Everything you do to protect the planet helps all living things, including humpbacks（座头鲸）and other species of whales that live in oceans worldwide. And yes－just one kid, like you, can make a difference.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Don't litter. Rubbish thrown away carelessly outside often washes into storm drains（排水沟）, which empty into rivers and eventually flow to the oceans.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}including whales.

    Say, “No bag, thank you.” Whether you're buying toys, snacks, or clothes, tell the checkout person you don't need a bag.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}you'll help reduce the 100 million plastic bags that each year block sewers（下水道）, and get swallowed by whales, sea turtles, and other wild life.

    Plant a tree.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}They produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide（二氧化碳）, a gas that animals, including humans, produce naturally as they breathe. But because carbon dioxide also comes from cars and factories, there is too much of it in the atmosphere, which is contributing to global warming. If everyone planted one tree, those trees would remove a large amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Every time you leave a room for more than a minute, turn off the light you're using. In this way, you save energy and keep greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.

    Try the family challenge! Many streams and rivers are polluted and littered with rubbish. You and your family can help preserve the waterways by joining others in your community to pick up rubbish.

A．Trees help clean the air we breathe

B．Turn off the light

C．Avoid driving cars

D．By carrying your own reusable bag

E．Treat them like friends

F．Here are ideas for easy small things you can do

G．Pollution is a growing problem for all the Earth's oceans and its wildlife

    It's important to prepare for rainy days. Similarly, it's important to save money. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Why? It's because they've got used to spending all the money they make. Sometimes, the hardest thing about saving money is just getting started. Here are some tips to help you save money.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}The first step in saving money is to know how much you're spending. For one month, keep a record of everything you spend money on. Once you have your data, organize these numbers by category(类别) and get the total amount for each.

    You can make a budget(预算). Now that you have a good idea of how much you spend in a month, what can you do now? {#blank#}3{#/blank#} To plan your spending, you can build a budget. In this way, you can limit over-spending and make sure that you put money away for unexpected situations.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Doing so make it much easier to get started. Begin by deciding how long it will take to reach each goal. Some short-term goals include starting a fund to cover 6 months to a year of living costs and saving money for a vacation. Long-term saving goals are often several years or even decades away and can include saving for retirement and putting money away for a child's college education.

    Make saving money easier with automatic transfers (自动转帐). Automatic transfers to your savings account are very helpful. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}By moving money out of your checking account, you'll be less likely to spend money you plan to use for savings.

A. You can set savings goals.

B. You can record your costs.

C. You can plan your spending.

D. You can keep a record of what you do.

E. They can make saving money much easier.

F. However, some people find it hard to save money.

G. You can move money out of your savings account.

    Don't you just love ice skating every winter? I am sure that since winter is approaching, your skates are set to come out, just waiting to be used. Impress your friends with your new trick on how to ice-skate backwards with the help of these tips.

    Stand straight

    The first thing that you need to do is, stand straight. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} , if you feel that you are falling backwards. Don't worry; this happens to all.

    Confidence is what you need

    The most important step while learning how to skate backwards, is having enough confidence in yourself and in what you are doing. How can you achieve this? By practice. One of the important ice skating tips and techniques is that if you feel that you are losing your balance, then scissor（做剪式运动）your skates. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} .

    Maintain speed

    Try sculling（滑）with one skate while rolling in a straight line with the other.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} . Now bring the skate which you are using to scull, and then again, repeat the same process. Make sure that you put most of your weight on the skate which is moving straight and not the one with which you are sculling.

    Now, try the same thing using the other foot.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} .

    Once you are confident that you can scull with either foot, the next thing that you have to do is increase your speed. Try some of your own tricks now. Scull with either foot or with both at the same time.

    Scull and be aware

    While you keep one foot straight, keep sculling with the other. You can do that with both feet at the same time. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} , but don't get so involved that you don't see where you are going. If you are not watching your back, you might just bang against something or someone.

A. That is, keep pushing yourself backwards with an outwards stroke（滑动）

B. While going backwards, just get used to the feeling of moving backwards

C. Keep practicing this till you are confident about it

D. Increase your speed now

E. One must be brave enough to learn to ice-skate backwards

F. Concentrate on what you are doing

G. Just put your chin up and slightly bend your knees

    When I was young, my friends and I often played baseball in an alley(小巷) behind our home. A woman named Mrs Shinas owned a tiny house nearby, and she used to watch us play from her window.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} we all thought that she was mean.

    She had a big trained dog and whenever one of our baseballs rolled in its direction, Mrs Shinas would send the dog to catch it.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} soon we ran out of balls.

    In those days, I used to water our lawn each day. One day as I stood watering our small lawn, I noticed that Mrs Shinas' lawn looked a little dry. It took only a few more minutes to water it, so I did it.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    When autumn came that year, I also helped gather up the leaves on Mrs. Shinas' yard. As I was doing this one day, she invited me to sit in her living room. She gave me a cookie and a glass of milk. As I sat there eating the cookie, she showed me her collection of paintings. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}that surprised me a lot. It was the first conversation I had ever had with her.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} She went into her kitchen and returned with a box. In it were all the balls that her dog had taken. She handed me the box, said "thank you" and smiled. I realized she had a kind heart. I also learned that when we serve others, we are showing them that we love them.

A. We wanted to buy a new ball.

B. But the dog wouldn't return the ball to us.

C. Her next action even changed my opinion of her.

D. Then she thanked me for taking care of her lawn.

E. Soon I found myself watering her lawn each day.

F. She rarely came out of her house and never smiled.

G. What delighted me most was that she was a great painter.

A writing club is a group consisting of writers who meet together to share and comment on manuscripts (手稿). People who write stories, poetry, or even non-fiction articles can join a writing club. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}But the usual site is in a library, bookstore, private home, or a school.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Joining a club allows writers to understand the challenges of being a writer. And members of a writing club can receive constructive criticism (评论) from their fellow writers so that they can learn how to make their articles stronger. Moreover, commenting on other writers' manuscripts allows them to see what makes a writing piece interesting or boring.

If a writer wants to become a member of a writing club, he can find one by contacting the public library or a local university. Many writing groups will advertise for new members in local newspapers as well. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

But sometimes, no matter how a writer has tried, he may still experience extreme difficulties finding a writing group to join or finding a writing group suitable for him. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} He only needs to advertise for desired members by posting online, placing an ad in local newspapers, etc.

For many writers, the journey of writing is demanding. For example, writing can be troubled by lack of inspiration. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}So joining a group of writers can be the ideal way a writer can improve his writing skills and assist others with their manuscripts.

A. And writing can be a lonely task.

B. There are many benefits of joining a writing club.

C. Members of a writing club should know each other.

D. If that happens, the writer can start his own club.

E. Joining a writing club has advantages and disadvantages.

F. It's also possible to find writing clubs on the Internet.

G. A writing club can have meetings just anywhere.

With gas prices rising and airport security lines snaking longer than ever, why not book your next domestic vacation on a train? Compared to other alternatives, it's comfortable and relaxing. Here is some advice on how to make a trip by rail as pleasant as possible. 

Plan ahead. Most long-distance trains, especially the sleeping car accommodations, sell out very quickly.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}But no matter when you travel, it's a good idea to make your reservations at least 90 days in advance. 

Use a travel agent. Consider turning your travel plan over to a travel agent and letting him double-check all the details, make suggestions, and then handle the actual reservations. A good one can sometimes find you discounted tickets.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Then you won't have to walk through several cars on a moving train three times a day for your meals. 

Bring a blanket.When you're riding on trains, you won't be provided with a blanket for free, even if your trip is an overnight one.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}In the summer in particular, the air conditioning can make them quite cold. 

Arrive early. Most trains operate just once a day and some run only three times a week, so missing yours can be a disaster.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Note: The times listed on the schedules are departure times, not arrival times. 

Have fun.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Read a book, knit, do a crossword puzzle, or simply watch the world unfold outside the window. To calculate your speed as you do, divide 3,600(the number of seconds in an hour)by the number of seconds it takes you to travel one mile(the distance between two mileposts). If it takes the train 53 seconds to travel one mile, you're going 67.92 mph.

A.Train trips aren't for impatient types.

B.You'll have views from both sides of the train.

C.The temperature on rail cars is often hard to control.

D.That's particularly true during busy summer months.

E.You might have to wait longer than 24 hours to catch the next one.

F.Chances are the cost will be a lot less than the cost of one bedroom.

G.He may also book you in a sleeping car that's right next to the diner.