People sometimes like to read stories of dogs very much. They think that dogs are much cleverer than cats, sheep, cows or other animals in their homes.

    One of my close friends, Bob, has a very large police dog named Jack. Every Sunday afternoon, Bob and Jack have a walk in the park nearby. Jack likes these walks very much. One Sunday afternoon, I paid a visit to my friend. I stayed there for a long time and my friend and I had much more talk with each other than ever before. Soon it was time for them to take a walk in the park. We forgot that. Jack became worried about it. He walked around the room several times and then sat down in front of me and looked at me. But I still paid no attention (注意) to him. I went on talking with my friend. At last, Jack could not wait any longer. He went out of the room and came back a few minutes later. He sat down in front of me again. But this time, he held my hat in his mouth. Suddenly, I understood what Jack meant and so did my friend.

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.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

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.

Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One time in the middle of the night, an old lady in her 80s1 my taxi. She gave me an address, and then asked: "Could you drive through downtown?"

"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.

"Oh, I don't2 ," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice (临终关怀医院).

I don't have any family left. The doctor says I don't have very long."

I  3  shut off the meter (里程表).

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She  4  me the building where she had worked, the neighborhood where she and her husband had once lived, the place where she danced as

a girl. As the sun was rising, we got to the hospice.

"How much should I pay you?" she asked, reaching into her purse (钱包).

"5 ," I said.

"You have to make a living," she answered.

"There are other6 ."

"You gave an old woman a little moment of7 ," she said. "Thank you."

I drove into the fine morning light. 8  me, a door shut. It was the sound of the9  of a life. I drove aimlessly (漫无目的地), lost in thought. For the rest of the day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had got a(n) 10  driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift (换班)? What if I had refused to take the run?

Jenny is my cousin. She looks very {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(可爱的). She has two big eyes and two small {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(耳朵). She usually wears a light green {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(毛线衣). She can do many things well.

She can sing well and her voice {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(听起来) nice. Also, she is good at cooking. She can make many kinds of food, such as {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(小甜饼;曲奇饼) and bread. They always {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(有……的气味) great. What's more, the bread tastes very {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(软的;柔软的). I often can't wait to have a {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(尝试) as soon as she makes some. I like to put strawberry {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(果酱) on it to eat. In fact, I have a sweet tooth, so they are my {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(最喜欢的人或事).

All in all, I am glad to have such a wonderful cousin.

Riding a bike is a healthy and fun way of exercising. But when riding, we must be careful. Last month, I had a serious 1 when I rode my bike.

It was a warm sunny day. Dad and I 2 to go bike riding. When I rode, I could feel the wind blowing on my face. How 3 and comfortable! Then I started going faster and faster. "Slow down!" Dad called after me. 4 I kept riding very fast. 5 , my bike hit something! I lost 6 of the bike and fell off it. When I got up, I found that my 7 were broken. Dad took me to the dentist's office right away. The dentist gave 8 some treatment (治疗). The next two days I didn't go to school.

Now I am as good as new. But when I 9 the accident, I still feel scared. Now, I'm much more 10 when I ride my bike. Anyway, safety (安全) comes first.

Zhou Yan is a middle school student in Sichuan Province. She has got a new mobile phone (手机)! It's a gift from her parents. They want her to use it to learn English during the coming winter holiday. But Zhou uses it to watch videos (视频) and send messages (信息). She plays with her mobile phone all the time, even after going to bed! Her parents get very angry about that.

This morning, when she gets up, Zhou finds that she can't move her hands. Her parents take her to a doctor right away. After checking her carefully, the doctor says Zhou Yuan has got "mobile phone disease (疾病)". She'd better stop using her mobile phone right away, or she will have more problems (问题). Now Zhou uses her mobile phone for 30 minutes a day.

So, if you've just got a phone, watch out! Don't use it too much. Or you will get mobile phone disease. Remember if you find your arms and fingers start to hurt (疼), go to see a doctor right away. That's important.