Everyone needs friends. But how do you find real friendship and keep it?

      The American writer Sally Seamans tells young students some smart ways to find friends. Sally says founding friendship is just like planting a tree. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} 

      First, you should choose a friend. What makes a good friend? It is not because a person has money or good looks. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} For example, if you have a bad day, a good friend could listen to your complaints (抱怨) and do his or her best to help you. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You should make each other happy and share your lives.

       But things cannot always be happy. Even the best friends have fights. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} You have to talk to him or her. When there is no one around, have a good talk. If he or she doesn't want to talk, you can write a letter.

       There are three steps to be friends again:

       Tell him or her how you are feeling. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Remember that friendship is one of the most important things in your life.

    The seasons in Australia are not like ours. When it is winter in china, it is summer there. June, July and August are the winter months; September, October and November are spring, the summer is in January, February and December, and March, April and May are the autumn months.

    A very large part of this country has no rain at all. The east coast (海岸地区) has rain all year, and there are no dry months there. The southeast winds blows (吹) here all the year. They bring rain from the sea. There is not much rain on the west side. The southeastern part of Australia has summer rain from the southeast winds. They only blow here in summer.

    The southwestern part of Australia has winter rain. The west winds blow over the southwest in winter only. In the north of Australia, there is no rain in winter. The rain comes in summer. The northwest winds bring it.

    Last Friday night I went to a great party. It was a birthday party for my English teacher Mrs Brown. Students in my class all went to celebrate(庆祝) her 40^th birthday. We began to prepare for(为……做准备) the party two weeks before that, but Mrs. Brown didn't know anything about it.

    We all met at a restaurant at a quarter to seven. There were about 30 people. Mrs. Brown's son took her to the restaurant and they arrived at seven o'clock. Just before seven, we all stayed in one room of the restaurant and it was dark in the room.

    When they got to the restaurant, Mrs. Brown's son asked her to go into the room first. Then we all shouted, "Surprise!"

    Mrs. Brown was really surprised. She jumped when she heard us. Then we sang "Happy Birthday to You" and she knew what was happening(发生). We all had a great dinner and then a delicious birthday cake.

    For her birthday, Mrs. Brown got a beautiful quilt. We all printed(印) our photos on it. So it was a very special quilt.

    Mrs. Brown enjoyed the party, and we enjoyed it, too.

Information Card

    I have had a lot of problems recently. Firstly, I'm not happy in class. I'm so shy that I'm afraid of speaking in class. Secondly, I argued with my best friend. I'm very worried because I have few friends. I don't want to lose her. Thirdly, I feel nervous when the midterm exams are coming. And sometimes I even can't sleep well at night.

    Yesterday, my mother took me to the doctor. I told the doctor my problems and 他给我一些建议. He asked me to make more friendly friends and play games in my free time, so that I would not be so shy. He also said, "If you don't want to lose your best friend, you should talk with her. Tell her ________ you think." Because I couldn't sleep well, he asked me to eat some food that was good for sleep. And he asked me to relax. I'm trying to follow his advice. I think I will get better soon.

Dear humans,

It's the first time I write to you, my Children. I sent you many messages in the past, but you didn't take them seriously. So I decide to write you a letter.

First, let me tell you more about our family. Dear humans, besides you, I have many other children. Some of them fly in the sky; some of them swim in the water; some live in ice-covered places; some run in the grasslands.

They might be very close to you, or even live in your house. But there are others that you may never have the chance to meet.

You bring them home to be your pets, friends and helpers. You put them in the zoos. You kill them for their meat and fur. And you even hunt them for fun. They bring you money and happiness, but they also bring you illness and death.

I hope you remember that wild animals are not your food, clothes or furniture. They are not killers, either. They are, in fact, your brothers and sisters. You should grow up together. I'm worried that one day you will be lonely if you keep killing them.

So, grow up, humans. Grow up to be more loving and caring. I hope you and all the wildlife can live happily in my arms.

Yours,

Mother Earth