China covers large areas and has a great population. Different living habits have always been an interesting topic in the country. Recently, another difference between southern Chinese and northern Chinese became a hot one: the way people shop at markets.

    People from southern China say that they always buy what they need for just one or two meals. It is normal for them to buy half of a Chinese cabbage, two potatoes and 0.25 kilogram of beef at a time.

    However, one may be laughed at if he does this in the north. Instead, buying vegetables and meat enough for a week is usual. Also, you can buy a small amount (数量) of fruit, such as a single apple or pear, each time in the south. Shop owners even help you peel and cut them. But shop owners in the north hardly offer such service. And many fruits are sold in baskets and boxes.

    The difference could be due to the different weather.

    Food can be kept for a long time in the north, as it is usually cold and dry there. Many northern Chinese have the habit of storing food, especially for the long winter. But the hot and wet weather in the south makes southern Chinese buy just enough food for one meal or one day, or else the food may go bad.

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The greatest source of inspiration for me has always been my father. Though he's been gone for 17 years, his 1 still resonate (产生共鸣). He taught me how to run my own race in life. But the most inspiring thing he taught me was to 2.

One incident is 3 in my mind. It happened when I was a teenager. My sister and I weren't very fond of a so-called friend of 4. Dad was a very generous man, and as he'd done with so many people, he'd given this fellow great help. But when he asked for a favor 5, the guy didn't deliver.

Dad's outlook (人生观) on most things was "Live and let live." In this case, however, his calmness 6 Terre and me, and we let him know it.

"How can you be nice to that man?" we said to him. "You've been so kind to him, and he's not being kind back. Why would you want to give him the time of day again?"

My father shrugged (耸肩) and said to us, " I do not bend my back with 7." I didn't get it at first, but over the years I came to understand the 8. Holding a grudge (怨恨) doesn't 9 the person you're angry with, but it changes you. It makes you heavier and gives you more weight to drag around.

After my father died in 1991, a (n) 10 came from a fellow I'd had a quarrel with years before to 11 his sympathy. He wrote: " I thought I'd tell you how sorry I am 12 the loss of your father. I know he 13 the world to you. I just wanted to let you know that you are in my thoughts."

Much moved, I wrote back. I thanked him for his 14. And then, because he'd 15 our disagreement, I recalled Dad's inspiring words. "I am my father's daughter," I wrote. "And like him, I do not bend my back with yesterday."

Last Tuesday I took my two daughters, aged four and five, to town by1. It began to rain hard so I decided I would leave the children in the car before I went quickly into a shop. I2 the girls not to touch anything and told them I would be3 within a few minutes. Then I 4 all the doors and 5 them happily looking out of the window.

I returned to the car in less than five minutes but the girls had disappeared! I could hardly believe my eyes. The car doors were6 locked, the windows 7 shut and on the back seat were only two coats. I was8 and ran to the comer of the street where there was no9 of them. I rushed up to an10 lady nearby and asked 11 she had seen two small girls but she said" No". Feeling sick with fear, I sat on the driver's seat, and. 12to stop trembling (颤抖). Suddenly, I heard a merry laugh behind me. I got out of the car, ran round to open the boot (汽车后备箱) and there inside were two very red-faced and. 13 children. They had obviously pulled out the back seat, 14 behind it and then they were unable to push the seat forward again. With tears in my15, I leaned forward and pulled their ears.

Environmental protection is one of the hottest topics nowadays. It was also something that ancient Chinese paid great attention to. In fact, the world's earliest environmental protection idea, ministry （部门） and law were all born in China. How did the ancient Chinese protect the environment?

The world's earliest idea of "managing state affairs（政事）through environmental protection"

Xunzi, a famous thinker in the Warring States Period, came up with the idea of "managing state affairs through environmental protection". He wrote in his book that vegetation（植被）should be protected well by humans.

Guan Zhong, a government officer 400 years ahead of Xunzi, was also an environmental protection expert. He said "a king who cannot protect his vegetation is not doing a good job".

The world's earliest environmental protection ministry"

Nine ministries set up by Shim, an ancient Chinese emperor, included "Yu"（虞） , an environmental protection ministry. Hie first " Yu'' leader was Boyi, an environmental protection expert. He invented wells so people could drink clean water. He knew a lot about animals and also called for animal protection.

The world's earliest "environmental protection law"

Over 4, 000 years ago, Dayu, an ancient Chinese water-control expert and also an emperor, made a rule, not allowing people to cut down trees in March or catch fish in June, because it was the time when they grew quickly.

Almost 3,000 years ago, Tianlv, the first environmental protection law, appeared in Qin. It recorded many ancient environmental protection rules. Two of them were interesting: firstly, rivers should not be blocked（堵塞）; secondly, grass and trees should not be burned to be fertilizer （肥料）except for summer. The second one is inspiring even for today. It can help to keep air clean and fresh.

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