Hi Sam! Sorry I haven't emailed recently— I've been revising for my exams. I have finished them now and I have got some time to relax and some money to spend on going out. Last weekend, I went to see a great film called Yes Man. If you haven't seen it, you must go! Jim Carrey plays the main character and it's very funny--and also quite encouraging. It's based on a book by Danny Wallace which is also called Yes Man. I read the book a few months ago and that's hilarious, too – I really laughed out loud!

      The book is a ture story about what happens to the writer, Danny. Basically, he found that he was doing nothing all the time, just worrying about things and complaining about his life. He wasn't seeing his friends much, so he was lonely and bored. Then one day, he was on a bus in London when he sat down next to a man. The man was a stranger, but they started talking. Danny told him about his boring life and the man just gave him three words: 'Say "yes" more.' And for Danny this was a turning point in his life. Those three words influenced everything he did. At that moment, he made a decision: 'I will say "yes" to everything!'  And he wrote a book about what happened to him in the next year or so. Three years later, the book was made into a hit film.

      The film is based on the book although there are some differences. First, it's set in the US instead of England. Secondly, the main character is based on Danny, but he called Carl in the film. And what's more, he doesn't meet a man on a bus. His turning point comes when he goes to a self-help class and they advise him to say "yes" more.

      In the film Carl succeeds in changing his life and doing lots of crazy things: he has flying lessons, he learns to speak Korean and he rides a motorbike with no clothes on! The storyline isn't very strong. It's quite weak, I suppose, but all Carl's stories are very interesting— especially because Jim Carrey is a very funny actor.

      I'm really interested in the film because there's a serious message, too. I believe in making the most of life and I've decided I'm going to be more positive. I've decided I'm not going to stay at home so much. I'm going to do more things, see my friends more and everything. Actually, that's why I'm emailing you! It would be great if we could meet up soon. Let me know when you are free.

      All the best, Adam

    Mr. White is 80 years old. Every morning he takes a walk in the park, and he comes back home at 12:30 for lunch. But today, a car stopped in front of (在……前面) his house at 12:00 and two police officers (警官) took Mr. White home. They said that Mr. White was lost. Mr. White's daughter thanked the police officers. After they left (离开), she asked Mr. White, “Dad, you go to the park every day. Why were you lost today?” The old man laughed like a child and said, “I was not lost, but I didn't want to walk home.”

    Mr. Hunt came from a poor family. He had three brothers and two sisters. His father worked hard but wasn't paid much. And his mother did all the housework at home. They were both able but they couldn't get enough money for their family.

    Mr. Hunt was in school for only three years and he had to stop to help his parents though he was good at his lessons. When he was sixteen, he came to the city and began to work in a small factory. He learned from an old worker and became a skilled worker. The old worker liked him and married his daughter to him. The young man did not have his own house and had to live with his parents-in-law(岳父母). His mother-in-law always thought he was poor and often chattered(唠叨). So the young man tried to save everything and hoped to have his own house.

    It was one fine Sunday. The old woman wanted to have a picnic on the top of the hill. She told Mr. Hunt to drive her car. But sometimes she told him to turn left and sometimes to turn right. The young man had to listen to her. At a crossing the lights were red but she made him turn left. The policeman stopped them and told the young man to give his license to him.

    “If I did wrong, sir,” said Mr. Hunt, “It was my mother-in-law's fault(过错). She was driving the car though she sat behind me!”

    It was Day 1 of our vacation on Cortes, a beautiful quiet island. "iPhone, iPhone, iPhone," my son kept moaning (呻吟). In front of him was a big window facing the blue ocean. And a cool gentle wind was coming in from the door. Clearly, he saw and felt none of it.

    Back at home, I'd soon give up and hand the phone over to him after five minutes of listening to this kind of moaning.

    But not here. Before we left, I had told my 10-year-old son the rule—no emails, no Facebook, no video games, and no iPhone. We came here to get away from them all. Here we were on our first day and already, he couldn't stand it.

         ▲      I walked down the grass road to the beach and looked out to the sea. My 6-year-old daughter and my husband were drawing on pieces of wood. They were doing just fine.

    On Day 2, we spent the whole morning digging for shells (贝壳). This time, my son joined us. He collected shellfish and other sea treasures. When we got back to our little wood house, I gave my son a book, and put him on the lovely garden chair. It was almost dinner when he looked up.

    The next few days passed in peace.

    On Day 6, my son was lying beside me on the beach, watching the sun going down. He was playing with the sand. And there was something shining in his eyes. I realized how time slowed down for both of us. It was exactly what I wanted. Finally, we were able to sit quietly without thinking about screens, phone calls and e-mail.

    A week away from all the electronics arid Lile is good.

    Joe Smith is a singer. He and his wife like traveling a lot. Every year they visit a small town called Gum Tree in January and July and they sing for people there.

    One summer, they went there by train again. On the first day, they planned to go hiking in the mountains, but it rained a lot. So they decided to go to the only cinema in town and watch a movie there.

    There were only nine people in the cinema hall. When people saw the Smiths, they started to clap(鼓掌). Joe was excited and said to his wife, "Aha, I cannot believe people here all know me and they are friendlier than I "thought. They must like my songs."

    Then a young man said to them, "Thanks for your coming! The cinema shows the movie only after ten people buy the tickets. There're eleven now, so the movie will be on soon."