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　　Every time you turn on the television or take a ride in a car ,you could be adding to a problem called acid rain(酸雨)．In this article, you’ll learn how acid is created, and how it affects us, and more importantly, what we all can do to prevent it．

　　When people use fuels(燃料), such as coal and gasoline, poisonous gases are give off．When these gases mix with rain, acid rain forms．Many power stations burn fuels in order to creat the electricity(电)that we use in our homes and offices every day．Cars and trucks also send these gases into the air when they burn gasoline．When rain mixes with these gases, harmful things called acids form．This is acid rain．

　　Acid rain damages(毁坏)everything that it touches．It poisons our rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans along with all the life in them．It pollutes our soil and crops, harms trees, and can even kill fish and plants．Acid rain also eats away at buildings．

　　We need to cut down on the pollution that gets into our air．Turn off lights, television, and other electrical appliances if you are not using them, Walk or take a bike whenever possible．If you are travelling a long distance, take a bus or train to save fuel．

　　As research shows, acid rain harms our environment．But people everywhere can take small steps now to help protect our environment for future generations．

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　　Everybody hates rats．But in the earthquake places of the world-Japan, Los Angeles, Turkey-rats will soon be man's new best friends．

　　What happens after an earthquake? We send in rescue(救援)dogs．Why? Because they can smell people．Dogs save lives．They help rescuers to find living people．But dogs are big and they can't get into small spaces．So now a new research project is using a smaller animal to save lives：the rat．

　　How does it work? First, the rat is trained to smell people．When this happens, the rat's brain gives a signal．This is sent to a small radio on its back, and then the rescuers follow the radio signals．When the rat's brain activity jumps, the rescuers know that someone is alive．The rat has smelled that person．

　　Although there are already robots which can do this job, rats are better．Christian Linster at Cornell University, New York, says, “ ‘Robot’ noses don't work well when there are other smells around．Rats are good at that．” Rats can also see in the dark．They are cheaper and quicker to train than dogs, and unlike robots, they don't need electricity．

　　The “ rat project” is not finished, but Julie Ryan of International Rescue Corps in Scotland says, “ It would be fantastic．A rat would get into spaces we couldn't get to and a rat would get out if it wasn't safe．” Perhaps for the first time in history, people will be happy to see a rat in a building(but only after an earthquake, of course．)

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　　The Venus flytrap is a kind of meat-eating plant．It grows in very few places, such as wetlands near the coast of North Carolina in America．

　　The Venus flytrap is not a large plant．It grows to be only about a foot tall．The plant has white flowers in the spring, but it is the plant's leaves that make it so interesting．The ends of the leaves have folding parts with stiff, tiny hairs(带小硬刺的可折叠部分)．These are the plant's “traps(捕捉器)”．

　　What does the Venus flytrap eat? As you might guess, the Venus flytrap eats flies(苍蝇)．It also eats spiders, ants, and crickets．The Venus flytrap makes most of its food with sun, air, and water, just like other plants．Living things just give it extra nutrition(营养)to grow well in wetlands．

　　How does this plant trap and eat living things? The Venus flytrap uses a sweet liquid(液体)to attract its food．When a fly lands on one of the plant's open traps, hairs on the surface make the trap closed．As soon as the trap closes, the fly is dinner!

　　If you want to have your own Venus flytrap at home, you have to buy the plant from a special place．You can't take a Venus flytrap from where it grows! There are laws about taking it out of the wild．

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