Suppose you are going to a hotel with your family. You’d probably expect to find a room with a bed, a TV, and a bathroom. What might you find in an insect hotel？

Insect hotels don’t have beds or TVs, but they do offer ideal “homes” for insects. They can be as small as a backpack (背包) or as large as a car.

The idea of creating insect hotels began in Germany. The people there noticed that many insects are in danger of becoming extinct because humans are changing their environment. They decided to create an environment that would protect insects and help them do their work.

They found that ________. Some insects like wet environments, while others prefer dry areas. Wool, sticks, hay (干草), and leaves are some materials bugs find comfortable. Insect hotels may also include sections or “rooms”, that attract (吸引) different insects.

Insects are helpful in many ways. Some eat other insects that bite or sting us. Some carry pollen between flowers, which helps plants make seeds (种子).

Hotels for insects may be new, but beehives (蜂箱) are not. Humans have been creating homes for honeybees for more than 3,000 years. This hobby is called beekeeping. Beekeeping helps both bees and people. Bees make honey which we like to eat. They also carry pollen (花粉) between flowers.

Insects help people in many ways, from controlling pests to helping plants grow. Making insect hotels and beehives are two ways we can help these animals grow strong.

The World is in Danger

Our world is in danger. We must do something to protect the environment. But what are the main problems we face?

The greenhouse effect

The atmosphere (大气层) around the Earth is necessary for all living things. It is like the glass of a greenhouse, letting sunlight in and keeping heat from getting out. Without it, the Earth would be the same as the Moon—cold and lifeless.

When we burn fuels (燃料) such as petrol and coal, we produce a gas called carbon dioxide (CO₂). Too much of this gas pollutes the atmosphere, and causes it to keep in too much heat. As a result of the greenhouse effect, the Earth’s temperature is increasing. This causes sea level to rise, and in the future may cause cities to disappear.

Cutting down forests

Every year, we destroy (破坏) nature by cutting down many forests. This makes the greenhouse effect worse because trees take in CO₂ and produce oxygen (O₂). Cutting down trees also destroys the homes of animals that live in forests, and causes the surface of the soil to be easily destroyed by rain. This can result in floods and even more damage (伤害) to the environment.

Bad habits

Many of our habits cause pollution. People often use things once and then throw them away, or leave them on the ground as litter. To protect the environment, we need to take proper action. We should be different from many consumers and become “green consumers”. This means that we should only buy and use products friendly to the environment. We should also recycle as many things as we can. We can reuse things for the same purpose as before, or we can use them for new purposes. Then, we can make a difference.