An old man lived in a nice house with a large garden. He took care of his flowers all the time, watering and fertilizing them.

    One day a young man went by the garden. He looked at the beautiful flowers, imagining how happy he could be if he lived in such a beautiful place. Then, suddenly he found the old gardener was 1. He was very surprised about this and asked, “You can't see these flowers. Why are you busy taking care of them every day?”

    The old man smiled and said, “I can tell you four 2. First, I was a gardener when I was young, and I really like this job. Second,   3 I can't see these flowers, I can touch them. Third, I can 4 the sweetness of them. As to the last one, that's 5.”

    “Me? But you don't know me,” said the young man.

    “Yeah, it's true that I don't know you. But I know that flowers are angels(天使) that everybody 6. We enjoy the happiness these flowers have brought us.”

    The blind man's work opened our eyes and 7 our hearts, which also made his life 8. It was just like Beethoven, who became deaf in his later life and wrote many great musical works. Beethoven himself couldn't 9 his wonderful music, but his music has 10 millions of people to face their difficulties bravely. Isn't it one kind of happiness?

    Yesterday was my grandmother's 60th birthday. My parents and I got up early in the morning, and then we took the subway to 1home. After we arrived, my mother 2 lunch in the kitchen. My father played 3 with my grandfather in the living room. They like to play chess and they are in a chess club. I 4 with my grandmother about my school life. She was very interested in it. At lunchtime we gave our 5 to my grandmother. My parents 6 a beautiful dress for her. I drew 7 picture as her birthday gift. We sang the birthday song (歌) together (一起), 8 she made a wish before blowing out the candles. We had a very delicious lunch. 9 lunch, we went to the park and took many photos. 10 happy we were!

    My aunt, Jenny Lee lives in a town in Canada. She has a 1 face like the sun. Her favorite 2 is Hu Xinger. Now she's in the  3 Wonderful Friends (《奇妙的朋友》) with five other stars. They live and play with many kinds of 4 in the zoo in Guangzhou. These animals are very cute.

    My aunt often tells stories about animals to her son. Today she wants to take him to the 5 to see animals. In the morning, Jenny gets up early and helps her son get dressed. They can 6 the subway to the zoo easily. Her son is only five years old, so he doesn't need to pay for the ticket(票). It's 7. At the zoo, they watch the monkeys 8 the trees. After lunch they enjoy drinking 9in the park. They like to spend time in the park. In the evening, they have dinner in a 10 and go home. The restaurant is near their house.

    One day, there was an earthquake in a small mountain village. Nothing was destroyed and 1 was hurt. But a big rock fell from a nearby mountain and stopped in the middle of the road.

    When the earthquake2many people came to the road and saw the rock. Some of the strongest men tried to lift the rock off the road. But they couldn't move it. They tried to push it but3.They tried to pull it with ropes but nothing worked.

    “Well,” they all agreed, “There's nothing we can do about it. We'll have to change the road.” At this time a boy of 12 years old said, “I think I can help you to move the rock.”

    “You?” they shouted, “What are you talking about?” The men all4 at the boy.

    The next morning some people came into the street.One of them shouted, “The rock 5!” More people ran out to see. It was right. The rock wasn't in the road any more. It wasn't even near the road.

    “This is6,” they said, “Where did it go?”

    The boy stood in the street,7, “I told you I could move it last night. and I buried(埋) it.”

    The boy said.

    The people looked 8.“You see,” he said, “I dug a deep hole next to the rock and I dug a small incline(斜坡) up to the rock and the rock9down into the hole by itself. I covered it with earth.”

    The people shouted,“What a10 boy!” And some of them said, “Why haven't we thought of this good way?”

Run for Class President

    Two months ago, when our class election (选举) started, I decided to run for class president. I enjoyed speaking in public and got along well with people, so I felt it easy to win. But I was 1 that people would feel bad for me if I lost.

    I was busy preparing in the following week. My plan wasn't to make promises to do things I couldn't 2 but to show my class why I wanted to be president. I put up my posters in hallways and in the classroom. I also spent three hours writing my speech, saying that I was the one they could turn to whenever they had a problem. Since I was 3 prepared, I felt that my chances of winning were strong.

    However, when I gave my speech on Election Day, the response (反应) wasn't what I had 4. Few people actually listened. When it was my opponent's (对手的) turn, everyone was screaming his name. His speech was short, but all to the point. By then, I realized I should have made mine shorter and clearer.

    It was obvious who would 5. For the rest of the day, I felt like it was over. I wanted to just go home and cry, but I made it through.

    My 6 was right: I didn't win.

    The next day, people were still talking about the election. I just pretended (假装) not to hear. But later, things got better. People 7 about the election and talked to me just as they did before.

    I don't regret putting time and energy into the election because I've learned that things aren't always going the way I expect. And moments of failure like this build 8—since then I've learned to face disappointment and grown stronger.