Forests have always been useful and important to men who make use of them in many ways. Every day trees are serving man everywhere. Trees supply man with fruits and building materials in the form of wood. Without trees it would be impossible to build houses, boats, bridges and so on. Furniture such as desks, chairs and beds is made of wood. Trees can stop man from the terrible heat. They're also useful in preventing(阻止) good and rich top soil from being washed away during heavy rains. If there were no forests, heavy rains would wash away the rich surface(表层) soil that is so important to plants. The result is that the land will become a desert. There are plenty of desert areas in the world. A long time ago these desert areas used to be very rich areas, but men in the past had no enough knowledge about science of nature, and they cut down too many trees in the area where they lived and never planted new ones. By and by, the rich surface soil was blown and washed away by strong winds and heavy rains. In the end the rich land changed into useless deserts where nothing could grow.

May 31, 2017

    Jaden is a six-year-old boy. He experienced the unlucky things of life twice. First he lost his dad when he was four and his mom died unexpectedly in her sleep last month. Jaden's heart was broken. His parents' death hit him a lot.

    But things always go towards a good side. A few weeks later, Jaden told his aunt that he was tired of seeing everyone sad all the time. He'd like to see more smiles around him. He hoped that the number of the smiles could reach 100.

    Then he asked his aunt to buy him some little toys and take him to the center of the city. “I'm trying to make people smile,” said Jaden. At first, he was not sure if the people passing by would like to receive his toys. In fact, he was always successful and got close to his dream step by step, because no one could refuse such a little boy's giving and expecting.

    “I'm keeping a count of 100 smiles,” said Jaden. When asked if he could make it, he answered, “I think I can.”

Reported by Barbara

    I am walking through the winter park where the trees stand cold and bare (光秃秃的). The yellow leaves have fallen to the ground. Now, a group of women gather at the sides of a path. In the cold winter, they're moving their arms and legs to a rhythm (节奏). They are, of course, the dancing aunties.

    It seems that if you go to any public space around China, you're likely to see these dancing aunties. When I first came to China, it was one of the first things that annoyed me. That's because in Britain dancing in public is not a cultural habit. You won't see any age group swinging their arms and tapping their feet in a park. Usually, they just take a walk for exercise.

    Now and again the dancing aunties have hit the headlines (头条新闻). Some people find them annoying. But others respect their right to dance in public. Most of them are middle-aged. They finally have some free time to do whatever they like. There is no more work, and their kids have left.

    All in all, I like seeing these women enjoying themselves. They remind us of the importance of exercise as we get older. Besides, most of them have raised the whole families. Now it is their time to have fun and enjoy some peace.

    A good book can be satisfying, can improve your knowledge and can teach you a lot. There are several ways to develop a lifetime reading habit.

    Set times. You should have a few set times every day when you'll read for at least 5—10 minutes, no matter what happens. For example, make it a habit to read during breakfast and lunch (and even dinner if you eat alone).

    Always carry a book. No matter where you go, take a book with you. When you leave the house, make sure to have at least one book. You may keep the book in the car, or into the office or to anywhere you go, unless you' re sure you won't have time to read.

    Make a list. Keep a list of all the great books you want to read. You can keep this in a pocket notebook. Be sure to add to it whenever you hear about a good book. Keep a running list, and cross out the ones you have read.

    Find a quiet place. Find a place in your home where you can sit in a comfortable chair without television or computer near the chair. There should be no music or noisy family members.

    Set a high aim. For example. Tell yourself that you want to read 50 books this year. Your best to finish reading them. Just be sure you're still enjoying the reading.