Good writing starts with good ideas.If you write about things that you care about,you will write better.If you write about things that you don't care about,you'll be bored and your paper will not have many good ideas.

    Once you have a good idea,the next step is organization（组织）.Think through your paper before you start.Write an outline.You need to know what your main points are before you start your first paragraph.Use 2-4 main points, one paragraph each.

    In your central paragraphs,be concise and specific（简洁具体）.Give examples with details,not just general ideas. If you can say the same thing with fewer words,do it!Don't use big words.

    When you finish writing,look at your outline again.Did you really follow it or did it change as you wrote?Many times you find different ideas as you write.Look at your central paragraphs.What are their main ideas now?Are theses ideas in the introduction?I often write the introduction again to fit the paper after I finish writing.

    La Tomatina, Spain

    Tomato juice flows through the streets of Bunol on the last Wednesday of August as the worlds largest tomato fight happens. Festivities begin in the town square where there is a huge pole covered in soap and with a leg of ham at the top. Participants try to climb up the pole to get the ham as watchers throw buckets of water to them. After a gun is fired to signal the beginning of the fight, people catch the tomatoes and throw each other in the streets until the gun sounds again, marking the end of the event.

    Holi, India

    This spring festival is celebrated throughout the country in late February or early March. The two-day event celebrates the legend of Prahlad, who escaped unharmed from the fire of the evil Holika Dahan. People mark the event by lighting fires and throwing colored powder on one another Children load colored water into toy pistols called pichkari and take aim at passers-by. Holi is known as a happy celebration of the victory of good over evil.

    Burning Man, Nevada

    This infamous festival began in 1986 with the burning of a large figure to mark the summer solstice (夏至). It's since grown into a week-long annual event that draws more than 48,000 people to the Black Rock Dessert. It is held during the week before Labor Day. Participants set up camp in the desert to celebrate art.

    Songkran, Thailand

    This festival marks the Thai New Year, which is celebrated in the second week of April. This is the hottest time of the year in Thailand, so it makes sense that the biggest Songkran tradition is to throw water on people. Thais of all ages join in water fights, using buckets, hoses (软管) and water guns to celebrate the event.

    For students at the Farm School in Hamilton, Virginia, the classroom is outside every day. Jaclyn Jenkins is the founder of the school. “The No. 1 question we get immediately from parents is 'What happens if it rains?' And we say, 'Bring an extra set of clothes!'” Jenkins adds, “We still educate them. Their brains are working when they're moving. So, our goal is to always be outside.” The Farm School is a preschool, a place for 3- and 4-year-olds to learn and play.

    Alison Huff has taught at other schools. She says the Farm School gives its students more of a hands-on learning experience. For example, children use pumpkins to learn about colors and counting. They learn about measurement by planting seeds 30 centimeters apart. Huff adds, “We can use everything a regular preschool uses, but out in the garden.” In addition to planting vegetables and fruits, children help prepare food and clean up afterwards. The school teaches the children to cook using the food they have grown. “They can see the benefits of what they have in the garden and taste it then instead of going to the grocery store and buying it,” says Huff.

    The preschoolers also learn words in languages other than English. Huff speaks in both English and Spanish. Her assistant speaks French and Arabic. A 3-year-old in her class speaks four different languages.

    Farm animals are also an important part of the education program. Jenkins says the children learn about a different animal every month. Two months ago, she says, that animal was a cow. “We do actually have a cow that we bring to the school. They get to see what the cow is like, an learn what cows eat. They use little gloves and pretend to actually milk a cow. They make butter and yogurt.” The children spent another month with a large bird — a turkey.

    The idea for a school like this started after Jenkins and her husband bought a farm in Hamilton, with a late 18th-century house. They called it “One Day Farm” because years earlier they had hoped that “one day” they would have a farm. “That's when it started, the spark of a farm school,” said Jenkins.

    5000 B.C.— People began to farm along the Nile River in Egypt.

    2950B.C. — Egypt was first united under MENES.

    2600B.C. — The first pyramid of Egypt, the Pyramid of Djoser, was built.

    2500 B.C. — The great Pyramid of Gina was built.

    2000 B.C. — The Bantu Peoples began to migrate into central and southern Africa.

    1279 B.C. — Rameses II became pharaoh（法老）of Egypt.

    1070 B.C. — The kingdom of Kush gained its independence from Egypt.

    814 B.C. — The city of Carthage was established by the Phoenician Empire.

    715 B.C. — Kush conquered Egypt and ruled it until 662 B.C.

    650 B.C. — Cathage became independent. It grew into one of the most powerful cities on the Mediterranean Sea.

    590 B.C. — The capital of Kush was moved from Napata to Meroe.

    525 B.C. — The Persians conquered Egypt.

    332 B.C. — The Greeks led by Alexander the Great conquered Egypt.

    264 B.C. — Carthage fought in the First Punic War.

    146 B.C. —Cathage was defeated by Rome. Roman forces destroyed the city.

    30 B.C. — Cleopatra VII, the last pharaoh of Egypt, died. Egypt became part of Rome.

    Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.

    Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.

    There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don't need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, .sleep well and have better weight control.

    Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be "green gyms". They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modem sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it's free.

London Underground

    The world's first subway was built in London in 1863. At the time, the government was looking for a way to reduce traffic problems in the city of London. The poor areas of the city were so crowded with people that it was almost impossible for horse carriages to get through. The city officials were interested in trying to make it possible for workers to live outside of London and travel easily to work each day. If people had a cheap and convenient way that they could depend on to go to and from work, they would relocate their homes outside of the city. This would help ease(减轻) the pressure of too many people living in the poor parts of London. From these problems, the idea of the London Underground, the first subway system, was born.

    The plans for building the Underground met with several problems and delays, but the fast track was finally opened in January 1863. A steam train pulled the cars along the fast underground track which was 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) long. About 30,000 people got on the subway the first day. Riders were treated to comfortable seats (standing up while the train was moving was not allowed), and pleasant decorations inside each of the cars. However, the smoke from the engine soon filled the air in the tunnels with ash and soot(煤灰), as well as chemical gases. Fans had to be put in the tunnels later to keep the air clean enough for people to breathe. Even with its problems, riding in the Underground did catch on. It carried 9 million riders in its first year.