Tom and Linda were working in a big factory together. One day they were asked to go on a business trip. So they had to find a babysitter to take care of their two lovely babies.

    A week later, as they drove into their home town they noticed some 1 and went to see what it was. A house was on fire! Linda said, “Well, the house isn't ours. Let's go.”

    But Tom kept driving closer and said, “The house belongs to Fred. It has nothing to do with us, so let's go,” said Linda. Tom drove up and said nothing. A woman was 2 in the street. “My children! Help! Help!”

    Tom asked her to show him 3 her children were. “In the bathroom.” cried the woman. 4Linda didn't agree. Tom hurried to the bathroom which is full of smoke. He soon found two children. As he left, he could 5 some other sound like crying. He quickly sent the two children to a 6place. But he was told two more children were 7 inside. Linda shouted 8, “Don't go back! That house will fall down at any moment.”

    Tom went back by feeling his way down into the room. It seemed a century had passed before he find both the children and the way back. When they 9, Tom was so excited to find that he just saved his own children!

    The babysitter 10 them at this house while she did some shopping.

    Who designed the first helicopter? Who 1 one of the most famous pictures in the world? Who knew more about the human body than most doctors? There is an answer to all these questions-Leonardo da Vinci.

    Leonardo may have been the greatest genius(天才) people have ever known.

    He lived in Italy around the year 1500, but many of his inventions seem still 2 to us today. For example, one of his notebooks has drawings of a helicopter. Of course, he couldn't 3 a helicopter with the things he had. But scientists say his idea would have worked.

    But Leonardo wasn't just an inventor. He was one of the greatest artists of his day. By the time he was twenty years old, he was called a master(大师) painter, and as he got older he became even more 4. Almost everyone knew him. As a painter, he was quite careful. Sometimes he drew a hand in ten different ways 5 he was ready to paint.

    Many of Leonardo's wonderful paintings are still with 6 today. You may know one of his most famous works the smiling woman known as Mona Lisa.

Grandma Lee is 70 years old. She lives alone, She spends lots of time on shopping. She thinks it is really interesting. Every morning, she gets up early and then goes to the market to buy some vegetables and fruit. To save money, she always compares the prices of the same vegetable and fruit. She never feels tired of it. And in the afternoon, she goes to the supermarket, because there is usually a sale on at that time. 

Grandma Lee doesn't carry any cash any more. She only takes her mobile phone. Now she can even shop online. She can choose all kinds of things on the Internet and she can get them at home. It's so convenient! 

Martin had a lot of friends at school. He 1 told his family how many friends he had. 

One day, his father called him for a bet (打赌). "Martin, I bet you for the bike you wanted."

"Really?! What's the bet? " Martin couldn't believe his 2 .

"You do not have as many friends as you think. Not everyone is 3 friend."

Martin asked, " 4 can I test whether they are my friends?"

"I have something special. 5 me."

A few minutes later, Martin saw his father walking back, looking like he was carrying something heavy. But Martin could not see anything.

"This is a magic chair. Take this to the club, and sit on it 6 . Then you can tell who are your real friends," his father said. 

The next day when Martin was in the club with the "chair", he asked everyone together and said, "Friends, you are about to see my magic here. 7 closely."

Then Martin tried sitting on the chair. But he fell. Everyone laughed. 

He made another try and fell again. The laughs 8 .

Martin kept trying and fell.

He tried again but did not fall this time. He saw John, Abram, Julie, and Terry carrying him up 9 he would not fall. The others still laughed. 

Now he 10 his real friends.

Gina and Harry are good friends. They live in Shanghai with their parents. They all love China very much.

 It's a Sunday morning. Gina 1 021-66134523 and Harry's father gets the phone. She asks," Uncle Joe, is Harry. in?" Uncle Joe says 2 and asks Harry to get the phone. Gina says on the phone," Harry, 3 dad and I are in Beijing. Now we are in a museum(博物馆). It sells model planes at good 4 . Do you want one?"

 Harry is very happy." Yes," he says." That's very'5 of you, Gina."

" Well, I can buy one for you, but can you let me have a look at your 6 homework?" Gina says."I must 7 it next week, but history is too difficult8 me."

 Harry says," Gina, I 9 model planes. But I think copying(抄袭) homework is a bad 10 ."

 Gina is unhappy, but she knows Harry is right. She says,"I'm sorry. Forget it. I will buy one for you. Bye, Harry!"

Mr. Watson's store sold many different things. Every day, Jess came to the store and he loved to look at the pipes. One pipe especially caught his eye. He imagined that some day he would be a grown man and could smoke a pipe, just like his father that he didn't remember.

Jess reached out and touched the pipe. He kept thinking that when he was old enough, he would go to work and his mother could stay home. He would not have to wait three hours after school until she came.home from her job. Oh, why? He wondered, did it take so long to grow up and take his father's place.

He looked around the store and put the bowl of the pipe in his hand. He just wanted to get the feel of it- nothing more.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around quickly. It was Mr. Watson, the friendly store owner.

"Hello, Jess," Mr. Watson smiled, and kept on walking. Jess struggled to answer but could not get his voice up. He swallowed and smiled back weakly.

The store seemed extremely warm. Jess watched his feet begin to move and take him out of the store. Like sleepwalking, he moved towards the ground. He looked around and saw the empty swing. Sitting on the swing, a sharp pain caught him in the stomach. He knew it was the pipe he felt. He had walked out of the store with it!

The sun was slipping down through the trees and it was time to go home. His mother would look at him and she would know. She always knew. A bot tear ran down his cheek. She trusted him. He remembered the nice way she said, "You're a little man now, Jess." Her trust in him was all he could think about now. The pipe and its magic power meant nothing. His dream of growing up meant nothing.

Looking at the long shadows of the trees coming towards him, Jess now knew what he had to do. He jumped out of the swing and started running. His feet were quick, decisive, taking him straight back to the store like an arrow. Mr. Watson was just inside the door. Suddenly and blindly he held out the pipe. Mr. Watson gently took the pipe from the boy's hand and patted him on the

shoulder. Jess felt the warmth of Mr Watson's big hand, and felt his shoulders had become a little broader and stronger.