In the most southern part of our planet, there's a place that's covered with snow and ice all year round. But it has the clearest and cleanest air. Amazingly, in this place, the sun sometimes hangs even in the midnight sky. This place is Antarctica (南极洲): the coldest, windiest and harshest (恶劣的) place on the Earth.

    As the world's least-known place, Antarctica is of great interest to scientists around the world. During 30 years, China has sent many scientists to Antarctica. They mostly look at the resources under the icy land and do research about climate change and marine (海洋的) biology.

    Antarctica is a place with fantastic views. However, life there is very hard. Food is one of the biggest problems. Frozen food which can be heated easily is people's daily food. Fresh vegetables are hard to grow in the cold weather.

    Sleep is also difficult. In Antarctica, summer lasts from November to March. During this period, Antarctica points to the sun and receives sunlight 24 hours a day. In order to get some sleep, scientists cover the windows with black plastic cloth to create "night".

    Working in Antarctica is dangerous, especially when meeting gale-force (七级以上的) winds. They can easily blow people away. So there are ropes that connect buildings of some research stations. People can hold these ropes to keep their balance in forceful winds.

    What's morel communicating with others is difficult. Without cables and Internet in some research stations, two-way radios are the only tools to communicate. If people want to say hello to friends and relatives, they can use satellite phones.

    Although it is challenging to work in Antarctica, scientists' passion to learn about this mysterious land will never end. It is hopeful that one day they will step every corner of this icy land.

In the eyes of many foreigners, Chinese people are the best hosts and the worst guests. And Western hosts sometimes look rude (粗鲁的) in the eyes of Chinese guests too. That's because the guest-host relationship in China is{#blank#}1{#/blank#}from that in some Western countries.

Whenever I enter a Chinese home, there is always fruit on the table for me, and there is always someone bringing me a{#blank#}2{#/blank#}of tea or water.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} in the West, the hosts always do things in their own way. 

My wife's mother is Chinese and she doesn't smoke. When I see some of her guests smoking in her house, as a non-smoker, I {#blank#}4{#/blank#}unhappy. Usually I want to {#blank#}5{#/blank#}them directly, but in China, a good host does not do that. In most North American homes, if you are a guest, and the hosts are non-smokers, you should not smoke in their house. At the very least, you should ask, "Is it OK if I smoke here?" But, don't be {#blank#}6{#/blank#}if they say, "No, you can't smoke here," In our culture, if you smoke in the host's house, you are a bad guest. But if the hosts don't allow you to {#blank#}7{#/blank#}in their house, it doesn't mean they are rude hosts.

Guests in China also {#blank#}8{#/blank#}special habits. Some Western people may not adapt to (适应) these habits very soon. Thankfully, my wife is Chinese, so whenever we visit a Chinese family, she {#blank#}9{#/blank#}me to buy the host a gift. However, giving a gift to a host is not always necessary in my country. So, if you invite international guests to your house, don't be too surprised if they don't bring you a(n){#blank#}10{#/blank#}.

In a word, no matter where you are, the best way to be a good guest is to adapt to the habits of your hosts.

The Yingge Dance, or "dance to the hero's song" is a traditional art form in Chaoshan area. The dance can date back to the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644). At that time, dancers {#blank#}1{#/blank#} it during traditional Chinese festivals. Today, Chaoshan people perform the Yingge Dance to {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the Spring Festival.

Usually, {#blank#}3{#/blank#} number of the performers in the Yingge Dance is either 24 or 36. Each of them {#blank#}4{#/blank#} a role of the "108 Heroes" from Liangshan Mountain, a place in a famous traditional Chinese story. To prepare for a full day of performances, the performers have to practice for at {#blank#}5{#/blank#} six months. They also have to wear heavy clothes during their practice. {#blank#}6{#/blank#} it is hard work, more and more young people are joining the dancing teams because of {#blank#}7{#/blank#} love for this traditional art.

It is said that this dance is the most popular in Chaoshan towns such {#blank#}8{#/blank#} Puning and Chaoyang. However, today, people in other countries like Australia and America are also getting interested in it. The Yingge Dance is not only a symbol of Chaoshan {#blank#}9{#/blank#}, but also a belief (信仰). We Chaoshanese believe it will take away the {#blank#}10{#/blank#} things and bring good luck to all of us in the coming year.

 Do you know the grass in the picture? It is a kind of grass for cats. It is good for your cat. Are you a cat lover? Do you want your cat to be healthy? Then you can plant this kind of grass at home. Please find the following steps. 

 What you need:

A small planter (花盆)

 Potting soil (盆栽土)

 Water

 Seeds (种子) ( You can buy them at any plant store. )

▲:

 Fill the planter with the soil. Water the soil until it is a little wet. Throw seeds across the top layer (层) of the soil, and then press (按) them into the soil. Water the soil again. Keep the soil wet until the seeds begin to sprout (发芽) — about one or two weeks. Then water is needed 、 When your seeds grow tall enough, you can invite your cat to taste it. 

Monarch butterflies(帝王蝶) are flying through Missouri(密苏里州) on their way to Mexico. Many American people love to see these bright- colored black- and- orange butterflies, but they need our help to stay safe and healthy.

Every year, monarch butterflies travel south to Mexico in the fall and fly back next spring. As the monarchs go south, people in Missouri might start seeing more of these beautiful things. They' ve already been found in places like Kansas City, and even in smaller towns like St. Joseph.

Sadly, the number of monarchs has dropped by 80% in the past twenty years. Monarch caterpillars(毛毛虫) need to eat milkweed (乳草) to grow. Much of the milkweed in the country is gone because of the overuse of herbicides(除草剂) in farming. Without these plants, monarchs have no place to live or find food.

Monarchs plays an important role because, like bees, they can carry pollen(花粉), which help plants make seeds and fruit. Here are some things you can do to help these amazing butterflies:

Plant Milkweed:This is the only plant where monarchs lay their eggs. By planting milkweed in your garden, you can give these butterflies a place to stop and rest during their trip. You can also plant other flowers to provide food for the adult butterflies.

Take Photos: If you you see a monarch, take a photo and up load it to the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper. You can help follow the movements of monarchs and understand where they are during the year, which is valuable information for researchers.

Help Fight Global Warming:Changes in the weather are making life harder for monarchs. Bad weather hurts milkweed and when the temperature is too high or too low, it's difficult for monarchs to grow up. By doing things to help the environment, like recycling and saving energy, you can help slow down global warming and protect the monarchs.