David walked down the street. All he wanted to do was to play basketball with Jim. But his mother told him to return his sister's books to the library on his way to Jim's house.

    In his eyes, books and summertime just don't go together. He thought he had read a lot during the school year. And he had never set foot inside a public library. Today he'd just drop the books off in the outside return box, but it was locked. He had to go inside to return them.

David walked inside the building a few minutes before closing time. He put the books into the return box. After a quick drink of water and a short stop in the toilet, he'd be on his way to meet Jim. He walked out of the toilet. The library lights were turned off. He was locked — in a library.

    David tried to use the telephone, but he couldn't find one. As the sun began to set, he searched for a light and found a little one on the desk. He used a pencil to write a note on a big piece of paper. It read, "I'm locked inside. Please call for help." He put it on the front door. Surely, someone passing by would see it. He then turned his attention to the library itself.

    He was surprised to discover that this place was not so bad. Rows and rows of books! When he saw a book about Michael Jordan on the desk, he picked it up. He opened the book and began to read. He felt that being locked in the library didn't seem to be such a terrible thing.

    When Justin Tong was a child, other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him doing lots of housework such as carrying out the rubbish and sending newspapers. But when he grew up, he was better off than his childhood friends and lived a happier and healthier life.

This is the finding of a 40-year study that followed the lives of 456 children in London. It showed that the children who had worked hard in childhood had a richer and a happier future. "Children who worked in the home or community gained competence(能力) and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society," said Daniel Brown, the psychologist(心理学家) who made the discovery. "And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them."

Brown's study followed these children in great detail. Interviews were repeated at ages 25, 31 and 47. Under Brown, the researchers compared the children's mental-health scores with their childhood-activity scores. Points were awarded for part-time jobs, housework, effort in school, and ability to deal with problems.

    Working at any age is important. Childhood activities help a child develop responsibility, independence, confidence and competence — the underpinnings (基础) of emotional health. They also help him understand that people must cooperate and work toward common goals. The most competent adults are those who know how to do this.

    Yet work isn't everything. As Tolstoy once said, "One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one's work."

    Lin Hong is my new friend. Her father has a shop near the factory. The {#blank#}1{#/blank#} /θIŋz/ in his shop are all nice. And his family are kind {#blank#}2{#/blank#} the workers. So they like to buy {#blank#}3{#/blank#}/'sʌmθIŋ/ there. It's Saturday today. Lin Hong doesn't go to school. She knows her father is busy, so she gets up early. She does her homework and then goes to the shop to help her father. There {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(be) many people in it. She sells(卖) bananas, apples, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (orange) and drinks to the workers. A car stops(停) in front of the shop. The {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (drive) comes in and buys some hamburgers and then goes away. Lin Hong finds his bag on the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} /flɔː(r)/. She runs out, {#blank#}8{#/blank#} she can't see his car. "I know Mr. Yang. We can take {#blank#}9{#/blank#} bag to him this evening," says Mr. Lin. It's nine and the shop is closed(关闭的). Lin Hong and her father go to Mr. Yang's home. The man and his family thank {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(they) very much.

I am sitting in an empty football field after my last high school football game finished a few hours ago. I'm the midfield player(中场球员) in my team. But in fact that's not 1 now. I was the midfield player because, as I said, this was my 2 game. That's a good way to end a high school football career(生涯), especially if you win, but even though you don't , it's good to3 at a high point. 

I was eight when I first started playing football. My dad 4 football, and he used to practice with me at home — passing, catching, running. We used to 5 almost every evening until it got too dark. He tried to teach me 6 he knew about the game. " Just remember: Don't ever 7 . "" Stay in the game. Don't lose your concentration(专注). "" Go out there and give 110 percent every time. " Well, that was a long time ago, but I still hear his words 8 in my ears. 

I had a lot in my mind before the game today. I don't like things to 9 , I guess, and this was the last game. I was talking to myself and 10 myself about what to do and not to do. I didn't sleep at all yesterday, and when the sun came up this morning, I reached the point where11 just wanted it all to be over. But then when the game started, my mind became empty. 

I just lived in this game this moment. I didn't 12 the crowd; I didn't feel the cold or the pain;I never felt tired. I just kept my eyes on the ball, and it was just me and the ball and, inside, a soft, white light 13 me the way to the goal. It was a beautiful, empty 14 . 

It's all over now, and it's really getting cold here. It's starting to snow. The sun's almost gone, and I 15 see the goal. Now it's dark and I'm sitting here all alone. Well, I guess it's time to say good- bye and move on.