Three travelers, Allan, Carl and Paul were sitting on the chairs in a train station. They were waiting for a train that was late.

      To pass the time, they began talking to each other.

      At first, they talked about the weather and their work. Then Paul said, “Tell me-what would you most like to do if your doctor tells you that you have only three months to live?"

      The other two men thought about this for a while, then Carl spoke.

      "Well," he said, "if I have only three months to live, I'll take all my money out of the bank and go to foreign countries for holidays with my best friend, Erik. I'd like to travel to the places in the world as many as possible. And I'll stay at the best hotels and then eat the best food. I think I'll have a wonderful time."

      "That's very interesting." Paul said. With these words, he turned to the other man, saying, "And what about you?"

"I'll tell you a secret," Allan said. "I always want to be a racing driver. So if I have only three months to live, the first thing I'd like to do is to sell my house. With the money I'll buy the fastest car in the world. Maybe I can enter all the big motor races. " Then he laughed, "I might even end up with (以......而告终) a world champion."

      "Now it's your turn," Allan went on. "If your doctor tells you the bad news, what would you most like to do?"

        "Oh," said Paul with a smile. "I'll go and see another doctor."

    My friend Tom is a schoolboy. Everyone likes him very much because he is kind. He likes to help people. He is a smart boy and he can play many musical instruments(乐器). After school, when he is with his friends, he often plays musical instruments for them. On weekends, he is free and he always goes to the old people's home. He plays the violin and the guitar to make them happy. He thinks it's interesting and fun.

    Today is February 28th. It's Tom's birthday. He has a big and interesting party at home. Many friends come to his party. Tom's mother cooks a lot of food for them. Everyone gives a beautiful gift to him. Sally gives him an English dictionary because Tom also likes English. Bob gives Tom a guitar because he likes playing the guitar very much. At the party, Tom plays the guitar and he also plays the piano. We sing many songs and play some interesting games. We have a good time today.

    Indonesia is my mother's homeland and one of my favorite countries. Since I was young, I had learned a lot about the country and become interested in it. For a long time I had wanted to do something for the country and people there, and I thought volunteering（做志愿者） would be a good and fun way to do so.

    I received the greatest pleasure from being with the children.

    Teaching my first English class in Aceh was exciting, but I was rather nervous. As time went by, I learned how to be a better teacher. Teaching was actually the most enjoyable of my many responsibilities(责任).

    Many children were shy at first. But when they relaxed, they would start talking and telling you a lot of funny things. I believed we were helping them build up their confidence.

    For the children who are more in need. The Education Program（TEP） will collect donations(募捐) to help them.

    As a volunteer, I had to visit the TEP children at home once a month and help them write a thank-you letter to their sponsors. This was a way for the children to communicate with their sponsors. Sometimes the sponsors would write back to the children. Seeing the children's happy faces, I had a great sense of pleasure.

    Bill and his friends go hiking(徒步旅行)on Sunday. He is afraid(担心的)he will be hungry, so he buys a lot of food and his bag is heavy. They start at nine in the morning and they get to a city five hours later. When they arrive in the city, they're all tired. And then they go to a park. His friends get on a bus, but Bill can't. His bag sticks(卡住)in the door and he has to get off. The bus leaves and he doesn't know where he will meet them. He walks in the street and goes into a restaurant. He asks for a drink. He is so tired that he goes to sleep soon. When he wakes up in the midnight, he can't find any people in the restaurant. The door is closed and he can't go out. He finds a cell phone number and a name on a piece of paper, so he calls Mr Jackson, the owner of the restaurant.

    "Hello," says Bill. "When do you open your restaurant, Mr Jackson?”

    The telephone wakes the man up and he isn't happy. So he says, "Don't ask me about that. I won't let you in.”

    "Oh, no! I want to go out!" Bill says.

Drawing on a New Friendship

    Last Saturday, I went to the park to draw. When I finished the outline of a girl, a shadow（影子）fell across my drawing.

    "That's not a bad start", said the shadow. "Do you have any finished drawings?" I looked up to see a girl about my age.

    I was displeased that someone was looking at my drawing and interrupted me. "Not bad?" I asked.

    "No need to be angry." The girl handed a sketchbook(素描本)to me." Want to look at my drawings?"

    I felt curious and traded sketchbooks with her. Her sketches of people were okay, but I was really attracted by her drawings of nature, like trees, rocks, and rivers, all done with great detail.

    "Wow！You have some talent," I said. "What's your name?"

    The girl took back her sketchbook and answered, "Emma Thompson."

    "I'm Alice Ruiz, "I said." You draw so well. Are you in an art class?"

    Emma replied, "No. The art class is full, so I have to wait until next term. Besides, you're a talented one. I really find it difficult to draw people, but you make it look easy."

    "I have a great idea！"I said." Let's draw together！You can draw the nature views on one piece of paper while I draw the people on another. Then we'll exchange and finish each other's drawings. That way, both drawings would show off both of our talents!"

    "That's not a bad idea, Alice, "Emma agreed.

    About an hour later, we completed our drawings. I had drawn a boy walking with his dog. Emma had added a path and some flowers. Emma had drawn a beautiful tree, and I had added a girl reading under the tree.

    "This was a fun idea, "I said." Hey, Emma, would you like to meet me here again to draw together?"

    "See you next Saturday, Alice, "Emma said with a smile.

    John is thirteen now. He began to study in a middle school two years ago. His home is in a village and it's nearly five kilometres away from the school. He has to get up early in the morning. After quick breakfast he has to run to school and get there on time. His father hopes to borrow some money to buy a bike for him, but John knows his mother is always ill and that his father spends much money on medicine. He doesn't agree with his father and keeps running there every day. Now he's very strong. He is never late for class and his teachers often praise him.

    Last week there was a sports meeting in his school. John ran faster than any other boy in the boys' 800—metre race, 1, 500—metre race and 3, 000—metre race. The whole school knew him. He was happy. He told his grandma about the good news as soon as he got home.

    "I broke two school records today, Granny, "called out the boy.

    To his surprise, the old woman wasn't happy. She thought for a while and I'm sorry to hear that. But we have no money to pay for them, you know!