Ann wanted to play in the city orchestra (管弦乐队), but she was nervous (紧张的). She thought it might be too difficult. The first day she was so nervous, and she could hardly breathe. After a few rehearsals (排练), she could comfortably play along with everyone else. She found that there was no reason to be nervous and began to enjoy herself.

    In rehearsals, Ann became friends with Danny. Danny sat next to her and always helped her. Ann often asked him questions about music. Danny's parents were musicians. They started teaching Danny music when he was only five years old. Ann couldn't imagine playing the violin at that age.

    Ann's another friend in the orchestra was Marie. After rehearsal, Marie would tell Ann funny stories. Though Marie was much older than Ann, the two became good friends.

    The orchestra was rehearsing music for a concert. Ann invited some of her friends at school to come. Though they didn't understand music, they promised to come. They all liked Ann and wanted to cheer her. Ann's family also planned to go to the concert. Ann looked forward to the event, and she hoped it would not rain on the night of the concert.

    On the night of the concert, Ann was excited. Danny and Marie both told her that the concert would be fun. Ann knew that she would enjoy it. The conductor (指挥) Mike was nervous. Ann was surprised because she knew that he conducted many big concerts all over the world. After the concert was over, the conductor seemed happy. He said the orchestra gave a fine performance.

    At midnight Mr. King coughed again. He got up and took some medicine. Before he lay down again, he smoked. And he couldn't go to sleep any longer. He found the medicine book and began to read it. He was afraid he had lung(肺) cancer (癌). He seemed to see death was waiting for him. Tears(眼泪) ran down his face. He didn't see his wife was standing by him.

    “What's wrong with you, dear?” asked the woman.

    “Nothing,” the old man answered and covered his face with his hands.

    The old woman opened the book and understood at once. She said, “You must stop smoking right now.”

    “I began to smoke when I was nine, you know. How can't I do that?”

    “But I think health is more important.”

    Mr. King coughed again and his wife said, “Go to see a doctor tomorrow. He will be able to help you, I think.”

    The doctor told Mr. King to have an Xray examination(检查) of his lungs. And then he looked at the Xray carefully for a long time.

    “Tell me the truth, doctor.” said Mr.King, “Do you see any shadows(阴影)in my lungs?”

    “No, I don't see anything.”

    “Yes?” the old man said happily. “Really?”

    “Yes. Your lungs are turning black. How can I see any shadows?”

    I am Li Ping. I am a girl of ten. My favorite subject is English, because it is very interesting. And I like speaking English.

    I have a good English teacher. Her name is Wang Hong. She loves us very much. She likes playing basketball after class. She likes reading books very much. And she often tells us some funny stories.

    My favorite sports are swimming and dancing. I cannot play basketball, but I want to join the basketball club. My favorite animal is a cat. Its name is Mimi. It is  white and black. It often stays under the chair, but now it is on the chair.

    Zhao Muhe is a 105-year-old man from Taiwan. Praised by many people as an ideal role model, Zhao's motto is that it's never too late to learn. He is now auditing(旁听)classes at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan as he prepares to earn a PhD.

    Zhao entered Open University of Kaohsiung in Taiwan in 1999.He went to school by bike every day, never missing a single class. He studied late into the night, and it only took Zhao four years to finish the 128 academic credits required to graduate, which he did at the age of 91.

    Several years later, Zhao decided to continue his studies. He passed the entrance examination for Nanhua University in Taiwan and got a master's degree two years later. The 98-year-old set a Guinness World Record as the oldest postgraduate in the world.

    In 2016, Zhao started classes at National Tsing Hua University. He lives alone on the fourth floor of an old apartment building. He does his own shopping, cooking and laundry, refusing other's help because he thinks it would make him feel old.

    Zhao was born in Shandong Province in 1912. Influenced by traditional Chinese culture, he studied at a private school and started to study calligraphy(书法)when he was 14.Years of practice made him a calligraphy master. Over the decades, he has donated plenty of money raised by calligraphy charities to people in need.

    Zhao held a calligraphy exhibition in Hong Kong in 2013, and also published an autobiography. As he couldn't use a computer at that time, the autobiography was written by others, based on Zhao's oral narration. After the book was written, Zhao decided that he should learn how to use the Internet. Now he can buy his own tickets online.