Thomas was a good student but he didn't respect others. One day，his aunt gave him a1as a birthday gift. He went around the classroom playing his drum. When others asked him to keep 2or play somewhere else，Thomas refused.

    Thomas's classmates couldn't 3the noisy drum，so they stopped playing with him. Joe, one of his classmates，invented special earplugs (耳塞)which allowed people to hear normal sounds, but stopped the bad ones. Thomas got very4with Joe. He even had a big fight with Joe.

    A few days later，a clock was put into the classroom，just next to the desk of Thomas. The clock was making the5like “Tick tock, tick tock.” Thomas couldn't concentrate on his study at all.6 ， the others，with their special earplugs，were OK. Soon Thomas started to 7how much he had disturbed his classmates with the drum，and how silly it had been to fight with Joe. In order to change the situation，Thomas decided to say8to his classmates. What's more，he9played his drum in the classroom. Seeing Thomas's great changes，his classmates10forgave (原谅)him and decided to play with him again. From then on，Thomas changed a lot and got along well with his classmates.

    Poor Les had a dream of being a DJ. He went to a radio station every day for a week, 1  a job. Finally the station manager offered one to him, but with no pay! Les said thanks and 2 it. He was asked to get coffee and pick up lunches and dinners for the workers at the station. However, when possible, Les would go to the studio (演播室) and learn whatever he could. Back in his room at night, he 3 and prepared for an opportunity (机会).

    One Saturday afternoon, one DJ named Rock drank too much and he seemed to have trouble with his 4. Suddenly, the phone rang. Les picked it up. He was the 5 person at the station. It was the station manager.

    The manager knew Rock couldn't 6 his programme, so he asked Les to call one of the other DJs to come to help. Les said yes, but he waited about 15 minutes before he called the 7 that he found nobody. He was sure his opportunity was on its way.

    The manager asked, "Young man, do you know how to work in the 8?"

    "Yes, Sir," replied Les.

    Les quickly walked into the studio, moved Rock aside and sat down at the desk. He was 9. He turned on the microphone and said, "Look out! This is me—Les Brown. There were none before me and there will be none after me…"

    Les gave the listeners and his manager a big 10! He went on to have a successful life in politics, public speaking and television!

    He comes from a small village far from any big town. He is the son of a farmer. He is Wu Yulu, an ordinary 1 from a village.

    Even when he was a child, he took a great interest 2 robots. He made his first mini－electrical machine at the age of 8.He worked on robots all day. Local villagers thought Wu Yulu was crazy.3, he never gave up his dream. He4 most of his time on robots and didn't care about farming.

    He has made more than thirty robots with different functions. Some clean, some wash the dishes, and 5 light cigarettes, pour water or serve food.

    "I will never stop 6 robots and I'm glad that I have 7, "said Wu Yulu."In 2009, I was invited to an exhibition in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province, with my robots. I am 8 that my robots were on show along with Shenzhou Ⅶ."

    Influenced by Wu Yulu, his son Wu Wangyang loves robots, 9.The man is a college student, majoring in some robots design, and always helps his father make robots.10, he and his father Wu Yulu will surely invent more and more useful robots.

    One day, while Mark was walking in Central Park, he saw a UFO. He became afraid of it, and ran to the back of a big tree. The UFO landed in Central Park with a loud noise and bright lights around it. A(n) 1 walked out of the UFO. Mark looked out from behind the tree. Just then, the alien saw him too. They 2 looking at each other. Mark was nervous enough to ask, "Where do you come from?"

    "I'm from another 3 I'm Mel," said the alien. "Let's be friends."

    Mark thought he should make the alien know humans 4and learn how to communicate with humans. So he said, "Follow me."

    Mark began to hang out around with the alien. He 5 that humans had changed Nature to make life easier on Planet Earth. He also said to the alien, "6 gives us more free time to do what we want." Finally, he invited the alien to visit the 7 where he worked. They had a great day.

    As the alien got ready to leave; Mark decided to remember their 8 on Planet Earth on computer in his library. And the alien told Mark, "I'll also 9 the day. When I get back to my planet, I will tell our people 10 humans are very friendly. I believe we will communicate more and get on better with each other in the future."

The Tradition

    Luis's whole family meet every June to celebrate Grandpa's birthday. Before everyone sits down to eat, each person has to tell a personal story they have about1. Some family members tell the same story year after year. Luis, for example, had his usual story about the time Grandpa taught him how to take care of a vegetable garden.

    The stories are a tradition. And now that most of the grandchildren are old enough to 2, the tradition could go on for quite a while. Last year, it took three hours. Luis tried hard not to yawn (打哈欠) as he listened to all the same old stories.

    This year, Uncle Frank and Aunt Teresa have dinner ready early and call everyone to eat.

    "What about the 3? Luis asks.

    "There's just not enough time this year, with so many people," Uncle Frank says.

    After hearing this, Luis feels relieved (如释重负). But he also feels a little4as he sits down at the long dining table. Without the tradition, Grandpa's birthday feels like any other holiday the family share.

    Luis looks at the plate of vegetable salad. "You know, I wouldn't know how to pick a tomato right if it wasn't for Grandpa," he says softly.

    "I wouldn't know how to drive a car," says Aunt Teresa.

    "I wouldn't know how to turn a paperclip into a safety pin," adds Uncle Felix. "That sure saved the day at Edna's wedding (婚礼)!" Everyone laughs and smiles at each other at the reminder of that well—known family story.

    It was a 5birthday. Conversations run like water, and the food is wonderful. But something tells Luis that next year, the tradition of telling stories will6.