Ben was hoping for a video game for his birthday. He also wanted a board game. And he wanted some CDs too.

    He got the board game and some CDs, but what was in the last package (包裹)? It was from his sister. He slowly opened the package. It didn't feel like a video game.

    It was a purple sweater. Purple was Ben's least favourite colour. He smiled and thanked his sister nicely, but he didn't want to wear that sweater. He couldn't wear purple!

    He quickly put the sweater away in his room. Then he ran off to play the new board game with his family.

    The next day, Ben's mother asked him about the sweater.

    "Why don't you wear your purple sweater today?" she said. "Your sister made it just for you!"

     "I am not cold," Ben said without thinking. In fact, he was lying. He shivered (发抖) all day.

    Then one day they were going out to dinner as a family. Ben's mother asked him to wear the sweater again. "I don't want to wear it. I hate (讨厌) purple," he said.

    "Ben," said his mother, "I know it's not the nicest sweater in the world, but think about how important Karen is to you. You know she will be very happy if you wear it to dinner."

    Ben walked slowly to his room. He knew his mother was right. He wore the sweater to the restaurant. His sister smiled all night.

    One day, the Earth was very sick. He felt so bad that an earthquake happened. After the earthquake, it rained every day. Then the Sun told him to go to the hospital.

    The Moon looked at the Earth and said, "Look! Your skin should be the blue sea and the green land, but it is turning more and more yellow… "

    "It is the desert," the Earth said.

    The Moon put on her glasses and looked at him carefully. She saw that some people were cutting down trees near the desert.

    "I'll make these trees into chairs and beds. I'm going to get married in a few days," a young man said happily.

    "I want to make a wonderful piece of art with this tree," an artist with long hair said.

    "I'm too poor and I have a big family. I need to sell these trees to make money," an old man said while cutting down the small trees.

    "Winter is coming! I need more wood to make my house warmer," an old woman said.

    At that moment, a truck came with giant machines. A group of men got off the truck.  They began to cut down the trees with the machines quickly. Soon, all the trees disappeared and the truck took them away.

    The Earth began to cry. The Moon was too surprised to do anything. The desert laughed at the Earth, "Ha! Ha! You have nothing to do with me!"

    Sixteen years ago a boy gave me an important gift. It was a smile.

    It was the early autumn of my first year at a middle school, and my old school was far away. As a result, no one knew who I was. I was very lonely, and afraid to speak to anyone.

    Every time I heard the other students talking and laughing, I felt my heart break. I couldn't talk with anyone about my problems.

    Then one day, when my classmates were talking happily with their friends, I was sitting at my desk unhappily as usual. At that moment, a boy entered the classroom. I didn't know who he was. He passed by me and then turned back. He looked at me, with a smile.

    Suddenly, I felt the touch of something bright and friendly. It made me feel happy and warm. That smile changed my life. I started to talk with other students and made friends. Day by day, I became closer to everyone in my class. The boy with the lucky smile has become my best friend now.

    One day I asked him why he had smiled, but he couldn't remember doing so!

    It doesn't matter because all the dark days have gone. I believe that the world is what you think it is. If you think it is lonely, you might always be alone. So smile at the world and it will smile back.

    A few days ago, I walked into a stranger as he passed by. I said sorry to him, and we were very polite. Then we went on our way after saying goodbye.

    Later in the kitchen at home, as I cooked our meal, my daughter Betty walked up to me, very quietly. When I turned around, I nearly knocked her down. "Get out of the way!" I shouted angrily. She ran away, crying.

    That night, when I lay in bed, my husband said to me, "You were so rude to Betty. Go and look around on the kitchen floor, and you'll find some flowers there. Betty brought those for you. She picked them herself, pink, yellow, and your favourite blue."

    When I heard this, I thought deeply, "While meeting with a stranger, I was calm and polite; but with my daughter, I was not patient (耐心的). I felt sad and tears began to fall.

    I quietly went to Betty's bed, "Wake up, my dear," I said, "Are these the flowers you picked for me?" She smiled, "I found them by the tree. I knew you'd like them, especially the blue. " I said, "I am so sorry that I treated (对待) you that way today. " And she whispered (悄声说), "Mommy, that's okay. I still love you anyway. " I kissed her and said, "I love you too and I do love the flowers. "

    That day Betty gave me a lesson on how to get along with each other in the family. I spent much time on work before and didn't realize how important family life was. I decided to do better in the future.

    The moon was behind a cloud and there weren't many stars in the sky.

    It was a dark night. I saw a glow(光) in my neighbour's kitchen. I thought he was having a night meal so I went back to my bed.

    Soon, there was a smell of burning in the air and I thought there was probably something wrong. I jumped out of the bed quickly and went out to make sure. I saw a fire coming out of my neighbour's kitchen. Then I shouted "Fire! Fire! ".But no one in the neighbourhood heard my shouts for help.

    I ran into my house, called the fire department(消防队) and went back to my neighbour's house. I banged(猛敲) on the door and called out my neighbour's name, but there was no answer. Finally I broke into the house and rescued a cat and a dog.

    I tried to pour water through the kitchen window but it was no use. It was a big fire. Luckily, the firemen arrived soon and stopped the fire.

    When my neighbour came back, he was sad for his kitchen but he thanked me for calling the fire department and for saving his pets. He wanted to give me some money but I did not accept it.

    Weeks later, my neighbour had a new kitchen. He invited me to see his new kitchen and we enjoyed a big meal there. It made me very happy.