For many people, life is much better now than before. People have more ways to (创造) wealth. They have more spare time to enjoy themselves. They can (买得起) to use lights. But there were only (蜡烛) in the past. Medicine and diet are improving, and people are getting healthier and living longer. The (角色) of women has changed too. They can have a good (教育). And they can go to work even after getting (结婚). But communication is changing fastest of all. Today, with the (因特网), people can communicate easily with their friends all over the world. But in the past, people wrote to each other, so many (邮递员) often worked very long hours a day outside in the winter cold or in the summer heat.
Not all the changes are good ones. Although transport and travel are easier today—more people drive cars instead of riding bikes, they (很少地) take exercise every day. So they are not as fit as they were. Increasing traffic makes the roads more crowded than ever, and the air is badly polluted. We must work harder to (减少) pollution. Let's take action!