Emily is a music teacher. She has always made some money by giving piano lessons. She had a student named Robby. He was 11 years old when his mother took him to his first piano lesson. Emily thinks that students should begin at an earlier age, which she explained to Robby. But Robby said that it had always been his mother's wish to hear him play the piano, so she took him as a student. But from the beginning Emily thought he was a hopeless learner. He was not talented in playing the piano. But Emily had to say he tried hard. One day, Robby stopped coming back and told her that he wanted to play in public. He said his mother had been ill, so he had to practice at home. Emily hesitated(犹豫) because she thought he couldn't play the piano well enough, but finally she agreed.

    The night for the public show came. The high school hall was full of parents and friends. When Robby began playing, Emily was surprised at what she heard. He played so well that everyone in the hall was moved. Emily ran up to him when he ended. "I've never heard you play like that, Robby! How could you do it?" "Well, Miss Emily … do you remember that I told you my mom was sick? Well, in fact, she was so sick that she died this morning. And well … she was born deaf, so tonight was the first time she ever heard me play. I wanted to make it special."

    When Emily heard this, she felt that he was the teacher and she was the student. For it was he that taught her the meaning of love and believing in yourself.

    Keesh lived at the North Pole a long time ago. He was a bright thirteen-year-old boy with a strong, healthy body. His father was a brave man who had died during a food shortage. His father tried to save the lives of his people by fighting a giant polar bear. The meat from the bear kept the people from hunger.

    Keesh was his only son, and he lived alone with his mother. But people soon forgot how Keesh's father had saved their lives. They were forced to live in the poorest house in the village.

    One night there was a meeting in the chief's large house. At that meeting, Keesh showed how much courage he had. He rose to his feet and went on steadily, “Because my father, Bok, brought home more meat than any other hunter, everyone received a fair share, but now my mother and I were given meat filled with bones.” The hunters were shocked to hear a child speak to them that way.

    Keesh waited calmly until the shouting died down. “My mother has no one except me, and therefore I must speak. My father put his life in danger and died, to offer food to this village. It is only right that I, his son and his wife should have enough good meat as long as there is plenty of good meat in this village. I, Keesh, the son of Bok, have spoken.” He sat down. They threatened to punish him by not giving him any food at all. Keesh's eyes flashed(闪烁) and the blood pounded(冲击) under his skin, he jumped to his feet.

    “Listen to me, you men!” he shouted. “I shall never speak in this meeting again—not until you come to invite me to speak. My father was a great hunter, and so will I be.”

    They laughed and shouted at Keesh. But Keesh said nothing more. He walked away with his head raised, looking neither to the left nor the right……

— be based on a story by Jack London

    It was Mother's Day, but the young mother was a little unhappy, because she was 800 miles away from her parents. In the morning she phoned her mother to wish her a happy Mother's Day, and her mother told her about the beautiful lilacs（丁香）in the garden.

    Later that day, when she told her husband about the lilacs, he said, "I know where we can find all that you want. Get the children and come on. "So they went, driving down the country roads.

    There on a small hill, they saw a lot of beautiful purple lilacs. The young woman ran quickly to enjoy the flowers. Carefully, she picked a few here and a few there. On their way home there was a smile on her face.

    When they were passing a nursing home（养老院）, the young woman saw an old granny sitting in a chair. She had no children with her. They stopped the car and the young woman walked to the old woman, put the flowers in her hands, and smiled at her. The old granny thanked her again and again. She smiled happily, too.

    When the young mother came back to her car, her children asked her, "Who is that old granny？Why did you give our flowers to her？"

    "I don't know her," their mother said. "But it's Mother's Day, and she has no children. I have all of you, and I still have my mother. Just think how much those flowers meant to her."

    Here is a story told an American general（将军）who was a very important figure in the American army during the First World War. Everybody in the United States knew him and many people wished to have a picture or something of his in their homes.

    Soon after the war, the general returned to Washington. One day he went to a dentist（牙医）and had six teeth pulled out. A week later the general heard that his teeth were being sold in curiosity shops at $5 each. On catch of the teeth there was a label（标签）with the name of the general and words, "Buy these teeth and show them to your friends at home. "The general got angry. He rushed to his office and ordered six officers to go around the city and buy all his teeth.

    The officers went out and visited every curiosity shop in the capital. They were away from the office all day. In the evening they returned and put on the table in front of the general the teeth they had bought. They had collected 175 teeth.

    Kwanzaa is a celebration of African American history and culture. It begins on December 26th and continues until New Year's Day, January 1st.

    During the festival, a family member, usually the youngest child, lights candles in a special candleholder. Each night a candle is lit. Traditionally there are three green candles, three red candles and a central black candle. They represent the seven Kwanzaa principles (原则). The principles are believed to play a big role in building strong, successful families, neighborhoods, etc. In the evenings, adults share stories and explain how to follow the seven principles in daily life. On the sixth day, which falls on New Year's Eve, family and friends get together to enjoy a large meal.

    Kyle, a third grader, wrote this about Kwanzaa, "When we celebrate Kwanzaa, we have many people at home, light the candles, and have a nice dinner. We learn the meaning of Kwanzaa and remember family members. We say something good about them. Last year, we remembered my grandmother."

    In 1966, Dr. Karenga created Kwanzaa. He was studying the history of Africa at that time. Dr. Karenga wanted to create a holiday to bring African Americans together and celebrate their history and culture. He called the holiday "Kwanzaa". In fact, the name comes from an African language, and it means "first fruits of the harvest (收获季节)".