The Phone Call

        It was getting dark. Paul looked out of the window and signed (叹气). Dad said he would come home by 5:30, but it was almost 7:00. Even if Dad came back, it wouldn't be much fun playing 1 in the dark. Paul walked into his room and threw his baseball into the corner. He tried to do some homework, but couldn't.

      The phone rang at about 8:00. It was Dad: “Paul, I'm 2, but I couldn't play baseball with you tonight. I have to finish my work at

the office. Maybe we can play this weekend. Oh no. How about next weekend?....”

       Paul couldn't understand why Dad was so 3. He threw himself into the sofa and soon fell asleep. His book was still opened to the

 first page.

      The next day at school, Paul didn't hand in his homework and 4 a test. Mrs. Green, his teacher, asked him to stay after school. “Paul, you didn't do your homework. You didn't pass the test and only got a D. This isn't like you. What's wrong?”

      Paul just sat there5 . “Paul, if you don't want to talk, I will. I know that something's worrying with you, but you have to get it out. You need to tell someone.”

      As Paul walked home, he thought of what Mrs. Green said. Maybe he didn't do his homework because he wanted to get his dad's _6 . He knew Mrs. Green was right. He decided to take her advice.

      When Paul got home, he 7his dad. But there was no answer. Then it went to voicemail (语音信箱). Paul began talking: “Dad, I can't play with you next weekend. I've got lots of problems with my homework. Also, I really don't want to spend another day looking out of the window and waiting. Whenever you 8our plans, Dad, it hurts me. It's not too late to rebuild our relationship, but we have to start small. Maybe you can help me with my 9sometime. Dad, I love you.”

      As Paul ended the call, he felt much relaxed. He didn't know whether his dad would be different, but it didn't matter. He himself __10. He expressed his feelings to the right person. He had a clear head as he was doing his homework that evening.

    My name is Peter. I live in a small village. In my village, there aren't many cars or buses, and the streets are clean. I 1 all the neighbors and at the end of the day, we get together and talk. We go to bed 2 because there isn't much to do in the evening There aren't any theaters cinemas, museums or clubs. But the children can play in the streets or in nature (大自然). They can 3 keep animals at home. There is no noise (噪音). We can hear a lot of beautiful sounds from nature 4 the birds singing and the rain pouring (倾盆而下). In the evening, we can  see lots of clear and beautiful 5 in the sky.

    My penfriend Ken lives in a big city. He says there are more workplaces in the city, better schools, 6 shops, finer restaurants and hundreds of cinemas, theaters and museums. Children can go to clubs and parks to 7 themselves. I went to the city to visit Ken last month. He took me to the biggest shopping center and we bought some nice gifts for my 8 For example, a cool T-shirt for my dad.

    "Which is better, the city or the village?" many of my classmates asked me when I came back. I'm not sure, 9 I know that I like the clean streets, friendly neighbors and fresh air in my 10 better.

    Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun 1 — to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful.

    Most of the class considered turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the 2 of most of her students' art. And they were. But in her class there was a different kind of boy, Douglas. He was always unhappy. When other children played together, he was likely to stand close by the teacher's side. The boy drew a hand in his picture. 3 else. Just an empty hand.

    Whose hand 4 it be? His abstract (抽象的) picture made classmates really 5. One child guessed it was the hand of the6, because they raise turkeys. Another suggested police officers, because the police 7 and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us. And so the discussion went — 8 the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself.

    When the children went on to other projects, she 9 at Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him 10 hand it was. The little boy looked away and said in a low voice, "It's 11, teacher."

    The teacher recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, "12 my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me 13 you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand.

    Hearing the boy's words, tears ran down the teacher's face. She brushed aside a tear and went on with her work.

    The story speaks of 14 than thankfulness. It says something about teachers teaching and parents parenting and friends showing friendship. They might not always say 15, but they'll remember the hand that reaches out.

    Every day after school, Jack locked himself in his bedroom. He was working on a(n)1project. He didn't tell anyone what he was doing, not even his best friend Larry.

    Jack finally 2. He made a robot. It looked like Jack. The robot had orange hair and wore glasses. The robot and Jack both talked in a special voice. "Life is going to be 3 now!" shouted Jack. "I will send my robot to school while I will 4 at home and play."

    The next morning the robot ate breakfast. Then, he took the bus to school. After school, the bus sent the robot back home. The robot knocked on the door.

    "Sweetie, I'm so glad you come back. I really5you!" said Mum. Then she took the robot into the kitchen and gave him a snack before6.

    "I had lots of 7 at school today," said the robot. "I went to a space museum. I got to 8a real spacesuit. It was too big for me. "

    Jack was 9 outside the kitchen. He was10. He wanted to be an astronaut. He thought this wasn't a good idea. So the next day, Jack went to school himself.

    Jimmy was five years old and lived with his parents, the Watsons, in Smithville, in the southern United States. He loved his big black1, Big Boy. Last week, in the early hours of the morning, a strong smell suddenly woke Big Boy up2 his sleep. The dog got up and walked into the kitchen. There the smell and the heat grew stronger. Big Boy could 3that something was wrong, very wrong. He barked(吠)and ran up to the second floor. He barked and barked at the door of Jimmy's room,4there was no answer. Then he ran to Mr and Mrs Watson's room. He barked again, more loudly, and tried to5 the door. Mr and Mrs Watson didn't wake up. Big Boy ran back to Jimmy's room. He made as much6as he could.

    Finally, Jimmy came to the door and opened it. "Big Boy, what's wrong?" Jimmy said. Big Boy took Jimmy's 7 in his mouth and tried to pull him down to the first floor. "Big Boy, Big Boy, stop! Stop! What are you 8? Mum, Dad, come quickly! Help! Help!" Jimmy shouted loudly.

    His parents ran out of their room. They understood that there was a fire. They 9picked Jimmy up and ran out of the house. Big Boy ran after them. Just then, the fire came all the way up to the top of the 10. Big Boy saved the family! He's a hero today in Smithville.

  Bill, a thirteen-year-old boy, thought he had grown up to be a man. But his parents told him, "You won't be a real man until you begin to 1helping others."

  One morning, his parents gave him some money to 2some milk for them. Outside a shop he saw a homeless old man who looked very 3. Bill went to him and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

  The old man answered, "I'm hungry. I haven't had any food for two days. "

  All the thought of his parents' words, Bill said to the old man, "Let's go to the 4."

  When they got there, Bill asked the waiter to bring out bread and coffee to the old man. The old man finished the meal quickly. After the waiter 5 the plate and the cup, the old man said, "Sorry for giving you too much 6. I'm fine now. I'll 7forget your kindness! You are a very good young man"

  Bill was 8when he heard this. Just when he wanted to pay for the meal, the waiter came. Bill and the old man learned 9that his food was free 10it was the birthday of the boss, and they were the first customer(顾客) that day.