It’s interesting that the     1     of snow has an effect on people in different countries. For some countries it is an important     2     to celebrate each year, while for others a catastrophe (灾害) .

But there are countries between these two kinds that normally expect snow sometime over the winter months, but never receive snow     3     or in the same quantities every year. Britain is one of them, for which the arrival of snow quite simply creates problems. Within hours of the first snowfalls, however     4    , roads are     5    , trains and buses have to stop in the middle of the way. Normal communications are affected as well: telephone calls become difficult and the post immediately takes more time than usual. And almost within hours there are also certain     6     -- bread, vegetables and other things -- not because all these things can’t be produced or sent to shops, but mainly because people are     7     and go out and store up with food and so on -- “just for fear that something bad should happen”.

Why then does snow have this effect? After all, the Swiss, Austrians and Canadians don’t have such problems. It is simply because there is not enough plan and    8    . We need money to buy equipment to deal with snow and ice. To keep the roads clear, for example, requires snow ploughs and machines to     9     salt. The reason why a country like Britain does not buy some     10     is that they are only used for a few days in any one year, and the money could be more useful in other things such as hospital education or helping the old.

After the earthquake, the whole city lay in     1     . Many people were died or    2    . Everything in the city was    3    . People were shocked and wondered how long the disaster would last. The army     4    teams to dig out who were trapped and bury the dead. With the strong support from the government and the     5    efforts of the city`s people, a new city was built.

There is no doubt that human activities have warmed the atmosphere, oceans and land. To improve the situation, what can we do? Here are some tips on how to help protect our planet.

The first and most important thing you can do is keep talking about climate change to everyone. The greatest challenge in the history of our     1     should not be a taboo (禁忌) subject. Just one idea shared with one of your friends or relatives can     2     in protecting our planet.

As consumers, let’s try to make better choices. Think about these questions before you buy something. Can I reject all that packaging? Do I really need the new product? Besides, use     3     bottles and throwaway coffee cups less. You should keep refillable and     4     alternatives to hand. In addition, fix things when they are broken.     5    , you can replace your smartphone’s battery or screen instead of buying a whole new device.

If you use cars less, there will be less harmful     6     sent out to the environment. At the same time, there will be fewer     7    . You can get to your destination by walking, cycling or using public transport. If you need a car occasionally, hire an electric one. If you really need your own set of wheels, choose the most environmentally friendly one possible.

People across the UK are set to sizzle on what could be the hottest day of the year so far. Temperatures are expected to reach 33℃ for four consecutive days,     1     concerns there could be hundreds of heat related deaths in the UK.

A Met Office amber weather warning for extreme heat comes into     2     today for almost all of England south of Manchester and parts of eastern Wales. It is expected to last until Sunday with temperatures     3     to climb to 36℃.

Temperatures are not expected to drop below the low 20℃ in some areas, even at night. Older people, young children and those with     4     health conditions are more likely to experience adverse health effects, the Met Office said.

“Compared to the July record-breaking heat, this event will be less     5    , but last longer, which could actually have a greater impact on people’s health,” Hannah Cloke, a professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, said.

Both countryside and urban areas are tinder dry,     6     people to take special care. Ten fire engines and about 70 firefighters were called to a grassfire in Rainham, east London, yesterday, the London Fire Brigade said.

The Met Office’s fire     7     index, an assessment of how severe a fire could become if one were to start, is very high for most of England and Wales. The village of Northend in Oxford shire became the first place in the UK to run dry in the hot     8    . Thames Water, which operates in the area, sent water tankers and handed out bottles. The company has said that as a severe drought has made ground conditions worse for water     9    , it will bring in a hosepipe ban for its 15 million customers across London, Surrey and Gloucestershire in the “coming weeks”.

Experts have also warned that cliff     10     could become more of a risk on south coast beaches. Vanessa Banks, of the British Geological Survey, said that clay-like sediments will shrink as soils experience large changes in volume due to changes in water content.