In the dining room stood a large grandfather clock. Meals in that dining room were a time for four generations to become one. Always that clock stood like an old family friend, watching over the laughter and gentle joking.

    As a child, I was amazed at how at different times of the day, that clock would chime(鸣响). I found the clock comforting. Year after year, the clock chimed, a part of my memories, a part of my heart.

    Even more wonderful to me was that my grandfather wound(上发条)that clock with a special key each day, which kept the clock chiming. I remember watching as my grandfather put into the key and wound not too much, never overwind, nor too little. He never let that clock wind down and stop. When we grandkids got a little older, he showed us how to open the door. After my beloved grandfather died, it was several days after the funeral(葬礼)before I remembered the clock！

    Tears flowed freely when I walked into the dining room. The clock stood lonely quiet. Without my grandfather's special touch, I couldn't stand to look at it.

    Years later, my grandmother gave me the clock and the key. The old house was quiet. No laughter and gentle joking over the dinner table, no chiming of the clock-all was still(寂静的). I took the key in my shaking hand and opened the clock door. All of a sudden, I was a child again, watching my grandfather looking at me, at the secret of the clock's magic, at the key that held so much power. Slowly, I put into the key and wound the clock. The dining room and my heart were filled with life and chimes. In the movement of the hands of the clock, my grandfather lived again.

    It's the day before school starts. Mum takes her three little boys, Jim, Bob and Tom, shopping for clothes and school things. There are so many people in the shopping center. "Stay with me, "Mum says. But it doesn't take a long time for her kids to go here and there.

    While Jim is trying on a new shirt, Bob goes away. He is thirsty and runs to buy three bottles of cola. While Bob is looking for a pair of shoes, Mum can't find Tom. He sees his classmate Jack, so he goes to talk with him. While Tom is choosing a schoolbag. Jim and Bob are out of sight(在视野之外). They drink too much cola and go to the bathroom(厕所).

    It's seven when they get home. Mum is really tired. She gets a pen and writes one rule(规定)on the list of "Family Rules"一Shop with one boy each time.

    An Englishman was showing a foreign visitor around London" What's that strange building?" asked the visitor. " That's the Tower(塔)of London" " I see. How long did it take to build it?" "About 500 years." "In my country we can build it in five months. "said the visitor. A short time after that they came to St. Paul's Cathedral (大教堂). "Very interesting!" said the visitor. "How long did it take to build it?" "Nearly forty years, "said the Englishman. "In my country we can finish it in forty days." said the visitor. This went on all day. They visited most of the best known buildings in the city. Every time they saw a new one, the visitor asked what it was and how long it took to build it. Then he said that they could do the same thing much faster in his country. At last the Englishman got angry with the visitor though he tried not to show it. A few days later they came to the House of Parliament(议会大厦)and the visitor asked his usual question. "What's that?" The Englishman answered, "I've no idea. It wasn't there last night. "

    I have a problem. Her name is Luca, We do not see eye to eye.

    Like yesterday, we saw the number 9,999. She said, "All those nines. They feel so.... so purple!?"

    Purple? I saw it as logical and orderly. Not as colours. I think Luca and I live in different universes.

    But we have to do a report on the Statue of Liberty I really doubt if I can work with her.

    At our first meeting on Friday, we come up with a plan. She will make a Statue of Liberty, and I'll write the report. But on Monday, with only one week until our report is due, she tells me she's leaving to visit her great-grandfather for six days, because he's ill. It means that I, the one who can't even draw a stick figure, will have to make the statue. And she, the one who doesn't like to think logically, will have to write the report.

    "Please be at my house at 2:00 on Sunday," I say. I cross my fingers.

    While she's gone, I spend lots of hours making the sculpture according to some directions I find online.

    Sunday at 2:00 arrives, and Luca is late. Finally, I see her skipping down the sideway, carrying only a small piece of equipment.

    "What's that?" I ask." Where's the report?"

    "It's a digital recorder," she says." A report didn't feel right, so I did something else."

    I try to keep my voice calm as I say," But this is not about feelings. I's about the Statue of Liberty. Statues don't have feelings." Our project is due tomorrow. We're doomed.

    "Statues don't have feelings, but my great-grandfather does." Luca says.

    Now I am quite sure that we're from two different universes because I have no idea about what she's talking about.

    "I interviewed him about when he came to America and saw the Statue of Liberty," she continues." Listen." She turns on the recording.

    A scratchy voice comes on." In Hungary, I had no food and hoped to go to America, where I could eat, have a better life. Finally I got on the ship. Then the sunshine started. Oh! There she was, Lady Liberty. Like hope itself All of us cried. All my life, I remember that feeling, of seeing the Lady.""

    Looking at Luca, I think awhile. "You are right. That's what the Statue of Liberty is all about. Who says a report has to be on paper?" I say quietly. And a smile spreads over her face.

    Can you imagine what happens while we are making the presentation the next day? When Luca's great-grandfather says" All my life, I remember that feeling, of seeing the Lady," everyone is staring at our statue, quiet.

    Elena jogged with her dad in some empty lots(空地)at the edge of town. These out-of-the-way lots were good places to jog. But the lots were full of rocks and rubbish.

    One day, Elena saw a sign on the lots. It said, "New City Park. " Elena was excited.

Maybe the park would have a jogging trail(小路)！Elena told her parents about the sign.

    "I read about the park in the newspaper, "said Elena's father. " The city wants volunteers to help clean the area. Then the city will build a soccer field and a playground. "

    "Will they build a jogging trail? "Elena asked.

    " No, the paper didn't mention a jogging trail. "

    "Well, perhaps if I help clean up the lots, they'll put in a jogging trail, "said Elena.

    On Saturday Elena went to the lots. Many adults were working there. Some were picking rubbish. Some were moving rocks. "I want to volunteer, "Elena told a man, "What can I do? "

    "This is not a job for children, "said the man. " You'd better go home. "

    Elena looked around. She could carry rubbish. She could move rocks. A lady was pulling a bag of rubbish. Elena saw a box of rubbish bags. She took an empty bag. " I'll take this bag to the Dumpster, "said Elena, "Here's a new bag. "

    "Thanks, "said the lady. " Keep those new bags coming. "

    Elena dragged rubbish bags. She told everyone she was glad to help build the park. She explained that she hoped the park would have a jogging trail.

    Elena went to the area every week. Soon everyone knew her and she told everyone how wonderful a jogging trail would be.

    Soon the volunteers cleared the lots. The city could start building. The mayor gave a speech. He showed a drawing of the new park. He told them about the soccer field and the baseball diamond. There would be picnic tables. There would be a playground. The park would even have basketball courts. There was no sign of a jogging trail.

    The mayor thanked the volunteers. Then he asked if they had any suggestions. The volunteers said they wanted to build a jogging trail around the park. They told the mayor how helpful Elena had been and how she wanted a jogging trail. The mayor said, "A jogging trail won't be hard to build. Let's do it！"Everyone clapped and cheered. Elena cheered loudest of all.

    We are often educated to have the courage, but we also need to understand "fear" correctly. "Fear" also has the meaning of "awe (敬畏)". If a person has no respect (尊敬) or awe, it will surely bring trouble to the family, to the society and the country. So, how should we do?

    Fear life. Life is the only one. The fear of life will make us value life more. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If we don't respect nature, nature will punish us in turn. All kinds of natural disasters (灾害) will come one after another, making us helpless in front of nature. We should learn scientific knowledge and skills to avoid some dangers.

    Fear your parents. Know how to respect parents and thanks for their efforts. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Fear the law. No rules, no standards. Follow the order, rules of the society, schools and public places. Know the law and understand the law. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Whoever breaks the law can't run away from punishment.

    Fear knowledge. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} We will keep on progressing, have the awe of teachers, and accept their teaching and education with pleasure.