When Justin Tong was a child, other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him doing lots of housework such as carrying out the rubbish and sending newspapers. But when he grew up, he was better off than his childhood friends and lived a happier and healthier life.

This is the finding of a 40-year study that followed the lives of 456 children in London. It showed that the children who had worked hard in childhood had a richer and a happier future. "Children who worked in the home or community gained competence(能力) and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society," said Daniel Brown, the psychologist(心理学家) who made the discovery. "And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them."

Brown's study followed these children in great detail. Interviews were repeated at ages 25, 31 and 47. Under Brown, the researchers compared the children's mental-health scores with their childhood-activity scores. Points were awarded for part-time jobs, housework, effort in school, and ability to deal with problems.

    Working at any age is important. Childhood activities help a child develop responsibility, independence, confidence and competence — the underpinnings (基础) of emotional health. They also help him understand that people must cooperate and work toward common goals. The most competent adults are those who know how to do this.

    Yet work isn't everything. As Tolstoy once said, "One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one's work."

    Bill and Cathy wanted to go on a holiday. They chose a place called Maldives (马尔代夫). And they decided to 1there for two weeks in spring, because they heard that the weather there would be perfect at that time. They worked very hard for several2. Finally, they made enough money for their dream3. But their trip was more like a nightmare (噩梦)!

    The problem4when the flight was put off because of bad weather. They couldn't leave5night. They finally got on the plane twelve hours later! But they6fly to Maldives because there was a storm. They had to fly to the capital city7. There they stayed in a small hotel8the airport.

    The hotel was next to the sea, but the sea was9dirty that they couldn't swim in it. And the hotel swimming pool was full of leaves! The food was awful10. For breakfast there was11bread and milk! The worst part was when the storm came, they felt really12. Because of the bad weather, they had to stay for13night in the small hotel. And they had14to do. It was so boring. Finally, they15in Maldives three days later. And someone told them the weather there had been wonderful all the time!

House fires cause many deaths each year and a large number of these fires are unfortunately set by children.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Kids must understand that they'd better not play with fire. You should keep matches and lighters out of their reach.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} The main job of such an alarm is to protect you while you're asleep. You should have a smoke alarm outside each bedroom and on each floor of your home. You ought to have two plans for getting out of your house if there is a fire and practise these plans in the dark with your family.

A smoke alarm warns you of the danger. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Take action immediately. When you come to a closed door, check it with the back of your hand. If it feels hot, there may be smoke or fire behind the door, so take care. Once you are out of your house, call the fire department from a neighbor's house. If a family member or a pet is caught inside, you shouldn't go back in. Firemen know how to perform rescues safely.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Change the batteries at least once a year. You should use the test button each month to see if the alarm and batteries are still working. A smoke alarm lasts about ten years. You ought to change it even if it seems to be working.

Every year，Time magazine puts out its list of the year's best inventions.Some of them help us solve problems，while others make life easier or more fun.Here are three of the inventions on this year's list.Which one do you think is the best？

Life﹣like animals

At the Hologram Zoo（全息动物园） in Australia，you don't just see a giraffe.You see a group of giraffes running towards you and then over you."We show people things they have never seen before，"says the zoo's CEO.Visitors to the zoo can see life-like wonders.Thanks to hologram technology，the public can see wildlife while no animals have to be kept in cages.

Stopping fires

Alert California is a safety program in California.It uses AI to predict wildfires.The AI detector（探测器） uses more than a thousand cameras in forests across the state.It can spot smoke and other early signs of fire.In two months，the program correctly predicted 77 fires before any 911 calls came in.

Air on Mars

If astronauts land on Mars in the future，they'll need air to breathe and a way to get home.NASA's Moxie can help solve both problems.This small equipment can separate oxygen（氧气） from the atmosphere（大气） on Mars and help astronauts breathe.In addition，the oxygen can be used to provide energy for spaceships.This is important for sending astronauts home from Mars.

Do you like taking a trip? Now many students like riding bikes to take a trip. But it may be dangerous. For your own safety (安全), do the following things. 

Wear a bike helmet because it can protect (保护) your head. Look for a helmet that is right for you. The best helmet can't protect you if it isn't right for you. 

Wear the right clothes. They can make you feel better. They can also protect you. Bright-colored clothes like white help people see you clearly--even in the nighttime. Don't wear dark-colored clothes like black or brown when you are riding a bike. 

Follow the rules on the road. Always ride on the right side of the road. Please first look behind you before you turn left or turn right. And don't ride too closely (接近) to the cars--the cars may stop and the door may open suddenly! Also, don't just listen to music when you are riding a bike. If you listen to music, you may not know there is a car behind you. 

If you follow these tips, you'll be safe riding on the road.