Amy had three sons, Dave, Bill and Bob. Every year her sons sent her expensive gifts on her birthday.

The eldest son Dave, had a lot of money and he wanted his mother to have the most expensive gifts, but he didn't know what to buy. So he put an ad in the newspaper. "Wanted—the greatest gift for my mother.”

About a week before his mother's birthday, a man came to his office. He brought a big bird.

“This bird can speak six languages and sing eight songs.”the man said.

“Really?  I'd like to listen to it," Dave said.

The man made the bird talk in French and tell a joke in Japanese. Then the bird sang a beautiful song. Dave was very happy and paid eight thousand dollars for the bird. The next day Dave sent the bird to his mother with a birthday card.

The day after his mother's birthday he called his mother. “Well, mother”he asked, "What do you think of the bird?”

“Oh, it's very delicious, dear.”said his mother.

    Sandwich was an Englishman. He lived in the 18th century. Sandwich was rich(有钱的), but he liked to play cards for money. He often played for 24 hours, and didn't even stop to have his meals. He ordered his servants(仆人) to bring him some meat and bread. He put the meat between the two pieces of bread and held the food in his left hand while he played cards with his right hand. People liked Sandwich's idea, and from then on they ate bread and meat as Sandwich did.

    From the name of the man, Sandwich, we have the word of the food "sandwich" today.

    Mr Brown got up late this morning. He was going to be late for work.

It was raining hard and the streets were wet. He drove so fast that he didn't see the red light. He couldn't stop his car and hit a car.

    An old man got out of the car and called out angrily, "What are you doing? How can you drive so fast?"

    "I'm sorry, sir, "said Mr Brown. "I didn't see the light turn red." "I will make you drunk(醉的)," he said to himself. Then he brought out a bottle of wine and gave it to the old man. "It's cold today, sir," said Mr Brown." Please drink a little, and then you'll get warm."

    The old man drank some wine and became happy. He asked, "I'm feeling much better now. Why don't you drink any?"

     "I can't drink anything now, sir, "answered Mr Brown." I'm waiting for the policeman. Only drunkards cause accidents, you know! "

    My name is Xiaoyang. I'm a boy from Shandong. I have a cousin. His name is Wu Bin. He's twelve. He's from Hubei. He's very friendly. Wu Bin's father, Wu Hai is tall and strong. He's a basketball player. Wu Bin's mother, Wang Li has long black hair. She's a cook. Wu Bin has a little puppy. He's cute. I like it, too.

    Steven is six years old. He gets some money from his mother every week. He buys a lot of things from the shops, but he doesn't really need them, and he puts them everywhere. One day his mother gives him a notebook and says, "Now, Steven, when you buy things, write their names down in the notebook, and also write down how much they are. Then you can look at it again when your money is all gone (花光了), and you don't waste (浪费) so much money next time."

    After a week, Steven says to his mother, "Do you know, Mum, before I spend (花) any money now, I really stop and think!" His mother is very happy and thinks, "Well, my son knows the value (价值) of money now. "But then she hears him say, "Mum, before I buy something, I always ask myself, 'Can I spell (拼写) that word and put it down in my notebook?'"