I am a book lover. So my house is forever full of 1. I have new ones, old ones, hard covers, paperbacks, 2and non-stories. I have three boxes of books in my closet, two boxes of books on the floor of my bedroom, and a box of children's books 3 for my future grandchildren. I have even more books 4the two I wrote on my desk. I try to keep the books 5 building up by donating as many as I can to the local 6, but as soon as I donate a few, I find myself buying a few more.

    Books I read keep my mind young, and my heart 7, and soul bright. They bring me knowledge, laughter, and joy. They connect me with the wisdom of the past and the new ideas of the 8. They keep me moving on the right path as a journey through life.

    I have learned that people are a lot like books as well. Some have bright and shiny covers 9  don't have very much to say inside of them. Others look old and plain but so full of 10and light that reading them can 11your whole life. One difference between books and people, though, is that while a book has an ending, the writing inside of us 12forever.

Take care when writing the book of your own life. Fill it with love for yourself, others and this world. Fill it with all the wisdom you have learned, goodness you have done, 13you have shared, and joy you have 14. Keep writing it every day, too. Make it everything you are and everything you want to be, and then15it to everyone. I know it will be a wonderful and fantastic book.

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.

We usually have three meals a day——breakfast, lunch and dinner. Different people have different food for breakfast. Some children tell us about their breakfast food. 

Simon is an American boy. He usually eats cakes and drinks milk with sugar (糖) for breakfast. He loves sugar. He is short. He doesn't like to drink juice for breakfast.

Jack is from the UK. He usually has bread and a glass of juice for breakfast. His favorite is apple juice, but his family like orange juice. They usually have eggs and hamburgers. 

Lucy is a Chinese girl. She usually has soup (汤) and baozi with meat for breakfast. She doesn't have bread and cakes for breakfast.

Nature is amazing! Take a close look at the world of insects, and you'll discover many unbelievable things. Consider butterflies (蝴蝶), for example. They have beautiful wings and magical flying skills. On summer days, you always see them flying freely over flower gardens and wild fields.

But did you know how butterflies become the flying insects? It is one of the wonders of nature. In the beginning, the mother lays a small and colourful egg on a leaf or stem of a plant. It is hard to believe that the egg will become something completely different in a few days. It becomes a walking insect. This insect is called a caterpillar. It now has legs, eyes and a large body. A new life begins. The caterpillar can eat, walk and see. But it is still not a butterfly.

Soon, after growing big, the caterpillar makes a cover for itself. It covers itself in the nice protective blanket (保护层) and goes to sleep. This is known as the "pupa (蛹)" stage. After some time, the blanket breaks and a wet butterfly appears. It now has six legs, a mouth, eyes and wings. Shortly, the beautiful butterfly spreads (张开) its wings and flies away. After a few weeks, this butterfly lays her eggs, and the cycle (循环) begins all over again.

This is just one example of the wonders of nature. Look around the natural world, and you will learn many truly amazing things.