When I was about 12 years old, I really wanted a new bike! I 1my parents my birthday wish, but I knew there was little hope because my family could 2have that money.

    On my birthday my parents told me they had my3outside in the back yard. At once I 4out to the yard. There was my bike, 5it wasn't the bike that I thought it would be. This one was pink, old and worn with age. It was so6! I thought I7  my parents' feelings because I could see the disappointment8their faces and I was sure they could see it on mine. I 9the old bike and rode it, feeling 10that I had made my parents feel this way. So I put on a smile, rode as fast as I could and didn't 11 ...

As time went by, I began to understand my parents gave me12 much more than just a rusty（生锈的）old bike. They gave me a life lesson about 13 .When you give something out of love, it doesn't matter what it is in fact. What matters is the love that is in it. I like to remember this 14because giving a gift is not about money. It's about how much love you can feel from it. Do remember, a gift that 15two dollars isn't any less valuable（有价值的）than one that costs one hundred dollars, or even more.

    Lisa has always been overweight. She wanted to lose weight, not just because she wanted to1more beautiful and be healthier, but also because it would make life easier. For example, it was2 for Lisa to find ready-made clothes that would fit. She had to ask a tailor(裁缝) to make clothes that were 3 enough. In school, she needed a special chair that was bigger and 4 than the other chairs. If she went for a walk, she got tired very 5. She was also unhappy about the way people treated（对待）6sometimes. “People look at me and even make fun of me. That's unfair! It's true that I'm overweight, but I don't think people 7treat me differently because I'm big. I can't enjoy having meals with my friends because I'm afraid of getting fatter.” Her friends and family never made fun of her. They tried to help her 8.They wanted her to be happy and healthy. Sometimes when Lisa was feeling sad, she didn't want to speak to9.

    10 now things are quite different. Last month her classmates were preparing for the School11Week. Someone advised Lisa to play the lead role of the proud Queen(女王)12was tall and fat. Lisa13and practiced a lot.

    Soon after the play, Lisa became the star! She did14well that everybody remembered the proud Queen. They stood around her and said “Congratulations” to her. She even won the School Best Actress Award for her wonderful performance.

    Now Lisa doesn't worry15being fat any more. She believes in the English saying “Every dog has its day.”

    One hot afternoon, a poor farmer was digging his field. Suddenly, his spade (铲) hit something. It was a big metal1which was big enough to boil rice for more than one hundred people. "It does not seem to be of any use to me. I will dig2. Maybe I will find something else," thought the farmer. He3to dig.

    Feeling tired, he threw the spade into the pot and sat under a tree to4. When he got up to leave, he could not5his eyes. There were one hundred spades in the pot. What a6pot!

    After that, he put a7into the pot. Then he found one hundred mangoes in the pot.8 that pot, he became a rich man. The King came to know of the pot,9he was very greedy (贪婪的). “I want to find out the10of the magical pot. If it is valuable, it should be11, " the King thought. So, at once, he ordered his men to bring the farmer and his pot.

    The King12the pot and did not know what to do. He thought, "Let me see what is inside this pot that makes this pot so magical?" He slipped (滑) and13inside the pot. After climbing up out of the magical pot, he was14to find that there were one hundred Kings.

    All the Kings then15among themselves and died. This magical pot has killed the King himself!

Dear Mr. Smith,

    I'm a middle school student in Shanghai. My parents are1  with me, so they make lots of 2 for me at home. I have to get up 3 5:40 every morning. I have to4 English for an hour before breakfast. I can't play with my friends after school, 5 I have to get home early. In the evening, I can't go out. I have to do my homework and then6 the piano for two hours. I have no time to7. On weekends, two tutors(家教)come to my home. They8 me with my Math and English. I am really not 9  with all these rules. I never have fun at home. 10can I do？

    Please help me.

Yours,

Zhang