December 21^st is Becky's fourteenth birthday. When she gets home after school, she sees her parents in the living room. They both say to her, “Happy birthday, dear! We have a present for you. Go and look for it in your bedroom. ”

Becky runs to her bedroom. There is a red box on her desk. There is a card in it. The girl takes it out and reads，“Dear Becky, I'm your present. My first three letters are in the word（单词）‘come'. My last two letters are in the word ‘water'. My middle（中间的） three letters are in the word ‘put'. What am I?”

      Becky thinks hard and then says,“Thank Dad and Mom. I know what it is, but where is it?”

      Her father and mother tell her to go to her study. There, on the desk she finds her new present.

    Many Chinese students don't pay much attention to spoken English at school. They think it necessary to practice speaking English in class, but not out of class. Here is a story to show you how important it is to speak the English language freely in everyday life.

    A foreigner once got hungry and went into a restaurant in London. He sat down at a table. When the waiter came, the foreigner opened his mouth, put his fingers into it and took them out again in order to express that he wanted something to eat, for he could not speak English. The waiter soon brought a cup of tea. The man shook（摇动）his head. The waiter then took away the tea and brought a cup of coffee. The man again shook his head. He tried again and again, but he wasn't able to make the waiter understand him. Finally another man came in. He spoke English clearly and fluently. In a few minutes, there was a large plate of meat and vegetables on the table before him.

    So you can see a man will go hungry if he doesn't master（掌握）a foreign language.

    Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living and sometimes I had to work at night. One late night, I got a telephone call from a neighborhood. When I arrived there at 2:30 a.m., the only building was dark except for a single light in the first floor window. So I walked up and knocked at the door.

    “Just a minute,” answered a weak voice. After a long time, the door opened and a small woman stood in front of me. Next to her was a small suitcase.

    Quickly I took her suitcase to the car and then returned to hold her. She took my arm and we walked slowly to the car. She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It's nothing”, I told her, “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”

    When we got in the car, she asked, “Can you drive me through downtown?”

    “But it's not the shortest way,” I replied.

    “I'm in no hurry.” she said slowly, “I'm on my way to a hospice（临终医院）. I don't have any family left. The doctor says I don't have very long time.”

    I quietly turned off the meter. For the next two hours, we drove through the city and passed the building where she had once worked, the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived, and some other special places. As the sun was rising, we stopped in front of a low building where two nurses were waiting.

    “How much should I pay?” she asked. “Nothing.” I replied.

    “But you have to make a living.”

    “Oh, there are other passengers.” Without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly and said, “You gave an old woman a little moment of joy, thank you.”

    Sometimes people may not remember exactly what you did or said. However, they'll always remember how you made them feel.

    Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One early morning, I went to pick up a passenger at 2:30 a. m. When I arrived to collect my passenger, I saw a small woman in her eighties standing before me. I took her suitcase to the car and then returned to help the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly towards the car.

    She kept thanking me for my kindness. "It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way l would want my mother treated."

    "Oh, you're such a good man," she said. When we got into the taxi, she gave me an address, and then asked, "Could you drive me throughout the downtown (市中心)?"

    "It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.

    "Oh, I'm in no hurry," she said. "I'm on my way to hospice (末期病人安养所). I don't have any family left. The doctor says I don't have very long time." I quietly shut off the meter (计价器). For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked, and the neighborhood where she had lived. Sometimes she asked me to slow down in front of a special building and she would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

    As the day broke, she suddenly said. "I'm tired. Let's go now."

    We drove in silence to the address she had given me.

    "How much shall I give you?" she asked.

    "Nothing," I answered.

    "You have to make a living," she said.

    "Oh, there are other passengers," I said.

    Almost without thinking, I bent down and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly and said, "You gave an old woman a little moment of happiness."

    Jack Harris, an English teacher

    I always have eggs, milk and three pieces of bread for breakfast. For lunch, I usually eat rice, chicken and vegetables. I don't eat hamburgers because they are not healthy. I like to cat out on Saturday or Sunday. I like Chinese food.

    Oliver McShane, a computer game designer (设计师)

    I usually get up at 9 a.m. I don't have breakfast. I have an apple or a banana at ten in the morning. For lunch, I often have rice, fruit and vegetables. I work at home and usually stay up late (熬夜) working at night, so I always sleep (睡觉) for forty minutes after lunch. I'm busy with my work. I don't like playing sports.

    Anita Ramos, a tour guide (导游)

    I get up at 7 a.m.. I work in the morning and evening. It's too hot in the afternoon, so I'm often at home. For lunch, I usually have hamburgers, but my dinner is healthy. I usually have chicken, rice and vegetables. I always eat a lot of chocolate (巧克力) and it gives me energy (精力) for the day.