Mara: There are a lot of other people with more experience .,but I just try to do my best .I always go on to the stage thinking good thoughts, never bad thoughts.

  Reporter: Who is your role model or idol(偶像) ? What inspires you?

  Mara: For singing, my idols are Aretha Franklin and Christina Aguilera, but a role model to me would be my mom. I love her with all my heart—she encourages me to believe in my dreams.

  Reporter: What are your other hobbies?

  Mara: I love playing video games, and I usually go to the park with my family. We usually play basketball. We also like to play tennis!

    Jack Brown, an office worker, lives in Washington. He inherited(继承) a million dollars when he was 23. But he wasn't happy at all. When his college friends were looking for their jobs, he didn't have to. Jack decided to live a simple life like everyone else. He gave $10,000 of his money to a charity to help poor children live a better life. Today he is 36. He still wears cheap shoes and clothes and drives a small car only, but he is very happy.

    Up to now Jack has helped some children from poor countries all over the world by sending them $ 200 a month. The money was used for the children's study, food, medicine and clothing. Jack received a report each year on the children's progress. They can write to each other, but usually the children do not speak English.     

    When Jack first heard about these children, he wanted to help them. "It was nothing special," he said."Until I went to these countries and met the children I was helping, I didn't know anything about their life. "Once lack went to meet a little girl in Africa. He said that the meeting was very exciting. "When I met her, I felt very, very happy," he said. "And I saw that the money was used for a good cause. It brought me happiness. I want to do everything I can to go on helping these children. "

    A man has a cat. He likes her very much. At mealtime (吃饭时间) the cat sits at the table with him. The man eats with a knife and a fork, but the cat eats from her plate (盘子). Sometimes, when she finishes her dish, her master will give her a bit of his food. He shares his meal with her. One day the cat is not at the table at mealtime.

    “Ah! Where is my cat?” asks the man.

    His wife says, “Can't you eat without her?”

    So the meal begins without the cat. Before lunch is over, the cat rushes into the room and jumps onto the chair quickly. She has two mice in her mouth, and before anyone can stop her, she drops(扔下) one into her own plate, and the other into her master's plate.

    “Dear me!” cries the woman, “A mouse is in your plate!”

    “Hush(安静)!” says her husband. “This shows that she is a nice cat. She knows what friendship is. She wishes me to share her dinner as I often share mine with her, I am not so unhappy.”

    My friend Joan is a nurse at the People's Hospital. She worked a year ago. She is a short beautiful girl with big eyes. Joan finds the work interesting, and the hours are not very long. Every day she works in a ward(病房)from eight to twelve. She brings the patients medicine, answers their telephones, and tries to be kind to everyone. She likes people even when they are not happy. In the afternoon. Joan has a rest. Then four days a week she goes to classes. She is learning first aid(急救)and Chinese. She is not good at Chinese, but she is good at first aid work. She is a good nurse.

    Long long ago, there was a spider. She found a beautiful farm. She liked the farm and decided to live there forever.

    One day, the spider caught a little bug. When the spider ate it，the bug said, "If you let me go, I will tell you an important thing. The thing will save your life." The spider stopped and listened.

    The little bug said," You'd better get out of the farm. The harvest is coming! If you stay here, you will be killed by the farmer's machine."

    But the spider didn't listen to the bug and ate it for lunch. The next day when she was sleeping, the farmer came to have a harvest. The spider was killed by the machine.