Today is the fifth day of July. It is Judy's birthday. When she comes back home from school, she sees a card on the table. It says, "There's a present(礼物)for you, Judy. Look for(寻找)it in your bedroom. "Judy runs in—to her bedroom. Her parents are looking at her and smiling. On the chair she sees a red box. She thinks her present is in it。She opens it, and there is a piece of paper in it. She reads it, "Dear Judy, I'm your present. My first letter(字母)is in the word 'dear', but not in 'pear'. My second letter is in 'red', but not in 'bed'. My third letter is in 'bus', and in' four'. And you can find my last letter in both(两者) 'home' and 'music'. What am I? "Judy thinks for a while and says, "Aha, I know. But where is it?" Her father tells her it is in her drawer.

    What is it? Do you know?

    Esperanza lives in a poor Latino(拉丁美洲的) neighbourhood in Chicago, America. She dreams of having her own house one day. Her parents told her that when they moved from their last house, they would have a new and shiny(亮闪闪的) house. But the house is small and old.

    Many people live in Mango Street, in a big old house, Esperanza lives behind it with her family. A lot of the people who have come from Mexico don't speak English. Many miss their home country. Esperanza understands their sadness, but she also feels at home in America. She is an American, but her roots(根) will always be Latino.

    Esperanza is young. Like her friends, she has to grow up fast. She is stuck between being a girl and being a woman. In the poor and dangerous area where she lives, this is difficult for her. Mexican people usually live in a close neighbourhood. This means that people live packed(挤塞的) in together. Everyone knows everyone else. So Esperanza knows other older girls that do things she is not comfortable doing. It is just a fact of her life.

    But Esperanza has good friends too. She becomes friends with two sisters named Lucy and Rachel. They ride bikes and have adventures(冒险) together. Esperanza is also friends with a girl named Alicia. Alicia is afraid of the rats in her apartment. She shares her poems with Esperanza.

    One rainy evening I went to fill up at the gas station. A poor boy came up to my car and asked me for money to help him and his mother{#blank#}1{#/blank#}in their hotel for another week. They had to leave{#blank#}2{#/blank#}they did not come up with $25. Having worked in social services before, and being a little skeptical (怀疑的) , I asked why his mother hadn't asked social{#blank#}3{#/blank#}for help. The boy said that they needed to{#blank#}4{#/blank#}in their hotel for one more week until his grandmother, who lived out of town, could take them in. I gave the boy what I had—$5. He thanked me and continued to ask{#blank#}5{#/blank#}for help. I got my gas and drove{#blank#}6{#/blank#}. Weeks before, a boy asked me for money and I told him I didn't have any though I did because I didn't believe him.{#blank#}7{#/blank#}, I knew the boy was really poor. "This time," I thought, "I'll do it{#blank#}8{#/blank#}." I went to my bank and got $20, then I returned to the gas station. The boy was {#blank#}9{#/blank#}there. I handed him the $20 bill. He reached through my car window and gave me a{#blank#}10{#/blank#}hug. His hug told me all I needed to know was that finally this kid could get out of the rain.

We may have many difficulties in life, and sometimes it's even unfair for someone, but it depends on how you face them. Sally is a student from a university, she made a 1 last August. She decided to take her grandmother 2 their hometown and live with her in a rented room（出租房）near her school. Sally's family have met a lot in the past few years. Her grandmother 3 her legs and she could walk only with a stick. Her father died because of illness. Sally's mother was plagued （受折磨）by these events, she lost the4 to take care of others, "This was the only choice. No one else could 5  my grandma, " Sally explained. Her grandmother has also had a6  life. The old woman's three sons have all died, and Sally couldn't leave her alone where7  could look after her. A room with two beds, a desk and a table is their new home. The room8 her several hundred yuan every month. In order to make money, Sally works in a supermarket after class and spends the money9  the family. "I was brought up by my grandma, and now it's my10  to take care of her, " said Sally. When she was young, her grandmother "magically" prepared every meal on time for her every day, 11  she could not read a clock. In the eyes of Sally's teacher, the girl is a (n)12 student. " Though taking care of her grandmother takes her lots of13 , Sally has tried to stay on top of all her courses. She is 14  preparing for an English singing contest, " her teacher said. Sally even 15 help from others. "It's kind of like only getting without giving, " she explained. At present, the girl is able to support(支持，支撑) the home with her weak shoulder.