One day, Mr. Smith is going to take a train to his hometown. When the train starts, one of his shoes falls to the ground. The train is running faster and faster and he can't pick it up. Then he quickly takes off(脱下) the other one and throws it on the ground near the fallen shoe. A little boy on the train asks him, "Why do you do that?" "I've already lost one shoe." Mr. Smith answers. "If a man picks them up, he may get a pair of shoes."

Why Live Near the River?

Imagine pioneers traveling west in the 1800s. In those days, it was hard to find running water and shops where to buy things. As time went by, most pioneers had to make their homes near a river so that they could get water easily.

How did rivers help people live in the past?

Back in the pioneer days, people grew their own food, caught their own fish, and collected their own water.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}People also used rivers as roads, traveling on boats. Traders shipped goods (货物) to people from other areas.

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When building many factories right next to rivers for the water's power to make machines work, some people choose to live near a river for working. They use the river to ship large goods, and some of them work at these factories where power factories provide electricity for homes and businesses.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Who wouldn't want to live near a river?

Some people are nervous about living near rivers because rivers can cause floods (洪水). Every once in a while, floodwaters rise higher than a house, ruining (毁坏) many things in the house.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Such waste causes water to smell bad and pollutes the crops (作物) we eat. Water and crops in polluted areas can make people very sick.

How do people decide where to live?

 {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Rivers can provide jobs and fun activities in a beautiful place. However, those living by rivers should be willing to accept possible problems as well.

The Internet has changed the world, people are able to get and share information in seconds. Nowadays, people begin to wonder: Is the Internet good or bad? "It's impossible to answer that question because the Internet means so many things," says psychologist （心理学家） Patricia Greenfield.

Some are truly wonderful. In many ways it makes life easier and simpler. It helps us get things done more quickly. It opens up the world to us. And if a friend lives far away, the Internet makes it easy to stay in touch.

However, the issue （话题）    isn't black and white. Some can become real problems if we don't take care. Spending too much time online is bad to people's health. It may even cause them to be less social with family and friends. Aside from that, some people attack the web or use the Internet to steal others' personal information, even banking information. Most of the young students think the Internet is simply an icon （图标） on the screen（屏幕）. Kids won't realize that the Internet is a network of millions of computers until about 10 years old.

The Internet can be a useful tool, but don't let it take up all of your time. Use the Internet properly and carefully and it can make your life more colourful.