue dress. My father's name is Robby. My mother's name is Diana. They are old and they don't work now. I have a brother. His name is Robert. He is a worker, too. My wife's father is Sam. Her mother's name is Rose. Her sister is Lily. She is a teacher, too.

    Some people have a very poor sense of direction. Unluckily, I am one of them. I have visited a place many times but I may still get lost there the next time.

    When I was a little girl, I never dared to ask strangers the way. And so I used to walk around in circles and hope that by chance I would get to the place I was going to.

    Now, I am no longer too shy to ask people for directions, but I often receive useless or ever wrong information. So I try to avoid giving people wrong directions. It anyone asks me the way somewhere, I would say, "Sorry, I am a stranger here."

    Once on my way to work I was stopped by a man. He asked me if I could tell him the way to the Friendship Building. I gave him my usual reply. But just as I walked on only a few steps, I realized that he had asked the way to my office building. However, I had no time to turn back and look for him. I hurried to meet someone at my office and I didn't want to keep him waiting.

    When I just got to my office, the secretary showed in the man who had asked me for directions. Imagine how awkward I was and how surprised he was when we saw each other at the first sight!

    "We only had one recess (课间休息) today!" a girl from Connecticut said sadly to her mom. The mother, Lucy Dathan wishes her daughter had more recess time. "It helps kids build relationships and be creative thinkers," Dathan is working to pass a state bill(议案). The bill would require at least 50 minutes of recess every day.

    Advantages of recess

    There was a report about recess in 2017. It said that playtime encourages kids to be active. It can build healthy bodies. It also helps kids make friendships. Last year, the state started requiring two recess periods a day. Most U.S. schools offer 27 minutes. But some schools offer none at all.

    Powerful Voices

    At least six states have laws that require primary schools to provide recess. Other states are considering the same thing. Kids can help. In Arkansas, they asked lawmakers to consider a state bill. This bill requires 40 minutes of recess. Izzy Kopsky is one of those kids. Playing with his friends is his favorite part of recess, but he felt like he didn't have enough time to do that. He spoke in front of lawmakers and told them that more recess time could help students pay attention in class. The governor of Arkansas signed the state's recess bill on April 1st.He likes the kids' efforts. "Young people can have a powerful voice."

    Test Case

    Many schools have to make sure students do well on state tests. That's why some schools have shorter recess. It makes more time for class. But cutting back on recess may not be the right choice. Recess can improve a child's memory and focus.