It was last June. I went into a supermarket to buy some vegetables, when a young man asked me, “Can you tell me where the  1 counter is?”

  “Well, the milk is in the lower right corner,” I replied. Picking up my things, I finally came to the milk counter where I met the same man. He was 2 almost 10 bottles of milk in his hand. I asked, “Do you need a 3?” “Sure, thank you.” he answered.

    I was 4 he was still picking more bottles and after a few minutes his trolley had 24 bottles of milk. I laughed and asked, “Why so many bottles?” He smiled and said, “These are 5 my street dogs. Today I want to be a Santa for them.”

    I said, “Well, it's too 6 for you to be a Santa. It is still June and Christmas comes in 7.” He 8 at me for a second, but he left the counter without 9 anything.

    10, we met again at the bread counter. “So these bread and cakes are also for the street dogs, Mr. Santa.”  He smiled and said, “Yes. These are also for the dogs and I love to be Mr. Santa in the month of June. Santa is a representation(象征) of surprises and 11. We always hope Santa comes before 12. But in real life there is a Santa in each one of us. He is always ready to help us at any time, no matter(不管) which month it is. Maybe when you offered a trolley to me, there was a Santa in you. When we 13 food to a poor man or a(n) 14 to someone who is caught in the rain, we are being Santa there. So when you offer help to others or get help from others, just think that Santa has come all the way for you.”

    He left and I was 15 that I met him. It was right to understand that Santa can come before Christmas. We just need to know that he is around us by giving happiness and love to others.

    Once there lived two brothers. The elder was called Simon and the younger Victor. They1each other very much, and always took care of one another. Every day they worked from morning2night, getting as much grain(谷物) as possible from their fields.

    One late autumn evening, after their work in the3was done, Simon said to his wife, "Victor got married last month. He has many bills(账单) to pay. I think I will put a bag of rice in his barn(谷仓). “Oh, that's a good idea,” said his wife. “But please don't tell him,” said Simon, “If he knows I put the rice there, he will4take it.”

    So, late that night Simon took a bag of rice to Victor's barn. The next day, while looking at his own barn, he found5strange. “I took a bag of rice to Victor's house last night,6I still have the same number of bags in my barn.7did that happen?”

    Simon decided to take another bag of rice to his brother's barn that night. But the next morning, he found the8number of bags in his barn again! “This is very strange,” he thought. That night he9again. He carried a large bag of rice on his shoulder(肩膀); and walked down the road to his younger brother's house. In the bright moonlight, he could see another10coming down the road. He was carrying something on his11, too. “Younger Brother!” Simon cried, “What are you doing?” “I was 12you, Older Brother,” said Victor, “Your family is13than mine. I thought you needed more rice.” The two brothers quickly14that they had been taking rice to each other. They15what had happened. “It is good to have a brother like you,” they both said. And they lived happily ever after.

    Xian Xinghai was a very famous musician in China. He wrote one of the greatest pieces of music of the 20^th century. In his short life he wrote 1 300 songs and an opera.

    Xian was born in Panyu, Guangdong, China in 1905. Because his father died before he was born, Xian moved from place to place with 2 mother. He began learning to play 3 violin when he was 20 years old. In the beginning, his violin was 4 cheap and badly made that he5not play it well. His friends laughed at him. Xian did not stop 6 and soon showed his talent. In 1934, he was one of the first Chinese students7studied in a special music school in Paris. Before he 8, Xian became the school's best student 9 won several prizes for his talents.

    In 1935, he returned to China and helped fight against the Japanese army. Later, he came to Yan'an 10 music at a college. 11 there were no pianos in Yan'an at that time Xian still wrote 12 of his most important music there, including The Yellow River, his most famous work.

    In May 1940, Xian 13 to the Soviet Union by the Chinese Communist Party to write music for movies. In the Soviet Union, life was very 14. Xian got sick and later died of a lung illness 15 October 30, 1945, aged only 40. Xian's music, however, lives on in the people's hearts.

    When I was young, I went to a boarding（寄宿）school in Edinburgh. It was far from home because I1on an island in the north of Scotland.

    It was a music school, and I studied the violin. At the end of the term, we all packed our bags and our 2  to go home for the holidays. Most kids went by train or bus. Some were 3  by their parents. But I had to go home by ferry—14 hours overnight on the open sea.

    One summer, after packing my suitcase and violin, I said4to my friends. I took the train to the ferry terminal（渡船码头）and then got on the ferry. But when the ferry started moving, I realized a(n)5thing! I left my violin on the train!

    Oh no! What should I do? What would my dad say? He'd be really6! I got so scared（害怕）that I didn't sleep all night.

    The next morning, I7the ferry to meet my dad. After I told him everything, he laughed. I looked at him and couldn't believe it.8was he laughing?

    I always had a label（标签）in my violin case with my address and a telephone number. My dad told me, "A cleaner found your violin on the train and took it to the police. They  9 me and put it on a plane. It arrived an hour ago." 10, my violin was safe.  I was so happy!

    Tom had a dog named Max. Max was 10 years old, which was quite 1 in dog years. Tom bought the dog to protect him and his family from 2. When Max saw something suspicious (可疑的), he barked loudly. There was one time when a bad man was trying to get into Tom's house. Thankfully, Max barked loudly and Tom's dad was able to 3 the bad man in time. Sometimes though, Max would bark when he saw another dog. Tom would go outside 4 something bad was happening, but it was really just another dog.

    Tom went on a lot of hikes and walks with Max. Tom did not like to exercise, but he did not 5 if it was with Max. Tom would also take Max to the dog beach, where Max could play with other dogs. Max was considered part of the 6. He was even in the family holiday postcard picture. Tom knew, however, that Max was going to 7 soon. He tried not to think about it.

    One day, Tom came back home from school and filled up Max's water bowl as usual. Except this time, Max did not run to the 8 as he usually did. Tom looked around the house for Max and found him lying on the floor. Tom was surprised. He 9 ran to Max and called his name over and over again. He was gone. Tom and his family buried (埋葬)him in their backyard. He 10 for a long time, and remembered all his good memories with Max.

    Once my father and I went to see a circus(马戏团). A family was standing in front of us1  for tickets. The family had eight children. Their clothes were not expensive but they were clean. They were talking about the clowns(小丑) and elephants excitedly.

    "I want ten tickets, eight for children and two for adults(成人)."said the father to the ticket lady. The ticket lady told him the 2. When he heard that, the man couldn't believe his ears. He asked again," How much?" The ticket lady said again. The father looked 3 . Clearly, he didn't have 4money. My dad took a $ 20 bill and dropped it on the ground. Then he 5 the bill, and said to the man, "Sir, this fell out of your pocket." The man knew what was going on. He looked into my dad's eyes and took the bill." Thank you, thank you, Sir. This 6means a lot to me and my family." We didn't go to the circus that night, but we didn't feel sorry for it at all.   72    .