Our dog Abbey died last month. My 4-year-old daughter Lucy missed her a lot and asked if we could write a letter to God to make sure he could look after Abbey well. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. She dictated (口述) these words:

Dear God,

    Will you please take care of my dog?{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

                                                                                                                                                                        Love, Lucy

    We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Lucy and addressed it to God Heaven. Yesterday, we received a package addressed, “To Lucy” with this note:

Dear Lucy,

    Abbey has arrived in heaven.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. You don't need to worry about her. She's being looked after very well here. Thank you for the beautiful letter. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. You have a wonderful mother. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I'm easy to find. I am wherever there is love.

                                                                                                                                                                               Love, God

    On a rainy day, about 150 volunteers worked for eight hours to clean up Carson Creek that is near a river. About nine tons of trash was taken out from there.

    “We did a good job,” said Alan Specter, the organizer of the event. “We're planning to come back here one more time, three years from now. Of course, we hope that there won't be so much trash next time.”

    The trash came in all shapes, sizes, and colors: cans, bottles, bicycles, batteries, furniture, clothing, plastic bags, dolls, and even a golf bag with a full set of golf clubs (球棒).

    The dirty and tiring work was done by two volunteering groups — Save the Bay and Watch the Whales. Most of the volunteers came from a local police station and a fire station. And some of them were old people who had already retired (退休).

    That day, it rained a little. All of them wore boots, gloves and raincoats. They did the work along a two-mile river with over 500 big yellow trash bags everywhere.

    No one found anything that cost much. A five-year-old boy found an earring which he thought might be worth a million dollars. He said he'd sell it. Then he'd donate half of the money to Watch the Whales, and use the other half to buy his favorite ice cream every day.

    Many people laughed at the boy's story. However, it was easily found that the environment there did become better.

    Dai Shifang was an easygoing girl, who seldom argued with her parents. But when she became a ninth-grader, things started to change. "We often have arguments, sometimes because of some little things," she said.

    Maybe Dai has got the "ninth-grade syndrome (综合征)". Some experts think ninth-graders usually suffer a lot because of the changes in their body and mind.

    A study shows that the lack of support from parents makes things even worse. Dai's classmate Liu Shijia is an example. "The exams in Grade 9 are more difficult. So I'm under great pressure. But my parents push me so hard and they don't support me at all," she said sadly.

    As ninth-graders enter the rebellious phase (叛逆期), they want to be free and have their own ideas. The study shows that about 47 per cent of ninth-graders try to make their parents agree with them when they have different ideas. Dai feels this deeply. "I think I am an adult already. I can make decisions for myself," she said. For example, she thinks there is nothing wrong with playing with boys, but her parents don't agree with her. They often argue about that.

    To deal with these problems, an expert from Nantong gave useful advice to students. "First, talk with your parents. Sometimes you may not fully understand each other, but keep trying. Second, pay more attention to your studies. Finally, learn about the changes in your body and get to know yourself better. Then try to accept them and control your feelings," she said.

    "Some gifts are tiny. Some gifts are needed. And some gifts... some gifts are priceless, "says 26-year-old Sarah Bricker of Minneapolis, USA. She had suffered from（受…之苦） hearing loss until she received the gift two years ago for Christmas --her first hearing aids（助听器）. They were from her parents. Here's what else she says:

    "I remember the moment they were fit to my ears. And I remember every first that came after--The first time I heard my mother's voice. The first time I heard my father cry as he realized 1 could hear my mother. The first time I listened to Winter Wonderland on the radio and heard every word clearly. The first time I heard my best friend's voice, calling from England to wish me a Merry Christmas.

    "My hearing aids are probably the best Christmas gift my parents have ever given to me. It might sound strange to say that, but until you lose your hearing, you never fully understand how unbelievablly valuable it is. How you miss the moment your partner says 'I love you. How you miss the jokes that everyone laughs at. How you miss- life. But now I don't miss life anymore."

    However, he hearing aids were more than Just about hearing. They gave Sarah self-confidence（自信）,more chances to make new friends, the courage to take on new challenges. "Every day, they return to me a moment, a sound, a voice. They return to me the kaleidoscope（万花筒） of a life I'd once thought forever dark."

    Hello! I'm Emma Brown. I'm 13 years old. My phone number is 621-9843. Look at this picture. The boy and the girl in the picture are Dave Green and Mary Green. Dave Green and Mary Green are brother and sister. Dave Green is my aunt's son, and he is 12 years old. His phone number is 230-0963. Mary Green is my aunt's daughter, and she is 10 years old. Her phone number is 230-0965.