Now we have a growing population of senior citizens. To ensure happy lives for them has become a focus of attention. Our traditional respect of the aged needs updating. They deserve respect, understanding, coMPAnion, entertainment and so on.

   There are many things to be done to honor senior citizens. In cities, senior citizens should enjoy some privileges, such as special seats on buses, reduced fares for entertainment and traveling, and other benefits. We should do everything to solve their practical problems, to warm their hearts, and to make them happy. In addition, we should find some ways to pi'ovide affordable medical health care,which is of vital importance to them. Besides, there should be recreation halls and care- centers for the aged. Most important of all, the state should ensure a decent pension for them, peasants in particular. In the vast countryside, most aged people are financially supported by their sons, whose life is aperpetual struggle against poverty. What can they do if they are childless?

    Senior citizens, parents in particular, need our love and deserve the best care. Respecting senior citizens bears vital importance to the family - planning policy in China. If we do our best to honor ourparents and the aged, our children will follow our example.

     A picnic is a pleasure trip in which food is taken to be eaten somewhere outdoors. It can either inelude or exclude barbecue. It can be on the beach, on the river bank or even in the woods. No matter where it takes place, it brings great joy.
     For a picnic to be well organized, you should first prepare the necessary foods, including meat,bread, drinks and so on. Of course the picnic basket should also be taken into consideration. In addition, you should bring with you several disposable pieces of plastic tablecloth, which can serve as the table when spread out on the ground. If you plan to have a barbecue at the same time, you should also prepare a grill and fuel. Generally, the most desirable fuel is charcoal. It is a good fuel to use in the grill because it burns slowly and gives off great heat. You should also bring some slender pointed pieces of bamboo or iron so that small pieces of meat can be strung together for easy cooking.
      The material preparation above is necessary, but it is not enough. Another important thing to think about is' how to dispose available manpower for the activity properly. In other'words, you should appoint different people to be the leaders in charge of different things so that when the picnic begins, they can have a good cooperation, thus making the activity smooth and pleasant.
      There is one more thing which you can never forget. You should always be aware of the need to protect the environment. To achieve this, you should avoid making a fire under the trees that can easily catch fire. At the same time, when the picnic comes to an end, collect the waste and throw it in the rubbish heap.

本文选自东方飞龙《2002年考研命题预测试卷·英语》（索玉柱、江庆心）
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