Some time ago, an old businessman had a large store in Boston. He wanted a boy to work for him, and he put an advertisement in the newspapers. The next morning, many boys came to the old man's office, asking for the job.

     There was a post（柱子）by his desk, and there was a nail in it. He took a walking stick and said, “Everyone has three chances. If anyone can hit that nail（钉子）on the head with this stick more than once, I will give him the job.”

    The boys thought it was very easy. They all tried, but nobody could make it. So the old man said, “I'm sorry I can't take any of you,” and they left.

      He kept the advertisement in the papers, and the next morning more boys came, and among them he saw a thin boy who had been there the day before. The boy hit the nail successfully for three times. The old man felt surprised and asked how he did that.

     “Yes,” said the boy, “I failed yesterday, but I thought that if I kept on trying a while, I could do it. So I went home and practiced hitting a nail with a stick till I could do it, and I got up very early this morning, and tried again.”

    The old man said, “You are the boy for me,” and gave him the job. Whatever the boy had to do, he tried to do his best. It was not very long before he became the best clerk in the store.

根据短文内容，回答下列问题。

    When I first arrived on this island, I had nothing. But I've found the ship and made a small boat. I've brought back many things I can use—food and drink, tools, knives and guns. Although I have lost everything, I have not lost my life. So I will not give up and I will wait for another ship. I have already cut down trees and built a house. I go out with my gun almost every day to kill animals and birds for food. I'm even learning to grow fruit and vegetables.

    A few weeks ago, I found the marks of another man's feet on the sand. Who else is on my island? Not long after that, I saw some cannibals trying to kill two men from a broken ship. One of them died but the other ran towards my house. I helped him kill the cannibals. This man now lives with me and helps me. I named him Friday because that day was the day I met him. He is smart and I have already taught him some English.

—Taken from Robinson Crusoe

My "perfect holiday"

    Henry was a bus driver in a big city and he worked very hard. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} He usually went to the seaside, but one year he saw an advertisement in a newspaper. "Enjoy country life. Spend a few weeks at West Hill Farm. Good food. Fresh air! Horse riding! Walking! Camping! Cheap and interesting."

    "{#blank#}2{#/blank#}" he thought. "I'll spend a month at West Hill Farm. I think I can enjoy horse riding, walking and camping. They'll make a change from sitting by the seaside and water sports."

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} In the letter he said that he would like to spend all of July there. Then on the first day of July, he left for West Hill Farm.

    But four days later, he returned home.

    "What was wrong with West Hill Farm?" his best friend, Ed, asked him. "Didn't you enjoy country life?"

    " "Country life was very good," Henry said "{#blank#}4{#/blank#}"

    "Oh. What problem?"

    "Well," he said" The first day I was there a sheep died, and we had roast mutton for dinner.'

    "What's wrong with that?" Ed asked. "Fresh meat is the best."

    "It's good, but on the second day a cow died, and we had roast beef for dinner."

    "Lucky you!"

    "You don't understand, "Henry said."{#blank#}5{#/blank#} and we had roast pork for dinner. "

    "A different kind of meat every day," Ed said loudly. "And you are complaining!"

    "Let me finish, "Henry said." On the fourth day the farmer died, and I didn't dare to stay for dinner!"

    More and more people are using the Internet to buy things. Many people like shopping on the Internet ①you can buy almost everything on the Internet. Shopping on the Internet is becoming more and more popular. You can shop at any time. The shops are always open. And online shopping can save a lot of time. When you want to shop on the Internet, you only need a computer and a mouse! But you also need a credit card (信用卡) when shopping on the Internet. You always have to be careful with your credit card number, because people sometimes steal (偷) ② it from online stories.

    Online shopping has several disadvantages, too. You can't see the product or try on the clothes. Paying over the Internet isn't always safe.

    "How are you?" is a nice question. It's a friendly way people in the United States greet each other. But "How are you?" is also a very unusual question that often doesn't have an answer.

    When a person meets a friend on the street and asks "How are you?", he only expects to hear the answer "Fine." even if the other person isn't! The reason is that "How are you?" isn't really a question and "Fine." isn't really an answer. They are simple ways of greeting people and saying "Hello".

    Sometimes, people also don't say directly what they mean. For example, when someone asks "Do you agree?", the other person might be thinking "No, I disagree." But it isn't very polite to answer so directly, so the other person might say. "I'm not so sure." It's a nicer way to say that you don't agree with someone.

    People also don't say directly what they are thinking when they finish conversations with others. For example, many conversations over the phone end when one person says, "I've got to go now." Often, the person who wants to hang u gives an excuse: "Someone's at the door." "Something is burning on the stove!" The excuse might be real, or it might not be. Perhaps the person who wants to hang up simply doesn't want to talk any more, but it isn't very polite to say that. The excuse is more polite, and it doesn't hurt the other person's feelings.

    Whether they are greeting each other, talking about an opinion， or ending a conversation, people often don't say directly what they are thinking. It's an important way that people try to be nice to each other, and it's all part of the game of language!