Lately, our class has become worried about the environment at the back of the school, and we would like to do something to make it more attractive. We have done some research and have come up with a plan. With the help of our parents, we can do most of the work ourselves, but we will need a small amount of money for equipment, plants and paint. I am writing to ask the council (委员会) for permission to do this work and to ask if the school council could donate (捐赠) $500 towards our project.

We would like to turn the empty land at the back of the school into a nature garden. We would plant trees and grasses, make paths through the garden and dig a small pond. We think this would provide a peaceful place for students and teachers to walk in. It would also attract birds, insects and small animals which students could then study in science classes. We would also like to paint the back wall of the school that faces the new garden. Some of our art classes could then paint a huge picture on it. It might be possible to paint over the wall each year so the next classes can make a new picture.

Lastly, we would like to paint all the rubbish bins. At the moment they look old and the paint is coming off. If we paint them in bright, attractive colours, students might be more likely to use them. We think our plan would greatly improve the back of the school and everyone in the school would benefit. We have already asked our parents and they have promised to donate one weekend of their time to help us complete the project.

We hope you will give us permission for this worthwhile project. When we have finished the work, we hope the council will join us in a celebration morning tea so that the whole school can thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Jim White

Monitor of Class 1, Grade 9

【推荐1】Do you like animals? And do you know that many animals are becoming fewer and fewer in number now. These animals might disappear from the earth very soon. Take a look at the following animals. They’re all in danger of extinction.

【推荐2】It is most difficult for parents to decide to have a second child. Someone says that a single child is likely to be a lonely child. There are no other children in the family for the child to talk or play with. An only child is not able to get along well with children of his age. Some parents regretted（后悔）making the decisions to have only one child.

But the number of parents choosing to have only one child is increasing in many parts of the world. In the US, for example, more than 14 percent of women between 18 and 34 plan to have just one child. The same can be seen in the UK. In Japan, the average number of children born per family had gone down to 1.42 by 1996.

For some single child parents, especially who are busy working every day, time and energy seem to be overwhelming（势不可挡的） They don't have enough time and energy to share with more children. For other people, money is their first consideration（考虑）. Many couples in Japan choose not to have large families because the cost of supporting a child up to the age of 18 reaches around US $ 160,000.

【推荐3】Tom Avery is one of the only 41 people ever to have reached both the South and North Poles. He was born in December 1975 and brought up in England, Brazil and France. His passion（强烈爱好）for adventure began when he was just seven years old and first read about the expeditions（探险）of famous explorers. Perhaps this was the start of his plan to put together the ultimate（终极的）journey to the very top of the world, the North Pole, following the route taken by Robert Peary in his 1909 adventure.

Both Peary and Avery set of from Cape Columbia in Canada. Peary had a larger team and in fact had four support groups. Every 160 kilometers, a group would leave plenty of food and then turn back. The team therefore got smaller the further north they travelled. While Avery didn’t have as many on his team, they did have food dropped by plane for them at four locations.

Avery’s team also had the obvious benefit of modern technology, but Avery doesn’t believe this made a big difference. He credits （把……归功于） his team’s success to the 16 Inuit dogs that pull the sledges（雪橇）. “It wouldn’t have been possible without them,” he said. “Your speed depends on the dogs and how quickly you can get a sledge through the ice.” His team were travelling at the end of winter and this meant that the ice was thinner and could easily break under a person’s weight. This was an added danger.

Another difference between both men’s journeys was that Peary was far more experienced than Avery and had already been on several trips to the Arctic.

Peary claimed（声称）to have reached the North Pole in 39 days, but some historians argue that this was not possible. Avery’s team actually beat this time and became the fastest to get there on foot. Avery says. “We told everyone we could do it and that we wouldn’t fail. But it certainly wasn’t easy.”

Hobbies and interests are great ways for us to relax from boring work or life.     1    

Listening to music is one of the most popular hobbies.     2     For example, when you are tired after a long day of work, music helps you keep calm. Different people like different kinds of music.     3     And some like classical music.

Reading books helps us know more about the world.     4     A good book can be greatly helpful and can teach us many things. Reading is a way for us to learn something. Always keep a good book around you and read it every day.

    5     It is also a very good habit. It helps us lean more about life and helps us remember our own ideas. It is very important to keep writing every day.

Hi, dear boys and girls! Do you know how to be a healthy kid? Here are some rules you should follow.

First, eat different foods. especially fruit and vegetables. You may have a favourite food, but you'd better eat something different. If you eat different foods, you will probably get more nutrients（营养物质）your body needs.

Second, drink more water and milk as often as possible. When you're really thirsty, cold water is the No. 1 choice. Milk is a great drink that can give you more calcium（钙）your body needs to ,grow strong `bones.

Third, listen to your body. How do you feel when you are full? When you are eating, notice how your body feels and when your stomach feels comfortably full. Eating too much will not make you feel comfortable and will make you fat.

Fourth, limit（限制）screen time. Screen time is the time you watch TV, DVDs and videos, or using computers. It is good to take more exercise such as basketball, bike riding and swimming. You can't watch TV for more than two hours a day.

Fifth, be active. One thing you'd like to do as a kid is to find out which activity you like best. Find ways to be active every day.

【推荐3】A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or knock us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves—the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.

We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too shy to admit it, though. In fact, more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.

This “self-talk” helps us encourage ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying “Good job!”

Often, words come out of our mouths without thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh (刻薄的) and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.

Words have power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.

Words have power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem (自尊) and encourage others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.