Police arrested a 19-year-old teenager yesterday who was involved in a ‘4-cats-killed' case in Hong Kong. The case drew the public's attention towards animal rights. Still, many people in Hong Kong would like to own a pet dog without giving serious thought to the consequences(后果).

    We are concerned（关注） that some owners will drive away the pets once they have become useless. Homeless dogs and cats run here and there in the parks and streets. Many owners send their pets away for three reasons. Firstly, they have got diseases. Secondly, they are noisy and annoying（烦人）. Thirdly, they have broken the vase bought by a boyfriend. Because of these silly reasons, many pets lose their homes . More pets will be saved if we think twice before buying them.

    We must pay attention to pets' health. To have them injected(注射) with different types of vaccines(疫苗) at the correct age is necessary. You should always keep an eye on your pet. If they behave strangely, take them to an animal hospital at once. It's dangerous for dogs to eat chocolate. Never leave your pets at home alone for a long time. Pets will show better behavior once they have developed good habits. Owners can take them to some training courses or teach them patiently at home.

    Animal experts say that Hong Kong is not an ideal place for keeping pets at home. Hong Kong people are too busy and the flat spaces are limited. Above all, animals are an important part of nature. They should not be locked in cages. So, if you do not have the time and ability to keep them well, do not take them home. Please think twice before you pay.

    Is there a connection between music and language? According to recent studies, the answer is yes: {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here, we look at two examples

    A recent study by researcher Kraus shows that playing a musical instrument can improve a person's hearing ability.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}The people in the first group were musicians, while those in the second group had no musical training. The musicians were able to hear the talking person more clearly.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Think about violinists in an orchestra (管弦乐团). When the violinists play with the group, they hear their own instrument and many others, too. But the violinists must listen closely to what they are playing, and pay no attention to the other sounds. In this way, musicians are able to focus on certain sounds, even in a room with lots of noise.

    Schlaug, a doctor at Harvard Medical School, works with stroke (中风) patients. Because of their illness, these people cannot say their names, addresses, or other information normally. However, they can still sing.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Why does this work? Schlaug isn't sure. Music seems to make different parts of the brain work, including the damaged (损坏的) parts. This might help patients to use that part of the brain again.

    Music improves concentration (注意力), memory, listening skills, and our overall language abilities.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Playing an instrument or singing can help us do better in school and keep our brain sharp (敏锐的) as we get older. Music is not only enjoyable, it's also good for us in many other ways.

    It was a cold night. The taxi driver didn't take even one passenger all day. When he went by the train station, he saw a young man coming out with two bags in his hands. So he drove to him and asked, “Where are you going, sir?”

    “To the MP Hotel,” the young man answered. When the taxi driver heard this, he didn't feel happy any more. The young man would give him only three dollars because the hotel was near the train station. But suddenly, he had an idea. He took the young man through many streets of the big city. After a long time, they arrived at the hotel. “Here we are! You should pay me seventeen dollars, please,” the taxi driver said to the young man. “What? Seventeen dollars! Do you think I'm a fool? Only last week, I took a taxi from the train station to this hotel and I only gave the driver fifteen dollars. I know how much I have to pay for the trip.”

    Long before I could read myself, Mum read stories to me every night. Those bedtime stories made me a reader.

    Many years later, I read a picture book to a small child in a classroom. He was from a poor family and had no friends. My reading made him very happy. Then he wanted to start something big. He said to me, "Mrs. Allyn, let's make everyone know how good this feels. Let's have a holiday for reading stories. " Then my company, Litworld, started World Read Aloud Day in January, 2010, to honour(表彰)the little boy for sharing such a great idea with us.

    Now more than 65 countries around the world celebrate it. Parents and teachers read to their children or students on this day. World Read Aloud Day tells people the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories.

So come and join us.

Information card

    In the USA, there are many kinds of restaurants.

    Fast food restaurant are very famous. You can find McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken in many countries around the world. You look at a menu(菜单) on the counter(柜台), and say what you'd like to eat. You pay the person who brings food to you. You take your food and sit down or take it away. There's no need to leave a tip(小费).

    In a coffee shop, you sit at the counter or at a table. You don't wait for the waitress to show you where to sit. She usually brings you coffee when you sit down. You tell her what you'd like to eat and she brings it to you. You pay the cashier(收银员) as you leave.

    In a family restaurant, the waitress shows you where you can sit. Often the waitress tells you her name, but you don't need to tell her yours. If you can't finish eating everything, your waitress gives you a doggy bag to take the rest of food home. You should add (增加) fifteen per cent(百分比） to the bill(账单) as a tip.

    In top class restaurants, you had better order before you come, and you need to arrive on time. The waiter shows you where to sit. If you have wine there, he may ask you to taste it. You can only refuse it if it tastes bad. When you get your Bill, check it and then add fifteen to twenty per cent to it as a tip for the waiter.

Hi, I'm Gina. In February, 2018 my mother had a yard sale. During the sale, she had a conversation with a young girl called Nancy, for they had a common interest in some books she had for sale. They enjoyed their conversation so much that they exchanged their phone numbers. Later they became friends and got together a few times. When my mom moved into her new house, she had a family dinner and invited Nancy and introduced her to my brother. Five months later Nancy married (结婚) my brother.

In 2018, there was another special "yard sale" that I'll never forget. One day, after work from school, I found one of my neighbors had a lot of things out in their front yard with cars and people everywhere. I ran to the yard at once and wanted to find some good cheap things too before everything good was gone. But then I found out it wasn't a yard sale. In fact, policemen were taking the stolen (被偷的) things out of the house. My neighbor was a thief! Luckily, I didn't ask how much the TV was.