An old carpenter(木匠) was ready to retire. His boss was 1 to see the good worker go. He asked the carpenter 2 he could build just one more house. The carpenter said yes, 3 his mind was not on his work any more.

    He used poor materials and worked on the house 4 . When the carpenter finished his work, the boss 5 the front-door key to him, "This is your house," he said, "A 6 for you."

    What a surprise! What a 7 ! If he had known he was building his 8  house, he would have done it differently. Now he had to live in the house he had poorly built.

    9 it is with us. Sometimes we build our 10 carelessly. At important points we do not try our best. Then with a shame we look at the situation we have 11 . We find that we are now living in the house we have poorly built. But we don't have a 12 to make it all over again.

    Think of 13 as the carpenter. Think about your life. Build it 14 . It is the only life you will ever build because life is a do-it-yourself project.

    Your life today is the 15 of your attitudes and choices you made in the past. Your life tomorrow will be that of your attitudes and choices you make today.

    Mother's Day is an important holiday all over the world. The idea for Mother's Day 1 an American woman named Anna Jarvis. Anna hoped there would be a day for people to show 2 to their mothers, so she wrote many letters to important people of her time. In 1914, the second Sunday in May was celebrated as Mother's Day. People in Denmark, Ital, Turkey, Australia and Belgium all celebrate Mother's Day on the same day as Americans. The day gives people a good 3 to thank mothers. People of all ages do many things to make the day special for their mothers. A typical way is to make Moms stay 4 in bed. That means a mother doesn't need to 5 early to make breakfast for her family. 6, the rest of the family make breakfast for her. Kids do secret things to 7 their moms. They write love letters to their moms. Some even make gifts themselves for their moms. Anna Jarvis's mother 8 carnations, so people chose carnations as a present for their mother on Mother's Day. Carnations of different 9 have different meanings. People buy red carnations if their mothers are 10. However, white ones are used to express love to dead mothers.

    The best body language may be the smile. A smile can open doors and pull down walls among1. My experience really puts it well.

    I have organized and reorganized a meeting with the doctor for months. I also called the day before to2 all the paperwork would be ready for the x-rays.

    Then I arrived. It wasn't3 at all. The lady there4 didn't know what I was talking about. I felt my blood hot at once. I was getting so 5. Though I didn't shout at her, the way I was talking to her was not nice. The whole time she smiled and was 6 to me.

    When everything was finally done; I felt much better. I thought about the whole thing7 can I make it better? I could gift her a chocolate bar I had on me,8this needed more than that. I needed to say sorry .And that is exactly what I did.

    I was sorry for the way I spoke to her and told her it was wrong of me. She 9   again  with a smile. God helps me be that woman who smiles and forgives so 10. It's true that smile changed my anger and opened a door to understanding.

    One day, Mr John, a rich and fussy man, walked into a restaurant. He would like to have a meal there. The waiters of the restaurant felt terrible when they saw 1. They knew he always wanted the best but would only pay 2.

    A waiter gave the menu to Mr. John and he decided to order a bowl of oxtail soup. The waiter took the order and left as 3 as he could.

 4the dish was served. Mr. John tasted it and then called the waiter. All the waiters knew he would ask 5 the proof that the soup was made of real oxtail, 6, the smart waiter just smiled and went over. After listening to Mr. John's question, the waiter went into the kitchen and then he brought an ox with no tail. Mr. John had 7 to say but to go on with his meal.

The Phone Call

    It was getting dark. Paul looked out of the window and signed ( 叹气 ). Dad said he could come home by 5:30, but it was almost 7:00. Even if Dad came back, it wouldn't be much fun playing1in the dark. Paul walked into his room and threw his baseball into the corner. He tried to do some homework, but couldn't.

    The phone rang at about 8:00. It was Dad, "Paul, I'm2, but I couldn't play baseball with you tonight. I have to finish my work at the office. Maybe we can play this weekend. Oh no. How about next weekend?

    Paul couldn't understand why Dad was so3 He threw himself into the sofa and soon fell asleep. His book was still opened to the first page.

    The next day at school, Paul didn't hand in his homework and 4 a test. Mrs Green, his teacher, asked him to stay after school. "Paul, you didn't do your homework. You didn't pass the test and only got a D. This isn't like you. What's wrong?"

    Paul just sat there 5"Paul, if you don't want to talk, I will. I know that something's worrying with you, but you have to get it out. You need to tell someone.

    As Paul walked home, he thought of what Mrs Green said. Maybe he didn't do his homework because he wanted to get his dad's 6He knew Mrs Green was right. He decided to take her advice.

    When Paul got home, he 7his dad. But there was no answer. Then it went to voicemail(语音信箱). Paul began talking, "Dad, I can't play with you next weekend. I've got lots of problems with my homework. Also, I really don't want to spend another day looking out of the window and waiting, whenever you 8our plans, Dad, it hurts me. It's not too late to rebuild our relationship, but we have to start small. Maybe you can help me with my 9sometime. Dad, I love you. "

    As Paul ended the call, he felt much relaxed.  He didn't know whether his dad would be different, but it didn't matter.  He himself 10 He expressed his feelings to the right person. He had a clear head as he was doing his homework that evening.

    On 1 1st, Mike decided to play a joke on his friend. At lunchtime he said to Tom, "I think we're going to have a science test(测验) this afternoon."

    "A test?" said Tom. "Really?"

    "Yes, it's quite 2." said Mike. "When I was passing by Mr. Hill's room, he was talking with 3 teacher about test. I think there will 4 a science test this afternoon. Tell Bob and Kate about it."

    Later, Tom told Bob and Kate about the test. 5 almost all the students in Mr. Hill's science class knew about it. They quickly went into the classroom and began to 6.

    But not Mike. He was laughing to himself 7 his classmates. "That fools!" he thought. "April fools."

    When class began, Mr. Hill said to the students.

    "Class, we're going to have a test today."

    Mike was surprised. He could not 8 what to do.

    When Mr. Hill handed out the 9, the students began to write. But not Mike. He 10 think and think and think.

    It really was April Fools' Day for Mike.