A well-known old man was being interviewed and was asked if it was correct that he had just celebrated his ninety-ninth birthday.

     “That's right.” said the old man. “Ninety-nine years old, and I haven't an enemy in the world. They're all dead.”

  “Well, sir,” said the interviewer, “I hope very much to have the honour of interviewing you on your hundredth birthday.”

     The old man looked at the young man closely, and said, “I can't see why you shouldn't look fit and healthy to me!”

    Lester was walking in the street with two huge and heavy suitcases. A stranger walked up to him and asked, "Have you got the time?"

    Lester stopped, put down the suitcases and looked at his watch. "It's five fifteen,'" he said. "Hey, what a nice watch!" said the stranger. Lester smiled a little and said, "Yes, it's not bad. Look at this." Then he showed the stranger a time display for the 86 largest cities in the world. He hit a few buttons and a voice told the time in Chinese.  Lester continued, "Its voice can be set for different languages." The stranger seemed very interested in the watch. "That's not all," said Lester. He then pushed a few more buttons and a small map appeared on the watch. "The map can show where we are," explained Lester. "I want to buy this watch!" said the stranger. "Oh, no, I'm not selling it. I have spent nearly two years making it," said Lester. "I'll give you $1,000 for it!" "Oh, no, I've already spent more than that." "I'll give you $ 5,000 for it!"

    Lester stopped to think. The stranger quickly gave him a check(支票) and said, "$ 5,000. Here it is." Lester finally agreed to sell the watch. When the stranger was going to leave with the watch, Lester pointed to the two huge suitcases and said, "Hey, wait a minute. Don't forget your batteries."

I start my first day of school at junior high today! What I am thinking about makes me1 . I don't know anything about junior high. I am going to be a new kid in the school and I am going to have to make new 2 .

I am not alone(孤单的). All of us going into junior high are in the3 boat. Though(尽管)I am 4 being a new junior high school student, I am also excited about it! I am excited about all the different 5 I get to study.

I will miss my old friends, but I 6 hope to make new friends. The letter from my new school 7 that this Friday will be Club Day. There are a lot of 8 at my new school. I think I might join the Film- Making Club. It is a good way to 9 new friends and share hobbies.

I am so 10 now! My family are all excited for me as well. I am looking forward to a great year and an exciting new world!

Eric Whitacre is one of the most famous musicians in the world. His wonderful and special skills on music works quickly draw people's attention all over the world. He is excited about using choral(合唱)music to make people get together from all around the world. 

As a child, Eric Whitacre lived in a small town with many farms. He had a great interest in music since childhood. He didn't know how to read music, but he often played different kinds of instruments. 

Years later, Eric went to the college that he dreams to study in. In the college(大学), he met the leader of the college's choir(合唱团) . At first, Eric didn't want to join the choir, but finally he did because the leader would like to teach him music. 

Then Eric came there and sang with the choir for the first time. It was a big surprise. The beautiful and interesting choral music shocked him and then he decided to write music pieces. At the age of 21, Erie made his first successful work and had many fans. Later he became a popular musician, and his works were very modern. 

Eric Whitacre's choir is very special because it's virtual(虚拟的) . The Internet makes this possible. The members of the choir don't know each other. They are in different ages, from different countries, and have different jobs. But they are joined together by their love of singing and their hope to be part of a worldwide community that makes beautiful music. 

 Joe is an American. When Joe was born, he had a problem with his heart and doctors had to perform an operation(手术) on him. When he was 3, Joe had his second operation. This operation didn't go well and he even couldn't move the left side of his body. The doctors at the hospital didn't think he could get better. Then the family moved to Florida.

 Joe liked being in the water and his mother thought swimming could help him. First, they went to swimming pools in hotels, but some hotel guests didn't like them being there. Then one day she went with Joe to a place called Dolphin Plus, where people swam with dolphins. Joe met Fonzie, a 3-meter-long, 275 kilogram dolphin there and the story really began.

 Soon, Joe was eager to see Fonzie every day. He loved playing with him and feeding him. Every time Joe arrived, Fonzie came to see him right away. Joe's mother told him always to feed Fonzie using his left hand, so Joe used his left side more and more. Slowly, he got better and better.

 Joe's mother saw that Fonzie helped him a lot, and she knew it was a good idea for other people, too. So, she and her family worked to open a place called Island Dolphin Care. It's next to Dolphin Plus and many people with health problems come to spend time with the dolphins.

 Joe is now over 30 years old and very well. However, Fonzie died in 2004 when Joe was 17. Joe wrote:"Fonzie was a great friend to me; he and I shared a lot of good times. He always put a smile on my face when I was feeling down."