A group of swans flew down to a beach where a crow(乌鸦)was jumping around. The crow watched them with disdain(鄙视).

    "You have no flying skills at all!” he said to the swans. “All you can do is to move your wings. Can you turn over in the air? No, that's what you can't do. Let's have a flying competition. I'll show you what real flying is ! "

    One of the swans, a strong young male, took up the challenge(挑战). The crow flew up and began to show off his skills. He flew in circles, did other flying tricks, and then came down and looked proudly at the swan.

    Now it was the swan's turn. He flew up, and began flying over the sea. The crow flew after him, making all kinds of comments(评价)about his flying. They flew on and on until they couldn't see the land and there was nothing but water on all sides. The crow was making fewer and fewer comments. He was now so tired that he found it hard to stay in the air, and had to try to stop himself from falling into the water.

    The swan pretended(假装) not to notice and said, "Why do you keep touching the water, brother? Is that another trick?"

    "No," said the crow. He knew he had lost the competition. "I'm in trouble because of my pride! If you don't help me, I'll lose my life... "

    The swan took pity on him, and took him on his back and flew back to the beach.

    On the first day of school our teacher introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

    I turned around to find a little old lady with a warm smile. She said, “Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old.”

    “Why are you in university at such a YOUNG age?” I asked. She replied, “I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of kids, and then retire and travel.”

    I knew she was joking. I was curious what might have encouraged her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

    “I always dreamed of having a university education and now I'm getting one!” she told me. We became friends. Every day we would talk nonstop after class. I always enjoyed listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. And Rose easily made friends wherever she went.

    At the end of the term we invited Rose to make a little speech. She cleared her throat(喉咙) and began, “We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. I've learned a few secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.”

    “There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity(机会) in change...”

    My grandfather is seventy-five years old this year. But he looks very young. He looks like a sixty-year-old man. Now he can do everything all by himself. For example, he cooks, washes clothes, does the housework and so on.

    Every morning, my grandfather goes out with a radio. He listens to the music or the news and goes to the park to play taijiquan. In the park, he talks and laughs with other old people. After coming back from the park, he begins to have breakfast and then he goes to the university (大学) for the old. He learns drawing there. In the afternoon, he plays on the computer for about one or two hours. After supper he watches TV and learns about the world. He goes to bed at about eight o'clock. He never stays up. He likes to share his ways of keeping healthy with others.

    Are you healthy? If not, what do you learn from my grandfather's secret of keeping healthy?

He is always in my heart. I couldn't believe I lost him. As I think of my father, tears fill my eyes and stream down my face. 

My dad always wanted to go to Canada, so he wrote a letter to one of my uncles in Canada for help. My uncle successfully got a visit visa(签证)for my dad. So he flew to Canada, looking for a better life for his kids. That year, I was six. 

After a few months, dad wrote us a letter saying he was fine and happy. That letter, and its many fellows(伙伴)down the years, all with the same words, kept coming to our doors for 11 years. Yet, even as he lived here in Canada, his health was failing him―but fearing we would worry he never let on about his ill health. He spent these years in Canada working hard; finally after 11 years when he got his landed immigrant(永久居民)paper, he wrote us saying all of us could move to Canada. 

We were all happy that we would finally be together. It was to be a huge family reunion(重聚). Sadly my father did not live to see his family reunion as he suffered a serious heart attack. 

Yes, Canada is a wonderful country. So many times I can't help thinking it was here that my dad was taken away from us. When I miss him, I want someone to hold me and give me a hug. And when I see how everyone gives his father gifts on Father's Day, wishing them a long, happy life, I want to do the same. But to whom can I give my Father's Day gift and card? Where can I get the same warm loving hug again?

I have a new friend. Her name is Mary.We always help each {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. She is a friendly girl. She likes to {#blank#}2{#/blank#} others with a smile. She likes eating {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. She says they are good for her health. Mary likes English. She thinks the{#blank#}4{#/blank#} to success in learning English is practice.Watching comedies(喜剧) on TV is really{#blank#}5{#/blank#}for Mary, especially on weekends.

Alan is a middle school student. His friends, Jack, Tom, and Mike, all have a 1 , but he doesn't. It makes him feel different. 

One day, he tells them, "I have a cute black dog at my home, and2 name is Stella. She likes eating 3 and playing with balls. "

After school, Alan's friends would like to go home with him and 4 the dog. 

"No, you can't come 5 Stella is afraid(害怕的) to see a lot of people, " lies(撒谎) Alan. 

"We can play with her one after another and have 6 with her. " says Jack. 

Alan still lies, "But we will go out today. You can come to my home tomorrow. "

Then, Alan runs to his 7 and tells his mother about it. 

"It's not 8 to lie, " says Mom. Alan knows his mistake, but 9 can he do now?

The next day, Alan doesn't feel 10 and stays at home all day. In the evening, his friends come to 11 home to see him. One of them brings some bananas. "We see Stella in the yard. She is not 12 but yellow. She doesn't like playing with balls and she isn't afraid to see many people. But she does like13 bananas. " says Tom. 

Alan can't believe it and he runs to the yard. Oh, his mother buys him a dog. Alan thanks his mother. Then he tells the truth(真相) to his good friends and says"14 " to them. 

After Alan's friends hear his words, they smile and say" That's OK ". Then the15 boys play with the dog happily in the yard.