From an early age, Parker always said that he would be an astronaut. But no matter {#blank#}1{#/blank#} much he studied, worked, and took tests, he never passed. Finally, he {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(grow) over the maximum(最高的) age for taking the test. He would never be able to realize his dream.

    People {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(feel)sorry for his dream. Although he {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(tell) about having to give up his dream, Parker continued training and studying, as though he was going to sit the tests next month.

    He carried this on as he got {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(old), and when he was a very old man he heard that they were doing some very important medical experiments. For those experiments they needed {#blank#}6{#/blank#}very old astronaut. Parker, who now walked with a stick, was the only old man in the whole world who was trained to fly in a rocket.

    So Parker found {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(he) flying in space at last. The experiments were very {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (succeed). The knowledge from the experiments helped doctors to cure one of the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (bad)sicknesses for old people, and Parker was celebrated as a hero. Photos of the astronaut with a walking stick and no {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(tooth) spread all over the world. It showed that persistent effort always brings reward, even though that reward may not be in the form we had first expected.

    A new term begins. We are glad {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (return)to school again. In Grade 8, we have a new subject {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. Some students think it is hard, but some think it is {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (interest) Mr. Smith is our teacher. He is from {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (English). He is friendly and {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (knowledge) He advises us {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (study) hard.

    In his first class, Mr. Smith asked what we liked and {#blank#}7{#/blank#}. The students were active about this question. Kate told us her favourite food was {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (pancake), but she didn't like meat. To our {#blank#}9{#/blank#} Tony, a naughty boy, said that he liked {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (copy) others homework, for he didn't like study.

    Lisa has always been fat. She wanted to lose weight, not only because she wanted to look more beautiful and healthier, {#blank#}1{#/blank#} also because it would make life easier.

    For example， it was difficult for Lisa {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (find) ready-made clothes. She had to ask a tailor(裁缝) to make clothes that were large enough. In the school, she needed a special chair that was {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (big) and stronger than other chairs. If she went for a walk, she got tired very {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (quick).

    She was also unhappy about the way people treated her sometimes. She couldn't enjoy having dinner with her friends {#blank#}5{#/blank#} she was afraid of getting fatter.

    But now things are quite different, Last month, her classmates were {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (prepare) for the School Art Week. They invited Lisa {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (play) the lead role of the Proud Queen(皇后) that was tall and fat. Lisa agreed and practiced a lot.

    Soon after the play, Lisa became a star. She did {#blank#}8{#/blank#} a good job that everyone remembered the Proud Queen. She even won the School Best Actress Award {#blank#}9{#/blank#} her wonderful performance.

    Now Lisa doesn't worry about being fat any {#blank#}10{#/blank#}. She believes in the English saying "Every dog has its day".