On Christmas Eve a few days ago, an English couple, the Hardens, got a very special call. It was only a 20-second call but it was very 1. The Hardens' 15-year-old daughter has gone 2 six months before. On Christmas Eve she rang them. ＂I'm phoning to wish you a happy Christmas,＂ she said, ＂I love you.＂ Ronals and Edwine Harden were so 3 that they started a special telephone service （服务）called ＂Alive and Well＂. The service helps 4 to get in touch with children who have run away from home.

    Young people can phone ＂Alive and Well＂ and leave a message for their parents. The telephones are answered by answering machines. So 5 can speak to the child or make him return home. Parents of runaway children who are 6 eighteen can ask the police to bring their children home. So children do not want to tell their parents where they are. Through ＂Alive and Well＂ they can telephone their parents and they do not 7 about this or give out their addresses.

    The Hardens and their helpers 8 the telephone messages and connect（联系）the addresses given. About 30,000 British teenagers have left home and many of them are probably in 9. For only two pence（便士）they can go into a telephone coin box and call their parents. They can dial 5675339 and 10 a parent worrying: Is he dead or alive?

    Some years ago, Danny gave up his job as a doctor to become a freelance(特约的) model maker, but now he has money trouble. He says that he wishes he'd never 1 to set up his own business.

    "I am now in such a bad situation," says Danny. "I hope I'm 2 working as a doctor. You see, I was 3 with my job, and I didn't have any fun. I said to a few friends that I wanted to go into 4 and they said that they could give me work, so I left the hospital.

    At first, everything was 5: I had too much work to do. I got too many orders every day. And soon I 6a large number of money. I had a really great lifestyle, and when the work was finished, I used to take good 7 in places like the beautiful blue Aegean Sea, Maldives, Hawaii and so on, just to get relaxed.

    Like this, I was busy having fun all around the world, and charged (支付) everything to my credit (信用) cards, but then I began to 8 how much in debt (负债) I was. At last, I had to sell all my office equipment (设备). Now I could do almost 9 even if people asked me. I've had to 10 my business now and I don't know what I'm going to do for money. It just goes to show if you set up your own business, you shouldn't spend money you don't have."

    Want to be a hero? Better take a trip to the Great Wall. As the saying goes: You are not a hero1 you have climbed the Great Wall. As a wonder of architecture (建筑),it 2millions of tourists each year. Also, it is the most visited place for foreign leaders when 3come to China.

    The Great Wall has different sections (段)and each one is very 4 Jinshanling Great Wall in Hebei is 5 section. In spring, it is in the middle of a white apricot blossom (杏花林).6 summer time, green plants circle the wall. In autumn, maple leaves (枫叶) 7 a golden and red scene. And 8puts the great wall in a world of white snow.

    The "wild wall" is great for backpackers. Wild parts of the wall are for the adventurous (敢于冒险的人)9 they are the same as they were originally. Jiankou Great Wall is a famous one. Trees grow up from in between the stones. In some places, you have to climb the stones with both your hands and feet. Be 10when you visit the wild walls. You'd better not go there alone.

Today I turned eight. Today whatever I say goes. 

My grandma is cooler than most grandmas and laughs a lot,1 is the exact opposite. He's that old and serious. "Kids are impolite these days, and have no 2 ." he always says. "All they do is playing video games all the time." But I 3 play video games on weekends!

Anyway, the minute we park on the driveway, I get out and run straight to Grandma 4 Dad, who's still on the phone dealing with his business in the car as usual. "Happy birthday, honey!" Grandma holds me into her arms and says 5 that she's made my favorite chocolate cake.

And then I 6 Grandpa, who is asleep in a rocking chair, snoring （打鼾） like thunder. Can you believe it? On his only grandson's birthday! 

"7 , sleepyhead!" I call out. But more snores followed. An angry storm is coming up inside me.

"Oh, it's Parker's 8 !" Grandma calls out to Grandpa. He coughs. It seems to be ages for him to get to his feet and say, "boy, come here." But I don't 9 . 

"You and I," says Grandpa，rising slowly, "are going on a walk." 

"All right." I know what he's about to say: respect the elders, blah blah blah. But to my 10 , he says in a soft voice, "your parents are always very 11 , aren't they?"

"Hold my arms and help me into that chair. "For a second, I stood still. 12 when I see his legs shaking as he bends his knees, I rush over to hold his arms, I set him down nice and slow. "13 ," he says. He's breathing hard, like he's just climbed a mountain.

I sit down next to him. He covers my hand with his warm one. "Tell 14 all about the video game you like," he says. "Then I'll tell you some stories of my own. And we'll both listen to each other and ask good questions. Deal?"

I 15 in disbelief. And for some strange reason, it feels more like my birthday than ever.

When Barbara was young, she dreamed of being a writer. In 1972, she {#blank#}1{#/blank#} a children's book and wanted to get it published. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, she failed. Barbara finally made the hard decision to give {#blank#}3{#/blank#} her dream.

Luckily, Barbara's grandson Chad made her dream come {#blank#}4{#/blank#} last Christmas. Chad discovered his {#blank#}5{#/blank#} old manuscript (手稿) by accident. Reading the pages, he was {#blank#}6{#/blank#} by the story. He decided to give his grandmother a perfect Christmas gift—the publication of her book.

{#blank#}7{#/blank#} Christmas morning, Chad handed Barbara a gift bag. As Barbara carefully opened the gift, she couldn't believe {#blank#}8{#/blank#} eyes. It was {#blank#}9{#/blank#} beautiful printed book! She was so excited that she didn't realize Chad was {#blank#}10{#/blank#} a video. Since Chad posted the video online, it has had over 4 million views and about 800000 likes. "This is probably the {#blank#}11{#/blank#} thing someone has ever done for me." Barbara says in the video.