[1]Once, when there was a famine（饥荒）, a rich baker sent for twenty of the poorest children in the town, and said to them, “In this basket there is a loaf（面包）for each of you. Take it, and come back to me every day at this hour for more.”

    [2]The hungry children gathered eagerly about the basket, and fought over the bread because each wanted the largest loaf. At last they went away without even ______ the good baker.

    [3]Gretchen, a poorly dressed little girl, did not fight or struggle with the other children, but stood quietly in the distance（远处）, When the badly behaved children had left. Gretchen took the smallest loaf, which was all that was left in the basket. She kissed the baker's hand and went home.

    [4]第二天，孩子们表现得像以前一样糟糕。Gretchen got a loaf almost half the size of the one she got the first day. When she came home, her mother cut the loaf open. Many new shining pieces of silver fell out of it.

    [5]Her mother was very worried and said, “Take the money back to the baker at once. The silver must have fallen into the dough by accident. By quick, Gretchen!”

    [6]When the little girl gave the rich man her mother's message, he said, “It was no mistake, I had the silver pieces put into the smallest loaf to reward（奖赏）you. Always be as content（满足）,peaceable, and thankful as you now are. Go home now, and tell your mother that the money is yours to keep.”

    On September 19, Alibaba went public (上市) on the New York Stock Exchange(纽约证券交易所). It shows that Ma Yun has done his business successfully. A short Chinese man seems to be the tallest man in the world right now. Ma used to be an English teacher. So far, he has become the richest man on the Chinese mainland.

    Ma was born in Hangzhou and grew up as a happy kid. At the age of twelve, he found that English was very interesting. Every morning he got up at 5 a.m., and then ran to a hotel near the West Lake where he could communicate with foreign tourists in English. He did it for nine years. The experience made him become a fantastic English speaker and also opened his eyes to the wide world. In a 1995 trip to the US, Ma was shown to the Internet for the first time. Seeing the chance, Ma returned to China and set up a website without knowing much about computers. Four years later, Ma set up Alibaba in Hangzhou. People called him “Crazy Jack Ma”. But fifteen years later, Alibaba has developed into the world's largest e-commerce (电子商务) company.

    Today more and more students like going shopping on the Internet. Do you have any ideas about it? Here are four girls' ideas.

    Sandy, twelve

    I like new skirts and jeans. At the weekend I usually go to the shops on the Internet. When I see my favourite things, I can pay for them with my credit card (信用卡).

    Kitty, thirteen

    I think it is very easy and cheap to buy things on the Internet. I only need to stay at home and choose the things I like. I can get them quickly without going out. It doesn't take too much time.

    Wendy, eleven

    I'm not good at computers. I never go shopping on the Internet. I don't think it is interesting. When I want something, I ask my parents to buy it for me in the shopping mall.

    Shirley, twelve

    Shopping on the Internet is not good. I can only see some pictures about the things. I don't believe the notes near the pictures.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Sometimes you can find a job easily, by walking into a local store and looking at its notice board(布告栏). Local stores often have areas for people to put small signs telling the services that they need or they can provide. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    Another popular tool for finding a job is the Internet. For example, people around the world can use the Craigslist Web site to buy things, meet people or find a job.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}.

    Another useful way to find a job is through a university. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Many college students like this way better.

    At times, some experts(专业人士)can also help people find a job. Susan Miller has her own company called California Job Services in Los Angeles. She says her company helps people find a job by first helping them understand their strengths, goals and interests. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} So with her help, many people have succeeded in finding a good job.

    Robots were something in science novels and movies. Now there are many robots working in factories. In fact, most working robots are not like humans at all. Some are more like strange machines, They do most of dirty or dangerous jobs over and over again. Robots never get bored or tired but humans will if they do the same jobs. Scientists believe there will be more new robots everywhere, but it may take hundreds of years. They will have different shapes. They will look like humans or animals. In India, scientists made robots that look like snakes. They can help find people inside fallen buildings.