Deserts are found where there is little rainfall or where rain for a whole year falls in only a few weeks' time. Ten inches of rain may be enough for many plants to survive (存活) if the rain is spread throughout the year, If it falls within one or two months and the rest of the year is dry, those plants may die and a desert may form.

    Sand begins as tiny pieces of rock that get smaller and smaller as wind and weather wear them down. Sand dunes (沙丘) are formed as winds move the sand across the desert. Bit by bit, the dunes grow over the years, always moving with the winds and changing the shape. Most of them are only a few feet tall, but they can grow to be several hundred feet high.

    There is, however, much more to a desert than sand. In the deserts of the southwestern United States, cliffs (悬崖) and deep valleys were formed from thick mud that once lay beneath (在……之下) a sea more than millions of years ago. Over the centuries, the water dried up. Wind, sand, rain, heat and cold all wore away at the remaining rocks. The faces of the desert mountains are always changing--very, very slowly--as these forces of nature continue to work on the rock.

    Most deserts have a surprising variety of life. There are plants, animals and insects that have adapted (适应) to life in the desert. During the heat of the day a visitor may see very few signs of living things, but as the air begins to cool in the evening, the desert comes to life. As the sun begins to rise again in the sky, the desert once again becomes quiet and lonely.

How to keep on your exercise plan during winter? Here I'll give you some suggestions.

To stay active during the winter, you should first make it as easy as possible to do your exercise. Second, make something different before you {#blank#}1{#/blank#}doing exercise. The following advice will give you some ideas for making winter exercise more comfortable and more enjoyable.

Put your sports clothes in the dryer. If you want to exercise outside, you might keep the clothes in the dryer for a few minutes before that. It's often harder to {#blank#}2{#/blank#}when it's cold outside. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}clothes fresh from the dryer is just one way to get your body warm.

Take a hot shower. If it's really cold outside, you might even try a quick shower to get yourself warm before you do exercise.

Walk indoors. Walking is a good way to {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. To get out of cold weather of winter, you can simply walk indoors, probably in the living area of your room. Walking indoors makes you {#blank#}5{#/blank#}and gives a warm temperature to do it.

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy (富有) and wise (聪明). This is an old English saying. It means that we should go to bed early at night and get up early in the morning. If we do, we shall be healthy. We shall also be rich and clever.

Is this true? Perhaps it is. The body must have enough sleep. Children of your age need ten hours' sleep every night. If you go to bed late, you can't have enough sleep. Then you can't think carefully and your homework will be wrong. You will not be wise and you may not become wealthy!

Some people go to bed late at night and get up late in the morning. This is not good for them. We should sleep at night when it is dark. The dark helps us sleep well. When the daylight comes, we should get up. This is the time for exercise. If the body is not used, it will become weak.

Exercise keeps it strong. Exercise helps the blood (血液) to move around inside the body. Blood takes nutrition (营养) to all parts of our bodies. The brains (大脑) in our heads also need blood. We think with our brains. If we keep our bodies healthy, and take exercise, we can think better!

Our bodies also need air to breathe (呼吸). Without air we will die. Get up early in the morning and we can have plenty of clean, fresh air. That will keep us healthy and happy.

Look at the picture! You can {#blank#}1{#/blank#} some school things(学习用品) in it, some {#blank#}2{#/blank#} and pencils, two erasers and two dictionaries. The blue eraser is {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Itˈs big. The green eraser is Lucyˈs. She is my good {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. We are in the same(相同的) school. This is my English dictionary. What {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the Chinese {#blank#}6{#/blank#}? Oh, itˈs Lucyˈs. My English {#blank#}7{#/blank#} is Mr. Brown. {#blank#}8{#/blank#} first name is Bill. He is a good teacher. We thank him(他) {#blank#}9{#/blank#} his {#blank#}10{#/blank#}.