In Thailand(泰国) there are many elephants. The elephants are very big and kind. They can carry heavy things, so they can do a lot of hard work for people. And they are very cute and clever. They can act(表演) and dance. Sometimes they can play games with people. Now people from all over the world go to Thailand to have fun with elephants. It is very interesting.

But do you know there is a festival for the elephants in Thailand? It is Elephant Day. It comes at the third weekend of November(十一月). On that day, the elephants don’t work or act, so they can have a good rest. The elephants can also wear colorful clothes. And people give them a lot of good food, such as fruit and vegetables, so they are happy and have a good time.

【推荐3】Three kinds of bears live in the United States. They are the black bear, the brown bear, and the polar bear.

Black Bears

Black bears are the most common of the three. They live in forests in many different parts of the country. Even though they are known as black bears, they are not always black. Sometimes they are brown or tan, and a few are even white. Black bears are usually about five or six feet long, and they are the smallest of the three kinds of bears.

Brown Bears

Brown bears are found in a few western states and in Alaska. They live in forests as well as in open areas called the tundra. Brown bears are usually light or dark brown and can grow to be very large. In fact, some are eight feet long!

Polar Bears

Polar bears can be found in Alaska, which is in a cold area near the North Pole called the Arctic, where there are no trees. Polar bears are white, and they are the largest of the three kinds of bears. They are a little longer and usually heavier than the brown bear.

Other Interesting Things

Bears eat different things. Black and brown bears eat fish and other kinds of meat, roots, and berries Polar bears eat fish other meat seaweed, and grass. All three types of bears eat as much food as they can find just before winter, Then during the cold months they sleep in caves or hollowed—out trees called “dens”, which keep them warm. Winter is when the female bears have their babies. All three types of bears have between one and four cubs. The cubs are born while the mother bear sleeps!

All people are afraid of bears. However, bears are actually shy. Most bears try to stay away from people, but still, bears can be dangerous at times.

【推荐1】Healthy Living Habits for Teenagers

We wash vegetables before cooking them. And we wash our hands before we start eating. That is because we know washing can clean our food and keep bad things away. But, do dogs, cows, deers, cats or pigs wash their food? No, they don’t.

However, there are funny animals called raccoons (浣熊) which wash their food before eating. Raccoons don’t eat if they can’t find water around. Even if they eat, they don’t look too happy. Why do raccoons clean food? Do they really have healthy eating habits? The answer is no. They don’t have a sense of cleanliness. Because they also wash the food in the dirty water!

In fact, raccoons find most of their food in the dirty water. Raccoons can’t see things clearly. Their front feet (脚) are used like our hands. Water can help their feet feel good, so they can know things better. That’s why raccoons usually live in near water and trees. They set up home in the trees.

Raccoons are good-looking. They are gray or brown, having big ears and small eyes and long tails. They look cute and we love them!

【推荐3】Scientists think that there has been life on the Earth for millions of years. However, we haven’t found life on other planets yet.

The Earth is a planet and it goes around the Sun. Seven other planets also go around the Sun. None of them has an environment with air, so people and things cannot grow. The Sun and its planets are called the solar system（太阳系）. The solar system is a small part of our galaxy（星系）.

Scientists have also discovered many other galaxies in the universe. But they are a long way away because their light has travelled for many years to reach us. It is hard to understand how large the universe is.

So far, scientists have sent lots of spaceships to look at other planets in our solar system, and some spaceships have gone beyond the solar system. However, no one has discovered any life on other planets yet.

【推荐1】Most Americans eat three meals(餐) a day. They have breakfast in the morning, a simple lunch at noon and a big meal in the evening. They often eat breakfast and lunch in a hurry. For lunch they have hamburgers or sandwiches and they drink some fruit juice or coffee. Sometimes they have lunch in a fast food restaurant (快餐店). They can have a quick lunch there. They have more time for dinner. They often eat a nice and big dinner. They have soup(汤), beef, chicken, salad, fish and some bread. They also drink milk, fruit juice, coffee, tea or wine. They have dessert like pie, cakes and ice-cream.

【推荐2】Do you still remember the cultural TV showNational Treasurehosted by Zhang Guoli on China Central TV? As a cultural show, this program is to show the background stories about some national treasures. The treasures in the show are presented by national treasure keepers who tell their stories with the collections in a special way. Today, I’ll introduce two treasures to you.

Drinking tea is an important part of Chinese culture. It is seen as the national drink in China.

Green tea is the oldest and most popular tea in China. It is produced mainly in Anhui and Zhejiang. The most popular green tea is Longjing, which is produced near West Lake, Hangzhou.

Black tea is the second most popular type of Chinese tea. Some studies have shown that black tea is just as healthy as green tea. It can help treat stomachaches.

Oolong tea, also known as dark green tea, has a gentle flavor and can help people lose weight. Tieguanyin in Fujian and Dongding Oolong in Taiwan are two well-known types of it.

Scented tea is created by mixing tea leaves with flowers. It is known by its strong fragrance (芳香).

Tips of Tea Drinking

Do you know how to drink tea in right way? Here are some tips.

※ Drinking it while it’s hot.

※ Don’t drink too much strong tea.

※ The best time to drink tea is between meals.

※ Green tea is the best for office workers.

【推荐1】There is no quick and easy way to learn English. But there is a simple and good way. Speak English as much as you can. Speak only English with your teacher and your classmates. Speak English while you are either in class or after class. Listen to English as much as you can in class. Listen to your classmates when they speak English out of class. Listen to the radio and watch some English programs on TV.

Speak, listen and read English as much as you can. Don’t just read the textbooks that you use in class. Go to the library or to a bookshop and read easier English books.

Speak, listen, read and write English as much as you can. Buy a small notebook and write on it every day. Write about the things that you do during the day. Write about what you learned in class.

These things are not hard, but they are the work you should do. If you do them, with the help of your teacher, you’ll learn English well.

【推荐3】Natalie Doan, 14, has always felt lucky to live in Rockaway, New York. Living just a few blocks from the beach, Natalie can see the ocean and hear the waves from her house. “It’s the ocean that makes Rockaway so special,” she says.

On October 29, 2012, that ocean turned fierce. That night, Hurricane Sandy attacked the East Coast, and Rockaway was hit especially hard. Fortunately, Natalie’s family escaped to Brooklyn shortly before the city’s bridge closed.

When they returned to Rockaway the next day, they found their neighborhood in ruins. Many of Natalie’s friends had lost their homes and were living far away. All around her, people were suffering, especially the elderly. Natalie’s school was so damaged that she had to attend a school in Brooklyn.

In the following few days, the men and women helping Rockaway recover inspired Natalie. Volunteers came with carloads of donated clothing and toys. Neighbors devoted their spare time to helping others rebuild. Teenagers climbed dozens of flights of stairs to deliver water and food to elderly people trapped in powerless high-rise buildings.

“My mom tells me that I can’t control what happens to me,” Natalie says. “but I can always choose how I deal with it.”

Natalie’s choice was to help.

She created a website page matching people in need with donors who wanted to help. Natalie posted information about a boy named Patrick, who lost his baseball card collection when his house burned down. Within days, Patrick’s collection was replaced.

In the coming months, her website page helped lots of kids: Christopher, who received a new basketball; Charlie, who got a new keyboard. Natalie also worked with other organizations to bring much-needed supplies to Rockaway. Her efforts made her a famous person. Last April, she was invited to the White House and honored as a Hurricane Sandy Champion of Change.

Today, damages are still seen in Rockaway, but hope is in the air. The streets are clear, and many homes have been rebuilt. “I can’t imagine living anywhere but Rockaway,” Natalie declares. “My neighborhood will be back, even stronger than before.”