Mr. Clarke hated to do the housework. He wouldn't stay at home on weekends. As his wife always told him to do some washing or cleaning，or he had to cook for his family. So he always made some excuses (借口)on Friday evenings.

    Recently Mr. Clarke was interested in playing cards，but he was afraid to let his wife know. So every Sunday afternoon he brought some fish home. It made his wife happy and she never asked where he spent his weekends.

    One Saturday morning，Mr. Clarke left home at 7 o'clock. He took a bus and got off at a stop near a small town. His friends were waiting for him in a small hotel. They played cards there. Mr .Clarke didn't go home until 7 o'clock on Sunday evening. He went in the shop near the bus stop as usual. As soon as the shopkeeper saw him，the man said，“I'm sorry，Mr. Clarke. I have no fish today. What about some chicken legs？” “Don't be silly！” said Mr. Clarke，“I can't tell my wife that I have fished some chicken legs，can I？”

D

    "My dear lady," says Holmes. "You're shivering. Are you cold? Do you want a cup of hot tea?"

    "I'm not cold," the woman replies, "I fear for my life!"

    "We are here to help you. Don't worry about anything. I don't know you. But I know many things about you. For example, I know how you travel. You came to London by train. You also ride to the train station on a horse-drawn wagon(马车)."

    "Why, yes. You're right. But how do you know these things?"

    "I see a return ticket in your glove. I see fresh mud on the left arm of your dress. Now tell us your problem."

    "My name is Helen Stoner," she states, "My mother and father are dead. I am living with my stepfather, Dr Grimesby Roylott. He comes from a rich family. But they are no longer rich. They have nothing except a small piece of land and a huge old house. We are living in the house. Dr Roylott is using my mother's money for expenses(开支). Part of it was for my sister and me. It was for our marriages."

    Holmes is sitting in his chair. His eyes are closed. He is listening carefully to Helen's story. He hears every detail(细节).

    Helen continues. "My stepfather has no friends. He fights with everyone. He is strong and gets angry quickly. Everyone is afraid of him."

    "He has no friends at all?" asks Holmes.

    "No. He talks to no one except the gypsies. They are poor people who travel from place to place. A band of gypsies is staying on our land right now."

    "Are you and your sister afraid of the gypsies?"

    "My dear Mr Holmes. You are making me so sad. My sister is dead. That is why I am standing here in this room."

    In the morning, a grandfather took his grandson to a school. When the boy and his grandfather went into the playground, some children came up.

    "What a funny old man!" one boy said, making a face.

    "Hey, fatty (胖子)," another one shouted.

    The children jeered at them and jumped up and down.

    Without saying a word, the old man took his grandson out of the school gate. "Wonderful! I don't have to go to school!" the boy said.

    "You do, but not this one," his grandfather replied. "I'll find you a school myself." The grandfather took his grandson back to his own house, asked the boy's grandmother to look after him, and then went out to look for a school himself.

    Every time he got to a school, the old man went into a playground, and waited for the children to come out at break time. In some schools the children completely ignored (不理会) the old man, and in others, they made fun of him. When this happened, he would turn sad and go home. Finally, he went into the very small playground of a very small school, and stood tiredly against the wall. The bell rang, and the children got out into the playground.

    "Sir, are you all right? Shall I get you something to drink?" a voice said.

    "We've got a bench in the playground — come and sit down," came another voice.

    Soon a young teacher came out into the playground. The old man greeted him and said, "Finally, I've found my grandson the best school in town."

    In this August, I had a trip called "Cultural Trip: Germany, Italy & France" to go to Europe with a group of American students.

    This was not my first time to other countries, but it was unusual one. Why do I think the trip Unusual? Travel agencies (旅行社)usually have travel buses for tourists, What about us ? For five days, we traveled along Germany by bike. We were tired but happy! For some times on the trip, something went wrong with someone's bicycle. But at the end of the trip, everyone was safe and happy.

    In Italy, we went to a kitchen to learn to cook Italian dishes, we made a great dinner and ended by making the chocolate cake. I gave full marks to that night!

    France was the last stop, we went to the capital of France, Paris. We went to the Eiffel tower and we even got onto it. The tower is 324 meters tall, It has three levels(层) for visitors. There are restaurants on the first and second levels. The top level is 276 meters above the ground. If you climb from ground level to the first level, you need to climb over 300 steps. There are another 300 steps from the first level to the second level. That's why people usually get onto the top level by lift.

I'm ready to do my first jump 10 months after a skydiving(特技跳伞) accident. I can't wait! That accident almost killed me and it made me stay in hospital for half a year. During the boring long days, I didn't feel happy to be alive (活着的). I was wondering how I could live without my favourite sport.

It all started on an evening after nine-to-five o'clock. I was sitting on the sofa when an ad (广告) came on the television— try skydiving. The next day, I went to the skydiving school in my town. At the end of the day's lessons, I knew I found the right sport for me.

I would never forget my first jump. Five of us walked to the runway and got into a plane. I. was afraid, but the others were talking and joking, and I started to feel a little relaxed. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the sun was just. going down. Soon it was time to jump. As I jumped from the plane, I shouted. But then everything became quiet. It was the most wonderful four minutes of my life.

From the first jump, I was hooked. I started spending all my free time skydiving. It became my reason for living. Things were going really well. Then an accident happened on my 104th jump. I broke my both legs, right arm and nose. I stayed in hospital for six months, but I. still couldn't forget skydiving.

My mother couldn't understand why the only reason I wanted to get better was to go skydiving again. But for me, skydiving is life, and life is skydiving.