John is a very strong man. He gets a job cutting trees. His boss gives him an axe. The first day, John cuts down eighteen trees. “Good!” the boss says. Happily, John tries harder the next day, but he only cuts down fifteen trees. The third day he even tried harder, but can only cut down ten trees. Day after day, he cuts down fewer trees.

    “ I must be losing my strength ( 力气 ),” John thinks. He goes to the boss to say sorry and says that he does not know what is going on.” “When is the last time you sharpen ( 使锋利 ) your axe?” the boss asks. “I'm busy cutting trees, so I have no time to do it.”

    When John is working hard, he doesn't work “smart”. He doesn't think about the best way to do this job.

    Tom is a good boy, but he cannot get up early. He often sleeps until nine or ten o'clock in the morning. His mother doesn't want him to be late for school. So she buys him an alarm clock. She says to him, "You must get up when you hear the clock ring" "Yes, Mum." Tom says. And from then on, Tom gets up when he hears the clock ring at six thirty every morning. One day his mother forgets to ring up the clock. And the next morning Tom doesn't get up at six thirty. It's time for breakfast. Mother goes to wake him up. Tom is in bed and his eyes are open. He says to his mother, "I wake up very early."

    "Then why don't you get up?" Mother asks.

"But," answers Tom, "You tell me that I must get up when I hear the clock ring. So I am now waiting for the clock ring."

    Every night in Jinan University in Guangzhou, {#blank#}1{#/blank#}play diabolo (空竹) as a crowd watches in amazement.

    Chen Zhelun, 25, a Malaysian-Chinese started the diabolo club, which helps to increase the popularity of this traditional Chinese game. He is one of many students expressing their interest in the country's cultural heritage (遗产) by {#blank#}2{#/blank#}.

    The diabolo, which came from China, is popular among Chinese living in Malaysia.

    "We played diabolo from primary school onward. I thought I could find someone {#blank#}3{#/blank#}in China, but only a few students knew about it. So I started a club to develop it," says Chen.

    To Chen's surprise, the old game has interested a huge crowd—more than 1,000students have joined the club.

    "It {#blank#}4{#/blank#}and it's fun," says Chen.

    But some prefer quieter activities. Every weekend, one classroom in Shenzhen University is always crowded, but it's unusually silent. The members of Lanting Calligraphy Club are writing Chinese characters with traditional brushes.

    As head of the traditional Chinese local operas club, Kong Yanquan plans to put modern elements (元素) into traditional culture to get students to join his club.

    "I think it's everyone's duty {#blank#}5{#/blank#}China's traditional culture among young people," he says.

It's 6 : 00 o'clock on Friday night. The Greens are talking {#blank#}1{#/blank#} the holiday. They want to go to different places and take some nice {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(photo). 

They find their best ways to go. 

Jack wants to see his grandma. It is 5 kilometers away from his home. So he can get to his{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(grandma) home by bus. 

Mrs Green and Kate want to go to the sea in another city.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} they don't like to take the plane. They want a slow and {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(relax) travel. So one of the best{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(way) of travelling for them is to take a train. 

Mr Green wants to visit London. He {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(watch) TV about it and knows how to go there. He plans {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(take) just one bag with him. Driving his own car is{#blank#}9{#/blank#} good idea. 

Ann likes long journeys. It is so great to make friends with others. Next week she{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(fly) to Paris to see her friends. 

Bryan ran home. "Dad! Look!" he called excitedly. "I found the cutest pet in the river! I named him Hoppy. "

Dad had a closer look, "Oh, a frog! How handsome!"

"Do you think Hoppy will like it here?"

"Why don't you keep him for a while, and then we'll see how he's going. "

Bryan found a shoebox. Using a pen, he poked（戳）air holes in the top of the box. "Welcome to your new home. In you go, Hoppy. "

"Are you hungry?" Bryan asked. He lifted his frog out of the box and put some sandwich pieces in front of him. "Eat up, Hoppy. " Bryan watched. . . But Hoppy didn't eat. Bryan waited. . . Hoppy just sat and stared（瞪眼看）. "Don't you like sandwiches?"

Bryan put Hoppy back in the box. "I think Hoppy's tired. I'm going to make him a comfortable bed. " Bryan cut the old newspapers into pieces and put them into the box. He put Hoppy on his new bed. "Are you cozy now? I'll tell a story to help you sleep. " When the story was over, Hoppy was still awake. 

"Can't you sleep? Why?" Bryan asked. Hoppy just sat . . . and stared. Bryan didn't know what to do and sat thinking. 

"How are you getting along?" Dad asked. 

Bryan cried, "Hoppy doesn't want to eat or sleep. "

 "Think about what he really needs. "

A little later, Bryan ran into the house looking for his dad. "Whoa!" said Dad. "What's the hurry? And where's Hoppy?"

"I took him back to the river, " Bryan said. "He was sure glad to be home! When I put Hoppy down, he jumped into the river, caught a fly and ate it. Then, guess what!"

"What?"

Bryan laughed. "Just before Hoppy jumped into the water, I think I saw him smile at me. "