World Water Day is on March 22 each year. It started in1992. Its goal is to get people and governments thinking 【小题1】 one of our most precious resources. For human beings, water not only is an important resource to survive and grow, 【小题2】 also offers fun and pleasure. Could you imagine what the world would be like without water?

Nowadays, we are facing an increasing number of environmental crisis(危机) such 【小题3】 water pollution and water shortage. In India’s capital, New Delhi, millions do not have any running water. Even in richer neighborhoods, young and old wait hours for clean water. When young woman in Ghana, like many in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and elsewhere walks kilometers for water.“I have to collect for my family five times a day.”

Something must be done 【小题4】 save water and protect water immediately. The special day is a day for us to know about 【小题5】 we have done and what we should do. I believe the environment will become better and better if we follow the spirit of the World Water Day.

Every year, on January 5th, the city of Harbin in northeast China changes into a winter wonderland. Tourists from all around the world come to visit this w【小题1】 ice and snow festival.

The festival started in 1963 and began as a winter party. The festival often lasts for one m【小题2】. However, if the weather stays cold and dry, it will go on for a few more days. Temperatures are u【小题3】 very cold. They can go down to -17℃.

Ice sculptors (雕塑家) use different tools to carve the hard ice and snow. These sculptors display t【小题4】 works in two main areas. “Sun Island” has huge snow sculptures of people and animals. “Ice and snow World” has sculptures of buildings. At night, these buildings light up with colorful lights.

Visitors can do a lot of other activities, such as skiing and ice sliding. They can also go s【小题5】 in the icy waters of Songhua River.

The Start of Winter, or Li Dong, has fallen recently. It means winter is 【小题1】 (come) and crops harvested in autumn should be stored up. And the climate always changes from dry and cool autumn 【小题2】 wet and cold winter. How have people traditionally prepared for the much colder days?

•Welcoming winter

In ancient times, the king would lead 【小题3】 (he) officials to hold a ceremony to “welcome winter” on the day of Li Dong.

•Eating dumplings

It is 【小题4】 (say) that in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25—220), Zhang Zhongjing, known as the Medical Saint, invented a food on Li Dong. It could keep people away from the cold and make the body much 【小题5】 (hot). This is what we call “dumplings” today. There is still a saying, “Eat dumplings on the Start of Winter, 【小题6】 your ears will be frostbitten (冻伤的)”. So people eat the traditional food on that day.

•Nourishing (滋补) winter

“Nourishing winter” is a tradition in the 【小题7】 (south) part of China. People there like to eat foods, such as chicken, beef, and mutton (羊肉). These foods are 【小题8】 (usual) stewed (炖) with traditional Chinese herbs (药草).

•Winter swimming

In Harbin, many swimming 【小题9】 (fan) would swim across the Songhua River to celebrate the coming of winter.

The Start of Winter is 【小题10】 best time to enjoy the harvest, so people in China do a lot to express their thanks and best wishes on that day.