A Wonder Plant

    Every rainy season, the mountain gorillas (大猩猩) of Central Africa migrate to the foothills and lower parts of the Virunga Mountains to feed on bamboo. For the 650 or so that remain in the wild, it's a vital food source.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Gorillas aren't the only locals keen on bamboo. For the people near the mountains, it's a valuable raw material used for building houses and making household items. But in the past 100 years, resources have come under increasing pressure as populations have exploded and large areas of bamboo forest have been cleared to make way for farms.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} All over the world, the ranges of many bamboo species appear to be reducing, endangering the people and animals that depend upon them. A report published by the UN Environment Programme has revealed just how profound our ignorance of global bamboo resources is.

    Bamboo is a wonder plant. Its ecological role extends beyond providing food and habitat for animals. Bamboo tends to grow in stands made up of groups of individual plants that grow from root systems. Its extensive root systems are crucial in preventing water loss and soil erosion{#blank#}3{#/blank#}In India 25% of paper produced is made from bamboo fiber, and in Brazil, 100,000 hectares of bamboo are grown for its production. Because of its flexibility and strength, it has traditionally been used in construction. Bamboo is often the only readily available raw material for people in many developing countries.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Ray Townsend, vice president of the British Bamboo Society, says, “Some plants are threatened because they can't survive in the habitat—they aren't strong enough or there aren't enough of them, perhaps. But bamboo can take care of itself-it is strong enough to survive if left alone{#blank#}5{#/blank#} When forest goes, it is transformed into something else: there isn't anywhere for forest plants such as bamboo to grow if you create a cattle grass land.

A. Sadly, this isn't a single story.

B. It is the physical disturbance that is the threat to bamboo.

C. Until now, bamboo has been viewed as a second-class plant.

D. Without it, their chances of survival would be reduced significantly.

E. Besides, bamboo's most immediate significance lies in its economic value.

F. More than a billion people rely on bamboo for either their shelter or income.

G. Despite bamboo's value in economy and ecology, its situation is all the more worrying.

    Nobody can live without money. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} However, money cannot buy everything. You can't buy the following things only relying on money you have.

    Time

    Money is a tool for trade. We spend most of our time in getting, spending, worrying and fantasizing（想象）about money. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Instead, money takes away your time that could have been spent playing with your children or having a long walk with your friends. When the sun sets, a day goes away from our life forever. No money has power to bring that back to life.

    Self-respect

    There are a lot of examples to prove that no money can buy self-respect. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you are your worst enemy, gods of money can't save you from the self-destruction（自毁）you add to yourself.

    Health

    As I write this, I find that one of my best friends has brain cancer, and it is in the last period. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} But no money can buy insurance for his life. We buy insurance for just about everything including our life but money can never bring our life back.

    Happiness

    This is doubtful. Money can buy happiness if it is spent bringing greater financial safety for the family. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Going after money every day can never find its destination（目的地，终点）with great eagerness（渴望）to get more.

A.Show your respect for others.

B.Self-respect is got from within.

C.Money can buy a lot of things.

D.You can't buy time or save it in your storeroom.

E.Of course money can give him the best health care.

F.So you should not try your best to earn money without caring about your health.

G.But money can't buy happiness if the purpose is to make much more money.

    When Ava McCarver was in kindergarten, her class visited a nursing home (疗养院). Ava learned that many of the residents (住户) there receive few visitors. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} “I asked my mom if I could visit them,” she says. Soon, Ava and her mom became volunteers at Birchwood Health Care Center.

    That was six years ago. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} She enjoys hanging out with Mary, Shirley and other residents during her twice-monthly visits. “I paint their nails, and I talk to a lot of them,” she says. Sometimes she helps lead craft (手工艺) projects. Other times they play card games. “It's good for the residents to see little kids,” Ava says. “That makes them really happy.”

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} She has raised money for the nursing home by making refrigerator decorations and selling them at a craft fair. She has also collected used puzzles from garage sales and donated them to Birchwood.

    Ava wrote a book called The Squirrel Family. In the book, two squirrels raise a family and eventually move into a place called Birchwood where they live happily. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Ten stores in her city agreed to display the books, along with a can to collect money. Ava's project raised about $750. Birchwood used that money to buy furniture for the residents.

    Ava says she enjoyed the look of “pure joy” on a resident's face after a hug from her. That's why she started visiting Birchwood — to bring happiness to others. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} “It's really fun,” she says. “They have good stories, and I enjoy my time there.”

A. She decided to take action.

B. But she has gained happiness for herself, too.

C. Since then, Ava has made many friends at Birchwood.

D. Ava used her book to raise money for the nursing home.

E. Birchwood needs more volunteers for its craft project.

F. Ava has found some creative ways to help her friends at Birchwood.

G. Ava's book has achieved a great success and earned a large amount of money for her.

    A volunteering vacation can be a meaningful way to spend your time off, but to make the trip satisfying both for you and the cause you are supporting, several factors need to be considered. Here is some advice on planning the ideal vacation:

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} There are hundreds of causes to volunteer for, and finding one close to your heart will lead to a more worthwhile trip. Possibilities include wildlife conservation, education, environmental protection, health and nutrition. Also, consider any personal and professional skills that you can contribute. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Choose your destination and setting. Your volunteering trip will be more enjoyable if you use it to reach a favorite destination. If Southeast Asia is on your mind, helping with tree-planting programs in Bali would benefit the environment and let you appreciate the scenic island. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Is volunteering outdoors in a hot or snowy climate appealing, or do you prefer being in an air-conditioned office?

    Ask the right questions. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Be aware that most volunteering programs require a weeklong commitment. Ask other questions like: How many hours of work per day is required? Are there days off? Will you be working individually or as part of a team? And what are the goals of your efforts? {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Ask if the cost includes only accommodations or meals and transportation too.

A. Figure out your cause.

B. Find a well-respected organization.

C. And think about the surroundings you want.

D. Your duty there is to help, as well as to rest and relax.

E. The more you know about your trip, the more successful it will be.

F. Despite the word “volunteer”, these vacations usually cost you some money.

G. If you're a doctor, for example, working at a health clinic could be an ideal fit.

    Many countries have traditional dishes, made with special ingredients and prepared in a certain way. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}, and when tourists visit, these are the foods they want to try. But why are some foods more popular than others in certain areas?

Traditional ingredients

    Typical recipes (菜谱) are usually made with native plant and animal products. For example, Korean dishes often include rice and soybeans because both plants are native to East Asia and grow well in hot, wet areas. In contrast, wheat grows well in drier areas, like the Middle East, where bread is a common staple food.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}, whereas inland cuisines tend to use more meat from farm animals.

    Food preservation

    Local cuisines often depend on how people traditionally prepared food for storage. In warm weather, meat and fish can go off quickly, so they must be cooked right away or preserved for later. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, for that reason, modern Norwegian cuisine includes many smoked foods.

    Cooking techniques

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. In China, people often fry food in a deep metal pan or steam it in a basket over hot water. In Morocco, people cook traditional dishes in a special pot called a tajine. And some local dishes aren't cooked at all.

    Imported (进口的) ingredients

    Sometimes local cuisines include ingredients that originally came from another place. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, while many Russian dishes are made with potatoes. However, all of these ingredients were brought to Europe from South America in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. But now they are common around the world.

A. Seafood is often a key ingredient in coastal areas

B. There is a danger that local food traditions will be lost

C. Many different cooking techniques are used around the world

D. For example, Italian dishes often include tomatoes and peppers

E. These local dishes can become symbols of a place and its culture

F. Nowadays, we can buy food products from all around the world

G. In Norway, the Vikings used to "cure" meat and fish by smoking them over a fire

    What should you think about in trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to do well at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong or weak subjects but your records show a general good result. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.

    Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metal work or cooking and look for a job where you can improve these skills.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You may have learned how to get to work on time and get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a certain industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You may be all thumbs when you deal with tools; perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is better to face any weaknesses than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not feel sorry for it. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. This does not have direct value for future job hunting.

B. These may show strengths that you can use in your work.

C. Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself.

D. Having a part-time job is a good way to find out your weak points.

E. Instead, you should recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.

F. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value.

G. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it.