March 12th is Tree Planting Day in China. Trees are important to the earth. You can help to improve the environment and make the world a better place by planting trees. If you want to plant a tree, here are some simple     1     for you to follow.

Step 1: Choose the Right Kind

You need to choose the right kind of trees     2     you plant a tree. Some kinds live better in cool or cold places, while others live better in warm or hot places.

Step 2: Choose the Proper Place

Once you have your tree, find a proper place for planting. Look for an area that gets plenty of sunlight and enough space for the tree to grow. What's more, the ground should be neither too wet nor too     3    . Avoid planting your tree too close to buildings because when the tree     4    , it may influence the building nearby and its roots (根) may also cause trouble.

Step 3: Plant the Tree

Dig a hole that is just a little wider than the root ball of the tree. Pick up rocks from the soil (土壤) because they may     5     the roots. Now it's time to plant your tree. Carefully place the tree in the hole, and fill     6     with some soil. Make sure to press the soil down. Don't forget to tie a stick to the tree. In this way, the tree will stand     7    , not leaning (倾斜) to one side. After finishing the above steps, remember to water the tree well.

Step 4: Care for the Tree

Continue to water the tree once a week during the first year after planting. Then the tree will get used to the new environment sooner. Cut     8     some old branches so that the tree will grow better the next year.

In a word, planting trees is important to the health of our planet, and it's something that everyone can do.

Some Chinese parents like to set examples for their children, encouraging them to follow these examples. They like to compare their own children with     1     .

I dislike my parents comparing me with those who are better at something than me. They always look up to them and say that I’m worse than them.     2     it may encourage me to work harder, it will make me lose heart.

Am I really worse than others? Of course     3    . I am interested in Chinese and western history and I’m the king of stories in my class. Besides, as a fan of art, I draw pictures in my free     4     and sell them for money to help poor kids. But my parents can’t see that. All of my classmates hate “the children of others’ families”. So it’s a big problem. We just want our parents to cheer us up     5     of comparing us with others.

I know it’s not just me. Our culture is full of comparisons, and it’s very     6     for us not to look around at what other people are doing, what progress they are making. But all these years I’ve learned one thing: Whatever     7    , you must believe in yourself. Don’t give up. Just keep on doing your important work and     8     to be better and better.

In February, the Ministry of Education suggested that mobile phones should be banned(禁止) in primary and secondary schools. Almost all parents clap their hands     1     it's good both for students'eyesight and for their schoolwork. But how would students feel schools banned phones in class?

Xu Xiaohe, a 13-year-old girl from Zhejiang supports the policy. “In fact, my school has     2     allowed us to bring our mobile phones,” Xu said, “My teachers always believe that playing with phones is a     3     of time, compared with reading and doing sports. Adults can't control themselves, let alone kids.”

Li Zihan from Bejjing, however, thinks that the ban is too simplistic for a generation that has grown up with mobile phones. “Students should be     4     self-management skills, as well as learn how to use their phones effectively to help with their school life.”

For Ge Ziqi, the problem with banning phones has more to do with life     5     school. The 13-year-old Beijinger uses a bike-sharing app every day to travel between her home and school. “Today, no     6     ways are more convenient than paying by phone, from taking a bus to buying food,” she said, “If I can't take my phone with me, I'll have to buy a bicycle of my     7    .”

To solve the problem like Ge’s, some ideas teachers have come up with     8     really well. At Shanghai Shatian School, for example, students are asked to put their phones in special lockers(储物柜). The students call these lockers the “phone farm” (“养机场”) or phone Tarmac” (“停机坪”).

A circus clown can do almost anything. He can juggle and ride unicycles. He can also balance things on his nose. He can even do tricks with wild animals     1     lions, tigers and elephants. Clowns seem to be bad at these things and this makes the audience laugh. But in fact, clowns are very     2     at all the tricks and it takes a long time to learn them all.

Make-up and     3    

Clowns use lots of make-up. It looks like a mask. When he looks happy, sad, surprised or scared, the make-up can show it better. Each clown creates his own special face     4     helps to show the clown’s character. No other clowns can make up their faces like him.

Clowns wear funny clothes. Often, the clothes look fine, but they do not fit right. The jacket, hat or shoes are too big or too small, and this makes the audience     5    .

Clowns often hit each other or fall down to make people laugh. This is called “slapstick comedy”(打逗喜剧). Early slapstick comedy used a stick that was actually     6     of two pieces of wood. The clowns hit each other with the slapstick and the two pieces of wood “slapped” against each other. The audience heard a loud noise as if the clowns had hit each other very hard. Of course they didn’t really get hurt!

People who want to be clowns often go to clown schools! At clown school, they learn many tricks and meet many clowns. They choose a name at first, and then decide what character their clown will have and     7     their clown will walk, talk, and dress. Every clown is different,     8    they all have the same purpose: to make their audience laugh.