It was Christmas Eve. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world was over for me. I didn't have enough money to buy myself the1 that I had wanted that year.

Dad came back in and there was ice in his beard（胡子)."You've been by widow（寡妇）Smith's house recently?"he asked. Widow Smith 2two miles down the road. Her husband died a year ago and left her with3children.

“I rode by just today,"Dad 4 “Little Jack was out looking for wood. They must have used up wood, Tom.”

We filled our sledge（雪橇）high with 5. Then we went to the store and Dad bought some food and a small pair of shoes. I tried to think about6Dad was doing. I knew we didn't have enough money, so why was Dad buying them so many things?

We 7 widow Smith's house and went in. "We brought you a few things, madam."Dad said, and 8 the bag of food on the table. Then Dad handed widow Smith the pair of shoes. At that moment, tears filled her eyes and started running down her face.

My throat seemed to be filled with 9, and there were tears in my eyes, too. Just then, my dream gift seemed very unimportant. Dad had given me the look on widow Smith's face and the smiles of 10three children. He had given me the best Christmas of my life.

    Have you ever heard of Zhou Yang? She is now well known as a(n) 1 short track speed skater.

    Zhou Yang is not an overnight 2. She was born in a poor family in Changchun on 9 June. 1991 and started 3 at the age of 8. She fell in love with the 4 at once when she put on her skate shoes to train for the first time. Soon her talent for short track speed skating was 5. Zhou Yang trained hard and made her way into the national team at last.

    In the World Championships in 2008. Zhou Yang set a world record in the 1,500m event. Zhou Yang 6 herself again at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Her performance gave China the first gold medal in the women's 1,500 metres in the Winter Olympics—China had 7 won the event before.

    "Winning 1,500m is my dream, 8 I still have one more dream, winning the relay (接力) competition," Zhou Yang said.

    Her "one more dream" came true when she and her 9 won the women's 3000m short track relay with a new world record. 10 a great player she is!

    Charlie Chaplin spent over 70 years acting both on stages and in films. But do you know 1 he began his artistic(演艺生涯) career?

    When Chaplin was five years old, his father died. His mother thought she was rather ill, had to go on with her work as a 2 in order to make a living and she took little Chaplin along with her because no one took care of him at home.

    Once when she was giving a performance on the stage. 3 chocked(卡住) her throat, and she could not go on. People whistled(吹口哨) and 4. At that time, little Chaplin ran to the stage and 5 his mother. He wanted to help her. He cleverly sang as his mother did. He acted 6 that the audience all laughed merrily. They tossed(扔) coins to the stage 7 his humorous acting and pleasing voice.

    Seeing this little Chaplin said to the audience. “Wait till I 8 please.” All the audience burst out laughing at his words. When the boss helped him and left the stage. Chaplin said. “The boss must have put 9 into his pockets, so I have to go to ask him.” And he did leave the stage for a while. The audience laughed themselves to tears at his performance.10 they welcomed little Chaplin wherever he went. This was how Charlie Chaplin began his career.

    Can you imagine trying to write music if you are deaf? Most of us can't imagine it. But for the great composer Ludwig van Beethoven, there was no1at all.

    Beethoven wasn't born deaf. He was2on December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany. He lived a3life, and faced much sadness. One of his piano pieces, Fir Elise(《致爱丽丝》)，was written for a failed love interest—a woman4Therese Malfatti.

    At the5of about 28, Beethoven began to lose his6. Yet he was7to go on writing music through hearing vibrations(振动). After the performance of his famous Symphony NO. 9(《第九交响曲》)，people cheered and clapped(鼓掌). Beethoven could not hear them clapping, and when he turned8and realized, he began to9.

    Before Beethoven, most music was very controlled(克制的). He10this and created a powerful, violent sound. At first, many people hated his music, saying it was too emotional(情绪化的). But today, his name is a symbol for passion(热情)and genius(天才).

    Ray had a wonderful family and lived very happily. He had four grandchildren, and they all came to see him1their holidays. One day, Ray was preparing to welcome them as usual: cleaning the house and cooking delicious food. 2he was working, he lost his favorite watch which was a3from his deceased(已故的)wife. Ray loved the watch very much, and he was very sad.

    When his grandchildren arrived, they 4him they would find the watch. One granddaughter asked, "Grandpa, where did you see the watch last5it went missing?”

    Ray replied, "Maybe in the barn(谷仓)!"The children searched there for more than two hour 6could not find it.

    One of his grandsons wanted to search the barn 7, and Ray asked why he was going there. The little boy didn't explain but asked 8not to follow him. A moment later, he rushed back to his grandfather, "I found it!" he shouted. Ray was 9and asked how he made it. The little boy replied, 'I stood in the barn10making any noise, and tried my best to keep silent. After a few 11, I heard the sound of tick tick. At last, I 12the watch from the hay(干草). "After hearing his words, Ray hugged. The little boy and13him very much.

    The story tells us if we 14calm(冷静的), we can fired a solution. This shows the power of 15.

    My name is Tony. I'm from 1. Now I'm a student of NO.5 Middle School in Beijing. It's easy for me to make friends in China 2Chinese people are friendly. They usually ask me to join（加入） 3for dinner. There are 4people in my family. They are my grandparents, my parents, my sister and I. My father is a 5. He teaches English in my school. My mother is a doctor. It's 20 km from our home to 6. So she goes to work 7bus every morning. My sister is a six-year-old girl. She doesn't come to China. She stays in America with my grandparents. So I 8her very much. She has two dogs. They are smart. They can dance 9. They can play games 10her, too.