Winter in Quebec, Canada is very different from that in England. When I first arrived, I was     1     (slight) worried about the winter. I couldn’t imagine     2     it would be like to have 3 metres of snow, and what on earth I was going to do when the weather was so bad. However, here, life goes on as usual. Trains and buses continue, and people socialise and even better.     3     number of new sports take over.

For me, skiing means downhill skiing, in ski resorts (度假胜地), with ski lifts taking you up the mountain. Before     4     (arrive), I did not know there were in fact different     5     (type) of skiing. Imagine a sunny but cold day, and you have taken a chairlift to the top of a mountain     6     (cover) with snow. An hour seems like a few minutes, as you carve your way down a run to the bottom, and then do it all again. It is my new favourite sport.

Ice skating on a frozen (结冰的) lake is another     7     (excite) sport for me. Once I could hardly stand on a pair of ice skates, but now I am able to make laps (圈) of the 3 km route on the lake,     8     is frozen during January and February.

Indeed having 3 metres of snow was a bit frightening. School     9     (cancel) once because of a big snowstorm, but I was     10     busy enjoying all these cool sports that winter finished too soon!

3 . Volunteering Opportunities for Teens

L. A. Works

River Centre and Gardens

570 W. Ave. 26, Ste. 400 Los Angeles, CA 90 065

From arts and crafts, walking dogs to singing to babies, this organisation offers many opportunities in Los Angeles from one day to long-term projects. Volunteers must first attend a course. Some activities are designed only for adults, so be sure to ask if they’re teen friendly.

Volunteers of America

3,600 Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 1,500 Los Angeles, CA 90 010

National non-profit organisation with volunteer opportunities in programmes for children, the developmentally disabled, families, emergency services, the homeless and more.

Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles

4,650 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90 027

Teens aged 15 and older can volunteer here after completing a three-hour course. Only those aged 18 and older can have direct contact with the patients. Teens younger than 18 can still help out by greeting and recording patients and their families at the front desk. The hospital asks for a minimum(最少)of a six-month period plus 100 hours of service. Teens work at least two to four hours a week, depending on the department, and can choose their schedule.

Food on Foot

1,625 N. Schrader Hollywood, CA 90 028

This is a non-profit organisation that needs volunteers on Saturdays at 3:30 pm in Venice and Sundays at 3:30 pm in Hollywood. Volunteers will distribute clothing and food to the homeless and poor. Teens must be interviewed before volunteering. After service is completed，the organisation will write a letter to give students either high school or college credit.

Library’s Volunteer Corp.

7,400 E. Imperial Hwy. Downey, CA 90 242

There’s no age limit and no experience required for teens interested in volunteering at the library. Volunteers are needed at all branches. All minors must present written parental agreement. Time varies with each task. Teens can shelve books, create displays, tell stories, show films, write reports and more.

4 . Ice climbing is a winter sport that combines excitement, skill and determination. It is featured as a cultural event at the Winter Olympics for the first time in Sochi, Russia and is popular around the world. If you are interested in this sport, here are some of the world’s best places that you shouldn’t miss.

Shuangqiao Valley, Sichuan, China

China has a lot of ice walls, which are located in different mountains in the northern and western parts of the country. Among them, Sichuan province’s Shuangqiao Valley in Mount Siguniang has some of the finest climbs. The ice climbing in the area usually starts from mid-December and lasts until February. Climbers can enjoy climbing as well as a clean and quiet environment.

The Ouray Ice Park, Colorado, the US

The Ouray Ice Park offers climbers more than 100 man-made ice and mixed climbs, and entrance to it is free. The park also provides professional aid and services for beginners. It usually hosts one of the biggest ice climbing celebrations in the world, the Ouray Ice Festival every January.

Valdez, Alaska, the US

Alaska’s surprising Valdez area has been attracting world-class climbers. Each year, climbers go there to follow classic routes (路线). Others explore the area by themselves, hoping to find the next classic site on their adventures. The climbers can find glacier hiking, skiing and sled (雪橇) trips there.