In common with other countries, Britain has serious environmental problems. In 1952, more than 4,000 people died in London because of the smog. The government introduced new laws to stop smog from coal fires and factories and the situation improved a lot.

      Today, London is much cleaner but there is a new problem: smog from cars. In December 1991, there was very little wind in London and pollution increased a lot. As a result, about 160 people died from pollution in just four days.

      One of the problem is the new "out of town" shopping centres. In the past, people often walked to shops near their homes or went by bus. Now, many people drive to the new shopping centres. Because the small shops have disappeared in the downtown, more people have to travel to do their shopping.

      Critics say that Britain needs better and cheaper public transport. Transport in Britain is very expensive. An early morning train trip from Glasgow to London (about 600km) can cost about £100, for example. A short 15-minute bus trip can cost over £1.00.

      Many people are trying to reduce the use of cars in Britain. Some cities now have special bicycle paths and many people cycle to work. Some people also travel to work together in one car to reduce the pollution and the cost.

    Reading books is a good hobby for all kinds of reasons. First, reading books is fun. You can always keep yourself happy if you like reading. This is especially useful when the weather is bad. It is a relaxing hobby, too. You can really become lost in a book.

Next, you can read a book almost anywhere: in a car, in a waiting room, on a plane, in bed — even in a bath. All you need is a book. Reading is a convenient(方便的) hobby as it is easy to stop and then start again.

    Another good reason for reading books is that it is useful. If you keep reading as a hobby, you will get better and better at it. This means that you will read faster and will become better at understanding what you read. As your reading improves, you will find that your schoolwork becomes much easier.

    Some people say that reading is out of date. This is not true. You have to be able to read on the Internet. And the better you read, the better your computer skills will be. Reading is hardly (几乎没有)out of date!

    Good readers are most likely to be good writers, too. They are usually good at spelling as well, and have more things to write about.

Reading books is a wonderful hobby, one of the best. What other hobbies could be more useful or more enjoyable?

    Ted Robinson has been worried all the week. Last Tuesday he received a letter from the local police. In the letter he was asked to call at the station. Ted wanted to know why he was wanted by the police, but he went to the station yesterday and he is not worried any more.

    At the station, he was told by a smiling policeman that his bicycle had been found. Five days ago, the policeman told him, the bicycle was picked up in a small village four hundred miles away. It is now being sent to his home by train.

    Ted was the most surprised when he heard the news. He was amused(感到有趣) , too，because he never expected (指望) the bicycle to be found. It was stolen(被偷)  twenty years ago when Ted was a boy of fifteen.

    A rich woman began to learn painting（画画）. When she was sixty years old, she loved it very much. She painted and painted. ①十年之后，在她的工作室(workroom)里有许多画。And she thought they are very good.

    One day, the old woman is badly ill in bed, but she doesn't forget her pictures. She says to his grandson, Hand, “②I want to give my pictures to a school, then the students will remember me__But which school do you think is the best, my dear?”

    “Well,” says the little boy, “You'd better give ③them to the blind school!”

    It is a great thing to help others. First, you can learn new things. Second, it can also make you feel good.

    How can you do it? Helping through charities (慈善团体) is a good idea. Charities are organizations (组织) that help others. September 5 is the International Day of Charity.

    You can help charities by giving your time, giving money or giving things that you own.

    Volunteering

    Volunteering is to give time to help others without pay. Some ways of volunteering are:

☆visiting old people to talk to them or help them

    ☆walking dogs at an animal shelter (收容所)

    ☆cleaning up a park

    ☆helping some children. You can teach the children without life skills how to take care of themselves.

● Fundraising

    Fundraising is to collect or produce money to a charity to help others. Some ways of fundraising are:

    ☆making cakes or biscuits to sell

    ☆ doing sponsored (有赞助的) activities. For example, families and friends give you money if you finish a long walk.

    Donating

    Donating is to give your things to a charity to help others. Some ways of donating are:

    ☆giving your old toys or clothes to a charity that helps sick children or poor people

    ☆giving your old books to a library.

    So, what can you do to help others?

    My name's Bob. I went to Qingdao on vacation with my family this summer. We went there by bus. We visited Qingdao Polar Ocean World first. We saw many different kinds of fish and other sea animals. It was really interesting. For lunch we had sea food. It was delicious. After lunch, we went to the May Fourth Square. It was beautiful. We took some photos there. Then we went to the beach. It was cool. But there were too many people. We went shopping in the evening, and I bought something interesting for my friends. Everything was excellent. We had a wonderful time there and I hope to go there again.