Dear Sally,

    How are you? I'm happy that you can do the things you 1 at home. I never have fun, because there are too many 2 in my family. My parents are strict. I have to  3 at six o'clock every morning. And I have to make my bedroom4 before breakfast and then go to school. I can't play with my friends after school. I have to do 5 homework. After dinner I have to take the dog for    6 walk in the park. I can't watch TV on school nights. I have to  7 the violin for an hour. I can't go to bed late. I have to be in bed 8 nine o'clock. On weekends I have to clean my room and 9 the dishes. I also have to go to learn the violin on Sundays. I'm 10  tired. Can you help me?

                                                                                                                                                                    Yours,  

                                                                                                                                                                      Lisa

    It was the summer before my third grade. Our girls' softball team was facing real pitchers (投球手)1the first time. Before that, we could just hit the ball on the tee (球座). When the coach started pitching, hitting became2for me. I missed every single pitch. From the side, I heard my teammate Emily laughing at3. My face got hot and my throat felt like it had a softball stuck in. At that moment, I was starting to4playing softball.

    The next afternoon, when Mum said it was time to play the game, I told her I was5. She allowed me to lie down for a while. So I went to my room and6myself in bed. This was difficult for me because I was fine and just7to avoid softball.

    Soon Mum came in and said, "Time to go!" She didn't even ask if I felt8. I imagined Emily laughing from the sideline, and9I really did feel sick to my stomach. I began crying loudly. Still, Mum pulled my team T-shirt over my head. She said, "You have to10for the rest of the season, and only after that we can talk about 11you'll continue next year." She added that practice was what I needed, not12. She promised to practise with me.

    I got two hits that afternoon, and Emily didn't make a13. Every week after that, I practised at home14I got to be one of the best hitters on the team.

    That15taught me that being afraid is part of life, and I can do whatever is expected of me if I keep working and practising.

It was raining heavily as I was walking up the hill towards the station at six o'clock on a Saturday morning. At this early hour there wasn't much traffic and there weren't many people. Just as I was crossing the road near the top of the hill, a car came around the corner. It was traveling very fast. Suddenly it hit a lamp post and turned over.

    I ran to the car to help the driver at once. He was badly hurt and there was a lot of blood on his face. A young woman hurried into the station and phoned for an ambulance, while I took care of the driver. Many people came to see what happened. A policeman arrived a few minutes later and asked me a lot of questions about the accident. After a while the ambulance arrived and the driver was sent to the hospital.

    On Monday morning I went to the hospital to see the man. The doctor told me that he was much better, and he would leave the hospital after a few day's rest.

    Dean felt his arms and legs were burning. With each breath, Dean wondered if he should be done, but as he touched the wall at the end of the pool he turned for another lap (圈). "I can do one more. This is for Kevin," Dean told himself. He was starting his seventh lap.

    Dean and the other members of his swim team were swimming to raise money for Dean's best friend, Kevin Hawking. Earlier in the year, Kevin fell ill. He needed expensive medical care that his family couldn't afford. After Kevin's friends learned what was happening, they started brainstorming ways to help. Several of Kevin's friends were on the swim team, which led to the idea of swimming.

    For a month, Dean and the other swim team members had asked for pledges (承诺) from anyone who would help: family members, friends, and neighbours. Most people pledged a dollar or two each lap. Dean's grandmother said she would offer $ 10 for each lap Dean swam!

    Finally, as Dean completed his tenth lap, he knew he was too tired to keep going. If I try another lap. I'll end up lying in the middle of the pool, waiting for someone to come and get me, he thought. Dean pulled himself up onto the edge of the pool and sat breathing quickly for a couple of minutes, quietly resting before he tried to stand.

    Dean's father came over and said, "Wow, Dean," shaking his head in amazement, "I am so proud of you. That's farther than anyone else has swum today, and I know it's farther than you've ever swum before."

    Dean stood up and slowly walked with his father back to the seats where the other swimmers sat next to Kevin. "Thank you," Kevin said.

    "It's no big deal. I know you'd do the same for me," Dean said.