As I was leaving to meet Lynne, my roommate told me that I'd better take some money. But I didn't listen to him. I thought that Lynne would pay because she had invited me. I arrived at the restaurant exactly on time. I'd been told that Americans expect you to be on time. Lynne and I sat at a table in the corner of restaurant and a waitress came and took our order.

    The dinner was a great success. I talked a lot about Saudi Arabia and Lynne told me all about herself. After two hours, the waitress finally came and asked if we wanted one check or two. Lynne said two. We went to the cashier and Lynne paid her check. I was embarrassed (尴尬) when the cashier gave me my bill. I had no money to pay for my meal. Then I had an idea. I pretended to look for something in my pockets and said, “Oh! I forgot my wallet! Can I call my roommate, please?” The cashier showed me where the phone was and I quickly called my roommate. In a few minutes, he arrived with some money, but he couldn't hide how he felt. He laughed all the way home. Now, I think it's funny too, but at that time I was terribly embarrassed. I thought that an invitation to have dinner in the United States meant the same thing as that in China. I guess you have to understand that your customs are only your customs. When you visit a foreign country, you have to learn about their customs, too.

    A few years ago, my young sons, Sam, Jerry and Alex, joined a bike competition in a town far from our home. As their father was busy, I drove them to the competition.

    We were quite new to the town and didn't know anyone there. But soon after arriving, one woman gave me a chair. In the afternoon, we talked happily. Her name was Bev and she was there with her sons Jim and Carl.

    Unluckily, in one of the last races, my youngest son, Alex, had an accident (事故). He cried and cried, so I ran to meet him. He badly broke his arm.

    Just before I decided to take Alex to hospital, I saw a familiar (熟悉的) face. It was Bev.

    Although I hardly still knew her, she could see I was scared by the accident and the worry of having two other children to care in an unfamiliar town.

    "You go with him to the hospital," Bev said. "I'll take the other two home with my boys. Here is my phone number. I live not far from the town hospital."

    Bev was an angel (天使). I will never forget her kindness in taking two children off my hands so I could give my injured (受伤的) child the best care.

    A friendship started that day; and is still growing now.

I grew up in a small town in Washington, US, and I want to be like my brother, Tim. He and his friends were in a gang. They often beat up people, and they didn't go to school much. I thought they were cool. 

On my thirteenth birthday, I told my brother I wanted to be in the gang with him. He said 'no', but I didn't listen. I went to ask his friends. Tim's friends took me into the back yard. They told me that if I joined the gang, I was in for life. Then, someone hit me in the face. I fell down. But I didn't cry. Each time I got up, they hit me again. Finally, they said I could be one of them. 

Tim was angry when he heard about it. But I stayed with the gang. After a few months, I began to beat up other people with the gang. Sometimes I wouldn't go home at night, and my mother would be worried. This went on for two years. I knew it was bad, but there nothing I could do. I was in for life.

One day, someone hit me in the head. I spent a day in the hospital. For the first time, I wanted out of the gang. One night after my fifteenth birthday, I went home. My mother was in the hospital. She had a nervous breakdown (精神崩溃) because she was so worried about me. That made me very sad. The next day, I told the gang that I wanted out. They began to beat me up, and my brother stopped them. I got up off the floor, smiled and said goodbye. But they didn't just stop there. Every time they saw me, they beat me up. This went on for about two months. But in the end, it stopped. I'm glad I'm out of the gang now. I don't have to be afraid all the time. I can talk to anyone I want. And most of all, I made my mum happy again.

A: The Mid- Autumn Festival is around the corner. Any plans for it?

B: We have an eight- day holiday this year, so I plan to go to Chengdu with my parents.

A: {#blank#}1{#/blank#} When are you going to leave?

B: On the morning of September 29th.

A: {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

B: Thanks. How about you? Will you celebrate the festival with your grandparents as usual?

A: Sure. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} He is my new friend from the UK. He shows great interest in the festival.

B: {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

A: No. He only knows Chinese people eat mooncakes during the festival. But he has never tried the food.

B: You can prepare some for him and tell him more about the festival.

A: I think so. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

Four years ago, l, a 17-year-old girl, arrived at Wellesley College. I cried when my parents dropped me off in my dormitory (宿舍). I thought to myself, "This is what loneliness feels like." Just at that time, I had forgotten how excited I was for college.

Four years has nearly passed, I am now 21 years old, just two months from graduating from college. In four years, I have experienced a lot, happy time, sad moment and ordinary days. How grateful I am for the ones who have shown me the way and taught me to be strong when I felt hopeless. How lucky I am to know that I have a home to return to.

Tomorrow, my mother turns 50. It is because of my mother that l've learned to love myself, to respect myself, and above all, to be a good person. Because of her, I have known that giving up is not and will not ever be a choice.

My mother and I have sometimes clashed head(冲突). She is the strongest person I know, the person who I disagree most. She has told me that I am the only person that is responsible for my life. But today I have to tell her that she has been wrong.

She doesn't realize that there is another person who will never leave me. There's another person who will always there for me and who will love me forever. That person is her. She is the first person I will call when I am sad, in trouble, or feeling blue. She will never lie to me to hurt my feelings. 

I have come so far these fast four years. I still have a long life to live. A life that I hope will be full of adventure, success, and happiness. Mom, you've helped me so far. You are my hero. One day I hope to be like you.