My mother was a housewife. She thought that successful people spent a lot more time {#blank#}1{#/blank#} than watching TV. So she asked my brother and me to read two books every week in our free time. She would check them with marks, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} she couldn't read the books at all.
When I went to school, I was an A-student, but not for long. I wanted cool {#blank#}3{#/blank#} and hung out with friends. I went from being an A-student to a C-student, but I didn't care. One night, I complained about not having enough Italian T-shirts. Then my mother gave me all her money. She said I could get the money {#blank#}4{#/blank#} to buy shirts if I finished buying all things the family needed. I was very {#blank#}5{#/blank#} that, but after I bought those things, there was no money left. I got to know how {#blank#}6{#/blank#} it was for my mother to do all this. I went back to my studies and become an A-student again. Finally, my dream {#blank#}7{#/blank#} and I become a doctor.
My story is really my mother's story--a woman with little education greatly changed my life as a {#blank#}8{#/blank#} . So, I believe there is no job more important than parenting.

       My uncle has a very beautiful umbrella. He has had it for years. As he is very careful with it, it still looks as {#blank#}1{#/blank#} as new. I asked my uncle if he bought it or someone {#blank#}2{#/blank#} him as a gift. He shook his head. “Then how did you get it?” I asked. “Well, ” he answered, “there is a strange true story {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the umbrella. About ten years ago, I {#blank#}4{#/blank#} along a quiet London street one evening when it suddenly rained. I had {#blank#}5{#/blank#} raincoat or umbrella. Gradually, it got quite dark. And the people in the streets were fewer and fewer. Because I was on my way to a party, I was afraid {#blank#}6{#/blank#} wet. So I stood in a doorway and waited for the rain to stop. No buses ran through the street and there were no taxis. What was worse, there even wasn't a person around, and still it rained and rained. At last a young man came to the place {#blank#}7{#/blank#} I was standing. He held a large umbrella over his head. As I hoped he would allow me to walk to the next comer with him, where I could get a taxi, I stepped out of the dark doorway where I had been standing. I asked him where he was going with that umbrella. As I suddenly appeared before him, the young man was so shocked that he{#blank#}8{#/blank#} the umbrella. He ran away and disappeared into the darkness. I picked up the umbrella and continued my walk. I knew it would be hard in this big city to find the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} of the umbrella, so I {#blank#}10{#/blank#} it ever since then.”

    Hello, my name is Fang Xiang. Kate is my {#blank#}1{#/blank#} name. I'm thirteen. My birthday is {#blank#}2{#/blank#}  May 25th. Today is my birthday. In the {#blank#}3{#/blank#}, my parents take me to a clothes {#blank#}4{#/blank#} and buy me a yellow sweater. I {#blank#}5{#/blank#} it very much. In the afternoon, we take a trip. It's very {#blank#}6{#/blank#} and relaxing. In the evening, we have a  {#blank#}7{#/blank#} at home. My friends Gina, Eric and Jenny come to my party. They give (给) me a birthday card. It's very {#blank#}8{#/blank#}. My parents are very {#blank#}9{#/blank#}, but they are very happy. I have a good {#blank#}10{#/blank#} today.

    On New Year's Eve, people in Italy throw out all the {#blank#}1{#/blank#} things. So there are chairs, beds, clothes and plates {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the streets. In Spain, the New Year {#blank#}3{#/blank#} more quietly. In the evening people go together to the streets. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} holds a bag {#blank#}5{#/blank#} grapes. When the clock strikes {#blank#}6{#/blank#}, people start {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the grapes.

    In Japan, people eat noodles on New Year's Eve. This {#blank#}8{#/blank#} is said to bring long life. Early in the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} morning, some families climb Mount Fuji(富士山). There they {#blank#}10{#/blank#} the first sunrise of the New Year.