Bamboo is one of the nature's most surprising plants. (1) 许多人称这种植物为树，但它是一种草。

Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo plant may be cut very low to the ground, but it will grow back very quickly. A Japanese scientist recorded one bamboo plant that grew almost 1.5 meters in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe.

（2）There are more than 1 ， 000kinds of bamboo that grow around the world on both mountains and plains （平原）．

      Not all bamboo looks the same．Some bamboo plants are very thin．They may only grow to be a few centimeters wide while others may grow to more than 30centimeters across．This plant also comes in different colors，from yellow to black to green．

      Many Asian countries have been using bamboo for hundreds of years．They often use bamboo for building new buildings．As a matter of fact，the cables （绳索） that hold up the hanging bridge across the Min River in Sichuan are made of bamboo．The bridge has been in use for more than 1，000years，and is still holding strong．

      In Africa，（3）engineers are teaching poor farmers how to use bamboo to find water ． These African countries need cheap ways to find water because （4 ）they have no money，and their fields often die from no rain and no water．It seems that bamboo is one of the best things they can use．Bamboo pipes and drills （钻） can help to make the poor thirsty fields be watered．

    The Maori people of New Zealand believe that the world began in darkness.

    They say it was dark because Rangi, the sky father, and Papa, the earth mother, were lying together, keeping out of the light.

    Rangi and Papa had many children who were all gods (神). Their children did not like the darkness, so one of them, Tane, the god of the forests, made his mother leave his father. After that, the sky stayed far above the Earth, and let the light in.

    Later, Tane was living on the Earth. He wanted to have a wife. There was no woman around, so he made one from sand. He breathed (呼出) life into her, and she became the first human(人类).

    As Tane breathed life into his wife, he knew that the breath of life would one day leave her. So it was that humans were not like gods — they could not live all the time.

Try to help your dog relax

    It's a Saturday morning. You rush through breakfast, walk the dog, and then get to soccer practice on time. A few hours later, you return home, only to find that the dog has made your bedroom untidy.  {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Your favorite sports shoes are in poor condition.

    Before you get angry, stop and think. Your dog wasn't misbehaving (行为不端) just for the fun of it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Some dogs just feel nervous when left alone. It's called separation anxiety (分离焦虑).

    Think of it this way: Dogs can't ask where you're going or when you'll be back. They can't call you on the phone. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Since you're not there, they need to find you. Dogs may suddenly develop separation anxiety. But with practice and patience (耐心), you can teach your dog to be comfortable being left alone.

    Put on your jacket, and then sit back down. Open and close the door, and then sit down. After a while, walk out the door for 10 seconds, then 20, then a minute and so on. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Besides, you can also try the following ways:

    Teach your dog a word or action that you use every time you leave, which tells your dog you'll be back.

    Help comfort (安慰) your dog by leaving a piece of clothing that smells like you.

    Before you leave, give your dog a toy. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} 

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Sam wants to have fun playing in the water and he likes playing beach volleyball.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Jim likes watching dolphin shows and he also wants to ride on the roller coaster.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Kate would like to go to a theme park. Micky Mouse is her favorite.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}William decides to visit a museum，he wants to see an IMAX film there.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Nancy is a nature lover. She prefers to watch wild animals.