The power of nature

    There are some things in nature that we cannot stop from happening. We cannot stop the power of nature. A flood comes when there is too much water on the land. Sometimes， it is after a big storm when too much rain falls on the land. Sometimes it is after a big storm at sea， when too much sea water comes onto the land. The fast flood water can hurt us and can hurt our homes. We cannot stop a flood from coming， but we can try to stop the water from coming into our homes. We can try to stop the water by making a wall. We can use sandbags to make the wall.

    An earthquake comes when the land moves. The land goes up and down and in different directions. Then land can crack（断裂）. An earthquake can hurt us. We can get hurt by things that fall down in an earthquake. Falling things can start fires. We cannot stop an earthquake from coming， but we can try to make our homes strong so that they will not fall 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 anything. It can break anything that is in the way. A hurricane（飓风）is a big storm with fast winds and strong rain. It begins at the sea and can come onto the land. Its fast winds can hurt us and our homes. We cannot stop a tornado or a hurricane from coming， but we can get out of its way. We cannot stop the power of nature， but we can go to places where we can be safe.

    Scientists are trying to turn deserts into usable land again. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, so people can live and grow food. They are learning a lot about deserts. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Scientists may not be able to change these deserts. People are doing bad things to our planet.

    Some places don't get much rain. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. This is because green plants are growing there. Small green plants and grass are very helpful for dry places. Plants don't let the hot sun make the soil too dry. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. When a little bit of rain falls, the plants hold the water. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, land can turn to desert much more easily.

    Beethoven had an ugly face , and he had a very bad temper (脾气), but people like to ask him to their homes. When he lost his temper, they forgave (原谅) him. He was often poor and ill during his life. After one illness, he suddenly found himself deaf. At that time he was just 31. What a blow(打击) it was on him! But this didn't stop Beethoven from walking on in his life. He went on writing much music. He wrote long pieces and short pieces, happy ones and sad ones all his life. During his life, he composed (作曲) about 300 pieces. To people's surprise, he wrote some of his best and most beautiful pieces after he became deaf. Many of them are known and loved all over the world.

    Now it was Jerry's turn. And Jerry would ride Wild Lady！I watched Jerry in the chute.

    Jerry dropped down on the horse's back. He was ready to go. "Outside!" He called.

    The gate of the chute opened. And then nothing. Wild Lady didn't move. What was the matter?

    Suddenly Wild Lady jumped out like a tiger. She jumped-with all four feet off the ground. She was quick, still I could see Jerry's spurs(马刺). He had them in the right place.

    Again Wild Lady jumped, kicking and turning. Then she began a quick turn. Now I knew why all the riders were afraid of her. Around and around she went. Again and again she dug her front legs into the ground and kicked up behind. Jerry's neck moved back each time the horse jumped.

    Now Wild Lady was turning fast-so fast that Jerry looked like part of her. Once I saw Jerry bounce(单起)up high, off to one side, "That's it!" I thought. But no! She was still riding.

    I was trying to count off the seconds with my fingers. But I was lost in the watching. I dug my nails(指甲)into my hand until it hurt. Wild Lady jumped higher and higher.

    Again the horse threw Jerry into the air. The people around me stood up. I couldn't see what was happening. But I heard, "Come on!" That was Jerry landing on the horse's back. Everybody was shouting. And they were still shouting when the bell rang. It was all over. Jerry had stayed on that horse for eight long seconds.

    Now I had seen Jerry ride. I don't know how he felt while he was on that horse. But I know how I felt watching him. That eight seconds was a long time for Jerry. It was a long time for me too!

    It was Saturday again. Grace and Karen disliked, Saturdays. Unlike their classmates, they had to get up early at seven every Saturday to prepare for their lessons. Grace had to attend the drawing lesson and Karen had to attend her ballet lesson. "How I wish I could do something different today," said the twins with one voice. All at once, an idea came to Grace and Karen at the same time. "Do you want to be me for a day?" they asked each other. It seemed like a wonderful plan to them. After giving each other a description of their own friends, Grace put on Karen's ballet dress while Karen put Grace's brushes and paints into her bag. Then they left for their classes.

    When the drawing lesson started, Karen was lost. Unlike Grace, Karen was poor at drawing. When the drawing lesson finally ended, Karen didn't dare to hand in her work.

    Meanwhile, Grace was struggling in the ballet class as well. As she had no idea about the dance steps, she had to follow her classmates blindly. As a result, she kept knocking into them. Their ballet teacher became impatient with her, "Karen, you should remember the basic steps. You can't rely on copying what others are doing."

    When Karen and Grace got home, they were tired out. They decided that they would never try to be someone else they were not. It seemed that the grass was not always greener on the other side.