There once lived a rich businessman who had a lazy son. The businessman wanted his son to realize the value of labor.

    One day, he told his son, "Today, I want you to earn something. If you fail, you won't have your meal tonight."

    The boy didn't want to find a job, so he asked his mother for help. She gave him a gold coin. In the evening, when the father asked his son what he had earned, the son showed him the gold coin. The father then asked him to throw it into the well (水井). The son did as he was told.

    The father guessed that the gold was from the boy's mother. The next day, he sent his wife to her parents' home and asked his son to earn something. Since no one helped him, the son had to go to the market to look for a job. A shopkeeper told him that he would pay him a coin if he carried heavy tools for him. The son accepted. As he returned home and gave the coin to his father, he was asked to throw it into the well. The boy cried, "Dad! My body is aching. I'm tired. How are you asking me to throw my hard-carned coin into a well?"

    The businessman smiled. He told his son that one feels pain only when the fruits of labor are wasted. The son realized the value of hard work. He promised not to be lazy any more.

Dear Yang Kai,

    Would you like to go out for a picnic with my brother and me at 3: 30 on Sunday afternoon?

    We will have the picnic in Yingze Park. You know where it is, don't you? You can take the No. 6 bus to the park. After you go into the park, walk straight on for about five minutes until you come to a small but clean river. There is a bridge over it. Go across the bridge and turn left. After walking for ten minutes, you will come to a hill. Walk to the other side (边) of the hill and you will see a lake (湖). We will have the picnic by the lake.

    I'm sure you will find us easily. Don't forget (忘记) the time.

Yours,

Hao Gang

    Last Monday afternoon my classmates and I went to eat in a small dining place near our school.

    It wasn't {#blank#}1{#/blank#} good time for us to get there as there were so {#blank#}2{#/blank#} people. So we {#blank#}3{#/blank#} to wait for a table. We waited for about half an hour before we could sit down and started to {#blank#}4{#/blank#} some food. Later our potato and mutton noodles came. However, there {#blank#}5{#/blank#} only a little mutton in the noodles! The waiter said, "I know the mutton noodles are short of mutton. But it is not as {#blank#}6{#/blank#} as before, right? A large bowl was 15 yuan before and now it is only 12 yuan." Then one of my classmates found a fly(苍蝇) in his noodles. "Wow! How can your restaurant be so unclean?!" My classmate asked the waiter. "Don't worry, boy. The fly is free. You don't need to pay {#blank#}7{#/blank#} it," said the waiter.

    {#blank#}8{#/blank#} terrible the place is! We were so angry {#blank#}9{#/blank#} we couldn't say a word! Then we took some photos of the noodles and put {#blank#}10{#/blank#} on our WeChat Moments(朋友圈). Now fewer and fewer people would like to eat there.

Many foreigners move to China because of a strong interest in its culture. One man has turned 1 interest into love and this love made him write many books about China. He is William, an American who has lived in China for 33 years, his Chinese name is Pan and he 2 Lao Pan in China.

3 1988, Lao Pan first came to China and worked as a teacher at a university. But Lao Pan did not begin 4 China until he and his family took a 3 month drive around the county. These experiences in China gave him ideas for his books. Since then he 5 thirteen books about China. These books give the world a fuller picture of China and Lao Pan is proud of what he is doing.

Lao Pan's new book 6 his forty seven letters to his family back in America. The letters show China's development in 7 periods. Lao Pan 8 says he loves China so much because of its people. He sees it as 9 life long task to let more westerners know what China is like. He will continue telling the nation's 10 to the world 

Dear Mike, 

Long time no see! It is good to hear that you{#blank#}1{#/blank#}(visit) China. You asked me when the best season {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(come) to China is. Let me tell you. It is {#blank#}3{#/blank#}the autumn. Most of the {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(place) in China are neither too hot nor too cold in this season. So it is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (comfortable) time to travel of all the seasons.{#blank#}6{#/blank#} you are going to visit South China, you should take an umbrella because there {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(be) some rain. You can stay in {#blank#}8{#/blank#} hotel. You won't pay much for it because hotels are not very expensive here. But I also invite you to stay in my home. I am happy {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(be) your guide during the holiday. I'm looking forward to {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(know) all about your travel plans. Please write back to me soon. 

Yours, 

Daming

As a funny student, Brian loved watching comedies best and hoped to become a comedy actor one day. When he1 the talent show to be held at this school, Brian decided to take part in it. 

He had never acted 2 before, so he was very excited. But some students laughed at him. "You are not funny but3 , "Ken, one of his classmates, said. "No one will like what you do. "another boy also said to him 4 .

Brian couldn't5 why they were so unkind to him. For a moment, he thought about giving up the show. But he remembered6 his friends liked his jokes, and also his teachers said he was very funny. So he decided to prepare for the7 .

Brian did a great8 at the talent show. Everyone loved his performance, and he won the first prize! His teachers and friends were9 of him and said he would be successful in the future. Even so, Ken told Brian that he was not funny. Brian didn't understand why Ken said so, but he realized that it had10 to do with him. He11 continued to work towards his dream. 

As the years went on, Brian met more people like Ken. Luckily, most people12 him and some helped him to become even13 . He got a lot of chances to perform in movies. He was even invited to appear on television. 

Now Brian is a famous comedy actor! He is doing what he loves best. He 14 feels worried like those unkind people, and he laughs all day long!

Remember the bottom line is that you can't let the behavior of others bring your joy. Focus on being the best and happiest that you can be-that's 15 your energy should go.