In early spring, the changing temperature usually makes a number of Chinese people uncomfortable. Cold air, bringing rain or even snow, easily tears up(破坏) the warmth of the spring within a night(一夜之间).

    However, with the coming of Guyu-the Grain(谷物) Rain, the blue sky and gentle winds would finally stay. Falling usually on or around April 20 every year, Guyu is the sixth of the 24 solar terms(节气). It means the beginning of a lively summer and people get busy from now on.

    Sow(播种) grains

    This is an important period of the growth of grains. The ancient Chinese already knew that as Guyu comes, the weather will become warm enough for sowing. The farmers usually catch the chance to plant rice, corn and beans.

    Hope for safety and harvest

    For those living near the sea, they will hold some ceremonies(仪式) on Guyu, hoping for safety as well as harvest during the coming fishing season.

    Watch the peony

    It's also a great time to see the peony(牡丹), which is known as “the Queen of All Flowers” in Chinese culture. As a result, watching peonies becomes one of the most enjoyable activities for many. The flower is said to be the favourite of Empress(女皇) Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty, who was the only woman ruler in Chinese history.

    Pick tea leaves

    Tea leaves picked before Guyu are among the best tea leaves. People believe that the tea leaves picked on the day of Guyu can make eyes clear and drive away bad luck. So the habit of drinking tea at this time of year has become a tradition in some places of China.

    Eleven countries are building a great wall of trees across Africa. It is called the Great Green Wall. The aim is to bring life to the dry lands and help to fight the bad environment.

    The wall is 8, 000 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide. It covers from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east, on the south of the Sahara Desert (撒哈拉沙漠). So far, Senegal has made the best progress by planting about 11,000,000 trees.

    Many years ago, there were few trees in that area and the winds used to be very strong. It was harmful to the fields. Also, there was little rain, so few plants could grow and many people went hungry. Since the tree planting project started, the trees have provided food for the local people and increased the wetness (湿度) of the air. Little by little, there appeared green fields for people to grow plant.

    The project which began in 2007 is supposed to cost a total of 8, 000, 000, 000 dollars. Many countries are trying their best to help to continue the planting. So we will be able to see the whole green wall across Africa in the near future!

A. Interview with Andy Griffiths

    Andy Griffiths is well known as a writer of children's books. Here are some interesting things, you might not know about him!

    What do you like to do after a long day of writing?

    I go for long runs and bike rides beside the beach. An hour of exercise after a long day of writing gives me energy. Then I'm ready to write some more.

    Do you write using a computer or by hand?

At first I write the stories by hand, and then I transfer(转录)them onto a computer. I like to write by hand when I travel. I find it very easy to lose myself in my diary when I am away from my usual activities.

    What super power would you like to have?

    X-ray vision(影像)if I can control it.

    What is your favourite food?

    Fro never happier than when I'm drinking banana milkshakes. And I love fish. But I don't like drinking fish milkshakes - they are just terrible!

    What is your favourite book?

Alice in Wonderland. It has so many surprises and such silliness in it.

    Do you write for adults too?

    Only if I really have to. T much prefer the freedom and fun of writing for children.

    What do you say to kids who say, "Why should I read?"

As Dr. Seuss says. "The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go."

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}⑴Tommy: I like to have this class best because I like playing basketball and soccer very much.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}⑵Cindy: In the class, I can learn to play many  kinds of instruments(乐器). I can also learn to sing many new songs.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}⑶Wendy: I love this class best because the language is becoming more and more important (越来越重要) in the world.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}⑷Ted: Many girls think it is hard to learn it well，but I like it best. It's is difficult sometimes, but it is interesting.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}⑸Lin Xi: I like it best because it is my mother tongue(母语).It is one of the oldest(最古老的) languages in the world.

    An old lady walked into a clothes shop. She asked the salesgirl to show her a new dress in the shop window. The girl stood behind the counter, taking no notice of the request (要求) . The old lady asked again, but she still received no answer. Then the old lady said to herself, "I'm too old to see well. I can't even tell a plastic (塑料的) model from a real girl."

    When the girl heard this, she shouted. "What did you say? Did you say that I am a plastic model?" The lady was greatly surprised. She said to herself, "The model can speak! It must be a robot of a new type."