Of all nature's disasters, forest fires are often considered the most frightening. Moving at lightning speed, huge walls of flames can burn acres of land in just a few minutes. And although technology, including the use of fire­retardant chemicals, has greatly helped the fight against forest fires, they still take great damage.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the fire season last year was the worst on record in terms of the number of fires and acres(公顷) burned. There were 96, 385 fires and 9, 873, 429 acres affected by fire in a year that was 125% more destructive (毁灭性的)than the 10­year average(平均). These fires cost the federal government $1. 5 billion to fight, and this figure does not include the money spent by local and state governments as part of the effort.

Fires in the southern states represented(代表)half of the national total last year with Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas being home to an usually high amount of activity. Wildfire have also taken place in Western states such as California, Colorado and Alaska throughout the past 10 years.

It is said that two­thirds of forest fires are started accidentally by people, almost one quarter are purposely set, while lighting causes 10%.

Forest fires can have advantageous effects. Charcoal(木炭) enriches soil, and some plant species(种类) grow well after. The cones of the jack pine tree, for example, will not spread their seeds unless there is heat. Douglas fir trees grow best in open sunlight areas after fire.

Young people can have problems with their minds. Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates.

Li Wen, a junior 2 student from No. 2 Middle School, could not understand his teachers and was doing badly in his lessons. He became so worried about it that he started to cut his finger with a knife. Another student 16­year­old Yang Fang from No. 1 Middle School, was afraid of exams. She got very worried in one and when she looked at the exam paper, she couldn't think of anything to write.

A recent report from Jiefang Daily says about 18% of Shanghai teenagers have mental problems. Their troubles include being worried and very unhappy and having problems in learning and getting on with people. Many students who have problems won't go for advice or help. Some think they will look stupid if they go to see a doctor. Others don't want to talk about their secrets. Liang Yuezhu, an expert on teenagers from Beijing Anding Hospital has the following advice for teenagers：

·Talk to your parents or teachers often.

·Take part in group activities and play sports.

·Go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell.

Carl lost his job. He tried to find another one but it wasn't easy. As a result, the poor fellow couldn't pay his bills and he couldn't even find anybody to lend him any.

Carl spent most of his days at home. Sometimes he looked out of the window and watched his neighbor's house. An old professor lived there alone. Strangely, he hardly talked to his neighbors. Carl could see into the professor's house because he never drew the curtain. The rooms were full of antique (古董) furniture and vases. Carl thought, "If I got an antique vase, I could sell it for a lot of money."

Every day Carl saw the professor. He left at 10 o'clock in the morning and came back home at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. He had a dog. Carl often went to the fence and played with it or gave it a piece of meat.

One day Carl thought, "I will go into the professor's house and steal a vase. I will break the window and climb in. The dog is not a problem."

There was an old gun in the cellar(地下室). It had been his great grandfather's favorite thing a long time before. Carl didn't want to use the gun but he thought, "Anything could happen."

He wanted to hide the gun under his coat but it was too long so he had to cut the end off with a saw(锯).

The next morning he watched the professor leaving home at 10 o'clock. Carl climbed over the fence. The dog ran to him and Carl gave it a big bone. He threw a piece of stone through the window, which broke. It wasn't high. He could climb into the house easily.

He looked around inside. There were paintings on the walls, small figures and vases on the shelves and the floor. Carl didn't know much about arts. He couldn't choose. He reached his hands towards a big vase when he heard a noise. The front door opened and someone entered the house.

Paragraph 1:

It was the professor. He had forgotten to take an important document(文件) with him.

Paragraph 2：

The professor was scared.