Daisy was in the bathroom. She was brushing her teeth and the tap was on. Water was pouring into the washbasin and vanishing down the drain (排水管).

“Turn that tap off,” a voice said loudly. Daisy froze (冻结). She looked around, but saw no one. “Turn the tap off. You are wasting water!” the voice sounded impatient.

This time Daisy obeyed. “Who… who are you?” Daisy’s voice was faint (微弱的).

“I’m a drop of water. It is not easy for me to get here. Do you know where I am from?”

“From the tap, I suppose,” said Daisy.

“Yes. But before that?” Water said, “A few days ago, I was floating comfortably in a cloud in Jiangxi, enjoying the view. Then the cloud dropped me into a stream and I sped down the mountain into the Yangtze River. The Yangtze River carried me to a lake. I relaxed there for a few days, and then I travelled a long way and ran into the Huangpu River. Then it was time to get cleaned up.”

“Cleaned up?” Daisy sounded puzzled.

“Yes. I was dirty after my journey so they took me to a water treatment works. They gave me a thorough (彻底的) cleaning and added a few chemicals to me. Then I travelled in the pipes under the street. I waited there until you called me, and here I am.”

Daisy said, “So this is the end of your journey.”

“No. When you have finished with me, I’ll go to a sewage (污水) plant. Then they will pump (用泵管输送) me into the river and I will be back in the sea again.”

“Again?”

“Yes. That’s where I came from in the first place. Remember not to waste me or pollute me. I’m precious, like liquid gold. See you.”

“Wait a minute. What do you mean by liquid gold?” But there was no reply. The water had gone.

Daisy came out of the bathroom. Her brother said, “Who were you talking to?”

“I was talking to the water,” Daisy said.

“Sometimes you are strange, Daisy,” her brother said.

6 .

Many people dream of going on a travel adventure (冒险) to the Americas (美洲). Most of us keep dreaming, but others ▲ .

Gregg Bleakney’s dream was to travel the Americas from north to south. He got the idea after he finished a 1,600-kilometer bike ride. Gregg’s friend, Brooks Allen, was also a cyclist. The two boys talked and decided their goal: They would travel from Alaska to Argentina by bike.

To pay for the trip, Gregg and Brooks worked hard and saved money for years. Once they were on the road, they often camped outdoors or stayed in rest houses. In many places along their trip, the people there opened their doors to the two boys and gave them food.

During the trip, Gregg and Brooks cycled through deserts (沙漠), rainforests and mountains. Brooks had to return to the USA in the middle of the trip and Gregg went on traveling without him. Two years, twelve countries, and over 30, 500 km later, Gregg finally arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina, in the south of South America (near Guatemala). Gregg and Brooks kept a record of their adventures on a website. The trip taught both boys a lot about traveling.

Here is some of Gregg’s advice:

★Travel light. The fewer things you have, the less you’ll worry about.

★Don’t plan everything. Then you’ll be more relaxed and happy.

★Be friendly. As one traveler told Gregg, “Always remember that no one wants to fight, cheat, or rob (抢劫) a nice man.”

7 . On Tuesday, Uncle Max called Tom, “Tom, I was wondering if you’d like to go camping with me this weekend.” Tom said, “I’m not sure, Uncle Max. What did you have in mind?”

“Well, I have to write a story about endangered (濒危的) animals for the paper. That’s why I thought it would be a good idea if I went up to the mountains. I just won’t get a feel for nature if I stay in my apartment in the city.”

“Sure, I’ll go with you,” Tom said. “Don’t forget your camera.” “I won’t,” Uncle Max smiled.

On Saturday morning, Uncle Max and Tom got an early start. After they put up the tent, they sat down to relax. “It seems hard to believe that animals could be in danger in a place as beautiful as this,” Tom said.

“You’re right,” Uncle Max said. “That’s why my story is so important. In the past, uncontrolled hunting (捕猎) was the main cause of animal extinction (灭绝). But now, many wild animals in our country are protected by laws. These laws limit hunting.”

“What is endangering animals now?” Tom asked.

“Some of their homes are being destroyed (破坏) by pollution. Also, the land is being used for homes, farms, and highways. That leaves less room for animals to live. So some land has to be left as national parks for wildlife,” said Uncle Max.

“I’m glad you invited me,” Tom said. “I just didn’t know how much animals depend on (依赖) us. Your story will help all of us.”

9 . Samantha Kinghorn, a 16-year-old Scotland girl, hurt her legs badly two years ago. She was not able to walk, so she had to learn how to use a wheelchair (轮椅) and get around without using her legs.

As Samantha became stronger, she found that she could make her wheelchair move very fast! A doctor at the hospital took Samantha to Stoke Mandeville, the national center for disability (残疾) sports. Samantha tried lots of different wheelchair sports. She found that she was very good at wheelchair racing.

Samantha started training six times a week. She soon became healthy and fast. She won the Great Scottish Run 10 kilometre wheel-chair race in September 2012. In April 2013, she ran in the Mini London Marathon and finished second!

Samantha has achieved (实现) a lot in a very short time, and she has already become a national hero. Like Jordan Romero, Samantha thinks it is important to have dreams and goals, and she wants to show the world that being in a wheelchair can’t stop you from achieving your dreams. Her family are very proud of her for being so strong and positive.

“I want to tell people that being disabled (残疾的) doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything. ________.” she said.

10 . Trends (潮流) come and go. Many goods that people buy to follow fashion end up in the garbage can. Now, young Chinese people are giving these things a second life. Called “stoopers”, they pick up idle goods and reuse them. They are mainly in big cities.

Chen Jiaorong, 27, is one of them. She started stooping in June 2022 when she found that many people were letting go of things hardly used. After that, she often “hunted treasures” in her free time. She has been walking along the streets in downtown area once or twice a week, looking around and picking up “garbage”. Now, her small apartment holds things redesigned from the idle goods she collected, including tables, chairs and clothing.

“Some say stooping means collecting rubbish,” Chen said. “But for me, it’s about making the best use of things. “That’s why she introduces the trend to others. Sometimes Chen also puts stickers on the goods that she doesn’t need and posts pictures of them on social media, guiding others to pick them up from the streets. The videos she posted online draw much attention and many young people join her.

Huang Xiaohe from Kunming No. 1 High School also loves stooping. The 12-year-old has few chances to go stooping in her city, she often looks for idle goods around school. Then, she cleans and redesigns them, turning them into fun things at home. The cotton from a toy bear dresses a lamp and old facial masks are used to make clothes for her dolls. “I believe that any waste can be turned into treasures,” said Huang.

Nan Zheng, a 35-year-old environmentalist says that stooping is more than the physical act of picking up things from the streets. He created an app called “Grecycle” where people can give away or take unwanted items for free. “We can let more people know about stooping as an interesting and fun thing to do. Gradually, this can also be about helping others.”

Accordingly, if you are active in reducing waste, you might give stooping a try. Stooping is really an action to fight over-buying.