Wang Yani was born in l 975. Even as a baby she loved to draw. Her father was an 1 Yani wanted to be like him. So she tried to stand like her father as she painted, which made him laugh.

    One day, Yani painted lines on her father's painting. He got 2. At the time she was only two and a half years old. She cried and said, “I want to 3 like you!” Her father looked at her without saying anything. He 4 remembered his childhood(童年). He also wanted to draw and paint, but his parents didn't understand. They just got angry. He didn't want to see the same thing happen to his daughter. So he decided to 5 her.

    With her father's help, Yani soon made 6. Her lines became flowers, trees and animals. Her father took her to parks and zoos to get 7 for her paintings. By the end of six, Yani had made over 4, 000 works. Her paintings were very special. People 8 her Works. When she was eight, one of her paintings was made into a Chinese postage stamp.

    Yani became 9 when she was young. Her works were 10 in different countries in Asia, Europe and North America, but her parents never sold her paintings. She is well-known in the world, and art is still a great joy in her life.

    Alvin wants a new laptop（手提电脑）. His family is8 poor because his parents lose their 1.

    Alvin can't ask his parents for a laptop. He decides to2his rich uncle Todd for help. He ride Todd's house. Todd's house is very3There are five bedrooms and four bathrooms in the house. And there are4paintings on the walls. Alvin wishes he could live there.

    Tod gives him something to5Alvin says, No, thanks. I already ate, "Tod asks him why he is6. Alvin does not know what to say. "My laptop is really old, and I need a new laptop for school. I would ask my7, but they don't have jobs anymore, "Alvin says.

    "I understand," Todd says. Todd8Alvin 5800, Alvin feels very happy. He jumps up and down He has never felt so9in all his life. His mom asks Alvin why be is so happy, Alvin doesn't say10. He doesn't want to make his mom feel bad.

    Annie works in a big company. She lives 1 in Chicago. She often does everything on her own. One day, she 2 down from her bed and broke her leg, and she had to save herself. She tried to call her friend Lisa. But she dialed a 3 number. The call 4 Taylor, an 18-year-old girl. She was a college student and she lived hundreds of miles away from Chicago. At that time Taylor was reading in bed and she thought it was someone 5 a joke and making fun of her. When she was going to hang up the 6, she heard a woman saying, "Help! Help!" From it, Taylor thought something 7 must have happened to the woman. After she got the 8 name and address. Taylor called 911 at once. Then she tried to make the woman, Annie feel 9. She spoke to Annie on the phone till the doctors 10 at Annie's house. Annie was saved and she wrote a letter to Taylor to thank her.

    Teddy bears are one of the most popular toys all over the world. The first teddy bear came from a(n) 1 about America's 26th president, Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt.

    President Roosevelt was a great hunter (猎手). One day, he traveled in Mississippi. Some people took him to go 2^. Things were not going well and President Roosevelt hunted 3^. Someone had an idea. He caught a bear and tied it to the tree for President Roosevelt to 4. The bear looked very 5 and tired, so Roosevelt refused to shoot it.

    The next day, a cartoon artist drew a picture about the scene. The Washington Post published the picture 6 November 16, 1902. Most Americans 7 the newspaper and knew the story, including Morris and Rose. Morris and Rose had a toy store and they decided to make a toy bear to 8 the president's actions. They called 9 "Teddy Bear". It 10 sweet and harmless (无恶意的). It became popular soon.

    Several weeks ago, our headmaster, Mr. Brown, told us that our school had been chosen to compete on Smart Aleck-a game show. My best friend Nancy and I both 1 it. Nancy has a good imagination, and I know a lot of history. So we thought we'd be good 2 for the team.

    A few days later, Mr. Brown held a meeting with everyone interested in the 3 .He told us that Smart Aleck used a five-member team and three more people would be needed as backup (替补). Mr. Brown said we would have a 4 among all the students present and the top eight scorers would become the team and the backup. Everybody agreed that this was a 5 way to decide.

    Yesterday, all of the hopefuls got together. Mr. Brown acted as the host. After a couple of hours, all the places on the team were set 6 one. Nancy and I tied(打成平手)for that last position. We had to hold a one-on- one competition. The winner would be on the team and the loser would be the 7 .

    Midway through our two-person competition, I was starting to pull 8 . Then I saw the look on Nancy's face. I waited for a second and knew 9 I had to do. As much as I wanted to be on Smart Aleck, Nancy wanted it even more. So, starting with my next question, I held back and let Nancy 10 , just by a little bit. When she 11 she would be on the show, she felt sorry for my not being on the team. However, I will still have the 12 of seeing the show up close.

    Was I 13 by not trying as hard as I could? I don't think so. No one noticed, and Nancy and I didn't say it. It won't hurt the team 14Nancy will be a very good competitor on the real show. I think that making my best friend happy was the 15 thing to do.

    Have you ever eaten a dandelion(蒲公英)? Me neither. Have you ever blown it to make a wish? Me, too.

    "Time to pick dandelions, Athena, "Mum opened the car door and I entered with a1. My hometown is in Greece(希腊), where dandelions are 2on the menu. But I didn't eat dandelions. Why did I have to 3them with my family every spring?

    Then I said goodbye to my new friend Brigid, whose family had 4moved in our neighborhood in New York. I was 5Brigid didn't ask where we were going. Nobody in America ate dandelions. I always worried that 6would notice us picking dandelions.

    We 7into a wild field. Hundreds of lively yellow flowers appeared everywhere. Then we stopped our car. Dad went over to cut dandelions and put them in his bag. But I just hid in the book. "8do we cat dandelions? "I asked. "The best food in the world. "Dad answered, shaking a handful of greens. 9we were ready to leave, we had enough dandelions. On the way home, Mum and Dad talked about hosting a dinner party for the new neighbors to try our 10Greek food.

    The night of the party, Brigid arrived with her parents. Mum served 11different. Greek foods. Our guests ate everything. Finally came the dandelions. "Wait! " I said to Brigid. But it was too 12. "You ate the dandelions! "I told her. We both 13, and she ate another bite. "  14, "she said.

Mum was smiling at us. After dinner. Brigid and I went to the backyard and lay on the grass. The stars reminded me of dandelions in the soft field. I closed my eyes and made a 15: to be as open-minded as my family and my new friend.