Susie Sunbeam was not her real name. It was Susan Brown. But everyone called 1 Sunbeam, because she had such a sweet, smiling face. She 2 took brightness with her wherever she went. Her grandfather first gave her this 3, and it seemed to fit the little girl so 4 that soon it took the place of her own.

    Even when Susie was a baby, she laughed and smiled from morning till night. No one ever heard her cry unless she was 5 or hurt. When she had learnt to 6, she loved to go around the house and get things for her mother. 7, she helped her as much as she could.

She loved 8. She would sit by her mother's side for an hour at a time, and ask her many questions. At other times, she would take a new book and read quietly. Susie was always pleasant in her play with other children. She never used a(n) 9 word , but tried to do whatever would make her playmates happy.

    One day, a(n) 10 little girl with an old torn dress passed by. Susie heard some children teasing and laughing at her. She at once ran out to the gate, and asked the little girl to come 11.

    “What are you crying for?” Susie asked. “Because they all 12 at me.” she said.

    Then Susie took the little girl into the house. She 13 the little girl with kind words, and she gave her one of her own best dresses and a good pair of shoes. This brought real 14 to the poor child, and she thought that Sunbeam was the 15 name for Susan Brown.

    Sara lived in a village with her mother. When Sara grew up, she was tired of boring  1 life. She wanted to go out. One morning, she secretly left while her mother was still 2.

    Unluckily, the world outside was not as 3 as she had expected. Ten years later, Sara 4 home. It was midnight when she came back home. She saw weak light 5 the window. She knocked at the door softly but no one 6. Then she tried opening the door and the door was easily opened. She Was 7 "How strange it is! Mum never8 to lock the door in the past." At this time, Sara saw her mother sleeping 9the cold floor.  Sara couldn't help crying "Mum!". Hearing the sound, her mother opened eyes and saw her daughter.

    Sara complained, "Mum, 10didn't you lock the door tonight? "The mother answered, "I am afraid you can't open the door if you return at night. I have not locked the door for ten years." From that day on, her mother began to lock the door again and slept with a smile.

Painting from Memory

    I was born in Damyang, a beautiful place known for its bamboo forests in Korea. I spent much time in the forests painting pictures of the 1 . Painting is one of my talents. I lived there until last year when my family moved to New York. My mother, a scientist, was asked to come work here.

    "There are no bamboo forests," I said, "there is nothing to 2 in New York."" Don't worry, you will find many things to see and paint there," my mother said. I still felt 3. "But I will miss home," I said. "Then you can paint pictures of your favorite places. They will make you feel at home even in New York," she said. So when we moved, I brought my forest paintings with me.

    New York was not easy at first. I missed home a lot. Yet when I looked at my paintings of bamboo, I felt much better. 1 soon 4 friends at school too. They also like painting, and we now paint in a group after school.

    Last month, we had a new neighbor, Varvara, an old lady who moved from Russia, to be closer to her daughter. She was sad to leave her home. My mother and I often visited her. She told us her unbearable homesick and everything about her hometown Vyborg. I could5 her home in my head.

    Varvara missed her home so much that she became ill. I worried about her and I wanted to do something for her. I had ever been in her6 before. At least, I had my forest paintings of home. However, she didn't even have that. Unless. A few days later, I met Varvara on the stairs. She looked better but still sad. I gave her my gift: a painting of Vyborg. I had painted it from her 7.

    She began to cry as she saw the painting. At first, I was worried that she didn't like it. Later, she told me that those were 'cars of joy. I knew just how she8 -wherever you go, hometown is always with you.

    Like most Chinese, Mr. Zhang has a traditional family. 1 he and his wife are middle school teachers while their 6-year-old son is a pupil. Mr. Zhang's mother lives with them and helps them 2 the kid. They love one another and live a happy life.

    Yesterday it was Mr. Zhang's mother's birthday. The couple wanted to do3 to show their love for her. After a big dinner, Mr. Zhang brought a basin (盆) of warn water and asked his mother to  sit 4 the basin. He took off her shoes and put her 5into the water. After that he began to wash them 6His wife helped to comb his mother'® hair slowly. Seeing this, the boy7his mother's example. He tried to comb his mother's hair, too. But he was not 8 enough to do that. So he brought a chair and stood on it. Everyone could feel the warmth and love in the family.

    As we all know, it is a good Chinese tradition to respect the old and take care of the .young. We should try our 9 to care for our family. We must visit our parents as often as possible and have a 10 with them on happiness. The phone even though we may work far away. Indeed, family is a place of happiness.