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    Plants are very important. This is because plants can make food from air, water and sunlight. Animals and man cannot make food from air, water and sunlight. Animals can get their food by eating plants and other animals. Man gets his food by eating plants and animals, too. So animals and man need plants in order to live. This is why there are so many plants around us.

    There are two kinds of plants: flowering plants and non-flowering plants. Almost all the trees around us are flowering plants. You can know some trees from their flowers and fruit. Non-flowering plants do not grow flowers. You cannot see many non-flowering plants around you.

    If you look carefully at the plants around you, you will find that there are many kinds of plants. Some plants are large and some are small. Most of them are green. Thanks to the plants around us we can live on earth.

    Man is a land animal, but he is also closely tied to the sea. Throughout history the sea has served the needs of man. The sea has provided man with food and a convenient way to travel to many parts of the world. Today, nearly two—thirds of the world's population live within 80 kilometers of the sea coast.

    In the modern technological world, the sea offers many resources to help mankind survive (=continue to live). Resources on land are beginning to be used up. The sea, however, still can be hoped to supply many of man's needs.

    The list of riches of the sea yet to be developed by man's technology is impressive. Oil and gas explorations have been carried out for nearly 30 years. Valuable amounts of minerals exist on the ocean floor ready to be mined (开采).

    Fish farming promises to be a good way to produce large quantities of food. The culture of fish and shellfish (贝类动物) is an ancient skill practised in the past mainly by Oriental people.

    Besides oil and gas, the sea may offer new sources of energy. Experts believe that the warm temperature of the ocean can be used in a way similar to the steam in a steamship. Ocean currents (水流) and waves offer possible use as a source of energy.

    Technology is enabling man to explor ever more deeply under the sea. The development of strong, new materials has made this possible.

    The technology to harvest the sea continues to improve. Experts believe that by the year 2000 the problems that prevent us from exploiting fully the food, minerals, and energy sources of the sea will be largely solved.

    The weather has always been much talked about in our daily life. But bad weather is sometimes hard to stop, no matter who he is-rich or poor, young or old-in every part of the world. Maybe that is why there are so many expressions about the weather, especially about rain

    Sometimes, when you need rain, you do not get any. Other times, you get rain when you don't want it. Take a football game for example. A sudden heavy rain can stop a wonderful game, making the players and the 20, 000 persons watching the game run for cover. If the game can't go on, people who have bought the tickets are given "rain checks". These are special tickets that will let them watch a later game for free.

    "Rain checks" now means a second chance at something. Often, a rain check has nothing to do with rain.

    Shops may give you a "rain check" when they sell something all out-a TV set, for example at a special low price. After all the TV sets are gone, the shop gives rain checks to those who wanted to buy one. The rain check lets a person have another chance to buy the TV set later, at the same low price, after the shop receives some more from the factory

    "Rain check" is also used in our daily life. It's a way of accepting invitation, but for a later time. You may ask for a "rain check if you are asked to a friend, s house for dinner, but can't be there. You say, "T would love to join you for dinner, but I'm busy. Could I have a rain check?" You are asking, in other words, if you could join your friend for dinner at another time.

    Have you noticed the waste bins(垃圾桶) in different colors on the street? Do you often put all the waste in the same bin? It's reported by Changchun Daily that people must do waste sorting(分类)in most places in Changchun at the end of 2019. Waste sorting is a wonderful way to make good use of energy and protect the environment. But do you know how to sort the waste?

    Usually, people should sort their waste into four groups: wet, recyclable, harmful and dry. Different kinds of waste should go into different bins. Wet waste means the things you don't want but pigs can eat, mostly coming from your kitchen. Things that can be used again, such as paper, metal and glass, are recyclable waste. Harmful waste might be dangerous or cause serious pollution, like medicine and batteries(电池). And any waste that's not wet, recyclable or harmful will go into the dry waste bin.

    Different countries are trying different methods to sort the waste. A university in England has invented a smart bin. When people drop their waste into the bin. It can tell what kind of waste it it and sort it correctly. The bin can also compress the waste to make it smaller in size and take up less space. In South Korea, people have to separate their food waste from other kinds of waste and pay for it. The more food waste they throw away, the more they pay. Japan has the strictest rules for waste sorting in the world. For example, plastic bottles and their caps should go into different bins.

Schools change PE classes to help students recover* from COVID-19*.

On March 17, Beijing made changes to the PE test in the 2023 zhongkao: All students will get good scores if they take the exam. 

Some cities such as Taiyuan canceled* the 1, 000-meter and 800-meter runs. Other cities like Wenzhou let students choose if they would like to run in the exam. This is to make it safe for students after recovering from COVID-19.

Knowing about your health

At the start of the term, every student in Xi'an Jingkai No. 3 Middle School did a survey*. 

The questions were:

●Did you get COVID-19?

●How many days did it take you to recover?

●   ▲    

"The school wants to make a plan for the PE classes according to students' health. "said their PE teacher Liu Na. "Students feel differently after COVID-19. Some get tired easily, so we keepan eye on each student's feelings. "Liu said. 

"Students in Grade Nine are happy because they don't need to take the 1, 000-meter run test for zhongkao. Most students welcome this new change. But some students are really good atrunning, they are not happy because they won't have advantages anymore, "Liu added. 

Students now are having easier exercise such as dancing, fun games, sit-ups and walking. So they can improve* their health slowly. What is your PE class like now?